"So" I start as an attempt to break the awkward silence. "Are you guys hyped for your next football game?"

They all just sat around our usual table silently. They all looked down at their food or occasionally pulled out their cellphone (despite the school's no cell phone policy).

Whatever happened between them was big. Laura and I are the only ones that are out of the loop, and it's driving me insane.

I was told by Thomas not to ask about what happened. So I'm keeping my mouth shut, despite my desire to interrogate each of them.

"Super" Tommy clenches his jaw as taking a mouthful of his chocolate custard.

Suddenly the bell goes for class. We all stand and go our separate ways. I see Ely in the distance. He's always honest with me, perhaps he'll tell something.

"Ely" I call as following him down the hall. "Are you okay?"

He glances at me "I'm fine" he smiles before nodding "why do you ask?"

Okay, so he's playing dumb. I guess Thomas didn't tell any of them that I know somethings up. Its to be expected I guess since none of them are talking. I'll let it go then.

"No reason" I shake my head slowly "no reason at all"

"....well okay then," He says with a blank expression. "I'll see you later"

With that, he leaves my sight. What happened yesterday?

***

"Hello?" I answer as pressing my cell against my ear.

I stood beside the lockers after school, with very few people in the halls.

"Tell me now" he begins "are you going to be ruining my concentration or are you finding your own way home?"

I furrowed my brows "Wait a sec" I cry "you're staying behind to grade papers again?"

He's insane. Surely he would have finished grading all the papers yesterday?

"Well I was supposed to do all my grading last night but I had an interruption" Hank retorts.

Oops.

"So I guess this is kinda my fault huh?" I look down.

"Kinda, is an understatement," Hank tells me.

Well I want a ride home, cause there's no way I'm walking. I'll just hang around instead of waiting with him.

"Right okay....umm I'll hang around school till you're done" I nod my head.

"Alright, see you later" he says.

"Bye" I end the call.

Now where the hell am I going to go? School beaches to watch the football players train? Maybe the gymnasium to watch the basketball players? Or I could sit in Hanks car and play candy crush?

"Excuse me" a voice starts. I look up to see a smouldering guy with caramel skin, chocolate brown eyes, and a buzz cut. The guy wore a simple suit, and he couldn't be any older than twenty-five "Can you tell me where I can find the principals office?"

Wow he's hot.

"Uh..." I stutter "yeah its uh down the hall to the right, then take a left, another right, then you walk straight for a while then it's the third door to the left". The guy looks at me blankly "how bout uh I just show you"

Seriously it's my pleasure walking beside this guy, even if it is for only a minute.

"Thank you" he agrees as we begin walking down the hallway "I feel a little embarrassed asking for directions, after all, I did attend this school" he admits "but they remodelled some areas after I left, now the whole place looks foreign to me"

Tell me about it. This school is pretty big compared to what I'm used to. I'm still getting used to it.

"Yeah I'm new here this year," I tell him "it took a while but I think I'm getting the hang of things"

He smiles "Hey Mrs Davis isn't still teaching is she?"

Mrs Davis is a teacher I've only ever heard of from Laura and Tommy. They had her last year and have very mixed emotions about her. She's on maternity leave at the moment which explains why I haven't seen her around.

"Actually yeah she is, my friend had her for English lit last year" I tell him.

"Get outta here" he raises his voice in excitement "she was like ninety when I was a freshman"

"You know I heard that she just had a child" I smirk.

"What!" his eyes widen "no way"

"Yes way....she's on maternity leave" I laugh.

This guy is cool. I wonder why he's here? He's definitely too young to be a parent. Perhaps he's dating a teacher. Oh he could be another one of Ms Pool's play things.

"that's insane" he shakes his head "what about Ms Pool?"

Ms Pool? Okay so it seems he's not her to see her. Then why is he here?

"Uh yes Ms Pool" I nod "please tell me that you did not have any sexual relations with her"

"With Miss Pool, you kidding? I don't even want to think about the STDs that that woman must have" he laughs.

That's a good point.

"True" I smile "so uh what brings you to Lockwood High after school hours?"

He sighs but maintains his gorgeous smile "My sister is a little bit of a troublemaker"

"Really?" I raise a brow.

He seems so well mannered though. I can't imagine any sibling of his being a troublemaker.

"Yeah that girl acts as if she's so cool on the outside but she's falling apart on the inside...she's got a history of lashing out" he explains.

Damn his voice is so smooth. He should record audio books.

"Wow" I raise my brows.

"Yeah so she's with the principal getting scolded" he nods his head.

Principals office is pretty serious. What did she do exactly? Bring drugs to school? Or perhaps hit someone?

"What did she do?" I force myself to ask due to my own curiosity.

"She won't tell me exactly" he admits "something about a fist fight"

A fist fight. That sounds bad. His sister could potentially get suspended.

"Sounds bad" I say.

"Tell me about it" he nods "so now her whole clique have meetings with the principal...they all got detention yesterday but I heard that they almost sent the teacher into early retirement"

I pause. That's sounds a lot like what happened to my friends. Oh damn who is this guy? He's talking about my friends. Meaning that his troublemaking sister has got to be Willow.

"You're kidding" I raise both brows in shock.

"Unfortunately I am not" he sighs.

I pause. What was Willows brothers name again? Alex? No that's not it. Uh yes Salix.

"Wait a sec, you're not Salix O'Donnell are you?" I question with both brows raised.

His eyes widen in surprise "I'm sorry to do I know you?"

I smile "I'm a friend of Willow's"

So now I know that they're in trouble because of a fist fight. With who though?

He raises a brow "Really? Then why aren't chu with the principal?"

Good question. Where the hell was I when this went down?

"Cause I'm not a part of uh whatever they all did....in fact, I have no idea why they're all in trouble...I asked my brother but he yelled at me and told me to leave well enough alone, so I spent all day biting my tongue, but if we're being completely honest, if I don't find out soon, I'm going to scream" I rant.

We then stop in front of the principal's office door.

He nods "All I know is, is that they all got into a fight"

They all got into a fight?

"With each other or with another clique?" I raise a brow.

"I honestly have idea uh..." He raise a brow.

"Emma" I finish.

"Well Emma it was nice meeting you" he smiles "thank you for your help" with that he enters the principal's office.

I peak through the window, where I see all my friends, sitting beside each other in the waiting room. What are y'all doing in there?

***

"What!" She cries.

"I know" I nod with my cell pressed against my right ear, as I stood outside of the principal's office "weird, right?"

"I don't get it" Laura admits.

"What you think I do?" I raise a brow.

This whole thing is driving me crazy.

"So they were all detention yesterday" Laura starts. "And now they all have meetings with the principal? Gosh, what did they do?"

Sounds serious. Like they could actually get suspended, but for what? Who did they fight and why?

"Salix said something about a fist fight" I mention.

"Wait so our friends beat each other up?" She immediately assumes.

I mean why would they? It doesn't exactly make sense to me.

"I don't..." I look to my side where I see Tommy about to exit the office "gotta go, talk to you later" with that I end the call. "Hey Tommy"

"Emma" he furrowed his brows as standing beside me. "Your still here?"

Interrogation time my friend. I need to know what's going on and I need to know right now.

"My dad is staying back to grade papers," I tell him "so why were in the principal's office?"

"I wasn't in the principal's office," he says unconvincingly, causing me to fold my arms and cock a brow "oh uh..."

"I bet its the same reason that you were in detention yesterday" I narrow my eyes. "So can you tell me why?"

She shakes his head violently "Sorry I have no time to chat" he smiles before walking down the hall.

Why is he smiling? This is important. I need to know what's going on.

"Tommy" I call as walking after him.

"They told me that I would be the one to spill the beans! And I told them that I could keep a secret" he cries.

Tommy begins running, causing me to run after him. We ran through the school and eventually the parking lot. Why is he running away from me?

"Tommy slow down!" I demand as he finally stops in front of his car.

"I'm sorry Emma but I'm in a hurry" Tommy informs before jumping into the driver's seat of his car.

Oh hell no. I need to know.

"Fine," I say as entering his car before sitting in the passenger's seat. "I will follow you like a bad smell till you finally give in"

"You do that Fitzgerald but be warned" he starts the engine "I sleep in the raw"

Eww gross. TMI man. I roll my eyes and hold back a chuckle, as he speeds through the parking lot.