The Hunt of Altswood High (The Altswood Saga #1)

Chapter 10 - Intruder

Chapter 10 - Intruder

It occurred to me as the game ended that I shouldn't have left my paintball gun at home. I wasn't sure what Will Blakman looked like, but he could very likely have been any one of the students filing out from the gym. 

A paintball gun was also a better weapon than a phone--which was the only thing I had on me. And it was already dusk.

Dad had texted me earlier, saying that he might be out and I needed to be back by sundown even if he wasn't at home. I glanced up. Too late.

"Excuse me," I muttered, pushing through a group of guys that just had to stop and talk right in the middle of the front doors. I was a little ticked off as I made it out into fresh air.

"Luca!"

I turned, spinning in a circle. Where was my name coming from?

A hand pushed up and waved at the edge of the crowd. It took a lot of peering on my tip-toes to identify that it belonged to Annabelle.

I held my own hand up in the universal sign for Wait up. I moved through the crowd with my elbows as weapons.

She was idling by the front gates with Livana, probably waiting for Jules, since he had just appeared.

"Are we going?" he asked, shoving his hands in the pockets of his board shorts.

"We're waiting for Luca," she answered, gesturing at me. I was close enough to be within earshot, but I couldn't get past two girls talking.

I swerved left, and the blonde girl moved slightly too. After a few ill-timed escape attempts, I was almost convinced she was doing it on purpose.

"Excuse me!" 

Finally, I jostled out the crowd, and exhaled heavily, joining the three.

"Hi," I said simply. 

They greeted me like an old friend, and we set off. I stayed quiet as they talked, because really, all I was after were some walking buddies. I was more than happy to listen as they debated a foul from earlier in the game. I was occupied trying to stop my blouse from sticking to my sweaty skin.

It wasn't until we were back on the gravel road and Annabelle and Jules waved goodbye to Livana that I realized I didn't actually know where they were all going.

"Where do you live?" I asked, the first thing out my mouth since we left the school. I paused. "Okay, that came out stalkerish."

Jules laughed, and pointed down the road. "Dallas Crescent."

"I'm farther," Annabelle said. "Phoenix Avenue. You?"

"Forrest Hill Road."

Annabelle nodded, but then stopped suddenly, as if something had just occurred to her. She patted her pockets.

"Shit!"

"What?" I asked, alarmed.

"My phone!" she exclaimed. "Dammit, I left it on the bench."

My lips twitched, alarm dissipating. Jules snorted.

"Don't laugh," she warned. "Ugh, maybe Gabriel is still packing up."

Annabelle turned to Jules. "Can I use yours to call him?"

Jules waved his phone at her, screen black. "Dead. Sorry. Also, this is where I leave." He turned off into a street, waving goodbye.

"Jerk!" Annabelle called after him. She turned to me next. "You have a working phone, right?"

I raised an eyebrow, digging mine out from my pocket. "Do I breathe air?"