The Shadow of Stars

Twenty Four

School came around faster than I'd hoped. I spent the remainder of my weekend sequestered in Gabe's shoe box apartment versing, and beating, both him and Henry in just about every video game imaginable.

I'd told Henry most of what went down and he'd promised not to tell a single soul. Micah... I hadn't spoken to him at all.

He sent me a message extremely late the same night we argued, almost like he couldn't sleep without doing so. The gang and I are having pizzas tuesday after training, do you and your friends want to join?

It was an olive branch, I knew that. But I couldn't bring myself to respond the following morning, or that afternoon, or the next day. And at that point it had been so long that I figured maybe no response was the best response. I saw three dots typing over his icon the following day when I'd been messaging my parents but another text never came through.

But Monday had returned as it always did, bringing back the hell of high school with it.

"You've got this." I mummer to myself, clutching the small piece of paper in my hand tightly.

Henry's finger snaps in front of my face. "We've got this," he corrects, like it's so obvious.

"You are going to debate class and I have to hand in a forged note to my sports teacher all on my own," I snap back, irritation boils under my skin.

"Hey, if it weren't for my forgery skills you wouldn't even have a note. And that bandage looks like it was wrapped by a professional." He points to my completely fine hand that is covered in gauze. It does look professional, maybe because it took him five online videos and nearly an hour to do.

"Remind me to never rely on your medic skills in case of an apocalypse," I mummer and his returning laugh is cut short by the blaring siren.

My heart starts to thunder again. Henry's hand wraps around my forearm and he forces me to look at him. "Hey, Thea. Being a criminal isn't light work, but you've got this," he says and I pull myself together. I'm a horrible liar, its not an easy thing for me to do but this should be fine. It will be cool. All will work.

I debated getting Henry to actually take a hammer to my hand this morning but he got as far as holding it in his grip. Such a wimp.

"Okay," I say through a sigh, pumping myself up. "I'll see you at lunch."

He laughs, pulling away with a quick wave and I make my way to the gym.

The moment I arrive in front of the gym, clad in my sports gear I suck in a deep breath, preparing myself, hoping. I can hear the squeak of shoes and a ball bouncing from where I stand - not a good sign. There was never any of that when it was just Mr Hogs and the misfits.

He could have taken today off, or maybe the teachers split our classes back up, I think of all the possibilities in which Micah isn't here as I swing the door open. I take one step inside, my eyes scanning the bleachers just as a body collides with me, knocking the air from my lungs and sending me sprawling to the floor. Pain erupts over my body as I feel the weight of a damn giant atop me as tingles instantly erupt over my skin, consuming all feeling.

The body rolls off me immediately and I groan, gasping for air like I've been drowned. I push my wrist down on the ground and cry out instantly as pain sears through my hand. My fake injury had transformed into a very real one and every joint in my hand throbbed.

"Thea?" Micahs voice fills my mind and somehow makes everything feel so much worse. Of all the people, he had to be the one to absolutely body me. He is kneeling next to me in an instant and I glance up at jersey and thick, corded arms that reach out, gleaming with sweat. He doesn't make contact with me though, his arm just hangs there as guilt utterly consumes every crevice of his face.