The Damaged (The Insiders Trilogy 2)

“Sounds good. I’ll see you for a drop-by.” He paused a second. “Is there something I should be prepped for, why you’re coming to see me later?”

“Matt.”

He was silent a beat. “Got it. I’ll see you later.”

With that, I knew that he knew what I had to say wasn’t something I could get into with a drop-by from him.

After saying good-bye, I had enough time to read over the last chapter on Structured Query Language. I didn’t need to fully process everything, just needed to run my eyes over the text when we brought it up the next day, because we were going to use it in our own systems database.

I couldn’t wait.

When we pulled up, Erik got out first. I waited, my chapter done and in my head, and he opened the door for me.

I got out, starting for the building, but today wasn’t like the other days.

There was an entire crowd outside the building.

I jerked to a halt at the same time Erik touched my arm.

The crowd just looked like a normal crowd lingering outside a school building before classes started, just larger. There were always students outside the building when we got here. They were going to classes, talking to friends, on their phones, having a smoke, or just stalling before going to class. But when I got out of the car, it changed.

All heads and eyes turned to me.

A buzz began filling the air.

There were groups of girls, the types of girls that looked like sorority girls. I was guessing, but their hair, makeup, and clothes looked like all the latest trends. So, yeah. Total guess there. They surged forward, but they weren’t alone. Some athletes, and I was guessing again because of their build. Massive shoulders. Broad. Muscular. Some lean.

Some of the faculty were there, too. Seeing me, they were the ones that got to me.

Goa. Busich. Wells. They were all waiting and coming toward me, each with a set expression on their faces. They weren’t happy about whatever was going on.

Wells spoke first, taking an extra step closer as the other two held back. “There’s been a development. Did you check your school email this morning?”

Dread had already lined my insides. Ice drenched them.

“No, I haven’t had the chance yet.”

Wells nodded at my response. She stepped closer, inclining her head as we walked to the building. “Let’s talk in my office.”

“Miss Hayes.” Busich drew my attention before we could start.

I held up, waiting.

She dipped her head, regret flashing behind her glasses. Her hands were clasped together. One of her knuckles had whitened. “I am very sorry about what’s happened. I already have a call put in to your father, and we will find out who did this.”

Well. That didn’t sound good.

“I’m not sure what you’re talking about, but I will find out. If you’re intending to call to get something done about whatever happened, my dad isn’t the one to call. Kash is.”

Busich was nodding. “Okay. I’ll still put the call in to your father, out of respect. We can convene later. We’ll give you time with Ms. Wells.”

Both Busich and Goa gave me regretful looks before moving away.

“What happened?”

Wells’s fingers pressed more against my elbow. “Inside. I’ll show you.”

I noticed Erik on the phone. As we moved to the door, Fitz joined us.

A couple of the girls called out my name as we passed by. One held out a slip of a paper, shouting, “We’re having a party tonight! Come and hang. Check us out.”

Erik grabbed the paper for me but stuck it in his pocket as he moved ahead of us for the door. Fitz held me back. We waited. Erik was scanning the inside of the building before he opened the door again, nodding to Fitz. He held it for us as Fitz went first. Then Wells. Then me. Erik came in last.

The inside was a lot less hectic. The crowds had kept to the exterior.

There were looks. More looks than the other days, and I walked around with a bodyguard. Both still dressed as if they were students so there was some blending, but every student in my cohort knew who they were. Seemed the other programs in our building hadn’t and they were noticing them now.

There was a new feel in the air. I didn’t like it. I didn’t want it there.

I ducked my head and walked to where we were going, because it was one I recognized. It was the feeling of being cast out of the ocean. I was a fish flopping on the beach, out of water, out of my element.

That feeling I was feeling was recognition. With it mingled speculation, interest, calculation, and so much more, but the feeling I was zeroing in on was that I was different. I was separate from them.

It was the feeling that they now knew I was no longer one of them. That was the one I hated the most.