Chapter 6

                                    

                                          
Jade's POV
Perrie looks shocked, then outraged. "I can't believe her!" she says as maybe-Nelson disappears around a corner. I didn't get a good look at the girl, but she seems sure. "She's supposed to be giving a speech now!" Her eyes go wide. "Oh my God. Did she abdicate? Am I president now?" She whips out her phone and stares at the screen. "Come on, Ellie. You were texting up a storm five minutes ago. Where are you when I need you?"
"Maybe it wasn't even her," I say.
"Oh, it was her," she mutters. "Unbelievable. You can't miss assembly when you're class president  Attendance is mandatory. It's written into the school bylaws, or it would have been, if I'd been elected and the bylaws had passed." She glares across the street, then starts walking with long, determined strides. "Come on. Let's see what she's doing."
"Who cares?" I ask, but that's a pointless question. Obviously, she does. 
I'm hoping the kid is out of sight by the time we turn the corner, but no such luck. We spot her instantly, and from this angle, I can see that Perrie was right. It's definitely Nelson, with her phone in one hand and a backpack dangling from her shoulder. We trail her down another two streets until she stops in front of an apartment building with a bright green door. She fiddles with something beside the the door, then pulls it open and steps inside.
"Hold on." Leigh grabs Perrie's arm as she tries to follow. "You can't just walk in. There's a security code."
She blinks at her. "What? How do you know?"
"So...this building..." Leigh runs a hand through her hair, her eyes darting everywhere except us  "You know that person I mentioned before, the one I've been seeing lately? His art studio is in here."
"Studio?" I ask. "He has an art studio?"
"Well, it's not actually his," Leigh says. "A friend rents it and lets him work there sometimes. The building is up for sale, so the tenants were supposed to clear out last month, but a few of them are still using the space." Perrie inhales sharply, and Leigh's skittering glance finally lands on her. "Don't look so shocked. It's not a big deal. It's fine."
"There's no way it's fine," Perrie says, frowning. "If my Dad bought this building, he'd definitely have a problem with former tenants squatting here."
She has a point, but she might be missing a bigger one. "Leigh," I say. "Is this boy not in high school?"
"Not technically," Leigh says. 
"He's in uni?" I ask, trying not to sound as surprised as I feel. I never would've pegged Leigh for the kind of girl who'd go for an older guy. Or have an older guy go for her. 
"Look, can we just..." Leigh glances around again. "He's actually going to be here any minute. He's always here on Tuesdays, right around 10 o'clock. It's like, routine with him, because he says the light is perfect then. And it's going to be super awkward if he sees me."
"Why?" Perrie asks. "Does he know Nelson?" Her voice lowers in sympathy, and she puts a hand on Leigh's arm. "Is this a love triangle situation?"
"No!" She shakes Perrie off. "Can we just move on? Visit the penguins? We should've started there."
Perrie crosses her arms. "We can do that after I talk to Nelson. Give me the code."
"I...I don't know it," Leigh says, looking over her shoulder. It's such an obvious lie that even I'm not fooled. 
"Give me the code," Perrie repeats. "Then you can slink off and hide. Otherwise, I'm going to force you to stand in the middle of the street until your boyfriend shows up and things get, as you put it, super awkward."