Chapter 163 ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-THREE

Chapter 163 ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-THREE
Scarlett’s POV

Blue’s jaw hardened as he stared down at me in silence, his grey eyes turning unreadable. But something inside told me I was getting dangerously close to the truth.

"Come here," Blue said softly.

I hesitated for a brief second, but I stepped closer to him anyway. His hand snaked out, gently gripping the back of my neck to keep me anchored right in front of him.

"I will tell you, honestly," he said, looking straight into my eyes. "I just haven't found a good time to yet. You need to stop speculating, Red."

I narrowed my eyes at him. I couldn't say for sure how much I actually believed his words, but at least I knew I could put more pressure on him to spill everything once this chaos was finally over.

I opened my mouth to speak, but before I could, Tanner came running over to us, his face pale and looking extremely urgent.

"You are starting to make a habit of this," I said dryly, looking over at Tanner.

"I am really sorry, Scarlett," Tanner panted out, wiping sweat from his forehead. "But this is important."

Blue moved to pull his hand away from my neck to talk to him, but I determinedly reached out and grabbed the front of his shirt in a tight fist, refusing to let him step back.

They both looked down at my hand gripping his clothes, and Blue simply gestured with his head for Tanner to speak. "Go ahead."

"It might start soon," Tanner said without any preamble.

Blue’s brow pulled down sharply. "What? How soon are we talking about?"

"Like... in the next hour soon," Tanner revealed, his voice shaking slightly. "The area around the courtyard smells subtly of fuel, like it's leaking. They might have already started pouring it around in preparation for setting the fire."

I stared at Blue in panic, my grip on his shirt tightening further. "What is he talking about?"

"Derek wants to set Bellamy on fire," Blue answered flatly, his face devoid of emotion.

"And you are just going to let him?!" I gasped out.

"Yes," Blue said plainly.

I looked around the empty corridor, terror gripping my chest. "What about everybody else? What about all the other students?"

Blue just shook his head slowly, making no promises.

I shook him by the lapels of his shirt, my voice rising. "You can't just let them all die because of your plan, Blue!"

Blue suddenly reached up, his large hands gripping my wrists firmly, and he leaned in until his face was just inches from mine. "If I have to watch this place and everyone in it burn just so you can be safe, I will gladly do it," he whispered, his dark gaze piercing right through me. "I told you, Red... I am not a good man."

I swallowed hard, my throat going dry as a sudden, betraying flush rose to my cheeks.

"Okay..." I mumbled, pulling my hands back. "But we still have to try something. What even is the plan for us? How are we surviving the fire? How large is it going to be?"

"Tanner thinks it is going to be quite large," Blue explained, turning his focus back to the immediate threat. "We have access to an underground tunnel. We are going to hole up down there and then find our way out to the surface."

Blue turned to Tanner, his tone turning crisp and authoritative. "Quick, find Jax. Tell him to meet Tony right now about getting the map for the tunnel."

Blue glanced up at the large outdoor clock mounted near the dining hall entrance. The hands pointed to 3:00 PM. Much of the day was already gone.

Tanner nodded and immediately turned, sprinting off toward the other building.

"I am going to my room now," I told Blue, backing away. "I have some necessities to grab."

"Come to my room right afterwards," Blue instructed, his eyes locking onto mine. "Don't be long, okay?"

"I won't," I nodded, turning on my heel and running down the stone path.

On my way to the dorms, my mind scrambled. I felt an intense urge to scream and tell every unsuspecting student I passed about the impending doom hanging over our heads. But a cold realization stopped me. What if they panicked and fought us for access to the tunnel? It probably couldn't take all of them anyway.

I reached my dorm room, pushing the door open, and stopped in my tracks. Rachael and Stan were sitting side by side on her bed, talking in low voices.

I crossed my arms over my chest. "This is cute and all, but Bellamy is about to go up in flames."

Rachael stood up immediately. "Yes, we should take our important stuff and leave right now."

I blinked, staring at her. "So you knew about this?"

"I only just found out," Rachael said bitingly, throwing a small bag over her shoulder.

I rushed over to my locker, unlocking it and quickly picking out anything of value and sentiment. My hands brushed against the canvas painting Blue had made for me. I paused, wondering how on earth I was going to carry a canvas while running for my life, but I simply could not bear to leave it behind to burn.

Stan stretched his hand out toward me. "I'll take it."

I looked at him unsurely, holding the painting close.

"I don't have much to take of my own," Stan said simply.

I stared at him for a second, not knowing if that was efficiency of the highest order or just plain sad. But I handed the painting over to him anyway.

I slung my packed school bag over my shoulders, and Rachael did the same with hers.

Just as we turned toward the exit, a piercing, deafening alarm sound started wailing through the speakers in the ceiling.

An automated female voice began repeating over and over, echoing through the building: "This is not a drill. Repeat, this is not a drill."

I shook my head, frustration boiling over inside me. If it's not a drill, then what is it?! What is happening?! Has the fire already broken out somewhere?!

As we stepped out into the hallway, a stampede of panicked students burst out of their rooms, rushing toward the exits in a frenzy. The crowd flooded the corridor, surging forward like a big wave.

I was shoved hard from behind, stumbling right into the thick of the chaos. Hands pushed me violently every which way as screaming students scrambled for shelter and answers.

I spun around blindly, trying to find my footing in the moving sea of people. "Rachael! Stan!"

I looked around frantically, but I couldn't see Stan or Rachael anywhere. The force of the crowd had separated us in seconds.

Damn it!