RED HOOD

Thirty

"Katie. Wake up. You're going to be late for school."

I heard Nana, but my mind didn't want to respond. Unable to recall what time I got home, I only knew that my body was having the week from hell. Possessed, exorcised, deprived of sleep... "Another hour, Nana," I called into my pillow.

"Get up. NOW."

I sat up groggily. Nana never took that tone with anyone, let alone me. She was still mad. Or at least hurt. And she had every right to be.

"I'm up," I whimpered, as she vanished from my door.

Awake, but feeling like a zombie, I dreaded going back to school to face more of the same drama as the previous day. As I showered and dressed I fantasized about standing on the cafeteria table and announcing the truth, and everyone believing me. I could only wish life were that easy.

I ate a quiet breakfast at the kitchen table alone. Thurston was waiting for me in his truck when I walked outside. He had been kind the day before, but today he seemed distracted. The ride was quiet, and I nodded off on the way to school. I woke as we entered the school driveway. As I got out of the truck, Thurston offered a few words: "I know it's hard, but just focus on your studies. You'll find everything else moves more quickly that way." I was thankful for his advice, but doubted it'd help.

When I got to first period, Eric's empty chair created a well of raw emotion within me. I wanted to scream. I managed to swallow it, and hold it in. I wasn't angry, so much as frustrated. Eric and his family were safe, and that should have been enough for me. But it wasn't. I wanted all danger to be done, to vanish, for the world to go back to the way it was before my mom had—

But if she hadn't, I would never have met Eric. I felt twisted even acknowledging the fact. But I liked Eric. Even with all the danger, we were only just getting to know each other. We had been forced by the fates to allow one another in. I knew his secret world, and he knew mine. There was something nice in that.

I slept my way through my morning classes, and the day was half over before I'd had a chance to dwell on anything negative. Nana even packed me a lunch this morning before disappearing upstairs. I was grateful to eat in the library after yesterday's cafeteria drama. There was no chance of running into the clique from hell there.

My mouth full of turkey sandwich, I looked up from my homework to see Gage tiptoeing away from me. When he saw me catch him, he froze, like a deer with a rifle pointed at his head. "What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Not talking to you," he replied, changing direction.

"Gage, wait," I said, running after him. "Gage, please—"

"What do you want me to say, Kate?"

"I don't know. Yell at me. Tell me I'm a stupid, ugly bitch. Slap me if it helps. Just, please, talk to me."

"You are a stupid bitch," he mumbled. Then after a pause, he added, "But you're not ugly."

"Ugly inside?" I asked.

"Yes. Definitely." He looked at me. "But I'm still pissed. It's only been a few days. You can't expect me to forgive you overnight."

"I don't. I totally don't. Take your time. I just need to know that you won't hate me forever."

"I'm not promising anything. What you did was so screwed up. I don't get it, Kate. I thought I knew you."

"You do know me," I said.

"Then tell me why. Tell me what's really going on."

"I can't," I frowned, looking down.

Gage seemed to be weighing this. Then after a moment he said, "Get lost."

"What? Gage, you just said—"

"No! If you can't be honest with me, then what's the point? We're friends, right? Then why would you need to lie to me? To protect your precious boyfriend?"

"He's not my boyfriend," I said. "It's complicated."

"Fine. Then go be complicated somewhere else. I don't need any drama in my life."

"Gage—"

"Are you going to tell me the truth?"

"No."

Gage turned his back on me and walked out of the library. I slumped against the bookshelves and slid down. I felt miserable. Like there was a balloon of pain in my stomach, growing. Gage hated me. Ella wouldn't even come to school. My grandparents didn't trust me. My life seemed to be falling apart. And all because I had to protect the people I loved from the darker truths of the world. I tried to be grateful for being alive, but somehow it just didn't factor into what I was feeling.

The bell sounded, signaling the end of lunch. As I got up and returned to my backpack and unfinished lunch, I realized I wanted nothing more than to go home, crawl into bed, and go back to sleep until it was time for college.

* * *

As my Latin teacher wrote, "actus non facit reum nisi mens sit rea," on the board, I started to laugh out loud before I'd clapped my hand over my mouth. It couldn't have been more appropriate for my crimes, being that while I was innocent, the world had found me guilty.

When the bell rang, I was eager to finish the school day without incident, but I must have jinxed myself. As I turned the corner, I felt hands slam into my back from behind. My body slapped into the ground and my books spilled out of my hands. Behind me, Tori and Kendra were laughing, as was several students who were walking by.

"Oh no, looks like Katie took a spill."

My gut reaction was to say defend myself, but the last thing I wanted to do was get in more trouble with Nana and Thurston. After I gathered my things, I got up and resumed my walk to my next class. But Kendra and Tori followed me.

"I thought we told you to change schools," Kendra growled.

"Yeah. Coming back wasn't a very bright idea," Tori said.

"Look, I just want to be left alone, so if you don't mind, I need to get to class," I said, trying to push my way past as the two stepped in front of me and blocked my path.

"Actually, I do mind," Kendra said.

"You have no idea what I've been through," I said calmly. "If you think you measure up, guess again. Now get out of my way."

"Or what? You're going to go tattle to mommy?" Tori cackled. "Is she as stupid a bitch as her daughter?" She couldn't have chosen a worse set of words. I grabbed both girls by their shirts and tossed them into the lockers with all my strength.

"Do you really think it's a good idea for you two stuck up brats to mess with me? I could break you in half."

Kendra and Tori both looked like they were about to wet themselves. I didn't know where my aggression had come from, but in that moment, I was proud to have stood up for myself.

Two teachers saw the tail end of the event and started toward me, pushing through the crowd. A sense of dread washed over me at the thought of being expelled. Nana and Thurston would disown me. Then the fire alarm began screaming.

The teachers, distracted by the sudden banshee sounds of the alarm, started pointing kids towards the exits. "Students! Students! In a calm manner, please go outside." Even as the crowd began exiting, a few students took the time to look back at me with hateful stares.

I started towards the exit, the alarms screaming in my ears. I looked down the hall in time to see Gage. He was standing next to the pulled fire alarm.