The Next Morning

Naia's POV

"Are you sure you want to go to school?" Gabby asked me for what seemed like the millionth time. It reminded me of how Megan would keep asking the same question over and over again.

I nodded. "Yes, I'm sure." I was currently making my lunch (a turkey sandwich) so there really was no turning back.

"After school, just walk to the firehouse, alright?" Matt asked.

"Sounds good," I slid the sandwich into a Ziploc bag and tossed that into my lunch bag along with an apple and a granola bar. "You're going back to work?"

Matt smiled, "If you're going back to school, there's no reason that Gabby and I shouldn't go back to work."

"True," I replied and put my lunch bag into my backpack. I had showered last night so I didn't have to this morning. I had also eaten breakfast so I brushed my teeth and my hair. After I had tied my hair back into a low ponytail, I went to my room and changed into a sweater and a pair of jeans. I was ready to leave when I saw the bloody jacket from the corner of my eye.

Stopping in my track, I cautiously turned around to stare at the jacket. Part of me wanted to go over and wear it to school but the logical side of my brain kicked in and I shook my head.

No. Why would I wear a jacket covered in Jane's blood to school?

"Naia!" Matt called from the living room. "You ready?"

"Coming," I hollered and hurried out of my room.

I threw on a jacket and grabbed my backpack before hurrying after Gabby out the door. Since it was a mild day, we were going to walk.

"Does everyone at school know what happened?" I asked on our way to school.

Gabby hummed a little bit before answering. "A letter was sent out," She replied, "It didn't say your name, just one of the students."

"So no one knows?" I persisted, needing an answer.

Silence.

"It was on the news," Matt finally said. "I'm not sure how the media got hold of the story but, they did."

I nodded, slowly taking in the information.

"Okay," I said, "That's a good heads up."

When we got to school, I stopped at the front gates, looking at all the other kids filing into school. The younger ones still got yard time and were running around.

"Well," Gabby said, putting a hand on my shoulder and turning me around into a hug, "I hope you have a good day."

I nodded, "You too."

Matt gave me on of his signature noogies and I scowled playfully back at him. "See you after school Munchkin," He said and I nodded.

"I'll look out for kidnappers," I joked awkwardly and Matt smiled tersely.

"Stay out of trouble," Gabby whispered and I smiled before heading towards the front doors. Even though my eyes were trained on the ground, I could tell people were staring and talking about me behind my back. When I got to my locker, I unlocked it and started getting organized. This was something that was so normal to me before but now, it was strange. Like I had just learned how to do it and was still unfamiliar with it.

"Naia?"

I turned around to see Nate standing at the end of the hallway. A smile easily spread across my face and I gave him a tentative wave before Nate barreled towards me.

"I can't believe it," Nate mumbled, grabbing me into a hug. "When I heard, I though...I thought..."

I nodded, "I know, you don't have to say."

"What happened?" He asked. "I left you for one moment and...I'm so sorry Naia."

I looked at Nate, confused, "What do you mean?"

"If I hadn't left you, it wouldn't have happened," Nate explained, a guilty expression on his face.

I shook my head, "Listen to me, Nate. It had to be me. Those people, they were waiting for one of the little ones to get the ball, who knows if these guys would have been busted or not had it not been me."

Nate nodded slowly but didn't say anything. He kept staring at me as if it was all a dream.

The bell rang, signalling that we had five minutes to get to our first class and I returned to my locker to grab my books.

"I'll see you soon?" I asked Nate. He nodded and grinned.

"I'm not letting you out of my sight." Nate joked and I shook my head as I turned and headed towards my first class.

"Did you guys hear Naia was kidnapped?" Olivia gushed at her friends during lunch. At my table with Nate, I paused mid-bite before setting my sandwich back down. "The parentless freak was kidnapped and was going to be sold."

"Shut up Olivia," Nate hissed but it didn't do anything. I started picking at my sandwich, tearing it into smaller pieces. I had only taken one bite of it but I wasn't hungry anymore.

"I bet you her kidnappers were paying people to take her off their hands. The other girls were probably complaining." Olivia cackled and I stood up. "Oh, are you going to beat me up? Maybe if you weren't such a coward you would have escaped and that little girl wouldn't have been killed."

"Shut your mouth," Nate snapped. "Come on Naia, let's sit somewhere else."

I nodded and followed Nate to another table in the corner of the cafeteria by the trash. I ripped my sandwich into smaller pieces, not in the mood to eat. Finally, I gave up and shoved the pieces into the Ziploc bag before tossing it in the garbage.

"I'll see you outside," I mumbled to Nate before leaving. I needed some alone time. I needed to clear my head. My feet lead me to the library and down one of the aisles. I collapsed against one of the shelves and buried my head into my hands. I rocked back and forth, trying to keep the tears back.

I could handle people throwing knives at me.

I couldn't handle people throwing knives at people I cared about.