The Whisper Seekers

Marissa

The day has finally arrived.

Usually, the day of the homecoming game is my favorite day of the school year. Everyone dresses in school colors, we are never assigned homework for the weekend and we have two days of freedom to focus on the game, the dance, and then to recover. Today, however, has me freaking out, and even after endless coats of deodorant, I'm still sweating. Liam left early this morning to go back to his house to quickly get ready. It was weird to have a boy sleep next to me for the couple hours of sleep we managed to get but he stayed above the covers and kept his hands to himself- respecting my wishes to not take things further than kissing. God, I hope I don't die a virgin.

He is supposed to text me when he makes it over to Ian's house, so I keep my phone glued to my hand. I stare at myself in the mirror and curse myself for not working harder to stop this event from happening. I let all the stupid, petty shit get in the way when this is what should have been important. This is what my focus should have been on. Not Harper, Derek, homecoming, Liam or my reputation. I should have shoved it all aside.

I grab my book bag and head downstairs to find my mom already in the kitchen. She hands me a cup of coffee as soon as I sit down.

"Are you okay Ellie? You don't look so well," she says before pressing the back of her hand to my forehead to check for a fever. I know I can't tell her why I am so nervous about today, and it makes me sad to think about all the other parents that are expecting this to be just another Friday. They don't know someone's son is going to bring a gun to school and possibly change the rest of people's lives.

"Yeah, I just don't feel so well. I think my head still hurts from having a football chucked at my nose." She doesn't laugh and I don't know if I'm ready to laugh at my black eyes either. She notices I'm sweating.

"Do you need to stay home today? I know it's a fun day for school, but you don't look so good."

I wish I could stay home. I want to be a coward and avoid everything that could happen today but I know I need to try and prevent anything I can.

"No mom, I wanna go. I'll be fine." She reluctantly grabs her car keys and we get ready to head to school.

When my mom pulls up to the front of the school, I stay in my seat. I watch all the students walk in the same direction into our front entrance and it's the first day of high school that I don't give a shit about the fashion show entrance. I just hope to see every single student walk out the same way at the end of the day.

I surprise my mom by giving her a hug goodbye and I feel tears sit behind my eyes. I tell her I love her before I quickly get out of the car and make my way inside. An idea comes to me when I cross the threshold of the building and instead of walking to biology right away, I walk down to the office. The secretary greets me as I walk up to her desk.

"Hi Mrs. Beasley, do you think I can talk to Mr. Anderson? It will only take a minute."

"Sure Ellie, let me page him and let him know you're here." She ushers me into his small office and I wait for him in the same leather chair Liam sat on a few weeks ago. He rounds the corner with a cup of coffee in his hand and is surprised to see me.

"Ellie Adler, what can I do for you so early in the morning?" He takes a seat at his desk and I scoot forward in my chair.

"Mr. Anderson, yesterday after the powder puff game I heard some kids talking about bringing something dangerous into school today." He looks concerned as puts his coffee down, "What did you hear?"

"I heard Ian might bring a gun to school. He's in my first-period class and I think you should check it out. Maybe call the onsite police officer."

"Ian McKibben? You know Ellie, someone left us a note last week saying they had heard Ian and another student saying the same thing," he says and I'm glad they did take my note seriously. "We brought them and their parents in for questioning and he said it was a big misunderstanding. That he's involved with this after-school group where they act out fake battles and things. Live-action role-playing I guess it's called? He said he has prop guns and someone must have misinterpreted what he was saying." I'm frustrated since I know that was a fake story Marissa fed him so I don't back off.