Page 46 of The Sweetest Revenge

I nodded. "It's a possibility, but it's also a possibility they were hurt or worse. They went out the way the shooter came in."

It wasn't just Ariella who was worried about Journey and Mila. We all grew up together. Ariella, Mila, Journey, and Kacie were best friends. Growing up, I couldn't remember a memory they weren't part of.

"Maybe it's time to send out team captains to see if they can account for everyone else."

"I'm going to take Ariella to Mila and Journey's house to see if we can find them."

"We can split up," Sterling suggested. "You and Ari go to Mila's, and I'll go to Journey's."

I nodded again. "Let EJ know what we're doing, and I'll grab Ariella."

"I'll call you if I find anything," Sterling said as he twisted and disappeared into the crowd.

I strolled to Ariella and climbed up on the table beside her. "Where are they?" Ariella murmured, staring through the crowd like she was waiting for them to appear, her fingers nervously tracing patterns on her black leggings.

My chest tightened with sympathy. "They could have lost their phones like you in the chaos." She nodded softly. "Sterling is headed to Journey's house now. Why don't we go check Mila's?"

"We were supposed to meet at Mila's after—" She trailed off, biting her bottom lip.

"Come on," I urged, already moving to slide off the table. "We'll take my bike. It's faster."

She nodded and slipped my hand into hers as I slid off the table, gently tugging her to follow me. I stopped waiting for her to hop off the bench, and when her feet hit the ground, and I didn't release her, her gaze lingered for a long moment on our tangled hands before lifting to meet mine. A moment passed between us, drawing memories from our past—the past when she was secretly mine, and I was hers.

Clearing my throat, I tugged at her hand. "Let's go."

When we got to my bike, I tossed a leg over and adjusted before jerking my head, silently telling her to load up. I leaned forward to grab my helmet when my phone rang. I shoved my hand in my pocket and jerked out my phone, and a wave of relief washed over me when I saw Mila's name on the screen. I held the phone out, showing Ariella her leg midair to get onto the bike.

"Answer it," Ariella demanded, her voice tight with anxiety as she abandoned her attempt to mount the bike and pivoted to face me.

I slid right. "Where are you?" I blurted out, my heart racing as I pressed the phone to my ear.

"Journey and I are at my house," Mila rushed out, her words tumbling over each other in barely contained panic. "We saw what happened, and we haven't been able to get a hold of Ari."

"Did you not get the text that everyone was meeting at Barnet Park for a head count?"

"We were getting ready to head that way. I accidentally left my phone in my car, and Journey changed her number last week, so she hadn't updated anyone yet." She sounded winded and rushed. "Have you seen Ari? She was supposed to meet us here and never showed."

"She's fine.” I flashed a look at Ariella, still standing at my side, anxiously waiting for me to tell her what was going on. "She's with me. We were actually about to go look for you and Journey."

"Oh, thank God," Mila breathed, relief palpable in her voice even through the phone's tiny speaker. "The news said over twenty people were injured, and one person was dead."

"Do they know who yet?"

"Yes, but they aren't releasing the name until they've informed the family. They did say it was a staff member."

I narrowed my eyes. The only staff members in the sports hall would have been coaches. "A coach," I muttered.

"Yeah," she whispered, the single word heavy with unspoken dread.

"Did they identify the shooter?"

"Yeah," she sighed. "His name was Bradley Fletcher." Bradley Fletcher. I remembered him - a first-year with a chip on his shoulder. There had been rumors about his grades and behavior. I'd heard he was kicked off the football team and lost his scholarship. I felt sick. "He's also dead."

"Let me know if you hear what coach?—"

"Oh, wait," Mila interrupted, her voice suddenly sharp. In the background, I could hear the urgent tones of a news broadcast, but I couldn't understand what they were saying. "Oh shit—" she gasped, the words escaping in a horrified exhale.

"What?" I snapped. "What is it?"

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