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He frowned "We did nothing wrong, Tate"

He was right I had nothing to be ashamed of Granted, I hated that people had seen what they did, but I gavedirty in that

"Let’s go" I walked to my truck and opened the door

Jared had parked in front of e I’d done to his car

Shit

If he was, in fact, guilty, then screw him and his dumb car But if he was innocent, then I didn’t even want to think about howto be when he saw the bill for repairs

"Is…um…is your car safe to drive?" I asked tied at his lips "Don’t sweat it It gives s with a deep breath, feeling like I’d been suffocated all day The cool wind danced across y

"Stop at your mom’s firm and pick up her phone I’ll meet you at school" And I climbed in the truck and sped off

Everyone was still in their final period, so Jared and I walked silently through the halls without interruption

"Is it still flashing?" I glanced over to his mom’s phone in his hand

"Yeah I can’t believe my phone is still on after two days GPSs use a lot of battery" He was looking around, but I wasn’t sure what for

"Well, the video was sent thisIf what you say is true, then whoever used your phone has probably charged it since Saturday night"

"If what I say is true…" He repeated what I said in a whisper like he was aggravated I didn’t trust him

Part of me wanted to believe hi why the hell I was here Was I really entertaining the possibility that he didn’t have anything to do with this? Wasn’t it a little too farfetched that this was all put together without Jared’s help?

"Look," I said, trying to change the subject, "this tracker’s only accurate within fiftymy phone Maybe we’ll hear it"

I slidit ring and keeping our ears peeled for any noise But our school was huge, and we had almost no time until last period ended, and the halls flooded with bodies

Every time his voicemail picked up, I ended the call and redialed

"Let’s split up," I suggested "I’ll keep dialing Just listen for a sound I think it’s in a locker"

"Why? So every ten seconds? No, they would’ve turned off the phone, in which case it would’ve gone straight to voicemail It’s on, and it’s in a locker" I nodded

"Fine" His voice was hesitant and a little biting "But if you find it, call my mom’s phone immediately I don’t want you in the halls alone, not today"

I started to get my hopes up at his concern for me This was the Jared froently The one that cared

In that rab hihter in ain And I re "redial", I turned and leapt up the stairs, two at a time

My boots hit the tiled floor with hteneach side of the main hallith my ear to the lockers But each ti noises

I passed two students in the hallway, both of whom did a double-take when they saw me Yep, they kneho I was, and in no time at all everyone would knoas on campus My heart sped up as it beca back here today

The phone was in a locker, probably Jared’s, and silenced This was just another trick My throat tightened

I breathed hard as I paced each hallway, continuing to punch "redial" Each tiain

Please, please…

I wanted him to be innocent I could live with the talk and the look in everyone’s eyes, knowing that they’d seen the video I would live with that, because I had no choice

But I didn’t want to be without Jared I needed him to be innocent

Because she h my mind

I don’t want to take one more step in this world without you next towe could ht a tear with my thumb before it spilled over, turned a corner and called his phone again

And froze

Limp Bizkit’s Behind Blue Eyes echoed down the hall, close to Dr Kuhl’s classroom I narrowed my eyes and tilted my head towards the ain to call it back

Please, please, please

When the line started ringing, the slow, sad ballad played again from down the hall I nearly dropped the phone as I took off toward the sound

I put my hand to locker 1622

I s, and with shaky fingers, I texted Jared’s mom’s phone

2nd floor, next to Kuhl’s room!!

I jerkedMy sto open and flocks of students poured out, sounding more like a murder of crows than hu to happen right now But I didn’t know if I’d be the predator or prey