by Mimi McCoy
Emma was back in the tree, hanging from a branch by her knees. Anna walked over to her, the cold grass numbing her bare toes.
“You came out!” Emma sang, swinging gently back and forth.
“Yes, we can play now! What should we play?” Anna felt like a little girl again. Like magic was possible, and anything could happen.
Emma’s back was to Anna as she swung back and forth on the branch. Suddenly, she flipped over, her feet hitting the ground. When she straightened up, Anna stepped back with a gasp. Emma’s face was twisted in a frightening sneer — and her silver eyes were glowing.
“You’ve been a naughty girl, Anna.” Emma growled. “You’ve been ignoring me.”
“No I haven’t.” Anna shivered. She was starting to not like this dream anymore.
Emma’s lips peeled back from her teeth in a snarl. “So Benny’s your new best friend? Is that it? Anna and Benny sittin’ in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G …” she taunted. “I thought we were friends, Anna. Best friends.”
“We are friends!” Anna cried, stumbling backward.
“Not just friends. Bessssst friends.” Emma came closer. In the moonlight her braids seemed to twist like snakes.
Anna clamped her hands over her eyes. “It’s just a dream,” she told herself. “Wake up!”
“You shouldn’t have left me, Anna,” Emma hissed. “You’re going to be sorry. You and Benny, you’ll both be so ssssssorry….”
“Wake up!” Anna yelled at herself. “Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!”
“Wake up, Anna!”
Anna opened her eyes. Her room was filled with early morning light. Someone was knocking at her door. “Mmmm,” she groaned sleepily, hoping they’d go away.
“Time to get up!” Her father opened the door and came into her room. “Jeez, kiddo, it’s freezing in here. What’s the window doing open?”
“The window?” Anna sat up in bed. The sash was thrown all the way up. She didn’t remember opening it in the night.
“Brrr. It must be forty degrees in here,” said her dad as he shut it. “Come on, up and at ‘em. You slept through your alarm. Better hustle, or you’re going to be late.”
As soon as he was gone, Anna leaned back on the pillows. She felt stiff and exhausted, as if she’d hardly slept at all. Bits of her dream floated back to her: the brightness of the moon, the cold, wet grass — it was all so vivid.
“Like it was real,” Anna murmured.
That’s stupid, she thought. Why was she getting all worked up over a dream? She laughed at herself as she climbed out of bed and headed for the shower. But she felt a lingering uneasiness.
It wasn’t until she was standing under the warm spray of water that Anna started to feel better. She remembered her “date” with Benny from the day before, and her heart gave a little hop of happiness at the thought.
Anna and Benny sittin’ in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G …
An image of Emma’s sneering face flashed through Anna’s brain. Quickly, she shook it away. She couldn’t imagine why she’d dreamed such a thing. Sure, Emma had seemed upset the day before at lunch. She’d probably just been in a bad mood, Anna reasoned. Anna would talk to her today and get it all straightened out.
But she didn’t see Emma at all that morning. She didn’t come by Anna’s locker, and Anna didn’t see her anywhere in the halls. Anna worried all through her morning classes, wondering if Emma was still mad at her.
When it was time for science class, Anna’s spirits lifted. At least she’d see Benny! She hurried to class and was the first one to take her seat.
Anna watched the rest of the students file in. Dory was back at school. She walked in with her chin held high, never once looking in Anna’s direction. Fine, Anna thought angrily, two can play at that game.
By the time the bell rang, Benny still hadn’t showed up. Anna stared at his empty seat, crestfallen. Where was he? she wondered. Sick? He’d seemed fine the day before.
“Did you hear what happened to Benny?” said a voice behind her. It was Krystal, gossiping with her lab partner as usual.
Anna whipped around in her seat. “What about him?”
“He had a big accident last night.” Krystal widened her eyes in phony alarm, clearly relishing the attention.
Anna’s mouth felt dry. “What kind of accident?”
Krystal shrugged. “Nobody knows. But I heard he’ll be out of school for weeks. At least, that’s what his mother told the school secretary. I was in the office when she called,” she added importantly.
“Girls?” Mr. Cooper said sharply from the front of the room, giving them a warning look.
Anna turned back around in her seat, trying to process this information. What Krystal said couldn’t be true — could it? Krystal often got her facts wrong. But then again, she said she’d heard it from the school secretary.
Finally, Anna decided there was only one thing to do — she would go to his house and see for herself.
As soon as school was over that afternoon, she walked the few blocks to Benny’s house. Her heart pounded as she rang the bell.
After a long moment, a petite dark-haired woman opened the door. “Yes?”
Anna introduced herself. “I have class with Benny,” she explained. “I heard he was sick, so I, um, brought his homework.” Anna had worked out that excuse in class that afternoon. “Is he, um, okay?”
“He’ll be okay eventually, although I don’t think he’s ready for any homework yet,” the woman said. She looked tired and worried. “But you can go see him, if you like. He’s in his room.” She moved aside and held the door open.
As Anna stepped inside, right away she noticed the hush, an unnatural quiet, as if the whole house was holding its breath. She knew then that Krystal had been right — something really bad had happened.
“It’s the first door at the top of stairs,” Benny’s mother told Anna.
Anna climbed the stairs slowly, a little afraid of what she would find. When she reached the door, she took a deep breath, then gently pushed it open.
Benny was lying in bed, a blanket pulled over half his body. One leg was in a plaster cast, and a bandage was wrapped around his head. His closed eyes looked sunken in his face.
“Benny?” Anna murmured.
His eyes fluttered open. Anna smiled and started to step toward him, but the look on his face stopped her. “What are you doing here?” he said sharply.
“I brought your science homework, and, um …” Anna’s voice faltered. Why did he keep looking at her like that … like he was afraid of her?
Benny was struggling to sit up. “Who let you in here?”
“Your mom,” Anna said. “I heard at school that you got hurt. I just wanted to see how you were doing.”
“You wanted to see how I was doing?” Benny blinked, as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “How did you think I’d be doing?”
Was this one of his weird jokes? “I don’t get it, Benny,” she said. “What happened to you?”
“You tell me,” Benny shot back. “Why were you here last night?”
“What?” Anna stared at him.
“Don’t pretend you don’t know. I saw you.”
“Saw me where? What are you talking about?”
“Last night, you were in my backyard,” Benny said. “I was sleeping when I heard someone call my name. It was you, Anna.”
“You must have been dreaming,” Anna told him. “I wasn’t here last night. I was home sleeping.”
Benny shook his head, growing more agitated. “I wasn’t dreaming. I saw you, Anna. And I know you saw me. You waved at me. You called my name. I leaned out the window to see what you wanted, and then … something pushed me.”
Anna felt a shiver run down her spine. “You imagined it, Benny. I wasn’t here.”
“Stop lying, Anna. I saw you!” Benny’s voice rose to a shout. “Just tell me what happened!”
Anna shook her head to say she didn’t know. She had a cold feeling in her stoma
ch, as if she’d swallowed a gallon of ice water.
“Are you afraid I’m going to tell on you? Is that it?” he snarled. “Well, you don’t have to worry. I didn’t. Everyone thinks I was sleepwalking. My mom didn’t find me until morning. She got up to let the cat in, and there I was, lying on the ground. She thought I was dead. And now I can’t play hockey. They said it could take up to two months for my leg to heal, maybe more. They won’t let me play this year if I miss two months of practice.”
A tuft of hair was sticking up on the back of his head, like ruffled feathers. Anna felt an urge to reach out and smooth it down. Instead, she took a deep breath.
“Benny, I swear to you, I don’t know who you saw last night, but it wasn’t me. I swear it.”
Benny gave her a long look, and for a moment Anna thought he believed her. But he shook his head. “You’re not who I thought you were, Anna. Go away. I don’t want to talk to you anymore.”
Anna quietly left the room. Her legs were trembling as she made her way down the stairs to the front door. She was relieved not to run into Benny’s mother on the way out.
Outside, she felt tears pressing at the back of her eyes. What was going on? Why was Benny saying those terrible things about her?
He said he hit his head, Anna reminded herself. She had heard her mother tell stories about the crazy things people did and said when they had head injuries. Maybe something had happened to Benny’s brain so he imagined things that he thought were real.
Yes, Anna decided. That must be what happened. He’s just confused now. When he gets better, he’ll realize that none of it is true.
But she couldn’t shake the image of his eyes, glaring at her with hot hatred. His eyes had been so clear. He hadn’t seemed confused at all.
Chapter Ten
The next day, Anna was more anxious than ever to talk to Emma. She had to tell someone about the strange things Benny had said. But Emma seemed to be avoiding her. Once or twice, Anna thought she saw her in the hall, but Emma always disappeared before Anna could catch up with her.
At lunchtime, Anna planted herself next to Emma’s locker, determined to stay there until her friend arrived.
A few lockers down, Jessamyn and her friends were clustered in a group, talking. Jessamyn kept glancing over at Anna. She seemed to be growing more and more annoyed.
Finally, Jessamyn strode over to her. “What do you think you’re doing?” she snarled at Anna, putting her face so close that Anna could smell the bubble gum on her breath.
Anna was startled, but she tried not to show it. “Nothing that’s any of your business,” she snapped back.
“You’re always hanging around here, watching me and my friends,” Jessamyn accused. “It’s creepy.”
Anna suddenly felt a surge of rage. “I’m not watching you, you self-absorbed twit.”
Jessamyn’s mouth formed a perfect lip-glossed O. But she recovered in a millisecond. “Loser,” she hissed at Anna.
A few weeks ago, that very word had cut Anna to the core. But now it made her seethe with anger. “So what are you going to do? Spray paint ‘Loser’ on my lawn?”
“What are you talking about?” Jessamyn snapped.
“Does ‘Dorky Dory’ ring a bell?” Anna asked coolly. “Humiliating people in their very own homes. Is that what you and your friends do for fun these days?”
Jessamyn glared at her. “I never did that! Who told you I did that?”
Anna shook her head. “I knew you were a jerk, Jessamyn. I didn’t know you were a liar, too.”
Jessamyn was about to reply when a tall boy Anna had never seen before tapped her on the shoulder. “Um, could you guys move this somewhere else?”
Jessamyn spun on him. “Butt out!” she snapped.
“I would,” said the boy, “but you’re blocking my locker.”
Surprised, Anna stepped out of the way. She watched the boy open what she’d thought was Emma’s locker. That’s weird, she thought. How did I get that wrong?
Jessamyn shot Anna one last poisonous look, then stalked back to her friends, her hair swishing behind her. Anna’s knees were still shaking as she made her way back to her own locker, but she was smiling, too. She couldn’t believe she’d stood up to Jessamyn.
It’s because of Emma, Anna thought. Emma made her feel strong and brave, like she could do anything. Emma was the coolest person Anna knew, and she was … right there, standing in front of Anna’s locker!
“Emma!” Anna rushed over to her. “I’ve been dying to talk to you. Something really weird happened yesterday. With Benny.”
Emma smiled, almost as if she hadn’t heard her. “I’m so hungry!” she said, widening her eyes in exaggeration. “Let’s go out to lunch. My treat.”
“Emma —”
“Don’t worry. No dine and ditch. I’ve got money today.”
Emma reached into her pocket and pulled out a wallet. It was made of pink leather, with a little lady-bug charm attached to the zipper.
“Fine,” Anna said with a sigh. She didn’t care where they went, as long as they could talk.
When the halls were clear, they headed out a side door and walked to the deli where they’d gotten lunch on the first day they met. On the way, Anna told Emma about Benny — first about their afternoon at Moxie, then about his accident and the strange things he’d said when she went to visit him.
“I told you he was a twerp,” Emma said when she was done. “He’s just messing with you.”
“Messing with me? How could he be messing with me? He really got hurt.”
“So?” said Emma. “What makes you think that has anything to do with you? People get hurt all the time. Is that your fault?”
“No. But he said it was my fault somehow. He said he saw me. Why would he say that?”
“Oh, don’t be dense, Anna,” Emma snapped. “Isn’t it obvious? He said it so he wouldn’t have to hang out with you anymore.”
Anna pulled up short and stared at her. “What?”
“Come on,” Emma said, stopping too, “you didn’t really think a guy like Benny would go for you.”
Anna felt as if she’d been punched in the stomach. She wasn’t sure which hurt more — that Emma would say such a thing, or that it might be true.
“Think back,” Emma told her. “He was there with all his friends, right? They were probably laughing at you behind your back.”
Anna thought about the afternoon at Moxie. She remembered how Benny’s friends had smirked when he left with Anna. At the time, she’d assumed they were just teasing him. But maybe there had been another reason.
Emma slid an arm around her shoulders. “Forget about him, Anna,” she murmured. “He’s a jerk. They’re all jerks. You and I, we’re the only ones who can count on each other.”
Anna felt tears pressing against the backs of her eyes, but she didn’t want to cry. She clenched her jaw, telling herself, Benny is just a jerk. He doesn’t matter. He’s nothing to me, until the tears went away.
At the deli, Emma bought lunch just as she’d promised, pulling a twenty-dollar bill from her wallet with a little flourish. The day was moderately warm, so they ate again in the little park across the street. Emma kept up a cheery dialogue, but Anna couldn’t enjoy her lunch. Each bite of sandwich turned to sawdust in her mouth, and she finally threw it away.
When they got back to school, they noticed a small commotion down the hall from Anna’s locker. A bunch of kids were clustered around Jessamyn’s locker. Lauren had her arm around Jessamyn, who seemed to be upset.
“I wonder what happened,” Anna said.
“Poor little Jessamyn,” Emma sneered. “Probaby broke a nail.”
Anna nodded numbly. She was too unhappy to give Jessamyn much thought.
The bell rang, signaling the end of lunch period. Almost instantly, the hallway flooded with kids coming back from the cafeteria.
“Well,” said Emma, turning to her. “It’s been fun. See you on the flip side.” She gave Anna a wink
and headed off, blending into the crowded hallway.
Anna turned back to her locker and slowly collected her books. It wasn’t until she was on her way to Spanish class that she thought that had been a strange thing to say. See you on the flip side. What did that mean?
Anna was still thinking about Benny in math, her last class of the day, when the office messenger came in. The messenger handed a note to the teacher, who unfolded it and scanned it quickly. “Anna?”
Her head jerked up. “Me?”
“You’re wanted in Ms. Turk’s office. Take your things with you.”
All eyes in the classroom swiveled to Anna. Ms. Turk was the dean of the school. Students were only called to her office when they were in trouble.
Anna’s heart began to pound as she stood and collected her books. She guessed someone had seen her and Emma sneaking off campus for lunch and ratted them out. She wondered how much trouble she was in.
The door to Ms. Turk’s office was open, but Anna knocked anyway. The dean waved her inside and pointed wordlessly to a chair across from her desk. Anna perched on the edge of the chair.
The dean folded her hands on her desk and eyed Anna. She was a stout woman with a pointy nose and sharp, beady eyes that reminded Anna of a weasel.
“Now,” said the dean, “can you tell me why I’ve called you in here?”
Anna weighed her options and decided to play it safe. She gave her head a tiny shake.
“Do you know a girl named Jessamyn Ito?”
“Everyone knows Jessamyn,” Anna replied.
The dean picked up a pen and tapped the end of it against her desk. “Jessamyn’s wallet was stolen from her locker today. Do you know anything about that?”
Anna began to relax. She hadn’t been caught skipping school after all! “No,” she told the dean. Then, as an afterthought, she added, “Jessamyn’s friends are always hanging out by her locker. Have you talked to them?”
“Yes, I have,” Ms. Turk replied. “Jessamyn’s friends say that you are often hanging around her locker, too. You aren’t friends with Jessamyn, are you?”
“No, ma’am.”