Page 40 of The Devastation You Reap

They're not going to find out because not only do none of them deserve to be tangled up in this mess with Brett, but learning the truth would kill them. And I refuse to do it to them when they've already been through so much because of that cunt.

Falling down onto my bed, I blow out a long breath and push my hand into my pocket, pulling out Macie's cell.

Ignoring the guilt that threatens knowing that I stole it from her jacket pocket before she got out of my car, I wake it up and stare at the quote that covers her home screen.

Don't tell people your dreams. Show them.

I think over her words for the longest time, wondering what her dreams are. Wondering who she really is.

Unsurprisingly, when I eventually try to unlock the cell, the passcode pops up.

I tap my finger against the side as I attempt to predict what she might use.

Something tells me that it won't be random. Her room was nothing if not organized, everything in its rightful place.

I try a few combinations but eventually get locked out.

"Dammit."

Placing it on my nightstand, I head for the shower, combinations of numbers running through my head.

Thanks to Ellis, I've got all of Macie's MKU enrollment details. If I can't find something in there to get me into her cell then I guess, I'll be visiting the Harrises again to get him to hack into it.

9

Macie

"You gonna tell me where you were last night yet?" a familiar voice says from behind me before Charlie steps up beside me as I walk across campus after my last class of the day ready to head home.

"I… uh…"

"Don't say you were at the library, we know you weren't."

I blow out a frustrated breath.

"Why does it matter? I was out."

"Hmm…" she mumbles, her eyes focused on the side of my face. "Your cell broken or something? I messaged you to meet for lunch," she says, thankfully diverting from interrogating me about last night. She already tried before class this morning. I thought she'd get the message that there wasn't anything to talk about.

"No, I think I left it in my room," I lie. I know it's not in my room, although I don't actually know where it is. But the last place I remember having it was sitting on that blanket with Leon last night. Thoughts of it falling out and lost in the grass somewhere fill my head.

Even if I found my way back there, it rained all morning so it's probably ruined now anyway.

It's no big deal. There’s nothing on it, and I can count the people I talk to on it on one hand.

"Well, you got a million messages from me."

"Great, I'll look forward to them," I deadpan, already knowing that I'll have a stream of totally inappropriate memes if I ever do find it again.

"Yo, Charlie," a guy calls the second he emerges from the building in front of us. He smiles as he blatantly checks her out and she squeals in excitement.

"Hate to love you and leave you but…"

"Go. Go. Just maybe don't bring this one home."

"Aw, you know you love it."

"Oh yeah, the highlight of my week listening to you scream for God." I roll my eyes at her as she bounces off toward whoever the guy is.