“Yes, I am.”
“Nice,” she says. “Dangerous out there.”
“I doubt it,” I say.
“Jaci, if you get caught…,” Birdie says. “We’re all supposed to-”
“Are they going to kick me out?” I ask. “Let them. Then my parents have to show up, right? My real parents. Or at least someone from my family. I can’t lose right now.”
I feel strong and empowered and I quickly leave the dorm before someone can talk sense into me.
I sneak out of the building, leaving all theThornsbehind me.
I look around and shiver.
It’s really cold out today.
Maybe the coldest day yet.
I hear a voice so I drop down.
After a few seconds, I slowly inch up and look over a stone wall.
I see two men in some kind of police or military gear, walking side by side.
They’re holding some pretty big guns.
“Fuck,” I whisper.
I don’t believe there’s a bomb here, but these guys with guns have to act as though there is one.
I slowly begin to inch back.
I have to find a way to sneak back into the dorms.
This was a bad idea.
I bite my bottom lip and slide my feet backward.
I inch back on my hands and knees.
It’s too risky to stand back up and see if the guys with guns are gone yet or not.
They’re just doing their job.
“Okay, Jaci, you’ve got this,” I whisper to myself.
I slowly start to turn…
… a hand covers my mouth… another hand covers my eyes…
Great, I’m being kidnapped again, aren’t I?
Chapter 27
This time I fight back.
I open my mouth and chomp down on the hand that’s covering it.