“Help me. Help me!”
I woke with a start and nearly flung my book off the table. My eyes blinked as I took in my surroundings. I was in the library. Thank God.
My heart was racing so fast I thought I was going to have a coronary. You’re safe. You didn’t get sucked back into your story.
I straightened up and wiped the drool from my jaw as discreetly as I could when I noticed something fall from my head. It was a paper airplane. When I looked closer at it, I noticed it wasn’t blank. I unfolded it and stared at a pencil sketch of me folded over and sleeping on the table. I craned around suspiciously.
No one was there except for the librarian, who was sitting at her desk. Just as the bell rang, the door opened and the black-haired girl from earlier walked out. With a sigh, I brushed my things into my bag, slunk outside and into the hallway.
The end of the day couldn’t come soon enough. When the final bell rang I was relieved to walk outside. All I wanted was to go home. My new home.
Aunt Holly was waiting just outside the front doors and when she saw me, she waved. I had explicitly instructed her to wait at the stop sign. I don’t think she got the memo on how to avoid embarrassing your kid.
I sighed deeply and reluctantly walked up to her. “Hey, Aunt Holly.”
I stared at the colorful bandana tied around her hairline, which couldn’t begin to tame her curly mane. If Medusa was a hippie, she would have had some serious competition.
“How was your day? Not too terrible, I hope.” She reached out and patted my shoulder sympathetically. I had a sneaking suspicion she knew what it was like getting picked on.
“It blew. Unsurprisingly, my name was a big hit. And because my tablet’s busted, I get to look forward to doing my homework old school tonight.”
“Old school?” Aunt Holly asked while we walked to her car.
“Yeah. Paper and pencil.”
“Oh, that’s old school, is it? That must mean I’m old then.”
“If the shoe fits…”
“Better watch it,” she said as we got in the car, “I was going to take pity on you and order pizza tonight.”
***
After I helped Aunt Holly wash the dishes after dinner, I dragged myself upstairs and tugged my schoolbooks from my ratty camo bag and onto my desk. I unfolded the paper airplane and propped it against the wall. While I worked, I held onto the smooth stone I had found the previous day. It fit so perfectly into my palm, it helped me relax as I brushed my thumb along its surface.
When all my work was done, I crawled into bed and waited for sleep to come. I was completely exhausted and wanted to forget about my lonely existence, but my dreams were haunted with pleas of help from Malick, Red and Princess Amerovia, causing me to wake numerous times. At four o’clock, I decided to read my library book instead of forcing myself to hear their voices echo in my head.
“Oh, you’re up already. Time to get moving,” Aunt Holly said after popping into my room at around six-thirty.
I felt like road kill and after looking into the mirror I decided I looked like road kill too. I went to the bathroom to see if washing my face would improve things. It didn’t.
On the drive to school, Aunt Holly even noticed the bags under my eyes. “Nim, are you sleeping well? Is your bed comfortable?”
“It’s fine – just had a nightmare.” She frowned and I added quickly, “It wasn’t about Mom or anything. Don’t worry about it – I probably just ate too much pizza or something.”
She pulled into the school parking lot and I jumped out of the car. “See you at the stop sign today, ‘kay? I’ll remember this time. Hope you have a better day today, Nim.”
***
During break I settled at the same table in the library I had sat at yesterday. I was eager to finish the book I had checked out when a voice startled me.
“Hey. Whatcha reading?”
A flowery smell met my nose and I looked into the face of the black-haired girl. A dark line traced the edge of her eyelids, which made her large blue eyes more doe-like.
She pinched her red lips together and squinted at me, waiting for my response. “Ya know, when someone says something to you, that’s when you normally say something back.”
My throat went dry and I swallowed before speaking. “Sorry.”
“S’okay.”
She pulled out a neighboring seat and plopped down across from me. I was more than a little surprised at her sudden intrusion. This sort of thing didn’t happen to me, not unless there was a prank involved. I glanced at her as she pulled her hair up into a sloppy ponytail and tied her funky scarf at its base. Today she had on a pair of rainbow suspenders with a black t-shirt and skirt. She didn’t seem like the type to go out of her way to prank someone. If anything, she was like me. An outsider.
“Saw you in here yesterday. Got mono or something?”
I sputtered.
“Not like you look diseased or anything. Don’t take it the wrong way. Just wondered why you weren’t outside with everyone else.”
“Just moved here. Don’t have any friends and I’d rather hang in the library, anyway.”
She studied me quietly for a moment and said, “Crackerjack.”
I frowned and scratched my forehead, unsure how to respond.
“I’m Pepper. That’s what everyone calls me.”
“Um, I’m Nim.”
“That’s a unique name, like mine. My full name’s Temperance, but my sister started calling me Pepper when I was a little and it stuck – she seemed to think it fit my personality better.” She grew quiet and I thought her cheek started to quiver, but she quickly cupped her nose and mouth with her hands.
I had only just met this girl. She was nobody to me, but for some reason I didn’t want her to feel alone. “My full name’s Nimrod. Everyone seems to think it’s hilarious, but I was named after my grandpa.”
But Pepper was sliding her fingers along her eyes, wiping away her tears, and I looked away for a second to give her privacy. I glanced back to see her staring at me with a curious expression.
“What’s he like?”
“My grandpa?” I shrugged and dropped my gaze to the book lying on the table in front of me. “He was like me. He loved books. Mom used to say he lived in his own world and he made more sense there than he did here.”
“Did he die?”
“Yup, and my mom did too.”
“Your mom did what?”
“Die.”
Our eyes locked and then it was my turn to hide my emotions. I dropped my chin to my chest and flipped the hood of my sweatshirt over my head. It was the first time I had said it aloud and it stung like a dagger in the heart.
Cool, pale fingers touched my wrist and I tried to swallow the lump in my throat instead of looking at her.
“So did my sister,” she whispered and pulled away.
I nodded. The silence in the library echoed in my ears.
“Well, it’s settled. We’re friends.”
I would have laughed if I had it in me. Pepper grinned and jumped up from her chair just as the bell rang.
“Hey, was that your paper airplane yesterday?” I asked suddenly.
“Like it?”
“You’re a good artist.”
She shrugged and said, “Thanks. See ya around, Nim.”
Pepper flung her bag over her shoulder, took a deep breath and announced to no one in particular, “Alis volat propriis.” She waved and darted out of the library before I could respond.
It took me a moment to digest what had just happened. Within the last ten minutes I had met an interesting girl who, somehow, had gotten me to reveal my full name and admit that my mom had died. She had declared us friends and I couldn’t decide if that was a good or bad thing.
When the last bell of the day rang, I was actually sort of hopeful. Aunt Holly had listened to my last pleas and waited for me in the car down at the end of the block. As a reward or maybe it was pity, she made grilled cheese sandwiches
for dinner and I slept all through the night until Aunt Holly woke me the next morning. Life was back to being uneventful, just the way I liked it.
***
“Hey Nim, how was your night? What’d you do?” Pepper offered me a broad grin as she walked up to my table and set her things onto it.
The library was nearly empty like it always was. I had been sitting and reading quietly until she joined me. I wasn’t sure how to feel about the interruption. Getting used to the idea of someone wanting to hang out was new and I still couldn’t figure out why she’d attached herself to me so quickly.
“It was fine. I didn’t really do anything,” I said, sliding down my seat and staring at my hands.
Without any coaxing, she continued, oblivious to my social awkwardness. “Well, mine went like it always does. There’s only so much a girl can take of being ignored. That’s why you and I are hanging out this weekend. My parents won’t even notice I’m gone.”
“Really? How come?”
“I don’t fit in at home. Ever since I stopped letting my mom dress me at Gap and Abercrombie and Fitch and started thinking for myself, they don’t want to be around me. I stick out too much – don’t fit in at the country club.”
That was pretty harsh. My mom had been my best friend, always there to talk with me, watch movies and hang out. I couldn’t imagine her not caring if I was around or not.
I didn’t know what to say to Pepper but, “That sucks.”
She sat down in the seat beside me and started rubbing the tassels of her scarf against her cheeks. I had noticed that Pepper never seemed to be without the same black scarf, day after day.
“What’s with the scarf?”
“It was my sister’s. She let me borrow it before she died. It’s like having her with me every day. She was the only one that understood me. Mom and Dad don’t get it – why I wear it all the time. All they see is a ratty, un-stylish accessory that should get tossed. But it’s more than that.”
I couldn’t help myself, but I was starting to like Pepper.
“Where do you live?” she asked.
It took me a minute to fumble over the directions before she interrupted me. “I know where you’re at. I’m only a couple blocks away. We’re walking distance.”
I nodded.
“You don’t talk much, do you?”
I cleared my throat before speaking. “No, not much. I’m not good at it.”
Pepper let out a booming laugh and slapped my shoulder. “Ha! Not good at talking? I don’t buy it. You’re doing just fine for someone who doesn’t talk. I can tell you’ve got plenty going on in that head of yours, you’re just afraid to say it. You should learn to be more like me. I think something and I just say it and don’t care what anybody thinks.” She grinned wickedly.
A smile slid across my lips before I could stop myself. I was beginning to understand why she hung out alone. She had confidence to spare and I admired that in her.
“You can say anything to me, Nim. I’m no judge. If you sit here and look me square in the eye and admit to loving My Little Pony or Dungeons and Dragons, I’ll congratulate you. But if you’re into crazy stuff like, like…the stock market or whatever, you need to tell me now.” Pepper squinted as she studied me carefully, and leaned forward.
“Uh, no, not into the stock market. Just reading and writing books. My Aunt Holly just introduced me to coffee, and I think it’s becoming a new addiction.”
Pepper flung one end of her scarf over her shoulder and said in a dramatic voice, “My turn-ons include drawing in the library, befriending and frightening shy boys and stunning people into silence. My turnoffs are people who are fake, the color pink, and selfishness.”
“Glad I didn’t wear my florescent pink tee today, that would have been awkward,” I mumbled.
In response, Pepper feigned surprise, covering her mouth with her hand. “Did you just make a funny? Oh, and I love smart alecks, because it would just be, oh, what’s the word…you know – do what I say not what I do?”
“Hypocritical?”
“Yes! That’s it.” She leaned over, pulled out a spiral notebook from her bag and tossed it on the table. Then she produced a pencil, flipped her book open and began to sketch out a shape. The soft scratching of the lead against the paper reminded me of using Grandpa’s pen over the weekend and the soothing sound it made.
“Um, you like drawing?”
“It’s the one thing I’m really good at. I love it. Nothing beats it.” She turned her notebook sideways so I could see the shaded, cloaked figure that was taking form on the paper.
“Wow, that’s great – I can’t even draw stick figures.”
“Well, even sticks need a moment in the spotlight.”
“Um, sure.” She was interesting, that was for sure.
When the bell rang, we got our things and walked to the door together. We both grabbed for the knob at the same time and my cheeks flushed in embarrassment. I pulled my hand back as she held the door open for me.
“See you around, Nim. Stay sane.”
“Yeah, you too,” I mumbled and then walked into the swarm of middle graders bustling through the hallways.
The rest of the school day was just a bit more bearable knowing one person here liked me (as strange as it was). When Aunt Holly picked me up from the lot she asked her daily question: “How was school today?”
“Good.”
“So fine has been upgraded to good? That’s sounds promising.”
I slid down in my seat and stared out the window. I shouldn’t have said anything. Now she was smiling at me like a total clown.
As we drove away from school I noticed Pepper walking ahead of us. Drops of rain began to tap against the windshield as the gray clouds produced their daily onslaught.
“I know her. She lives a couple blocks from us.”
Aunt Holly pulled alongside Pepper, rolled down my window and said to me, “We should offer her a ride. Don’t want her to have to walk through the rain.”
Pepper turned and saw me in the car. She walked up and leaned against my door. “Hey, Nim.”
“Hey, um, my Aunt Holly and I wondered if you wanted a ride home? Raining and all…”
Pepper closed her eyes and tipped her head back, allowing rain droplets to splatter against her face. “Oh, I don’t care about the rain. But you can just take me to your house – my parents won’t mind.”
Aunt Holly’s eyebrows rose and I could tell she was trying to suppress a grin. Pepper yanked open the back door of the car and jumped inside. As I heard the click of her seatbelt, she spoke up. “Hey, I’m Nim’s friend, Pepper.”
“Well, I’m happy to meet you Pepper.” Aunt Holly pulled back out onto the street.
The whole way home, Pepper chattered continuously and I wondered if she would ever run out of things to talk about. It was doubtful.
When we arrived at the house, it didn’t stop. “Have you ever driven by a home and wondered who lived inside? Is the family just as perfect and happy as it looks on the outside, or is everybody miserable and argumentative all the time?” Without waiting for an answer, she continued, “I think up stories for each house and who lives inside. I always imagined an elderly couple here. Goes to show you can’t base your opinion on appearances.”
“Well, my parents used to live here until they died. Now it’s me and Nimrod,” Aunt Holly said as she unlocked the front door. I glared at the back of her head.
Pepper breezed inside and her eyes lit up. “Wow, this place is epic. Really – it’s like an art gallery in here. Oh my gosh, I love this one.” She stopped in front of a painting of a landscape.
Aunt Holly immediately switched into art docent mode. “Oh, you like art? This is an oil pastel I did a couple years back when I was going through my post-impressionism phase. I’ve moved on to still lifes now. Thanks to my dad’s inheritance, I get to do what I love. Do you paint?”
“I do pencil sketches. I’ve tried watercolors, but they weren’t for m
e.”
“Well, you’ve come to the right place. I’ll have to show you my studio.” Aunt Holly said over her shoulder to me, “You guys want something hot to drink? Coffee, tea?”
“Sure, I could use some coffee – I’ve got lots of homework,” I said and led Pepper into the kitchen. Aunt Holly got to work making a fresh pot as I made a couple sandwiches for our snack.
After I swallowed my food and washed it down with a steaming cup of coffee, I looked over at Pepper, who was nibbling at her sandwich and staring at the pictures on the wall. “Who’re they?”
“My grandparents, my mom, aunt and me.”
“Is that your baby picture?” She pointed at what was probably one of the most humiliating pictures I ever took. I’m not sure how old I was, but I wasn’t old enough to tell my mom what a terrible idea it was to dress me in a pirate costume and go to the mall for pictures. A small tuft of hair was sticking straight up like a troll doll’s, and a patch covered one of my green eyes.
“So adorable,” she said before eating her last bite of sandwich.
“That’s subjective,” I answered and put our dirty plates in the sink.
“Show me your room.”
Pepper wandered out of the kitchen and I rushed to catch up with her. She had found the stairwell and was already heading upstairs. She clearly felt at home wherever she went, and my house wasn’t the exception.
“First door on the right.”
She walked into my room and stopped short. “Are we in the right place? This looks like a spare room for a ninety-year-old. We have got to work this out better for you. I mean, you’re staying, right?”
I shrugged. “Yeah.”
Pepper touched the wall and squished up her face. “Wallpaper – yuck. Your Aunt Holly seems pretty cool. Bet she wouldn’t care if you painted in here. What’s your favorite color?”
“Green. I like green.” I looked around and realized for the first time how dated the room was.
“And that bedspread is ‘Driving Miss Daisy’ old. It’s cool, but it doesn’t seem right for you. If you’re staying, then you should make it yours. It is your room after all.”
An Unfortunate Beginning Page 6