I glanced peripherally at the group of students. A girl with blue hair glanced up quickly at the sound of her name and when she’d registered what Travis had said, she blushed a deep crimson and started sputtering a defensive retort.

“Mr. Sullivan!” The professor snapped.

He lowered his arms and took the stairs up two at a time until he stopped in front of Travis. I twisted in my chair to watch as Professor Harvey slammed his open palms down on the desk, making even me jump. Beyond his shoulder, I could see Travis’s face pale as the professor leaned forward, putting his face inches away form his.

“I’ve put up with your nonsense all semester, and I’ve tried to be fair with you, Travis. I really have. But this isn’t a game. This isn’t a joke. This is a real emergency. There are people that are in real trouble right now. You may not be smart enough to comprehend basic human decency, but I will not allow you to continue to spout your inappropriate slander in my class. If you want out of here so badly, then I’ll call Dean Morris, and march you down to that office myself. But don’t think for one moment that that tough bravado you present as a form of self defense for your fragile insecure ego will do you any good once you’re in the room with those detectives. You will break, and you will probably cry. Because when it comes down to it, Mr. Sullivan, you are still a frightened lonely little boy that craves the approval of your peers to prove to yourself that your insignificant self is worth something. Those investigators are going to eat you alive, Travis, and I’ll be right there watching it happen.”

The entire class gasped at the professor’s outburst. Was it inappropriate for a teacher to talk to a student that way? Absolutely. Was it inexcusable for Travis to be such a loud-mouthed prick? Also, yes. But I would still love to be a fly on the wall in that office, just to see if Travis really would piss himself when that investigator got in his face just like Professor Harvey did.

The professor took a step back and rolled his shoulders. He turned and made his way back down the stairs towards his desk. He didn’t look at another student as he descended the steps. When he got to his desk, he pulled out his chair and dropped into it with a thud. The professor loosened his tie and gave Travis one last warning look before turning his attention to his computer and began typing away.

Amanda slid sideways, letting Travis’s arm fall away before putting her back to him and scrolling through her phone. Travis’s face was almost as white as the notebook page in front of me. His jaw set, and I could have sworn his eyes glistened as he sunk back in his chair and began picking at invisible lint on the black shirt beneath his letterman jacket.

I lifted my brows in surprise. That was the quietest he’d been all semester. I faced the front of the room again and sipped from my coffee. The groups of students around us slowly began to murmur to each other again and after a moment a pleasant buzz of conversation filled the room from all sides.

My phone vibrated and Josh’s name popped up on the screen. I opened the message and sighed in relief.

JOSH: Hey, I’ve got her phone. She must have been in a hurry this morning and forgot it. She’s probably loosing her fucking mind about it too! Lol

She probably was losing her mind. Isabelle wasn’t as attached to her phone as Josh normally was, but she always had it on hand. The sudden realization dawned on me that Isabelle was supposed to be in this class with me right now. I sat up straighter and glanced around the room. If she’d come in here, she would have sat at the table with me like she always did. But she wasn’t.

I scanned every face in the room. Every single one. Isabelle wasn’t here. A sudden rush of fear gripped me as I thought about the fire at the Coffee Hutt. If she had forgotten her phone, then she had no way of letting me know if she was running late. She’d have no way of letting me know she’d be at the Coffee Hutt, or if she was going to skip it altogether and meet me in class instead.

Except she wasn’t in class. I typed out a message to Josh.

ME: Where exactly did you drop her off at?

My leg bounced a staccato rhythm while I anxiously awaited his response. If he’d taken her straight to the Coffee Hutt—and the fire—my heart was thundering in my chest. The chat bubbles popped up, then disappeared, then popped up again. Please, God, tell me he didn’t take her to the Coffee Hutt.

JOSH: At the library. She said she wanted to look for a book before she met you for coffee.

JOSH: What’s up?

I looked up at the professor. He was typing away at his computer, not paying attention to the class at all. I typed back.

ME: Josh, check the WUCN notifications.

ME: The Coffee Hutt’s on fire.

ME: Izzy’s not in class.

My knee restarted the rhythm, bouncing faster this time. If she went to meet me—my vision blurred as tears prickled my eyes. The chatter in the room hadn’t died down since Professor Harvey’s outburst a few moments ago. I peered over my shoulder towards Travis. He had his face buried in Jess’s neck. The was giggling softly and had her hand braced on his neck.

So much for being shellshocked. My phone began vibrating. It rumbled and rattled across the table. Not a message, but a phone call. Travis pulled back and turned a bored expression towards me. When he saw me looking at him, his lip curled in disgust.

“Enjoying the show?” He whisper hissed. “Turn the fuck around unless you want to join us.”

Jess elbowed him, and cupped his cheek, jerking his face back towards her neck. She scowled at me as he continued kissing her. My phone started vibrating again and I scooped it up, seeing Josh’s name on the screen.

I raised my hand and said, “Excuse me, Professor. Can I take this call? It’s my mom.”

Professor Harvey squinted up at me and then nodded, waving for me to go ahead. “Take it to the back of the classroom, please.”

I nodded and jumped up, nearly toppling my chair over in the process. I took the steps two at a time and mashed the green phone icon. Josh’s voice came through in a hurry.

“She’s not with you? Have you talked to her?” The panic in his voice was causing his tone to go up an octave. “Fuck, never mind, I have her phone, of course you haven’t heard from her. She’s not in class?”

“No,” I said quietly, cupping my hand over my mouth as I spoke, to try to keep my voice down. “She’d sent me the text last night about finding something else in the evidence and wanted to get coffee before class. She wasn’t there this morning and I couldn’t get ahold of her at all. I thought it’d be a long shot, but maybe she had slept in or something so that’s why I texted you.”

“Fuck.” Josh’s breathing was getting ragged. “Can you get out of class? Head over there and look for her? I’m on my way, but it’s a twenty-minute drive from here and you’ll make it there first.”

“I can’t. The school want’s us to stay in our classes until the investigators pull us out one by one. They think it was one of us that started it.”

“Fuck!” Josh repeated.

I could hear the metallic sound of him slamming his jeep door shut and a moment later I could hear the engine roar to life.

“I’m on my way. I’ll get there as fast as I can, but if she walks into that classroom, you call me asap!”

“I will.” I pressed my hand to my chest, trying to calm my still racing heart. “Josh, be careful.”

“I’m always careful.”

There was a click and then the call was disconnected. I lowered my phone and looked back down at the professor, then at the class. I wondered if I could slip out without being noticed. I’d left my bag at my seat, and if I went back down to get it then it would be obvious that I was attempting to sneak out. Not to mention all of the students I would have to pass on the way back up here. Travis would no doubt throw me under the bus on the principal that the professor refused to let him leave when he wanted to.

I hesitated, weighing the pros and the cons of my actions. If I left my things on the table and successfully slipped out of the classroom. It was a five-minute walk to the Coffee Hutt. I could be there before Josh even hit city limits. And if I found Isabelle in the process— the repercussions would be more than worth it to know that she was safe. Even if I got into serious trouble for disobeying not only the Dean, but the WPD that were investigating the incident.

If I stayed, if I went back down there and took my seat, then I’d be stuck in here until one of the investigators came to retrieve me. Then I would have to sit through questioning that would take who knows how long. And but the time I got out, the fire would be put out and any persons that were hurt or trapped in the building would already be gone. I would have no way of knowing if Isabelle was there, or if she was safe.

I chewed on my thumb nail as I went through the thought process a second time. Go or stay? Stay or go?

Taking one last look at the professor, I moved towards the door. I watched Travis peripherally as I carefully eased the door open and slipped outside.

The soles of my vans pounded the tile halls as I ran. It was a five-minute walk to the Coffee Hutt, if I was running, I could make it there in three tops. I kept an eye out on my surroundings, watching for anyone that may step into the path or try to stop me. I’d been lucky so far and had made it down two of the three halls separating me from the front doors of the school.

My shoes slid on the floor, and I nearly lost my balance as I approached the next intersection. I reached out, grabbing the edge of the wall at the last second to help me propel myself around the corner. I had the front door in my sights as I raced forward, pushing myself to run faster.

I hit the door at full speed, my hands catching the release bar and throwing the door wide open. I leapt down the few steps to the sidewalk and stumbled forwards. My ankle rolled on impact, and I grit my teeth against the pain as I pushed through, forcing myself to keep running. I could see the black smoke billowing skywards as soon as I hit the pavement.

Sirens blared in the distance. I could see the red and blue lights flickering from the tops of the cop cars. I could cut out a minute if I took the running path through Salem Park instead of running around the building. I didn’t hesitate as I veered to the right. Dust flew up in every direction as my sneakers slid on the dirt path and I rushed on. The trees lining either side of the path blocked out the emergency lights and the smoke, but they couldn’t block the screaming sirens or the charred smell the assaulted my nostrils.

There was a break in the path ahead of me and I skidded to a halt at the edge of the sidewalk, ducking behind a tree as I caught my breath and peered out at the scene in front me. There were two cop cars blocking the road beyond the parking lot. A fire truck was parked at the entrance to the parking lot, and another was parked on the side street. Hordes of firemen were lined up with hoses aimed at the soaring flames. I could feel the heat wafting off of it from my binding place and it nearly knocked the air out of me.

There was an ambulance set up in the middle of the lot. Its back doors were wide open, and medical supplies were scattered across the floor of the truck. The gurney was positioned by the shattered doors of the Coffee Hutt. A paramedic waited beside it with a heavy blue duffle bag draped over his shoulder. I could hear shouting coming from inside the building, and the paramedic pulled the radio form his chest to receive and pass along information. I couldn’t make out anything anyone was saying through the blaring sirens.

My heart pounded in my chest as I watched shapes move through the smoke. A fireman burst through the thick billows. I could see sneakers hanging out from underneath a silver fire retardant blanket that covered the person he held cradled in his arms. He raced towards the gurney and the awaiting paramedic, and he laid the person down on the bed. From his position, I couldn’t see who’s face he revealed as he gave the paramedic the field assessment he’d made of the patient. The each grabbed a side rail on the gurney and led it towards the ambulance where they lifted it up inside and locked the wheels. The fireman jumped down, shutting the doors and pounding his fist on the back of it. A new round of sirens blared as the ambulance lurched forward and left the parking lot through the open space left between the two cop cars. The fireman bent over his knees for a moment, catching his breath. He watched the ambulance go before he turned and raced straight back into the burning building.

Anxiety gripped me as I watching him run. A fear for his safety now mixing with the fear for my friend. Another ambulance drove into the parking lot, replacing the one that had left. The driver hopped out and rushed to the back, flinging the doors open and helping the second paramedic lower the gurney to the ground.

Shouting to my left had me reluctantly pulling my attention away from the intense action. There were two officers standing shoulder to shoulder and yelling at a blond haired man. A mop of messy curls a top his head told me it was Josh. He’d made it. I grabbed my phone from my pocket and shot him a quick text, praying he wouldn’t get himself arrested before he saw it.

ME: I’m on the running trail inside Salem Park. Come around the back, and don’t get caught!

I tucked the phone back into my pocket and wrapped my arm around the tree trunk as I watched the paramedics preparing the gurney for another patient. The thick black smoke was starting to dissipate as the firefighters pumped gallon after gallon of water into the decimated building.

Footsteps pounded on the path behind me, and I whirled to find Josh bounding towards me drenched in sweat. He gasped for air as he leaned against the tree beside me.

“Have—you seen—Isabelle—yet?” He gasped out between ragged breaths.

“Not yet. The carried someone out right before you got here but all I could see was their shoes.”

“Were they—her shoes?” He puffed out another breath and placed his hands on his knees.

“You’re pretty out of shape football star.” I attempted to joke. Josh scoffed and peeked around the tree.

“I couldn’t tell form here, they were covered in dirt and shit.”

We watched as the firemen closest to us killed their hoses and moved around to the side of the building, tugging the massive, weighted thing behind them. One of them shouted into their mic and then they unleashed the water again. It burst through a half-broken window, shattering the rest of the glass out of the frame.