Chapter 43
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
SAKURA
“Great job!” I beamed at Tyler, the senior kid that Mr. Barnes, the Biology teacher, had requested that I tutor. I gathered up all our papers and set them in front of him. “Mr. Barnes will most likely include meiosis and mitosis on this test, so make sure to study a bit more.”
Tyler groaned. “Why are we having another test?”
I shrugged and leaned toward him slightly. “That’s Mr. Barnes for you.”
“You don’t like him either?” Tyler joked.
“God, no.” I giggled. “I hate Biology.”
“You hate Bio? But you have, like, the highest grade.”
After picking up a pen, I twirled it in my fingers and leaned against the desk. “I’m more of a Literature and art kind of girl. The sciences have always bored me.” I smiled to myself. “But that’s a story for another day. Good luck on the rest of your homework.”
Once he left, I gathered all my belongings and stuffed them into my backpack. Feet shuffled against the ground behind me, and I leaped up and glanced over my shoulder, my heart pounding against my chest.
Nobody was there.
But I didn’t trust people in Redwood anymore. They fucking terrified me.
“Is someone there?” I called.
No response.
It’s probably nothing. I am just paranoid.
Rumor was that Blaise Harleen—Callan’s nephew—had killed Skylar.
I didn’t know Skylar, and I never wanted to hang around with her because she slept around with the entire town.
But still, it was sad. When I had heard about her death after Callan’s class, I’d tucked myself away in the restroom and cried.
Yes, cried.
Because how could someone just … kill someone else? Especially someone my age?!
My phone buzzed, the vibration jolting me again.
Callan: Meet me in my class when you’re done.
Callan: I’m taking you home.
Me: I can’t.
Me: My parents will be suspicious if I sleep over two nights in one week.
Me: Once they find out about Skylar, they will definitely want me back.
Callan: You’re not staying over, but I need to see you.
Me: Only for a couple of minutes. I have homework.
Callan: No.
Callan: I’m being serious, Sakura. This town isn’t safe.
Skylar flashed through my head again. Callan was right. There was a killer on the loose. Redwood wasn’t safe. And Callan Avery had promised to protect me from anyone and anything that tried to hurt me. I was … safe with him.
He had promised.
Besides, I needed to ask Callan if he thought Blaise had actually killed her because I had seen him and Vera—one of the sweetest girls at Redwood—hanging out a couple of times in the hallway.
I never thought she’d date—maybe they aren’t dating, but still—a bad boy like him.
And Callan had saved Vera from embarrassment during lunch. He must know something.
When I walked out of the classroom, I bumped into someone’s hard chest. After steadying myself, I craned my head up to see Gunther staring down at me through urgent, wide eyes and giving me an uncomfortable smile.
“Sakura,” Gunther said, “I need to talk to you.”
My stomach turned. Something didn’t feel right.
“Were you … waiting for me?” I asked, mouth suddenly drying.
Gunther scratched the back of his head. “I didn’t want to bother you.”
“It’s an hour after school ended,” I whispered. “Have you been here the whole time?”
“Yes,” Gunther said, shaking his head. “But that doesn’t matter.”
Doesn’t matter? That matters to me.
It had been less than forty-eight hours since Skylar had been murdered, the police hadn’t caught the suspect, and a student who skateboarded like Gunther was their prime suspect!
What the hell did he mean that it didn’t matter?!
I grasped my backpack straps as hard as I could. “I need to get home.”
I didn’t feel safe here.
Before he could say another word, I hurried past him. But Gunther grabbed my wrist and jerked me back. Fear shot through me, paralyzing me to the spot. If he tried to do something to me, I’d scream at the top of my lungs so Callan would hear me.
“Please, Sakura,” Gunther said quietly. “I just need to know if you’re okay.”
“I’m fine,” I snapped, yanking myself away from him.
“It doesn’t seem like it.”
“I’m. Fine.” My words come out harsh because I wanted to get the hell out of here right this very second. If I stayed any longer, I didn’t know what Gunther would do to me.
Did he kill Skylar? Why is he waiting for me? Am I next?
“You’ve been acting differently this year,” Gunther said quietly, stepping closer to me.
How does he know what I acted like before senior year? I had been a loner, and I still was.
I twirled around on my heel, ready to sprint to the second floor.
Gunther cleared his throat. “Ever since Mr. Avery.”
My entire body froze. He didn’t just …
“I know about you and him,” he said to me, but I refused to turn around.
My cheeks burned as my heart raced. How does he … is he going to tell …
Maybe he was bluffing. Fuck, I needed to get out of here quickly.
Without answering him, I fast-walked toward the staircase and hurried up it, taking two stairs at a time. When I came to the landing, I glanced over my shoulder to make sure he wasn’t following me.
Still, I continued hauling my ass to Callan’s room because Gunther Zurn had been watching me. Gunther Zurn had been waiting for me. And worst of all, Gunther Zurn knew my secret.