Page 36 of The Monster I Am
After what happened a few weeks ago, I had firmly planned to never step foot inside Cedar Heights again. But I convinced myself to come for the sake of Rylan and Tai.
Even if, perhaps, I’m not being entirely truthful to myself.
A part of me dreaded the idea of Spencer being here again. If it wasn’t for me, she’d be dead. What if something happened tonight and I wasn’t around to save Rylan and Tai? To save her?
She’s a fucking magnet for danger, and the irony isn’t lost on me that the only reason she’s in this whole predicament is because of Willowbrook—the organization represented by my own father.
It shouldn’t be taking this long to search less than a third of the damn school, and for someone like Rylan who holds punctuality on a golden pedestal, there’s no way they are still looking.
Something has happened.
Despite my protests, I’ve been outvoted. Yes—even by my so-called best friend. I guess that’s what happens when your dick is doing the thinking for you. While the Cedar idiots shut down my concerns immediately with little thought, Tai’s dismissal was a blatant coddling of, “Chill, H! They are fine. We’d know if they weren’t.”
Spencer is not as invincible as they all seem to believe she is. How do I know? Because I was the one who held her together when she started to break down.
You have to consider it from a psychological point of view. It’s no secret that in recent months Spencer has had her fair share of bad luck when it comes toincidents.
We all put on a brave front—it’s practically part of the uniform and job description that comes with this position. But she still nearly died.
Here.
In this fucking building.
If something goes wrong again, we might not get lucky a second time.
The plan was clear—we come in, we scope out the joint and we leave. This is not some field trip where we have all night to roast marshmallows and exchange ghost stories. So, the fact that these other three seem content waiting around like sitting ducks, really grinds my gears.
Spencer is not bulletproof, despite what she wants everyone to believe. Assuming she’s untouchable is a fatal mistake, oneInearly paid the price for.
I’m at the end of my tether. We’ve been waiting here, near the library, for nearly twenty minutes. And that’s after I had to also deal with Spencer’s bitch boy trying to boss me around.
Does he really believe we don’t know our way around their useless academy? Blueprints exist for a reason. If they don’t have a copy of Willowbrook’s layout memorized then that’s a clear failure on their part.
“Relax, H,” Tai calls out, making me halt my pacing.
“We don’t have time for this,” I snap back. “If they aren’t here in the next two minutes, I’m going to go find them and drag them back to the cars because I’m done.”
“Why am I not surprised that you’re still being an emotional ass?” comes a familiar voice from behind me. Of course—impeccable timing.
Spinning around, I stare at Rylan, then Bexley. “Took you long enough. You had the smallest area to cover and you’re the last one to arrive.”
Rylan cocks an eyebrow at me. “We’re not in a rush, H. We just wanted to bethorough.”
Shaking my head, I just quietly scoff, “Whatever.”
Bexley strides past to confer with her Boy Robin and the psychopathic jacket—Parker… parka. Whatever his name is. I don’t care, anyway.
Rylan slips up silently beside me. When I turn to him, ready to scold him under my breath, the words get cut off by the peculiar, awed expression plastered on his face. His eyes are suspiciously alert, fixed sharply on something. Following his gaze, I spot what has his attention.
What the actual fuck stain?
Turned away, all we can see is her back facing us. And suddenly, my hunch is confirmed. Somethingdidhappen. But surely, if there was some type of danger encountered, they would have already filled us in by now.
Peering back at Rylan, I visually assess him, taking note of similar discoloration on his hands and knees.
Everything clicks at once.
The pair of them are covered in black, ashy dust.
