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UNDER THREAT

OF A BIRTHDAY

My phone buzzed to life in my bra

My head shot up fro Kota was bent over his desk in front of lance at Gabriel in case I was going to distract hi behindwith ed , or maybe he rapped up in another daydream

I didn’t like having my phone out in class, but the only people who hadclass unless it was an eency

I slipped the phone out of the cup of my bra and used Kota’s back as a shield just in case I drew attention frolish teacher

Victor: Isn’t your birthday this week? What do you want for your birthday?

My ency

I was tempted not to answer hiht My birthday was in a few days I hadn’t noticed It was also not iht now

My fingers hovered over the illu him felt rude I simply didn’t knohat to say

Kota shifted in front ofin his chair I jumped, startled that he’d noticed, and tried to tuck my phone in my lap

Kota snagged the phone froet it under the desk

I bit back a surprised noise Kota didn’t approve of using a phone in class and was trying to prevent ot into enough trouble at school How’d he know?

A lanced over to find a s over his desk His eyes were intent on my phone tucked between Kota’s hands

Nosy! He must have tattled When it caet aith They see

I slowly raisedat her desk, hunched over a collection of paperwork, et into trouble for fooling around

Kota’s head bent down and, froclass ti so trivial What choice did I have, but to check if one of them sent me a text? Maybe Kota would let Victor know he shouldn’t do that during school unless it was an eency

Kota twisted in his chair again, facing ether behind his black-rilasses in a puzzled expression

I raised an eyebrow at him, confused

A thunderous siren erupted from the overhead speakers My palhtly

“Fire alars”

This conored as the entire classroos and made a beeline for the exit Maybe it would have been safer to simply run if there was a fire, but no one wanted to leave their book bags unattended Not in this school

Kota was still twisted in his chair, looking back at me with my phone in his hands “Why didn’t you tell me?” he shouted over the siren and the chatter of other students as they filed out of the classroom

“Tell you what?” I asked, though probably not loud enough for him to hear

“What’s going on?” Gabriel asked

I was picking up , slipping it over his shoulder with his own “This isn’t another one of those Friday Fall things, right? It isn’t Friday, is it?”

Kota stuffed ether He talked to the others over the siren and the students shuffling out the door “Sang’s birthday is this week”

Gabriel’s eyes bounced open “Holy shit Are you fucking kidding me?”

Luke paused halfway to the door He turned to me ?

?What day?”

A contorted sigh escaped o outside”

“North is going to flip out,” Luke said “I don’t think he knows”

I groaned

“Why didn’t anyone say anything?” Gabriel asked “How aod damn shit” He kicked the door open and stomped out of the classroom

I followed the others, trailing behind the air had a heady chill A thick overcast sky hung overhead October in the South otten back in Illinois, but South Carolina couldn't escape winter weather forever I folded my arms over my stomach to reserve a little body heat in the cold shadows of the buildings

Strea lot I followed along with the guys toward a grass yard on the other side of the lot It was strange to see the majority of the student population on this thin strip of land Two thousand students huddled together, most relieved that class had been interrupted

“Stay here,” Kota said, dropping his book bag on the ground He nodded to Gabriel “Keep an eye on her”

A retort teased my lips I knew he meant well, but the way he said ita babysitter

Gabriel hooked an arm around my neck “What day is it?” he asked

“Uh,” I said, looking out at the school The alarravel in the lot, directing students to stay on the grass The students were eager to comply

The school didn’t show signs of smoke Maybe it was a drill

Gabriel snapped his fingers nearfor your birthday if you’re don’t tell me what day it is”

“It’s on the sixth,” I said absently, still keeping an eye on the teachers, expecting them to release us back toward the school at any moment if it was a drill

“The sixth? Holy fucking Christ” He snapped his head around toward Luke “Three days? Three fucking days?”

“Don’t worry There’s time We can do it,” Luke said

Another siren started in the distance The pitch was different, like a police car

A second siren joined it, but the screech was longer, deeper in tone Fire trucks

It didn’t make any sense There wasn’t any smoke Maybe one of the other students pulled the alarm Did they need to come out to make sure? And to possibly reset it?

“I can’t do this in three days,” Gabriel was nearly shouting at Luke “I should say two and a half days And we’ve got school”

“Sang Baby,” a shout from a few feet away drew my attention North approached alone, his hands spread out, his palms up Locks of his dark hair slipped down over his forehead, al in the way of his intense, dark eyes “What’s this I’ about your birthday?”

The fire trucks pulled into the school lot A couple of cop cars joined them They stopped short of the front doors

I pointed to the co this?”