Spades and Angels

Blood Deals?!

Maddox

I don't see much of Lo next week. Not out of avoidance, but more because she doesn't seem to be in school. An odd sight since in all the years we'd shared classes I'd never seen her miss one. Let alone a week's worth. Wonder how she's getting away with that one I muse as I see her empty seat next to mine for the fourth day. Now I'm getting worried.

"Hey, where's the feisty partner Mads? Scared her off already?" Mal tries to make it into a joke when she and Pey make it to our chem lesson on Thursday but I'm not in the mood to joke around by then. Worried that something had happened to her. "Woah are you ok? You seem a little more rattled than usual. And that's given the whole Alcaraz situation being taken into account as well."

"There is no Alcaraz situation," I sigh, looking around for the third time as if that would miraculously make Lo appear so I can quit worrying so much. "Nothing was happening between us so don't mention it again ok?" Mal looks unconvinced but also as if she's not going to comment further on whatever she wants to say. Just takes her seat with Ash, Michael, Pey and Hali in the row behind. Leaving me with an empty seat and a worrying thought process to entertain me where I'd tuned out of the lesson itself. A bad move but one I couldn't help but do when I was so worried about my lab partner and why she'd suddenly taken up skipping school as a new hobby.

I look down when I hear a buzz from my phone. Pulling it out and hoping I don't get caught I notice it's Ash.

Asher: What happened Mads? You look really worried. Did something happen at the bonfire last week and that's why Lo's not here? Is that why you're acting crazier than normal?

Maddox: No.

I answered no on impulse but as soon as the text went through I regretted sending it. What if I had done something? We'd been fooling around sure - and I'm pretty sure she saved my ass from being found with her - but the facts didn't change. We'd done what we'd done then despite us seeming to part on friendly terms she was now nowhere to be found. And for a week too. What if I had done something? Shit, what if something happened to her?

Maddox: I don't think I did anything. I mean we didn't do anything. Maybe she's just sick. Like with the flu or some shit?

Ash gave me a disbelieving look when I texted him back, both of us accidentally using the group chat so the others could all see as well. Mal and Hails also look particularly like they don't believe me but what could I say? That I kissed the wrong girl despite telling them I'd stay away from her? That I thought she was in danger?

It goes again, this time being one of the girls.

Hali: Mads are you sure you didn't say anything to her? She's never normally absent for one day let alone four. She's too worried about her GPA so I'm told to miss this much class. Did you say something?

Looking up I notice she's already watching me, brown eyes giving me a look as if to say she doesn't believe what I'd said before. Something that makes me panic a little since if she's able to guess that from a few short texts how long till she finds out what I did? It's not that I don't want her - and the others - to know it's just that I don't know what they'll do when they do.

Maddox: I didn't say anything to her. She could just be sick, either that or someone else did something. You know as well as I do how tough the Spades' politics can be. And even then...even then how do you know it's me?!

Malika: Because that's the most likely answer. Both of you vanished at the bonfire last week and when you reappeared she disappeared. Like some sort of magic trick. And hasn't been seen since. Coincidence or not I don't know but when you look at it that way....