Truth by Tanya Kyi Page B

is.”
    Both Scott and I sit up. “Who? And what do they know?”
    â€œRoss and Nate. Ian saw you filming outside his house, and he told them. And he told them about your phone call,” he says, looking at Scott.
    â€œWhy would he tell them that?” Scott asks.
    â€œScared, I guess. But look, we’ve got to go. It really isn’t safe for the three of us to be alone like this.”
    â€œToo late,” I tell him. Ross has just walked in.
    â€œJerome,” he says, “get out of the way.”
    â€œDon’t be an asshole about this,” Jerome says.
    â€œBack off.”
    Jerome stays where he is. “Come on, Ross. Let’s just get out of here. Someone’s going to find us.”
    â€œGood idea,” Ross says, looking only at Scott and me. “Let’s get out of here together, and then I’ll decide what to do about you two.”
    â€œI’m not going anywhere,” I say again.
    â€œAnd it’s three of you against one of me,” Ross says. Very calmly, he takes a knife out of his jacket pocket. “I say we all leave together.”
    â€œHoly shit,” Scott mutters.
    â€œYou could get expelled!” I gasp. Then I realize how stupid that is. Getting expelled is the least of Ross’s worries.
    Suddenly I see Ms. Chan in the doorway. Her mouth drops. Then she’s gone. Did I imagine her? I look quickly at Ross and Jerome. They haven’t noticed anything.
    â€œGet up,” Ross says, motioning to Scottand me. “Pick up that stuff and bring it with you.” We do exactly as he says. I grab the cassette, and Scott hoists the video camera.
    â€œLet’s calm down here,” Jerome says, stalling.
    â€œThis is not the time to switch sides,” Ross replies. Suddenly the knife is pointing at Jerome. It’s a hunting knife, and so close to my face that I can see the light glinting on the edge.
    Everything seems to slow, and there’s time for a thousand miscellaneous thoughts to run through my head. I’ve never seen anyone pull a knife before. On TV, maybe. This is not the same. Definitely not the same. At least it’s not a gun. This is exactly the type of thing that makes people wet their pants. That would be embarrassing. If I live long enough to be embarrassed. Where will Ross take us if we leave here?
    For a second I think I must be imagining it, but then Ross turns his head slightly to listen. There’s a siren in the distance. Have we been here for seconds or minutes? Did Ms.Chan have time to call the police?
    I’m shaking, and the cassette falls out of my hand and clatters to the floor.
    Ross jumps, swinging the knife around.
    â€œSorry. Sorry,” I stammer, fumbling on the floor to find the tape without taking my eyes off Ross. I stand up too slowly — Ross grabs my wrist with his free hand and hauls me up. Jerome and Scott both step towards us.
    â€œBack off,” Ross tells them from between clenched teeth. Jerome steps back immediately. Scott hesitates, but Ross takes a step towards him and he retreats.
    â€œWe’re leaving,” Ross snarls. “Now. You two are going to walk in front, and Jen and I will follow. Now.”
    â€œPolice!” A deep voice booms from the classroom door.
    Ross swings around. While he’s looking away, Scott hoists the camera and chucks it at him. It’s not very hard — Scott only has one good arm. But it’s hard enough to make Ross stumble, and then Jerome’s on top of him, toppling him to the floor.
    Scott gives me a shove and I trip out the door and into the classroom. Where there are guns. Police and guns.
    Big hands grab my shoulders and push me into the hallway.
    â€œGet them out of here!”
    Them. That must mean Scott’s out, too.
    Officer Wells is in the hallway. Ms. Chan is with him, looking panicked. She must have called the police. It was probably them she called the first time she left the room, too.