“No. I need this.” She bites her lip again hard, to the point I notice her lip tear beneath her teeth, but her eyes are hard and focused on me. “You have until the end of the day. Get it or your secret is out.”
“Okay. I’ll figure it out.”
“Good,” she says. Her face relaxes slightly, and she steps back. “I don’t want to do this, you know.”
My eyes shift off to the side. “You don’t have to.”
“Well, it’s like how you have to play baseball,” she mumbles before walking away.
But I do. It’s a need I can’t explain, and then it hits me. Maybe there’s something engraved into Mallory, a need to be perfect that’s as powerful as my need to play baseball. Maybe Mallory and I aren’t so different. We’re both caught in a web of lies, trying to get what we want, and if I’m being honest, I don’t think I’m any happier than she is.
I’m drowning too, but it’s too late to back out now.
I lock my car and start my way into the school, my feet dragging the entire way up the steps. I just want the day to be over already. I want to crawl back into bed and sleep until next week. I swear my head is about to explode, but I tell myself it’s almost over. After I get the test to Mallory, we’ll be even.
She’ll lose her leverage once she cheats because I can hold that against her.
Despite my sluggish steps, I make it to my locker with plenty of time to drop off my books.
As I turn the dial to the first digit of my combination, a force knocks me forward and I hit the metal door.
Emma leans her back on the locker next to mine. Her arms are crossed and she glares at me.
“What was that for?”
“You said you never talk to Mallory, so what was that about?”
I shrug, bringing my attention back to the dial.
“I saw you talking to her outside,” she says, pushing me again.
I don’t have time for this. I need to figure out how to get into Mrs. Humphrey’s room, and I can tell Emma is about to make today another nightmare. It’s like she knows the worst possible times to show up and ruin my life.
“Why are you lying about it? Why won’t you tell me what’s going on?”
I tilt my head up to meet her eyes. “Why would I talk to you?”
“I’m going to figure it out—”
I slam the locker shut. “Fine. Let’s talk.” I face her fully and grab her arm.
“Really?”
“Yup. Come with me,” I say, even though I don’t have the slightest intention of talking to her. I don’t have time to play this game. I'm already dealing with one Adler. I don’t have the brain capacity to handle another right now. I’m done.
“Where are we going?” Emma asks, digging her heels into the ground.
“Somewhere quiet so we can talk.” I pull her down the hallway, scanning the area for a way to contain Emma long enough I can get away. I need time to come up with a plan without Emma sticking her nose where it doesn’t belong, so I head to the only place I can think of.
We head outside, my eyes set on the supply shed all the coaches use to store gear. It’s not far from the back entrance to the school, but it’s far enough to get Emma off my back for a while.
“Is it quiet enough for you yet?” she says, trying to shake off my grip.
I don’t say anything as I punch in the code to the padlock. Staying late after practice all these years to help clean up isreally paying off since it isn’t a code everyone knows. I highly doubt Emma does.
“Why aren’t you talking? I thought—”
I open the door and push her inside.
