Keeper

by Jessica L. Randall

  My chest tightened. I wasn’t just going to slink under my desk and hide. At least I could try to draw him out, get him to talk. As I stared at him open-mouthed, I stuck a hand in my binder pocket and pulled out a couple sticks of gum. It was all I could think of.

  “Gum?”

  “Thank you.” Micah’s eyebrows rose, and he reached for the gum. He peeled the wrapper off and stuck it in his mouth. He looked thoughtful as he chewed it a few times before swallowing it. Then he squinked one eye, as if he wasn’t sure what to think of it.

  I stuck my piece in my mouth and stared at him, eyes narrowed, as I chewed. Apparently they didn’t have gum where he came from, either.

  Mrs. Martinez interrupted my thoughts. “For this exercise you’re going to introduce your partner to the class. If you don’t know them very well, don’t worry. Apart from their name you’re going to make everything up.”

  The volume in the room rose.

  “Stillman’s getting a full-ride scholarship to Harvard because he’s so super smart,” Cheyenne said, her voice thick with sarcasm. She didn’t seem too happy about how the partnerships had shaken out.

  “Yeah, and Cheyenne’s a nun who spends her time at St. Ed’s with little kids,” he retorted. “Sounds just like her, don’t you think?”

  “Wait until it’s your turn please,” Mrs. Martinez said, “and please keep it positive.”

  The introductions started, and speech class was suddenly populated by a carnie, an eccentric artist, a conman, and a lunch-lady. I did my best to keep my eyes off Micah as we listened, but I could still feel him there, like static pulling me toward him.

  When it was my turn I slowly stood up, taking in all the faces that stared at me. They were probably ready for another show. Today’s show was only meant for one person. I cleared my throat and tucked my hair behind my ear. “This is Micah Noble.” Micah’s eyes were locked attentively on me. I swallowed. “Micah’s ... an alien.” There it was. The slightest flinch. “He’s here to collect human specimens for experimentation.”

  “He can collect me,” Cheyenne whispered, and her friends snickered. Mrs. Martinez gave her a warning look.

  The muscles in Micah’s clenched jaw worked slightly as I continued. “The problem is the other aliens can’t keep him in line. He’s kind of a wild card, as far as aliens go.” I gave Micah a smile that dared him to beat that. As for the rest of us, we’d have to sort through the fact and fiction in my introduction.

  I sat down, and Micah stood. He twisted his fingers behind his back, and tipped his chin up. “This is Lexi Larkin. She’s, uh, fond of rules. She keeps her thoughts and emotions to herself. Some would call her a push-over.” His eyes flickered to me, and he smirked, as if we had an inside joke. The look made my heart skitter.

  Mrs. Martinez smiled. “Thank you—”

  “Lexi’s story is an interesting one,” he interrupted, his voice taking on an urgent tone. “You see Lexi inherited something. Something she didn’t know she had. It has brought her to the attention of those who wish to use her, and may even destroy her life, in pursuit of a treasure they seek. Now she must decide whether to do nothing and hope she is not as interesting as she seems”—he stared hard at me, his expression almost pleading—“or run.”

  Chapter 12

  The noise and faces in the cafeteria were a blur to me. I was in deep water, trying not to drown, all the while attempting to convince Kaela I was listening to her. But the only person I was really aware of was at another table, eating a sloppy joe like it was an exciting new experience. He was way too delighted about meat product slathered in tomato substance squashed between buns with no expiration date in sight to be a psychopath. Or did that make it all the more likely?

  He’d threatened me. Or warned me. He’d told me to run.

  “So are you going?”

  “What?” My attention whipped back to Kaela.

  She rolled her eyes. “I knew you weren’t listening.” She started crunching on chips hard enough to dislocate her jaw.

  I focused on Kaela as I tried to formulate an apology she’d accept. I knew I was being a crappy friend. She had every right to be mad at me.

  Then her eyes narrowed, and a smile stretched across her face. “Wait. Is this all about a guy?”

  “Uh—”

  Kaela glanced at Micah. Her smile turned into a grin. “It’s him. Why didn’t you just tell me? I’ve seriously never seen you this messed up over a guy before.”

  “What if it was?” I asked, wondering how much I could tell Kaela without revealing too much.

  “But he tried to sit here and you just scared him away.” Her big Bambi eyes lit up. “It’s a Pride and Prejudice thing, isn’t it? Everyone thinks you hate each other but you’re secretly in love.” Kaela’s affinity for reading was a secret she protected almost as closely as her Goodwill shopping.

  “Can we not talk about him just yet?” I asked, picking at my sandwich.

  She stared me down. “Fine. For now. So are you going to the party at the hidden lake, the one by Dierkes Lake?”

  “I’ll think about it.” I wasn’t totally anti-social or anything, but I didn’t really feel at ease with the people who threw those parties. Kaela was on the volleyball team with several of them, though. She was one of those people who could blend into different worlds well.

  “But I need you to pick me up.”

  “I’m sure you have friends with much tighter rides.”

  “Are you kidding, I love the Green-Guy-Getter.”

  I smiled. “You hate it.”

  “No way. I love it, the way you have to love an ugly pet.”

  It hit me that the color in the title could be attributed to either the van itself or the guy you planned to pick up. If I was chasing after an alien it suddenly seemed disturbingly appropriate. I smiled to myself.

  “Ooh, I bet he’ll be there. Cheyenne will make sure of it,” Kaela said.

  I gave her a warning face.

  “Fine. For now,” she said. “But before I let it go, I have to say one thing. I’d forget the foreigner with issues.”

  She was right. I tended to choose complicated guys. Once Kaela had gone so far as to hint that it had to do with my father taking off, but one look from me had kept her from going there again.

  “I just mean,” she said quickly, “you should go with the cute ginger instead.”

  “Huh?”

  “Hey.” Ethan slid into the empty spot next to me.

  “Hi.” I racked my brain for something to say. “How’s that article going?”

  “Pretty well, but the high school biology animal dissection conspiracy runs deeper than I thought.” He glanced over his shoulder. “I think there are those who would like my research to disappear.” A grin spread over his face.

  I smiled back. “Yeah, I’m guessing Principle Archibald’s at the top of that list.”

  “I wanted to apologize for the food-fight-fiasco,” he said, his grin disappearing. “It wasn’t very sensitive, seeing as how you just got off suspension. Did you get in trouble?”

  “No. I was lucky.”

  “Good.” He looked down at his hands resting on the table. “So are you going to that party tomorrow night?”

  She wants the soulless boy?

  My head jerked toward Micah’s table. I wasn’t sure if I was more shocked that I’d heard his voice in the middle of the day, or that he’d made a joke.

  His eyes watched me steadily. It didn’t seem to embarrass him at all to stare at people. There was no hint of a smile on his lips.

  Kaela kicked me under the table.

  “Oh, sorry,” I said, my cheeks flushing. “I thought I heard something.”

  Kaela glared at me, as if waiting for a response.

  I wracked my brain, trying to remember what I was supposed to be answering.

  “The party?” Kaela said quietly.

  I looked up at Ethan, who looked more unsure of himself than I’d ever seen him.

  �
�Oh, yeah. A party sounds really good.”

  “Cool.” He shoulders relaxed. “I guess I’ll see you there, then.” He stood up. “Unless ...”

  It was really getting warm in here. I pushed the sleeves of my tunic up, wishing I could grab it by the hem and flap some air around.

  “Ech.” I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to clear a tickle in my throat.

  When I opened them Ethan was looking at me, probably wondering whether to be hurt or concerned. I smiled, and his face relaxed.

  “You okay?” he asked.

  “Uh—” Warmth flooded my face and neck. I took a deep breath, panic seeping in as I realized my throat was swelling.

  “Lexi?” Kaela’s voice was tight.

  Suddenly it seemed like the whole cafeteria was in turmoil. I was aware of a commotion at Micah’s table. People were rushing over, throwing chairs behind them. I couldn’t see past them to figure out what was going on. I was too preoccupied by my swelling throat to try to figure it out.

  The next thing I knew Kaela was grabbing my arm. “Come on, we’re going to see the nurse.”

  Kaela and Ethan flanked me as we left the cafeteria. I was sure they were overreacting, but I felt a vibration in my throat as I took in measured breaths. We reached the nurse’s office just as the nurse was rushing out of it with something clenched in her hand.

  “Hey, we need—” Kaela called after her. The nurse didn’t turn around. Kaela pulled me into the office. “Stay with her, Ethan. Lexi, hold tight.”

  I nodded, rasping and laying a cool hand on my swollen face as she slipped out the door. I winced at how hot and lumpy my cheeks were. No wonder Kaela had freaked out.

  Kaela’s shouts echoed through the near-empty hallway as Ethan sat me down and pulled up a chair to face me. He laid a hand on mine. “It’s going to be okay. I’m going to make a call, just in case.”

  His voice was calming, but my chest tightened as I heard the operator on the other end of the call say “911 what is your emergency?”

  While Ethan talked I tried to keep calm, counting each labored breath as I waited. Fifteen, sixteen slow breaths that left me feeling like I was going to pass out from lack of oxygen. Ethan kept making eye contact with me, smiling in an almost-reassuring way. I could see the panic behind it.

  Finally I heard rubber soles squeaking on tile.

  “Does she have a history of anaphylaxis?” Mrs. Martinez asked Kaela, who was close on her heels.

  “Not that I know of,” Kaela said.

  Ethan jumped out of the way, and Mrs. Martinez stared at me, her eyes wide. She was gripping something in her hand. “What are you allergic to, Lexi? Has this happened before?”

  I wondered how I must look to inspire the expression on Mrs. Martinez’s face. All I could do was shake my head, mostly because I was starting to freak out myself, but also because I was confused. I’d never been allergic to anything more than a mosquito. But if I had to guess, this was what an allergic reaction would feel like.

  “How is your breathing, honey?” she asked, taking the empty chair.

  I gasped.

  “Okay. Don’t worry, I got you. Kaela, call 911.”

  “Done,” Ethan said.

  Mrs. Martinez pulled a blue cap off the thing in her hand, then she stuck it through my leggings into my thigh. I jerked, gasping for a breath that wouldn’t come. I squeezed my eyes shut as she held it there. Then she pulled it out, rubbing the aching spot on my thigh. The room went out of focus, tilting slightly, and my body started to shake.

  Kaela grabbed one hand, and Ethan rested a palm on my forehead. I tried to keep from throwing up Pop Tart as I shook.

  A man poked his head in the door. “The other one’s in here.”

  Seconds later Ethan scooped me up and set me down on a stretcher. Rows of metal lockers flashed by, and voices echoed around me. Finally, I squinted as I was jolted out the front doors into bright sunlight.

  My stretcher halted near the back of the ambulance. I noticed Miriam standing nearby, her brows drawn in concern.

  “Where’s the other ambulance?” someone yelled.

  “There was a mix up. We didn’t know there were two kids until we got here.”

  I swallowed, relief flooding over me as I realized I could breathe. I sat up.

  “Miss, lay back down, we’ll get you taken care of.”

  “But I’m okay,” I whispered. “I don’t need to go to the hospital.”

  An EMT looked me in the eye. “Those EpiPens kick in pretty quickly. If you’re breathing better, that’s good, but we’re still going to need to get you to the hospital. If you want to speed things up, though, I can put you on the bench in there. Then we won’t have to wait for another ambulance. Think you’re up to that?”

  I nodded.

  He took my hand and helped me down. My legs were still shaky, but with some help I was able to climb inside the ambulance. As I walked to the back, I looked down into the face of Micah Noble, lying on a stretcher. His perfect skin was red and splotchy, and his face had to be as swollen as mine, if not more. The slits of his eyes widened slightly when he saw me.

  I lowered myself onto the bench. I’d managed to convince the EMT that I was perfectly fine, but the truth was I was shaken up. My throat hurt. My face hurt. I was still a little dizzy. Besides all of that, I was really confused. Why did Micah look like he’d just been through the same thing I had? Maybe it wasn’t allergies after all. And yet, the EpiPen was working.

  “What happened to you?” I asked Micah, not sure he’d be able to answer.

  “Anaphylaxis,” he wheezed. His heavy breaths filled the ambulance as it started to move.

  He looked so vulnerable lying there, and his knuckles were white as he clutched the edges of the gurney. “Well, it’s going to be okay,” I couldn’t help saying.

  His face took on a superior look. “I’m afraid I do not have the same confidence in your medical facilities.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Chances are you’re already fine. So what are you allergic to, sloppy joes?” I winced, realizing I’d just admitted to watching him during lunch.

  “Pineapple. That wasn’t supposed to happen.”

  That was a strange way to put it, as if pineapple had derailed some master plan. “Pineapple allergies weren’t supposed to happen?”

  “I was screened for a million different foods.”

  Maybe Medicated Micah would have a few answers for me. “So you’ve never had pineapple?”

  He shook his head. “Too bad,” he whispered, smiling. “It was delicious.” He took a slow, sandpaper breath. “What about you?”

  I shrugged. “I don’t have any allergies, that I’m aware of. I barely even ate anything.”

  His puffy face pinched. “So why—”

  “I don’t know,” I said, something cold creeping into my chest. “Maybe somebody did something to me.”

  He flinched slightly, like he had in class. I guess Micah had a tell, like in poker.

  My eyes flickered to the EMT, then I leaned toward Micah. The chaos of the past few minutes had left me stripped of all the caution and self-doubt that had plagued me for two days. I felt drained. “Why?” I whispered, my eyes burning. “Why are you doing this to me?”

  Micah shifted onto his side as if he hadn’t heard me.

  Chapter 13

  I could have used my near-death experience as an excuse not to go. It certainly would have been easier than trying to blend in with the classmates who’d seen me make a spectacle of myself numerous times in the past few weeks. And they didn’t even know half the crazy I was dealing with.

  Maybe that was why I’d said yes to Ethan in the first place. Regardless of how many times I’d resented the ordinariness of my life, normal didn’t sound so bad at the moment. If I was here hanging out with the kids I’d seen nearly every day of my life, I wasn’t at home searching alien chat rooms, or floating above my house. I was neither alien abductee nor raving lunatic.

  Kaela, Austin, and I p
ulled into the parking lot and started walking across the soggy grass to the hidden lake trail. The air was unusually still. Dierkes spread out like glass on one side, reflecting the warm browns and black of the canyon walls and the deepening blue of the sky.

  “If anyone thinks I’m diving into the lake they’re crazy,” Kaela said. “Disgusting. It’s a stagnant breeding ground for things I don’t care to think about.”

  I nodded. “Can’t say I disagree. No one will be doing that anyway. It’s way too cold.”

  “I can see Stillman going for it.”

  “Stillman’s going to be here?” Austin’s face twisted in confusion. Then he shrugged. “You guys just need to relax, have a little fun,” he said, his smile stiff and unconvincing.

  I looked at him doubtfully. “You’ve gone cliff diving into that lake?”

  “Well, no. But I swam in Dierkes once or twice when I was a kid. Okay, once. You never know. This could be the day.”

  “I’ll believe it when I see it,” I said.

  “You of all people should have a renewed enthusiasm for living life to its fullest.” Austin slowed. “And speaking of yesterday’s incident, I’m sorry I wasn’t there. All because I was home watching a stupid cartoon.”

  “Don’t beat yourself up, Austin. It’s not your fault.”

  “Still. I swear, I’ll never be a rebel again.”

  “Um, Austin,” Kaela said, “what do you think we’re doing right now?”

  “Um, hanging out at the lake? With Stillman, apparently, which I still don’t get.”

  I gaped at Kaela. “You didn’t tell him?”

  “He wouldn’t have come.”

  “Wait. What’s going on?”

  Kaela sighed. “It’s a party, Austin.”

  “But the gate closes in, like, forty minutes.”

  “Yeah,” Kaela said. “Stillman’s brother’s working the booth tonight. He’s keeping it open and he’s not going to report us. I guess Stillman has some good dirt on him.”