There was a clanking sound in the bathroom, like something had fallen out of the medicine cabinet and into the sink. I stood, grabbing my crutches. “She’s been in there a while. I’ll be right back.”
“Not promising that these will still be here,” she said, putting another cookie in her mouth.
I crutched along the wood floor toward the back of the house, pausing when I got to the bathroom door. I knocked. “Izzie?” She didn’t answer so I called her name again. Nothing. My muscles began to tense as worry rushed through me. I tried the knob, but the door was locked. Oh, no!
“Leona!” I yelled.
Leona came running in from the kitchen, her eyes wide with fear. “What’s
wrong?”
“She locked herself in there.”
“Shit.” Leona pounded on the door. “Izzie, open up!”
I let my crutches fall to the floor as I gripped the doorframe. What if she’d hurt herself? “Izzie,” I called. “Please let us in.” I should have gone with her to rinse out her hair. She had to be okay.
Suddenly, there was a clicking noise, and I looked down to the door handle turning. Thank heavens! For a split second, I’d thought that something terrible had happened. The relief I had now only confirmed that I needed to get Izzie help. I’d have to call her parents.
“Freaking hell,” Leona murmured, stepping back as the door started to open. She exhaled heavily, obviously as scared as I was.
“Izzie,” I called, waiting for her. “Don’t do that again. I was so worried about—” I gasped.
She was standing there, a white towel wrapped around her shoulders and metal scissors in her hand. Her face was blotchy from crying. My stomach dropped.
“What have you done?” Leona murmured. Because Izzie’s long, red curls had been snipped up to her chin.
From: Joel Fletcher <[email protected]>
To: Tessa Crimson <[email protected]>
Sent: Sat, October 12, 12:26 PM
Subject: Random thoughts
I’m guessing you’re busy again? It’s cool. I’m starting to get used to it. So … I was thinking—any chance you’d like to make this official? Like, I don’t know, maybe think about being my girlfriend?
Yes. I’m asking you out in an e-mail. I’m that desperate, Tessa. Call me back!
Joel
Chapter 15
After sitting her down with a cookie and cup of tea, we had to call Izzie’s parents to come pick her up. She needed more help than we could give her. We weren’t quite sure what to tell her parents, so we just said she’d been acting depressed lately—which was true. Then Leona gave Izzie’s mother the name of a reputable hairstylist.
“I feel sick,” I said as Leona and I sat on my couch, still in shock over the entire situation. “If I’d of known she would—”
“There was no way we could have. She’s been keeping secrets, and obviously this was how they manifested.” Leona closed her eyes and leaned her head back into the chenille sofa. “I just wish I knew what happened with Blaze.”
My skin felt pasty and pale as I rubbed my arms with my hands. I was so confused, and I didn’t know who to turn to. I thought about talking to my parents because they were brilliant and would certainly understand, but they’d be out of town for at least another day. We were on our own. I looked sideways at Leona.
“I think we should investigate. Maybe Blaze did something to her, and that’s why she told him about us.”
Leona met my stare. “I’ll kill him.”
“Second that.”
She blew air up to push her bangs off her forehead. “Let’s see,” she said, squinting her eyes as she thought. “We can debrief Kira and see if she has any extra info. Same with the rest of the squad. Although, I think it would have come to light by now. I’m not sure where we should start.”
And oddly enough, Joel popped into my head. How he’d told me his secret about his family life last night. How Kira and I were the only two who knew. “I know who she would have talked to.” I sat up, certain of our next move.
“Who?”
“Her ex-boyfriend.”
Leona blinked quickly and then nodded. “You’re absolutely right. She’d totally have confided in him if they were still talking. Do you think they are?”
“Only one way to find out.”
“Great. Should I find his number?” She started to work her phone out of her pocket when I reached out to stop her.
“Nope. We’ve got to do this in person. It’s way too personal for a call. We should head over to the Community College.”
Leona seemed to debate it, but then put her phone away and stood up. “Let’s go,” she said. “We’re going on a college tour.”
Washington Community College was set back in a neighborhood of small houses in midtown. I found it odd that it didn’t have a big campus, but it did have a grassy knoll where students played Hacky Sack instead of going to class.
“How are we going to find him?” I asked Leona as we made our way toward campus. The parking lot was full as we crossed the pavement.
“Just look for the tall goofy looking guy with red hair.”
I looked sideways at her, and she smiled. Sam wasn’t bad looking. He just seemed a bit awkward and freckled. Perfect for Izzie.
“Kidding,” Leona said. “I’m going to pretend to be his sister and ask for his schedule at the registrar’s office.”
“Brilliant.”
As I hobbled on my crutches—the ends of them continually catching on the uneven pavement—I got a few stares, mostly looks of curiosity. As I sat in the sterile blue waiting room in the front office, a guy came in and sat next me, asking my major (total cliché). Just to throw him off, I told him forensic science and pottery.
“Thank you,” Leona said to the receptionist and headed back my way. She gave the guy next to me an annoyed glance and then waved me toward the door.
“You got it?” I asked.
“Yep. Told them our grandmother died.”
“Leona!”
“She didn’t really die! Relax.”
I didn’t like even joking about people dying. It was tragic and sad.
Leona kept a slow pace next to me as we walked to the arts building. Apparently, Sam was taking Acting 101. Which was sort of cool. Thespians are very interesting people. When we entered the huge, stone building, Sam was onstage with a couple of other students, standing around waiting. As we paused in the double doors of the auditorium, a girl with a short blond bob walked over to Sam and put her arms around him from behind. Leona and I collectively gasped.