Be Careful Out There

Chapter 4

"Alright, today you will be cleaning this classroom. I want it spotless. Here are your cleaning supplies on my desk." Everyone goes up to get theirs. When I go up, Mr.Harris stops me. "Ms. Rose, you have a D in my class."

"Because you haven't graded my assignment." I mumble.

"Rose, you do not mumble to me, is that clear? Especially when you talk back to me." Two. "You're not using any of this. You're using this." He holds up a toothbrush. I take it and start to brush the granite counters. "Ms. Rose, don't touch the counters with your skin. They're dirty enough." Three. I start getting so mad, I can feel my face get red. I've only been here a week, and Harris pushes me around like there's no tomorrow. I just mostly have a hot temper with Harris... He really pushes my buttons. Scott grabs my arm.

"Tyler, it's okay." He says soothingly. His voice immediately calms me down, so I just stick with Scott and Stiles and try my best to not make contact with Harris.

"Alright, juvenile delinquents, I'm leaving. I'll be back in an hour or two to see if you guys can leave." Harris says finally. I give a sigh of relief. He leaves at last.

"I hate being around him. I don't know about you guys." I say as I continue brushing the counters.

"Trust me, I know what you mean. Before you came, he would pick on me. So thank you, tyler." Stiles says. I give him a glare, but not too serious so he knows I'm joking. I walk over to Harris' desk and just sit in the chair while going through it, seeing if there's something important of his I can take to get him mad.

"You have some nerve." Scott smiles. I find a piece of paper. "What's wrong?" He asks. I show him the paper. He takes it and reads it out loud. "'Watch out?'" Stiles looks confused. I know I am.

"I honestly couldn't care less if Harris got killed," I say,"but him having reminders to watch out kind of worries me that something is going to happen." I think for a moment. "Unless he's not the one who wrote it..." I jump out of the chair shocked at what I just realized. "He didn't write it. It's not his handwriting. He's in danger. I bet he didn't even see the note." I think for another minute. "But what kind of killer/kidnapper would warn him?" Scott and Stiles look at each other in shock. "Do you guys know something?" I ask. They rush to the door but I beat them and block it. "What do you guys know?"

"Tyler, some things have to be unsaid." Scott says.

"Just call me Ty. Everyone does. and I'm sorry, but if you don't tell me, I'm going after Harris." I reply. Scott and Stiles glance at each other again. I don't even bother to wait for them so I just leave the class room and exit down the hall.

"Ty, wait!" Stiles calls behind me.

"What does Harris' car look like?" I ask.

"Uhm... Blue... I don't know the name of the car, but it has an Einstein bumper sticker on it." Stiles replies, a little shocked. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Scott give Stiles a look. "I don't know... I guess she's with us now.." Stiles whispers.

"She can't know." Scott says even quieter. I pretend I don't hear as I walk into the faculty parking lot. I see Harris' car in the front row.

"He's still here." I conclude. I walk back inside and turn to Scott and Stiles. "We need to search the school and find him."

"But-" Scott says.

"I don't know what you're keeping from me, Scott, but I'm just going to find him so there isn't a murder. Finding a person doesn't mean that I'm going to find out and make a big deal of your secret." I interrupt.

"It's not just that I don't want you to find out, I don't want you to get hurt."

"You barely know me. why do you care about my safety?"

"I know you more a lot more about you than you think. And it's not just me concerned about your safety. Stiles, Isaac, and another person, too." I ponder that thought. He knows me more than I think... And Isaac is concerned for my safety? He's probably just lying.

"Who's the other person?"

"It's nothing. Now let Stiles and I handle this." Scott says as he turns around. I grab his arm.

"We're in this together."