7
After class, Mark texted:
Let’s get dinner tonight.
So, he noticed something was up.
Perfect. I had some things I wanted to say,
too.
Okay, I’ll head over after my experiment.
To get done by 7, I sped through my
experiment.
But then, I couldn’t get the lab door open.
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Usually, the lab doors got checked and locked at 11 pm. It wasn’t even 7. Why was it locked?
My phone was in my locker outside. I couldn’t
reach anyone. I thought of climbing out a
window, but the lab was on the eighth floor.
Someone walked by, so I started banging on
the door like crazy.
The lab was soundproofed. It took forever to
get anyone’s attention.
When I saw who it was, my heart sank.
It was Stacy.
She’s been dying to go to Ireland with our
professor, but he picked me.
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She’s been giving me the cold shoulder lately.
I mouthed to her, telling her I was stuck.
She shook her head and walked off.
My heart dropped.
Did Mark know I was here?
I needed to get out ASAP.
I needed something to use as a weapon.
But all the equipment was worth millions of
dollars. I couldn’t bring myself to damage
anything.
Finally, I just sat down with my back against
<
the door.
Click!
I jumped up.
Stacy was holding the door open, jangling the
keys.
“The lab assistant left early. I had to go get
the keys from the office and fill out some
forms. Took a little while. Didn’t scare you,
did I?”
I was speechless.
“The lab assistant… is… Ashley?”
Stacy rolled her eyes. “Who else would it be?”
く
I hesitated.
“Thanks. Um… I gotta run. I’ll buy you dinner
later. About the project in Ireland…”
“Save it. I don’t need your apology.”
She waved her hand dismissively. “I’ll surpass
you someday, Sarah.”
