Chapter 164: Roanna In Trouble

"No!" Roanna's voice broke. "Just shut up!"

Clara watched her. Roanna stepped forward, trembling with anger now. Her voice was dangerously low.

"Don't you ever come near me again."

Clara said nothing.

"Do you hear me?" Roanna hissed and wiped her tears. "And don't you dare say anything about my friends."

Her voice became fierce.

"If you have a problem with me, deal with me. But leave them alone."

Esteban finally spoke.

"You're in denial, Ro."

Roanna whipped around.

"What?"

He regarded her calmly.

"You've seen enough to know something is wrong."

"That doesn't mean you get to threaten me!"

"We aren't threatening you."

Clara's eyes remained fixed on her.

"We're warning you." She said.

Roanna laughed bitterly through her tears.

"I don't need your warning."

She pointed toward the school.

"My friends are fine and nothing is going to happen to them."

Clara's expression didn't change. Roanna's voice rose again.

"Do you understand? Nothing. Is. Going. To happen. To my friends!" She stepped closer till their noses nearly touched. And if you approach me again...."

Her eyes burned through the tears.

"I'll report you to Armari and tell him how much of a bitch you are."

For the first time, Clara's expression changed. It was barely a faint smile.

Roanna noticed.

"What?"

Clara shook her head.

"Nothing."

"Then stop looking at me like that."

Roanna's voice trembled.

"And I mean it."

Clara turned away. Esteban followed her. But before leaving, Clara looked back.

"Be careful, Roanna."

Roanna stood frozen. Clara's voice was quiet.

"Sometimes the things we refuse to remember..." She paused. "...are the things that were trying to warn us."

Then she walked away.

Roanna remained where she was. Her phone was still in her hand. The call with Marc had never connected. She stared at the screen through blurry eyes.

Her heart was racing now. She remembered Clara and she remembered Pete. She remembered the strange night at Armari's house.

And for the first time all those little moments she'd dismissed began fitting together. Roanna squeezed her eyes shut.

"No." She shook her head. "No, no, no."

She wiped her face.

"My friends are fine."

She repeated it like a promise.

"They're fine."

Then her phone finally vibrated. And when she looked it was Marc. Roanna stared at his name. And despite everything, she answered. Roanna stared at Marc's name for several seconds before answering.

"Hello?"

Her voice cracked. There was a brief silence. And then Marc's voice softened immediately.

"Roanna?"

She pressed her lips together.

"Hi...."

"What happened?"

"Nothing."

Her voice betrayed her and with that, Marc went quiet.

"You've been crying."

Roanna wiped her cheeks quickly.

"I'm fine."

"No. You're not."

She sniffed.

"I just..." Her voice broke again and Marc's tone became gentler.

"Where are you?"

"I'm at school."

"Where?"

She gave him the location.

"I'll come get you." He said.

"No, Marc." She sniffed again. "I can't leave."

"Then I'll wait."

Roanna closed her eyes. She didn't know why hearing his voice made everything feel worse. Maybe because she had been trying so hard not to cry.

"I don't even know what's wrong with me." Sje said, her voice fully jittering now.

"You don't have to explain." His voice was calm. "Just breathe."

She took a shaky breath and whispered.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"I don't know."

Marc smiled faintly on the other end.

"Then don't apologize."

Roanna laughed weakly through her tears and he was quiet for a moment. Then, he said.

"Listen to me."

"Hm?"

"Whatever happened, you don't have to deal with it alone."

Her eyes filled again.

"I want to see you. After school." He added.

She nodded even though he couldn't see her.

"Okay."

"I'll be waiting."

Roanna sniffed.

"Promise?" She asked.

"Promise."

She smiled faintly. "Okay."

"Now go find your friends."

Roanna's expression immediately changed.

"I don't want them to see me like this. They'll worry too much."

"They'll worry if you disappear."

She sighed. "You're right."

"I usually am."

She laughed softly.

"Don't get cocky."

"I'll see you after school."

"Okay."

The call ended and Roanna lowered the phone. She wiped her face again. Then she heard footsteps.

"Roanna?"

She froze.

It was Kimberly. She quickly turned away.

"I've been looking everywhere for you!" Kimberly cried out.

Iris's voice followed.

"Roanna!"

They hurried around the corner and both of them stopped when they saw her.

Kimberly's smile disappeared.

"Oh my God."

Iris immediately walked toward her.

"You've been crying."

Roanna shook her head.

"I'm fine."

"Your eyes are red."

"I said I'm fine."

Iris slowed. Something about Roanna's voice made her stop.

"Did something happen, Ro?"

Roanna looked between them. For one moment, she almost told them. She almost said Clara's name. Almost told them everything.

But the words wouldn't come out and in fact, she didn't want them to come out. She shook her head.

"I just...." She swallowed. "I need some time alone."

Kimberly frowned.

"Roanna...."

"Please." Her voice was small. "I'll be okay. I promise you both that."

Iris studied her face. Then she gently squeezed her shoulder.

"Okay."

Roanna looked at her gratefully.

"I'll see you later."

Kimberly still looked worried.

"Are you sure?"

Roanna nodded. "Yeah. Sure."

The girls reluctantly stepped back and Roanna watched them leave. Her chest hurt.

She loved them. She really did. But right now, she couldn't tell them.

She looked down at her phone. Marc's name was still on the screen. And somehow, knowing he'd be waiting for her after school made the frightening things Clara had said feel a little farther away. For now.

The final bell rang. Students poured out of the classrooms and into the courtyard, filling the school grounds with noise and laughter.

Roanna walked toward the gate alone. She had spent the entire afternoon trying to convince herself that she was fine.

She wasn't. But she was going to see Marc. That thought steadied her mind and made her heart warm.

But not for long.

Hours later, she sneaked away from her friends and went to the restroom to vent to herself. And because she didn't want them in her dilemma, she decided she needed to think and the fact that she needed to think about something so uncomfortable made her angry.

"Roanna!" She cried out.

She stopped. Iris and Kimberly hurried toward her.

"There you are!"

Kimberly caught up first.

"We've been looking for you."

Roanna forced a smile and said. "I'm going home."

Iris looked at her carefully.

"Okay. We'll come with you."

Roanna shook her head.

"No."

Kimberly frowned.

"Why not?"

"I just want to go home myself."

"Roanna, you've been crying all day and we need to talk to you. We need to hear you out."

"I'm fine, guys. We'll talk tomorrow. I'm fine."

"You obviously aren't fine."

Something inside Roanna snapped and she screamed.

"I said I'm fine!"

Her voice rang across the walkway. Several students turned. Iris immediately went quiet and Roanna's anger vanished as quickly as it had appeared.

She looked at their faces.

"I'm sorry." Her voice dropped. "I didn't mean to shout."

Kimberly softened.

"We're just worried about you."

"I know." Roanna said and rubbed her eyes in frustration. "I know you are."

She took a shaky breath.

"But I'm not ready for company right now."

Iris studied her.

"Is someone bothering you?"

"No."

Roanna hesitated. Then she decided to tell them part of the truth.

"I'm going to see Marc."

Kimberly's eyebrows rose.

"Marc?"

Roanna nodded. "He's waiting for me."

Iris exchanged a glance with Kimberly. And then, she asked. "You're going alone?"

"Yes."

"Roanna...."

"Actually, he lives near my house." She said and gave them a small smile. "So I'll be safe."

Kimberly still looked uncertain.

"You promise you'll call us?"

"I promise."

Iris stepped closer and squeezed her hand.

"Okay. I understand. Just be safe."

Roanna smiled faintly.

"Thank you."

Kimberly sighed.

"Fine."

"But if you don't answer your phone...."

"I will."

Kimberly pointed at her. "I'm serious."

Roanna laughed weakly.

"I know."

Then, the three girls hugged.

Roanna held onto them a little longer than usual. Then she stepped back.

"I'll see you tomorrow."

Iris smiled.

"Tomorrow."

Roanna watched them walk away. Her smile slowly disappeared and she looked toward the street. Marc was waiting. And for the second time that day, she felt like she could finally breathe.

Marc kept one arm around her, waiting patiently. He didn't rush her. He simply watched her.

"What happened, Roanna?"

She opened her mouth. Nothing came out. Her chin only trembled. Marc's expression softened.

"Hey...."

He gently brushed his thumb beneath her eye.

"Talk to me."

Roanna sniffed.

"I...." Her voice broke and she tried again."I don't know what's happening anymore."

A tear slipped down her cheek. Marc leaned forward and kissed the tip of her nose.

"I'm listening. Tell me what you think."

That somehow made everything worse. Roanna burst into tears.

"Oh, God...."

Marc immediately pulled her closer.

"Hey, hey."

She tried to speak between sobs.

"I saw.... this woman...."

"Slow down." He kissed her forehead. "You're okay."

Roanna shook her head.

"She knew things about me."

Marc gently pushed the loose strands of hair away from her wet face.

"What things?"

"I don't know!" Her voice cracked. "She kept saying things I couldn't understand."

Marc remained calm.

"Okay."

"And she knew about Pete."

His eyebrows lifted slightly.

"Pete?"

Roanna nodded frantically.

"He's Iris's runaway dad.She said I should remember how he reacted when he saw her."

Her breathing became faster.

"And I remembered!"

Marc cupped her cheek.

"Roanna."

She looked at him.

"Breathe."

She tried.

"Slowly."

He breathed in deliberately.

"In."

Roanna followed him.

"Out."

She exhaled shakily.

"Again."

She breathed in. Then out.

"Good."

Marc smiled softly.

"That's it."

Roanna's tears continued falling.

"I was so scared."

"I know." He kissed her forehead again. "You don't have to be scared here."

She looked at him.

"And she told me to leave town."

Marc's expression became slightly more serious and confused.

"Why?"