Chapter 5
Five
Blair
I grabbed my sweater and waited a few seconds before cracking the dorm room door open.
The student handbook Arisono had given me last night stated that students could study in the library or commons after curfew, but leaving the building was prohibited.
Daphne and Adelina were ignoring curfew, which meant they weren’t afraid of Arisono’s three strikes policy. Daphne had warned me to lie low, acting like sharing a room with me meant she wasn’t immune to Arisono’s expulsion threats, but maybe she felt safe being with Adelina.
Peeking out, I heard their voices echo in the hallway. My pulse raced when I saw two men in dark suits trailing them.
Probably Secret Service, making this even riskier.
Not only was I sneaking out, but I was also following the president’s daughter. They could shoot me just for that.
Once they were far enough ahead, I slipped into the corridor, pulled on my sweater, and stayed in the shadows. They walked quickly, making it hard for me to keep up. The halls grew darker as I followed them toward the west wing.
Frustration crawled through me when I peered around the corner and saw them unlock a metal gate blocking off a corridor. They slipped through it, and the second suited man secured the padlock behind them. He gave it a firm shake and turned back toward Daphne and Adelina.
Beyond the gate, I saw them stop outside a room. Another girl joined them. I blinked, recognizing her as one of Daphne’s friends from this morning.
They didn’t come back through the gate. Instead, they went in the opposite direction and vanished down the hall.
I crept to the gate and tried to open it.
It didn’t budge.
I tried to squeeze through the bars.
Nope.
Never one to quit, I looked for another way.
I glanced out the window, which faced the side courtyard, and remembered that earlier, I’d noticed an exit door in the library that said it led outside. If I moved fast enough, I could circle the courtyard and reach the other side before they got too far.
I sprinted in that direction, keeping my head down as I slipped into the quiet library and moved between the towering shelves. Ducking low, I pushed open the back door and prayed no alarms would blare when I did.
I gave myself a mental fist bump when it didn’t.
Muggy air smacked me in the face. The sky above me was black, illuminated by a thin crescent moon peeking through the clouds. Fog swallowed the campus as I searched for the girls. I pulled my sweater tighter around myself and stepped onto the stone walkway bordering the courtyard.
The world felt unnervingly quiet. Only the sound of the wind and my footsteps followed me as I passed the greenhouse, tennis courts, and another dark building. The farther I walked toward the woods, the heavier my chest felt.
My stomach sank with every step, and I gulped down shallow breaths as I took in the trees around me.
There was no laughter or clicking of heels. I’d been stupid, thinking I’d catch up with them.
I froze when a branch snapped somewhere behind me.
The sound was small, but in the silence here, it felt like a firework.
My stomach turned to stone as I shrank back, every muscle in my body tightening.
I spun around, taking in my surroundings, but didn’t see anyone.
Just the wind whispering through the leaves.
“Hello?” I called out before immediately regretting it.
Really, Blair?
You’ve seen every scary movie.
The person who says hello in the darkness is always the first to die.
My body trembled as I gave up and turned on my heel, ready to sprint back to the safety of my dorm. I had no idea how I was going to sneak back inside without Arisono catching me, but that was tomorrow’s problem.
I wasn’t staying in these woods for a second longer.
I barely made it two steps before someone snatched my arm and spun me around. A shriek ripped from my throat as my back slammed into a hard chest.
My heart rattled as I screamed at the top of my lungs.
The sound barely escaped me, and a hand clamped over my mouth. Large fingers crushed into my cheeks so tight that I felt them against my teeth. I struggled to break free, choking back air, as my feet scraped against the ground.
But it was no use.
His arm locked around my throat, holding me firm against him, and my breaths hit his palm.
I knew I’d made a mistake when cold lips brushed my ear and said, “Gotcha.”