The Whisper Seekers

The Aftermath

When we reach my house, a news van is already parked on the lawn. Word must have traveled fast if reporters are already here, poking around for quotes about the attempted school shooting.

My mother doesn't let us say a word as she rushes us inside. She tells me my father is on his way home and pulls me into another long, rib-crushing hug.

At first, she doesn't want me out of her sight, but I tell her I just need a moment to decompress. She hesitates, then reluctantly allows Liam to follow me upstairs.

As soon as we reach the safety of my room, I know I need to get out of my soaked clothes and the blood-stained shoes stuck to my feet.

The shell of my uniform is clinging to me since it's still half wet and Liam helps tug it off me. There's nothing sexual about it, he's just assisting as I change. I'm clearly comfortable with him in a new way and I wonder if it's because we slept next to each other last night and clung to each other today. 

I'm changing in my closet when I spot the red shirt I stole from Derek lying next to my hamper. I want to light it on fire. This entire mess is his fault. I am associated with those football players because of him. I've been so stupid. I am also dying to know what his take on all this is. He cannot believe he is innocent of any of it. 

I come out of my closet and find Liam texting someone while sitting on the edge of my bed. He glances at me, "My mom knows I was involved with what's all over the news. I told her I am here with you."

"Please tell me you don't have to go," I beg. 

"No, I'm not leaving," he tells me before pulling on my hand to have me sit. I settle in next to him and then we both plop back on the bed, exhausted. 

"Where were you this morning?" I ask. This is the first of many questions I have for him. I adjust my head on my pillows so I can look at him as he answers. 

"I followed Ian to school, as planned, but I got confused when he was running late. He didn't even leave his house until the first bell was about to ring," he explains, holding my hand tightly. "He met Elijah outside the main doors, and they split up in front of the math hall. That's when I started to understand everyone's connections. Elijah was practically radiating hatred, he was using it as fuel all the way down the hallway. I never saw Marissa. Ian headed into the math hall alone, and I could hear him trying to calm himself the entire way to Mrs. Holloway's class. I saw Mike and Aaron in the last row. Ian walked straight into the classroom, put the gun right up to Aaron's back, and told him and Mike to get up and follow him. Everyone else dove under their desks once they realized Ian had a gun, but Ian had them both out of the classroom before Mrs. Holloway could even reach the door."

"So what you told Kensington was almost true. You were just invisible and not hiding somewhere," I say and he nods. I add, "But the hallways were empty by the time Marissa got me and Derek."

"Ian fired two shots into the common area and everyone scattered. I saw Elijah up ahead with Lily leading her into the locker room. I waited until you got there and quietly snuck out. I had to make sure I didn't get locked out since the door was locked from the inside. I didn't want to leave you, but I knew I needed to relay all the information I had to Mr Anderson."

"That must have been when we heard the noise at the door," I say as Liam runs his hand through my hair. I am lying on his shoulder with his arm around me and his head leans against the top of mine. I think we have had some part of us touching since I collapsed into him in the locker room.

"Yeah, well, obviously the police had been called by then and I went and found Mr. Anderson who was instructing the onsite officer what to do. I let them both know who was all in the locker room, but they didn't want to act until reinforcements got there in case they spooked Ian and he killed all of you or himself. There are no windows in the locker room, so they weren't sure how to communicate." Liam says plainly and chills run down my spine just thinking of the multiple outcomes.