Fake: Book One of the Crossroads Series

by Lori Saltis

  Damn. I don’t want to get expelled for tripping. I want to do a lot more damage than that.

  Dani puts on her victim face. It’s an ill fit due to the malice snapping in her eyes. “Penny tripped me.”

  Ms. G. turns to me. “Did you trip her?”

  I shake my head. “No. I was just sitting here.”

  “I saw her do it.” Sarah talks through her nose, in that high-pitched mean girl accent they all have. “She stuck out her foot and tripped Dani.”

  Ms. G. raises an eyebrow. “And I heard what you said to Penny, you and Dani. You know this school has zero tolerance for bullying.”

  I snort. That’s rich.

  Dani’s cheeks puff like a child on the verge of a tantrum. “She tripped me on purpose. Are you saying that’s my fault?”

  “I’m saying I can report all of you to Vice Principal Ikeda or you can call it even and walk away.”

  Their mouths gape open, making them look like stunned carp. As they push through the crowd, Dani shouts, “I’m dropping this class.”

  Ms. G. rolls her eyes and sighs out, “Good.” She closes the door behind the last student before beckoning me to her desk.

  I stop a few feet away, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

  “I’m sorry, Penny. I should have known better. Those two are doing so badly in class. I thought you could help them.” She reaches into a desk drawer. “Truth is, you don’t belong here, and neither do I. This is my last year at Parkside Academy.” She hands a pamphlet titled San Francisco High School of Art and Design. “I’ll be teaching here next year.”

  Not the shoe I expected. I stare at photos of students draping muslin onto sewing mannequins. Is there really such a wonderful place? It seems too good to be true.

  “Show that to your parents. Maybe you can join me there next year.”

  “I want to go this year.” I tuck it into my book bag. I want to say more because she’s the only person to stick up for me since I don’t know when, but I get a tickle in my throat that makes me feel like I’ll cry. All I can do is murmur, “Thank you,” as I leave.

  In the hall, it takes all of my willpower not to pull out the pamphlet. I don’t want anyone to see what I’m looking at and report to the Daisy Chain. A sharp whistle makes me look toward an open classroom door. Kevin Anderson leans out, makes a V with his index and middle finger and thrusts his tongue in and out between them. A knee to the groin would make him bite that tongue, but I have to content myself with flipping him off.

  “You know you want it,” he calls after me.

  I make a mental note to spit in Kevin Anderson’s face on my last day in this hellhole.

  When I get home, I go straight to my room, close the door, pull out the pamphlet and pour over the details. The school promises to prepare students for a career in fashion design. Strowlers don’t have careers, but I like the idea of making money selling the clothes I design. The students look like a bunch of creative misfits, laughing and working together. Longing clogs my throat. Maybe I could even make friends there. Best of all, it’s a charter school, so tuition is free. That will definitely fetch Bill. He might even let me go next semester if he can get a refund from Parkside Academy.

  Wait a minute.

  What am I doing? I don’t want to go to school, any school, even one as rum as this one. Right? I chew my knuckle while I read the class descriptions again. If I’m stuck faking a Bleater life, I might as well get some use out of it.

  There’s a tap at the door. I shove the pamphlet into a drawer and say, “Yeah?”

  Kai’s head pops in. “Mum’s not back yet.”

  “So?”

  “So, Bill will be home soon.”

  Oh, bother. If Bridie would grow a backbone, she could go where she pleases, when she pleases without worrying about His Nibs. “I’ll be right down.”

  I gather my homework and settle at the kitchen table with a cup of tea and some biscuits. I can’t concentrate on any of it because I keep glancing at the clock. She should have been home an hour ago. What’s keeping her?

  “He’s here,” Kai calls out from his position at the kitchen window.

  “Sit, sit!” I hiss.

  He slides off the counter and skids across the floor to the table. Grabbing his pencil, he leans over his maths homework. The garage door rumbles. I take a deep breath and bury my nose in an American History textbook.

  Bill walks in. His suit looks rumpled and his face weary from the workday. He stops when he sees us and heaves a put-upon sigh. “Hi, kids.”

  “Hi,” we chorus back.

  “Doing your homework?”

  “Uh-huh,” Kai holds up his paper. “Algebra.”

  Bill turn to me. “Penny?”

  “Thomas Jefferson. He wrote the Declaration of Independence. He also owned slaves. What a hypocrite.”

  His chuckle seems sincere. “I won’t argue with that.” He glances around. “Where’s your mother?”

  I shrug. “Shopping.”

  He frowns. “Her car is still in the garage.”

  “She took the light rail.”

  “What about dinner?”

  “I think we’re having leftovers from last night.”

  He grunts and heads out the kitchen door to the main part of the house. I exchange worried glances with my brother.

  “There you are,” Bill’s muffled voice comes from the hallway.

  Bridie must have come in through the front entrance. We jump up and press our ears to the door.

  “Hello, darling.” Her voice sounds too high.

  “Where have you been?”

  “Oh, just nipped out for a bit.”

  “What were you doing?”

  “I went to the post office. Remember, you asked me to pick up some stamps.”

  “Penny said you went shopping.”

  I hold my breath. Kai nudges me. I nudge him back.

  “That, too.”

  “Didn’t you buy anything?”

  “No. I was so disappointed.” The flow of her voice becomes easy and soothing as she turns on the Charm. “I went to Cozy Teas. You know, the little shop near Union Square that sells British products, the one that carries those biscuits I love so much,” she gives a sad little sigh, “and they were out.”

  I exhale. Kai nudges me again. This time, I shove him back.

  “You should have called the shop before going all that way,” says Bill.

  “Oh, darling,” Bridie’s tone becomes teasing. “It was just an excuse to get out and do a little window shopping.”

  “What about dinner?”

  Leftovers! I want to shout.

  “I thought I’d make a bubble and squeak, if you don’t mind leftovers.”

  I wipe my brow.

  “Leftovers are fine.” Bill pauses. “Should you leave them alone like that?”

  “The children? Of course, darling. Penny is old enough to watch her brother for a bit.”

  “I don’t know that she’s up to the responsibility.”

  Kai’s hand covers his snicker. I grit my teeth.

  “She’s doing much better this week.”

  “This week has been fine,” Bill admits grudgingly. “But what about next week?”

  “Even better, I should think.”

  “You always think the best of people.”

  There’s a scuffling sound. Bridie’s voice becomes breathless. “Not now, darling. I need to get dinner started.”

  Kai and I exchange looks of disgust. How can she stand him touching her? We go back to the table. I stare at my book without picking it up. I’ve seen Bridie kissing Matthew and getting a bit – um – frisky, and it never bothered me, but the sight of Bill touching her makes me want to puke.

  The kitchen door opens and she scoots inside.

  “What took you so long?” I whisper.

  Bridie presses her hand to her heart. “Bloody Muni. The train broke down and we had to wait for another one. It took forever.” She turns to Kai. “Darling, go out
to the porch and get my guitar. Be snug about it.”

  Kai cracks open the door and peers down the hall before venturing out.

  She collapses into a chair. “That was too close. I’m going to have to stop.”

  I bite my lip to hold back a bitter retort. She wasn’t always like this. She used to be as daring as her husbands. That right there. Two husbands and cheeky enough to live with both. It won’t help to point that out. I need to prod her on. I try sounding patient. “You love busking. Why stop now?”

  “If Bill finds out…”

  Nope. Can’t be patient. “So, what? Mum, Bill doesn’t own you. You shouldn’t have to hide this from him. If you want to busk, you should be able to. You don’t need his permission.”

  Bridie heaves a grim sigh. “So young. So much to learn.”

  “You or me?”

  Her eyebrows arch. So do mine. I’m not about to back down. I’m tired of having a doormat for a mother.

  The door opens and Kai slides in carrying Bridie’s guitar case. She smiles like he’s her golden child. “Thank you, son.”

  I roll my eyes. This isn’t a conversation I want to have in front of him and she knows it.

  She opens the case and pulls out a white square envelope addressed to Bridie Sparrow and Family. The handwriting has a grand, old-fashioned kind of scrawl. “The Beggar Chief handed me this today.”

  “What is it?”

  Bridie shrugs elaborately and makes a show of reaching for a knife to slice open the envelope. She pulls out a card. Her brow knits as she silently reads.

  I’m almost bouncing in my chair after a few moments. “What’s it say?”

  “Well,” she breathes out the word. “It’s an invitation to the Beggars’ Banquet.”

  My jaw drops. I exchange wide-eyed looks with Kai. “We’re invited to the Beggars’ Banquet?” I whisper. How is that even possible?

  “Not as guests. The Beggar Chief has asked us to perform.”

  “Kidding?” All my desire for confrontation has flown out the window. We need to do this. I need to treat it as a done deal. “This is so awesome. I’ll make a new costume for me and a new dress for you.”

  Bridie licks her lips. Hesitation colors her words into pale things. “Well, I don’t know. After all, today was such a close call.”

  I want to hurl my textbook against the wall, except that would seal the deal. I swallow my ire. I’m a Sharper. I need to think sharp. “Mum, how can we turn down such an honor?”

  “Yeah,” says Kai. His glare is so fierce, I’m afraid he might lose his shit before I have a chance to reason with her.

  “Well, there’s that.” Bridie’s lip twists as she kneads the invitation.

  The door swings open. She shoves the invitation under the guitar case as Bill walks in. His frown darkens the room. “What’s going on? I thought you were making dinner.”

  Bridie flutters a smile. “Oh, nothing, really.”

  “Look, I’ve been working all day to support you and these kids. My dinner is your top priority right now, not teaching them a new song or whatever the hell you’re doing.”

  Her face goes blank. The old Bridie would have told him to stuff it. The new Bridie is about to act the maggot. Bile clogs my throat. I can’t sit through this. I close my book and am about to stand when Bridie’s easy smile returns. “Actually, darling, the PTA is putting on a talent show in a couple of weeks. They want Penny to perform an Irish jig and they asked if Kai and I could play along. I thought I’d say yes.”

  I try not looking as surprised as I feel. Is she really…?

  “It would be good for the children to perform at a family friendly function, don’t you think?”

  She is. She’s working a sham. I manage to keep my face neutral, even though I want to shout for joy.

  Bill harrumphs. “I don’t know if we should reward her after all the bad behavior.”

  “Well, the PTA is the one who’s asking, not her.”

  “True.” He looks at me. “Do you want to do this?”

  I need to show Bridie I’m on her side, working the sham with her, so I toss Bill a proper load of shite. “I know I haven’t been the best student and I’ve gotten into trouble. Maybe if I do this, I can show how much I appreciate everyone trying to help me. What do you think?”

  He rubs his chin, a sure sign that a mark is taking the idea as his own. “I agree. When you’re given an opportunity to redeem yourself, you should take it.” He turns to Bridie. “All right, she can do it, but I want to see her grades improve in the meantime.”

  “Oh, they will, darling. Certainly they will.” Her voice sweetens. “You’ll come along with us, won’t you?”

  I suck in my breath. Here we go, the persuasion part that seals the deal.

  Bill’s eyes became dazed. “I suppose… I don’t know…”

  “I know you’re busy, but it would be lovely to have you there. Hopefully, we won’t be going on last. Even so, there will be lots of other children performing. It’ll be a treat.”

  “Jesus, Bridie, I don’t want to sit through a talent show with a bunch of other people’s brats.”

  She pouted prettily. “Suit yourself, but no grouching when we come home late.”

  Bill chuckles and pats her cheek.

  Her pout becomes a seductive smile. “Can I pour you a brandy?”

  “No, I’ve got some work to finish before dinner. Maybe later, after the kids have gone to bed.”

  Bridie’s smile fades as the door closes behind him. “Pay the piper,” she whispers.

  Not for long. Not if we can get the hell out of here. Performing at the banquet is huge. We can make our mark on the Crossroads there. Having the endorsement of the Beggar Clan will help us to work shams and make our own gelt, enough to escape from this house.

  “Well done, Mum,” says Kai with a gleeful grin.

  She shakes her head. “What have I done?”

  Second thoughts so soon? I can’t let her go there. “Got us the biggest gig of our lives, that’s what.”

  “We’re playing for honor, not gelt.”

  “It can lead to gelt.”

  “Maybe. If we were still on the Crossroads.”

  “I’d rather be a poor Strowler than a rich Bleater.”

  She drums her fingers on the table while she stews that over. “You’re a self-involved little madam, you know that?” My mouth drops open. How can she say that? She’s the self-involved one. “Always prating on about going back to Ireland without a thought for the rest of us.” She turns to Kai. “Your sister wants to go back to Ireland. What about you, son? Do you want to go back?”

  He looks at me like I’m a stupid cow. “No.”

  “Why not?”

  His shoulders lift in a tight shrug. “I don’t fit in.”

  Bridie’s eyes shoot fire at me. “They treated him like a by-blow and half-breed, or have you conveniently forgotten that?”

  Heat rushes to my face. People had said those very words and worse to Bridie right in front of Kai and me. I don’t want my brother living with that poison again. “No. I mean I don’t want us to go back to the Nest.”

  “I should think not.” Her lips press tight. Then she gives a nod. “Right. I didn’t want to tell you, but you should know. While we were there, your grandparents were making plans to marry you off.”

  For a moment, it feels like my heart stops beating. I whisper, “What?”

  “You’re sixteen years old. High time you were married, according to them. They were going through a list of likely lads. The ones traveling the farthest topped the list, so you’d be out of my evil sphere of influence.”

  My lips move, but I don’t speak. How could my grandparents do that to me?

  Bridie gives an exasperated sigh. “Darling, what did you think life of a Strowler woman is? We marry young and have lots of children. We keep the caravan clean and cater to our husbands’ needs. That’s our Glory Road. If that’s not what you want, you walk the Wayward Way or become a
Bleater.”

  “What about guys?” asks Kai. “If we’d stayed in Ireland, would I have gotten married when I’m, like, sixteen or something?”

  “Strowler lads get married a little later, more like nineteen or twenty. You’d be expected to have your own caravan and earn your living prize fighting, working shams and doing manual labor.”

  “No way. I want to be a musician, like my dads.”

  “That’s fine, as long as you can provide for a wife and family. An unmarried Strowler is a disgrace, at least, on the Glory Road.”

  I rub my forehead. Everything has gotten turned around and upside down. Bridie is only capable of seeing the negative these days. I need to remind her of the good things, our good life. “So, you and Gerry said bugger all that, right? And walked the Wayward Way.”

  Bridie folds her arms and leans back. “I wish I could say I was so bold, but no. Gerry wanted to walk that way and away we went. It was such a grand adventure. It made me want more for you two. That’s why I left the Nest and married Bill.” She looks down. “Maybe I better send the Beggar Chief our regrets.”

  “No,” Kai and I both say. We look at each other. We both know she’s done with me. It’s his turn to take up the cause.

  “Mum,” he says with an earnest face. “What do you think Gerry and Mattie would want us to do?”

  She raises her head. “They’d want us to play at the banquet, the tomfool pair of them.”

  “Why don’t we do that, sort of like a tribute to them?”

  Bridie and I both blink. Look at who else is learning how to Charm. Will she take the bait? By the way she’s chewing her lip, she’s on the cusp.

  “That’s daft,” I say. “How will that be any kind of tribute?”

  “Penny.” Bridie glares at me. “Don’t be snide.” She turns to Kai. “That’s a lovely thought, son. I’ve already started working the Charm on Bill. No point in going back now.”

  Under the table, Kai and I bump fists. I keep a blank face, though my knees are still shaking. Wow. I thought my grandparents loved me, but they schemed to have me spirited away in an arranged marriage. Dublin is out. I don’t want to be anywhere near them. That leaves London, a tougher proposition since we have nowhere to live. What about ditching Bill, but staying in San Francisco? Then I could go to that school. It’ll take gelt we don’t yet have, so I’ll need to be patient, which feels almost impossible after the day I had at Hellhole High.