Concealment ∞ Liam Dunbar [2]

09 | PSAT Madness

I placed my phone in an envelope, sliding in a desk beside Stiles, as I watched him flip through the test booklet with a pencil behind his ear.

"Please do not open the test booklet until you are instructed to do so." the teacher spoke, causing Stiles to immediately close his booklet as if nothing happened. He put his other pencil in his mouth and looked up at the teacher, receiving a snort from me.

"This test is two hours and 10 minutes. There will be two 25-minute critical reading sections, two 25-minute math sections and an essay writing portion that will last 30 minutes." the teacher continued, as the girl behind me began breathing heavily.

"There are supposed to be two teachers monitoring this exam." the teacher turned to Ms. Martin.

"I know. It's Coach. He's not exactly punctual. Um, let me just try him again." she faked a smile, grabbing her phone as she left the classroom.

I exchanged glances with Scott,

After about three minutes of waiting, Ms. Martin walked back into the classroom. "Um, I can't find him."

Liar.

"But, Mr. Yukimura is upstairs grading papers, do you want me to try him?" she offered.

"We have to start. We can ask for assistance during the first break." the teacher affirmed, clicking a button on his watch on the desk. "You may now open your test booklets and begin."

All of the booklets around me opened as I opened mine.

This is going to be a long day.

∞

After a while of sitting at our desks, I sighed, taking note of Malia hesitantly inspecting her surroundings as she removed her jacket.

I let out a cough, gaining her attention. I shot her a reassuring smile, earning a small nod from her before she looked back down at her booklet.

Before I could turn back to mine, however, the girl behind me collapsed, falling out of her seat.

"Sydney!" Ms. Martin gasped, as everyone turned their attention to the girl. "Are you alright?"

"I'm okay. I just got kind of dizzy." Sydney replied, as Ms. Martin helped her gain her balance.

"Sydney, how long have you had this?" Ms. Martin badgered, holding Sydney's arm. I turned around in my seat, squinting to inspect her bruise.

"I- I don't know." she admitted,

As I continued to stare at her wrist, the disturbing smell from earlier returner. "Ugh," I groaned, placing my hands over my nose, causing Scott to look back at me.

"Ms. Martin, do I need to stop the test?" the teacher, Simon, called out.

"No, um, it's fine." Ms. Martin assured, as Sydney sat back down. She walked towards the front of the room. "Everybody stay in your seats- I'll um. Be back in a minute." she grabbed her phone off of the desk.

"Nobody leaves the room." she whispered to Simon, causing Scott's face to fall as he looked behind me at Sydney's wrist.

After nearly a minute of silence and odd glances, we heard shouting coming from the hall, causing all of the students piled out into the hallway.

"Back to your seats, now. Please." Ms. Martin asserted, dialing on her phone. Everyone walked back into the classroom, while I continued to watch her.

"Come on." Scott motioned, as I followed him and Stiles back into the classroom, closing the door behind us.

Something's going on here, and I don't like the smell of it.