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CHAPTER FIVE! ( WHAT ARE YOU SO AFRAID OF? )
JOAN, VIOLET, AND the boys sat in the library. Joan was seated in the back, nearly pressed up against one of the wooden bookshelves. A map of Welton and the surrounding area was laid out in front of her on the table.
"Okay, follow the stream to the waterfall. It's right there. It's got to be on the banks," Neil whispered as he pointed out the directions.
"I don't know, it's starting to sound dangerous," Cameron said.
Joan rolled her eyes. It had been funny before, but Cameron was really getting annoying. Everything was about merits and grades to him.
"Why don't you stay home?" Charlie retorted.
"For God's sake will you stop chattering and sit down!" Mr McAllister called from the front of the library.
Everyone turned their eyes back to their own papers, which in all honesty were just decoys in case the supervisor decided to walk past their table. Neil was the only one who didn't listen, instead he walked away from the table and sat down next to Todd, who was all alone. Joan smiled, Todd wasn't completely forgotten after all.
"Neil, Neil!" She heard Todd plead. She looked up to see Neil walking back over.
"Guys, Todd doesn't want to read. That's alright with you guys, right?" he asked, but his tone implied that it wasn't really a question. Whatever anyone said, it was clear that Todd was coming, and he wasn't going to read.
"Yeah, sure."
"Of course."
"Yep."
"Perfect," Neil nodded.
"Wait, we need snacks," Joan stated.
"Yes! Great idea, Joey. Everyone bring whatever you got. Oh, and don't forget smokes," Charlie smirked, whispering that last part more softly.
"Stop calling me Joey!" she said, just below the volume of normal speaking, hitting his arm with the back of her textbook.
"Touchy," he commented with another smirk, rubbing his arm.
❦
Later that night, Joan and Violet were sitting anxiously by the door. Neil told them to go outside of the backdoor of Welton after their hall monitor had went to bed. They both sat in silence, listening closely to the soft footsteps of Mrs. Benson pacing back and forth in the hall. Suddenly they ceased and Joan heard a door click. They waited a few more moments out of caution. Joan nodded to Violet and she grinned, unlatching the door slowly. The two of them slipped out of the room, pulling their hoods over their heads. The duo crept down the stairs, praying desperately that they wouldn't creak. To Joan's relief, they made it down without any problems.
