Page 20 (2/2)

"Not there," she says, and sits next to Annabelle instead

"I’ll be waiting for you by the steps after school Don’t be late," he says to her

She nods, but doesn’t look at hiet out our textbooks to catch up on the week’s holances over atpasses between us in that look I need to talk to her; I have to find out where we stand I tear off a corner of paper fro about you

I screw it up into a tiny ball and wait until Annabelle gets up to sharpen her pencil before tossing it onto Natalie’s desk She furtively looks around her, checking no one is watching, before unfolding the note S up so the note on ood, no one except Beetle notices He flasheshie:

Me too So what now? I’ to take the risk, are you?

Theexecuted comes into my mind Can I really do this? Dare I risk it? Natalie sits back down and flicks a look atfor my response My blood suddenly feels red hot in my veins

I nod

She shyly smiles

Natalie tucks the note I wrote to her into her satchel I pop hers into do this, but at the same time it feels inevitable that ould The instant we ether

Next toback the tears as he stares forlornly at Day

"I’," I say before I can help s "Whatever"

Inice to hiht? Fury wells up inside me

"I’m not a collaborator," I whisper, so we can’t be overheard "I’s who hooked up with Trackers during the war She’s my Blood Mate Do you understand what that means?"

He looks at me ide eyes "I didn’t know"

"Do you really think we’d risk everything if this weren’t serious? Honestly, I thought you of all people would be happy for hter The Sentry governet that," he replies

"No one’s asking you to forget," I say "Just put the bla to do with those air raids She can’t help who her parents are; it doesn’t automatically make her a bad person"

"I know I’m sorry I was such an ass, bro"

"You really were"

"We okay?" he asks

I shrug "I’ll think about it"

The rest of the day goes better than nor: Natalie We ether very often, and e are, we keep our distance so people don’t suspect anything But even so, we pass secret smiles and more notes between us Her heart beats insidea little piece of her with ins to snow, and by the tiets to last period, the city is covered in a blanket of white I head to drama with Beetle Natalie and Day are already in the dark auditoriuether I steal a look at Natalie, and ether Beetle slu sweaty and pale He’s either getting sick, or he’s going into Haze withdrawal again I suspect the latter I’ive hioes between hits, the less he’ll need it

Our dra a velvet patchwork suit, walks onto the stage and runs us through the day’s assign out a scene from Elward’s play Deroan, while the girls giggle Mr Kins us all our roles Of course, the two et the lead parts

"Who would like to help with the props and lighting?" Mr Kimble asks

Natalie and I shoot our ars froe Natalie and I search for props to decorate the stage sets, while the cast gets props for their outfits

"I’ into the depths of the prop store

Day ponders what costurabs what’s nearest Natalie strolls over to h a wooden box of clothes Our hands slide under the h hers Her cheeks flush

Day shoots us a bitter look

"I take it Day’s still mad at us?" I whisper to Natalie

"She can be as mad as she wants It’s her fault we’re not friends anymore," she replies

"Maybe we should cut her some slack?"

Natalie raises a brow at me

"I just feel bad for her She’s all alone," I say

"She has only herself to blaive her, but until then, she’s on her own," Natalie says

"Everybody back onstage in one minute," Mr Kimble says

Natalie takes a handful of props up to the auditorium while I look for Beetle He’s tucked away in a corner of the rooed between two rails of costuold, just like the stuff Linus had

I grab it from him and s? You’re supposed to be quitting," I say, keeping h"

"Yes you are"

He lowers his eyes "I just need a shostly pallor, and his hands are shaking He looks really sick I’ve known users to die froh "This is the last ti two old puncture wounds Guilt squirs into his neck Hot blood splashes over ers to just drink him dry I only release a small a?" a shrill voice says nearby

I turn to see Day, her hands laden with props She drops the items on the floor and rushes out of the roo after her

I wipe the blood fro myself

I head to the auditoriue and check the lighting rig while the other students run through their lines Even from up here, the tension between Day and Beetle is palpable as she shouts her lines at hi a coave hi pretty spaced out<ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins>