After the End by Katie Ruggle

Author:Katie Ruggle [Ruggle, Katie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sourcebooks, Inc.
Published: 2017-04-18T18:00:00+00:00

Chapter 4

Five Days Earlier

As the School Resource Officer led Jules to the office, she shivered. Although she tried to blame it on the cranked-up air-conditioning, she knew the cold air wasn’t the reason. This was it. These were her last few seconds to change her mind, to not go down the road of crime. She knew there was no turning back, though. Sam, Tio, Ty, and Dee had to get out of that house.

With the SRO’s attention fixed on the hall in front of him, Jules forcefully rubbed her eyes, trying to generate some redness. Her acting skills were minimal, and tears on command were way beyond her abilities. There was a reason why she’d been stage manager rather than the female lead in her high school’s production of Bye Bye Birdie.

“Thank you,” she told the SRO as she stepped through the office door he held open for her. He dipped his head to acknowledge her thanks and then left. Mrs. Juarez was behind the high counter, just as she’d been for the four years Jules had attended Lincoln High School, and probably twenty years before that.

“Hi, Mrs. Juarez.”

Recognition lit the older woman’s face. “Juliet Young! How good to see you again.”

“You too.” Despite the circumstances, Jules felt a flicker of nostalgia. “How are you?”

Mrs. Juarez rolled her eyes. “It’s the usual zoo here. There are always those few troublemakers, but I suppose they make life interesting. Not that you would know anything about being a problem child, since you were always an angel. What brings you in here?”

It wasn’t hard to put a quaver in her voice. “My dad…isn’t doing well. Courtney is with him, so I told her I’d pick up the kids and take them to the hospital.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry.” Mrs. Juarez hurried around to the front of the counter and enveloped her in a hug, sending a wave of guilt crashing over Jules. “You poor things.”

“Thank you.” She forced a smile, feeling like the worst scum in the universe. The thought that Mrs. Juarez might be blamed for releasing the kids to her occurred to Jules, but she forced the fresh surge of guilt from her mind. “Could you get the boys out of class?”

After a final squeeze, Mrs. Juarez released her and bustled behind the counter to sit in front of her computer screen. “Of course. Let’s see…Sebastian is in Mr. Hendrick’s class first period, Horatio is with Ms. Garnett and…sorry, dear, what’s your other brother’s name?”

Jules was impressed she knew two out of three off the top of her head. “Titus.”

“How could I forget that little scoundrel?” Mrs. Juarez chuckled, tapping at the keyboard. Ty must not have done anything too bad, though, judging by her amused tone. “Those twins are smart ones. Only thirteen and already freshmen. Very impressive.”

As Mrs. Juarez made the calls to the three classrooms, Jules caught herself before she could start to fidget, to shift from foot to foot and tap her fingers against her leg. She forced herself to be still, not wanting her twitchiness to give away her nervousness.

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