Crushed by Eliza Crewe

Author:Eliza Crewe [Crewe, Eliza]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2014-09-18T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

The pranks hit the next day, and by lunch everyone’s abuzz about it. Some students are angry, but many more think it’s hilarious – Crusader schools have a long, proud tradition of pranking. Something that’d been forgotten in the wake of the tragedy in March.

Everyone, of course, wants to know who’s to blame. Accusations fly around the cafeteria like missiles, occasionally blowing up friendships. Some accusations head my way, but not many. After all, I’m locked in my room each night.

The Lord and Lady of Misrule may need to take a night off. Something tells me the halls are going to be teeming with activity this evening as my classmates creep around for revenge. Of course, none can get me – my door has a lock on it.

Hehe.

I stifle my yawn so as to not give myself away and trudge up the stairs to change for my second-to-last class of the day. I’m actually dreading S and C for once. I haven’t been getting near enough sleep to look forward to physical exertion. I already dread the day when I have to skip a night’s freedom to sleep.

Or you could just feed again. The dark thought slips through my mind like a snake through water.

A clearing throat pulls me away from the appealing thought. Jo’s planted solidly in front of my door, arms crossed, already dressed for gym. Except for her face – that’s dressed for war.

“We need to talk.”

“About you not locking me in my room?” I ask sweetly.

“No.”

“Then there’s nothing to talk about.” I turn sharply on my heel.

“We can either do it in your room, now, or we can bawl it out in front of the whole school,” she threatens. “Either way, we’re going to talk.”

I shrug and keep going. I hear her uneven gait as she comes after me.

“Meda, wait!”

I don’t.

“Dammit, Meda. I know it’s you pulling those pranks.”

I shrug.

“Meda, you have to stop! They’re going to catch you.”

I shrug again.

She stops walking but I keep going.

“Meda, I’m sorry,” she says, and her voice cracks a little.

I stop and turn abruptly to face her. I raise my eyebrows and wait for her to talk.

“Meda, I’m not doing it to hurt you, I promise.”

“Then why are you doing it?” I snarl. “You’re supposed to be my best friend, Jo. Friends don’t lock friends in prison. If anything, they pretend to, just so they can get the key and let them out.” Or they steal a key. I barely know Armand and he figured that out. Already he’s a better friend than Jo.

“I’m trying to help,” she says between gritted teeth.

“Please, don’t put yourself out.”

She gets a hold of herself, and she’s back to pleading. “Meda, just trust me.”

“Like you trust me?” I smile mirthlessly. “Sure, Jo. No problem.” I turn on my heel and walk away.

I make it about ten paces before the sirens begin to wail. My breath catches.

Armand.

I hold still, counting down the minutes until the beeping starts. Please, not long-short-short, the alarm for an intruder.

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