Zodiac Academy

5. Mixed Signals

  The girl's bathroom was smaller than I remember it being.

  I had run into the bathroom the moment the class was dismissed. I felt exposed. And I did not appreciate all the stares I had been getting.

  The door opened and Jenny walked in. "What're you doing in here? Go strut your stuff." She smiled at me.

  "If you slap me again, I just might hurt you," I warned.

  She gave me a sheepish look and kept her hands to herself. Good. She needs to keep her hands away from any part of my body.

  The door opened again. A couple of girls shuffled inside. "Love the look," one said.

  "It suits you."

  "More like it suits her body."

  "You are really pretty, girl."

  I rolled my eyes. There was nothing more boring than girls complimenting other girls. Oh, a new lipstick color? Gee, is it coral colored? How about sinfully seductive? Bleh.

  The bathroom felt packed. I pushed past the other girls to get to the door. I didn't want to be in here when even more girls arrived.

  Waiting across the hall from the bathroom was Cho. I closed my eyes and held my breath, debating my options. Go back into the bathroom or face the brunette? Or Option C, run?

  I think I'd rather go back into that bathroom. I couldn't outrun Cho. He ran daily in the gym. I ran when I wasn't busy. Which wasn't that often. I liked to keep myself busy.

  My decision made, I turned on my heel to reenter the bathroom. However, I never made it as someone had gripped my wrist like iron. I was about to yell at Cho before I caught a glimpse of him walking swiftly down the hallway.

  I looked up into familiar bright eyes. His twin was nowhere to be seen. Did he come here alone? Where was Leo?

  "You're giving me a lot of mixed signals, you know," I teased.

  He didn't reply. He didn't say a word as he dragged me through the hallway. Always from zero to one hundred with this boy. If I acted this way I would probably give myself whiplash.

  "Where are we going? Where's Leo?" I asked. Once again, he didn't answer me. Maybe I should start bringing a microphone places?

  "I still have classes today."

  No reply.

  Missing classes was different than Extracurriculars. I could just say I didn't make it because I had to study or I crashed. There was no excuse for missing a class. Being trapped on campus did that to people.

  Jaxson backtracked, yanking my arm behind me. I twirled around and frowned. "What's going on?" I pressed.

  We stopped before a door. He swung his fingers at the lock on the knob and it clicked open. He pushed his palm forward without touching the door and it creaked forward. Jaxson pulled me into the room beyond, shutting the door the same way he had opened it.

  "Wh-"

  "Shh."

  He shushed me. Were we in an old library or something? I looked around the room. It was too dark to see anything. I shuffled around the wall for a scanner for the light switch.

  Something clicked against metal and light washed over the room. I saw Jaxson holding a metal chain linked to an old lightbulb. We were in a small room that had stacks of textbooks and writing utensils.