Episode 30: Biology and Potential B&E

Aubrey Lance, S.S. (Supernatural Sleuth) -- Season 1, Episode 30: Biology & Potential B&E

When the bell rang, I quickly shoved my biology books and the notebook into my backpack, then waited for the other students to clear out before heading to Mr. Cleary’s desk. The rest of the students hurried for the door—except Collin, who lingered, then seemed to think better of it and stepped out into the hall. 

After a few moments, Mr. Cleary and I were alone in the classroom. I put my backpack on and headed to his desk. “You wanted to talk to me?” 

He peered up at me from his desk seat through the large, round lenses of his eyeglasses. “It’s not like you to fall asleep in class, Aubrey. Are you feeling okay today?” 

I tried to hold his eye contact, but honestly, it was kind of hard. Up close, the glasses made his eyes look huge. “Yes, Mr. Cleary. I’m just tired. It was a long night.” 

His brow furrowed. “Are you having trouble sleeping? I know that you and Chloe were close.” 

He said that like she wasn’t coming back. I tensed. “We are close.”

He shook his head. “Of course. I didn’t mean to imply—”

The classroom door swung open, and some students for next period filed in. The first, a boy named Pete I didn’t know well but saw often in passing, glanced over at us in curiosity, then headed to a desk in the back row. 

Mr. Cleary folded his hands and leaned toward me. “I’m just worried about you, Aubrey.” He seemed genuinely concerned. “You’ve been through a lot in the past few years, and I just want to make sure you know you don’t have to go through this alone. If there’s anything you need—”

I shook my head. “I’m okay, but thank you. Was there anything else you wanted to talk to me about?” I didn’t mean to be rude, but my biology teacher wasn’t exactly the person I wanted to share my deepest secrets with, and if he kept me here much longer, I’d be late to my next class.

“No, I just wanted to be sure you were okay.” He gave me a sympathetic smile. “Have a good day, Aubrey.” 

I let out the breath I’d been holding. I’d wondered if this was all building toward a reprimand for falling asleep in his class, or even a warning slip, but apparently it wasn’t. “Thank you, Mr. Cleary. You too.” I gave him a quick return smile and hurried out.

Collin straightened from where he was leaning against the wall outside. “Everything okay?” 

I rolled my eyes. “That’s apparently the question of the day.” 

Collin smirked. “He really just wanted to check on you? I thought you were in trouble.” 

“Me too. I promise I’m trying to act normal, but I think I’ve attracted more teacher scrutiny in the past two hours than I have in the last two years combined.”

Collin chuckled. “I’d say it’s my bad influence, but we both know you’re the brains of this shenanigans operation.” He gave me a wink that was honestly kind of cute, though I’d never admit that to him, then he gestured down the hall, which was already almost deserted. The last of the straggling students were hurrying into classrooms. “Your next period is near mine. Can I walk you to class?” 

I shook my head—which sent a flash of confusion or disappointment over his face, I wasn’t sure which—then I grabbed his arm. 

His eyes widened. 

“No—this way.” I said, then tugged him the other way, toward the nearest locker alcove. 

He followed without resisting, though he did let out a surprised, “But we’ll both be late to—” 

I glanced back at him. “This is more important.”

He raised his eyebrows but made no further protest.

When we reached the locker area, I looked both ways down the hallway to make sure we were alone, then tugged him into the secluded alcove. 

“This isn’t exactly acting normal,” Collin said in a teasing tone. 

In the distance, the starting bell for the next period rang, but I ignored it.

I dropped his arm and turned to face him. “I need to tell you something.” 

The humor dropped from his expression as he locked his eyes on mine. “What is it, Aubs?” 

He’d never used my nickname before, but now wasn’t the time to address that. 

“When I fell asleep in class, I had a dream.” I quickly explained what I’d seen in my dream. “Collin, the AV room has red walls.” 

He looked confused. “So…” 

I swung my backpack off one arm and unzipped it, then pulled out Emery’s notebook, hurriedly turning to the sketches. “Look.” I shoved it toward him. 

 He scanned the page, and his eyes widened. “Red room.” He looked up at me. “You think that’s what she meant?” 

I closed the notebook and put it away. “I don’t know—but I’ve had weird dreams before and I just ignored them. I can’t do that this time.” 

“Of course not. You shouldn’t.” He looked down at me. “You think the key opens something in that room?”  

I pressed my hand against my jeans pocket, feeling the key through the fabric. “Maybe. I don’t know, but it’s the only guess I’ve got right now.” 

Collin looked excited now. “An hour ago, we didn’t even have a guess. When are you in the AV room next? Can you look around?” 

I sighed. “I’m not supposed to be in there again until Monday. Students aren’t allowed in there without Mr. Pierce, and when I’m in there, I’m supposed to just be at the microphone. It would be impossible to look around much without him noticing.”

Collin tilted his head. “Do you think you could just… ask him?” 

I stared at him. “You mean tell him about Emery’s clues? Collin, I don’t think that’s a good idea.” I liked Mr. Pierce, but we were supposed to be keeping our circle of knowledge as small as possible. Besides, my interaction with him this morning—especially after the dream—had left me with a lingering anxiety about Mr. Pierce I couldn’t shake. That kind of stunk, actually. He’d always been my favorite teacher.

But Collin shook his head. “No, I didn’t mean that. I just meant, since you’re in there a lot, maybe you could hint that you think you may have dropped something? I don’t mean lie to him, but—” 

I drew a breath. It wouldn’t not be a lie, either. Keeping secrets to protect ourselves was one thing, but lying was something else. “No, I don’t want to do that.” 

Collin nodded. “Okay. Then we’ll just have to find a way to get you in there while he’s not there.” 

I raised an eyebrow. “You mean break in?” 

Collin raised an eyebrow. “I was going to suggest finding a reason to make him step away so you could slip in, but… breaking in would work too, I guess?” He paused. “Do you even know how?” 

I chewed my lip. “Well… I know Mr. Pierce leaves around three when he’s not doing the radio show. I usually see him heading to his car while I’m waiting for Lockley to finish practice. It would be tricky, but… aren’t there ways to put tape on a lock, or something, so it seems locked, but it isn’t?” 

Collin stared at me. “Have you watched any crime shows that weren’t kid or teen shows?” 

I blushed. “Um…” 

He smirked. “I see. Well, I’d say the odds of pulling off the tape trick fall somewhere between sliding a credit card in to unlock the door, and stuffing a shoe in the door just as it shuts without him noticing. Not impossible to pull off, but the odds aren’t in our favor. Probably better just to pick the lock.” 

I raised an eyebrow. “Can you do that?” 

Collin glanced off. “Maybe.” He sighed, and when he looked back at me, his expression turned serious. “Listen, Aubrey—jokes aside, we’re talking about something we could both get in serious trouble for. My reputation is already shot, but yours…” He peered down at me. “Are you sure you want to do this?” 

I glanced off, thinking. Breaking into the AV room wasn’t much better than lying, but I didn’t plan to steal or damage anything, and I’d been ready to break into the whole school earlier this morning, so I had to admit my personal scale of morality was a bit skewed at the moment. The thought of breaking into the AV room gave me anxiety, but what choice did I have? I needed answers. 

Collin rested his hand on my arm, and when I refocused on him, his expression was gentle. “Tell me what to look for, and I’ll do it by myself. If anyone catches me, I won’t breathe a word about your involvement, I swear.” 

I studied his face. He was serious. 

“Collin, no. I won’t ask you to do that.” 

His green eyes locked on me. “You aren’t asking. I offered.” 

I looked at him for a long moment, then looked away. If breaking in was wrong, it was wrong, right? I couldn’t send Collin to do something I wasn’t willing to do myself. But maybe, in this situation, when literal lives could depend on what we might find in there… I mean, it’s not like breaking in would hurt anyone. 

So why was my conscience still screaming against it? 

No more secrets, Aubrey. I suddenly heard my dad’s voice so clearly in my mind, it was almost like he was standing right next to me. Yes, these clues were my mission, but my parents would never approve of me doing something that could get me—or Collin—in major trouble without even talking to them about it first. This wasn’t a decision I should make on my own. 

I drew a long breath, then looked back up at Collin. “I think I need to call my dad.” 

***

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