The Thieves: Stealing Bethany

Chapter 4 part I

A/N     I missed Sunday's update and I wanted to get this up ASAP, so it's short! The rest of the chapter is almost done, but I thought this was a good stopping point...you'll see why! Hopefully I'll be able to post the rest of this chapter tomorrow and then get Chapter 5 up on Sunday, but at the very least I'll get the rest of Chapter 4 up by Sunday. Happy reading! Don't forget to vote, comment, follow :)

Wednesday, September 17th 12:01 p.m. PST, 24 days to deadline

            I scanned the courtyard, trying to spot Libby’s blonde ponytail or Ash’s signature headband. I saw Chance and Dom sitting on the edge of the big fountain in the middle, surrounded by a group of giggling girls. Poor things. They had no idea their hair flipping and excessive lip gloss applying would get them nowhere with those two.

            Turning away, I continued my slow perusal of the faces seated on benches and under palm trees, trying to find my former friends. I’d already looked in the dining hall, but on a balmy day like today there had only been a handful of kids eating lunch inside, Libby and Ash not among them.

            It figured the first day I’d worked up the nerve to stay on campus for lunch after the breakup and actually try to move forward with my life, mending fences with old friends, those friends wouldn’t be here.

            I had no idea where they could have gone. Pacific Prep wasn’t an open campus, and in fact was completely fenced in with a gate and guard. If a student wanted to leave campus during the day they had to sign out at the office and show the guard the pass before they could leave.

            For the past two days, I’d taken the cowardly way out at lunch and begged Mrs. Hill, my service learning teacher, to give me a pass to run errands for the class during lunch. Since I was the secretary I got certain privileges, and it didn’t hurt that I promised to bring her tacos from the food trucks that lined the street across from the school if she gave me the pass.

            Today, though, I was determined to start fixing what I’d broken, and step one of that was to reach out to Libby and Ash. I needed to see if they were even willing to listen to my apologies for the way I’d treated them this past year. We didn’t have any classes together this semester, so lunch was the only time I’d have to talk to them. And they weren’t even here. Just great.

            Now, not only did I not get to make amends, but I had no one to sit with. I should have just left campus again.

            Turner and his friends were in their usual spot, sitting in a clump under the shade of two towering palms next to the science wing. He caught me staring in his direction and motioned with his head, indicating I should come sit with them.

            It would be so easy. I’d eaten in that same spot, with those same people, for a year. My feet started to turn in that direction of their own accord. But then Graham Powers shifted and I saw that Hanna was sitting on Turner’s left. I stopped dead.

            Of course Turner wouldn’t think anything of inviting me to sit with him and his new skank. He was so clueless sometimes. He probably thought he was being nice.

            Hope we can still be friends ;)

            The lump that had lived in my throat since I’d gotten Turner’s text on Saturday returned with a vengeance. There was no way I’d be able to eat the falafel wrap I’d packed in preparation for staying on campus today.

            Turner wasn’t looking at me anymore and I realized I was just standing in the middle of the courtyard, alone, like a loser. I turned to go back inside where at least there were fewer people to witness my embarrassing lack of social options, when Dom raised a hand and waved me over.

            In my overwhelming relief at being rescued from that excruciating situation, I flung myself at him, hugging him around the neck and squeezing until he pretended to choke, pushing me away playfully.

            “I don’t care what you do in the stockroom. You’re my new favorite!” I declared, ignoring the incredulous looks I was getting from the girls surrounding us.

            Chance, who had been sitting there quietly (shocker), let out a bark of laughter. Dom’s face turned bright red, which I didn’t even think was possible on such olive skin.

            “Oh shit! I didn’t mean that. I meant the mess you made of the inventory!” I covered my face with my hands, trying to hide the blush that I now had.

            “Didn’t mean what?” asked Rusty Levinson. Rusty was the editor of the school newspaper, which meant she was always the first one to stick her nose in other people’s business.

            “Uhhhh…” Dom was looking at Chance, apparently at a loss for words, but Chance was looking at the ground.

            I realized my mistake too late, but I could still fix it. If the boys didn’t want anyone at school to know they were gay, I refused to be the one to out them. Even if it was an accident.

            “Picking his nose!” I exclaimed. “Yup, that’s right. I caught Dom digging for gold in the stockroom where we work. It was pretty disgusting.”

            Now Chance was rolling around on the ground, laughing so hard he wasn’t making any noise. Dom’s color had gone from tomato red to something closer to eggplant. His expression wasn’t just murderous. If looks could kill, the entire courtyard would have been annihilated. His eyes weren’t shooting daggers, they were lobbing atomic bombs.

            Rusty and the other girls were looking at Dom like he’d stepped in dog poo. Or, you know, picked his nose.

            “Okayyyy. Well, see you later. I guess.” Rusty walked off, and one by one the others peeled away as well.

            I looked down at Chance, who was sitting up but still shaking with laughter. There might have even been a tear or two. “You’re welcome,” I smiled to him.

            “I—you—I don’t even—what—” Dom spluttered.

            Chance scratched his head. “You’re welcome for what?”

            “For getting all those girls to leave your boyfriend alone. You’re welcome,” I repeated.

            That set Chance off on another round of laughter. Dom let out a guttural groan and put his head in his hands.

            “I want to kill you right now. So bad,” he said from between his fingers. “But I won’t. Just remember.” He lifted his head and pierced me with his sexy smirk. “Payback’s a bitch.”