«Why didn't you tell me?» she said finally.
«I tried to, but every time I saw you afterward you disappeared. I got the feeling you were avoiding me.»
«I didn't want things to be awkward.»
«Yeah, there was nothing awkward about you hiding behind a plant when I came into the dining hall at lunch on Wednesday.»
«I wasn't hiding. I was, um, breathing. You know, oxygen. From the plant. Very oxygenated, that air is.»
Insert head in oven now.
«Of course. I should have thought of that.»
«It's a health thing. Not many people know about it.»
Leave until no longer HALF BAKED.
«No, I'm sure they-«
Miranda blurted. «Did you really mean that? About liking it when I kissed you?»
«I really did. A lot.»
Her hands were shaking. She reached up and pulled him toward her.
Just as the music went off, the emergency-exit lighting went on and a tinny voice announced over a loudspeaker, «Please make your way to the nearest exit and leave the building immediately.»
She and Will were pushed in different directions by the crowd surging to the door, being guided by four men in full body armor. The message kept repeating, but Miranda wasn't hearing it or Ariel West screaming that someone was going to PAY for RUINING her NIGHT or the person saying that dude, this was the sweetest way to end a prom ever, man, he was so high. She was hearing again the one-two-three cha-cha heartbeat of Deputy Reynolds, slightly muffled by body armor. This was no drill.
«It's us, isn't it?» Sibby said, rushing over to stand next to Miranda. «That's why those storm-trooper guys are here. For us.»
«Yeah.»
«You were right. I should have stayed hidden. This is my fault. I don't want anyone to get hurt. I'll just turn myself over to these people, and they'll have to let-«
Miranda interrupted her. «After all that? With only three hours left to go? And you, blend-it-like-butter girl? No way. It's not over. We can totally get out of this.»
She tried to sound confident, but she was terrified. Just what do you think you're doing? U-Suck channel demanded.
I have no idea.
Sibby looked at her, eyes blazing with hope. «Do you mean it? You have a way out?»
Miranda swallowed, took a deep breath, and said to Sibby, «Follow me.» To herself: Please don't fail.
Chapter Ten
It worked perfectly.
Almost. There were six guards blocking the exits and another four at the door, checking everyone as they left. Ten total. All in body armor and masks, explaining patiently that there had been a bomb threat and it was important to evacuate as quickly as possible. No one questioned why they were armed with the automatic weapons they kept using to push the crowd along.
No one except Dr. Trope, who went up to one of them and said, «Young man, I ask you to keep your weapons away from my students,» distracting him just long enough for Miranda and Sibby to get swallowed into the middle of the crowd.
They'd navigated by the first two storm troopers, with only two left when Ariel yelled, «Dr. Trope? Dr. Trope? Look, there she is, Miranda Kiss. I told you she crashed the prom. She's right there in the middle. You have to-«
Four men with automatic weapons suddenly swiveled and waded into the mass of students. Miranda whispered, «Duck,» to Sibby and the two of them bobbed beneath the surface of the crowd, crawling back into the Great Hall.
Behind her she heard Dr. Trope saying, «Where is she? Where did she go? I'm not leaving one of my pupils in there.» And the storm trooper saying, «Please, sir, you need to evacuate. We'll find her. Rest assured.»
Miranda decided that if she got out of this alive, she'd be a lot nicer to Dr. Trope. If.
She dragged Sibby over to Old Faithful and said, «In there. Now.»
«Why can't I hide in the White House? Why does it have to be in the volcano?»
«I might need part of the White House. Please, just do it. They won't be able to make you out if they have night goggles.»
«What about you? You're wearing white.»
«I match the decorations.»
«Wow, you're really good at this. This planning stuff. How'd you learn how to-«
Miranda was wondering the same thing. Wondering why as soon as she'd heard the announcement some part of her brain had started measuring her distance to the exits, looking around for weapons, watching the door. Her senses going into overdrive was a relief; it meant some of her powers were cooperating. But did she have the strength to take on ten armed men? The most she'd ever taken on at one time before was three, and they hadn't been toting machine guns. She'd have to be crafty rather than direct. She said to Sibby, «Give me your boots.»