Lost and Found

Sparring Words

**In honor of my trip to Texas and finally meeting some Academy birds ❤️ enjoy this update!

P.S. I promise North won't hog all of the chapters. He just keeps butting in! And sorry if there are typos. I'm using my phone and make lots of mistakes when I write on it**

I had hardly eaten anything, but it was like my stomach was in too much such to care.

The rain drenched me the moment I stepped outside. I didn't delay and hurried down the street toward the bus stop. I hadn't taken more than ten steps when a hand snaked around my arm and yanked me to a stop.

Twisting around, I glared at North. The rest of his friends weren't with him. Thank goodness.

He didn't appear concerned by my stink eye. "Come on. I'll take you back to the diner." With a tug, he started dragging me toward a black Jeep parked illegally on the curb.

"No. I can just take the bus," I insisted in hopes he would release me. I knew it wouldn't work, but I still tried anyway.

Like he had cotton in his ears, he continued to hold my wrist prisoner and all but threw me into the passenger side of his Jeep.

I considered jumping out and making a run for it but knew that would only anger him more so than usual. And as much as I loved to ruffle his feathers, I just didn't have the energy today. Lunch with all of them had taken a toll, and I needed to recharge.

North joined me inside the car, his shoes squeaking against the weatherproof floor mats. He didn't speak to me as he started the car and let the heater get a chance to kick in. I was too irritated by him to say anything, and after a moment, he glanced my way. Scowling, he reached for me, and I automatically flinched.

With a roll of his eyes, he grabbed my seat belt and buckled me in.

It was my turn to roll my eyes. "I'm not a child. I can do it myself."

"Could have fooled me."

I glared out the window, like a petulant child, as he pulled out into traffic. It wasn't even late, yet the streets were jammed. North rode so close to the car in front of us that I could make out the other car's driver's terrified expression in his rearview mirror.

For a while, there was only silence between us, and I welcomed it. I wasn't in the mood to talk to him. Instead, I listened to the pounding of rain on the Jeep's roof.

I'd witnessed violence before, displayed it and received it. But today was different. I'd rarely been that scared in my life. Even when North found me in the diner and I thought he was going to kill me couldn’t compare to today.

My phone pinged, and I rummaged through my purse and pulled it out, thankful for the distraction. There was a message from Corey.

Unknown: Hey! It's Corey :) now you have my number.

It was like my mood brightened instantly, despite what just when down. I quickly saved his number in my phone before replying.

Sang: Hi! Thanks for texting me.

The moment I sent the text, I wished I could take it back. Really, Sang? I mentally scolded myself. "Thanks for texting me?" You sound pathetic.

"Who are you texting?" North asked in a pinched voice.

Because it made me feel better, I pretended my eyes had lasers and glared at North. "None of your beeswax."

His jaw flexed, and his knuckles paled as his grip on the steering wheel tightened. "It is my business. I don't want you plotting something with the Tomas."