The Days After

What happened?

When Danielle made it out to the bus lot, Marie was already outside, but she stood by the main entrance as if she were waiting for something or someone. The anxiety on her face was visible, and she was swaying from side to side, so Danielle walked over.

"Marie, What are you doing? You wanna stay at this place or something?"
"Oh, Hi Dani. No, I'm just worried about Grace. Uh, Have you seen her?"

"If she wasn't worried about something, I'd be concerned," Danielle thought.

"Nope haven't seen her yet, but it's only been two minutes since the bell rang, Marie" Danielle explained. "She'll be out here soon"

Marie's jitters got worse.

"I don't know Dani, something feels off, ya' know?"
"Now that you mention, this place does give off a strange vibe. I haven't put my finger on it yet though,"
Marie almost gasped. "Right?!"
"I wonder what Daryl thinks?"
"Huh, why Daryl? He barely says anything."
"Well, cuz, ya know, I think he's really smart under all that black"

For a moment Marie stopped jittering. She smirked, and Danielle's face grew hot.

"Under all that black?"
"I mean his hair! All that black hair!"
"Well... Speak of the devil"

"Yo!" Said Lucas, with Robin and Daryl right behind him.
"Anybody seen Grace?"

And that's when Marie lost it.

"Oh My God! I knew it! See I told you Dani, something is very wrong! None of us knows where Grace is now! What should we do? I mean we're only middle schoolers and these are adults we're talking about. They are probably in cahoots with the cops, the FBI, and everyone else, how high does this th-"
"Marie" said Danielle sternly.
Out of breath. "Yes?"
"Look around" she pointed to the bus lot "where are we?"
Marie looked around, and her breathing slowed. "School"
"And are YOU in any danger?"
"No"
"Well let's bring it back down, yea?"
Marie sighed. "Okay"
"Hey Marie, you ever thought about writing? All your theories would make a great thriller!" said Lucas with a smile.
"Shoot! I'd read it," said Robin.

Daryl nodded.

"Anyway" Started Danielle, "There's Grace right there."

Everyone looked where Danielle was pointing and there she was coming out of the building, and from the looks of it, she was unharmed. Her black shoulder-length hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and pullover was on, but slightly in disarray, as if she rushed to put it on. As the door was closing behind her she took one last look into the building before she walked down the stairs into the bus lot. She scanned her surroundings she always did, and then she found them.

"I'm so glad I have them," she thought as she made a beeline for everyone.

As Grace neared the group, Daryl, being ever so perceptive, could sense Grace's unease emanating from the cadence of her walk. He continued to watch her but Marie spoke first.

"Thank goodness you're okay! I was so worried about you Grace!"
"Yea when I heard your name on the intercom, I was so confused. You don't even get in trouble, like ever" said Robin.
"See, I told you two!" looking at Robin and Daryl "Grace is fine"

Daryl never took his eyes off Grace and she forced a smile. Her discomfort with the day's events were becoming more apparent the longer the group talked.  Danielle also took notice, but she wanted answers. Before she could start her interrogation, Marie spoke again.

"Hey, Grace"
"Yea..."
"Are you okay?"

Grace's face went still, then contorted in a way that a face does when one is trying to hold back tears. Her grip on her book bag straps tightened, and the pain was visible behind her eyes. She was on the verge of a breakdown, when Marie grabbed her with both arms, with an embrace that mothers gave, and the tears flowed. Robin gasped, Lucas's permanent smile disappeared, Daryl's gaze got more intense, and now Danielle had to know.

"So, What happened?"

Marie released her hug on Grace and kissed her on the cheek. Grace smiled and wiped her tears. Everyone in the group waited anxiously for Grace to speak. She stepped back and took a deep breath. Just as she was about to retell the story of her day, busses began to honk their horns. They all looked up and realized they were the only people in the lot.

"Oh Crap, the busses are about to leave!" said Robin.
"Okay! I'll call you all tonight!" said Grace.
"Okay!" they all said in unison.
"Hands in real quick!" said Lucas.

They all smiled because they started this tradition during the summer. They were all more than friends and this was gonna be a lifelong bond.

"One! Two! Three!" Lucas yelled.

And then all in unison. "V SQUAD OUT!"

And they all sprinted to their busses and made it just in time. Breathing heavily Grace slumped into the first seat she could find, which happened to be the emergency door window. As the bus was pulling off, at the front of the school building was Principal Cardin. Even though he was far away, Grace felt like he was looking directly at her. From what she could see, he was smiling, but his eyes, those lime green eyes, were full of rage.