The Dare

Chapter Twenty-One • Reietto's Revenge

TWENTY-ONE • REIETTO'S REVENGE

I put a hand over my mouth. Had I just seen what I thought I saw? Was that real? Or was I so paranoid that my eyes had tricked me? I sunk to ground, melting into the grass. Reietto was no safe haven. Surrounded by discriminatory groups and wars and weapons, how could I ever feel safe here? My other choice was to run. Run and never come back.

But then another thought crossed my mind. If people understood what was going on, why weren't they running? Then again, perhaps they had no idea and figured that Reietto was the perfect school that Josiah Chevelle had painted it to be. If there was anyone at fault, it had to be the headmaster; this was no coincedence that he had called both of the boys to his office. They seemed already in close contact. How could I have not seen?

I picked myself up off of the ground and ran inside, only to catch Cas making his way out of the cafeteria and into the crowded halls, his followers hanging off of him as he went. It was nauseating, the way they practically worshipped the Minds and Bloods. I was surrounded by brainwashed lunatics with a lot more than academics on their mind.

I ran as fast as I could, ignoring the glares of passerby. I needed to see Josiah. He was my only hope. Or perhaps, he would take away that small hope that I had left. I couldn't live here forever. I didn't want to die here. I wanted to go to a normal high school, even if that meant my arse would be on the line every day with my overly jealous classmates. I could care less.

I continued to run, desperately trying to remember where his office was. It was in the highest part of Reietto, that much I knew, but although I had tried to memorize the path to his office, I came up empty handed.

Running through endless hallways, I threw open every door. Most were supposed to lead to smaller offices of other teachers and school board members, but every one was surprisingly empty. It worried me just a little more with every vacant room.

Coming to the end of the hallway, I threw open a large pair of doors. I was surprised when I came faced to faced with none other than Josiah Chevelle. This wasn't his office, but instead, it was a conference room where most of the teachers and school board members that had been missing from their offices were seated at a long, mahogany table. There were no windows, just the dim light from the overhead chandelier and a few scattered candles. The rooms went silent. He smiled with a sickeningly sweet expression.

"So glad you could join us, Rose. I knew it wouldn't be long." I raised a brow. I was too out off breath to say much, when in actuality, I had a lot to say. Where to start was my only problem.

"What's going on here?" I asked once I had regained my stamina. The teachers all whispered around me. Josiah smiled and pulled a chair out for me at the far end, right next the very end chair where he clearly sat.

"Just relax. I'll answer your questions in just a moment." I sat and looked at him suspiciously. "You've just interrupted a little meeting, that's all," he said, "and I was just dismissing the teachers. Everyone, I believe we're done in here. Go back to whatever you need to be doing."

I watched as everyone continued to whisper as they filed out, but I hardly cared what they thought. The only person I needed to pay attention to right now was Josiah Chevelle. Once everyone was gone and the doors had once again closed, I turned to face him.

"Cas. And Ryder. Why are you in such close contact with them? They just happen to be leaders of both of the divisions and you just happen know them both quite well an have regular meetings with them. Why?" He laughed.

"Slow down! You seem a bit accusing now, don't you?" I looked at him, surprised. Of course I was accusing! What else could I do after what I had just seen?