Episode 32: Bleacher Talks and Break-Ins
- Crystal Crawford
- Apr 8
- 6 min read
Updated: Apr 9
I took Collin to the set of bleachers where I usually waited for Lockley. They were part of the stands around the football field, but the top section was set back into a little dip behind where the announcer box poked out, and with the windowless side of another building butting up against the end of this section, it was a tucked-away little alcove.
These bleachers could only be seen from one section of the football field, and the cheerleaders practiced on the other side. I’d been spotted while waiting here by football players a time or two, but usually they were too focused on practice to care about a lone figure sitting up in the stands.
While not many people could see me in that spot, it was a fantastic spot for watching others. The height of the stands gave me a good view of the faculty parking lot, part of the student lot, and most of the football field. The only sections of this side of the school property blocked from my view, mainly by the angle of the announcer booth, were some of the student parking lot and the entrance to the lockers and bathrooms… which explained why I’d never noticed Collin going in there before he met Lockley and me on the field.
Today, though, Collin was with me on the bleachers… and rather than just killing time doing homework, we had a job to do.
We took a seat in the uppermost row of the bleachers, nonchalantly angling ourselves where we could both see the faculty parking lot.
“So,” I said, pulling out math work I had no intention of doing, “now we wait.”
Collin nodded, his eyes on the faculty lot. He was sitting on the row just below me, straddling it so that he could still see both the lot and me. “So which car is his?” he asked without looking at me.
“The dark red Subaru.” I pointed to it, halfway down the nearest row of cars. “We’ve still got half an hour before he’ll be coming out, though, if he leaves at his usual time.”
“Got it.” He continued staring in the direction of the vehicle.
I was just beginning to wonder whether Collin planned to do nothing but stare silently at the lot for the entire hour, when he turned to look at me.
“Your parents are great, you know.” His expression was hard to read.
I shrugged. “Yeah, they’re pretty great, I guess.”
His eyes widened. “You guess? Aubrey, your dad literally just took a phone call from his daughter confessing to a planned B&E and admitting to skipping class, and instead of punishing you or even being mad, he thanked you for calling him and offered to come help. Do you not realize how insane that is?” He gaped at me. “In the best way possible, of course.”
Now that he mentioned it, I probably should’ve gotten in more trouble, all things considered.
“Yeah… I guess it is pretty crazy. I would do almost anything to find Chloe and Emery, but…” I winced. “In hindsight, I can see that us breaking into the AV room on our own probably wasn’t the best plan. I’m glad I called my dad first. I’m just relieved he didn’t cut us out of things like he started to.”
Collin laughed and shook his head. “Your dad has an epic level of chill.”
I nodded. “I wasn’t sure how he’d react, but I’d promised not to keep any more secrets from him. I figured even if he disagreed with my plan, he would understand my intentions.”
“Intentions?” Collin balked. “It never mattered what my intentions were. If my parents heard I’d even considered doing anything other than the perfect grades and perfect behavior that their prep-school tuition bill should’ve purchased…” Collin’s expression darkened.
My chest tightened. “They really expect you to be perfect?”
He let out a bitter laugh. “Well, not anymore. That ship has sailed.”
“What do you—” I started, but Collin suddenly straightened.
“Show time,” he said, his gaze on the faculty lot.
I followed his glance. Mr. Pierce was already heading to his car. “Huh. He’s early.”
Collin looked at me. “Does that mean anything?”
I drew a breath, watching as Mr. Pierce climbed into his Subaru. “I’m not sure.”
But other than the timing, everything seemed normal. Mr. Pierce set his travel mug in the center console like usual, laid his briefcase on the passenger seat like usual, and started up the car—like usual.
Collin shrugged. “Maybe he has an appointment to get to.”
“Yeah. Maybe.” I chewed my lip, feeling a restlessness I couldn’t quite define or explain, as we watched Mr. Pierce pull out of the faculty lot and drive away. I looked at Collin. “Guess it’s time to text my dad.”
I shot Dad a quick text letting him know Mr. Pierce had left early.
He texted me back immediately. “Okay. I’m close. Stay where you are for now. I’ll text again soon.”
Collin read the reply over my shoulder. “How long do you think—”
My phone dinged again.
Meet me at the red room’s outer door in two minutes.
“I guess he was really close,” I said, slipping my phone into my pocket.
Collin and I looked at each other.
“What do you think his plan is?” Collin asked me. “I mean, he’s got to get us into that room undetected somehow, right?”
I couldn’t imagine my cheesy, mild-mannered father breaking into a school—then again, a week ago, I wouldn’t have imagined any of the things I’d encountered the past few days.
“I honestly have no idea.”
We grabbed our stuff and headed down the bleachers. The cheerleaders were still practicing on the field, along with the football team, but no one gave us a second look.
The doors to the school nearest the field were still open to allow the sports teams to access their lockers, but we entered to find an eerily quiet hallway. I didn’t usually come back inside once I’d gone out to the bleachers—apparently it became a ghost town until the teams finished up.
“So far so good,” Collin whispered to me.
We made our way to the hallway that hosted the entrances to the library and AV room, but when we reached the doors, my dad was nowhere in sight.
I tried the doors; they were locked.
Collin glanced at me. “Do you think we’re earl—”
The Trenchcoat Man flashed up right in front of us with a clap! in a blinding flash of light, then clapped his hands again. Another blinding flash, quick as lightning—and we found ourselves standing in front of my dad inside the still-locked AV room, backpacks still on, blinking our startled eyes.
“No one in the area at the moment,” I heard the Trenchcoat Man say behind me, “but I’d still suggest you be quick about it. I’ll be close by.” Another clap and a flash, and he was gone.
“Ohhhh,” I heard Collin breathe next to me. “Yeah, this was a much better plan.”
I huffed an amused laugh, but yeah—he was right.
When my vision cleared, I glanced around the room. The overhead lights were on, and the soundboard and other AV equipment were hooked up along a counter against one wall beneath the window looking out on the now-darkened library. A hard plastic chair was tucked under the equipment counter, and Mr. Pierce’s small desk with a couple of built-in drawers sat against the adjoining wall, with his rolling desk chair pushed under it. A padded armchair sat alone in the far left corner of the room, for visitors or guests to use, next to a couple of tall filing cabinets, and there were mounted cabinets along the back wall. The rest of the room was just cement-block walls painted crayon red and thin, greyish carpet that had definitely seen better days. Other than my father’s presence and the absence of Mr. Pierce and his briefcase, which usually sat on the padded chair, everything in the AV room looked exactly as it normally did.
Dad gave me a somber look. “You have the key?”
I pulled it from my pocket.
Dad nodded. “Good. There’s no logical explanation for my presence here, so it’s best not to get caught. Any idea what this key opens or where we should start?”
I shook my head. “No. Emery’s clues led us to the key, and to this room, but that’s all I’ve got.”
Dad took a long breath. “Alright, then. Let’s get started.”
***
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