Page 56 of Stop and Seek
He opened his mouth to shoot off some lame-ass comeback, when someone grabbed his elbow.
His head fuckingspunwhen he turned.
Don’t be Jagger.
God, please, let it not be Jagger.
I can’t handle this right now.
Not Jagger.
Noah.
“What…” Theo trailed off. Shaking his head, he yanked his arm free. “What do you want?”
“I need to know if—”
“Can I have all my adorable hiders gather?” Decker announced, and Theo had never been more grateful to hear his annoying voice.
“Good luck,” Alyssa whispered, her hand on his back.
Noah hadn’t moved, though. He was doing thing again—the same thing Max did earlier. That dead-eyed stare like he was trying to peel back layers of skin to see what was underneath. Eye fucking someone was one thing. Visually unzipping someone’sfleshwas another.
The whole thing gave Theo goosebumps.
“Move,” Theo said. Of course, his voice cracked. Becausethatwas his life.
For a split second, it was like a light went off in Noah’s head.
“Are you good?” Noah asked.
Theo almost laughed.
Good?Good?
No, thanks. I’m four seconds away from having a mental crisis.
Noah must have taken the fucking silence as an answer, because he didn’t say another word when Max hauled him over to the bleachers.
Max whispered something to him, and Noah gave herthis lookbefore he grinned.She didn’t smile back.
It was like high school all over again. Where everyone seemed to be in on some joke Theo wasn’t a part of. Either that or hewasthe joke. He hated both options.
Rubbing his hands over his arms, he mentally willed Decker to talk faster, but the hyper prick was droning on about eliminated people, the next rounds….
Start the game already.
When the pop gun sounded, Theo couldn’t get out of the gymnasium fast enough. He raced down the two sets of stairs that led to the freshman wing they’d sectioned off when he started.
Halfway down the second one, someone shoved him forward and he stumbled, catching the locker before he went down. When he gathered his balance, he saw Benji hauling ass in the opposite direction.
Good. He didn’t want company, anyway.
Normal shit. Focus on the normal shit.
Where the fuck was her room?
Mrs. Bean’s. That damn chemistry teacher.
