Nor (Wattpad Featured Story, WriteAffair finalist)

Chapter 26: Back to School

To say that the next day at school is bizarre would be an understatement, a borderline lie. The amount of back-pointing and hushed talking should be worthy only of a celebrity.

At lunch, I ditch Pia and Brian and head out to McDonald's, where he and I used to go to sometimes, before Pia came along. Before all this Watcher stuff started.

I wonder if this is how it's going to be until the end of senior year. Fast-food lunches. People acting like I'm an exhibit. Wes calls me towards the end of lunch, but I refuse to pick up. I had a hard enough time peeling him off my back after peeling the cops off my back yesterday. Luckily, Maggie was perceptive enough to come to my rescue and distract him so that I could retreat to my bedroom and lock the door again.

Today, when I look around at everybody – and I mean everybody, not just the school kids – I think, which one of you is a Watcher? Which one of you agrees with the Watchers?

Is it true that just because I have money and I don't see things, I must be like my dad and Gerringer? Is that really my side? But what if it's not? Does that automatically make me one of the Watchers or one of their supporters? But they kidnapped me. My own friends betrayed me.

On the way back from the McDonald's, I happen to run into someone just perfect to make this whole day better – Brooke Martinez and her horde of Igors. "Sullivan. I heard you got kidnapped."

"Yes, Brooke."

"By the Watchers?"

"Yes, Brooke."

"What was that like?"

"A regular party."

She laughs. I think she finds me funny. She shakes her head at me, brow a little furrowed. "So they didn't kill you, huh?"

"Not that I can remember."

"Were you scared?"

I don't answer.

"Well. At least, they let you go."

"Is there some reason you're fascinated by this whole thing?"

"Well, yeah, of course. You have no idea what those guys have done to my street, OK? They did pretty much what your dad and his stupid police friend couldn't do."

Even though my name was not in that, I somehow feel insulted, like I'm the useless one. "I have to go," I mumble, making a quick escape.

The rest of my classes are sort of OK, with the exception of English, when Mrs. Calhoun takes me aside to tell me how happy she is that I'm safe and sound. And oh, what do you know, she suggests I go and see Mr. Perrow again, on account of how likely it is that I'm suffering from post-traumatic stress. Only, I never actually saw Mr. Perrow a first time, having managed to slip under her radar until she forgot. Still, I smile at her and tell her I will, taking off like a shot.

Outside the school building, the first good thing of the day happens – Glenn is there, sitting on his bike in wait for me. You can see how the girls look at him as they walk by, including – yes, believe it! – Brooke Martinez.

He doesn't make a big show of running over and hugging me, which is one thing I like about him – that he underplays things. We hug each other for a while before he gestures behind him. "Ready to give it a try?"

"I've got my car."

"I know. I thought, maybe we could take a ride somewhere and hang out, then come back later."

"I don't know, Glenn. I don't really feel like doing anything. I'd rather sit at home."

"Oh."

"You can come."

"I'd rather not."

"Only Maggie'll be there."

"Still."

I'd suggest his house, but I know that's not possible. So where does that leave us, when both our homes are out of the question? "Can we at least sit in my car for a while?"

"Sure." Leaving his helmet, he walks with me to the Mercedes, where we climb in the back and watch everyone leave. Thankfully, he never asks me a single question about my ordeal with the Watchers, letting me lose myself in kissing him instead. But, I don't know, it seems that not saying anything about it makes it more intense in my head. It's hard to keep it down.

Later, when I get home, I quickly check the news, looking for updates on the Watchers or Gerringer. There's nothing, but I keep it up for days until I see mentions of increased police arrests and crackdowns following the heightened patrol. So he really did it. The Watchers' thing worked. I don't know if that makes me feel glad or not. I don't know if I should care.

Pia tries to IM me, clearly wanting to talk about it, but I won't respond. Unfortunately, she resorts to calling my cell, over and over, and eventually, I can't take it anymore. "Do you mind?" I ask tiredly as I pick up. "I'm trying to avoid you."

"Gee. I never figured that out."

"I don't want to talk."

"Do you want to yell?"

"What?"

"Do you want to yell at me? Or Brian? He's right here. If you're mad at us, you can go ahead. I guess we deserve that much at least. But admit it, you helped to do something useful for once, Nora. You actually did something your dad couldn't."

"I didn't do anything other than let myself be kidnapped."

"You were cooperative."

"Look, you're lucky enough that I didn't rat the two of you out. But don't push it, OK? Just leave me alone."

"I thought you understood that the Watchers were a good thing."

"You kidnapped me."

"For a reason. You're Daniel Sullivan's daughter, for God's sake. Don't you get it? You don't know your own position. You have more power than every one of us put together, do you know that?"

This statement both amazes and scares me. On the other end, Pia lets out a long sigh, and I hear a murmur from somewhere. Brain. "We miss you, Nora," his voice.

I miss you too. No! I can't miss them. They're enemies.

I think.

"I'm hanging up now."

"OK, N."

"OK."

"Bye."

"Bye."

"Bye."

Oh, hang up, already! I take the cell off my ear, pressing the big Cancel button. And feel really alone.