Clear Lake Academy holds the worst of the worst delinquents from around the country. Each and every student there holds a notorious background that led them there and almost everyone avoids them.
After setting the tenth building on fire, which just...
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I slowly pushed open the door, brown eyes peering around the wooden door and into the still room. Cool air rushed towards me, soothing the heat of the sunny day.
Empty.
I ushered the boy into the room, quickly and quietly closing the door behind us. I smiled to myself, feeling accomplished — it was considerably easy to break into the record office.
Hendrix neared the lone computer at the desk, fingers working quick to power it on and unlock the system with his knowledge of hacking. Meanwhile, I went for the manual work.
I pulled open the file cabinet, releasing a small sigh at the amount of files I would have to go through. I skimmed a hand over the various manila folders, closing the cabinet when the letter I needed wasn't there. I pulled open the next one as quietly as possible and scanned my gaze over the array of papers.
The room faintly hummed with the power of the machines taking up the further wall, wires looping and big, heavy boxes thrumming with life. Holland Cadence's name flashed in my head — her death a heavy weight filling the air between us.
I tensed, ears straining to catch any sound of approaching staff, limbs stiff with the readiness to make a run for it at any moment. I could hear Hendrix typing furiously at the keyboard, each click slamming into my ears with the promise that something—anything—was about to happen.
"Wanna talk about a certain car that's been useless lately?" Hendrix finally said, breaking the strange, heavy silence.
"No." Was my flat answer.
"Too bad." Hendrix chuckled softly.
"I'm gonna strangle you." I muttered —hoping to scare him off before we could dive into the topic. I was beyond exhausted with every single aspect of my life.
"You looked like you were gonna strangle that teacher first."
I scoffed. "The deluded woman thought it was a good idea to put us right next to each other —after you complained that you liked Bentley's seat better." I snapped my head towards him. "So yes. I was absolutely about to strangle her."
Hendrix paused before shrugging and turning back to the computer. "You should've let it scream. Builds character."
"Watch me. I'll end up banned from the school and somehow you'll still be blamed."
"I'll take responsibility," he said easily. "I thrive under false accusations."
"...Good because it is solely your duty as my best friend."
"I didn't choose to be your best friend," he said. I froze, about to turn until he added, "But I'll still show up to the trial. Plus," he continued, "you better hurry with whatever you're doing. I might age a decade waiting."
"Excuse me?" I counteracted. "One—I am efficient. Two—who died and made you impatient?"
"Me." He said flatly. "This chair is killing my lower back."
