CHAPTER FIFTY

the flash kit catastrophe, pt. 2

i went downstairs to make an excuse to mom, set my phone down on the counter, and asked "can i go over to jordyn's really quickly? i forgot something last time i was there."

"sure thing, baby!" she said happily. "be home for dinner. since your dad will be back late, i'm making your mother's classic!"

"can't wait!" i said truthfully, swinging open the door while grabbing my winter coat. its pockets were big enough to fit the treasure, i just needed to follow the map.

my journey to the school was a slow one. the wind was chilly and pushing against me. plus, i was deep in thought, trying to figure out what was nagging at my brain. the whole time, i felt i was forgetting something. eventually, i resorted to the conclusion that it was just the flash kit i was missing.

finally, x marked the spot where the lights were usually all on and cars were usually crowding the lots. but at this later hour, only a few rooms remained illuminated and the place looked post-apocalyptic. except for the three other people outside of it. walker and maeve were chatting with mr grant until he pointed me out to them. they all waved once i approached.

"where were you?" asked maeve before i could wave back. "have you seen my texts asking why you were being such a slow poke? mr grant's in a rush."

that was it -- my phone. that was what i was forgetting. i had left it on the counter! my fingers, snuggling with wool gloves, could not feel anything in my pockets. today was not a good day for my mind to decide not to work properly. blaming it on the lack of sleep i'd been experiencing was easier, though, than blaming the stupidity on myself.

"sorry, i left my phone at home, along with my brain," i admitted, facepalming.

mr grant scooped his teacher's keycard out of his jacket's pocket. he walked over to the front door and swiped it through the little reader, which turned green and made a beep of success.

"thank you so much," said walker as we all went indoors.

i would have hopped onto the gratefulness train if grant didn't seem so overwhelmed, which is also why i didn't request a reason for his rushing. maeve was probably told when she asked him about this courteous favor, so i would just ask her.

he took a physical key out of his pocket once we were on fennel's floor. "do you guys know where it is?"

"the flash? no," said maeve. "the classroom? yes. we're right here."

we stopped at the door i'd always walked into and joined my classmates and teacher. but even fennel wasn't actively making butt imprints in her desk chair! the room was open and empty and perfect for some sneaking around and pirating.

"please be quick. like, five minutes tops, kids," he urged, checking his watch.

us kids scrambled into the room and immediately started rummaging. the lights were flipped on before maeve took on the director role and pointed us in all different paths. i was assigned to scope the behind the desk region of the room.

after a few minutes of nothing, walker asked, "anything?"

"nope!" i called back, trying and failing to sound positive.

mr grant was still waiting for us just outside the classroom, his foot preventing the door from closing again. suddenly, a hard metal ringtone blasted. only for a second, though, before he picked it up.

for the next minute or two, he intermittently responded in brief words to the voice on the other end. then, once he hung up, he said to us, "gotta run!"

then he ran. and i heard the door slam shut. and i lifted my head to see maeve hurrying over and reaching for the handle. the handle decided it wouldn't work properly either.

"what the fuck? it's locked!" she banged on the bulletproof glass window like she was a stir crazy prisoner, but it was hopeless. "that was only four minutes, too!"

even though i knew there was no use in it, i gave opening the door a try. so did walker. nothing. we were trapped in a room that might not have even had what we were looking for. sitting down in mrs fennel's desk chair, i attempted to control the dreading thoughts of being stuck here without a phone or a purpose.

meanwhile, the blonds were getting frustrated. "why was he in such a rush anyway? i mean, why couldn't we have done this after school or something," spewed walker.

"he told me that he had a thirty minute break in between auditions for a band he's starting up. they started right after school and go until tonight," said maeve, pacing around the room aimlessly. both walker and i scoffed with annoyance. "he sounds like us. except we aren't super rude and evil and mean and trap people in their least favorite building."

no one really did anything for a few minutes. i picked at my nails and the lucky bastards, sat upon the lab tables, scrolled on their cellular devices. but i wouldn't be able to enjoy the usual escapism method. just imagining my parents finding out about where i was and why gave me a knot in my stomach that could only be unraveled by solving its source. or maybe that was hunger -- it was past five and i hadn't eaten since lunch. that thought only tightened the knot. mom was going to have dinner ready when i got back.

"the vibe in here sucks," stated maeve. "why don't we keep searching?"

"then i'll be searching for my will to live," said walker.

"yeah-- maeve, this is the part where you're supposed to force us to play a game," i said.

she jumped to the ground with a mischievous grin. "a game? like, hmm, i don't know... a staring contest? thumb war? i spy? digging through your teacher's search history and desk drawers? how much are you willing to bet we'll find something good in there?"

"i'll bet two aruba trips worth," i said, spinning around in fennel's chair and facing the desktop monitor. one click of the mouse and google was open -- she'd forgotten to log out. another click and her browser history was open.

the monitor was connected to the smart board behind me, so walker and maeve watched as i scrolled through the various links to lesson plans, emails, and the student campus. how boring compared to the hot chemist incident.

"nothing much... why don't we check her emails," suggested walker.

i selected the link to her "sent" subcategory in email, and it took a while to load. when it eventually did, a myriad of emails to people whose names i didn't recognize popped up. except for two. it said that today, she wrote to my parents.

i clicked the message without thinking. what opened was a rant longer than the one about me cutting. as i skimmed through, the expected words were found: flash, record, disrespectful, etc. and she included almost every single detail, including the exact dialogue, the amount of seconds the flash was on, and the reactions from other students. one student in particular was mentioned, walker. and he wasn't only referred to as his name. he was referred to as my boyfriend.

they'd been reading it too. walker hesitated. "uhm. i think you're screwed."



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thank you for reading chapter 50!

i cannot believe there has been FIFTY chapters. this will continue to been so fun, but i won't drag it on and i won't rush it. the ending is PLANNED!