Page 85 of Science Project

My tires squealed against the pavement as I blew through the Stop sign before the main road. I headed around the back side of Redwood Academy and found my way to the main entrance of the stadium.

Students poured out of the gate that led into the bleachers and spilled out onto the sidewalks, running to their cars parked on the side of the road, behind the school, and in the lots. I spotted Allie clutching Imani’s hand, looking around as if they didn’t know where to go.

I pulled to the side of the road a few feet ahead of them and rolled down the passenger window in an attempt to get their attention. Allie might’ve hated me, but I didn’t want to see them get trampled in this mess, or worse …

Like let the Redwood Police take advantage of them during this situation.

“Get in!” I shouted at them. “You’ll freeze out there.”

Allie stopped, almost tripping over her own two feet into Imani, and widened her eyes. Then, her surprised eyes turned to anger, and she continued hurrying down the sidewalk with Imani, away from Redwood—not even toward Imani’s car, parked in the lot.

“We’re not going anywhere with you,” Allie said.

I sped up enough to catch up with them, barely dodging students. “Get in, Allie. Jace is looking for you.”

Alarms and sirens blared behind us. Allie took one last look at the stadium, then at Imani, and then she yanked open the passenger door and slid into the front seat with me. Imani took the back.

“This doesn’t make us friends,” Allie said.

“Fine by me,” I said, slamming my foot on the accelerator. “Poison’s place it is.”

It was the only place that I thought would be safe.

“I am literally going to kill them!” Imani exclaimed from the back. “Murder!”

“Who?” I asked, looking in the rearview mirror at her pouty expression.

“Who do you think?!” Imani flared her nostrils. “Poison, obviously.”

“You think they did it?” Allie asked, looking over her shoulder.

“Of course! Do you know how big of a target they’ve put on our backs now?!” Imani crossed her arms, gritted her teeth, and glared out the window. “It’s bad enough that I have to deal with Akio’s parents. Now this?!”

“Akio’s parents?”

“His mom is crazy! She almost killed my parents the other day.”

“What?!” Allie and I exclaimed at the same time.

Imani widened her eyes and smacked her mouth closed. “Nothing.”

When I pulled up to a red light, I glanced back at Imani. “She did?”

“No!” Imani said. “It was nothing. Just drive!”

After arching my brow, I stayed silent and continued to dodge the crazy students and worried parents all through Redwood. Roads were blocked off for some reason with police cars, so I took the long way around Redwood in order to avoid Pick or any other officer tonight.

Especially Dad.

Usually, Dad worked on nights I cheered, which meant that I sometimes had the night off. And I really didn’t want to be dragged in the middle of this during an off night. I wanted to find Akio and try to talk him out of doing whatever he was planning to do to Pick.

Allie tried to get more information out of Imani, who decided to zip her lips closed. I pulled up to another stoplight and took out my phone from my purse to text Jace to meet us at Poison’s place.

But there were more messages from Dad.

Dad: Did you have anything to do with this?

Dad: Was this Jace’s doing?

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