Page 68 of Science Project

“So?” Imani asked, eyebrows arched. “What happened?”

Once my mother regained her composure—because nobody talked to her like that, except me—Mom smiled too widely at Imani and continued eating her steak. “Nothing, sweetie.” She sent daggers my way with her pointed gaze. “Why do you think something happened?”

“Because Kai Koh’s parents are both dead,” Imani said.

Fuck, Imani! Why can’t you keep your mouth closed?!

“Why do you think we had something to do with it?” Mom asked her.

Imani’s nostrils flared.

“Imani,” her mother said harshly, “stop it.”

Pissed off, Imani pushed out of her chair and leaned over the table with her hands posted on it. “People like you won’t get away with everything. Whatever you did to them, you will pay for it one day.”

“Are you threatening me?” Mom asked her, wiping her lips.

Imani held her intense stare. “Yes.”

Oh my fucking God. I can’t have one normal day of my life, can I?

Mom gave a shrill laugh as Imani walked out of the room and into the kitchen.

“Akio, why don’t you take care of your friend?” Mom said, smiling like she wanted to finish with, Before I have to.

After pushing back my chair, I hurried into the other room and shut the door behind me. “What are you doing?! You can’t say stuff like?—”

Before I could finish my sentence, Imani grabbed her keys from her purse and walked to the back door like she hadn’t just said what she said, like she didn’t fear the punishment that my mother would give her. “Come on.”

Because there would be consequences.

After groaning, I shrugged on my coat and followed after her. I wanted to meet Nicole tonight, to apologize for freezing up and to tell her that I might possibly feel the same way as her, but that wouldn’t happen if I stayed at dinner any longer with Mom. She’d probably want me to do something for her after this. Then, I’d have to watch her splatter blood everywhere.

I shoved my hands into my pockets and grabbed something large and?—

As Imani headed toward her car, I stopped and pulled a gun—a fucking gun—out of my jacket pocket. Mom must’ve placed it there when she got here this evening. I opened it up to see one of the bullets was gone and gritted my teeth.

That damn woman had probably killed a man and stuffed the weapon in my jacket.

I hated her.

Once I shoved it back into my jacket, I climbed into Imani’s car. Instead of chatting it up like she usually did, Imani stayed quiet the entire ride around Redwood. Never once opening her mouth to ask any questions.

She knew that I knew what my parents had done to Kai’s. That was why Kai had especially had it out for me lately. Not only was I friends with Imani—the girl he and his crew liked—but my parents had caused that motorcycle accident that killed his father. And the drugs his mother bought after it to cope with the pain … Mom had sold them to her.

After taking a spin downtown, Imani drove around Main Street and looked out at the dark ocean. Restaurants and shops were filled with the Redwood rich. I stared out the window and scanned for Nicole.

I needed to apologize.

But instead of Nicole, I saw a woman walking with a big, burly man.

Suddenly, like she wanted to kill us, Imani slammed on the brakes. My body moved forward, but the seat belt caught me before I could fly through the windshield. The car behind us laid on its horn, and Imani finally turned on the blinker and pulled to the side of the road.

“What the hell are you doing?” I asked, yanking on my seat belt.

“João’s mother,” she said, like I was supposed to know what the hell that meant.

Suddenly, Imani jumped out of the car and began following the woman and the man. I cursed underneath my breath and exited the car, an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach. Poison was doing nothing but corrupting Imani, making her more insane than she was.

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