Chapter 218
HANNAH
"That's much better. Come on. Let's you and I get ready for today... the last day of school before the big break and-" She suddenly broke off and regarded me, her hands on her hips. "Oh my gosh! You forgot?"
Indeed I had. My mate's trip had driven almost everything right out of my mind.
Willa shook her head. She had that look of patient exasperation on her face.
"What am I going to do with you, Hannah?" she said, taking my arm again and leading me towards the house. I took one last lingering look behind me, then went in. "I'm guessing you haven't even picked out your clothes yet. Good thing you have me. Rule number one. On the last day of school, wear something striking, and beautiful that no one will be quick to forget."
"Er- who made that rule?"
Willa beamed. "Me!"
Thanks to our driver's fast driving, we got to school right on time. The moment Willa and I walked in, I knew something was up. There was an almost tangible buzz of excitement in the air like something had just happened.
Willa and I exchanged a look.
"Whatever it is happened just this morning," she said. "No way I would have missed it otherwise."
Our plan had been to go straight to the bulletin board to check our results. Now we walked slowly along the corridor, past students none of which stood alone. They stood around in pairs, in groups of three and larger ones, talking.
We approached a group larger than usual all clustered around someone in the centre. A girl in front shifted and I got a glimpse of Lydia.
She was talking. Those around her were hanging on to her every word. Willa and I had just passed when I thought I heard Asher's name. I stopped walking.
Willa took a few steps forward, realized I was not with her and turned around.
"What?" she said.
I held up a hand and clearly heard, Lydia this time, say his name. She kept talking but her voice had sunk almost to a whisper. I couldn't make the rest of the words out.
"Asher," I mouthed to Willa.
Her eyes widened in surprise. She hurried over.
"Excuse me," I said loudly.
Lydia's eyes met mine. Her face was flushed with excitement.
Of course, she would be excited being the centre of attention whatever the news was. Stil,l if anyone in school knew exactly what had happened, it would be her.
"I thought I heard you mention Asher," I said. "What happened?"
"Oh! you haven't heard?" Lydia said. "Asher was in school very early this morning."
"What?" Willa exclaimed.
Lydia nodded, pleased at the effect of her words.
"He was right there at the parking lot," she continued.
"How did he look like?" I asked in a slightly unsteady voice as I remembered the dream.
Lydia's eyes grew thoughtful. "It's funny you should mention that. He didn't look like himself at all. He was way too thin. Looked like he'd been living rough, like a rogue.*
"And he stank," someone chipped in.
Someone else said, "He said something about having his own pack now. If you ask me the guy has lost his mind."
"Where is he?" Willa asked.
"He ran away," Lydia said. "No one knows where."
As Willa and I left them to it, I felt cold inside. This could only mean that Asher was still somewhere close by. That face I had seen at the mall had to be his.
And then what did he mean about having his own pack now? Was he raising an army to try to overthrow Alpha Wallace? Or was he just blowing hot air?
Willa shook my arm.
"Forget about the creep, Hannah," she said. "He can't do anything anymore. Now my dad is actively hunting him down, he'll soon be caught. Come on. Let's see if the results are out."
They weren't. The bulletin board was still blank, with nothing but pushpins on it's velvety surface. Willa and I waited around with a few other students. I supposed the rest were still discussing Asher.
Minutes later, the principal's secretary came out of her office and tacked several squares of paper on the board. Once she had gone, Willa and I hurried foward.
I scanned the board until I found my name. Hannah Baker.
"Oh shit!" I exclaimed. "I came first in my class."
I couldn't believe it. After everything, all the distractions Asher and Dawson had brought, I had still topped the class.
Squealing with excitement, Willa hugged me.
"That's amazing," she cried. "I'm so happy for you. You definitely deserve this win."
Together, we searched for her name. She had come 11th.
"Not bad," I said.
"Yeah. You know what? We should get ice cream to celebrate this."
"Agreed," I said.
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