Safe Under 18

Chapter 5

"Where have you been?" Ms. Hillary demands as I walk into the empty 17 year old girls' room. I shrug, "just taking a walk." Her eyes narrow at me and I can tell she doesn't believe me. Crap, I am in so much trouble!

"How come I don't believe you? You've never 'just taken a walk.' You should have told me! You could've gotten hurt! I don't know what I would do with myself if one of you girls got hurt! I can only imagine what Corpal would say. And oh my goodness-" She's rambling on and on. "Hillary! Calm down! It's okay, I'm not hurt am I?"

She purses her lips tightly together, racking her eyes up and down my body, searching for injuries I'm sure. When she doesn't find any she lets out a sigh. "I suppose not. Don't let it happen again. Got it?" I simply nod. I am not promising anything... Because then then I would just have to break that promise.

"Good." She starts to walk away but I grab her arm. "One more thing. Why weren't there any announcements? Did it have anything to do with the new guy? Cole?" She hesitates just a second too long. Just long enough for me to tell she's debating on lying. "The truth Hillary."

"No Ava. It has nothing to do with Cole. I can assure you of that." I almost ask her what it was about but she's already out the door.

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"Hey, I missed you this morning." Fasha says at breakfast. "Sorry." I say with a shrug, "I was busy."

She frowns at me, "what's wrong with you?"

Instantly, I'm ready to deny anything she shoots at me. I love Fasha, don't get me wrong. But she is extremely nosy. "Nothing. I'm just thinking."

"Mhm."

I roll my eyes and pretend to be interested in my food. Which today is waffles and eggs. "Since your obviously not gonna tell me what you were really doing this morning, I'll be generous enough to change the subject. You know what Cashmere said? She said that, that Cole guy is a total a**hole."

The irony. She tries to change the subject, when really it's the same subject. I almost laugh, but that would be to obvious. So instead I stay silent. "Do you know anything about him, Ms. Lakes?" Fasha presses.

"Nope." I reply, popping the "p."

"Are you lying?"

"What don't you understand about no?" I snap sounding harsher then I meant.

"The part where you won't tell me the truth, even though we've been best friends since we were six!" She snaps back, then her voice softens a little. "What's so bad you can't tell me Ava?"

I look around the room making sure no one's looking. Then I lean over the table and whisper "can you keep a secret?" She brightens up immediately and nods. I take a deep breath and let the words spill from my mouth. "I went to the boys' Compound."

She gasps. "Really?! Oh my gosh! What was it like?" She practically screams, causing several pairs of eyes to turn our way. I hush her desperately. "Be quiet! Do want me to get into trouble?" I nervously glance around and to my relief the people don't seem to be listening anymore.

"Oops! Sorry!" She whisper-yells. "So...What was it like? Was of the same? Different? Details Avalon, details."

"It looks surprisingly the same. Like, exactly the same. Only of course with boys instead of girls." I explain to her, in a hushed tone. She squeals quietly. "And I'm going back tonight."

Her mouth drops open. "What? No, you can't. You should seen the look on Hillary's face when she woke up and you weren't there. I've never seen her so ticked off before. Why? Are you going back, I mean."

"For Cole."