Death Is Strange

TWENTY-FOUR

The students at Helena Academy were counting down the days to the party. The majority of the students' reasons, however, were different from Frank, Gerard and Ben's.

Frank wasn't sure how to handle a criminal teacher. Especially one that was supposedly taking the winner of the photography contest to New York without supervision. Hell, what if he won the contest? He'd feel like he was walking into a trap.

Mr. Armstrong was as nice as usual, but now that Frank saw him in a different light, each class period with him seemed to go on for hours longer than before.

By Friday, Frank was ready to run screaming out of the classroom. Mr. Armstrong was excitedly reminding everyone of the party that was starting at seven, and Frank turned to Gerard. "You and Ben need to stay with me. I need to figure out a way to find out if Mr. Armstrong knows about Bert."

The bell rang, and Frank started to gather his things, but he noticed Mr. Armstrong was looking at him strangely. "Frank, can I speak with you for a moment?"

Frank nodded, terror rising in his chest. Had Mr. Armstrong somehow heard what he'd whispered?

"You seem to be in a bit of a funk this week," Mr. Armstrong said when Frank hesitantly approached his desk. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

Frank bit his lip, afraid he would blurt out the first thing that came to mind. Finally, he took a deep breath. "Gerard and I are still looking for Bert. Do you... do you know anything?"

A strange look flitted across Mr. Armstrong's face, but it was gone when Frank blinked. "No," Mr. Armstrong said, a little too firmly. Frank nodded curtly and turned to go.

"I'll see you at the party," Mr. Armstrong called after him.

You bet, fuckhead, Frank thought bitterly as he headed out into the hall. Gerard was waiting for him, a worried look creasing his brow. Frank took his hand, squeezing slightly. "Mr. Armstrong knows about Bert," Frank hissed.

Gerard squeezed his hand back. "I believe it."

Ben pressed close to Gerard and Frank as they pushed past clusters of students in the gym and squinted against the flashing lights. "What do we do?" he asked. Frank noticed how anxiously he was looking around and realized he was probably expecting Danny to show up.

"Do you really think Danny will be back?" Frank asked, trying to sound reassuring but realizing he was a little nervous too.

Ben nodded. "You didn't see him earlier? I heard him in his room. He was on the phone."

"Did you hear anything he said?" Gerard asked.

Ben shook his head. "I couldn't, he was keeping his voice down. Oh shit, there he is."

Danny was standing by the entrance to the locker rooms, with Mr. Armstrong. He was visibly angry.

"We need to see what's going on," Frank said. "And be inconspicuous at the same time."

"Right," Ben said.

As they neared the pair, Danny pointed to the locker room, Mr. Armstrong glanced around, and they both hurried through the doors.

"I would be afraid to be that sketchy around so many people," Gerard remarked. "I guess the best thing we can do is one of us go in and pretend to be using the bathroom but hear what the fuck they're saying."

Frank nodded. "I'll go."

Gerard sighed. "Okay. I'll stay with Ben."

Mr. Armstrong and Danny could be heard from the nearest stall. They were standing by the showers, their heads bent together, but their angry voices audible. "Why the fuck won't you tell me where the kid is? Dirnt's offering a reward to whoever finds the bastard. And his pathetic boyfriend can't keep living like this." Mr. Armstrong heaved a frustrated sigh. "I let you use my property and you won't even tell me if you know where he is."