Shadow's Mark (Currently Being Edited)

Chapter 17: Boiler Room 101

Jack's POV:

"'Gonna stick with Autumn at her place," I read Cole's text message aloud to Natalya and Drew.

"That's fine," replied Drew as she reversed her car into a space in the school parking lot. "We just need to go in, find our vampire expert, and then get out."

"Actually, we're looking for someone who can tell us where the vampire expert is,'' I corrected her.

Drew and Natalya both turned towards me in the back seat with questioning looks, which I ignored before stepping out of the car.

"Hopefully," I said as I got out, "the person we need came to school, or we would have wasted the whole trip coming here."

"Okay," said Drew. "You guys go and I'll wait in here."

I bent over towards Drew's window and now it was my turn to give her a questioning look.

"What?" she shrugged. "Someone's gotta keep the engine running!"

"Why?" inquired Natalya.

"Okay, okay. I just don't wanna go in and be seen by any teachers," admitted Drew as she held up both hands in surrender.

I shook my head and sighed in response. "Drew--"

"I'm not going in, Jack!" she blurted, interrupting me. "I just can't have any teacher or school staff see me roaming the halls if I'm not even gonna be in classes today," she explained exasperatedly.

Before Natalya stepped out of the passenger's seat, she said to Drew, "Dude, you can miss a whole month of school and still be at the top of the class."

Drew just nodded and shooed us with a wave of her hand. "Just hurry up already."

Natalya and I left behind Drew and started towards the steps of the front entrance. As we walked through the front doors, we found students still scattered about in the hallway.

Thank goodness the bell hasn't rung yet.

"Come on," I nudged Natalya forward.

She began walking, but moved slowly, and all the while, glanced at every student we passed in the hall.

My gaze landed upon the dozens of students who had their eyes locked on to Natalya. Hushed whispers and snickers began to fill the hall like everyone was in on some big secret.

Oh, wait. I know what they're talking about.

Natalya turned to look at me while we treaded slowly down the Hallway of Gossip. "Do you think they know?" she asked me with a frown.

I furrowed my brows at her. "What do you mean?"

"About what happened at Redblood, do ya think they know?" she whispered fervently, glancing nervously towards a group of Senior girls.

"What? No, of course not," I replied in a hushed whisper of my own. "Jenkins, I think they're looking at you cuz of your little fiasco in the boy's locker room with Wes."

Natalya nodded her head slowly, her mouth forming a silent 'Oh'. "I forgot about that. Well, in that case, let's hurry the hell up," she said abruptly as she shook her head in sudden annoyance.

She seemed quite relieved they knew nothing of last night's events at Redblood.

We passed a few more lockers and curious eyes when Michael Boyd, one of my football teammates, swaggered up to us. He licked his lower lip as he gazed up at Natalya. Poor guy was about five inches shorter than her so he had to practically crane his neck to look up at her.