“You’re gay?” I ask around a mouth full of food.
“Bi.”
With a nod, I swallow my food.
Gillian wipes her mouth. “Pizza chick was too old, anyway. Although I once went out with a woman twenty years older than me. She was ga-or-geous. Great sex, too.”
I choke. “Twenty years?”
Gillian licks sauce from her finger. “Like I said, hot.”
“Did you know she was twenty years older?” I can’t imagine.
“I knew.”
“And did she know your age?”
“Not at first. It happened last year on our six-month anniversary. I decided to tell her my age and she fa-reaked.”
“I can imagine.”
“Of course that made her even hotter.”
“So what happened?” I ask.
Gillian shrugs a skinny shoulder. “She called it off and last time I heard she’s dating someone a more acceptable age.”
I take a gulp of Coke. “It’s for the best.”
“Definitely.”
“Six months, huh? That’s a pretty long time.”
“Not really. The guy I dated before her lasted a year.”
“Anybody since then?”
“Nope.”
“You holding out for your soul mate?” I tease.
“Ah, who knows? The only thing I do know is that I never want to get married. Have you seen the stats on divorce?”
“I’ve lived those stats,” I say before I realize it.
“Uh-oh.”
I shake my head. “Nothing.”
“Well.” Gillian immediately skips over the obvious awkwardness that was about to happen. “My parents have been together forever so soul mates do exist, and they’re not married.”
“Happily together?”
She nods. “Sickingly happy together. Embarrassingly happy together.”
“I think that’s cool.” I can’t imagine growing up in that kind of love.
Gillian tosses her crust in the pizza box. “Uh-oh, you’re one of those.”
“One of what?”
“Love, marriage, two kids, white picket fence, blah, blah, fairy tale, live happily ever after.”
I shake my head. “Nah. I’ve seen too much reality to expect that.”
Gillian nods. “There you go.” She leans back on her pillow. “Know what you need?”
“A new roommate?” I joke, and Gillian makes a face.
“A friend with benefits. You need sex.”
I snort. “No thanks. I’ve had it and don’t want it again.”
“Don’t want it again?” She gasps dramatically. “Then clearly you’re not doing it right. Or rather he’s not doing it right.”
I think of Manny and of all the times I lay there wishing he’d just get it over with.
“Yeah.” Gillian nods. “You need someone to rock your world.”
Riel smooths his way into my thoughts. Kissing, getting a little naked, hands exploring.
She points at me. “Ooh, who you thinking of?”
My cheeks warm. “No one.” Grabbing the pizza box, I swing the door open to walk it to the garbage and see a blue envelope lying on the floor of the hallway. I pick it up.
“For me?” Gillian asks.
I shrug. “No name on it.”
“Mm, maybe it’s a secret admirer.”
Putting the pizza box down, I wedge my finger under the seal and pull out a white card.
SLUT is written in bold red print.
I gasp.
Gillian jumps off her bed. “What is it?”
I show it to her, and she yanks it from my hands. “What the hell?”
“Who would do such a horrible thing?” I immediately think of that dark SUV and the prank phone call. Had this card been meant for her or for me?
Neither one of us says anything for a few tense seconds, then Gillian laughs nervously. “Maybe it’s a joke.”
“That’s a horrible joke.”
“We need to turn this in to security.”
I nod. “Let’s go.”
Chapter Nineteen
Stalker
I watch her through the window of her dorm room.
She’s in there eating pizza, laughing, probably talking about sex.
She sensed me last night as she helped her roommate move in.
It’s exciting to know she feels when I’m near.
Room 201. Viola’s room.
Chapter Twenty
The next afternoon I sit in the library thinking through last night. The guard had checked the security film and didn’t see anything unusual. He dismissed it as a prank, saying they’d had this stuff happen before. This morning the director, Dr. Williams, sent out an email reminding everyone about rules and regulations and respecting each other.
But no one really pays attention to those things until someone actually gets hurt.
“Did you have a good weekend?” Mar asks, and I jump. She cringes. “Sorry.”
I smile. “It’s okay.”
“Riel took me sailing this weekend.”
“Sailing? Wow, that’s cool.”
“Yeah, Mr. Hamns has a thirty-five-footer he lets us use. Riel’s certified and everything.”
“Thirty-five-footer? You sound experienced for someone so young.”
“I’m eleven!” she says.
I hold up my hands. “Fair enough.”
She shoots me a playfully offended smirk. “Riel says he didn’t really grow either until he was in high school. He thinks I’m going to be tall like him.”
I smile as I think of an eleven-year-old Riel. I bet he was adorable.
Mar unzips her book bag. “I brought you something.”
I watch her riffle around. What a sweet girl.
“Oh, good, hermanita.” Riel comes around the bookshelf. “You found her.”
“Here.” Mar pulls a faded blue conch shell from her book bag and nervously presents it to me.
“Mar, that is the most beautiful shell I’ve ever seen.” I lift the conch to the light and rotate it, smiling at the play of colors filtering through the thinner areas.
“She soaked it in bleach to clean it,” Riel tells me.
“You did?” I grab Mar up in a hug. “Thank you.”
She hugs me back. “You’re welcome.”
“Mar.” The librarian approaches. “I found the sequel to that series you’re reading.”
Mar gives me a little wave and heads off with the librarian.
Riel smiles. “I appreciate that.”
“What?” I ask, looking at the conch again.
“You making such a big deal about the shell and all.”
“Well, I meant it. It’s great.”
“Yes, but you didn’t have to play it up so big. I’m grateful that you did, for Mar’s sake.”
“I wasn’t playing it up. I’m honestly excited about it.”
He studies me for a couple of seconds and then nods. “Okay.”
I’m not quite sure what to say. “What’s hermanita mean?”
“It’s an affectionate term for sister. I’ve called her that forever.”
I look up from where I sit and even though I try not to, I get a little lost in his amber eyes. “It’s sweet.”
He trails those eyes down to my mouth, and a heartbeat passes as I become acutely aware of my lips. I put on red lipstick this morning, the cheap stain stuff. I hope it doesn’t look dry and worn, and now that I just thought the word “dry” my lips suddenly feel that way. I want to lick them, but I don’t want him to think I’m licking them because he’s staring at them. Because, yes, he’s still staring. Is he thinking about kissing me?
He clears his throat and brings his eyes back to mine. “Well, anyway, wanted to tell you I recommended you for early probation dismissal.”
I sit up. “That’s allowed?”
“Usually not, but you’ve more than proven yourself. So you’ll be released at the quarter instead of the semester.”
&
nbsp; Excitement bubbles through me. “Now I can officially apply for next summer’s internship at Edwar—”
“Edwards Engineering?”
My excitement falters. “Yes, how did you…?”
He sighs. “Me, too.”
“Oh.” Well, isn’t this interesting?
Long seconds pass before Riel finally says, “May the best student win, I guess.”
I nod an agreement I in no way feel. First the scholarship and now this. So we’re back to being in competition. This just plain sucks.
Chapter Twenty-One
After classes the next day, Mar finds me in the academy’s rec room. “There you are.”
I glance up. “Hey.”
“What are you doing?”
I go back to digging in my gym bag. “Looking for my shorts. I was going to go for a run.”
Mar looks disappointed. “Oh.”
I dig a little further. “Why?”
“Nothing, I guess.”
I take everything out and still can’t find them. Gillian is in our room napping so I don’t want to go back. I glance over to Mar who looks like someone’s just stolen her brand-new puppy. “What’s wrong?” I ask.
“I was hoping,” she mumbles, “that you’d maybe want to go swing or something.”
I can’t help but smile at her pathetic self. “Swings, huh?”
Mar nods and chances a quick look at me. “But it’s okay. I know you’re busy.”
I zip up my gym bag, glad I’ve forgotten my shorts after all. “Sounds like fun.”
Her face lights up. “Really?”
“Really.”
She gives a quick little excited hop, and I’m so glad to have brought that out in her.
Minutes later we’re on the playground outside the cafeteria, swinging side by side. I didn’t even realize the academy had a playground.
“I like coming here after school,” Mar tells me.
“Yeah? What about your parents?” I’m being nosy.
“If I’m not here on the swings,” she says instead of answering my question, “I’m at the Windbreaker while Riel does his shift. Mr. Hamns lets me order dinner off the menu for free.”
“Sounds like you and Riel have everything figured out.”
She nods. “We try.”
“Mar!” Riel yells, jogging toward us. “You forget? I have to work this afternoon. Let’s go.”
“I can watch her,” I offer.
Riel looks at me. “What? No. I can’t ask that of you.”
“It’s no big deal.” I glance over at her. “Besides, we’re having fun.”
“Pleeeaaase,” Mar begs.
Riel looks at me again. “Really?”
I give one affirmative nod. “Really.”
“Well…”
“You can trust me,” I assure him, picking up on his overprotectiveness.
“It’s not that, it’s just…”
I wait.
“It’ll be nine o’clock before my shift is over.”
I shrug. “Mar can hang out with me and Gillian. We’ll do girl stuff.”
Mar’s eyes go excitedly wide.
Riel points his finger at her. “Do your homework. Respect Viola’s need for homework time, too.”
Mar nods. “I promise.”
“Okay, I’m off then. Mar’s got my number if you need to call me.”
I shoo him away. “We’re fine.”
He jogs off and I turn back to Mar, but she’s stopped swinging and is staring off into the surrounding woods.
I look at the woods. “What is it?”
“I thought I saw somebody.”
“What?” I jump off the swing. “In the woods?”
She slides out of hers, too, and takes my hand. “It looked like he had on a red baseball hat.”
“Who’s there?” I yell in a braver tone than I really feel.
No answer.
Mar squeezes my hand. “Can we go inside?”
“Definitely.”
As we near the academy’s side door, I glance back over my shoulder and stare hard into the woods. But the more I stare, the more spooked I get. I can’t help thinking about Rachel, Manny’s girlfriend before me—the one found beaten and strangled to death in the woods.
A shudder rolls through me as I realize—that would be easy to do around here. Grab someone and drag them off into the woods.
Chapter Twenty-Two
On Saturday, I borrow a bike and peddle to the community pool for Mar’s swim meet. About ten minutes in, I glance across the outdoor lanes to see Riel stroll through the gate carrying a crate of bottled water. I watch as he puts the crate down beside the coach, his arm muscles flexing, and then heads back through the gate out to the parking lot.
“Viola!” Mar yells, and I snap out of my staring.
She grins and excitedly waves, and I wave back.
“So you’re Viola, huh?”
I look over my shoulder at the brown-haired guy sitting behind me on the bleachers. He’s got one of those long, surfer hairdos. “Sorry, do we know each other?” I ask.
He points at the pool. “My brother’s on Mar’s team. I heard her telling everybody that her new friend, Viola, was coming today.”
I smile. “That’s sweet.”
He smiles back. “I take it you go to Ponce de Leon?”
I nod. “You?”
“I’m a senior over at Key High.” He takes his sunglasses off, giving me a shot of dark brown eyes. “Where you from?”
“Tennessee.”
“I’ve been to Nashville.”
“Yeah? You like country music?”
“I do, actually. My name’s Joe, by the way.”
I smile. “Nice to meet you.”
He leans back in the bleachers. “Ponce de Leon Academy, huh? You a rich one?”
“Hardly.” I scoff. “I’m here on scholarship.”
Joe slides me a slow, sexy smile. “Boyfriend? Single?”
I laugh. “You’re awful bold.” And he laughs, too.
I like him. He seems harmless enough.
“Hey, Joe.” Riel sits down right beside me, and all kinds of flutters zip along my skin. “I see you met Viola.”
“Yep, I was just about to ask her out.”
I get a little flustered as Riel shoots me a surprised look.
Joe leans up. “Well, what do you say?”
I adjust my sunglasses more to hide my discomfort than anything. “Um, thanks, but no. Not here to date. I’m here to study.” It makes me sound like a prude, but it is why I came here. Even if just being in the same proximity with Riel makes my body want otherwise.
“Oh.” Joe pauses. “All right then.” He slaps Riel on the back. “Think I’ll go say hi to the new assistant coach.”
He strolls around the pool to the other side and strikes up a conversation with a cute girl wearing a white visor and a whistle around her neck.
“Guess you didn’t hurt his feelings too bad,” Riel mumbles, and we both laugh.
A few seconds later he turns to me. “Mar said she invited you. Thanks for coming. I know it means a lot to her.”
“I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.” I nod to the pool. “How long’s she been swimming? She’s really good.”
“Forever. She surfs, too.”
I snap him a surprised look. “Get out!”
“Sails and scuba dives as well.”
“You, too, then?”
He nods. “I’m the one who taught her.”
“What about your parents?” I let my curiosity get the best of me.
Riel stands up then. “Go, hermanita!”
I glance back at the pool to see her dive in, and I jump to my feet. “Go, Mar!”
She cuts through the water, coming up for air every two seconds, reaches the end, and flips.
Riel applauds. “You got it!”
She digs in, heads back, and my whole body tenses in anticipation.
She flips again and shoots out under the wa
ter.
“This is it, this is it,” Riel chants.
Mar breaks away from the rest and I scream. She touches first and the coach calls it.
“Hell, yeah!” Riel yells and grabs me up in a hug.
Laughing, I hug him back.
Riel pulls away and looks across the pool at the digital clock. “That was her best time yet!”
Mar climbs from her lane and Riel leaps from the bleachers. Soaking wet, she launches herself into his arms.
I watch the two of them, smiling like a goof, so crazy happy I don’t know what else to do except keep clapping and screaming for them.
Mar looks up at me then, waving and grinning, and I excitedly wave back.
“Mar!” I hear a man call, and she and Riel both turn their heads.
Over by the gate stands a man in overalls and a red ball cap.
I look back to Riel and Mar to see them side by side, frozen, staring at the man. Mar looks up at Riel and says something, and he slowly nods.
Without looking at me, he comes toward the bleachers, grabs Mar’s gym bag, and walks straight toward the man. Mar slowly follows.
No one says a word to each other as they walk through the gate and across the parking lot. Right before the man climbs into his truck, he takes his red ball cap off, and I suddenly remember a couple days ago on the playground.
Mar had seen someone with a red baseball hat watching us in the woods.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Sunday morning sun filters through my dorm room blinds. Already awake, I lay thinking about yesterday, more than curious who the man was that showed up to Mar’s swim meet. They’d obviously known him, and neither of them had looked happy to see him.
My phone rings then, and I grab it. I glance at Gillian to make sure it didn’t wake her and check the caller ID. “Momma?”
“Hey, sweet girl.”
Sitting up, I glance at the clock. She must be getting home from work.
“I can’t believe we haven’t talked the whole time you’ve been gone,” she says.
I swing my legs over the bed. “My roommate’s sleeping. Hang tight.” Holding my phone, I tiptoe from our room and down the hall to the rec area. “Okay, I’m back.” I make myself comfortable in an oversized chair. “How are you?”
I hear her inhale slow and long and then blow out. I can almost smell the Marlboro Light all the way down here in the Keys.
Watching You Page 6