Wild Girl (Slateview High 2)

So the study sessions were a welcome chance to focus back on school.

She’d invited the boys over too, and they were sprawled around the small room, quiet and mulling over their own work—though whether that was because they were actually interested, or because it was better than entertaining other, more tumultuous thoughts, I wasn’t sure. In Misael’s case, he wasn’t even doing homework. He was just doodling in his notebook.

Still, it was the most normal things had been for any of us all week.

Jessica laughed, pulling my attention back to her. “Fair. He’s just been… I dunno… hovering more than usual.”

Again, I thought about my conversation with him when he’d asked me to hang back after class that day. The advice he’d given me to stay away from the Lost Boys.

Does he know…?

I shook the thought from my mind. If Mr. Tyson knew anything about anything, we’d definitely know about it, wouldn’t we? And if he knew that the Lost Boys worked for Nathaniel Ward, he would’ve reported that long ago.

“Hey, can you help me with this question?” Jessica asked, scooting off the couch to sit beside me on the floor.

“Sure, what is it?”

I leaned closer, peering over her shoulder at the calculus equation she was trying to solve. I was grateful for the distraction, and only too happy to let the subject of Mr. Tyson drop. I didn’t know what his deal was, although after our conversation, I’d sort of gotten the impression that he saw himself as one of those teachers who could save his students from themselves if he just tried hard enough.

That was all well and good, and admirable in its own way. But I worried about what he might consider “saving.” If he found out about the Lost Boys and turned them in, he might tell himself it was something he did for their own good. I would have to make it a point to be extra careful what I said around him going forward, and to make sure I kept up the pretense that everything was normal.

As I finished helping Jessica work through the equation, Bishop’s phone rang, making me jump. His brows furrowed as he answered, but his voice was steady.

“Hey, Nathaniel.”

The world seemed to freeze.

I sucked in a breath and hid it behind a well-placed cough. Bishop stood, going to a different room—not that he needed to hide who he was talking to. Jessica and Liam both knew about the boys’ arrangement with Nathaniel.

Kace and Misael maintained their casual, relaxed poses, and I drew in a slow breath, struggling to do the same. Their two friends knew about Nathaniel, but they didn’t know about Flint or how he’d died, and it would be better fo

r everyone if they never found out.

Trying to act like nothing was amiss, I tilted my head slightly, straining to pick up Bishop’s voice in the other room. I could barely hear him—just enough to know he was speaking, but not enough to know exactly what he was saying. My nerves spiked even higher when Bish raised his voice to call Misael and Kace into the other room with him.

They emerged a few moments later, their expressions frustratingly blank.

“Gotta meet up with Nathaniel to discuss some work,” Bish said as Jessica and Liam looked up.

A strange, almost giddy sensation flooded my body, a combination of adrenaline and fear. I was terrified of what Nathaniel might say, what he might know—but at the same time, the anticipation had been killing me. At least now we’d find out.

I closed my history textbook and started pushing to my feet, but a low noise from Kace stopped me.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Bishop asked.

Glancing up at the three of them, I blinked in confusion. “I’m coming with you, aren’t I?”

It seemed so obvious. It felt so obvious. If they were being called over by Nathaniel of all people, then…

But I couldn’t voice that. Not in front of Liam and Jessica. The boys would understand why I wanted to go with them so badly though, and I stared Bishop straight in the eye, hoping he would cave.

It was a stupid choice. I should’ve picked Misael.

Although, judging by the look on Misael’s face, this would’ve been one time that the soulful, caramel-skinned boy would’ve denied me what I asked for. All three of the Lost Boys were a united front as Bish shook his head.

“Nah. Not this time, Princess. Work is work.”

I wanted to protest, but Jessica tugged me back down to sit with her.