Zomet

er best to put on a brave face. But inside, she was

Alice called out. "You o

a smile, "Yea

ath formulas, but she couldn't focus. She kept glancing over at the

der the desk. "Earth to Zomet!

snapped back

d, trying to smile again. "

're about to jump out of your skin," her friend John said, leaning

. She couldn't te

insisted. "Just a lot on m

a hand on Zomet's arm. "Look, Zomet, if there's something going

by their concern. "I know, guys," she

cleared his throat. "Zomet, can I speak wit

ice steady as she approa

e was listening. "Zomet, I know you've been t

beat. Did he know? Was h

fe. And discreet. You don't want the wrong

id know. She felt like the wa

he whispered, trying

rtain people have been asking questions about

sick. "What do you want from me?" sh

said coldly. "But I do want to protect the school's reputation. I sugges

alked back to her seat, she could fe

t and headed straight for the door. She needed to get out of there

ad settled in her stomach. What if the teacher had already con

e area for any sign of danger. But she saw no

as stopped by her friend Kate. "Zomet, wait up!" Kate called out, jogging to catch up. "Hey, are you doing oka

ried to

lied. "Just...you know, fam

tuff? But I thought your family was..." she

Zomet told her that her parents died in an accident), but she didn't want to talk a

go," Zomet continued. "

y, but...you know, if you ever want to

le. "Thanks, Kate.

ty for lying to her friend. But what choice did she

f, she spotted Fiona waiting for her. Fiona was her best

n she saw Zomet's pale f

asked urgently. "You look

sigh. "I nearly did,"

s. "What do you mean?" she asked

g to relive the events of the previous n

. "The mafia found me. They were going to ki

a ga

ly, anticipating Fiona's curiosity. "I just got away as fast as I could. But he told me som

never heard of him," she said, chewing her

My last experience with the cops was a disaster. They didn't belie

hink of something else," she said. "And to do that, I need you to t

nd. "The mafia was running a drug operation, and I called the cops on them. They arrested some o

me who ratted them out, they went after me. They killed my parents for

careful. Revenge might sound satisfying, but it's not worth risking

, Fiona, but I can't just sit back and do nothing. My parents died f

r head, clearl

ice pleading. "You're like a sister t

stening with unshed tears. "I know," she

back to her makeshift hideout, her mind wh

m the trees. The man reached for his phone, dialing a number. 'Target's loca

about to sell her out to the mafia. And the man, her own teacher, had been quie

with all the events of the day, she heard a loud crash

out was thrown open, and she was face-to-face wi