A knock on my bedroom door startles me.
“Everything okay?” Jacob asks from the door.
“Yeah. Stressed from school work you know.”
He nods. “Anything I can help with?”
He takes a step into the room, looking genuinely concerned.
“Unless you know calculus, I think I’m screwed.”
He considers me a moment. “I’m in honors trigonometry. I took calculus last year. I’m sure I can give it a shot.”
I bite my lip, unsure what to do now. I don’t have time to pretend to be dumb at math. I need to figure out a plan.
He reaches out and touches my hand. “You can trust me, you know. I regret that I wasn’t here when Henry attacked you. I would have beaten his ass myself if he hadn’t disappeared. I think you have your boyfriend to thank for that, but I can’t say for sure.”
I cock my head. “What do you mean?”
He shrugs. “I saw Nate hanging around after you came home with all those bruises. He had a heated conversation with Henry, then he disappeared. I figured you knew about it.”
I shake my head. “No. I didn’t.”
“Well, I’m here for you. Even if it’s just helping you with calculus.”
I give him a bright smile as an idea forms. Jacob has already been helping them get to me. He has proven that he is on my side. Why can’t I trust him?
“Okay, then help me.”
I gesture to my bed, picking up the forgotten textbook. When I received the text, all thoughts of my current task of homework were long forgotten.
He takes a seat next to me, leaning against the headboard. I pull my notebook out, writing out a message.
There are eyes and ears everywhere. I need a favor, but it’s not safe to talk.
He nods. “Yeah, this one is easy. Why don’t you try it first and I’ll look it over?”
I let out the breath I was holding.
I need you to deliver a message to Willow at the Rockford’s.
He glances over, stopping me before I even finish. “You did that wrong. Here. This is what you’re looking for.”
Are you in danger?
He writes, glancing up at me. I shake my head no. He continues his note.
Write the note then.
“I see what I did wrong. Okay, let me try the next one.”
I write down at the bottom of the page.
Old energy plant at six pm. Bring the calvary. Comet.
Then below it, I add for Jacob.
Go to your girlfriend’s house. Wait thirty minutes, then leave with her. Drive around for a couple minutes before delivering.
