Page 66 of We Thought We Were Invincible
“Oh, thank God,” Jamie said when the knob turned and the door swung open.
We weren't the first ones in there. Two freshman girls I recognized were huddled together near a junior boy. Three senior boys followed us in and shut the door.
“Turn off the lights,” I said, remembering our lock down drills.
They obeyed.
I expected to feel calmer out of the gym, but with nothing left to do, that one word rang in my head.Gun!
I ducked past the rows of lockers, feeling my way in the dark, until I was alone and let out a sob. Jamie came up behind me, wrapping his arms around my shoulders, squeezing hard. He buried his face in my back.
“Are you okay?” His voice trembled.
Before I could answer, two bangs pierced the well cultivated safety of our lives. I jumped in Jamie's arms before my legs gave out and I slid to the ground, my knees banging into the concrete. Cries came from the other end of the locker-room, but they barely registered. I choked out a sob as Jamie sat in front of me, pulling me into his lap.
A tear dripped onto my cheek and when I looked up, he too was crying.
“Shhhh,” he soothed, his voice thick. “It's going to be okay.”
His words were empty. We both knew it. But they were the words that had to be said.
A few more moments passed and when the third shot sounded, I didn't even jump. I curled tighter against Jamie. He kissed my head, my cheek, the corner of my mouth.
I couldn't tell you how long we sat there in the dark, waiting for more gunfire, listening only to the quiet sobs of the locker-room's other inhabitants.
“What do you think is happening?” I whispered.
“I wish I hadn't left my phone on the table out there.”
“This damn dress had nowhere to put mine.”
“Did I tell you how hot you look in it?” he asked, running a hand down my bare leg.
“Jamie,” I warned.
“Why couldn't you have just stayed home tonight?” he sighed. “You and Colby both.”
“Colby. Did you see him before we got out?”
“No.” He blew out a heavy breath. “I wish you were safe.”
“How could I stay home after that story you wrote about us? I think you actually like me.”
“Oh, Callie girl, I think I actually love you.”
I didn't have time to process his words because there were loud footsteps in the hall outside the locker-room. We all held our collective breaths, not releasing them until the sound was gone.
I shook in Jamie's arms and he hugged me so hard I almost couldn't breathe. “It's going to be okay,” he whispered again. I didn't know if he was telling me or himself.
Colby was out there. I didn't know where. I'd dragged him here, putting him in danger. Had I really only been worried about him finding out about me and Jamie hours ago? Why did that even matter?
Minutes or hours or, hell, days passed in that room before we heard footsteps again. They stopped outside the room.
Time stood still.
The door opened, spilling light in from the hall.
The overhead light was flipped on, revealing two people with SWAT printed across their chests. The man yelled behind him, “We have some in here.”
