Mrs. Epatha's: Chapter Four, Page One
The next evening was clear and still, with all the stars visible. Olivia wondered if they were cheering her on.
She met Alexandria at the foot of their dorm stairway in thick jeans and sneakers. Olivia had suggested going in their pajamas, for plausible deniablity in case they were caught, but Alexandria pointed out that if they were seen together in an office that had been locked, it wouldn't really matter what they were wearing.
The closest phone was in Mrs. Nelson's office at the end of the first floor; being inside, there would also be no cameras to catch th girls breaking in. It hadn't been too difficult getting the key; Alexandria had watched which key the janitor used to get into the office, and then Olivia had knocked a bunch of books over to create a distraction while Alexandria stole it.
Olivia's heart had jackhammered the entire time, threatening to burst right from her chest in...fear? Excitement? When the janitor glared down at her she'd been grateful for the way her dark skin hid her blush, for she felt so hot she just knew the janitor would know she was up to something, that the mess wasn't an accident.
But the janitor didn't notice a nothing. She just rolled her eyes as Olivia mumbled apologies and began picking up the books and walked back to her work.
"Should we distract her again tomorrow?" Alexandria whispered as they tiptoed down the hall, looking around nervously with each step. Still, she was more together than Olivia; it was amazing how together Alexandria always was. "Slide the key back onto her keyring?"
Guessing that she was talking about the janitor, Olivia shook her head. "They'll know we broke in anyway when they check the phone records next month. Might as well leave the key on the desk or in the door, so she doesn't get blamed for making the phone call or something." To save face, she was trying desperately to keep from jumping at every sound, but it was impossible. Each creak of a floorboard reminded Olivia of the horrible groaning from that creature in the bathroom, and soon she was trembling in spite of herself.
She met Alexandria at the foot of their dorm stairway in thick jeans and sneakers. Olivia had suggested going in their pajamas, for plausible deniablity in case they were caught, but Alexandria pointed out that if they were seen together in an office that had been locked, it wouldn't really matter what they were wearing.
The closest phone was in Mrs. Nelson's office at the end of the first floor; being inside, there would also be no cameras to catch th girls breaking in. It hadn't been too difficult getting the key; Alexandria had watched which key the janitor used to get into the office, and then Olivia had knocked a bunch of books over to create a distraction while Alexandria stole it.
Olivia's heart had jackhammered the entire time, threatening to burst right from her chest in...fear? Excitement? When the janitor glared down at her she'd been grateful for the way her dark skin hid her blush, for she felt so hot she just knew the janitor would know she was up to something, that the mess wasn't an accident.
But the janitor didn't notice a nothing. She just rolled her eyes as Olivia mumbled apologies and began picking up the books and walked back to her work.
"Should we distract her again tomorrow?" Alexandria whispered as they tiptoed down the hall, looking around nervously with each step. Still, she was more together than Olivia; it was amazing how together Alexandria always was. "Slide the key back onto her keyring?"
Guessing that she was talking about the janitor, Olivia shook her head. "They'll know we broke in anyway when they check the phone records next month. Might as well leave the key on the desk or in the door, so she doesn't get blamed for making the phone call or something." To save face, she was trying desperately to keep from jumping at every sound, but it was impossible. Each creak of a floorboard reminded Olivia of the horrible groaning from that creature in the bathroom, and soon she was trembling in spite of herself.