even bothering to act offended by her comment. Lack of sleep coupled with the fact that I opted for a baggy, oversized shirt to let my piercings breathe have me looking borderline homeless.
Last night, after Thayer’s little stunt, I tossed and turned all night. I told myself it was the lasting effects of the adrenaline, but it was more than that. I can help you out with that. His words played in my mind on repeat. They were crass and offensive, but they made my stomach flip with…something. Ironically enough, I only fell asleep once I finally stopped fighting the urge to relieve the tension he created. So, I guess in a way, he did help me out with that. Asshole.
“Dunkin’ for lunch?”
“It’s a date.”
We part ways and I slip into first period, taking my seat near the back. Once everyone’s settled, the morning announcements float from the speaker, making me wince. Lack of sleep gives me the worst headaches.
“Goooood morning, SPH,” Taylor’s shrill voice singsongs. “First thing’s first. As you all know, we’ve had to change our mascot and logo because it was offensive…or whatever.” I snort at the way she sounds put out by the fact. “Last week, we all voted, and the results are in! Instead of the Sawyer Point Indians, we are now…” she trails off and I hear a muffled drumroll in the background. “The Sawyer Point Tigers!”
Half the class groans; half applauds. Someone throws a wadded-up ball of paper followed by a boo. I’m just glad we’ve finally stopped offending an entire group of people for the sake of tradition.
“The sign out front as well as the logo on the gymnasium floor will be updated to reflect this change in the coming weeks, so we appreciate your patience while we do our best to work around school functions and athletics. Okay, now that that’s out of the way, I also have an announcement from Coach Jensen and me. Volleyball tryouts will take place next week in the gym, every day from three-thirty to five. If you need more information, you can visit Coach Jensen in his office.”
I’d rather scoop my eyeballs out with a spoon.
Part of me is dying for a sliver of normalcy. Volleyball is something I’m good at. Something familiar, and something I enjoy. But the bigger part of me doesn’t want to deal with everything that comes along with it.
I pull out my notebook and a pen, taking a quick glance around to make sure no one is paying me any attention before I open it to a blank page. Keeping my head low, my hair acts as a curtain, and I drown out the announcements as I write.
A piece of paper taped to my locker has dread unfurling in my stomach. I should’ve known I wouldn’t be able to fly under the radar. I march toward my locker, seeing the words written there.
What do Shayne Courtland and cockroaches have in common?
I rip it off, turning it over, expecting to find the punch line, but nothing is there. I hear snickers and look over to see Taylor and Alexis watching me with amused expressions. “Good one,” I deadpan, crumpling up the piece of paper before dropping it to the floor. They’re losing their touch. Their insults used to be witty, but this one doesn’t even make sense. I spin the dial, putting in my combination, and when I jerk my locker open, a bloodcurdling scream rips through my throat.
I jump back, stumbling into someone as dozens of giant cockroaches crawl over each other, spilling out of my locker and onto the floor. I shudder, watching them all over my stuff. I don’t have much in there. An extra jacket, a granola bar, some lip balm. All of which will be trashed.
Another note dangles from inside, catching my attention.
They’re both impossible to get rid of.
My head whips over toward Taylor, but her eyes are wide, horrified, as if she didn’t know what I was going to find. She wouldn’t go near these things. Then, who? My lock is intact, and the actual locker doesn’t appear to be tampered with—on the outside, at least.
Thayer.
He’s the only one besides Valen that would know my combination. The same three numbers I use for every password and every locker. But why? Why would he go out of his way to torment me at school? He doesn’t even go here anymore. Does he really want me gone that badly?
“Damn, Shayne. You really shouldn’t leave food in your