Deadly Kisses

4. The Game

4. The Game

//

“Derrick Grayson, please report to the main office immediately.”

The school has been making these kinds of announcements periodically since the end of first period, each time with a different student’s name. At Derrick’s name, however, the entire class falls silent and turns to stare at Derrick, who is sitting in the back with his arms folded and his feet propped up on the table in front of him, a who-gives-a-fuck expression on his face.

“What?” he asks.

The geography teacher clears his throat. “Err, Mr. Grayson, I do believe your name was just called on the announcement.

“Oh. Well, guess duty calls.” Derrick gets up slowly, savouring his moment in the spotlight. He makes his way confidently to the front of the class and pauses right before he leaves. “Hasta la vista, baby,” he drawls, then salutes the class and shuts the door forcefully.

The second he’s gone, the class erupts into conversation. My highly trained, sensitive years are going haywire trying to catch snippets of the gossip.

“He did it, you know—”

“And the past two break-ins too—”

“I heard Derrick’s dad is a mafia boss—”

“His mom’s like, an ex-CIA agent—”

Eventually I tune out; the facts are so contradictory that it would no more damage to listen to them. My mind wanders to what Derrick showed me after the first bell rang. The picture of us. There are a dozen questions floating in my mind right now—how did he get the picture? who saw it?—but unfortunately there are no available answers.

And besides, the only question I can focus on at the moment is what the hell I’m going to do about the incriminating evidence. I think about my options.

Derrick is in the office, being questioned by the police and the principal. No doubt he’s going to turn me in and show the picture as proof. I’ll be caught redhanded, arrested, and taken to jail. This will result in all sorts of complications... the case will be unfinished, we’ll have to transfer to a new city, and M will probably end up having a real heart attack. Oh, god.

Even the teacher can see that there is no possible way to reign control of the classroom back at this point. Instead, defeated, he plops down at the front desk and allows the students to chatter away. I take the time to mentally prepare myself for M’s inevitable lecture. What I really need is a good excuse as to why I messed up so badly, if I want to save my job.

Hmm... Derrick had a gun? That could work. I mean, the gun’s not in the picture, but that can easily be blamed on the angle that it was taken from...

The telecom crackles and everyone jumps to attention.

“Will Cassandra Rose please report to the main office immediately.”

At this, the class now turns to stare at me. Just great, even more unwanted attention. Unlike Derrick, I don’t milk the moment, but quickly gather my stuff and exit the classroom without meeting anyone’s gaze.

My mind is racing, and for the first time in forever, I start to feel a bit of panic. This case hasn’t even been live for 24 hours, and it’s already falling apart.

When I get to the office, the secretary tells me to sit down and wait my turn. Through the glass door, I can see Derrick sitting opposite a police officer and the bird-like school principal, who I think I’ll call Miss Hawk for convenience. Derrick looks rather nonchalant, almost at ease, which makes me feel even more nervous. Especially when my eyes drop to the crumpled piece of paper on the desk in front of him.