School of Secrets (The Perkins School for Self Improvement #1)

Chapter 28

Breakfast the next morning finds us in the cafeteria, sitting at our usual table in silence.

Derek is concentrating on his orange juice like it holds the meaning of life, while Creighton gazes into space next to him.

I'm contemplating asking what she's thinking about, but before I can Derek decides to speak.

"How'd you sleep after ... ?" Derek wonders, as though he's looking for something to talk about that doesn't exclusively revolve around the events of last night.

Creighton shrugs noncommittally.

I didn't sleep, but the truth is I'm not about to tell him that. The last thing Derek needs is another worry.

"Fine." I tell him, meeting his gaze across the table.

When I look away from Derek, I notice that Creighton is studying me intently. I get the feeling she can tell pretty easily that I'm lying. She probably knew I'd been awake all night as soon as she woke up this morning and realized that I hadn't changed my position at all while she was asleep.

Derek picks up his muffin, wasting a couple more seconds by taking a bite from it.

He sets the muffin back down, takes a drink from his juice, and inhales the deep breath that signifies he's not waiting around or procrastinating on talking about it anymore.

"We have to find her," he says, looking about as worn out as I still feel, "who knows what Marco and Yumi are going to do to her."

I nod.

"But we don't know where they took the-" I look around, making sure no one's listening in, "-the army."

Derek sighs.

"I know," he comments, "but your sister might be able to find her. How did Tara find you without having ever been to the school before?"

"She was thinking of me," I remember, "she said she was aggravated that our parents weren't letting her talk to me, and she was thinking about how I was doing."

"So," Derek wonders, "in theory, she'd be able to do that with ...?"

He looks around like I had, as though he's afraid that someone in the cafeteria might pick up on our conversation thread and connect too many dots.

"I guess so." I answer, taking a minute to focus some attention on my oatmeal.

"She's coming back on Saturday?" Derek continues.

I nod.

"I'm afraid for her, though. I keep worrying that someone will snatch her again, try to use her against me somehow."

Derek considers that for a moment.

"I don't think they'll try anything with your sis so soon after last night," he decides, "they'll be focused on other things."

Like Amber.

"I think," Derek presses on, "that we should get Tara to look for her. If she's able to do it, we can try getting her away from the rest of them."

I nod in agreement, prepared to tell him that it isn't all that awful of a plan.

Before I can speak, though, Marco and Yumi walk in.