Carolina Wren

Chapter 19

Wren's POV

Guilt still ate at me as I made my way towards gym, Victor walking uncertainly next to me as he kept casting me concerned glances. My day hadn't improved after lunch was over. It's like the words Friday Fall were haunting me, taunting me with their presence without actually giving me anything that I could use to save the boys from a fate my gut was convinced they'd suffer.

For all everyone seemed to know what it was, no one actually knew what it was. Or if they did, they weren't talking about it. My entire life I've used bits and pieces of conversations I've heard in class to keep me safe. Knowing when to avoid the cafeteria because of a planned fight. Who I shouldn't trust because I had heard other people talking about them and how they were a wolf in sheep's clothing.

Today it had failed me, though, because as I'm walking to my last period class, it's either caused pointless work for the boys because nothing is going to happen, or they're about to be in for a trouble that they're not prepared for.

I felt distant from them, unsure of where I needed to step so I didn't push them away. Realistically, I knew that I was already doing the damage by not talking much, but I didn't know what else to do. Even Dr. Green had seemed hurt by my behavior, though. It broke my heart the way the glimmer slipped from his eyes when I had only halfheartedly responded to his greeting in the hallway. He hadn't been one of the ones who had written off my concern, but I couldn't bring myself to be cheery with him.

Did he think I was a distraction? Was he worried that I'd get in the way of them doing their job?

"Wren," Victor said, drawing my attention to him as we got closer to the gym. "Are you sure you're alright?"

No.

I smiled meekly at him. "I'm fine, Victor."

He cleared his throat, his fingers tapping against his grip on his backpack straps. "Is this about what you learned yesterday?"

Turning my face away from him, I focus on the shoes on the people a few feet in front of us. "No. Not exactly. I don't know, I think it's playing a part in it, but that's not all of it." I look up into his unusually subdued eyes and force a more sincere smile. "Honestly, Victor, I'm fine. I just want today to be over with. I'll be happier once we can all go home and forget about Friday Whatever-It-Is."

His slender fingers reach out to grasp onto mine before I can turn towards the locker rooms. "Wren," he breathes with sincerity. "You don't need to worry about it. We're not going to let anything happen to you."

I squeezed his fingers back. "Did you ever stop to think that it's not me that I'm worried about?" Slipping my hand free from his, I turn towards the door before I can see or hear his response. They've already made it clear that they only take what I have to say with a grain of salt. I'm not a part of their team, and that's fine. But I reserve the right to sulk and worry about them when they're not listening.

Once I've dressed out, I make my way into the gym and I'm shocked to see that they've pulled the bleachers out away from the walls. Even though Gabe is the only one that hasn't tried to make me talk, or maybe because he isn't pushing me, I force my way through the other students and hunt him down in the stands. Sitting down next to him, I ask, "What's going on?"

He shrugs again, but at least graces me with a real response. "There have been administrators from the district offices here all fucking day. I think they want them to give us a fucking pep talk or some shit."

What kind of pep talk were a bunch of old white guys that rarely interacted with teenagers going to give? 'Hey guys, please quit fighting and failing tests so we'll keep getting money. Have a nice day.' They'd probably have more luck with that weird group that plays upbeat music while they rip apart phone books.