Page 47 of Annika's Aurora

“Aren’t they the ones who rescued Marcus Rayne?”

“Yup. Logan’s one of them. He was there that day.”

Her eyes went wide in awe. “Seriously?”

“Seriously.”

“Cool!”

“Macey,” her mother called. “Ready to go?”

Macey gave Annika another hug. “Thanks, Miss Northrup.”

“Anytime, Macey.” The five of them walked to their cars together. It was a nice day. Even with the chill in the air, the sun was shining, warming her. Annika felt suddenly lighter.

“What are your plans for the rest of the day?” Mrs. Hoffsteader asked her when they reached the cars.

“I have to stop by the school. I need some things from my classroom.” Unfortunately, she didn’t have a choice. The things she needed were personal to her. She didn’t want someone else going through those.

“Have you been back since …”

“No.” And she was dreading it.

“I’m sorry. Do you need help?” Annika was shocked she would offer. She didn’t think anyone would want to see where their daughter was killed.

“Thank you, but I have Logan. You guys go out and enjoy the day.”

“If you ever need anything, let us know.” She gave Annika one final hug. “You are family to us now.” Annika was too choked up to reply. They said their goodbyes as Logan held the car door open for her. She kissed him on the cheek before sitting.

Her principal, Scott Macrone, met her at the doors to the school when they arrived. He escorted them to her classroom. “Nobody’s been inside except to clean it. Everything should be just as you left it.”

“Thank you, Scott,” she said as he unlocked her door.

“Come find me when you’re done. I have some things to discuss with you.”

“Sure. I shouldn’t be too long.”

He patted her shoulder. “Take all the time you need.”

Facing the door she’d never thought she’d open again, she hesitated, her heart pounding in her chest. She reached for Logan’s hand while she placed her other hand on the knob. It was like the car door all over again.

Just open the door,youbig nimrod. Nothing can hurt youin thereanymore.

Logan placed his hand over hers on the knob so that together they turned it. Everything was the same, except everything was different. Someone had indeed cleaned up. Desks were back in their neat rows. Papers and books cleaned up. Backpacks removed.

Annika moved to the little couch at the front of the room and peered over it, half expecting to still see the blood. “It looks like nothing even happened in here.”

“This is the couch? Where were you?”

Annika inhaled deeply and let it out slowly. She moved around to the other side and stood in front of the couch that she had squeezed between her desk and the smart board’s computer console. She pointed down at the floor. “Here. Strange that there’s nothing left.”

“I half expected to see something too. Fuck, Annika, I came so close to losing you,” he whispered, staring at the floor. “I can’t believe I let my own insecurities drive me away from you. I should have been here for you. If you had died, I might never have known. But I wonder if I would have felt it somehow. I’ve missed so much; it kills me. All the pain you went through over the years, I should have been there for you.” The anguish in his eyes nearly unraveled the tight knot she was keeping on her emotions. It killed her to see him in so much pain.

“You’re here for me now. That’s what is important. Remember? We are letting go of our past mistakes.”

He placed his palm against her cheek. “You’re right. Sorry. Momentary weakness. Besides, this isn’t about me. What do you need?”

“Just your company. I need to get a few things from my desk. Letters and cards and things that some of my students have given me over the years.” She went behind her desk and started rummaging through the drawers looking for the folder where she kept all the personal letters she’d received. Finding it in the bottom drawer, she pulled it out and placed it on top of the desk. The inbox she kept on her desk for class assignments caught her eye. She stared at it, remembering. Suzanna had just turned in her latest writing assignment that day, which meant it was probably still in there.

---