The Rules They Broke

Chapter 40: Operation Go-To-School

OLIVIA

The next day, despite the fact that she had gotten exactly fifteen minutes of sleep the night before, Olivia forced herself to brush her teeth, pack her backpack, and catch the bus.

Emily found her after first period. She had texted her late the night before, asking her if she was okay. Olivia had lied, but by the look Emily had on her face, she seemed to know something was still going on.

"Hey," she said. "Everything okay?"

"Yes," Olivia said.

"You're looking a little strange."

"This is my normal face."

"You're not going to tell me, are you?"

Emily had no idea how much Olivia wanted to tell someone. How much she wanted someone else to fix her problem. Her chest ached.

"There's nothing to tell, Emily."

Emily gave her a dubious look. "Well," she said uneasily. "If you need anything..."

Olivia remembered what the whole point of Operation Go-To-School was.

"Actually, wait, yes. I'm looking for Milo," she said, just the mention of his name making her feel nauseous. She swallowed the bile in her throat. "I couldn't find him anywhere this morning."

Emily raised an eyebrow. "Oof, you don't sound very happy."

So Olivia decided to tell her the truth. "I'm not."

"You need me to beat him up?" Emily held her fists up to her head and made short jabbing motions.

That would be an understatement. I'm going to need a whole lot more than that.

"No. It's fine. I'm sure it's just a misunderstanding."

To her relief, Emily didn't pry. Instead, she just nodded and said, "Yeah, I'm pretty sure he can explain."

Olivia didn't know whether she wanted to laugh or cry. She had stayed up all night trying to think up a rational explanation for this, but there was none. She doubted Milo could come up with anything creative enough to convince her.

"You know where he is?"

"I don't think he's here. I have first period with him and the teacher was pissed so she marked him tardy and then absent."

Olivia dragged both hands on her face. There was no way he was going to be able to explain this. There was no other explanation.

"Uh, you sure it's all okay?"

"Yes," Olivia said automatically. "It's fine. Do you know where he lives?"

"Milo?" Emily shook her head. "No."

"Do Jake or Bridget know?"

"I don't think we've ever hung out at his house. What's this about? Is he in trouble? Did he do something?"

His friends didn't know where he lived? This was only getting shadier and shadier.

"It's nothing," Olivia insisted. "I just have one more question."

"I really think we should-"

"Do you know where Cody is?"

*****

Olivia skipped her next class and found Cody right where Emily had said he would be - down by the boy's bathroom, smoking a cigarette. She hid in the bathroom from the teachers until he came down, then poked her head out when she smelled the smoke.