A Murder Of Crows [boyxboy]

A Murder Of Crows {11}

                Monday morning, I stared at my face in the mirror. I'd stayed locked in my room all weekend, telling Jamison I had a lot of work to do and didn't feel like getting dinner.

                My top and bottom lip were both split, a nasty cut that ran down from the skin above my upper lip to just under my bottom lip.  We hadn't heard from Kieran, and I hadn't been able to come up with a believable excuse for how this had happened. Make-up sure as hell wasn't going to hide a wound like this, either.

                There was a soft click and then Val opened my door, slipping into my room and shutting the door. She locked it after a glare from me.

                "Oh, still looking bad," she said, cocking her head to the side as she viewed my injury.

                "There's no way to hide it," I said. "I'm fucked, plain and simple. No bullshit story will cover it."

                Val sat on my bed and shook her head. "I couldn't think of anything either. The Crows will surely know Kyle fought back. He'll want you and Mia found, so he'll tell the cops to keep an eye out for a boy around your height with an injury like that."

                I stared in the mirror again, lightly touching my fingers to the wound. Was this really how it was all going to end? All because one kid managed to hit me in the face?

                "I've already blackmailed Kyle into paying the rest of what he owes," Val said. "The Doctor won't care if you get found, as long as you don't rat on us or him. And even if you do get caught, you're not going to spill."

                "This isn't the fucking time," I snapped. I took a deep breath. "Just get out, Val."

                There was a knock on the door and Val and I glanced at each other. The knock came again, louder and more impatient.

                "Kieran," we said at the same time, Val getting up to let him in.

                Sure enough, he shoved past her, Mia trailing behind him. He came right over to me, grabbed my chin and tilting my head so he could get a good look at my injury.

                "You'll walk behind me and Mia, Val will walk behind you, and you'll keep your head down. This plan is going to hurt, but it's going to be the only chance at keeping Jamison from catching on," Kieran said, dropping my chin. "Fucking dumbass can't even do one simple job right."

                "What plan?" I said, suspicion and a traitorous bloom of hope mingling inside me.

                "You'll see. When I start yelling, you shove me as hard as you can," he said, heading for the door. "Grab your shit and let's go already."

                I definitely didn't like the sound of that, but the chance at being saved was too tempting. I knew Kieran was only doing it to protect himself; if Jamison caught me, it meant Kieran and the others would be under heavy suspicion. There was always the chance I would give in and spill the truth for a lighter punishment, too. I wouldn't do that, but Kieran was the kind of guy who didn't trust anyone.

                I fell into step behind Kieran and Mia, keeping my head down. Val trailed along behind me, all of them keeping a careful eye out for the Crows.

                "Cole and Jamison shouldn't be a problem this morning," Val said as we walked the sidewalk towards classes. "They probably have a meeting about the attack over the weekend."

                My heart was hammering in my chest, my hands trembling. I shoved them in my pockets, trying to take even breaths. Now that being caught was a rapid reality, it was hard to keep my composure. I was putting my hope in a plan I didn't know a single detail of, concocted by a man who didn't even like me.