His Last Hope | Ream Exclusive

04: I wouldn't want to be a rat.

Yeah, washing the frozen paint off after work wasn't fun... But at least the rainbow it created was nice too look at.

"If you're gonna hold out for a little while longer what are you gonna do about the pranks?"

I met Ella's green graze. Good question. "I don't know... bring it up to Mrs Lake? I know I don't really have very much proof —"

"You don't have any." Harper reminded.

"Okay... so I know I don't have any proof, but I'm pretty sure Mrs Lake will take what I have to say into consideration. He's been able to send every tutor to our school's name running for the hills. It's not a far fetched concept. I'll probably even mention his attendance while I'm there."

"When you going to tell her?"

"Probably Monday during spare, lunch if I can't take it a second longer." Shifting in my chair I tried to get comfortable but it proved difficult with the unnerving feeling of ketchup soaking through my jeans.

My best friends looked at me, a tad bit apprehensive.

"What?"

"I don't know. Just... Lincoln doesn't seem like the type of guy who would take you ratting him out well." Ella muttered. "What if it just gets worse?"

"Well I'm not the type of girl who likes to go shopping often so the fact that he's already managed to ruin several articles of my clothing doesn't exactly make me happy."

"I just hope you know what you're doing."

"I'll be fine. Can't get much worse than it is already." I sighed rising from my position. "I'm heading to my locker. Coming Ella?"

"Yeah, sure. Just come with me to Walters', I have to grab my bag."

Trekking down the barren stairwell and all the way to the other side of the school, Ella and I entered Mr Walters' workshop-like computer room. It was the polar opposite to Mr Humphries' pristine and organized lab. Instead, Mr Waters' room looked as if though it was still under construction. But I guess that's what you get when your room is stationed in the shop section of the school.

Ella and I stuck around five more minutes just to have a chat with one of our favourite teachers. Mr Walters liked to talk and it was the least Ella could do for skipping his class. Again.

We didn't take our time heading back to our lockers, hoping to beat the rush of students who would soon be let out. The two of us were chatting absentmindedly about how often Ella fell asleep during her tutoring sessions with Devon.

"I just can't help it! It's not my fault. He starts talking about imaginary numbers and I start imagining myself getting hands-y with Harry Styles."

"I don't blame you. I'd rather dream about Harry than figure out math problems any da—"

My sentence reminded unfinished because instead a scream of complete horror ripped through my throat.

Stumbling back I placed one hand over my erratically beating heart.

"What the... Cali, you okay?"

Ella analyzed the panic ridden features on my face before slowly opening the metal door that I'd slammed shut moments ago.

The dead rat that had fallen from the top level of my locker tumbled onto the floor. Ella's reaction was to jump beside me, almost stumbling to the floor in her heeled boots.

"Cali..." Ella trailed off, green eyes fixated on the brown ball of fur in front of my locker. "Something tells me you shouldn't blab to Mrs Lake."