“Look,” he says. “I think you need some time to cool down.”

“But—”

“It’s not a suggestion, Simone,” he says, holding up his hand. “Go for a drink of water, or a walk around the school. Just get some air. Okay?”

From the corner of my eye I glimpse Eric leaning against the wall, with his arm around Claire. He catches my gaze, holding it for a long second. If Mr. Palumbo weren’t looking, I’d flip him the bird. As if he can read my mind, Eric smirks. If I don’t leave now, I think I might punch him.

“Okay,” I say, turning to Mr. Palumbo. “But I’ll be back.”

I’m halfway down the hallway before I realize I have no idea where I’m going. All I know is that I don’t want to come back until Mr. Palumbo has forgotten the whole thing. Maybe I’ll hide out in the halls for a week.

Taking a walk is sort of relaxing, but I need something else to do. My geometry textbook is still in my locker. Maybe I can get some homework done instead of wasting time.

I head to my locker, another hallway over, and fumble it open. In the silence of the empty hall, this feels like a crime scene. I scan for another note. The welcome packet is the first thing I see.

Shit. And right under it is a folded piece of notebook paper with my name on it. I’ve been checking my locker every day, and haven’t noticed anything new. Someone must’ve put it in today. I scan the hastily scrawled words.

Whatever you’re doing is not what I call staying away from Miles. Ticktock, Simone.

I glance toward the auditorium door. It has to be Eric.

CHAPTER 17

I crumpled up the note and shoved it to the bottom of my backpack hours ago, but the words are still burned into my mind. Dad and Pops aren’t home, which means I have the house to myself. I shouldn’t be home, either. I’m supposed to be at the game with Miles.

I barely made it to the end of rehearsal, and at that point I just needed to get away. Maybe I should feel bad about ditching, but all I can think about is this stupid note. I’ve been trying to think of suspects, and I come back to Eric every time. He’s had a problem with me ever since we started rehearsals, he gossips about me, and he complained about me to Palumbo. Then, I guess, there is Claire, who joins him in gossip sometimes. There’s just no reason for her to hate me. Yeah, she’s all the way in the back of the chorus, but that’s not my fault.