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“We’ll always be around. After school, we’re going to Leedsville to get you a cell phone and hiking boots and whatever else we need to plan our first big trek into the Superstitions.”
“A cell phone? I don’t—”
“You need a cell phone,” Stone says, finalizing the argument with that no-fucks-given tone of voice.
My father hated cell phones. He hated phones all together. We never had one. If anyone wanted to talk to us, they could just stop by or send us a letter. Those same denials buzz at my lips. At the same time, though, I always envied everyone in school who had phones. With their pretty cases and fancy apps that played music or took pictures. In the end, I ended up despising them because I knew I was never going to get one unless I bought it myself. And even then, I’d have to hide it from Dad.
Lucas’s discerning eyes are on me. It’s hard to keep things from him. I swear he can read my mind, and I’m wondering if he’s already putting things together, realizing just how odd my father really was. I’ve always defended him. Always. But I have to admit, this is one rule I never quite understood. It wasn’t just the fact that we couldn’t afford the phones or the service, it was more than that to him.
“It’s for safety,” Stone says, softening his tone. He’s really making an effort to stifle his dickish ways this morning. Or maybe it’s just that his facade has crumbled a bit, and I know what’s going on now so there’s no sense in keeping up the pretenses anyway. “We’ll save our numbers inside it, so you can get a hold of us whenever you need to.”
“Feel free to send me nudes, Tits,” Wyatt says as he rakes his gaze over the crowd. His voice lacks all the normal teasing as he scopes out our surroundings.
Stone pulls into the only available front parking space left. Despite the parking lot being full, everyone seems to have reserved Stone’s silver Audi a place of honor amongst the other cars. Students pass us, making their way up the stairs and in through the main doors. Some fiddle with their bags, some talk on their phones, and as much as I’d like to say I feel so apart from them because of what I’ve just found out, the truth is, I’ve always felt apart from them. I’ve been on the outside looking in my whole life, wondering what it’s like for people to live normal lives. I’ve never had a normal life, and that still continues. It’s just that now, there’s danger added in. Real danger.
A cold chill shivers up my spine. Fear threatens to overtake me, something I’ve been struggling with since everything was explained to me last night. These people aren’t just messing around. They drugged us just to prove a point. They’ve been able to get to me at school. They got into my dorm and my father’s house. Hell, they probably even took Marilyn. I don’t think there’s much they won’t do.
Stone warned me last night that we weren’t dealing with just run-of-the-mill criminals. These people aren’t to be taken lightly. They have power. What they’ve done so far is just child’s play.
When I asked who it was that was threatening them, Stone told me his father had gotten into a bad business deal with the wrong people.
That’s the understatement of the century. Maybe I don’t want a normal job if this is what happens.
The crazy part is, my father always knew the Jacobs were going to be the Wilders’ downfall.
When we walk into school this morning, everything’s changed. I’m flanked on either side by Wyatt and Lucas. Stone leading us like the king he thinks he is. People take notice, too, just like they’ve been taking notice of the new guys at school, but this time, they’re taking notice of me too. Whispers rise. People talk with their friends behind palms, hiding their lips from us.
It’s not the reception into school that I need. I’m already worried about monsters hiding behind corners, and now this is making me second-guess everyone. I liked it when everyone was so apparent in their hatred of me. At least it wasn’t being hidden behind closed doors. It was out there for everyone to see. It certainly made it easier to see what you were up against.
Then again, I’m probably just being paranoid. Paranoia runs in my family, but also, that kind of happens when you’re told you’re involved in a plot that consists of a maniac who’s vowed to start killing people if he doesn’t get his way.
We walk past the school office, and the doors open right into Wyatt. We all stop as the secretary peeks her head out. “Oh dear. I’m so sorry, Mr. Longhorn. I was looking for Dakota, and I could’ve sworn...” She trails off, flushing at the mere sight of Wyatt. Not that I can blame her. Despite the shadows under his eyes, he’s looking like quite the specimen this morning. It might be because I saw him pack a knife in a concealed holder in his jeans, but he’s giving off an aura of dangerous cowboy that I’m not even going to pretend doesn’t make him ten times hotter than normal.
“I’m right here,” I say.
“Oh, yes,” the secretary says, clearing her throat. “I knew I saw you.” She smiles at me, and it’s pleasant. “Another letter came for you.” Her face pinches like she wants to ask me if I’m sure they have nothing to do with my dad’s disappearance like she did the first time, but she wisely keeps the question to herself.
She holds the letter out, and Stone plucks it from her fingers. “Thank you.”
“That’s for, Miss—” she starts to say.
“Oh, I know,” Stone states, using that level tone of his. “It’s okay. Dakota and I are good friends. Aren’t we Dakota?”
I glower at him. “The best of friends.”
“Oh,” the secretary says, her eyes widening along with her smile. She gives me an enthusiastic grin which makes me wonder how much she watches. She’s probably seen my outcast status like many people here have. She seems like the type that would root for the underdog.
“Thank you for giving it to me,” I say, tearing the letter from Stone’s grip.
“Do you know who sent it?” Stone asks the secretary, ignoring me.
The secretary shrugs. “It came through the mail room, so I’m assuming the regular mail.”
“Thank you,” he says, his good boy smile plastered all over his face. As a unit, we start to walk away. He lowers his voice as we all move toward mine and Stone’s first class. “Is this how the previous letter was sent to you?”
I nod, confirming his theory.
“Anyone else think it’s weird she’s getting it at the school and not at her dorm? You do have mailboxes at the dorm, don’t you?”