I spent the rest of the morning pretending nothing had happened.
It was harder than it sounded.
Every time someone walked behind me, I turned.
Every time I heard my name, my stomach tightened.
And every time I saw a teacher, I wondered what they knew.
Especially Mr. Hale.
By lunch, Maya had noticed.
“You've checked the hallway six times.”
“I have not.”
“Seven.”
I sighed.
Ethan sat across from us, barely touching his food.
“He's avoiding us,” he said.
I looked at him.
“Who?”
“Mr. Hale.”
Maya nodded.
“Definitely.”
I lowered my voice.
“He said something strange.”
“What?”
I glanced around before answering.
“He said we were wrong about the fifth student.”
Maya's expression changed.
“Wrong how?”
“I don't know.”
Ethan leaned closer.
“Did he say anything else?”
“He said
