The Skylar Experiment : Beginnings

Chapter Eleven - Behind Closed Doors

TW : mention of sexual assault

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I RUSHED OUT OF THE COMPUTER LAB and headed for my locker. The halls were empty and devoid of any noise. Every breath I took seemed too loud. I grabbed my belongings and started for the stairs at the end of the corridor.

My exchange with Mr. Kennedy wouldn't leave my mind. It came back on replay, like a broken tape recorder. I couldn't get rid of the expression on his face, as though he was disturbed by my research. Or displeased. And... and the legend he told me and that I hadn't asked for, it stuck too well with whatever was going on in Oakwood.

Why would he tell me this for no reason if—

Distant voices interrupted my train of thoughts.

It issued from a classroom to my left, and I slowed my pace. I recognized Emma's soft pitch, along with Luc's smoother, deeper tone. I stopped, fixating the ajar door for an inappropriate amount of time. It wasn't worth it. This was none of my business. I wasn't going to start eavesdropping today, nor tomorrow. But then I heard what sounded like my name.

I turned around.

Placing myself at an angle where they couldn't see me, I stilled.

"Well, she is going."

"I'm just asking you to change her mind. Make her stay at home and do better things," he said lowly. "Yesterday, it followed her, and I don't intend on playing babysitter until I catch the fucker."

There was a silence that sent my mind spinning with questions. A chair scraped the floor.

"Look, I can't just force her to stay in. It'll look fishy if I try to change her plans, and you know I'm bad at putting up fronts," Emma stressed. "I'm not like you."

Luc groaned, but it was barely audible. "The last thing everyone needs is another kid going missing. I have enough on my mind already."

Another strained silence. What could he possibly know about those missing people on the front doors that the rest of us didn't?

"I understand your point, but you could come instead, try to have fun and kill two birds with one stone. There's probably no way for me to imagine how it feels, but you can't keep holding onto that anger forever."

I heard lagging footfalls throughout the classroom, and I knew they were Luc's. Emma wore heels today. They could be heard clicking miles away.

"I was under the impression she is your friend. If that's true, then help me make sure this doesn't get worse. I really don't give a shit about your stupid gathering, Em. "

Of all the times Luc had talked down to me, none of those times compared to the hostility he laid bare just now. His voice was so throaty. I could only imagine the scary face he was making at Emma for simply not getting his way.

But could they be talking about someone else? He'd made it abundantly clear he never cared about my safety. But whoever it was for, why? From what? And how on Earth was Emma involved? My hands clenched into fists. I wanted to scream 'What was going on?'.

"Fine. I'll try but I can't promise you anything."

I'd had enough. I bolted away from the door and power-walked to the stairs, wishing I'd never eavesdropped. First, that monstrous creature in the woods, meeting Luc and the way he was acting, the missing posters, the conversation with Kennedy...

Now, this.

I had this gut feeling they were both involved into something wrong, terribly wrong.