Whitmore Prep

Chapter 31

        "What?!" I stand up, facing Calum, "What do you mean she's missing?"
       "Her roommate hasn't seen her since last night and she didn't go to any classes this morning."         Calum sounds pissed. He crosses his arms, scanning the cafeteria for the thousandth time.
        "Do you have any idea where she could be?" Parker stands behind me.
        "If we did, we'd have found her already, idiot." Faye walks up, joining the conversation.
        I look across the room and see Theo and Chelsea conniving at their table, looking around in the same fashion as Calum. "Well if the normals did it can't you read their memories and find out where she is?" I ask Faye, not looking away from my old friends.
        "I can only erase memories that I know they have. Like this conversation. But not one that you have without me there." Faye explains, getting frustrated.  
        "But we know they did it!" Calum snaps at Faye.
        "Great deduction, Sherlock." Faye rolls her eyes before walking away. Calum watches her go, a strange look on his face.
        "Look, you can't confront them because you'd end up murdering them. I'll talk to them and try to find out where she is." I cross my arms, staring Calum dead in the eyes.
        He nods wordlessly, swallowing hard. "I just don't want her to get hurt. She isn't a part of this." I'm taken aback by this sensitive side of him that I've never seen before.
        I hesitantly pat his arm, "Don't worry. I'll make sure she's safe."
        He looks down at my hand but doesn't say a word. He just walks away. I look back at Theo and Chelsea and find them already watching me.
                                                                                        ~~~~~
        I waited until after school. Ash waited with me, then Parker followed us, then Delilah found us, then she called Adrian. So what started out as a solo steak-out turned into a powwow with all of my friends.
        I know Theo will be easier to crack than Chelsea. So we're waiting in Commons, sitting on the benches outside the English building, Theo's last class of the day.
        He walks out a few minutes after the bell rings, discussing something intensely with the girl Faye punched during the last assembly. I wait until they finish, then watch him walk towards the soccer fields, away from the dorms.
        "Wait here. He'll freak if we all show up." I tell them before I follow him. I hear them protest, but I jog away before they can come with me.
        I follow him at a distance, close enough to see where he's going, but far enough to where he can't tell I'm following him. Oh my God this is so exciting! I've never done anything like this, like I'm a spy. In a way I am. Holy crap I'm so cool.
        Theo strides past the soccer field, which is confusing. There's nothing past the soccer field but the forest. And there's nothing in this part, the Honors gym is on the other side of campus.
        Sure enough he keeps going straight into the forest. Oh my God. He's going to wherever they're keeping Elise. I speed up, not wanting to lose him. I take a deep breath before walking into the tree line, officially entering the forest.
        I step where he stepped, which is easy since he can only go a few ways with his wide shoulders. He's about 20 feet in front of me. I can barely see the white sleeves of his uniform, but I see enough to trace him.
        We walk for about 10 minutes before I start to get worried. What if I have to turn back and I can't find my way? We've made enough turns to where I don't think I could easily find the school again. There's no going back. I'm getting Elise now.
        Theo finally stops in the middle of a clearing. There's only a fallen over tree and a few big rocks here. Nothing big enough to hide Elise. But maybe something big enough to hide an entrance...
        I approach the tree line and move to where I see Theo clearly. He's standing in the middle of the clearing, so about 10 feet away with his back turned to me. He's not moving, not making any efforts to do anything.
        "Why are you following me?" He barks suddenly, scaring me. I step back suddenly, tripping over a vine. I fall on my butt, scraping my hands on the tiny rocks on the forest floor. I scurry to stand up, and once I am Theo's already at the edge of the clearing. Right in front of me.
        I put a few steps in between up, going deeper into the forest. "How did you know I was?"
        "Did you think you were invisible in the middle of Commons?" He laughs gruffly, scratching his scraggly beard with his hairy hand.
        "I thought I was blending in to the surroundings... Why are we in the middle of the forest?"
        "Because you were following me..."
        "Where's Elise?"
        "Who?"
        "You know damn well who. She's the girl you and Chelsea kidnapped!"
        "Kidnapped?!" Theo looks taken aback, almost offended. "We never kidnapped anyone! We're not monsters!"
        "Why wouldn't I think it's you? You were a part of the plan to trash my dorm."
        "Okay. That was all Reyna." He puts his hands up in innocence, "I just said for her to search it, not to trash it."
        "Of course you did." I lean back against a tree, crossing my arms.
        "Look, Tine..." He sighs, his hands falling to his sides, "Honestly we mean no trouble. We just want to know what's going on around here."
        I look into his puppy dog eyes, trying my hardest not to tell him right now. He seems so genuine, like he could never hurt a fly, none the less Elise.
        "I really wish I could tell you. I really do. But it would ruin everything." I take a deep breath.
        "I get that. But it won't stop us from finding out ourselves."
        "I know..." I really do. I was in their shoes just last semester. But once you know something you can never un-know it. I don't want him to go through life with the burden. Plus this school is training for real life. And how would I function in real life if I told every suspicious person that I can kill with one flick of the wrist?
        "But what's going on with this girl?" Theo looks nervous.
        "One of the Honors girls are missing. Elise. We assumed it was you guys who took her."
        "Well we didn't. But I'll help you look for her."
        "Really?"
        "Yeah, I'll get some of the other non-Honors to help too."
        "Why?"
        "Because she's a Whitmore student. We've got to look out for one another."
        Suddenly, I feel so shocked. The Honors have always looked out for each other, knowing what the other is going through. But Theo, a boy who's been against us for so long is willing to join us. Because we do all go to the same school. This isn't two separate groups: this is Whitmore. God I wish Calum would see it this way.
        "Thanks Theo." I nod gently.
        "Of course."
        "Great. So... how do we get back to the school?"
        Theo chuckles, "Follow me." I do.