We were at an impasse.

There was a reason Holden and I chose today for my promposal. Because it wasn’t just about prom. It was about fixing me. Because clearly, I was broken. I was psychologically damaged goods.

I only mention any of this because life is a journey of spirals. Repeating patterns.

The past always has a way of catching up to the future.

Piles Fork High School was desolate—a redbrick, three-story megalith from a forgotten era. Okay, so the forgotten era was last Friday. The grounds were too well kept for this to be some post-apocalyptic setting. The grass was cut, the roses were coming into bloom, and the hedges were crisp, elongated cubes. Even if Piles Fork’s education system was a sham, at least the groundskeeper, Ziggy, kept the shrubbery on point.

As we ascended the front steps and approached the glass doors, Holden pulled a key out of his pocket. It sank flawlessly into the keyhole and clicked as he turned it.

It’s maybe important to know that Holden’s mom was Principal Durden.

Holden stole his mom’s master key. I mean, it was a long time ago, but he did make a copy. Well, two copies. He gave one to me for my sixteenth birthday. Told me to keep it on me at all times. Maybe we’d sneak into school on a Saturday and smoke pot in the teachers’ lounge.

We never did, but it was a noble idea. It’s the thought that counts.

“Let’s split up,” he said.

“What?” I said. “Have you watched any horror movie ever? That’s like the number one no-no.”

“I’m sorry. Is there a homicidal sociopath in this scenario I’m unaware of?”

“Wynonna Jones?” I suggested.

“Wynonna isn’t a homicidal sociopath. Just a regular one.”

“How do you suppose they got in?”

“When it comes to the Jonesy?” said Holden. “Anything’s possible—picking the locks, scaling the wall, quantum teleportation.…”

“That’s scientifically impossible, actually.”

“Listen, Stephen Hawking, we’re on a bit of a time crunch, and we still don’t know how to get on the roof. If we’re gonna make this happen, we’re gonna have to split up. Call me if you see the girls or the entrance to the roof, and I’ll do the same. Okay? Okay.”

Without waiting for a response, Holden turned and delved west.

I took a deep breath, flipped on the flashlight on my phone, and ventured east.

I climbed the eastside stairs to the third floor. Listened to the quiet clap of my shoes echo up the stairwell. Once I reached the top, I began scouring the main hall clockwise. Turned into each branching pathway as it came. Checked each room and closet. Kept my eyes on the ceiling, in case there was some sort of… hatch… or whatever.