Cheshire Girl

Ch. 42

I waited in the library for Catherine, a little jumpy.

                I was going to wait for her to ask about the principal visit; I wondered just how good an actress she was.  I would be honest and say that I ditched.  I'd already met with a counselor, so I didn't get why I had to be seen again. 

                Charlie and Ethan were going to try and figure out the log-ins for the teachers and principal.  We'd tried variations of Elizabeth Wyatt's name, the three of us agreeing that 'elizabeth' was our best possibility for a password—after arguments about other password combinations (because there were tons).  They also left to spend time together, leaving me and five other people in the school library.

                There needed to be some studying—that was a given—but what was I going to do for conversation?  Once she knew nothing had happened to me, she would most likely be relieved and want to drop—

                My phone buzzed in my pocket.  I took it out, not recognizing the number.

                I glanced at the librarian before hunching away from her sight and answered.  "Hello?"

                "Hey, Bella.  It's Cynthia."

                "Oh.  Hi."

                "My sister said she was going to meet you at the school library, right?"

                "Yes.  I'm here now."

                "Oh, gosh.  She told me to tell you she can't meet today.  Maybe tomorrow?"

                I frowned.  "Why?"  I already had such a lame plan.  Why was everyone trying to make it worse?

                "She's in a meeting with Principal Wyatt.  I don't how long they're going to take, but then she usually comes home so—"

                "She's there now?"

                "Uh, yeah.  Sorry if it upsets you to postpone."

                "Oh, no.  It's fine.  I don't mind meeting tomorrow.  I gotta go."

                "Okay, then.  Bye."

                "Bye."  I hung up, shoved all my crap back into my backpack, and dashed out of the library to the annoyed yells of the librarian.

                Nononononononono….  Why did Wyatt have to be such scum?!  I had so much rage in me it was all I could do not to just scream profanities right in the middle of school.  I would've ran all the way to the administration office, burst through the doors to Wyatt's office and just jump at him and scratch his stupid face off with my bare hands—

                If Catherine hadn't been walking out of the administration building.

                I was still a few feet away, but I could see her hastily wipe her eyes with her sleeve, her shoulders jump with one stifled sob.  It was already done.

                "Catherine!" I called.

                She looked up, startled.  She glanced back at the office, and I suddenly worried that Wyatt would walk out and catch me.

                I closed the distance.  "Come with me.  We need to talk.

                "I can't.  I have to go home."  She started turning away.