The Skylar Experiment : Dead Ending (second draft)

Chapter Eighteen-Family Reunion

RILEY

MILES STRAIGHTENED, leaving me speechless with my hand hanging idly.

The lunch lady snapped my attention back, and I slowly walked off after paying. Up ahead, Luc was striding across the large room towards the garbage next to the cash register. His steps were as confident as ever. I couldn't picture being the one to tell him his sister willingly faked her death so she could be with NIO. 

Lauren was one of them, just like the agents and the hunters. She was up to something, and she was most definitely not helping us. The dreaded doubt that she didn't escape for her family settled in my mind, clear and undeniable.

Luc caught sight of me, and the floor started spinning. His eyes sharpened when mine met them. In the same course of events, he noticed Miles coming out of the line and ambling past me. His gaze acidified, bubbling with spite, like he wished he could dissolve the guy with his eyesight. They crossed paths, and what followed next lasted in reality just a nanosecond, but it felt like an endless stream of minutes.

Luc moved near Miles, both boys gazing at each other and blocking out all the surrounding distractions. Suddenly his tray tipped to the front. The contents of his plate spilled over his jeans and onto the floor. 

"Uh-oh, you should hold onto your stuff more tightly," I heard Luc goad and he headed to the garbage with his typical egotism, a dark smirk playing on his lips.

Everyone else gave Miles pitiful stares as his drink pooled around his feet. When Luc twisted away from the trash, he eyed me and inconspicuously stalked off to the table. People had been paying extra attention to him ever since the news of Lauren's return spread throughout the school, but he stubbornly ignored the gawking in his trail. I watched in disbelief as Emma rose from her seat with a pile of napkins and rushed to help Miles clean the mess. She sent Luc's back a scornful look, and I scurried, clutching onto my tray.

"You didn't have to do that," I said as I settled right across from Luc.

"I think I did," he argued, seeming pleased with himself. His eyes narrowed ever-so-slightly when he viewed Emma up on her feet. "He deserves way worse."

I didn't reply and poked at my food.

"His sorry ass had it coming," Devin needled, stabbing her strip of chicken with her fork. "He'll get over a pair of ruined pants. We can't replace our people like clothes."

❃ ❃ ❃

After lunchtime, I summoned the motivation to carry myself to English class. I walked inside with Luc and we split up to take our separate seats. Mr. Kennedy looked tired but acted restless, scribbling on the board zealously with a stub of chalk. Soon enough, Emma made her arrival. She avoided my gaze and plunked next to my desk, leaning back to stare out the window rather than in my direction. I fiddled with my pen as an ache clumped in my chest. Back when we talked at the pool, I'd yelled at her and lost my composure. 

I knew I'd proved the hunters' beliefs, but it was so hard to stay calm sometimes... Everyday, I felt that we were all losing control of our lives. On most days, I was either angry, scared or anxious when it came to what NIO must be plotting next. 

A balled-up paper thwacked the side of my hair, jarring me out of focus. I squinted over my shoulder to find Luc urging me to open it. Scowling, I bent down to grab it and unfolded the scrap of paper.