by Sherry Soule
No. Thanks.
I think about how strange it is that the assignment resembles my own pitiful love life. Like doomed lovers, Hayden and I are forced to hide our feelings for each other at school. Very Romeo & Juliet-esque.
All of my morning classes drag, and I drift through them in a numb fog. Daydreaming in fourth period, I picture myself like one of those women in old black-and-white movies collapsing on the sofa in need of smelling salts because their true love has abandoned them. A bit overdramatic, but still entertaining.
Surreptitiously, I pull out some Belgian chocolate from my purse, pop it into my mouth, and savor the taste. It’s like a dose of sweet, delicious crack and instantly brightens my mood.
By the time the lunch bell chimes, I’m having major Hayden withdrawals. Might need those smelling salts after all.
To my surprise and delight, I find Hayden waiting for me outside my classroom. He sidles up to me, and we walk to the lunchroom.
“How about I buy you lunch today?” he offers with a smile.
“Fine with me. I woke up late and forgot to pack something.”
“Excellent.”
Hayden leads the way into the line, glancing at my face every few seconds, his expression unreadable. The atmosphere is swollen with the aroma of cheese and pepperoni, mixed with riotous echoes of talking and laughter. It seems everyone’s chatting about the upcoming spring break and the big school dance, which makes me hope Hayden will ask me to go. I wonder if we can dance together without arousing suspicion.
I wave at Viola, who’s reading a book and nibbling on Raymond’s food. The gang is all there.
At the counter, Hayden grabs a tray and places two small plates on it. We get two slices of pizza, sodas, and chocolate chip cookies. Hayden pays for our food, and then he bypasses my friends and directs us to an empty table near the windows, which is fine with me since I don’t feel like joining them today. I need some alone time with Hayden.
From another table, Emma and Kaitlyn gape at us as we sit down. Everyone seems to be staring. Hayden, the quiet loner, talking to Sloane, the purple-haired queen of the geeks. We do make an interesting, gossip-worthy pair. Fortunately, Zach and his crew are ignoring us. Maybe Hayden’s younger brother has given up on trying to keep us apart. But then I look up and Zach skewers me with his icy stare. Guess not.
So. Much. Drama.
“I really wish your brother would stop hating on me,” I say.
Hayden takes his slice of pizza from the tray and bites off a mouthful. “We’re only a year apart, but you’d think he was the older sibling the way he looks out for me.” He shrugs. “Zach’s got major trust issues.”
“Ya think?” I crack open my diet soda. “Let’s talk about something else.”
“Good idea.” He takes another big bite of pizza. “You seem kind of down today. Long morning?”
“More like majorly sucky.”
“Talk to me. I don’t know what’s wrong, but maybe I can help. Is it Devin? Has he been bothering you again?”
“No…I just can’t wait to graduate. Reviewing horror movies is a whole lot easier than high school.” I proceed to tell him about Mr. Cooper’s lame English assignment.
“It sounds kind of fun.”
“Easy for you to say, Boy Genius. I stink at writing sonnets.”
“I can always teleport your English teacher to an exotic location, if you’d like,” he says with a twinkle in his eyes.
“No, thanks. But I’ll keep that in mind.”
“So, Devin’s been leaving you alone?” His voice is tight, movements stiff.
I take a gulp of soda and lick the bubbly liquid from my upper lip. “Yup. I think he’s finally taking the hint that I’ve got you watching my back.”
“Bet your sweet ass.”
As if to prove it, he reaches under the table and his thumb lazily strokes the back of my hand for a few precious seconds. My breathing accelerates. How does he do this to me? He’s only touching a small area of my body, but my entire being thrums with awareness and the feeling spreads over my skin.
I stare at him. He’s so gorgeous—the sharp angles of his face, his smoldering gaze, and those full lips pressed together with concern for me. I don’t want to stop looking at him for even one solitary moment despite how inappropriate the moment is for gawking.
Wild, sexy fantasies enter my head filled with images of kissing, touching, and other naughty things. My gaze lingers on his mouth...
Stop! Enough with the dirty thoughts.
I have to remind myself that we’re in a busy cafeteria, with nosey onlookers observing us. It’s so natural to become completely engrossed with each other, as if we’re ensnared in our own little world.
Emma glances over at us, and I jerk my hand from his.
“Sloane?” Hayden asks.
“Yeah?”
“You’re not eating.”
I take a huge bit out of my cookie. “Now I am. Happy?”
“Yup. But next time you’ll get a spanking.”
I snort. “You’re so bad.”
His eyes flash with a wicked gleam. “What can I say? I’ve always been bad.”
“Too modest.”
“That’s me.” He cracks his knuckles. “Hey, do you have any plans tomorrow night?”
“Nope. Why?”
“There’s an old drive-in movie theater in Oakland that has all you can eat popcorn. They’re having a special horror night and I thought of you.”
A secret date with Hayden? Yes, please.
“Are you inviting me? ’Cause I accept!”
He laughs. “Cool. Then I’ll text you the instructions.”
“Instructions?”
“I can’t pick you up at your house in case we’re seen or followed. We have to do this under the radar.”
“Whatever you say.” I glance over my shoulder, making sure no one else is within hearing distance, then lean closer. “Hayden, there’s something I’ve been curious about…when did you find out that you were, you know, different?”
Hayden scratches his cheek. “Um, I was about nine and had teleported into the kitchen, scaring my mother half to death.” He chuckles at the memory. “She sat me down and tried to explain that I couldn’t use my powers in public. My brother and I were just kids...and sometimes we screwed up. That’s why my family ended up moving around a lot.”
“Where did you guys live the longest?”
He looks away. A muscle twitches in his cheek. “Here.”
Nervous fluttering pricks my chest. “I don’t want you to go anywhere.”
“Me either.”
“Then let’s make sure you stick around this time.”
Like forever.
“We need to make sure Devin doesn’t run that bio or the hacking story in the school paper,” he says, his gaze defiant. “So I don’t have to move again.”
I swallow hard and glance at the table where my friends are seated. Devin is scowling at us and looking all butthurt that I’m sitting with Hayden today. I’d feel bad for him, but the guy’s lower than pool scum.
“I’ll find a way to get him to back off. I promise,” I say. “But it won’t be easy.”
Hayden and I finish eating our lunch and talk about various comics that we’ve enjoyed until the bell chimes. We gather our stuff and walk to class. Since we have calculus together, Hayden and I take seats by each other in the back. My heart beats faster when I look into his eyes. The other girls are probably drooling over him like I used to do every day before we hooked up. And the stolen moments we have together seem all the more precious because they’re so rare.
He leans closer, and I think he’s going to kiss me right here in front of everybody, but he doesn’t. “I can’t wait until tomorrow night to be alone with you,” he whispers. “So, what’re you doing tonight?”
A frisson of anticipation runs through my body. “No plans.”
“Good. I have a surprise for you.”
FRIGHT NIGHT BABBLE
Today’s post is about scary film clichés that make me wanna punch my teddy bear! Why go to Disneyland when you can head off to the creepiest place imaginable, which is the spooky house you’ve just inherited?
A sure sign that your home is haunted is to study the reactions of your dog. If he whines, growls, or howls, there’s a ghost lurking inside. Pay attention!
If your child’s “imaginary friend” turns out to be real and he tells you that it’s an ax-wielding bride left at the altar, it’s time to move, folks.
Worst cliché? A character hears giggling upstairs. They find a child in the hallway, staring at them through stringy black hair. So what does the character do to the creepy kid? Oh, right. Kick them in the head. Unfortunately, the undead don’t like it when people try to take them down with a roundhouse! So the ghost scares them, and the person tumbles down the stairs. Just once, I want a ghost to say, “Oops! My bad.”
Peace, love, and horror flicks,
Zombie Queen aka Sloane
TWENTY-TWO
I pass Agent Dixon’s black Yukon on the way home. Must be a reason he’s still hanging around. Maybe he doesn’t believe Hayden about our non-romantic friendship. I’ll have to be sure to ditch him before meeting up with my secret boyfriend tonight.
When I enter the house, I find my dad in the living room. The low buzz of CNN from the TV is mingled with the muffled sounds of gunfire coming from Jonah’s bedroom upstairs.
“Do you know whose SUV that is?” my dad asks the minute I shut the door. “It’s been parked across the street for hours.”
I lean against the archway and cross my arms. “Didn’t we already have this conversation and you blew me off?”
“This isn’t a joke, Sloane,” he says through gritted teeth. “Why are you being so flippant?”
“Me? You’re the one who’s been treating my stalker as insignificant.”
He looks away, eyes closed and brows creased. “It’s been insignificant.”
“Yeah. Weird men lurking around. People stalking me—completely okay. Gotcha.”
My dad goes to the window and pulls back the drape, his fingers crushing the thick fabric. “I meant—”
“You meant I usually blow things out of proportion. All because you think I watch too many scary movies. Well, now you know, I wasn’t making this up.”
His spine appears unnaturally stiff. “I’m sorry. I should’ve listened…” My dad looks healthy and trim, but he must be under a lot of stress at work because he sighs heavily and wrings his hands. “Did this man ever approach you? Ask you any questions?”
I frown and unfold my arms. “About what?”
My dad’s eyes meet mine. “Anything. Me or your mother?”
“He just watches.” I chew on a piece of hair. “Dad, is something wrong?”
A weak smile flits across his lips. “What? No. Of course not, honey.” His voice is steady, but his shoulders stiffen.
I stand there awkwardly for a few seconds, then say, “I’m going upstairs to do my homework.”
He nods distractedly and peers out the window again.
In my room, I lie on the bed and pet Jinx while staring up at the ceiling and pondering the weird conversation I just had with my dad. Why did he look so freaked? No way my dad knows about Agent Dixon or the hybrids…
Shelving the weirdness, I do my homework, and then go downstairs for dinner. My dad’s a pretty good cook and he’s made lasagna, garlic bread, and a salad. I’ve missed his home cooked meals and tonight everything smells delish. I scoop a good-sized portion onto my plate.
“Where’s Mom?” I ask.
My dad bends to take a tray out of the oven. “At the gallery. I’ll save her a plate.”
As I make my way to the dining room table, I pass the tray of tater tots cooling on the stove. My dad joins me with his plate and a glass of red wine.
Jonah shambles through the room, looking like the undead, his eyes glassy and bloodshot from hours of playing video games. He enters the kitchen and says, “Tots! Yes!”
I stab into a crouton and pop it into my mouth. “Dad, you really need to force him to try other food groups.”
He sips his wine. “We all need to pick our battles, honey.”
Okay. True yet kind of cryptic.
Jonah carries in a heaping pile of tater tots and a blob of ketchup and sets his plate on the table. “I need milk.” He races back to the kitchen.
My dad’s unusually quiet during our meal and barely smiling as Jonah tells us about his silly gaming adventures. He doesn’t speak again until I scoot back my chair and grab my dishes.
He leans forward and reaches out, pulling a strand of hair from my mouth. “You’re still a hair chewer. You know how your mom hates that.”
“Some habits are hard to break.”
“Isn’t that the truth…” he mumbles.
Heaviness spreads from my chest to my stomach. He’s acting so strange. “Are you sure everything’s okay?”
My dad sighs, smoothing a hand over his hair. “Leave the dishes, Sloane. I’ll clean up.”
“Cool. I’m going out for a few hours tonight, but I won’t be too late.”
My dad nods and takes another sip of his wine.
One thing I love about my parents is that they don’t enforce any curfews. They claim its bad karma. Works for me.
My phone buzzes in my pocket and I pull it out to check the screen.
Hayden: We need to be careful. I’ll pick U up around the corner from your house.
Me: What time?
Hayden: At nine. Make sure you’re not followed.
Me: No prob. I can ditch the SUV.
I go back upstairs to my room and get ready for my secret date with Alien Boy. While watching a movie, I dye my grown-out blonde roots and faded strands a dark purple with a bottle of Purple Haze Manic Panic, then take a quick shower.
At eight forty-five, I slip out the backdoor. I sneak through a loose board in the fence to hike through the wooded area that runs behind the houses on my side of the street. The theme song to Mission: Impossible plays in my head as I sneak past an oblivious Agent Dixon.
About halfway there, the snap of a twig has me freezing in place. A footfall. I listen hard, scarcely breathing.
Twisting around, I turn and trip over a tree root. My knees sink to the ground and I hastily push myself up and look over my shoulder. A tiny part of my brain is completely overcome with panic.
I start running, imagining Agent Dixon right behind me with a stun gun. My lungs burn with every ragged breath. I thrust aside the clawlike branches lashing at my face, and leap over a tree stump.
With one huge explosion of adrenaline, I surge ahead and into someone’s backyard. Panting hard, I pause to look around, but no one’s there. Nobody has followed me.
Hayden’s Range Rover sits idling at the curb when I arrive. Thank. You. God. I made it. Waving, I hurry across the neighbor’s front lawn and hop into his ride.
He glances in the rearview mirror. “Anyone follow you?”
“Nope.” I fasten my seatbelt. “Where are we going?”
Hayden puts the SUV into drive and zooms down the street. “It’s a surprise, Peaches.”
“I’m not dressed for physical activities,” I warn. “This is a brand new dress, and I don’t do bowling shoes or paintballing.”
Hayden glances at me, and one of those crooked smiles spreads across his face. “What you’re wearing is fine.” He exits the island and drives across the bridge into Oakland. “In fact, you’ve never looked more beautiful.”
My heart flutters wildly. It was worth it to spend some extra time on my appearance. Earlier I’d dressed in my new Hell Bunny black and white polka-dotted dress, with a thin white belt, and ankle-boots. To complete my ensemble, I’d put on a double-breasted jacket with military style buttons that I bought online from Hot Topic with my meager allowance last month.
Glancing at Hayden, I doubt he puts much
effort into his own appearance. He’s probably one of those beautiful people that wakes up and looks great. Low-slung faded jeans with a ragged hole in the knee, and a black V-neck shirt cover a lean, well-defined body. I fight the urge to lean over and kiss him. Being with him feels as natural as breathing.
“What are we doing tonight? Can you give me a hint?”
His mouth twists and his eyes narrow. “Unless you plan to somehow get me to pull over and torture it out of me, I’ll never tell.”
I giggle. “Rats! Now you’ve ruined my evil plans.”
He smiles and turns up the radio on a My Chemical Romance song. We listen to the music blasting out of the speakers, bobbing our heads and rocking out, and I’m already having a good time.
Less than twenty minutes later, Hayden takes the exit for the Chabot Space Planetarium and drives up a beautiful mountain through the woods. At the top, there’s a set of gleaming observatories in a fairly remote location amidst the majestic redwoods of the Oakland hills. The buildings don’t resemble museums so much as a villain’s secret lair.
Hayden gets major brownie points for such a romantic setting!
He parks and cuts the engine. “An old human friend of mine volunteers here, and I asked him to help set this up for me tonight. We’ve got the whole planetarium to ourselves. And guess what we’re doing first?”
I undo my seatbelt and smooth out my dress. “What, hotshot?”
Hayden smiles mischievously. “Viewing We Are Aliens, an animated movie that journeys through the galaxy searching for evidence of life.”
“Sounds interesting. I’m ready when you are.”
We walk over hand-in-hand to the stone building closest to us to watch the flick in cushioned theater-type seats. It’s an interesting film and Hayden finds it amusing. When it ends, we mosey over to a different dome-shaped building.
“This is so cool. The ceiling screen can actually duplicate the motion of the stars and planets,” Hayden explains, opening the door for me, “as they might be seen from any point on Earth using a projector or other device. It can even simulate the many complex motions of the skies from any viewpoint.”
“Um, Super Boy, can you explain that in a language that us mere humans can understand?”