Brooke had texted from Lily’s number.

Can you meet by old field? I need show you something before counselor meeting.

Amara went.

No one knew.

Lily’s phone had been taken from her gym bag during PE.

By time Amara realized, Tessa was behind her.

Paige blocked path.

Five against one.

They did not beat her.

That was almost worse.

They controlled.

Grabbed arms.
Took phone.
Dragged her forty yards beyond field to oak.

Brooke:
“We just want video.”

Amara:
“You already got in trouble.”

“Because of you.”

“No. Because you filmed people.”

“Open phone.”

“No.”

They tied wrists behind trunk.

Then waist.

Not legs.

Brooke said:

“You’ll stay until you unlock.”

Amara:
“Someone will find.”

Sloane:
“No one comes here.”

Megan:
“We can just take phone to tech store.”

Brooke:
“Shut up.”

Paige opened Amara’s bag.

“Maybe she sent video.”

Amara:
“There is no video.”

Brooke:
“You had bathroom clip.”

“I had screenshot Lily sent.”

“You sent to school.”

“Yes.”

“Delete.”

“They have copy.”

Brooke stared.

That ruined plan.

Tessa:
“Then what are we doing?”

Good question.

Now reality arrived.

She looked at Amara.

“Who else knows?”

“No one.”

“Your sister?”

“No.”

“Parents?”

“No.”

Brooke smiled again.

“Good.”

Amara regretted instantly.

Never tell bullies you are isolated.

Megan:
“Brooke, this is kidnapping.”

Brooke:
“No, it’s not.”

Sloane:
“She came voluntarily.”

Amara laughed.

“That is not how kidnapping works.”

Paige:
“Stop saying.”

Megan:
“My dad will kill me.”

Tessa:
“Then leave.”

Megan did not.

Cowardice can keep people in groups as effectively as loyalty.

Brooke crouched in front Amara.

“You’re going to message counselor.”

“How?”

“Unlock phone.”

“No.”

“You’ll say Lily lied and you overreacted.”

“No.”

“You’ll say screenshot fake.”

“No.”

Brooke’s eyes hardened.

“You think Amina makes you untouchable.”

Amara:
“I didn’t mention her.”

“You always have her.”

That was the strange thing.

Amara spent years resenting comparison.

Brooke resented the existence of someone who might come when Amara needed.

Amara said:

“You’re scared of my sister.”

Tessa laughed too loudly.

“No one scared.”

Amara looked at her.

“You are.”

Tessa grabbed front hoodie.

“Say again.”

Amara:
“You’re scared.”

Tessa slapped her.

Not hard enough to injure.

Hard enough to make point.

Megan:
“Tessa!”

Brooke:
“Stop.”

Amara tasted blood where tooth cut cheek.

She smiled.

“You just proved.”

Tessa raised hand again.

Brooke caught wrist.

“No marks.”

Amara:
“Too late.”

Sloane:
“We need go.”

Brooke checked time.

2:17.

School final bell at 2:35.

They had assumed they had at least ninety minutes before Amina could notice.

They were wrong.

At 2:05, a faulty fire alarm emptied the science wing.

Amina Cole stood outside the chemistry building with the rest of her class and pulled out her phone.