And for once, I need to justgo.
“Hop in the Mustang,” I tell him as I’m parked outside Onyx House with Niko in the front seat and Sevan in the back.
Roman doesn’t even ask questions.
Knew he’d be good for it.
We park far enough away from the administration building. There are cameras outside of the front door of every building on the Crimson campus, but as far as I can tell, nobody checks them unless they have reason to.
But I’m going to cover all of my bases.
I have dark sticky notes, and I get out of the car first and pull my black beanie over the front of my face.
My heart is pounding. I feel like a fucking criminal. I suppose I am, right now, but there are more important things on my mind.
I’ve never broken rules before, let alone ones this big.
But it’s fucking worth it.
There are four buildings in between where we parked and where we need to go. Cold air blows in through the fibers of my beanie as I squint through tiny holes in the fabric, walking up to the campus admissions building first.
I can see the little security camera hovering just over the front door. There’s already a little coating of snow on the front lens, which isgoodbecause it means I’m less likely to be noticed, but bad for my sticky note. I approach from the side, quickly stick the dark sticky note on it, and it falls to the ground.
“Fuck,” I mutter.
My heart beats like a drum.
I keep expecting someone to burst out through the front door of the building, but Iknowmost people on campus are still home for the holiday.
Security makes their rounds every handful of minutes around campus, but I’ve talked to those guys before. They’re chill. Way more chill than they should be.
Right now, the nearest security guard is most likelyidling under some awning, getting a break from the snow, and looking down at his cell phone for a few minutes.
I have a plan B for the sticky notes, though.
I pull out a small roll of duct tape I have in my jacket pocket, tear off a piece, and use it to stick the note on more easily.
And then I head to the next building. I approach each camera from the side and stick a note in front of the lens.
Ifanyone is actively monitoring them right now, then we don’t have much time.
I run back to the car in the snow, push my beanie back on my head, and move the gearshift in the car.
“All good?” Roman asks.
“So far. I think. I hope.”
“I’m going to live the rest of my life in regret if you get caught doing this, Oliver,” Niko says, running a hand through his hair.
I’ve never seen him so nervous.
Whenhebreaks rules, it seems like he doesn’t have a shred of regret.
But now that I’m doing it, he may as well have a halo over his head.
Kind of cute.
But I’m also not going to stop.
