Page 103 of Science Project

“I’m sitting with my”—I didn’t have any friends, but I desperately needed them—“friends.” The word came out as a whisper, and I didn’t know if Allie would ever consider me a friend. I swung my backpack onto my lap and fished around inside it. “I have something that might help prove myself to you.”

Allie leaned closer to me. “You don’t have to. They believe you.”

But it didn’t seem like they did. Had spending time with her … changed their minds?

“I spent all night trying to find it on my father’s computer. I’m not going to let all my hard work go to waste. I just … I need a place to crash for a couple of nights. As soon as my dad gets home from work tonight, he’s going to know that I went in there.”

Everyone stayed quiet, and I pleaded with Hannah—if she was watching down on me—to convince someone to offer up a place to stay. Allie and Jace’s place was off-limits because he had a crazy father, too, but … I just needed to get away from Dad.

And hide.

“You can stay at my place, but what’s on the flash drive? Why do you need it?” Jamal asked.

“It’s”—my stomach twisted into knots—“a video of my father and me.” I handed the flash drive to Kai. “If you can’t find anything incriminating on my father, use this. I want this to be over as quickly as possible. I don’t want any of you guys getting hurt anymore.”

After pulling out his computer, he stuffed the flash drive into the USB port. The screen reflected off his glasses as his eyes widened, and he almost immediately snapped the computer closed and looked around the cafeteria. “You’re not fucking with us.”

Tears welled up in my eyes, but I stayed strong for Akio. It was our only chance.

“Please, use that. I don’t want any of the other girls to have a video of them leaked or … something worse. If you can incriminate him with this, then do what you need to.”

Kai leaned closer. “Nicole, this is a video of your father mol?—”

“I know it is,” I snapped. “It fucking happened to me. I don’t need to relive it. Do what you have to do with it and fucking destroy that fucking bastard, so he doesn’t hurt anyone else like he has me.”

Everyone at the table stayed silent, and suddenly, Allie rubbed my shoulder. Tears slipped down my cheeks, but I quickly pushed them away. I couldn’t cry right now. I had cried for so many nights, so many weeks.

I was tired of being weak. Akio needed me.

Allie rested her head on my shoulder. “Thank you, Nicole. You don’t know how much we needed this right now. Jace and I are in your debt.”

I didn’t know why, nor could I find it in me to ask.

“No, you’re not,” I said. “I did this so nobody else will get hurt or used by the Redwood Police or disgusting old teachers who have nothing else to do than jerk off to underage students.”

Another few moments passed by, and more students—friends of Allie and Imani—dropped by the table. I shifted uncomfortably and leaned toward Kai, who stared down at his closed laptop, concerned.

“Can I talk to you privately?” I whispered.

João and Landon peered at each other, but Kai stood without giving them a second glance. His jaw was clenched, and he slipped off the bench. I set down my backpack and followed him out of the cafeteria and down a hallway.

“Where’s Akio?” he asked before I could say a word. “He never misses school.”

“Please, help me,” I whispered, my voice cracking and lips trembling. “They have him.”

“Who?”

“His mother has Akio down by the beach,” I said, my shoulders bucking forward. I wrapped my arms around myself. “I … I don’t know what they’re doing to him, but my dad took me down there, and they forced Akio to watch him rape me.”

Kai sucked in a breath. “Fuck.”

“I don’t have any money to give you, but I have no one else to ask.” Tears burst from my eyes, and a sob left my mouth. “I don’t want to beg, but I will. I can’t do it myself. There are too many of them, and I … my father has hurt me really badly. I … I can’t … I …”

“We’ll help.”

“Please, I …” My eyes widened. “What?”

“We’ll help,” Kai said. “I don’t like Akio, but we owe him.”

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