by Tim Mettey
Over the DJ’s microphone came a loud squeal, then several loud taps. “Is this on? Check, check, one, two, three. Well good evening, youngsters, and welcome to the Winsor Homecoming Arabian Nights,” Joy Lemmins’ voice screeched over the speakers. “If we could now have the Homecoming Court come up to the DJ booth.”
Elle and I walked up to the booth. When I first saw what Joy Lemmins was wearing, I almost fell over. She was dressed in what looked like a cross between a belly dancer’s costume and a tent. It was like she had taken one of the little tents in the restaurant area and put it on. The dress, of course, was covered in sequins and fake jewels. Her face was covered in a veil matching her dress. What was she thinking? She looked ridiculous.
“I would now like to introduce the Homecoming Court and our King and Queen.”
She read off all of our names and we all walked to the center of the room. Eric brought out Livi to dance with him. I was hoping that Amber would have grabbed Chad so that I could dance with Elle, but he was nowhere to be found. The music began. Amber and I started to dance, and so did Elle and Bryce.
“Wow, two years in a row. What are the chances? I hope this year you can avoid getting punched,” Amber said.
“I think I’m safe.”
Elle and Bryce were dancing right next to us. They were laughing about something. I wanted to dance with Elle instead, but I knew she would be back in my arms in a couple of minutes so I would just have to wait.
“Oh, Nicholas, before I forget, I have something for you.” She fished around in a small purse hanging from her wrist. She pulled out a round, smooth rock with some symbol carved into it. “This is for you.”
“What is it, Amber?” I asked, examining it as she put it into my hand.
“I thought you’d know. Mrs. Theasing—you know, the Theasings who give all the money to the school—gave it to me and told me that you needed it for tomorrow.”
“Ester Theasing?” I asked.
“Yes,” she nodded.
This had to be a Thusian thing, but what? I played along.
“Oh yes, of course, thanks. I think it’s something my aunt loaned her for one of her book clubs. They were talking about ancient types of currency and Cora had a couple of pieces to show. Not sure why she gave it to you, but I’m sure Cora will be happy to get it back.” I paused, taking a deep breath. “So, how do you know the Theasings?” I asked.
“Mrs. and Mr. Theasing are boosters for the football program along with my parents. They are always over at the house. Mr. Theasing is my dad’s boss too.”
I dropped the stone into my pocket. It hit the coin that Genevieve had given me earlier. I now had in my possession two items, and I had no idea what they were for or why they were given to me. I had to find Cora, Genevieve, and Riley to find out what this rock was all about. I had been at the dance for a while, but still hadn’t seen any of them.
I was now back in Elle’s arms. Elle was talking about Bryce and Erin and how cute they were, but I couldn’t focus. Something that Amber had said kept playing over in my mind. You needed it for tomorrow. What did she mean? I did catch something Elle said about how funny she thought Bryce was, which struck a nerve. I didn’t have time for jealousy. Enough, Nicholas, I told myself.
“Are you listening to me?” Elle said.
“I’m sorry, I am a little preoccupied.”
“You better be preoccupied with me, buddy,” she teased, smiling and staring deep into my eyes. She pulled me closer to her, pressing her body firmly against mine.
“Ouch!” She pulled away. “What’s that?” She was rubbing her leg where the stone and the coin were sitting in my pocket.
I fished out the coin that Genevieve gave me. I couldn’t tell her that Genevieve gave me a present, because that would lead down a path of more trouble.
“Sorry. It must be the coin that Riley gave me.”
She took it out of my hand and looked at both sides. “It’s blank. What’s it for?” she asked.
“Not sure. I think it’s a good luck charm of some sort for my date with you tonight.”
She handed it back to me and I slipped it into my pocket.
“You don’t need luck with me.” She laid her head on my shoulder, kissing my neck, which sent a tingling feeling throughout my body.
We danced to a few more songs and then walked to the dining area with a large group in tow. Instead of the four of us, we had become eight. Eric, Livi, Chad, and Amber had now joined us. We got in line. From where we were standing, I looked for Cora and the others, but I still didn’t see them anywhere. I stopped thinking about the stone and what it meant because there was nothing I could do about it. I wanted to have fun at the dance with Elle and my friends while I could.
“No way, Coach Moore, what are you doing here?” Eric said. Riley was standing in front of us, dressed in one of the genie outfits.
“My wife and I volunteered to help and this is where they put me.” He looked ridiculous. “If you would all follow me to your table?” Riley walked off so quickly down the desert path that we fell behind.
“Oh yeah, this is how I wish the lunch ladies would normally dress here,” Eric said and motioned straight ahead. In front of us there were two women dressed in tight, purple belly dancer outfits, both bent over putting food into two tents side-by-side. The waitresses heard him and turned around. To my surprise and shock, it was Genevieve and Cora.
“Do you want to take that back before I shove a genie bottle down your throat?” Genevieve said.
“I am so sorry, Mrs. Moore. I didn’t know it was you, or you Ms. Keller.” He looked at Cora and then back at Genevieve, then back at Cora, his mouth open in complete shock.
“Eric, do I have to talk to your mother about how you speak about women?” asked Cora.
“No ma-ma-ma-ma’am.”
“Good, now move along and stop your staring,” Genevieve said, pushing by us.
Chad punched Eric, laughing. We settled onto a fluffy large mattress that was surrounded by pillows and covered by a multi-colored tent on top of a large mound of sand.
“Eric, that was awesome. I can’t wait to tell the guys on the team,” Chad said.
“I’m sorry, but I couldn’t help it. You all saw them.” He didn’t get any sympathy from the girls, and Bryce and Chad knew not to make any sort of eye contact with him. “Come on, Nicholas, you saw them. I know it was horrible seeing your aunt, but come on. You saw what Mrs. Moore looked like—freakin’ incredible, right?”
He was going down a slippery slope. And if he was looking for some help, he was definitely going about it the wrong way.
“Nicholas?” he pushed, hoping I would respond.
“Sorry, Eric. Seeing Cora that way blinded me.” Everyone laughed.
Livi spoke up. “Eric, you do have an excellent eye for beauty. You picked me, right? So go ahead and say what you want. If you think I’m as hot as Mrs. Moore, then that’s all right by me.” She leaned over and kissed him. I was shocked. Livi must have finally given up trying to change Eric, figuring she would just have to make the best of it.
Luckily, Cora and Genevieve weren’t our waitresses. We all ate some dessert and settled into different corners of the tent. Elle and I were lounging up against one of the large, gold pillows, which engulfed both of us.
After fifteen minutes of no talking, she leaned over. “Why didn’t you say anything about how Genevieve looked when Eric asked?”
Why was she asking me this? Her obsession with Genevieve was beginning to make me crazy. What was I supposed to say? Eric, you’re right. She looked hot. That would’ve been stupid and not quite true. I really didn’t see her that way; I saw her differently. Sure, I saw what he was talking about, but that’s where it stopped.
“Elle, it’s because I don’t look at her that way. She’s more like Cora to me. How many more times can I tell you? It hurts to think you doubt my love for you.”
She didn’t answer me. She still didn’t look convinced, but it was good enough for the m
oment. I felt like asking what she and Bryce were laughing about when they were dancing, but that would have been petty. These jealousies were getting out of control for both of us.
By the time we left our tent, the dance was over and Cora and Genevieve were gone from sight, which was a relief. Riley was still at the entrance. He was taking down some of the decorations around him.
“Nicholas, could I talk to you for a minute?” Riley asked.
Eric walked by and whispered, “Do not say anything about how hot I think his wife is.”
I ignored him. Elle was right next to me. She was refusing to leave my side.
“Cora wanted me to ask you what time you were planning on coming home,” Riley said. “She wanted to remind you that you and she have to leave early in the morning to meet with those people about the stone monument.”
What he was saying was news to me, but Riley had to be talking about the stone in my pocket. I had to play along.
“I’m going over to Elle’s with everyone else as planned; I won’t be home too late.” It sounded weird that he was asking, so I had to throw in something else to make it believable. “I told Cora already that I would call her later.”
He must have understood how strange it was for him to talk to me about when I was coming home. “Cora’s going out with Genevieve and me later, so she might not hear her phone ring. They’re changing out of their costumes, so she wanted to make sure you knew that.”
“Okay. Thanks,” I said.
“Have a good night and please be careful,” he said, which sounded like a warning.
Elle and I walked by Joy Lemmins, who was making her way straight for Riley. I turned around and Riley was gone, vanished into thin air. His Thusian talent must have known danger was coming.
I had to lie to Elle later about the stone monument. I said it was something for my parents’ graves. I hated telling her all these lies, but Riley left me no choice.
When I got home from Elle’s later, Cora, Genevieve, and Riley were waiting for me at the kitchen table. The women still had on their belly dancing tops but were now wearing sweatpants. Riley had completely changed into his normal clothes.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
All three of them held out their hands, revealing stones similar to the one I had gotten earlier. I took mine out of my pocket and revealed it to them also. Their faces looked grim.
“Riley just got done explaining the meaning of the stones,” Cora said. “We have been summoned by the Thusian Divine Council. You and I have to appear in front of them tomorrow at 7:00 p.m., and Genevieve and Riley have to be there at 6:00 p.m.”
I examined the stone more closely. The symbols on it were actually roughly carved numbers.
“Mine has a seventeen on it,” I said.
Riley answered, “It’s a one and a seven. The first number is the number of days from when you get it to the meeting, and the second is the time of the meeting, always in the p.m.”
“Why didn’t she just tell us or give it to us in person?” I asked.
“The Council has summoned Thusians this way from the beginning. Back then they weren’t allowed to talk or associate with each other for fear of someone finding out about them,” Riley explained. “This tradition of using non-Thusians to deliver messages has been kept alive all this time.”
Cora looked frightened.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
Riley answered for her. “Normally they give one or two weeks’ warning to people they want to talk to. But since they only gave us one day, it must be serious, like they have been watching us and they don’t want us to try to escape. I’m afraid they might be on to us. We can’t let the Council know what we’re doing no matter what. We need to get our stories straight tonight because if we don’t, they will put an end to this . . . or us. Then Xavier and his Seekers will be unstoppable.”