The Spiked Drink

Jamie lunged forward, pushing Elliot behind him as Alex stepped into the classroom.

"Get back!" Jamie shouted, grabbing a chair to defend them.

But before Alex could move closer, two security guards appeared behind him. They grabbed Alex by the arms as he tried to break free.

"Let me go!" Alex yelled, fighting against their grip.

Principal Garcia rushed in, face pale in the dim emergency lights. "Is everyone okay?"

"What was that explosion?" Ms. Chen asked, her voice shaking.

"Someone set off fireworks in the science wing," the principal stated. "The power went out because of a blown fuse. No real bomb, thankfully."

Relief washed over Elliot as they watched the guards drag Alex away.

"The dance is still on," Principal Garcia stated. "We have backup generators, and the gym wasn't affected."

Two hours later, the Winter Formal was in full swing. The gym sparkled with blue and silver decorations. Tiny lights that looked like stars hung from the roof, making it feel like they were dancing under the night sky.

"Are you sure you still want to be here?" Jamie asked Elliot, his arm protective around their waist. "We could go home and watch movies instead."

Elliot shook their head. "No way. We can't let Alex and Derek win by scaring us away."

Megan emerged beside them, stunning in her red dress. "There you are! I heard about what happened with Alex. Are you guys okay?"

"We're fine," Elliot told her. "Alex is gone, and security is everywhere."

Indeed, teachers and guards stood at every door, watching the kids carefully. Even Coach Wilson was there, looking embarrassed about his son's actions.

"Let's dance," Jamie offered, pulling Elliot toward the center of the gym.

The music slowed, and Jamie held Elliot close. For a moment, everything felt great. The lights, the music, Jamie's arms around them—it was like something from a dream.

"I'm getting thirsty," Elliot said after a few songs. "I'll grab us some drinks."

"I'll come with you," Jamie offered, but just then Coach Wilson called him over.

"Go ahead," Elliot said. "I'll be right back."

At the punch table, Elliot filled two cups with the fresh, pure punch. As they turned to leave, Ryan appeared, blocking their way.

"Elliot," he said, looking nervous. "Can we talk for a minute? About what happened earlier?"

Elliot hesitated. Ryan had been locked in a room by Alex, but they still weren't sure if they could trust him.

"Just one minute," they agreed, setting the cups down on the table.

Ryan led them to a quieter area near the bleachers. "I wanted to say I'm sorry," he said. "For everything. Not just today, but for all the times I was mean to you."

Elliot was surprised. "Why the change of heart?"

"Seeing how Jamie stood up for you made me think about my sister," Ryan revealed. "I should be standing up for her like that, not bullying people for being different."

As they talked, Elliot didn't notice someone slip quietly to the punch table behind them. A hand moved quickly over one of the cups, putting something in that dissolved instantly.

"I want to make things right," Ryan continued. "Start over, maybe?"

Elliot nodded. "I'd like that."

When they returned to the punch table, they grabbed the cups and headed back to Jamie, who was finishing his talk with Coach Wilson.

"Everything okay?" Jamie asked, taking his cup from Elliot.

"Yeah," Elliot answered, taking a big sip of punch. "Ryan actually apologized."

Jamie raised his eyebrows. "Seriously?"

"I think he might be changing," Elliot said, finishing their drink. It tasted a little strange—slightly bitter—but they figured it was just the cheap fruit punch mix.

They danced for another song, but Elliot started feeling odd. The room seemed to tilt slightly, and the lights grew brighter, more painful to look at.

"Are you okay?" Jamie asked, spotting Elliot's steps becoming unsteady.

"I don't feel so good," Elliot mumbled. Their words sounded slow and slurred even to their own ears.

Jamie's face blurred in front of them as the music became warped, like it was playing underwater. Elliot tripped, and Jamie caught them before they could fall.

"Something's wrong," Jamie said, his voice sounding far away. "Your pupils are huge."

Across the room, Derek Reynolds watched from the shadows. He wasn't meant to be at the dance—he was still suspended. But he had snuck in, determined to finish what his friend Alex had started.

"Megan!" Jamie called, waving her over desperately. "Something's wrong with Elliot."

Megan rushed to them, her face falling when she saw Elliot's situation. "What happened?"

"I don't know," Jamie said. "They were fine, then suddenly like this."

Elliot could barely stand now. The room spun wildly around them, faces and lights mixing together in a sickening swirl.

"Help me get them outside," Jamie said, holding Elliot's weight.

As they moved toward the doors, Ms. Chen stopped them. "What's going on?" she asked, then took one look at Elliot and frowned. "Take them to the nurse's office. I'll call an ambulance."

Jamie and Megan half-carried Elliot through the halls. Each step was harder than the last. Elliot's legs felt like they were made of rubber.

"Who did this?" Megan hissed, her eyes searching the crowd as they left.

"I don't know," Jamie said, his voice tight with fear. "But when I find out..."

In the nurse's office, they put Elliot on the bed. The school nurse took one look at them and immediately called 911.

"Possible drug overdose," she said into the phone. "Teenager, sixteen years old, showing signs of sedation, dilated pupils."

"Drug overdose?" Jamie repeated in shock. "But they didn't take anything! Just the punch..." His eyes widened with understanding. "Someone must have spiked their drink."

From the hallway, Principal Garcia's voice broke in: "Who had access to their drink?"

"I don't know," Jamie said desperately. "They got it from the punch table while I was talking to Coach Wilson."

Megan gasped suddenly. "Wait, I saw someone near your cups when you were talking to Ryan. I thought they were just getting their own drink."

"Who?" Jamie asked.

"I'm not sure," Megan said. "It was dark, and they had their back to me."

Elliot tried to speak, but their tongue felt huge in their mouth. The ceiling above them seemed to be breathing, expanding and contracting like a live thing.

"The ambulance is five minutes out," the nurse stated.

Jamie held Elliot's hand tightly. "Stay with me, okay? Just keep looking at me."

Through the fog in their mind, Elliot could see tears forming in Jamie's eyes. They wanted to tell him not to worry, but no words would come out.

Principal Garcia was on the phone now, calling Elliot's parents. The room filled with anxious voices and movement, but they all seemed so far away.

"I'll find who did this," Jamie promised, his voice breaking. "I swear I will."

As darkness started coming in from the edges of Elliot's vision, the door to the nurse's office burst open. Derek Reynolds stood there, breathing hard.

"I know who did it," he blurted out.

Before he could say another word, a hand yanked him backward into the hallway. There was a thud and a cry of pain.

Jamie jumped up and rushed to the door, but froze at what he saw.

"No," he whispered. "It can't be."