Six Little Secrets(12)

‘That’s the dumbest thing I ever heard,’ Zoe said under her breath.

Jackie whirled on her. ‘What did you say?’

Q chuckled. ‘Girl fight!’

Zoe rolled her eyes. ‘Why would a teacher prank his students? I’m sure he has better things to do.’

‘Yeah, like getting to know his students on a more personal level,’ Jackie said with a smirk.

Zoe narrowed her eyes.

Jackie glanced around as if feeling the attention on her, milking it for all it was worth. ‘I hear he likes to spend his free time getting close with his students.’

‘That’s disgusting,’ Teddy said.

Zoe’s heart started to race as Jackie’s attention focused on the person sitting next to her.

‘Holly, would you know anything about that?’ Jackie asked with mock innocence.

‘I have no idea what you’re talking about,’ Holly said. ‘But I suggest you shut your mouth.’

Zoe noticed the slight hunch in Holly’s shoulders and her inability to look Jackie in the eyes. That made the hairs on her arms stand up.

‘Don’t you?’ Jackie asked. ‘I’ve heard otherwise.’

Holly sucked in a breath through her teeth. ‘You may have the rest of the school trembling in their shoes when you come around. But I’m not like them. I suggest you take your accusations elsewhere. You never know what might happen.’

Jackie stood up. ‘Are you threatening me?’

Holly lifted her chin. ‘If I were threatening you, you’d know.’

‘Will everyone stop arguing, please?’ Cece hissed.

With everything going on, Zoe almost forgot that Cece was next.

Cece still hadn’t said anything since Zoe gave her the paper. The instructions were on the back. What if it was another time-sensitive one?

Jackie and Holly held a silent staring contest for a few more moments before turning to Cece.

‘What does it say?’ Teddy asked, leaning forward in his chair.

‘Yeah, spill, princess,’ Q said.

‘If I don’t read it, then it doesn’t exist,’ Cece said as if she were trying to convince herself more than them.

‘Sure it does,’ Holly said.

‘Mine had a time limit,’ Teddy added. ‘I would turn yours over to check.’

‘Yeah,’ Jackie said. ‘Maybe your time is already up.’

Cece chewed on her lower lip for a minute as if it were gum.

Zoe’s hand twitched. She was as curious as the rest.

Then, Cece turned the paper over.





CHAPTER SIX




ZOE


Like Teddy, Cece read the note to herself. Her eyes darted quickly over the message. The wait made Zoe’s skin prickle with anticipation. When Cece finally looked up, she glanced at the clock on the wall over the door.

‘What does it say?’ Jackie asked.

Cece grimaced. ‘This is disgusting. I’m not doing it.’ She crumpled the paper in her hand, tears brimming in her eyes.

Here we go, Zoe thought. With her default to crying, the paper could have said anything. While they weren’t sure what had happened to Teddy’s bank account, whatever task Cece had, it couldn’t have been that bad. Right?

‘You can’t leave us hanging like that,’ Q said.

‘Can’t I?’ Cece snapped.

‘I shared with all of you,’ Teddy said. ‘Now it’s your turn.’

‘I don’t have to do anything.’ Cece shoved her chair back and stood. ‘I’m telling Mr. Curtis. This is obviously someone’s idea of a sick joke, and I won’t be a part of it.’

‘No!’ Zoe said, a little too loudly. ‘Teddy’s right. We have to follow the rules. No one outside this table.’

‘Since when were you appointed task-master?’ Q asked.

‘I’m not,’ Zoe said, tugging at her sleeves.

‘She’s a strict rule follower,’ Teddy said. His tone was light, but the remark made Zoe squirm in her seat.

He didn’t know her anymore, so it annoyed her that he was right.

Cece wiped at her eyes. ‘Teddy had a stupid book with money inside. This person wants me naked.’

‘What?’ Jackie asked.

‘This is my kind of mission,’ Q said, rubbing his hands together.

‘Grow up,’ Holly said to Q.

‘No,’ Cece said.

‘I’ll read it,’ Q said, opening his hand to her.

‘Not you,’ Cece said, turning her pleading eyes to the rest of the group.

‘Let me see,’ Zoe said.

Cece thrust the note into Zoe’s hand and then crossed her arms over her chest as if keeping her promise to herself about not removing her clothes.

Zoe took a breath, and read the note over once before reading it aloud.

It was as bad as Cece made it out. Zoe swallowed and read, ‘Vulnerability. That’s what I need from you. You hide behind your money and clothes. So what if you had none of those? Strip down and post a picture for your followers to see. Or else I’ll send another vulnerable moment to the two who matter most. There’s a laptop set up in the biography section of the library. You have twenty minutes.’