Part 23 (1/2)

Cole froze at Jack's casual use of his real name. His arm dropped from my shoulders. I couldn't help but smile.

Jack looked at me. ”I'll see you in Mrs. Stone's room, Becks. You're coming, right? Mythology paper?”

I nodded. Just before he sauntered away, Jack winked at me and slapped Cole hard on the shoulder. ”See you around, Neal.”

I didn't look at Cole as I s.h.i.+fted my bag higher up on my shoulder. I was having a hard time acting as casual as Jack. I said, ”Well, see you later.”

He grabbed my elbow. ”You told him?” The anger in his voice was evident.

”Yes.”

”And he believed you?”

I looked up. ”Yes.”

Cole narrowed his eyes. ”You told him everything?”

Uh-oh. ”Yes,” I lied. Cole studied my face for a moment, and I yanked my arm free. ”I have to go.”

I turned and started to walk away, but before I took three steps Cole called out from behind me. ”He doesn't know about you leaving, does he.” It was a statement, not a question.

I tried not to falter as I ignored him and continued down the hall.

”I'm right, aren't I?” he said. ”You don't want him to know!”

I couldn't shake the chill as I rounded the corner. There was no way I was ready for Jack to know the truth about the Tunnels coming for me.

I heard loud footsteps behind me as Cole ran to catch up.

”Wait, Nik. Please hear me out.”

I turned to face him.

”How can you trust Jack?”

He had to be kidding. I sighed and turned, but he grabbed my shoulder.

”Nik, you know what he did to you,” Cole said softly. ”You know what you saw at the dorm. The night you decided to go under with me.” I closed my eyes. ”Are you sure you're betting on the right guy? I would never hurt you like that.”

I shook his hand off my shoulder, realizing for the first time just how much Cole may have contributed to my fall. I'd seen at the Christmas Dance how Cole could influence people's moods.

”Stop pretending you had nothing to do with my decision. I know what you can do.” I remembered how Cole's breath had washed over me on my front porch right before I'd left for Jack's dorm. I was sure now he had the ability to influence my emotions. ”You made me doubt him.”

LAST YEAR.

Two days before the Feed.

I never thought I would care whether or not the man who was driving the car that struck and killed my mother was convicted of manslaughter. My mother was still dead. Verdict or no verdict.

But the day the jury came back with their decision, I realized how wrong I'd been.

I heard the news at school. Kevin Reid was going free. Case dismissed on a technicality. The blood-alcohol test had been tampered with.

I left school early, and when I got home, I could hear my father's voice coming from the bedroom. He was on the phone. I was about to call his name, but then I heard what he was saying.

”... Our official response is that we have faith in the legal system we have been given and will accept the outcome our system produces.”

He was quiet for a minute.

I didn't realize I was frozen in place in the hallway. His bedroom door was open a crack, and so I pushed it open further. My dad turned to look at me, smiled, blinked his eyes, and nodded his head. I knew that look. It was the practiced look of sympathy he would pull when questioning a victim in front of a jury.

He held up a finger as he continued his end of the conversation. ”We have no plans to appeal. At this point, the only way my family will move forward is if we forgive-”

I threw my backpack at him. Without warning. It hit him in the face before I even realized it'd left my hands. He looked at me with a stunned expression, and for a moment the only sound in the room came from my heavy breathing. How could he talk about forgiveness?

”Lemme call you back, Phil. 'Kay?” He didn't wait for Phil's response; he just snapped his phone shut. ”Nikki? What the h.e.l.l was that all about?”

”Reid!” I couldn't think of anything else to say.

”He got off, Nikki. You knew this was a possibility.”

I knew it. But n.o.body believed it would actually happen. ”There's got to be something we can do. He can't get away with it.”

My dad sighed and sat on the edge of his bed, patting the spot beside him. ”Sit down, Nikki.”

”I'm fine,” I said. ”Who were you talking to on the phone just now?”

”Phil at the Trib.”

”He's going to run it in the paper? That we forgive him?”

He nodded. ”Nikki, the entire town has been affected by this whole thing because of my position as mayor. It needs to be known that we trust in the legal system. And with the election coming up...” His voice trailed off.

I couldn't believe what he was saying. ”I get it. You look good if you lie.”

He stood up and walked toward me, his hand outstretched. ”Nikki. Your mother would've wanted us to stand together. We'll never heal until we forgive.”

I slapped his hand away. ”You don't know what she would've wanted. You'd have to actually be here to know her.” He winced, but I couldn't stop myself. ”Good luck sleeping tonight.”

I left him standing there, looking at the hand I'd slapped. He didn't call after me.

I didn't know where to go. Jules was in Vancouver with her family for spring break. Besides, Jack was really the only person who would understand.

I didn't give myself a chance to change my mind. I grabbed my keys and headed out the door, almost running into Cole on the porch.

”Whoa, Nik. You okay?” His brow creased in concern.

”Cole.” I brushed the tears off my cheeks. ”What are you doing here?”

He held up the T-s.h.i.+rt he'd been carrying. ”Wanted to show you the latest design, but it looks like now's not a good time.”