“Burn,” Heidi says, covering her mouth with her hand and laughing. “Looks like Ashton and Raf are already bored with you. It was a matter of time. You and your holier-than-thou attitude.”
“You’re talking to me? I hardly go around thinking I’m holier than anyone else. What does that even mean?”
Melanie’s face crinkles into an ugly grimace. For someone so pretty, she can look really awful. Someone needs to tell her not to make that face.
Maybe I do have an attitude.
“Oh please, you have the biggest chip on your shoulder. Wonder why you’re not making any friends—besides the ones you’re trying to sleep with?” Melanie smirks and looks at Heidi for approval and seems to get it because she keeps going. “I think we satisfied them the other night. They’ve moved on. Raf for sure has, right, Heidi?” She gives her hair a toss and both of them turn around, walking away. They’re like bookends, blond hair of the same color and length, with their designer jeans and matching boots.
I stand there for a few moments, wondering why I’m still on their radar after the weekend. The hall clears and I slam my locker shut, wishing I could walk out the door and start this day over, when a message comes across the intercom.
“Attention, all students, we will be meeting in the auditorium in ten minutes. Again, all students, make your way to the auditorium.”
I almost put my books back in my locker, but instead, I go straight to the auditorium, barely managing to avoid getting trampled as everyone piles out of the classrooms. I bump into a hard body, stumbling back when I see that it’s Ashton. He holds both hands up as he lets me pass.
“Sorry,” he says, not looking me in the eye.
I don’t know if he’s mad I didn’t ride with him this morning or if Raf has gotten to him. Who knows? I don’t have time to figure it out.
As I round the corner and wait until the kids get through in front of me, I try to find a seat. One of the teachers tells us to find the first available seat and sit down. The first chair I spot is next to Raf and I hesitate.
“Gabriela, over here.” Ashton waves, sitting a couple rows behind Raf. Color rises in Raf’s cheeks as he stares through me.
My heart gallops away with me, and I sit next to Ashton feeling like I’m carrying a bag of bricks on my back. A hair flip catches my attention and I look down the row to see Heidi, Melanie, and Jen all staring at me.
What the hell is going on?
Ashton leans over and whispers in my ear. “You look beautiful today.”
I smile at him gratefully, relieved to have at least one person being nice to me today.
Our principal, Mr. Saunders, walks to the podium and taps on the microphone. When he’s satisfied that it’s loud enough, he clears his throat and begins.
“It is with great sadness that I have to tell you about an accident involving one of our students here at Longlake.”
The whispers of shock immediately spread throughout the assembly. Surely Toby’s not dead?
Mr. Saunders holds his hand up and the talking ceases. “Toby Mathison was involved in a shooting last night and is in a coma. If anyone knows any details surrounding his accident, the police are asking for our full cooperation.”
A gasp ripples through the gym and I try to see Raf’s face, but I can’t from where I’m sitting. I reach out and take Ashton’s hand, looking at him to see his reaction. He stares straight ahead and squeezes my hand but seems to be in shock.
“We will have counselors on hand to talk to any of you who need help dealing with this traumatic state of events. There will be an ongoing investigation, and we ask that if you are asked to speak to a detective in the coming weeks, you do so, and then get back to your class as soon as possible, without talking amongst each other about the case.”
Yeah, good luck with that. Doesn’t he know this will be prime gossip around here? Longlake students are especially horrible about keeping secrets from each other. Someone like Toby, who’s somewhat a mystery around here, is perfect material to hash and rehash. Heidi’s head huddles next to Jen and Melanie as they act devastated about Toby. I wonder if they ever even hung out. In the next breath, I feel bad for having the thought. Maybe they were longtime friends—how would I know? Sometimes the lack of history I have with anyone at school is a blessing and a curse.
“Are you okay?” I ask Ashton.
“I just can’t believe it,” he whispers, still staring straight ahead.
I want to ask him so many questions, but he stands up suddenly and walks out of the auditorium. I watch as the door shuts behind him and wonder if I should go after him. Raf also gets up and leaves and I stare after both of them, wondering what the hell is going on.
Throughout the day, everyone talks about Toby as if he was their best friend. Girls huddle together and cry, and several have to be excused each class to go talk to the counselors. I don’t know if they ever even acknowledged him when he was here, but they sure want to be friends with him now.
This is such a harsh reminder that life can be ripped away in an instant. We can be walking around fine one day and hanging in the balance the next. It’s too much to process.
Whether we admit it or not, I think most of us believe we’re immortal.
My
