Immaculate

Pretending

Sang's POV

He wasn't going to take me back to the office and because of that, I realised that Mr Blackbourne and Sean would not be able to listen in on the conversation. I knew that they would have us watched, so I wasn't worried about that, but it meant I would have to remember each part of the conversation carefully.

"Well, Sang, how do you think you got on with your tests last week?" he asked as we walked slowly around the back of the school towards the entrance that would lead back into the cafeteria.

"Um..." His question threw me, it was not what I had been expecting. "Ok, I think."

"I expect, going on the standard of work you have been producing your grades will be excellent," he said as we walked around the corner into the courtyard. I remained quiet, waiting for him to get to whatever he had in mind.

"Of course, this is not going to do you much good when your school records are littered with absences, is it?"

Here it was, the point I was praying he would arrive at.

"You mean Thursday?" I asked quietly.

"Where did you go?"

I licked my lips, I had to play this very carefully, too enthusiastic and he would see through it, too reticent and he might not bite at all.

"Um, North and Victor.... they said that they didn't want me alone in class." It was lame even to my ears and I mentally kicked myself. I could not blow this.

"Where did you go?" he repeated himself and held the cafeteria door open for me, letting me go through first.

"I'm not sure, they didn't say what it was, just that they had to go there. They had files to give in. I didn't go in, just stayed outside."

"Files?" he arched his eyebrow. "Academy? Was it the Academy, were there no signs at all outside?"

"Not that I could see," I said and he looked down at me.

"Follow me," he said and I blinked when he turned around and went straight back outside. I frowned, not sure where he was going, but confusion rocketed through me as he lead me through the courtyard and into the staff car park.

"What are you doing?" I asked, the confusion turning into a feeling of dread.

"You're going to show me where it was," he said and before I had chance to object he opened the door to a dark coloured car and man handled me inside. He pushed me across to the passenger side and got in behind me.

"Let me go!" I demanded and tried to open the passenger side door, but it was locked and there was no way to unlock it that I could see. Fear crouched into my stomach.

"Calm down, Sang! I'm not kidnapping you, stupid girl, you're going to direct me there, that's all."

"You can't just..."

"Yes, I can!" He rounded on me, fury in his face. "You will do exactly what I say, because I hold all the cards, Sang. One call from me and you will be shipped into care so fast your feet won't touch the ground! I'm fed up chasing...."

Someone knocked angrily on the window and I turned my head to see Mr Blackbourne, his face cold and unflinching, his eyes hard as steel as he looked at Mr Hendricks.

Mr Hendricks swore nastily under his breath.

"Do as I say, girl," he said and it sank in just how rattled we were getting him. He was panicking so much he was starting to lose his control.

"Miss Sorenson has taken ill," he said, as the window slid down on his side. "I am taking her home."

"Dr Green will see to her," Mr Blackbourne said sharply. "I cannot allow you to take her out of this car park unchaperoned, Mr Hendricks, it's not worth your career. Dr Green will be able to help her. Miss Sorenson, press the switch on the door handle and get out of the car immediately."