by Carla Thorne
“Is that so?”
“Yes, and from the feel of things, he’s settled in like a cloud of doom over this place. The real question is not how I got through those doors, but why and how were they sealed shut to begin with? And who, Mr. P? Who wanted a gym full of people to die?”
Chapter 29
Ivy
We all rushed into the hall and away from the office as fast as possible.
“Remember that time I said we’d just had the weirdest principal visit ever? I was wrong. That was the weirdest principal visit ever.”
“No lie,” Scout said. “Did you see his face when Deacon dropped the truth on him? Boom!”
“Sorry,” Deacon said. “But I’m tired of all the secrecy. We are what we are, and things are getting more dangerous. I guess Mr. P could repeat what I said or call my parents and tell them I’ve lost it. I don’t care.”
“He won’t do that,” Mary said. She chewed on her bottom lip as she thought. “That clip and him seeing it may turn out to be the best thing that’s ever happened to us.”
“It’s true,” Scout said. “Up until now we’ve only been able to talk about things that happen after the fact. With the video right in our faces, we were able to actually see ourselves in action.”
“And no one can dispute it,” Deacon said.
“Or explain it,” I added. “Maybe we should have warned Mr. Parrington after all.”
“I wouldn’t go that far,” Mary said. “And don’t go putting Warrior under extracurriculars on your college apps just yet. We still don’t know who we can trust.”
Deacon made a turn and came back. “See, that’s the other thing I don’t get. Why is it so darn hard to figure out who the good guys are?”
Scout sneered. “Uh… Because the bad guys aren’t going to announce their presence and tell you they’re bad guys? Because they’re deceitful and evil and out to hurt and confuse us?”
“No, I know that. What I mean is, why is it so hard to trust that someone really is a good guy? Shouldn’t it be more evident?”
“It’s not hard for me,” I said. “I feel it. Usually right away.”
Deacon jabbed his finger in the air toward me. “Right. You’re an emotional Warrior. You trust your gut and feel things.”
“And you’re a physical Warrior. You problem-solve with actual power. That’s a much different gift than mine. I knew through discernment and instinct and supernatural vision the fire was coming.”
Mary stepped closer. “And Deacon was there to take care of the doors.”
“Which is hilarious,” Deacon said. “Because I’m the least muscly guy there is. Jacob called it. I’ve never seen the inside of a gym.”
“But that’s not what this is about, though, is it?” I asked. “It’s a completely supernatural manifestation when we need it. When it’s our assignment.”
“Right,” Mary agreed. “It’s for a time and a place.”
“C’mon, Deacon,” Scout said. “Don’t you know? Your gifts aren’t for the ordinary times. They’re for the extraordinary ones.”
He considered that for a moment. “But there’s another thing. We can’t be the only ones.”
“I never thought we were, did you?”
“I didn’t,” Scout said. “I think there’s a group of Warriors everywhere there’s a group of people. Sebastian said there were many kinds of people who work for the Creator. Guardians, Protectors… And Sebastian called himself an Enforcer. But I don’t think people get to see many of those. That’s like realm-level existence there. I think the rest of us keep our feet on the earthly ground most of the time.”
“But that also means there’s a group of Agents from the Destroyer,” Deacon said. “Everywhere.”
“Yes,” Mary said. “But we need to take a break here. We’ve been over this a hundred times and I know we’ll go over it a hundred more. Deacon, I think you’re still reeling from your visit with Shanar. It changed everything for you. It made it all no-turning-back real. You believed it before, but now you reeaally believe it, and it’s caused you to take a deep dive in the meaning of it all. Believe me, I’ve been there, but you have to give your mind a break and figure out how you’re going to handle all the information without your head exploding.”
Scout nudged my arm. “Speaking of things exploding…”
Gavin and Corey came our way. She hung off the side of his body like a bad sweater.
They stopped when they should have kept walking.
“Here they are,” Gavin said. “The heroes of the Stonehaven Gym Fire.”
Deacon bristled. “You know what they say. If there weren’t any villains, you wouldn’t need any heroes.”
Gavin held up his phone as if he were going to take a picture.
Mary stepped in front of us. “Put that down. No one is supposed to be recording anything in the school right now, and we certainly didn’t give you permission to take a pic of us.”
“C’mon, you all are famous. You have your own hashtag and everything.”
“Move along,” Deacon said. “We have to get to class. Good luck in the playoffs.”
I admired Deacon’s restraint. He was pretty calm for someone who’d been in pain, on edge, and questioning everything since the fire.
What I didn’t like was Corey’s sullen and fractured appearance. She looked as much a bully victim as she ever had with Paige, but she clung to Gavin as if he were her savior. It made me sick to think she’d fallen into another pit and could feel hopeless enough to attempt to take her own life again.
“Corey, can you talk a minute?” I glanced at the others.
“Yeah.” Scout got the hint. “Hang out a minute? Talk about the ski trip?”
Corey didn’t speak, but Gavin did—all the while looking only at Mary. “We’re on our way to our mandatory support group to talk about the fire. Waste of time.”
“I don’t think so,” Mary said. “A lot of people are shaken up. Some students have left the school.”
“Good riddance.”
“What’s your problem, Gavin? Are you afraid people might talk and figure out what really happened?”
“Are you?” he shot back.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I don’t know. Maybe that it’s a bit strange you’re always right where the trouble is?”
A muscle in Deacon’s jaw twitched. “Where were you? On the other end? As far away from actually doing anything as possible?”
“Whoa!” I refocused to Corey. “You’re coming on the ski trip, right? Maybe we can have some time to talk and catch up.”
I barely got a blink of recognition out of her.
“What is this?” Mr. Parrington’s louder-than-usual voice echoed behind us. “Where are you all supposed to be?”
“Sorry, Mr. Parrington.” Gavin’s cold, hollow gaze had morphed to his warm and charming one. “We were talking about the ski trip.”
“Talk about it some other time,” he said. “Get to class.”
Gavin and Corey moved on. We tried, but Mr. Parrington stopped us.
We had no idea what was coming next.
“Is the ski trip going to be a problem?” the principal asked.
“No,” Mary said. “Why would it be?”
“No particular reason. I got the final list today to check for discipline issues. Despite the time you spend in my office, none of you have any actual code of conduct violations.”
He laughed. I guess he thought that was funny. We didn’t.
“What about your injuries? The trip is right around the corner.”
“I see the doctor tomorrow,” Mary said. “I don’t think it’ll be a problem.”
Deacon let out a little bark of laughter. “I can’t ski anyway, so if all I have to do is watch I’m OK with that, but my mom’s making me see my doctor too before I go.”
Mr. Parrington stood there and stuffed his hands in his pockets. It was as if he had something he wanted to say but didn’t know how to say i
t.
“Is there something else?” I finally asked.
“You know, there are a lot of people signed up for that trip. Are you sure you’re not going to have any problems with anybody?”
Deacon was annoyed again. “We don’t look for trouble, Mr. P.”
“Yeah, yeah, I know. Trouble finds you.”
“I’m glad you understand. Now, can we go?”
“I also wanted to let you know there is some scholarship money available for the trip. A couple of students had to drop out and their parents forfeited their payments for anyone who needs help.”
I wanted to say something. I’d walked the legs off a hundred dogs, but I was still short for the last payment. I also needed spending money. Mary and I had borrowed all the clothing we needed from Jacob’s family who skied all the time, but I lacked snack and coffee money and needed to buy some decent underwear.
“We’ve got it covered,” Scout said.
“Actually, I don’t have it all covered…”
“No,” Deacon added. “It’s covered.” He pointed at Scout. “Mr. Moneybags here didn’t tell me when we started our pressure washing business that he already had more money saved than the Microsoft guy. We put a lot of what we earned in a jar for the four of us. We got you.”
“That’s your money, you guys. I’ll fill out the forms and walk more dogs—”
“This isn’t a discussion,” Scout said. “It’s already done. Forget about it.”
I lowered my voice and tilted away from Mr. Parrington. “Can we talk about this later? I’m embarrassed enough already.”
Mary wrapped her arm around me. “We need to get to class. Can somebody wedge my bag on my good shoulder, please?”
“I’ll carry it,” Scout said.
“I’ve got Deacon’s,” I said.
Mr. Parrington looked us over one more time. “You four really stick together, don’t you?”
We didn’t answer, and truthfully, were getting tired of the bizarre conversation. The man had tortured us enough for one day.
“Just one more thing.”
We turned back.
“Y’all have a safe Thanksgiving next week and I’ll see you back here ready for finals after that.”
“Thanks,” we all mumbled.
“You too, sir,” Deacon said.
“And hey! Guess what?”
Now it was just getting stupid.
“What?” Scout asked.
“I think I’ll be on that ski trip with you.”
Deacon audibly moaned his unhappiness. I think Mary would have elbowed him in the ribs—if she had a working elbow and he had working ribs.
“You see, an administrator has to be on every school trip.”
“I thought this was a parent-and-student-organization-sponsored trip,” I said.
“It is mostly, but still. A school official has to be there.”
“Thanks for telling us,” Scout said.
“No problem. Thought I’d let you know. Just in case.”
“In case of what?”
“You’re our school Warriors, remember? Never know when you might need backup.”
Chapter 30
Mary
I hugged Jacob when he stepped off the team bus.
“Hey, Mary Angel.”
My face warmed. “Stop that.”
Gavin wasn’t too far behind him. I swear he crashed into us on purpose on his way to meet Corey and his parents. I avoided the bump to my still-tender elbow because Jacob held me so protectively in his arms.
“I’m sorry about the game,” I said.
“Yeah, it’s disappointing.”
“You played well, though. Anybody interested in you for college could see that.”
“I guess.”
“And there’s always next season. So, you got knocked out in the first round this time. Next year you’ll go all the way.”
I backed off while other players, coaches, and fans congratulated him. Our whole community had come out on the cold November night to support the team despite the loss, and everyone needed something to feel normal about after the fire. If the end of football season helped that happen, then it was OK it was over. They’d gone as far as they could, and I don’t think anyone was really worried about Jacob’s career. He was a massive, talented fish in a little, tiny pond at Stonehaven. Recruiters had been hovering since they were allowed to hover, and Jacob’s parents weren’t going to miss an opportunity.
Mr. Parrington stood with everyone and clapped until the last player had exited the bus. If he had anything else to say to any of us, it hadn’t happened. His stalling and shake-my-head comments in the hall left us wondering what he really thought.
The general consensus was that he was messing with us.
Jacob hung his arm across my shoulders and brushed his lips at my temple as we headed for his car. Small gestures like that were as far as we’d gotten. After he’d asked to kiss me over smoothies and I’d been too shy and tongue-tied to say yes, he’d backed off and settled for those moments that seemed completely natural but didn’t cross any lines. Everyone assumed we were an official couple and we likely were, but we’d never had a conversation about it. The lock-and-key thing just kept happening.
He hoisted his bag onto his shoulder. “I’m hungry. Can you go eat?”
“I would love to, but here’s the thing. It’s only been a week since the fire and my parents are being strict about where I go. Strangers are still trying to talk to me, and there’s been no answer on the elusive electrician everyone wants to find so…”
“But they said I could take you home, right?”
“Yes.”
“Let’s get some food and take it back to your house. Can we watch a movie or something?”
It sounded perfect to me, but why would the star of the football team choose that over a house party where he’d totally be the guest of honor?
“Of course,” I said. “Are you sure your parents aren’t waiting on you to do something special?”
“Nah. I think they left the game toward the end when they were sure we weren’t going to pull it out. They’re off doing whatever it is they do to torture each other and aren’t concerned about me.”
“I know your parents love you, Jacob.”
“I’m sure they do. In their own way.”
It was the saddest thing I’d heard all day.
I took his hand and held on tight.
Hours later…
After we ate too much fast food and shared two kinds of milkshakes.
After my dad followed Jacob around our kitchen and talked football.
After we watched the most ridiculous horror movie ever and I got scared anyway.
It was then we were wound up together under a soft Sherpa throw on my parents’ couch. We were warm and half asleep with messy hair and our shoes off but our socks on. We were close—but not too close—as my parents fell asleep down the hall.
Jacob stared at me in the flicker of the light from the screen, and I willingly crept to where he hadn’t asked me to be, but I knew I belonged. He wrapped his arm around me, and I nestled against his chest.
And I remember everything.
The lightest scratch of his fresh Saints t-shirt on my cheek, the earthy scent of him, the sound of his heart…
He rubbed his hand across my back. “I don’t think I ever said thank you.”
“For what?”
“Uh… For saving my life? You brought me cookies for helping with a nose bleed, and I forgot to thank you for tackling me to avoid certain death. What do you mean for what?”
“You were still hurt. I wasn’t fast enough.”
A low chuckle vibrated in his chest. “Really? How do you not see how big a deal that was? No one else raced in to help me. You could have been hurt too.”
“You were hurt,” I argued.
“That bang on my head and a skull-crushing death from that falling scoreboard don’t even compare. And don’t change the subject. You were
there for me. Like my guardian Mary Angel.”
Every time he called me that, something stirred. Whether it was the growing affection between us or the actual particles of angel being Sebastian said I carried with me, I didn’t know.
I snuggled closer. “And you were there for me with the broken nose, so we’re even.”
“Not even close.”
“It’s not a competition. We helped each other.” I then added the sentence I’d used a lot, and never intended to use it on him to explain Warrior business. “I was at the right place at the right time.”
“You know what that also means, Mary?”
“That means something else?”
“Yes. It means I was at the wrong place at the wrong time. One can’t exist without the other. If it is necessary for someone to be in the right place, it’s likely because someone else is in the wrong place and needs something else or someone else to be in the right place. It’s about balance.”
Mind. Blown.
I pulled away and studied his face.
He looked uncomfortable. “What did I say?”
“You sound like Scout,” I said. “We have these deep philosophical discussions all the time. Then I have to go home and Google a bunch of stuff.”
“Just you and Scout?”
I smiled because he sounded jealous. “Not only Scout. Scout and Ivy and Deacon and me.”
He smiled because he knew he’d given himself away. “OK. Just checking.” He curled a piece of my hair around his finger. “What’s Deacon’s problem with me?”
I didn’t hesitate. “He doesn’t trust you. Yet.”
“I’ll have to work on that.”
“But back to your original point about timing and balance… Why were you late to the gym? Coach must have been furious you weren’t there to come in the pep rally with the team.”
“It was the dumbest thing. First a couple of girls tried to stop me because they wanted to write about the football game for the online school newspaper or something. Then, I knew I was late, so I headed straight for the doors the team came in, but some maintenance guy stopped me and told me I had to go around. He said he was working in that hall. I couldn’t believe that was happening during a pep rally, but I took off to get to the other side.”
