“You sure about that?”
“Yeah. We barely know each other.”
“So? You can become friends with someone you barely know.”
I fold my arms across my chest. “Oh yeah? Then what does that makeus?”
His lips spread into a grin. “I already told you that you and I are besties.”
“Okay then, bestie, I have a question for you. And since you’re my friend, you have to answer.”
His eyes glint with amusement. “Do I?”
“Yep.” I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. “Why were you with Eli yesterday? Because Lily told me that he used to bully her.”
His expression drops. “He was just getting some notes from me.”
“Let me guess, you did the exchange in the library?”
“How did …? Wait—did you follow me yesterday?”
I shrug. “Lily was hurt that you were hanging out with Eli, and I thought perhaps it was a friendly visit between the two of you, so yeah, I followed you into the library where you disappeared.”
His face pales, and the increasing sunlight trickling through the window reflects across his face and highlights his worry. “Maddy, you have to forget about what you saw yesterday.” He nervously glances left then right before inching toward me.
I angle my head up to meet his gaze. “But I don’t know what I saw. That’s the point.”
He leans in closer, his voice lowering. “And that’s how it needs to stay. Trust me.”
“Trust you? I don’t even know you.”
“Yeah, but …” He shakes his head. “Why does this even matter to you?”
“I’m not sure,” I reply honestly. “It just seems like between the message written on mine and Lily’s door, me getting grabbed at the party, and now you are vanishing into thin air in the library … this place seems kind of sketchy, which is saying alot considering I’m from northside. And if I’ve learned anything from living there, it’s that the more information you have, the safer you are.”
“That’s not how it works here,” he whispers, touching my arm. “The less you know, the better.”
“So, I’m just supposed to what?” I question. “Wait around until whoever grabbed me or left the message comes after me? And what about your sister? The message could’ve been for her.”
“I …” He trails off, his throat muscles bobbing as he swallows hard. “Can you just drop this?Please?”
The begging catch in his voice causes something inside me to break a little.
“Please, Mommy, I’m so hungry.”
“Please, Mommy, I’m scared.”
“Please, Mommy, help me.”
“Fine, I’ll drop it.” I pause then add, “For now. But if anything else weird happens, I will start digging around until my fingers have blisters.”
“Is that a metaphor?”
“Nah, I plan on having to dig up a body or two. I mean, doesn’t every mystery lead to that?”
He gives me a hardy-har look but visibly relaxes. “Thank you.” He offers me a smidgeon of a smile. “I have to go get my water bottle. Be careful, okay?”
I give him a salute, and then we part ways with him heading toward the dorms and me pushing out the door and stepping into the cool morning air.
