Slightly Tempted (Slightly Series, Book Four, Teen Wolf)

chapter seven---WEAPONIZED

Did you seriously think I could actually think about taking the PSATs while I was totally side-attracked by the fact that Derek's name was the last key to break the code and I knew he was the hospital with Braedan? No? Good

But I still had to take the test. Dad wouldn't let me get out of it.

Me, Stiles, Malia, Scott and Kira stood together in school.

"Where's Lydia?" Kira asked.

"She took it her freshman year," Stiles answered.

"Does that mean I could've taken it some other time?" Malia asked.

"Malia, you studied harder for this than any of us," Scott told her.

"That doesn't mean I'm gonna do good."

"Well," I corrected.

Malia looked at me. "Well, what?"

"It's do well, not good," I answered.

Malia looked like she wanted to hit me. "God!"

"Okay," I said, looking away.

"You're doing this," Scott told her. "Because while we're trying not to die, we still need to live. If I survive high school, I'd like to go to college."

"It's only three hours," Kira said. "We can survive three hours."

°

Inside the class, we had to take thumbprints for the test, take the test, give our phones to Ms. Martin, A.K.A., Lydia's mom, and take a seat.

I sat behind Stiles, opening the test booklet.

The teacher at the front from the PSAT test thing started to speak. "Please do not open the test booklet," I closed the booklet, "until you are instructed to do so." I put a pencil between my teeth. "This test is two hours and ten minutes. There will be two 20 minute critical reading sections, two 20 minute critical math sections, and an essay-writing portion that will last 30 minutes." He looked at Ms. Martin. "There are supposed to be two teachers monitoring this test."

"I know," Ms. Martin said. "It's Coach. He's not exactly punctual. Um, let me just try him again."

She left the room.

°

She came back, looking at the PSAT guy. "I couldn't find him. But Mr. Yukimura is upstairs grading papers. Do you want me to try him?"

"We have to start," the PSAT guy said. "We can ask for his assisstance during the first break." She nodded. He started the time, looking at us. "You may now open your test booklets and begin."

Everyone did as told.

But even while I was working, I couldn't stop worrying about Derek. Was he really gonna die? Or was it just some kind of trick? If he was gonna die, how was he gonna die? And why? Where? With who? What or who was gonna kill him? What could I do to help him? How could I help him?

I worried too much.

Why was I even here, when I knew he was at the hospital? Yeah, Dad said I had to come, but Derek . . .

Stop thinking!

I held my head in both of my hands as I looked down at the test, trying to focus. It wasn't working.

I just wished something could've happened to save me from thinking and worrying.

Something did.

The girl who sat next to me fell to the floor.

"Sydney?" Ms. Martin asked, walking closer, kneeling next to her and starting to help her up. "Sydney, are you all right?"