Briar Preparatory Academy

Roadblocks

Kate POV

I wake up, rubbing my eyes. I wait as they adjust to the dark of the room and remember where I am. I glance over at the other bed to see Seth still asleep, dead to the world. He's snoring. Preston is still on the floor passed out. I throw back the covers and head into the bathroom, grabbing a change of clothes along the way. I shut the door and turn the light on, washing my face and running fingers through my tangled curls. I finish getting ready and walk out of the bathroom to see Preston already dressed and packing his things. He had somehow managed to get in his hair perfect condition and is sporting a red shirt and jeans that do miracles for his form. I turn my face away as he casts a sideways glance at me. He turns the lamp on and Seth moans, still half asleep.

"Morning." I say dryly.

"Morning." Preston mutters. He sounds irritable.

Clearly he isn't a morning person. I wrinkle my eyebrows. What is up with him? I shake my head, and then glance over my shoulder when I hear Seth let out a grunt. He rolls out of bed and collapses on the floor, taking a pillow down with him. "What time is it?" he mutters.

"8:30," I say, "We slept in." I glance at Preston. "We need to get moving soon."

"I'm going downstairs to get breakfast." Preston says and turns towards the door.

"I'll come with you." I say with a sigh. He zips up his suitcase and follows behind me slowly. I can't hide my surprise as Preston follows me out the door and down the stairs. There aren't very many people in the commons, just a silent old couple and a man that seems to be in his mid-20's. He looks up when Preston and I walk in. We grab a small table on the side wall with two chairs facing each other.

"So what's the plan?" Preston says, leaning forward. I raise my eyebrows.

"Um... care to elaborate? We don't have a plan. We literally just hopped in a car and left base with no traces of where we were going or anything."

"You know, that's exactly what I was thinking as I was agreeing to this crazy idea."

I grip the edge of the table and resist the urge to throw something at him. "Once again, you could've said no."

"And once again, I will say that I couldn't have."

"You never told me why."

Preston pauses at my words and sits up straighter, his posture going rigid. "Is it completely necessary for you to know?"

"What, are we in middle school again?" I say, growing annoyed. "You know what? Never mind, forget I asked."

"Kate--"

"Forget it!" I say, waving a hand in the air. We glare at each other for what seems like twenty minutes before someone saunters up to our table and clears his throat. I whip my head up to meet the eyes of the man who was sitting in the corner of the room when Preston and I walked in. I quirk one eyebrow. I notice Preston cross his arms and glare up at the man. "Can we help you?" I say.

"Yeah, I think you can." The stranger pulls up a chair from behind him and sits down. "You guys from out of town?" He says. I can smell his breath from where I am sitting. It's awful.

"We live a few miles north of here," Preston says, studying the man closely, "Me and my sister here are just visiting family for the holidays." I glance over at him and raise my eyebrows, cocking my head forward. Preston makes eye contact with me and seems to convey a message. Just go with it.

"Ah, right. Name's Steven. I'm from Cheyenne." Steven looks at me, almost as if Preston doesn't exist. I take the time to observe his greasy features. He looks like he hasn't had a shower in days, and his t-shirt is wrinkled. He has dull eyes, both of which are bloodshot. I don't think he has combed his scraggly hair in weeks. I try my best to not wrinkle my nose.