Chapter 5. Lorena #3
As we file out of the row, it seems I’m not the only one who got sucked in by the story. Trevor is also still seated, and I watch him put away the novel. His bag is already packed with other texts, and as he slides this one in, I spot a thinner book that looks familiar.
It’s the green book from the basement.
WHEN THE five of us sit down to dinner, I can’t stop thinking of the book in Trevor’s bag. Something feels wrong about him taking it.
What if the monster from the coffin notices and wants it returned?
“We need to go back.”
Trevor’s words startle me from my thoughts. “Tonight,” he adds, and panic strangles my vocal cords.
“Why?” asks Tiffany, and I’m relieved to hear the apprehension in her voice.
“We need to find out what’s inside that coffin,” he says.
“I want to know why I can’t record in there,” adds Zach.
“And I want to try a séance,” says Salma.
“It would make for an interesting story,” muses Tiffany, like she’s warming to the plan.
“No.”
Everyone snaps their gazes to me, and I get the sense that if I tell them what I think is down there now, they’ll only be more eager to check it out. I should’ve said something last night, when they were still afraid.
“We need to sleep,” I say instead.
“I know you were scared,” says Zach, his voice sounding kind and not judgmental, “but something is going on in that basement, and we have the chance to find out.”
“I agree with Zach,” says Salma, to my dismay. “We need to know.”
“I agree with Salma,” says Tiffany.
“Well, I think we need to report the room to Minaro,” I say, bracing myself for their reaction.
“And let her know we broke the rules on the first day?!” Tiffany demands in a loud whisper. “Don’t even think of it, Navarro.”
“Seriously, Lore,” says Salma, her gaze narrowing. “That would be so messed up.”
“Then we stay away from there.” I look her dead in the eye so she knows I’m not budging. “It’s roped off for a reason. I don’t think we should be messing with it. I fucking mean it, Sal.”
She holds my gaze, and we both know that as much as I hate being confrontational, I’ll do whatever it takes to keep her safe—even if it pisses her off.
I’m the one who told our parents three years ago when she made plans to meet up with a guy she met online who claimed to be fifteen.
I’d had my doubts for a while, but she wouldn’t listen.
It took Pa’s investigator at the law firm all of eight minutes to learn her suitor was really a forty-year-old man.
Even though I was right, Salma didn’t talk to me for five days. It’s the longest we’ve ever gone without speaking.
“Fine,” says Salma at last. “Lore’s right. Let’s sleep on it tonight, and we can take a vote in the morning.”
Since I know I’ll be outvoted, I eat quickly, and while the others go back for dessert, I tell Salma, “I need to change my pad. See you back at the room.”
I’m halfway to the exit when I hear my name.
“Hey, Lorena!”
I turn to see a couple of girls who aren’t in any of my classes. “You’re Lorena Navarro, right?” asks the one with platinum-blond hair, holding a caseless purple phone in her hand. She looks a bit like one of the moms who was talking shit yesterday.
“Yeah,” I say, my jaw tight.
“I’m Brooke.”
“And I’m Cat,” says her friend. She speaks with a familiar Southern twang, and I think she’s the girl from Augusta I overheard in the bathroom.
“Can we get a selfie with you?” asks Brooke, the camera app already open on her phone.
“Oh” is all I’m able to get out before their faces sandwich mine and Brooke snaps the picture. People tend to want a photo with Ma, not me.
“What’s it like being famous?” asks Cat, while Brooke’s fingers tap to edit the image.
“Um, I wouldn’t know.” I try to smile in that easy way Ma does. “I’m just the daughter. Famous by association.”
“But that video of you partying is everywhere!” says Brooke, her blue eyes wide with awe. “It was on TV, and a bunch of celebs reposted it.” She sounds jealous, and I wonder what her mom would think of her daughter wanting to be like Lorena Navarro.
“Sorry, I really have to use the bathroom,” I say, turning away and hurrying out.
I glance back at my friends as I step through the open doors, and I wonder if Salma caught any of that. But she and the others are all leaning into the table, as though deep in conversation.
Except for Tiffany, who’s watching me with a sour expression.
Back in our room, I tear out a sheet of paper from my notebook, already putting a plan into action.
I’m going to wait until my roommates fall asleep, then I’ll find Minaro’s office and slip her an anonymous note about the room with the coffin.
If I mention what I think is inside, she’ll just assume it’s a prank—but I also don’t want her showing up unprepared.
So I settle on writing that someone violent is sleeping down there.
That way she’ll know to involve law enforcement.
Though I’m not sure how much experience the cops have with mind-controlling bloodsuckers.
I’ve just finished writing the letter when the door opens. I fold the page inside my copy of Jane Eyre, then I get ready for bed with Salma and Tiffany.
“How about a movie?” asks Sal, and the three of us meet on Tiffany’s bed, gathering around Salma’s laptop to review her digital library.
We can only watch the titles that have been downloaded to her computer, which are about a dozen.
We settle on an old film called The Craft about four teen girls in the nineties who practice witchcraft.
It became Salma’s whole personality when we watched it four years ago, so as soon as Tiffany said she’d never seen it, the matter was settled.
One hour and forty minutes later, we crawl into bed with our copies of Jane Eyre.
“What a bitch,” says Tiffany after ten minutes of silent reading.
“Fuck Mrs. Reed,” says Salma, and I grin.
She won’t be with her for much longer, I say only in my mind, since I don’t want to spoil the fact that Jane’s about to go away for school. I’ve always been a faster reader than my classmates, and I’m on chapter five when Tiffany turns off her reading light. Salma’s has been off for ten minutes.
I turn mine off, too, and I decide to wait another half hour to make sure they’re really asleep before sneaking out.
I know Salma will be furious with me for betraying them, but I have to do something.
I won’t let that monster hurt anyone else—especially her.