Fate's Exchange (Twisted Fate, Book 1)

Chapter Twenty-Four

On Monday the sun was shining brightly in a cloudless sky, and I knew that it was going to be a good day.

The gray walls smiled, providing more cheer than ever before. Everyone received a hello, even Suzie, who rolled her eyes in response. It didn't matter. She could shove a mascot uniform in my face and tell me I had to do the Funky Chicken, and I'd still be happy. Telling her off for it would be even better, and though I had no reason to expect it, I was a little disappointed that she didn't try. I owed her a good response after her altercation with Tina.

Whistling under my breath, I blew the dust off my Health textbook and tucked it under my arm. I'd gotten to school early, before even the most dedicated students, and made sure that copies of the letter I had written were left all over the office. The plan couldn't fail. I would be able to start living free of obligation by lunch.

"What happened to you this weekend?" Tina asked.

I slammed my locker closed and stepped away before she could shove the boy beside me aside. How had I not realized her disregard for others had extended to herself? Was she so disrespectful because she failed to feel worthy of it in return?

"Why are you grounded?" She stood with her hands on her hips, and a glare narrowing her eyes.

"For cutting class," I clipped. I had tried to let go of my anger over the weekend and see her side of things, but no matter how I played it out in my head, I couldn't overcome the fact that I had died twice for her for what seemed like nothing. Well, not nothing; just nothing to her.

"Didn't you tell your parents—?"

"Nope." I shook my head. "I didn't tell them why. There's no point." I started down the hallway as she sped up to keep pace, looking confused and more than a little taken aback by my tone.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to Health, and you need to come with me." I turned to face her and smiled. It was totally fake, but whatever. "I know you don't want to, but it's okay. Besides, I don't want to go by myself."

"Seriously?"

"Yep. Seriously. I didn't tell my parents why I cut class, but I don't feel like extending my sentence by cutting again." I sighed. It was hard to play the same part over and over again, and I was hoping that after this class, I could move past the repetitiveness of it all. "They'll be watching me like a hawk now. I'd be surprised if my dad doesn't phone to check up on me with the attendance office. He's pretty pissed about it."

"So why didn't you just tell them why?" Her eyes darted towards Mr. Tinsley's door and we stopped walking.

"Because it would raise more questions I don't want to answer." I watched her with a close eye but continued before she realized I knew what had happened to her. "I didn't want to be a tattle-tale, okay?"

Weird. She seemed disappointed. Why would she want me to tell on him if she wasn't ready? It was too late to question it, though. He'd get what he was due—at least for the movies—soon. I hoped that bought Tina time to 'get ready'.

Like Mrs. Haun had said: when allegations were made against a teacher, protocol demanded an investigation be conducted, during which time the teacher in question is suspended without pay. Maybe someone else he'd hurt—I was sure it wasn't just Tina—would be stronger than Tina. I didn't care if she never spoke up as long as she found someone she could talk to about it. I was pissed, yeah, but I didn't want her to carry the weight of what had happened alone.

"Look who has finally graced us with their presence!" Mr. Tinsley's voice rose above the sound of his applause.

I moved to keep Tina from his line of vision as we found our seats. Everyone stopped their pre-class chatter to stare up at us as we entered, but I refused to let them affect me. Not even Suzie, who was watching us with an alertness I hadn't seen in a long time, couldn't break through the barrier I'd placed around me to deflect anything negative.