But deep inside she was so sad for Gray. Soangryfor him. Unbeknownst to him, she’d gone to the school this week and caught Mr. Donovan in his office. He’d always been friendly and supportive. All the faculty were.
But it was clear within minutes he’d made up his mind about Gray. He patronized her with false sympathy, but she could tell he thought she was stupid to believe in Gray. It was maddening.
On Thursday she’d gone to Brendan’s house—something Gray had been threatening to do all week, but Shelby talked him out of it. A fight would surely ensue and that would only make things worse for him.
But Brendan or one of his friends was the likely culprit. Brendan was the one with something to gain from this false accusation. When her ex-boyfriend came to the door, she asked if he knew anything about the advanced test they’d found in Gray’s locker. But either he was an excellent liar or he was innocent—she couldn’t tell which. Either way, he wasn’t about to incriminate himself or his friends with all that scholarship money on the line.
It was all so unfair. So hopeless. Gray seemed like a different person. He was sad and moody and reclusive. She couldn’t blame him. And now this article! She just wished there were something she could do. Some way she could find out who’d put that test in his locker. She would confront Devonand Drew later. But for now, she had to be at the bookshop in twenty minutes.
When the store closed at six, Shelby still hadn’t heard from Gray. She called but it went to voicemail. Worried, she called his grandmother and learned he hadn’t come home after work. “I’m sure he’s just blowing off a little steam, honey. He’s had a rough week.”
Shelby called a few more times, leaving messages, then went to all his favorite spots. The fishing bank at Seaver’s Creek, Ramsey Park, Davey’s BBQ. Finally she went home and waited to hear from him. But she went to bed that night without a word from him.
She hardly slept. This was so unlike Gray. It was barely six when she got up and got dressed. She headed to his house. Maybe he’d come home last night and just hadn’t called her. But Gray’s truck wasn’t in the driveway. His grandma was an early riser, so Shelby knocked on the door.
The woman looked as if she’d had a rough night too. Her gray hair was tousled and her eyes were bloodshot. “Come in, honey.”
Something was unsettling in the tone of her voice. “He didn’t come home?”
“No. I went through his room late last night and some things were missing.”
Shelby frowned. “Maybe he just needed to get away for a couple days. I couldn’t blame him for it.”
“But why wouldn’t he have told us?”
Shelby’s phone vibrated with a call. She snatched it from her pocket and the name on the screen spiked her pulse. “It’s Gray!” She answered. “Gray, where are you? We’ve been worried sick.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to worry anybody.”
“I’m at your grandma’s house. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. I’m in Columbia.”
Only an hour and a half away. “It’s so good to hear your voice. Why did you take off like that? I could’ve gone with you. I can come today. I’ll let Gram know you need me and she’ll be fine without me for a—”
“You can’t come, Shelby.” A brief pause. “I’m at Fort Jackson.”
Fort Jackson?That was an Army base. What was he—? “Gray.Don’t do something rash. I know you’re frustrated. All your plans have fallen through, and that article must’ve been a terrible blow.”
“I had to get out of town, Shelby. I can’t take it anymore. And Mr. Lang fired me over that stupid article.”
“Oh, Gray. I’m so sorry. But we’ll get through this. We’ll figure it out.”
“I’ve already figured it out.”
His resolute tone invoked a sense of doom. “TheArmy? No, Gray. You’ve never even mentioned enlisting before.”
“That’s because I thought I had a way to pay for college. But that’s gone now, and I know it might seem extreme, but it’s the only solution I can think of. They’ll pay for my college.”
“In exchange for what? Yourlife?” She couldn’t believe he was considering this! What if he never came home? The thought sent panic racing through her. She clutched her chest.
“It’s only three years, Shelby.”
“Three years is forever!” And who was to say he’d ever return to her at all? “Come back. You’ll get another job. You can still go to GU and we can still be together. I know it’s not what you wanted, what you deserved, but it’ll be okay. You’ll see.”
His grandma slipped quietly into the kitchen.
On the phone an unsettling quiet met her impassioned plea. A band tightened around her heart. A feeling of dread swept through her like poison, spreading to every organ, every nerve, every cell.
