Author's note: A thousand pardons for taking so long. I was unable to upload anything to I have no idea why... but the important thing is that we're back in business! W00t!
On with the show...
(Note: I've edited this chapter. Nothing major, just grammar and stuff.)
The Mistake
Chapter 2
I didn't waste any time the next day. I grabbed Jake the second I got to school, before he even had a chance to walk through the big double doors. "Why did you lie to me?"
He blinked and frowned. "You what?"
"Tobias. He's not at his aunt's. He's not anywhere."
Jake stared a little more. Then he said, "Oh."
"Damn right, oh," I exclaimed loudly. A couple of people looked over to see what was going on. "Do you know where he is? If you know, tell me right now. And tell the police as well, and everyone else. You're not his only friend, you know."
Jake just stood there, looking distracted. I got right in his face and demanded: "Are you even listening to me…?" He wasn't even looking at me! But it was then that I realised that he was carefully looking anywhere but up. He'd obviously seen something up there, and didn't want me to see it. So, because I was mad at him, and I get contrary when I'm mad, I looked up.
There was nothing there, except for a blinding sun and some big bird hovering over the playing field. I turned my face back to Jake, who, if I had cared to notice it, was looking quite sad and guilty. "Where is he?" I asked one final time, pleading now, feeling my eyes prickle.
He shook his head. "I don't know."
He was lying. But now there were tears blurring my sight, and I hate anyone seeing me cry. I ran indoors and took refuge in a toilet stall, howling my frustration at the graffiti'd walls.
…
I kept my head down for the rest of the day, my foul temper repelling most of the other students. Erika stuck by me, trying to cheer me up. "The police will find him," she said. This was back when they still gave a damn. "Maybe he ran away or something, you know how his family was. And then maybe it'll be even better for him – they'll see how bad a guardian his uncle is, and get him some foster parents who'll actually care for him. This could end up being a good thing."
I knew she was just making half of that stuff up to try and make me feel better. Stuff only turns out perfect in fairy-tales, no matter how great it would be in real life. But still, her being there and just talking made me smile. Erika's a great friend.
Plus, there was something to look forward to that evening. Erika and I, along with a couple of others, had just started going to this new group thing called the Sharing, and our second meeting was tonight. It was all good, wholesome fun: families playing games, everyone banding together and working as a team; you know, stuff that sounds cheesy when you say it, but it's good. It was a big thing tonight: we were having an overnight camp-out, right here in the school, toasting marshmallows, telling ghost stories and all laying sleeping bags out in the hall and gym. It had been advertised everywhere, and people had been encouraged to come even if they weren't Sharing regulars. We'd been anticipating this for a while, and Erika wasn't going to let me miss it and go home to sulk all evening.
I wanted to get out of the house, so I phoned Erika and we went up to the school at nine, half an hour before anyone else would arrive. The school looked huge, dark and empty. Do you have any idea how creepy an abandoned school is, in the dark?
"It just had to be a full moon," Erika joked. "What if someone gets bitten by a werewolf? I'll bet they haven't insured for that."
"Oh, please. A werewolf? Here? I think you'll find that it's an army of vampires that will kill everyone tonight." We both grinned, high on the thrill of running around after dark. It's the same giddy feeling you get on Halloween, only we weren't wearing costumes, only our pyjamas under our clothes, and carrying sleeping bags under our arms.
We expected the school gates to be locked, as we were very early. But the security chain was loose and one gate stood open, a sheet of paper in a plastic wallet reading "Campers straight to the quad". Erika nodded. "Oh, right, there must be people here already. Getting everything ready."
We both stood there for a second, looking up at the forbidding school. There was a rumour that it was haunted, and in this situation it was easy to believe. There was even the obligatory haunted house faint white mist curling across the tarmac. Was that a bat up by the—no, it was just a bird.
Something heavy, landing on my shoulder! I whirled round with a slight scream.
"Tag!" laughed Erika, tearing off across the playing field.
"Oh, you are going to get it now!" I yelled in reply, chasing after her. We pursued each other wildly around the school, shouting and laughing till we were weak, clinging on to our bulky sleeping bags. I caught her and zoomed, panting, off in the opposite direction – right into the stomach of someone very tall in a black tracksuit.
"Ow!" I cried, falling backwards.
"I've got you now!" shrieked Erika – then she skidded to a halt and said, rather more soberly, "Oh. Um, hello, sir."
The man I had bumped into was Chapman, our assistant principal, and one of the Sharing leaders. He looked as though he had been about to walk into the school, and he was clutching a huge box tightly, high up to keep it safe. It was large, oblong and heavy-looking, and covered with a thick black cloth.
Chapman looked angry, but he kept his cool. "Be careful, tearing around here." He recognised us through the darkness. "Joan and Erika, in Miss Bird's class?" We nodded silently. He looked at me kindly. "Are you feeling better now, Joan? You seemed quite upset in school today."
"Um, I'm okay. Thanks."
"Well, the meeting will certainly put you to rights. It's going to be a wonderful one tonight, don't you think?"
I nodded again. "What's that, in the box?"
He glanced down at it. "It's a surprise."
"Give us a clue," wheedled Erika. Chapman smiled slowly.
"It's what's going to make this meeting one you'll never forget."