The Last Thing She Saw...

by Laurel Veil

  “Don’t you have a job now?” I knew he’d just started stocking the shelves at Newman’s Groceries. “I think they need you. You better get going.”

  He ignored me. “It’s not right. She’s good to you.”

  His words struck me and stopped me in my tracks. He was right.

  “I know you said it’s none of my business, but if you need to talk . . .”

  I exhaled. “I’ll go see her.”

  Nolan looked down at me and smiled approvingly.

  “Oh, whatever,” I said as I shoved my shoulder into him as I walked past.

  He feigned injury and moaned. “You can pretend to be big and bad all you want, Noelle. I know the truth.”

  I continued walking, and with my back to him, I shot him the finger.

  “Promise?”

  “Ha-ha,” I said dryly without turning around. Then I rolled my eyes and smiled.

  I slipped through the screen door and found my grandma sitting in her favorite chair, reading her bible.

  “Hey,” I said.

  She gasped. “Noelle. Oh, thank God. I was so worried. What’s the matter, honey? I’m so sorry if I did something.”

  “It’s nothing, Grandma.”

  “You took off. It’s definitely something.” She was quiet for a moment, and when I didn’t say anything, she spoke again. “Did Dani leave with Jace?”

  I couldn’t look at her. My lip quivered, and my tears gave me away.

  “Oh, honey.” She reached for me. I sat down on the ottoman next to her, and she hugged me.

  When I was finished crying, I rubbed my eyes. “Everyone likes her.”

  “Well,” she paused, “she’s a very pretty girl.”

  “Yeah.”

  “From the little bit I know of her, she seems really nice too.”

  “Gee, thanks, Grandma. I feel so much better now.”

  She laughed. “I get the feeling that she really likes you.”

  “I think she does.”

  “I don’t think she would’ve left with Jace if she knew you liked him.” She tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “Does she know you like Jace?”

  I shook my head. “No.”

  “I didn’t think so. I’m not sure Jace even knows you like him.”

  “He doesn’t. I guess he just thinks of me as a friend.”

  “That’s a good place to start. So, what exactly happened? Did he give her a ride home?”

  “Yeah. He didn’t want her to have to walk.”

  “That was nice of him. Very gentlemanlike.”

  I rolled my eyes. “If she were a skank, he probably wouldn’t have offered.”

  Grandma laughed again. “She may be pretty and nice, but you have been blessed with a wonderful sense of humor.”

  “Wow, Grandma. Thanks for calling me ugly.”

  Now her eyes were tearing from laughter. “See? See what I mean?”

  “We always go for frozen yogurt after we unload the firewood.”

  Grandma calmed herself quickly and blotted her eyes. “Oh, that’s right. So, you guys didn’t get to go this time?”

  “Worse. When I was in town with Ava and Riley, I saw him at the yogurt shop with her.”

  “Ouch.”

  “Yeah. Ouch.”

  “Well, Noelle. They may like each other. They may not, but they may. I hope you don’t lose two good friends over this.”

  “I’ll be fine. It’s just going to take a little time.”

  “That’s understandable. You know who else is a good guy?”

  “Who?”

  “Nolan.”

  “Oh, please, Grandma. He gets on my nerves.”

  “You know who used to get on my nerves?”

  “Who?”

  “Grandpa.”

  I laughed. “Yeah. Not gonna happen.”

  The lamp flickered several times, and Grandma’s eyes went big. “I think Grandpa disagrees with you.” She smiled.

  I’m sure it was just a coincidence. But things like that always seemed to happen around Grandma. When I was younger, it was the reason I was hesitant to spend the night. I could laugh about it during the day, but at night, when it was dark and quiet, it could be terrifying.

  “I think I’m going to sleep in here, on the couch tonight,” I said.

  Grandma smiled knowingly. “I’ll get you a pillow and some blankets.” A minute later, she was back. “Here ya go. Everything you need to make a comfy nest.”

  “Thanks,” I said and then quickly made a place to sleep on the couch.

  “I’ll go grab a couple of pieces of wood for the fire.” When she went to open the door, a monarch butterfly flew inside. We both watched in awe as it fluttered around the room and then back out the door.

  “Whoa,” I whispered. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen that happen, especially at night, and it’s so cold.”

  Grandma nodded.

  “I think your Aunt Ethel just said hello,” I said.

  Grandma looked at me funny.

  “What?” I asked.

  “Of all the names, why did you say hers? Charlie just passed, why didn’t you say something about him?”

  I shrugged. “I don’t know. I remember you mentioning her a while back. Her name just popped in my head.”

  Grandma was quiet.

  “Why?” I asked as I climbed in between the blankets.

  “Ethel used to adore monarchs. She collected anything that had a monarch on it.” I felt a shiver run up my spine and prickle my scalp. “Aunt Ethel was Charlie’s mom.”

  The clock on the mantle began to chime and I pulled the blanket up to just below my eyes.

  “Monarchs are so delicate,” she said. Then she put her hand on her hip and wiggled it up and down, and said in a husky voice, “But I think I fancy myself a blue jay kind of a gal.” She then grabbed a log and tossed it in the fire like a brute. I laughed as the fire crackled and its flames grew taller.

  “You’re crazy, Grandma.”

  She chuckled. “Sleep tight, dear.”

  4.

  By the time Monday morning rolled around, I realized my heart felt much better. I jumped up and folded my blankets and got ready for school. After breakfast, I headed outside. Nolan was pretending not to wait for me at the end of the driveway. “What are you doing, Nolan?”

  “Not waiting for you.”

  “Ha-ha.”

  “What? I’m looking at the hedges. My dad told me I needed to trim them in the spring.”

  “So, you’re looking at them now, in January?”

  “Yes. I have to mentally prepare.”

  I pushed him, and he laughed.

  We started down the sidewalk. “Things good between you and your grandma?”

  “Yes, Dr. Phil.”

  “Does it ever get old?”

  “What?”

  “Being such a smartass?”

  “Hey, guys! Wait up!”

  It was Dani. I was surprised that it didn’t bother me to see her. I guessed I was really over the whole Jace thing.

  “Hi, I’m Dani.”

  “Nolan.”

  “So, why are you out this way this morning? Did you stay at your grandma’s?”

  I nodded.

  “That’s so cool that you’re able to do that.”

  “Yeah. Cool,” I said.

  “So, guess what happened Saturday?”

  “Um, you went on a date to get yogurt with Jace.” Nolan was watching me intently. He knew how much I liked Jace—or at least that I used to.

  Dani’s eyes went big. “How did you know that?”

  “I saw you.”

  “Oh.” She was quiet for a second. I thought maybe she was disappointed that I’d taken the oomph out of her story. “Well, it wasn’t a date. Not really. How did you see me?”

  “I was at the bookstore, across the street, with Ava and Riley.”

  She moaned. “I wish I could’ve been with you guys.” Guilt began to slowly consume me when I thought about how we’d ta
lked about her. I didn’t really say anything, but I didn’t try to stop them. “It would’ve been more fun.”

  I perked up. “You didn’t have fun with Jace?”

  She shook her head. “Don’t say anything. I don’t want to hurt his feelings.” Of course, she didn’t. Because, unlike me, she was nice. “He’s just not my type, that’s all.”

  “Jace is great. You should give him another chance,” said Nolan. I shot daggers at him with my eyes and the corner of his mouth raised in a devilish lopsided grin.

  “You really think so?” she asked.

  Nolan kept his eyes on me. “Definitely.”

  I discreetly reached behind Dani and pinched his arm. He almost laughed and gave me away.

  When we finally reached school, Dani turned to Nolan. “I’ve seen you before. It was nice to finally meet you.” He nodded. She turned her attention back to me. “We should all walk together like this every day. Well, see ya at lunch, Noelle.”

  As I waved, I realized Nolan’s eyes were on me and not Dani’s rear end. I turned to face him. “Later,” I said.

  “Wow.”

  “What?”

  “You actually told me bye.”

  “Don’t get used to it. I plan on ignoring you again.”

  “I look forward to it.”

  “You’re so weird.”

  “Why? Think about it. If I tell you, don’t think about an elephant, what’s the first thing you think of?”

  “An elephant. So?”

  “So, you’re very, I mean very good at ignoring me, Noelle. You have to try really hard to be that good.”

  “So?”

  “So, you’re concentrating on not thinking about me. You’re thinking about—not thinking about me.”

  “So . . . I’m right. You are weird.”

  He laughed. “It’s the same as the elephant, and you know it. You know what else is the same as the elephant? The way you’re trying not to smile.”

  The moment he said that I couldn’t help but smile. I quickly turned my head.

  “Too late, Noelle. I saw it.”

  ♦ ♦ ♦

  “You two seem awfully friendly,” said Ava as she and Riley sat down at the lunch table across from Dani and me.

  I cringed, and my stomach twisted itself into a tight knot. Please don’t bring up the other day, I thought.

  “Why wouldn’t friends seem friendly, Ava? You should try it sometime,” said Dani.

  I could feel Ava’s and now Riley’s eyes burning through me.

  “Well…it’s just that Saturday,” Oh gosh, here we go, “Noelle seemed a little upset when she saw you with Jace,” said Ava.

  Dani’s jaw dropped, and I could now feel her eyes boring into me also. Why was Ava doing this? This wasn’t about defending me. She was no doubt after Dani, but there was no way she couldn’t tell how uncomfortable she was making me. She was after me too. She didn’t like the fact that I’d apparently gotten over my bad feelings towards Dani and that the two of us were getting along.

  “What’s the matter?” asked Riley in a faux concerned tone. “You didn’t know she saw you?”

  “No. I mean, she told me. But, Noelle, you never said it bothered you that I went with Jace. If you would have, I—”

  “It doesn’t,” I said. “I mean, it did. But it doesn’t now. I’m fine. I’m over it. It was stupid.” I wasn’t exactly sure how it was even possible, but I really was over it. I finally worked up the nerve to take my eyes off the table and look up at Ava and Riley. Their smug faces told me they were loving watching me squirm.

  “So, we’re good?” asked Dani. “You’re sure you’re not mad at me?”

  “I’m positive,” I said, and I meant it.

  Dani quickly changed the subject. By the time the bell rang, my stomach hurt from laughter instead of stress.

  ♦ ♦ ♦

  I was excited when Friday rolled around. Ace’s, a club in town, was allowing minors that night, and we were going. I knew we’d probably want to stay out late, and I didn’t want my grandma to worry or worse, tell me that I had a curfew, so, I told her I was going to be staying the night at my mom’s. That way I could stay out as late as I wanted. I planned to slip into my grandma’s house after she was asleep. I’d simply tell her in the morning, that I’d changed my mind about going to my mom’s.

  On the walk home from school, Dani invited Nolan. “You should come,” she said. “Everyone’s going to be there.”

  “He doesn’t like clubs,” I said.

  He looked at me. “I might go.”

  I rolled my eyes.

  When I finally made it to my mom’s, I peeked into the garage. Yes! She wasn’t home. I grabbed a snack and then hopped in the shower.

  In no time I was ready, and for once, I thought I looked cute. I was just about to head out the door to Ava’s when I heard someone pull up. I kicked myself for not getting out of the house a little faster. I didn’t want to have to deal with my mom or Rick. I glanced out the window, and my heart raced when I saw Jace’s truck.

  I ran back to the bathroom and looked at myself one more time. When I heard knocking, I thought I was going to die right there. I took a deep breath and went and opened the door.

  “Hey, girl! You look so cute!”

  Dani? What was she doing with Jace? Things were OK between Dani and me, but it helped thinking she didn’t like him.

  “Ava and Riley are meeting us there. The guys they met at the park the other night are taking them. Jace is driving us! Isn’t that cool?” She leaned in and whispered, “We don’t have to walk now!”

  She was just using Jace for a ride. “Cool!” I said, feeling much better.

  “We’re going to have so much fun!” I laughed as I watched her bounce with excitement on the balls of her feet. “Come on.” She took me by the hand and pulled me along. It was then that I noticed that there was another guy in the truck. He was tall, and though he wasn’t much more than a silhouette in the twilight, he looked like he could be cute. When we walked up, he opened the door to let us in.

  “Surprise,” said Nolan when he stepped out.

  I was so stunned; I couldn’t think of a single sarcastic thing to say. I looked over at Jace. He smiled and waggled his brows. “Hey, Noelle.” What the—Did Dani tell him I liked him?

  Dani slid in beside Jace. She looked at me and patted the space next to her. “Come on.”

  It was a single cab truck, which meant Nolan was going to be squished up next to me too. “Tight fit,” said Nolan when he slammed the door shut. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see that he was grinning. He was loving this. I refused to look at him.

  As soon as we were on the road, Dani said, “Isn’t this great? It’s sort of like we’re on a double date.” I could feel Nolan holding in a laugh. He turned his head toward the window and buried his smile in his hand. I folded my arms where I could give him another one of my secret little pinches.

  Dani turned up the radio, and she and Nolan sang along. I hadn’t heard Nolan sing since we were kids. He had a smooth, deep voice now that made you feel the words. It made you believe he meant them.

  “Wow, it’s packed,” said Jace as we pulled into the parking lot. He looped around a couple of times until we found a spot.

  As soon as we stepped inside, I was overwhelmed by music and flashing lights. It was crowded and full of energy. I couldn’t wait to dance. I wondered if Nolan thought, since we’d ridden together, we were going to spend the entire night together. He better not, I thought.

  Just then, a slow song came on, and Jace and Dani stepped out onto the dance floor. Great. Nolan was going to be dragging me out there next. I turned to my left, but he wasn’t there. When I turned to my right, he wasn’t there either. I looked at what felt like a million faces when I finally spotted him talking to a girl near some pool tables. She looked older than him. They were laughing and then she took his hand and pulled him out onto the floor. I couldn’t believe it. Good, I thought. At least now h
e wouldn’t be bothering me. I continued standing there by myself and feeling awkward for what felt like an eternity.