Page 69 of Harmony

A knock on my bedroom door startles me.

“Everything okay?” Jacob asks from the door.

“Yeah. Stressed from school work you know.”

He nods. “Anything I can help with?”

He takes a step into the room, looking genuinely concerned.

“Unless you know calculus, I think I’m screwed.”

He considers me a moment. “I’m in honors trigonometry. I took calculus last year. I’m sure I can give it a shot.”

I bite my lip, unsure what to do now. I don’t have time to pretend to be dumb at math. I need to figure out a plan.

He reaches out and touches my hand. “You can trust me, you know. I regret that I wasn’t here when Henry attacked you. I would have beaten his ass myself if he hadn’t disappeared. I think you have your boyfriend to thank for that, but I can’t say for sure.”

I cock my head. “What do you mean?”

He shrugs. “I saw Nate hanging around after you came home with all those bruises. He had a heated conversation with Henry, then he disappeared. I figured you knew about it.”

I shake my head. “No. I didn’t.”

“Well, I’m here for you. Even if it’s just helping you with calculus.”

I give him a bright smile as an idea forms. Jacob has already been helping them get to me. He has proven that he is on my side. Why can’t I trust him?

“Okay, then help me.”

I gesture to my bed, picking up the forgotten textbook. When I received the text, all thoughts of my current task of homework were long forgotten.

He takes a seat next to me, leaning against the headboard. I pull my notebook out, writing out a message.

There are eyes and ears everywhere. I need a favor, but it’s not safe to talk.

He nods. “Yeah, this one is easy. Why don’t you try it first and I’ll look it over?”

I let out the breath I was holding.

I need you to deliver a message to Willow at the Rockford’s.

He glances over, stopping me before I even finish. “You did that wrong. Here. This is what you’re looking for.”

Are you in danger?

He writes, glancing up at me. I shake my head no. He continues his note.

Write the note then.

“I see what I did wrong. Okay, let me try the next one.”

I write down at the bottom of the page.

Old energy plant at six pm. Bring the calvary. Comet.

Then below it, I add for Jacob.

Go to your girlfriend’s house. Wait thirty minutes, then leave with her. Drive around for a couple minutes before delivering.

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