I walked into the school with my head down. The air felt different. It wasn't what we thought, but it had been confirmed that there was something going on that was much bigger. I still believed deep down that we were overacting. But Dalta took it hard. She was even more terrified. It was a bunch of guys with money doing what they wanted. And Peter was a part of it. It infuriated me. How could he lie to us like that? Secret or not, we had put our futures on the line for him because we had cared about him. Dalta walked beside me. "Hey."
"Hey." I looked at her. There were bags under her eyes. "You didn't get much sleep, did you?"
She shook her head. "It's hard. I believe in a lot of stuff, and when I think about it hard enough... I realize that...we aren't good." She looked at me. "People aren't good."
"Dalta," I sighed, "people abuse power. That's why not everyone should have it-"
"No one should. We aren't wired to help others. If we were, people wouldn't be starving and sick and poor. The people who can help others are neck-deep in greed...because we're born this way-"
"Aren't you the one who believes in a higher power?"
She rubbed her eyes. "I don't know anymore. I honestly hate the world and hope we all crash and burn... Or at least, I hope I do."
I snorted. "Dalta-"
She walked away.
I sighed. "Stop being dramatic!"
Taylor appeared in front of me.
I gasped dramatically and held my chest to irritate her.
"She took my phone."
I held my breath.
"Or was this some plan you guys came up with together-"
"I can't do this right now." I walked away from her. I squeezed my eyes shut and rubbed my temple.
"Otis!" Todd grabbed my arm and started to walk beside me. "What did you guys find on the phone? Dalta won't tell me. She said it's best I didn't know-"
"Then maybe it is," I blurted out.
Todd looked stunned. "Okay." He let go of my arm. "I shouldn't have asked. It's not like I took my entire Sunday off to take her to a house miles away to steal-"
I slapped my hand over his mouth looking around the hallway. "Are you serious? You can't say that stuff out loud." I sighed and uncovered his mouth. "Look, I don't know what you think you and Dalta have but she's not interested-"
"Because she likes you."
I stared at him.
"I know." He looked down. "See, unlike you, Otis, I'm doing this because she needs my help. Not because I like her."
"That's what I'm doing-"
"If it was Penny, would you be doing any of this?"
I rolled my eyes, but the question bugged me. I wouldn't have done anything to help her. Peter would've gone to jail because I wouldn't have cared less. As close as we were, I still thought Peter deserved to go to get locked up. But Dalta didn't. She saw someone in need and overlooked their actions...and look where that got us.
I looked at Todd. "Listen." I put my hand on his shoulder. "By saying you're doing this because you care, you're putting yourself in a situation that might risk not only your freedom, but your entire future as a lawyer. Maybe even your life."
He chuckled.
"I'm serious."
His smile dropped.
"Do you want to know what's going on or are you fine being sane? Because Dalta's lost it and I feel like I'm not too far away."
Todd slapped his chest, then he cracked his neck, cocking his head from side to side. "I'm ready. I'm pretty sure I've already lost my mind and if living in ignorance is sane...then I'd prefer to be crazy."
I furrowed my brows. "Okay...come with me."
* * *
We sat in the library. Todd stared down at the table in front of him with wide eyes. He stuffed some cotton candy in his mouth. I rolled my eyes. "Clown." "So...," he started speaking through a candy stuffed mouth, "you're telling me that you and Dalta were getaway drivers for Penny's brother, who seems to be a part of a fraternity cult that does robberies?"
"Basically," I nodded. "I mean, I'm still a little skeptical. I feel like this is extremely farfetched. But Peter robbing a gas station was insanely farfetched. And us walking in was such a coincidence... It's just insane."
"So...Betty was so scared for her life, that she ran away with some guy?"
I held my breath. I didn't know what to say. I was fine with telling Todd about the attempted robbery and our theory, but Betty's pregnancy? I wasn't sure Dalta would want me to tell anyone else. "Dalta wants to go after her...but I think we need to drop it."
"My selfish, logical brain agrees," Todd said with a nod, then he clasped his hands under his chin. "But my morals say we shouldn't."
"We?"
"Yes. I'm with you guys now. And I think we should report it-"
"With no evidence? Hearing it come out my mouth makes it sound even more unbelievable. Like, honestly, I could never see the world like this...horrible-"
"When a man sees himself as a god, he decides he should be worshiped. I don't believe in God. I believe in a universe of higher power. But you have to admit, in a world where someone would become so selfish that he would rob from others...or murder others...you need some kind of hope."
I sighed. "It's scary, honestly. And it makes me so mad-"
"Then use that anger. Let's go do something about this fraternity."
"What are we supposed to do? I've already blown Taylor off and she's the closest thing we have to it."
"Peter," Todd shrugged. "You have Peter."
"He's trying to protect us."
"Blackmail him into telling you what's going on. At this point, he has no choice but to tell you. If Chad knows and Taylor's figured out that we have the phone, then he'll probably know that you already know what's going on. Chad's probably told him that you know. All we need now is confirmation."
Todd was right. "You know, I never thought you were this smart. I always saw you as a joker."
"Well," his face went bleak, "when you see the world for what it is, laughing is your best source of joy."
I frowned. If only Dalta laughed a little more.