Climb | ✔

Chapter 5 | Red-Handed

It was 11:33am on a Tuesday and Winter was late for English. Not even two weeks into her semester at Liberty, she had been summoned to the school counselor's office for the obligatory new kid check-in. While Mr. Cirillo lived up to his reputation as god-level eye candy (eloquently quoted from none other than Gina), Winter was pleased to be in-and-out of the office in 15 minutes. Late-slip in hand, she made quick work of getting her books for Mr. Angelino's class and made for the Languages wing.

On her way, she spotted Rick at his locker. She checked the clock just to make sure, and frowned when she confirmed that he was late for class. Murdoch would surely blame her.

When she approached him, she noticed his frazzled expression. He was disheveled, more so than usual.

Winter brought a hand to his shoulder. "Hey, Rick. Are you okay?"

He looked at her like she was a ghost, but a look of recognition flashed over him and he smiled wearily.

"What's wrong?" she pressed, concern lacing her voice.

He seemed conflicted, pondering over whether or not to divulge his troubles unto the sweet, unsuspecting girl before him. He ultimately yielded to her gentle coaxing and kind, grey eyes.

Throwing a cautionary glance over Winter and then behind him, Rick crouched down and rummaged through his locker. Tucked in the bottom corner was a large plastic bag filled with crumply green-gray leaves. Winter gasped.

"It's not mine," he blurted. "It's my friend's. He's been pretty reliable and he asked me to hold it just for the rest of today because his lock broke and he didn't want anyone getting in his stash," he explained.

Winter nodded. "Alright, well, just keep it on the down-low. You should be fine," she reasoned.

"That's the issue. I won't be," he groaned, his hands moving to scratch impulsively at his scalp. "I was set up. He was tipped off to them bringing in sniffer dogs today."

Winter's eyes bulged. Crap, she thought. "W-well why didn't you get rid of it?"

"I just found out! I saw the police coming in with them a few minutes ago and rushed here. I don't know what to do, Winter. This is at least 50 grams, and I can't just run out with it because there could be more of them on the perimeter," he quavered.

Winter took a moment to collect her thoughts. In all fairness, she could leave right then and there and not involve herself. Her good conscience wouldn't let her, though. So, she devised a plan of action after combing through all the possibilities. 

Part of her thought to just throw the bag out so they wouldn't know who it belonged to. She looked up to the ceilings then, noting the cameras placed strategically in the halls. If they found this amount of weed, would they check the security cameras? Would the police go to such trouble for possession charges on a minor? Winter wasn't sure. It was America, after all. 

What she did know is that, regardless, Rick could be held accountable for the loss of the goods by his so-called 'friend,' and who knows what trouble would brew from that.

"Okay, Rick. You need to do exactly what I say, okay?" she ordered, surprising even herself with how level her voice was.

The only thing she could come up with at that moment was to stash the weed somewhere where the dogs wouldn't be able to sniff it out. The measly plastic bag it was currently being toted in wouldn't contain the stench.

Rick, upon Winter's instruction, tucked the bag of the illicit substance under the belly of his hoodie. He followed Winter through the halls, who was scouting ahead to make sure they avoided the patrolling dogs.