Ace of Spades Sneak Peek(42)

I think with everything going on and the rate at which my heart has been going, it seems natural causes could very well be the reason for my death.

“Give me yours,” she says, holding her hand out. I take my bag off and reach inside, rummaging through books and papers, before feeling the cold metal of the USB. I grab it and give it to her.

She plugs mine in and it does the same.

“No no no no no!” I hear her mutter.

She hits the computer, then puts her face in her hands.

“The USBs were a setup,” she says. “Aces planted them on us. There must be something in the coding that destroys the files once they’ve been viewed.”

I swallow. “Why give us the information?”

“To confuse us? Or, I don’t know, make us scared of what the other person has seen…” She squints at me a little, like she’s searching my mind for what I saw.

I think back to the file labeled Murderer. I wonder if that has anything to do with it.

She stands, shutting the computer down. “I don’t know why, or how, but…” She pauses, lowering her voice now. “I think someone is trying to get us expelled.”

“Scotty and Jack too,” I add.

Chiamaka looks confused.

“Who’s Jack?”

“The other guy Aces blasted,” I say as I get my phone out, showing her the message. “Jack McConnel.”

She shakes her head. “I didn’t get that. I don’t think anyone I know got that either.”

That doesn’t make sense … Thinking back, I don’t remember there being the usual sea of text alerts when I got the message. Was I the only person who did? Why?

“So what do we do? How do we not get expelled?” I ask her. This is starting to feel very real. Even more real than before.

“I don’t know.” Chiamaka pinches her nose and sighs. “I need to go home and think. I’ll be in touch,” she says. Then she moves past me and disappears through the dark oak double doors, leaving me here with my thoughts.

Alone.





PART TWO


X MARKS THE SPOT





16


CHIAMAKA

Tuesday


It’s unexpected—Belle approaching me on my walk home.

I do a lot of that now—walking. Since the accident, I haven’t been able to drive without having a full-blown panic attack. It’s funny—last year I begged my parents for a car, and now I can’t even bring myself to drive it.

“Hi,” she says, startling me out of my depressing thoughts about the USB I found in my locker and Ward taking my badge.

I don’t say anything to her at first, because I feel like I’m hallucinating her being here. Why would she be talking to me? I extend my hand slightly, reaching out to touch her, make sure she’s real. But I stop myself, in case she is real and thinks I’m weird for doing that.

“Hello,” I say back.

“I was a bit harsh to you yesterday … I’m sorry,” she says—which is even weirder, because it should be me apologizing. I mean, I did sleep with her boyfriend and then lie about it, even if I didn’t know they were going out when Jamie and I were still sneaking around.

“I came to ask about your side of the story. I always told myself that if there was ‘another woman,’ I wouldn’t do the basic thing and fight the girl and not the guy, but that’s exactly what I did.”

Belle’s cheeks are dusted pink from the cold, her blond curls trapped beneath a gray beret. Her eyes look so open and kind, but I can’t help feeling strange about this. Why does she suddenly want to talk to me after everything? Especially now that someone is trying to get me kicked out, and especially since Belle is also applying to Yale, which, in the entire history of our school, has only accepted one applicant each year. I know it sounds stalkerish but I did some digging on my Yale competition months ago—I wasn’t being creepy or anything. I just needed to know who I’m up against.

“Truthfully…,” I start, stopping to think about whether telling her anything would make matters worse. “I did like Jamie, and it’s silly because it should have been clear to me that it was just sex—”

Okay, way too truthful, reel it in a little.

“But he was my best friend. I should have known he didn’t like me like that.”

Belle shakes her head. “Then why would he sleep with you? I want to believe that this is one-sided and blame you, but I can’t.”

I don’t know what she wants me to say.

“You should blame me and move on. It’s easier that way. I can’t explain anything Jamie ever does.”

I try walking ahead but she catches up to me.

“Who initiated things between you two?”

“He did,” I say, blinking fast. “But we both did it, and I wanted to. I can’t tell you what his reasons were, but I wanted to be with him, so why would I say no? I felt like things could work out for us somehow … then he tells me he’s with you now and that it meant nothing, and I feel like I mean nothing and I—” Once I start, I can’t stop. There’s a pressure in my chest, like I have had this weight here forever. “That’s just who Jamie is.”

Belle looks at me, shocked.