Haya throws a glance at the door, then leans forward and drops her voice. “I may have found something out. Since Locklear opened, at least one student a year has gotten twisted, but there aren’t any records of how they were dealt with. At least nothing specific. All their files say is ATB with an asterisk by it.”
My brows pop up. “Were you able to see what the asterisk meant?”
“I didn’t have time, but I’ll keep digging. Don’t ask how. That way you can plead ignorance.” She adjusts her glasses and grins.
I grin. “Perfect. Maybe we can set up a meeting place in the next few days so we can discuss more privately. Somewhere teachers won’t overhear, just in case.” Hiding things from the adults around us doesn’t fully sit right, but with all the truth dodging and clandestine conversations, I feel the need to keep our investigation quiet.
“I have an idea about that,” Haya says. “Will report back when you’re not locked in here anymore. Let’s figure this thing out.”
Chapter Eighteen
On Friday evening, when Ms. Alvarez finally gives me the all-clear, I bolt for the rec center where we’ve all agreed to meet for Team Untwist the Mystery. I’m still a little unstable so maintaining a straight line is easier said than done. Instead of risking knocking into everyone in my path, I press a hand to the wall to keep steady.
Halfway down the hall though, another student blocks my way and I have to repress a very unhelpful grimace. Melissa leans against a doorframe with her arms crossed. If I trusted my balance more, I’d just sidestep her, but as it is, I have to stop when I reach her.
“Can I help you?” It’s not the best opening line, but since recently recovered from getting shot and expending a crap-ton of power, I give myself a little grace.
“Nice job helping your friend with his unfinished business.”
I roll my eyes, make the wise decision to disengage, and risk slipping around her. My balance holds somewhat steady, and I focus on my original destination. Maybe if I ignore her, she’ll go away and not add to the insane headache that refuses to leave me alone.
“I can’t believe you got him shot.”
Don’t turn around. Don’t turn around. Don’t turn around.
Repeating this mantra over and over, I pick up my pace as I reach the door to the woods. Out here, I don’t have anything to hang on to. I weave like I’m on drugs and a faint roar starts in my ears. Thankfully, Ms. Alvarez isn’t around to see. She might drag me straight back to the Healer Ward. It’s not ideal, but at least if I can make it to the rec center Melissa will have to stop harassing me. Bullies back down in front of crowds, right?
“Do you know what spelled salt does to a ghost?”
With a growl, I spin around and tug down the collar of my shirt to show her the entry wound near my shoulder. “Actually, I do.”
Melissa flinches back a step.
“Because we both got ambushed, okay?” I inch toward her when she shuffles further away from me. “I just spent a week in the Healer Ward recovering. And yes, Rafe got shot because he protected me from getting hit again. If I could have stopped that from happening, I would have. I don’t know what your problem with me is specifically, but you have got to back off because I have enough drama to deal with right now, and I assume you do too. There is absolutely no reason in the realm of the dead that we have to be enemies, so please stop trying to come up with excuses to be angry with me.”
Before she can respond, I slip through the door of the rec center and let out a heavy sigh when I see most of Team Untwist the Mystery on the corner couch. Quinn, who’s sitting in a chair off to its left, gives me a little chin tilt as a greeting. Yasmin waves and Rafe grins, and all I want to do is slump in the most undignified fashion across both of their laps.
So, I do just that. Falling on them, my head lands on Rafe’s thighs and my stomach flops across Yasmin’s legs. “I’m free master, Billie is freeee.”
Yasmin cackles. “Did Ms. Alvarez give you a sock?”
“I wish. Maybe it would’ve scared Melissa away.”
Rafe groans and lets his head fall back against the couch. “She still ranting?”
“Yes. I can only handle one person who hates me at a time. And seeing as how Landon is also part of our group…”
“I don’t hate you,” Landon says, sinking onto a chair close by. “I nothing you.”
“Aww, thanks. That warms my silent heart.” I clasp a hand to my chest. “Please tell me you’ve brought some kind of information along with your grumbly attitude.”
Landon glances around the room, waiting for Haya to slide into a chair of her own before he scoots a little closer. He gives her a nod and she pulls a laptop out of her bag. Funny since in all the movies ghosts tend to wreck technology. This one must be spelled like so many other things at Locklear. Or maybe the technology thing is a myth.
“I discovered what that asterisk meant,” Haya says, typing something onto her keyboard. “Or part of it anyway. It’s quite vague. Maybe because they don’t want anyone to know what’s going on.”
I flip onto my back, consider sitting up, then resign myself to a horizontal position when the ceiling spins. “What’s it say?”
Haya squints at her screen. “All of the Xed confined to the...underneath?” She looks up, face twisted in confusion. “Either someone’s super poetic, or very morbid.”
“Underneath. That’s about as clear as ‘I open at the close.’” Yasmin tries to tuck a curl behind her ear, but like mine it just floats right back up. “Underneath what?”
“Campus?” Rafe’s voice cracks and I
