I should have known she would not stop at words.

The hallway outside the auditorium was mostly empty, that strange in between stretch of the day where classes had ended but after school activities had not yet begun. The lights hummed softly overhead. My footsteps echoed as I adjusted the strap of my bag on my shoulder and headed toward the exit.

I felt it before I saw her.

That shift in the air. The awareness crawling up my spine.

“Blake.”

I stopped.

Slowly, I turned.

Joey stood a few ...