Page 10 of The Lies We Steal

“Bottom, left drawer. They are in a Ziplock baggie. Please, please, just don’t kill me!” He wails.

Rook retrieves the baggie, all of us walking towards one another, creating a small circle.

“They are marked, some kind of symbol on them. It’s faded though, I’d have to check it out.” He squints, looking down at the bright pink pills, “I can call a few people, see who is selling Ecstasy with this tag on them.”

Fucking drug dealers and marking their shit.

“And following the drugs is going to do what for us?” Thatcher imposes.

“It’s all we have right now. It’s that or nothing.” I point out. “Thatcher, finish up and let’s get the fuck out of here.”

Looking over at Silas I ask, “You good?”

He nods, shoving his hands into his hoodie pockets, “Fine.”

Knowing that’s all I’ll get from him, I don’t bother asking again. When he needs something, he’ll let us know. Silas doesn’t talk unless absolutely necessary.

“Wait, wait what are you doing? I told you everything!” Howard screams as Thatcher stalks towards him.

He bends down, grabbing the back of his head with one hand while the other presses a blade into his throat, a small trickle of blood leaking from the pressure,

“If you say a word, I’ll come back for the nub. Then I’m taking your treacherous tongue. Or maybe, I’ll go after you kids. You think they’ll like my knife collection?” There is a mumble of words from Howard, some form of a beg,

“You’ve been good at hiding things lately, make sure it stays that way Dr. Discil. Do. Not. Make. Me. Angry.” He pushes.

“Is that clear?”

Thatcher scoops his case up, grabbing the black suit jacket and folding it over his forearm, falling in step behind me as we make our way out of the office.

I could feel the weight on my shoulders as we walked towards our cars in the parking lot, a snake slithering down my spine, knowing that was the last person we’d leave alive in our journey to revenge.

Mercy is no more.

Briar

Black and gold, colors of extravagance, riches and mystery is noticed everywhere. It’s the school’s signature colors and could not be more fitting. I wander down the hallways of ornate decoration. Tall arched kaleidoscopic windows that gave me vertigo with how the light dazzled through them. Everything around me felt…expensive.

I saw groups of girls huddled together as they walked past me, arm in arm giggling about something funny. Their heels clicked in synch, each with their hair braided neatly down their back. Lost in their own world. Ada squeaks in my pocket, nudging her head out, only to hide again when I duck for a ball that was launched over my head, turning sharply to see a guy catch it with a lacrosse stick. He raises his arms in celebration, as his friends trample past me knocking into my shoulder chuckling and high-fiving each other.

Another girl was handing out fliers for a debate team, her pressed plaid skirt and sweater vest told me she probably wanted to do something important in life.I felt so outside of my element, like I was just a shadow in their lives.

I mean it wasn’t their fault they are born into wealth and I wasn’t.

This wave of understanding, of realization hits me as I walk through these winding corridors, through the pointing arches and up a flight of embellished stairs. My headphones dug inside my ears, vibrating.

No one here knows me.

Not a single soul knows who I am.

I made my way through classmates, I shifted and moved through the reuniting hugs from sophomores. Barely noticed, not because I was weird or being ignored, because I was new.

I reached the room all the way at the end of the third floor. Tucked on the left, the gold numbers, 127 on the front. My hand grabbed the doorknob, right after someone tapped on my shoulder. I pluck my headphone from my left ear, music still blasting in my right.

“Yeah?” I ask, looking at the tall, pretty blonde with super white teeth. There is a soccer ball tucked underneath her arm, and she’s popping her gum, over and over again.

“Lizzy Flannigan,” She shoves her free hand out towards me.

I return it, “Briar, uh,” I pause not knowing why we are introducing ourselves with last names, “Lowell.”