Quietly, I rummaged through my backpack and grabbed my keys, using them to slice through the tape and set his hands free.He remained still, too ashamed of his nudity to move.
I quickly took off my hoodie and handed it to him.After a moment of hesitation, he accepted it, and I turned my back to give him some privacy as he hurriedly put it on.
“Thank you,” he murmured, his voice cracking.
“It's lucky I prefer oversized hoodies,” I replied with a small smile, trying to lighten the mood, but he remained silent.
“Who did this to you?”I asked softly, turning back to face him, but he kept his gaze downcast.“Please, can you tell me?”I urged gently.
“I can't.She said if I do, she'll make it worse,” he whispered, barely audible.It wasn't difficult to guess who he meant.
“May I help you in any way?”I asked, knowing he would need pants, but I couldn't offer him mine.
“I just want to go home,” he sobbed, looking every bit like a scared child.I couldn't help but wonder what could have led to this moment—if he had done something to deserve it or if it was simply an act of senseless cruelty.
“Can you call someone to pick you up?”I inquired, but he merely shook his head.“Okay, wait for me in the restroom.Let me see what I can do,” I instructed him, and he nodded, the restroom just a short distance across the hall.
I hurried to the art lab wing, where we usually sewed dresses, but I was on the lookout for a pair of pants.If I couldn't find any, I was prepared to settle for a piece of fabric to whip up a makeshift skirt—anything was better than going empty-handed.
I tried to be quiet as I navigated through the open classrooms, but as I peeked into one, I realized someone had seen me, though they remained silent.
When I got there, the art lab classroom was empty.While rummaging through the fabrics and examining the draped garments on the mannequins, I found nothing.
“Looking for something?”a deep voice whispered from behind me.
“Shit!”I exclaimed, startled.
“Shhh.”Zane put a finger to his lips, his curious gaze fixed on me.He wore light blue jeans and a hunter green hoodie that made his golden-hued eyes stand out.
“You scared me,” I muttered, turning back to my search.
“What are you doing?”he asked softly.
“I need a pair of pants,” I replied, still digging through the discarded materials.
“Looks like you've already got some on,” he said with a smirk.
“It's not for me; it's for that boy you tied up in the common room,” I shot back, trying to pierce him with a glare.
“Can you quit accusing me of things I didn't do?”he gritted his teeth.
“Oh, my bad.That was your gang's doing, and since you're part of it…” I let my words hang in the air.He snorted in frustration and walked off without saying anything more.
After a few more minutes of searching without luck, I settled on a piece of black jersey fabric.I tried to fold it discreetly, hoping to avoid any encounters with a janitor or teacher.Just as I was about to leave, I spotted Zane approaching, his jaw tight and his eyes narrowed with anger.
“Here,” he snapped, tossing me a pair of sweatpants.
“Are these his?”I asked, my voice laced with annoyance.
“No, they're mine.He can keep them.Don't bother thanking me,” he said, turning away briskly before I could respond.I stood there for a moment, shocked, then quickly made my way to the boys' restroom.He was waiting for me inside, sticking his head out and searching for me.
“Here, take these.No need to give them back,” I said, smiling as I handed him the pants.
“Thanks!”he grinned back, genuinely appreciative.
“You're welcome,” I replied.He turned to go change, and I called after him, “I have to go.Will you be okay?”He nodded.
Naturally, I had already missed half of the class—me, missing a class?That seemed impossible, but I did so for a noble reason.Surely that counted for something.I headed to the classroom, attempting to come up with a plausible excuse.
