3

The next day was senior check-out day.

I'd just left the records office when two girls blocked my path.

The one in front was Laura, Selena's little sidekick.

"You won't even let Selena borrow a crummy camera. So petty."

Laura shot a look at the girl behind her, who reached out and yanked at the camera on my shoulder.

I grabbed the girl's hand and shoved her back.

"Who said you could touch my stuff?"

The girl clutched her wrist and gave Laura a wounded look.

Laura glared at her, then raised her voice on purpose.

"Who touched your stuff? Her hand slipped, that's all.

"You only act so cocky at school because you have four childhood friends backing you up, right?

"Now they're all focused on Selena. Let's see who still cares about a tagalong like you!"

I looked up, my eyes landing on the group at the end of the hallway.

Ethan was carrying Selena's backpack, Noah was helping her with the records paperwork, and Owen was holding her favorite hot chocolate.

Liam stood in front of her like a knight guarding a princess.

He heard the commotion, but only frowned and looked away.

Once, someone had claimed I'd only gotten into the geology club because I knew the four of them.

After class that same day, Liam had dragged that person to our classroom door and made them apologize to me in front of everyone.

Now Selena's sidekick had cornered me right in front of him, and he turned away as if he hadn't seen a thing.

Then Selena hurried over and tugged on Laura's sleeve.

"Stop. Catherine's probably just upset because she's leaving for Alaska."

"So she gets to take it out on you? Selena, you're too nice."

Selena lowered her head, tears welling in her eyes.

Liam finally came over, but the first thing he did was pull Selena behind him.

"Catherine, if you've got a problem, take it out on me. Why pick on your sister?"

I gave a small smile and looked at the scratch on my camera lens.

"Pick on her? Liam, please get your facts straight.

"Selena's friend has a problem with me, so she had someone try to grab my camera.

"What, she's allowed to bully me, but I'm not allowed to fight back?"

The moment I finished, Laura lunged forward to shove me.

I stepped back on instinct, and my elbow knocked into the cleaning bucket by the wall.

It was half full of dirty water, and all of it sloshed right onto Laura's limited-edition canvas sneakers.

I looked at her pale face and kept my voice flat.

"Sorry, my hand slipped too."

People around us gasped.

Liam's face darkened as he looked at me.

"Catherine! Stop making a scene!"

"A scene?"

I turned to Liam.

"When Laura and her friend try to take my camera, it's an accident. But when I knock over a bucket dodging her, I'm making a scene?"

Liam seemed stunned. I'd always been so gentle and easygoing, and he'd never heard me speak this sharply. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out.

I turned away, clutched my records, and walked out of the school building.

Half an hour later, I'd just finished packing when someone began pounding on my door.

When I unlocked the door and opened it, Liam and the other three stood outside my bedroom, clustered around Selena.

Ethan looked at me.

"Selena was worried you were upset, so she asked us to come check on you."

Then he spotted the suitcase in the corner.

He froze at the sight of the neatly folded polar gear.

"Do you have to make everyone miserable? Are you packing this stuff now just to upset us?"

Noah pushed up his glasses, his voice cold.

"Catherine, didn't we already apologize to you last time?"

Owen scoffed.

"School in Alaska doesn't start until September. Are you planning to ignore us until then?"

They were all convinced I was still just mad.

But none of them noticed anything was different this time.

Liam walked over to my desk.

His gaze had just fallen on the agreement to join the research team at the top of the stack when Selena let out a soft gasp.

"What's this?"

Everyone followed her gaze to my computer screen.

A folder was open, showing the backup videos I hadn't had time to delete.

Selena gave me a pleading look.

"Catherine, can I borrow these for my video?"

I walked over and snapped the laptop shut.

"No."

Selena lowered her head, her eyes red.

Standing beside her, Liam gave me a dark look.

"Catherine, don't push it.

"They're just a few videos. We can cut out every part with you in it."

"Liam, don't touch my computer."

He acted like he didn't hear me, flipped the laptop open, and selected every video with my name on it.

I reached out to stop him, but Owen grabbed my wrist.

"Over a few videos? Do you really have to be this petty?"

The next second, Liam hit delete.

The progress bar raced across the screen, and 12 years of footage went straight into the trash.

"There. Problem solved.

"The rest of the videos are of all of us, and we're letting Selena use them."

I was annoyed that he'd messed with my things, but I felt no sadness or regret.

I gave a wry smile.

Liam probably thought I'd cry and scream and beg him to restore them.

He had no idea he'd come to regret that decision more than any other.

The phone in my pocket suddenly buzzed.

It was a notice from the Polar Research Institute.

"Catherine, the pickup vehicle will arrive in town in two hours.

"Once you board, the confidentiality protocol begins. Please hand all personal devices to the team advisor for secure storage."