I tried to look back at Mr. Blackbourne, but I couldn’t see over Dr. Green’s arm around my neck.
Dr. Green pulled me in closer, and I had to keep an arm around his waist to keep from falling into him.
Dr. Green smiled. “Hi, Pookie,” he said.
I started to giggle. “Hi,” I said.
“The next time I’ve got time off, I want our own date. You good with that?”
I sucked in a quick breath. Was I? “Sure,” I said. This was a date with all of them?
“We’ve got work to do,” Mr. Blackbourne said, his voice coming from my left and behind me. I heard his footsteps. A moment later, he was walking on my other side. “We should do this now before stores close.”
Dr. Green laughed. “We could skip a day of school and go...”
“Not possible,” Mr. Blackbourne said, cutting him off. “Not right now.”
We got back to the steps, and Dr. Green let me go, choosing instead to hold my hand as we descended. It was strange to feel him nearby so close, especially in front of Mr. Blackbourne, when even the others seemed to keep a small distance around him.
Dr. Green’s hand held tight though, keeping me close as we continued down the hall, the opposite way we’d come in. I hadn’t realized how far this shopping area extended.
We approached a shop that showcased men’s and women’s fashions in the front displays. It was more like a regular shop, with racks of clothing and changing rooms and mannequins that were dressed more casually than at Tissu Deux. Once we were inside, I was able to check out the tags, and despite being a more casual store, they were even more expensive than the mall.
“I don’t really need more clothes,” I said, feeling strange to be buying more when who knew how much the dress they’d just ordered would cost.
“Summer has ended,” Mr. Blackbourne said. He was scanning the mannequins, studying. He moved to one of the racks, checked the sizes, and pulled out a halter dress with a short skirt. He held it out. “It might not get as cold as what you’re used to, but winter does settle here. You’ll need warmer clothes. We should also prepare your closet with more fitting attire for all occasions, rather than just school and casual.”
Dr. Green pointed to the dress. “She can’t wear that to school.”
Mr. Blackbourne held the dress up a little higher. “I didn’t suggest this was for school,” he said.
“You do realize that is a date dress, right?” Dr. Green asked, a smile forming. “Your first pick is a date outfit?”
My lips popped open and I inhaled, staring, waiting, afraid to move. Dr. Green was calling out Mr. Blackbourne and I was waiting for one of their fights. I felt it coming.
“Is that a problem?” Mr. Blackbourne asked, his face unreadable, but tension behind his tone. It was a challenge.
This seemed to catch Dr. Green off guard. He choked on a short laugh. “By all means,” he said. “Let’s start with date clothes.”
Mr. Blackbourne turned to me. “Is there something you see that you’d like to wear?”
I was shaking my head and shrugging at the same time. We’d just stepped into the store. I couldn’t think of anything I needed, much less wanted. I turned to look around and try to create a bit of distance to get my heart to stop fluttering so much.
Dr. Green didn’t leave my side. He stepped beside me, and his palm warmed the small of my back. He pointed to a row of displayed outfits. “Here,” he said. “This might be easier. Point to one you like.”
It was difficult to focus with his hand on my back, because I kept wanting to look at him. Since we’d shared a kiss, I hadn’t seen him outside of school.
Every once in a while, I caught his eye during class, and we’d share a long look. I’d blush and look away, trying to not make it obvious in school that I knew him more than I should, since he was pretending to be my teacher. The accumulation of those looks settled on me now.
I studied the outfits and pointed to one that looked comfortable, yet still elegant. “Something like that?” The mannequin wore tighter casual cotton pants, almost like yoga pants. On top was a loose-fitting sweater that rested off the shoulder on one side. I think I was choosing an outfit I would rather be in right now rather than the super casual shorts and blouse I was wearing.
“And you prefer skirts, too?” Dr. Green asked. He moved away from me to look through the sweaters that were near the display. “You could probably get some thicker skirts but keep them the same short length.” He held up his hands and then repositioned them at his own legs, pointing. “Then you add something thick like stockings and boots and then you’re both warm, comfortable, and still very in fashion right now. Do you ever wear longer skirts?”
I shook my head. Usually I avoided clothes that didn’t allow me to blend in. “Not a lot of girls wear them to–“
“Mr. Blackbourne!” Kota’s commanding voice ringing through the air caused me to stiffen on the spot. We all turned toward him.
Kota jogged in, his eyes focused on Mr. Blackbourne. His hands were clenched into fists and the panic on his face had me shaking before he even spoke. “We have to leave. Now.”
There was a split second where Dr. Green and Mr. Blackbourne exchanged looks. Before I could even register, Dr. Green, still with a casual smile, returned the sweater to the table, put his arm around my shoulders and then headed for the door. “Stick by me, Sang.”
My heart was racing because while we were moving quickly, they kept cool. I didn’t know what to do but my first instinct was to ask what was wrong. “What—“
“Shh, Pookie,” Dr. Green said, tightening his arm around me. His eyes were on Mr. Blackbourne again, who had put his selections away and we were all heading out toward the hallway. At the door, Kota made a hand signal, pointing in two different directions. Mr. Blackbourne and Kota turned left down the hallway. As I turned to follow, Dr. Green pulled me in the opposite direction, heading away from the others.
I kept my lips pressed together, my eyes on everything and everyone around us. Dr. Green whistled a cheerful tune, walking fast and staying focused on a door at the end of the hall. No one seemed to notice us, but I was paranoid about who might be watching, and why we were leaving. They hadn’t asked, just followed Kota’s command.
I leaned into Dr. Green, and in an effort to move more easily as we walked together, I put an
arm around his waist, holding onto him.
“That’s right, pumpkin,” he said quietly. As he continued to talk, his tone changed to casual. “You know, I think since the stores are going to close soon, maybe we should go out to dinner. Or pick something up on the way home. Have you eaten today?”
I wasn’t thinking about food, and I couldn’t remember anything if I had, because I was distracted. “What would you like to pick up?” I asked. I got the feeling he wanted to keep us talking. I wasn’t sure for whose benefit we were doing this, but did my best.
“Something other than pizza,” he said. He put his free hand on his stomach. “I think I’ve eaten too much of that. They’re just so close to the hospital and they know where my office is now. They slip those coupons under the door.”
He moved ahead of me as we got to the end of the hallway and the door. He pushed his back to open it, holding the door open for me.
I walked out and stopped.
On the steps in front of us was a white mask, a Volto one. It was laying on the ground, like someone had left it on purpose for us to find.
I stared at it, sensing Dr. Green coming up behind me. I glanced up and down the street, but it didn’t appear like anyone else was around.
“Is it... him?” I asked softly.
Dr. Green took my hand and tugged me away from the mask, down the steps and kept us moving along the sidewalk. “I’m not waiting around to find out. It’s Halloween. It could be anything. Let’s not take any chances, though.”
I breathed in deeply, keeping an eye out.
When we got to Dr. Green’s car, Luke and Gabriel were already inside, and Luke was at the wheel with the engine running. They must have used their keys.
Dr. Green opened the back door. “Hop on in.”
I did, and slid over as Dr. Green got in next to me.
“Do we need to go?” Dr. Green asked. “Can we talk yet? What’s going on?”
Luke immediately put the car into reverse to get out of the parking spot and then zoomed down the road. “We were all in the back getting outfitted. Gabriel ran out once he was finished...”
“Motherfucker left masks on all the displays,” Gabriel said. His lips curled and he bared his teeth. He pointed down, where there were several masks piled up on the floor, identical to the one we’d seen on the steps. “All of those mannequins in Gretta’s shop. He managed to get one on all of them. I ran around grabbing them all, and told Kota to go get you guys. I didn’t want to use a phone.”