On Friday of the second week, the final note read:
It’s been long enough. Meet me at the back of the student parking lot this afternoon. I’ll be the one with a red rose.
I told Val and Kayla about the last note while we primped in the restroom during our lunch period that day. I could hardly contain my excitement. “I can’t wait to see what Landon’s been up to!” I said, concluding the story. “This is gonna be so good!”
“And he hasn’t dropped a single hint?” Kayla asked.
“No, he’s been completely secretive about it,” I replied, giddy with anticipation.
“What’d all the other notes say? Did they give away any ideas about what’s goin’ on?” Val chimed in.
“Nope.” I ran a brush through my hair in front of the restroom mirror. “They all just said sweet things about my skin, my eyes…ya know, stuff like that. A different compliment each time.”
Val eyed me curiously. “And what happens if the guy waitin’ for you isn’t Landon?”
Kayla looked at Val. “You don’t think it’s Landon?” she asked.
“I mean, it’s possible. I just don’t understand why he wouldn’t sign the notes from himself instead of a secret admirer. After all, it’s no secret he admires Cora.”
“Y’all,” I interrupted. “It’s Landon. It has to be. One of the notes said somethin’ about the birthmark on the back of my neck. Nobody else would know about that. It’s usually covered by my hair.” I saw my friends exchange an odd look. “What?”
“Jeff would know about that birthmark,” Kayla said quietly.
Val’s eyes grew big, and she looked as if she’d just pieced together a puzzle. “Of course he’d know about it! And didn’t he tell you he still loved you a while back? Now this makes sense.”
My forehead creased as I considered what they were suggesting. “No way,” I said after a moment. “I made it super clear to him that we have no future. That I’ve moved on.”
Kayla pursed her lips. “Just don’t be upset if it’s not Landon in the parkin’ lot today, okay?”
“It’ll be him,” I answered stubbornly as we made our way out of the restroom and back to the table to join our friends.
Later that afternoon, my heart hammered as I pushed through the doors of Davis High. I headed to the student lot to see what Landon had planned for us. I was so wound up that I had to force myself to walk at a normal pace, rather than run to meet him as fast as humanly possible.
A few long minutes later, I skidded to an abrupt stop. My breath came out in one swift gush. I blinked. The person standing in front of me holding a red rose—as promised—was not Landon.
“Jeff?” I whispered, eyes wide.
He took a few steps toward me, extending the rose. “Hey, baby. Guess you got my notes.”
I shook my head, still in shock. “Jeff, what the—”
He grabbed my hand before I could finish the question, placing the stem of the rose in my palm and closing my fingers around it. “I’m still in love with you. Never stopped lovin’ you.” His eyes bore into mine. “I want you back.”
I heaved a sigh, exasperated. “Jeff, we’ve already been through this. We’re not gettin’ back together. I’ve moved on.”
His eyes narrowed and he clenched his jaw. “So…what? Now you’re back with Landon? You’d rather be with him than me? He’s a loser, Cora.”
“He’s twice the man you’ll ever be,” I hissed through clenched teeth. How dare he drop this bomb on me and then insult Landon! And after everything he’d already put me through in the last year!
“Yeah, right. I could take him.”
I rolled my eyes, restraining myself from slapping Jeff across the face. “Nobody’s gonna take anybody, okay? I’m not havin’ this conversation with you again. We. Have. No. Future.” I said the last sentence slowly, emphasizing each word.
He glared at me with such fury that fear suddenly pulsed through my veins. “Oh, I get it. You’re too good for me now, right? You can just go from guy to guy, so you don’t need me anymore,” he growled. “First it was that kid livin’ across the street from you, then you got bored with him and went after your precious Landon again. You ain’t the girl I knew. You’re nothin’ but a tease now.”
I winced, taking a small step back. Jeff inched closer. “Don’t just stand there lookin’ shocked,” he said. “Tell me I’m wrong.” When I didn’t respond, he continued the insults. “You can’t, can you? I bet you gave it up to both those guys. You acted so innocent with me, always tryin’ to save yourself for marriage. Leadin’ me on. Now look at you.”
Rage boiled inside me. “You don’t know anything about me, Jeffrey! And you sure as heck don’t know anything about Rex or Landon. They’re decent guys, unlike you. Neither one of them ever tried to pressure me into somethin’ I wasn’t ready for, like you always did. You’re a liar and a creep, and I’m sorry I was so nice to you last time. I should’ve told you then to shove off. But I didn’t, so I’m tellin’ you now.” I paused, taking a breath to calm myself. “Don’t ever try to talk to me again. Because if you do, I swear on my life I’ll call the police. This is harassment and I won’t put up with it.”
With that, I spun away from him so quickly that I almost lost my balance. I began to storm off, but Jeff’s sudden grip on my arm stopped me. “I’m not scared of you, Cora,” he said through clenched teeth, his hold getting tighter by the second. “This ain’t over. Not even close.”
I shuddered at his words, getting ready to scream so that he’d let go of me. But before I had a chance to open my mouth, he dropped my arm and brushed past me. I sighed in relief and collapsed on the ground in one motion. I’d never felt physically threatened by Jeff before. Even though he’d sometimes emotionally intimidated me, I never thought he’d go this far. My head spun as I replayed the conversation.
Once the fear and shock finally subsided, I felt confused. The last time we’d talked, he’d seemed so sincere and remorseful. Like a person who’d lost someone he loved. But this time…this time he was completely different. A person I’d never known before, not the same guy I’d dated for two years. Not the guy I had loved and cherished.
No, the Jeff from today was not the same Jeff with whom I’d once been so overwhelmingly infatuated.
With these disturbing thoughts in my head, I slowly pulled myself up off the ground and walked trance-like back to my car.
* * *
The next day, Landon and I were sitting together on my porch swing when he noticed the bruise on my arm. “What happened here?” he asked, gently touching the spot in question.
I’d avoided telling him about the encounter with Jeff because I knew he would get upset and worry about me. I bit my bottom lip. There was no use in lying. Might as well go ahead and get it over with. “Actually…Jeff did that. He grabbed my arm yesterday afternoon while we were talkin’.”
Landon’s eyes narrowed immediately, and his hands curled into fists. “What? He grabbed you hard enough to leave a mark? Why didn’t you tell me right away? I would’ve—”
“I know what you would’ve done,” I said, cutting him off. “That’s why I didn’t tell you. It wouldn’t have solved anything. Plus, I didn’t think the bruise would still be there today.” I ducked my head, fidgeting with a loose string on my blouse.
His face softened when he noticed my embarrassment. “I guess you’re right. I probably would’ve got myself expelled or somethin’ for fightin’ that jerk.”
“Exactly. I didn’t wanna worry you for no reason.”
He frowned. “Cora, he put a bruise on you. That’s a good reason to worry. What were y’all talkin’ about anyway?”
I hesitated, unsure if I should tell Landon the details of mine and Jeff’s conversation. It’d only make him want to fight Jeff even more. Then again, I felt the sudden need to confide in Landon and tell him the whole messy thing, starting with the secret admirer notes. So I did.
“He threatened you?” Landon growled. “
Where’s that creep live? I’ll teach him to mess with you.” He stood, pacing back and forth on the porch. Finally, he sat down on the top step and leaned against the railing. “We have to do somethin’ about this,” he announced after a minute.
I went to sit by him on the step and rested my head on his shoulder. “But what can we do? He didn’t actually make a threat against my life or anything. All he said was that it’s not over. For all we know, that could just mean more notes.”
Landon sighed and put his arm around my waist. “I know you’re right, but we can’t just let him get away with it. Maybe I should have a little chat with him.”
My head shot up, and I looked at him in horror. “No, Landon! I don’t want you gettin’ involved, not like that. Anything could happen.”
“I’m not scared of him.”
“I know, and I’m not sayin’ you’d lose a fight to him. But…you didn’t see his expression. It was pure rage. There’s no tellin’ what he’d do.”
Landon searched my face. “If you think it’s that serious then we have to go to the cops...before he does somethin’ crazy.”
I shook my head and gave him a quick squeeze. “No, I don’t think that’s necessary. I’m probably just overreactin’.”
His shoulders slumped, as if he’d just realized that he’d never be able to convince me to call the police. “Okay, but I’ll be keepin’ an eye on him…and you. The more time you spend with me the better.”
“Now that I can live with,” I answered with a grin.
Chapter Sixteen
The time flew by so quickly that I couldn’t understand how graduation was only a day away. Final exams had come and gone, yearbooks had been signed, and the senior class had enjoyed one last rendezvous—a day at the city park, playing Frisbee and cherishing our last bit of time as seniors together.
Now it was Friday, and graduation would be the next evening at seven o’clock on the football field of Davis High. But first would be the Baccalaureate ceremony…which was scheduled to begin at the Second Baptist Church of Davis in exactly eight hours.
For this reason, I was panicked.
In all the hustle and bustle of end-of-school-year activities and get-togethers, not to mention finals, I hadn’t been able to find the right dress for that night’s event. The graduation dress was no problem; I’d purchased it months ago. But I still needed something great to wear for Baccalaureate.
I picked up the antique Victorian-style telephone in my bedroom and dialed Val’s home number. Her mom answered and said that she was out, so I tried her cell. When I still couldn’t reach her, I gave up and decided to call Kayla.
“Hey, Cora!” Kayla answered in her typically cheerful voice.
“Hey. What’re you up to?” I asked. I hoped she’d be free because I was in desperate need of a shopping buddy, someone to help me make a decision on the perfect dress for the evening.
“Nothin’ really,” she said. “Just bein’ lazy today until Baccalaureate. What’s goin’ on with you?”
I twisted the cool, plastic phone cord around my finger. “Well, don’t laugh at me,” I began, “but I need a dress for tonight.” I heard a gasp on the other end of the line.
“You seriously don’t have a dress yet?” Kayla asked, shock in her voice.
“No…I kinda forgot about it until this morning. I mean, I have my graduation dress, but I need somethin’ to wear to tonight’s ceremony. Isn’t it supposed to be white?”
“Yeah. So, did you wanna borrow somethin’? I’m not sure if I have another white dress…” Kayla trailed off, obviously concerned about my situation.
“Oh, no.” I replied. “No, don’t worry about that. I was just hopin’ you could go shoppin’ with me.”
“Sure! What time do ya wanna go?”
I glanced at my wall clock. “Um…now, if possible?”
Twenty minutes later, I heard a car door shut and pushed aside the curtains in my bedroom. Kayla was out of her car and headed to the front door. I grabbed my purse, took a quick glance in the mirror, and skipped down the steps just as a knock sounded on the door.
I nearly bulldozed Mama in my hurry. “Where are you goin’ in such a rush?” she asked.
“I have to get a dress for tonight, so we’re goin’ to the mall,” I explained, holding my breath in hopes that she wouldn’t try to forbid me from going like the last time. I let that breath out when Mama just nodded and told us to be careful.
“See ya in a little while. Love you, Mama!”
A couple of hours and a million dresses later, I was exasperated. “I can’t believe there’s not a single decent white dress in this entire place!” I complained as Kayla and I walked around what seemed like the hundredth store we’d visited.
“Don’t worry, we’ll find somethin’.” Kayla was the eternal optimist.
My fingers brushed lightly over the various materials of clothing hanging from a nearby rack, and I groaned in frustration. “We’ve almost been through the whole mall, and we have exactly thirty minutes left before we need to go home. I don’t know what I’m gonna do.”
Suddenly, Kayla’s eyes grew wide and she shook her head with a grin.
“What is it, Kay?” I asked.
“We forgot about the new store! I think it’s called Serendipity…” She frowned. “Now if only I could remember where it is.”
“Oh, my gosh, you’re a life-saver!” I squealed. “I went in there once a while back, and they have tons of cute dresses! I think it’s on the bottom floor, close to Victoria’s Secret. Let’s go!”
With renewed excitement, we practically ran down the escalator to the new store. I gasped as we entered what could only be described as a girl’s ultimate dream. The place was full of gorgeous dresses, fabulous shoes, and stunning jewelry. They’d also redecorated since the last time I’d been there. Everything was soft pink and black, with a Paris theme. The lights were dim, and soft Parisian music played in the background. This seemed like a good omen, since the style was similar to my bedroom decor.
“Wow,” Kayla breathed.
“I know.” Once we’d finally shaken ourselves back to reality, we split up to look for white dresses. In fifteen minutes, we met at the dressing rooms, each holding three items. I tried them all on, one by one, and began to get discouraged again when none of them fit or seemed good enough for the occasion…until I tried on the last one. It was knee-length, fitted, and strapless. Just above the waistline was a slim faux-pearl band with a subtle off-white rose nestled on the right side. It was simple yet elegant and beautiful.
“It’s gorgeous!” Kayla gushed when I stepped out of my dressing room modeling the fabulous creation. “You look absolutely amazing! Do you like it?”
I grinned at her and nodded my head. “This is the one!”
We took the dress over to the salesclerk to check out. After I’d paid and the clerk had wrapped up the dress, Kayla and I decided to stop in the food court to get fruit smoothies for the ride home.
“I can’t believe we graduate tomorrow,” Kayla said as we exited the mall, smoothies in hand. “It feels like yesterday we were scared freshmen just tryin’ to blend in.”
“Mmm-hmm,” I mumbled distractedly. I could have sworn I’d heard footsteps behind us. I stopped for a second and turned around. There was no one in view. Shaking off the weird feeling, I tried to concentrate on what Kayla was saying.
“Do you remember sophomore year, when we skipped fifth period to get tickets for that Kenny Chesney concert?” she asked.
Laughing, I nodded my head. “Yeah, I can’t believe we convinced you to skip!” I joked. Kayla was a star student—never missed school, made straight As. While Valerie and I had spent most of our spare time over the last four years cheerleading and being social, Kayla had spent hers focused on becoming Valedictorian. It was a goal she’d accomplished with ease. Even though I would graduate with honors the next day, I’d never put as much effort into my education as Kayla. I admired her dedication. “By the way,
” I asked, “have you finished your Valedictorian speech yet?”
“Yeah, last week. I’m so nervous, though! Gettin’ up and speakin’ in front of the whole school…that’s definitely more your territory than mine.” She sighed. “Maybe you could give the speech on my behalf?”
“No way!” I said, nudging her. “You’ve worked for this your whole life. Get up there and enjoy your moment of fame! It’s such a huge accomplishment. Be proud of it in your speech tomorrow. And in case I haven’t told you, I think it’s awesome that you’re our Valedictorian. I really admire you for it.”
She smiled sheepishly. “Thanks, Cora.”
“You’re welcome,” I replied before taking a sip of my smoothie, which wasn’t very good. We’d just made it to her car when I spotted a trashcan a few rows over. “I’ll be right back,” I said. “My smoothie’s not any good. I’m gonna go throw it away in that trashcan over there. Will you put my stuff in the car?”
“Sure,” she said, following my gaze. “I’ll get the air goin’ in here.”
I handed her my shopping bag and purse and then turned around as she got in the driver’s seat and started her car. As I backtracked through the parked vehicles, I heard footsteps again. Pausing, I looked around. Nobody was there. In fact, the entire parking lot seemed to lack a normal level of activity. There were plenty of cars, but there was not a single person walking around.
I shook my head to clear it and started walking again—a little faster this time. Suddenly, I heard the sound again. Before I could turn around, something jabbed my back and a hand was over my mouth. I gasped, my whole body shaking with fear. The smoothie I held slipped through my hand, splattering all over my shoes and jeans.
Hot air blew in my ear. “Don’t make a sound or I’ll push this knife through your back all the way into your heart.” The gloved hand tightened over my mouth. “Now walk,” the stranger ordered.
My legs wouldn’t budge. I was completely frozen, my mind racing as I contemplated what to do next. I knew Kayla couldn’t see me. She was facing the opposite direction and there were too many cars between us. If I screamed, I’d get stabbed, but it might give me a chance to wriggle free of this man’s hold. I vaguely recalled a special on TV that said most attackers would back off if you screamed, no matter what they said. I tried to open my mouth, but the assailant’s hold strengthened so that I couldn’t even part my lips. My heart rate accelerated. I couldn’t breathe.
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