Page 31 of Tess, Property of Blaze

“Yeah, that bad, brother.”

“Fuck!” I grunt, then sink down on the bed, facing him. “Okay, hit me with it.”

Just as Tracker’s opening his mouth to talk, another knock sounds on the other side of the door. I send Tracker an apologetic look and stand and open the door. “Hey, Hawke, what’s up?”

“Prez is calling church,” is all Hawke says.

I raise my eyebrows. “Now?”

Hawke looks into the room. Noticing Tracker standing there, he nods over to him, and Tracker nods back. “Yeah, now. You too, Tracker.”

“Tell Prez we’ll be there in a sec,” I say, looking back over to Tracker, not liking the look on his face.

“When Prez says now, we know he means it. Now get your asses out there,” Hawke says, pointing his thumb behind him to the doorway.

I inhale, resisting the urge to ignore Hawke’s order.

“Fine, we’re coming,” Tracker says, like he’s reading my mind. Disobeying Prez and a call to attend church was an idiot move, one I wasn’t about to do despite wanting to know what had Tracker all serious.

Hawke turns and leaves the room, and Tracker follows, but before he exits, he turns toward me and presses the file he’s been holding into my chest. “I’m sorry, bro.” My eyebrows pinch together as I look down at the file and Tracker’s hand. “Wish you didn’t have to find out like this,” he adds, then removes his hand and walks away, leaving the file in my hand.

Everything in me wants to open it and have a quick glance at its contents, but Prez has called church and I need to go. I quickly walk to my bed and place the file on top, knowing I’ll be back to take a look at it right after church finishes.

After one last glance at the plain-looking folder sitting on top of my black comforter, I turn and exit my room, slamming the door shut behind me before heading to church.

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