I sat in my room, hands folded behind my head as I stared up at the ceiling. I couldn't stop thinking about Jamison's words from earlier.
Detention wasn't so bad; it was a chance to focus on my homework and get my mind off of everything. People had been excited to talk about the incident in the beginning of the day, but it quickly died down, and I suspected the Crows had something to do with it.
Fights were so rare at the Academy, since they could result in expulsion without a refund. Plus, getting expelled from such a prestigious school would be a wreck on college applications.
On the rare occasion that a fight did happen, it's all anyone could talk about for a while. But something told me that Jamison and his friends had threatened the students into silence about it.
But why?
Why did he care so much? I was part of a larger game, just a piece he had to figure out how to move so he could reach the end. He should be glad they were making a big deal of Kieran's violence. It fit their narrative of him being a Collector.
Instead, Jamison was silencing the rumors. I couldn't think of any way this could possibly help him.
I sat up as I heard my lock clicking. The door opened, and I prepared to bitch at Val about bothering me.
But instead, Val came in followed by Kieran and Mia. I shut my mouth as they closed the door and found places to sit.
"What's this about?" I said.
"The story is that you said shit about my mom. You don't tell anyone anything more specific than that," Kieran said.
"Thanks, I'm not stupid," I said.
"You just had to go and fuck up," Kieran said, his temper rising. "I put myself more on the Crows' radar, and risked expulsion all because you couldn't complete one simple goddamn job."
Mia crossed her arms. "I'm the one who fucked up my job. Keep your head, Kieran. We all know you're going to take it out on Jpeg because Jamison's taken a liking to him."
"I don't care who Jamison's taken a liking to. That's Cor's problem, not mine," Kieran said.
I looked at Val. "So are you caught in with all this shit? Or am I the only one not involved in any of it?"
"I talk to Cole," Val said. "But no, I don't have a secret history with any of the Crows."
"That makes two of us," I said.
Mia narrowed her eyes at me. "What?"
"I just happened to notice that you and Kenz fight very similarly. Any history there?" I said.
"Mind your own business," she snarled.
"I will. My question has been answered," I said.
How deep did all of this run? Kieran had a history with Jamison and Cole, Mia had a history with Kenz...
It was all getting too tangled. The past, the present. The game was only getting harder the more I learned about them.
"Look, I couldn't care less what your histories with them are. But if there's something there that's going to put us in danger, Val and I need to know," I said.
YOU ARE READING
A Murder Of Crows [boyxboy]
JugendliteraturCor Sander wants nothing to do with the attacks happening around Crowe Academy, but that doesn't mean he's not part of them. Begrudgingly part of the group known as the Collectors, Cor helps a shady man run an even shadier business- and send a messa...