: Chapter 38

We won. We’re on the field with the football team and their fans, jumping and cheering.

Well, not all of us are cheering.

Eli and I spot Theo a moment before Liam does.

The girls are with us, Margo’s hand firmly holding mine, but I drop it to lunge toward my friend. I grab his arm and take a split second to marvel at the rage he must be feeling, because he throws me off without a thought.

He goes toward the Lion’s Head girl.

Eli jumps in front of him, holding up his hands. “Yo, man, normally I wouldn’t get between you and your business, but literally the entire school is here, and you’re going to just start a⁠—”

Theo growls, shoving Eli to the side. Great.

I haul Eli up, and we chase after Theo. I look ahead and see the reason he’s pissed.

One of the Lion’s Head football players has his hand on her hip. They’re standing too close.

Liam runs past us, but even he isn’t quick enough to stop Theo’s charge.

Theo’s fist slams into the Lion’s Head football player’s jaw, knocking him to the ground. He’s on top of him in an instant, his elbows snapping back. He delivers blow after blow to the poor sucker’s face.

“Fucking hell, Theo!” I yell.

People are noticing.

Eli and Liam haul Theo away, but it’s too late. The Lion’s Head football team swarms us. It’s only a second before the rest of the Emery-Rose football team, who had been celebrating, leap into the fray. I catch an elbow to my stomach. Eli swings wildly, getting people away from us.

And in the midst of all of this, Theo’s still struggling to get free from Eli and Liam. I push myself in front of him and slap him.

Theo’s eyes finally focus on me.

“Calm the fuck down,” I growl.

Eli drops Theo’s arm. “Riley and Margo.”

We’re in the center of a shitstorm. On the edges, I spot Coach Marzden yanking students off from each other. It’s become an all-out brawl. Not just angry or hyped-up football players, but the fans—students from both schools—as well.

“With me,” I order. I drive my shoulder to get through the crowd.

The four of us duck flying fists and elbows, bodies being hauled across the grass.

She’s not where I left her.

“Caleb!” she yells.

I spin around, searching. Someone hits me from behind, knocking me flat on my stomach. They’re gone in an instant, and Theo helps me up. The last thing my concussed head needs is another blow. He meets my gaze and nods once. He stays behind me, shoving people away.

“There.” He points toward the bleachers.

Students are running, and it takes me a second to realize why: the police have arrived.

Someone knocks into Margo, and she falls in slow motion.

I sprint toward her, shoving people out of my way. Screams follow us. The fighters realize the police are here, and suddenly everyone is sprinting past us. I tune it all out, focusing on getting to Margo.

She stands, and I arrive at her side a second later.

Eli reaches Riley, tugging her behind him.

“See you at Ian’s!” he calls.

I almost drag Margo after them, but there’s a higher chance we’ll get caught. Margo can’t get caught—they’d take her away for sure. Haul her in for questioning at the very least.

“You okay?” I ask her.

Theo is right behind me, still blocking us from getting hit.

“This is insane!”

I pick her up and put her on her feet. “Now’s not the time to dwell on it. Ready to run?”

She smiles. “This feels familiar.”

If I didn’t know better, I’d say she was delusional… but I do know her, and I know she’s referring to the time we ran through a field to hide from my father.

I pause. She had asked me about a field. But…

“Come on.” She takes a few quick steps backward. “They’re going to catch us, and the whole night will be ruined.”

What else can we do?

We run.

She goes toward the parking lot, but I grab her arm and steer her toward the woods bordering the school. There’s a path somewhere along here…

“This way!” Matt comes from our left, Hanna on his back.

Claire jogs beside him, worry coating her features. “The path is over here.”

We follow them along the tree line. The harsh lights from the police cars paint everything red and blue. It makes the earth weirdly pitted. Margo trips in a hole and latches on to my arm.

“Keep moving,” Matt yells.

He finds the path and veers into the woods.

“Hey, stop!”

They found us.

Margo’s palm is sweaty against mine, but I don’t let go. I can’t. She’s slow behind me, but it doesn’t matter. Matt and Claire have their phones out, flashlights illuminating the ground in front of us. All I can hear is Margo’s sharp pants.

I drag her to a halt. “Get on my back.”

“But—”

I drop to a knee. “Now.”

She jumps on, wrapping her arms around my shoulders.

“Try not to choke me.” I get to my feet. She’s light—we should’ve done this ten minutes ago. I take off after Matt.

Margo lets go with one hand, reaching back. Her phone flashlight comes on, giving me enough light to see the path.

I catch up to them quickly.

Constant vigilance. Something Margo’s dad used to say to me, trying to instill a general sense of awareness in my surroundings. The words ring in my ears. I glance around, trying to figure out where we are. It’s a cross-country running path—it has to lead back to the school eventually.

“This way,” Matt yells ahead of us. His light swings wildly.

We go onto a smaller path, mostly hidden by leaves. Ahead of us, Claire slips on loose stones and almost goes down.

“Where is he taking us?” Margo says in my ear.

“Somewhere the cops won’t find you,” I answer.

If she’s caught, it doesn’t matter if she was involved or not—they’d take her in. She’s in the system. She’s labeled a runaway. What next, a troublemaker?

Not on my watch.

Our jog turns into a walk, which turns into a climb.

And finally, we get to our destination. We’re dumped out of the woods into a clearing. I spin in a slow circle, taking in the view. The water tower that supplies half the town is on the opposite side of the field. But beyond that is nothing but treetops, the city lights flickering in the distance.

“Beautiful.” Margo wiggles until I release her thighs. She slides down my back. “We came all the way up here to escape the police?”

Matt puts Hanna back on her feet, and she rushes to Margo.

The two of them hug while Claire watches.

“How did you know this was up here, dude?” I ask Matt.

Theo and Liam didn’t come with us—I suspect they peeled off and caught a ride.

Matt grins and heads straight for the water tower. “Our team parties up here sometimes.” He unearths a cooler half hidden by brush. “Drink, anyone?”

“No,” Margo murmurs.

“I’ll pass, too,” I say. To Margo, I whisper, “Plenty of time for that later.”

She snorts.

Matt flips the cooler lid closed, shaking his head. “Just as well. It’s probably not cold.”

He types on his phone, then stuffs it back in his pocket.

“So, you two know each other?” Margo points from Claire to Matt.

“You told me to keep an eye on her.” He raises his bottle, tipping it toward Claire. “So that’s what I did.”

Margo doesn’t say anything, but her attention bounces between her foster sister and my friend. Trying to figure out a deeper connection? I don’t know. I’d believe Matt over the foster girl.

My phone buzzes, and I reach for it eagerly. Honestly, this is the last place Margo and I should be—with her foster siblings and my friend who has probably watched a spy-cam video of Margo and I fucking. But I can’t see a way out of here without being rude… or leaving Margo’s foster siblings with Matt.

I’m not that big of a dick.

Liam is calling me.

“Yeah?” I answer.

“That was fucking wild,” Liam hoots. “Police are gone. Coach sorted them out, although they hauled away like a dozen kids. Not sure how Theo got out—ow, okay, I guess the deputy recognized his last name—ow, fucking hell, Theo, stop⁠—”

I snicker.

“Shut it, Asher,” he says. “Where’d you go? Eli texted, said he and Riley would double back for you if you needed it.”

I exhale, motioning for Margo to come closer. “We’ll be at the parking lot in ten. Doesn’t matter who gives us a ride as long as someone waits for us.”

“Over and out,” Liam answers.

I stuff my phone back in my pocket.

“Cops are gone,” I tell them. “We’re going to head down.”

“Yeah, we’ll join you,” Matt agrees. “Wouldn’t want anyone getting lost.”

Claire leads the way, and Hanna slips her hand into Margo’s. My heart warms just a bit at the sight of the younger girl clinging to Margo. Of all the injustices, Hanna and Margo being separated seems like one of the worst.

And then Matt is beside me, and I glare at him.

“I’m just being friendly.” He raises his hands in surrender. “Not my fault she’s so damn pretty.”

I chuckle. “Don’t even think about it.”

“Whoa, whoa.” Matt’s eyebrows hike up. We both turn on our flashlights. “Think about what?”

I sigh. “I’m gonna do this even though I might puke after. They’re Margo’s sisters. You can’t fuck with them.”

“Them? Buddy, my eye is just on Claire. And if she wants what I’m giving…”

“Don’t make me punch you.” I glance ahead, then pull him slower. “Any update on you-know-who?”

He groans. “No. It’s been maddeningly frustrating. No activity. I think they know their figurine was found and they’re lying low.”

“Keep an eye on it,” I tell him. And then I break away, jogging to catch up with Margo.

I’ve had enough people-ing for the day.