Page 6 of Bad Bunny
And then, because apparently I’ve been holding it in for six months, something hot and vicious snaps inside me. I grip theedges of the desk, squeeze my eyes shut, and hiss, “Are youfuckingkidding me?”
There’s the creak of the storage closet door opening. The sound of footsteps that come closer and then stop several feet away.
“I do not like that little man,” the stranger says. I lift my head slowly. “He spoke to you with disrespect.” Something dangerous flashes in his eyes. “I do not permit that.”
“I don’t either,” I answer back.
Wait.
“Oh, for the love of—” My gaze snaps to the naked man now standing in front of me.
In my classroom. At an elementary school.
I messed up. I should’ve called the police just now, told Seth what was going on, ran out of the building screaming,anything, but instead I got distracted by Seth’s little visit.
Great.
Now I’m furious with Sethandwith myself.
I jump to my feet and stab a finger at the man. “You need to get out or I’m calling the police.”
The man’s brow wrinkles. Together we pivot to look at the shattered phone on the floor by the dry-erase board.
Dang it, I’d forgotten about that.
Sorren shakes his head at me. “Please,” he says. “I must explain.”
I judge the distance from the door to me and find it too far for escape. That’s okay. It’s time for plan B. Let the crazy man talk, then run when he lets his guard down.
“Fine, but this,” I say, letting out a humorless laugh. “Thisbetterbe good.”
He inclines his head once. “The Great Eldryn did not misguide me.”
“I don’t care about your great whoever,” I snap.
“You should,” he says calmly. “Because my uncle seeks to kill me.”
The lights flicker, and a loud hum buzzes through the classroom ceiling like something up there is struggling to stay alive.
“If he finds me here…” His voice lowers. “My uncle will not spare you.”
I stare at the ceiling as the lights flicker again.
What is happening?
With a loud pop, each bulb goes out. Darkness swallows the room.
For a second, there’s nothing but the sound of my own breathing.
Then his voice comes out of the dark, “Or those you love.”
“Say what?” My heart skips, and not in a good way. “That’s impossible.” My stomach lurches the way it does on a rollercoaster, but I cling to logic. “He, whoever he is, doesn’t even know I exist.”
In the dim light filtering through the classroom windows, I see Sorren look down.
To my finger.
To the planet Band-Aid.
