OCKER NOTE AND T

ippet –

The whole school is whispering. But the worst part wasn't the stares. It was the no

pe Cod Academy had tu

me by my first period class like he was gonna walk me to the bathroom if I asked. Asher met me at my locker before the bell, backpack slung over one shoulder, dark circles under hi

asn't about to dismantle an entire student body's gossip mill in thirty seconds flat. "Half the school thinks the gym fire

ked. "Fixe

out and knocked over a Bunsen burner." She shrugged when we both stared.

about how Asher Hale finally made a move on Poppy Carter and about time too, and if Sloane had to elbo

et didn

paper fluttered out, landing at my sneakers. I picked it up. The handwriting was the same as the

've been watching since freshman year. I know every secret you keep. I

shaking so bad I

went white, then red, then a terrifying shade of purple I'd only ever seen once before-when Jax had dyed his hair neon green senior prank night. He crumpled the note in

wn the hall, shut the door behind us, and leaned his for

I have to do. I don't care if I have to walk you to every class for the rest of high school. I don

ieved

ours to make sure I was okay, Asher found me in the art room during study hall. He didn't say anything at first. Just sat down next to me at the drafti

itting my hair just right, a tiny half-smile on my face. It was so good it made my

is neck, suddenly awkward, like he hadn't just drawn me bet

e fence. Sloane brought her laptop, already digging through old Hale Industries employee records like she was gonna solve the whole thing before midnight. Asher brought me a bl

a name an hour before midnight, typed it into the g

ES 3 YEARS AGO FOR STEALING. HE'S B

the light

f cha