by Celeste Buie
Adrienne, Elyse, Zach, Emilee, Lauren, Nichole, a few others, and I moved to a round table in the back of the library.
“Who here has seen the new guy? Well, besides Brynn, of course.” Emilee did a quick look around the circle, but her glare stopped on me. “Dibs.” It was both a claim and warning. I felt her irritation with me across the table.
“Don’t you have a boyfriend?” Elyse challenged.
“Technically, yes.”
“And you want another one, or you’re looking to replace the current one?”
“Either. I don’t expect you to understand. Some of us can handle more than one guy.”
“Some are too boy-friendly for their own good.”
“What exactly are you saying?”
“What I’m saying is that you’re a—”
“Hey, let’s decide on our decade,” I interrupted before Elyse could dig herself a bigger hole. Everyone looked at me. “My vote is for the seventies or eighties. We can get some mannequins and dress them in authentic outfits. Or pick a famous band from the era and decorate it as a concert stage.”
Emilee wasn’t going to allow herself to be sidetracked. She squinted at me. “Didn’t you walk with him to class? As in, like, every class?”
“Um, yeah, I stopped by Mr. Newland’s office this morning and he asked me to show Landon his locker. We have the same first hour.” I had no idea why I felt the need to explain.
“That’s convenient,” she muttered.
“I didn’t arrange his schedule.”
“Why are you being so possessive of a guy you just met?” Elyse asked.
“It’s nothing you could possibly understand.”
Zach looked like he wanted to pull his hair out. “Chill out, Emilee. Seriously. You’ve been a grouch all day. I can’t take it anymore. Let’s focus on what we’re supposed to be discussing.”
Emilee sat back in her chair and crossed her arms with a huff. But Zach’s words worked.
Our conversation went back on topic, and we were able to get a jumpstart on our hallway and float designs. We assembled as a group again to announce our choices. We picked the eighties, the juniors chose the seventies, the sophomores wanted the twenties, and freshmen decided on the sixties.
“I know it seems like there’s plenty of time before Homecoming Week, but it’s going to fly by. Use these first two weeks to secure sponsors and collect donated items from local businesses. If you’re really organized, you can actually ask for specific clothing or props that go with your decade. This will save you valuable time because it will require fewer modifications.”
The meeting adjourned, and Elyse and I walked out together.
“Do you want to be there when he’s in front of the firing squad again, as you put it?” she teased.
“No,” I cringed. I’d spent enough time with him. Any more would be dating him. “When is the interview?” I asked.
“Either tomorrow or the next day after school. I want to think of some good questions to ask him. I have the standard ones, but I thought I’d flavor it up a bit.”
Good. I hoped she gave him a thorough interview. “I think it would be better if I wasn’t there. That way, I’ll have no idea if you embarrass me. Please promise you’ll stay off me as a topic.”
“I won’t specifically bring you up, but I’m not going to stay quiet if he does. I can’t be rude.”
“Nice try, but he has no reason to bring me up. Just don’t talk about boyfriend-type stuff, okay? I’m not looking for one. I don’t want you hinting any more than you already did this morning. I don’t need him thinking I think we should be together.”
I could tell from her expression she wanted to push this issue but smartly decided against it.
CHAPTER 11
All morning the next day, Elyse chatted about her interview with Landon. By lunch, she was ticked he hadn’t shown up, and by the end of the day she was just short of annoyed. He’d better have a good reason for not coming to his second day of school.
On his third day, it shocked me to see him standing by my locker, especially since I was running late.
“Forget your way around already?” The words were harsh, but the tone…well, it was too. I meant to be mocking rather than mean. I was worried that today would be a repeat of his first day.
“I wondered when you were going to show up,” he said. “Do you always cut it so close?”
I ignored his comment and question. “What are you doing here?”
“I go to school here.”
When I didn’t smile or laugh, he said, “I thought I’d return the favor and walk with you to class this morning.”
“I’m the one who knows the way around.”
I swapped the books I didn’t need for the ones I did, shut the locker, and headed to class.
He followed.
I rolled my eyes. “You know, you’re a lot like Elyse.” I was irritated that he insisted on spending time with me.
“How so?” he asked.
“Unrelenting. And you’re in big trouble with her for not coming to school yesterday. All she talked about was your interview. And why are you so insistent on setting girls against me?” That last thought slipped out before I could stop it. It had been on my mind since watching Kayla, Brittany, and Paige’s reaction to Landon saying I volunteered to show him around, like who was I to walk around with him. I’d never had any issues with any girls in our grade, much less over a guy, but Emilee’s reaction topped the cake.
“I have done no such thing.” His eyes sparkled. “Would you like me to?”
“They’re going to think we know each other.”
“I know you better than anyone else here.”
“They’re going to think we’re together,” I hissed. “Or something.” Something such as liking each other.
“I have to set a precedent the first few days at a new school.”
That sunk in: I was being used. “Nice to know your motivations, but it’s sad that you can’t handle a bunch of girls by yourself.”
He laughed. “You walked into this situation. It could have been anyone else.”
“There are plenty of others who would gladly step into my spot.”
“I like the way this is playing out,” he said with a smile in his voice.
• • •
We resumed our conversation after class. That day was a repeat of his first day, much to my dismay and the dismay of hopeful girls shooting me subtle, what’s-so-special-about-her looks.
I didn’t understand the fascination he seemed to have with irritating me.
“Are you hounding me to see if or when I tell Elyse we’ve seen each other? Do you want to be there when it happens? We can just get it all out in the open and be done with it.”
“I thought we talked about this. You could tell her. It is true.”
“Yeah, but then she’d wonder why I didn’t mention it at the time and waited more than a second to tell her. So it’s actually going to cause me trouble.”
“Why didn’t you tell her?”
“It seemed like it was, I don’t know, some sort of secretive thing I witnessed. And what would you tell her, anyway? You won’t tell me what you’re doing here. Now it’d just cause more problems that it’s worth—especially for you—not that you don’t deserve it, but you’ll have enough of a time trying to survive her interview. Why did you start school so late when you were in the area a month ago?”
“We were scoping out houses. We didn’t buy one until recently.”
“And while you were here looking, you just happened to take a job?” I asked.
“I do what I have to do when I have to do it.”
“That doesn’t explain how you know Trevor.”
“Our families knew each other.”
“Really? Because I’ve known him all my life, and I’ve never seen any pictures of you. They’ve never talked about your family, and I’ve never seen you around any of their infamous parties.” So there, I added silently.
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His lips quirked up in a subdued smile. “We did live in another state. We weren’t going to fly in or drive halfway across the country just for a little party.”
“And why aren’t those other guys here?”
“They’re in college.”
“Uh huh. And how do you all know each other?”
“Are you sure you don’t want to be a reporter? Maybe an investigator?” he asked.
I shook my head.
“I’d hoped your hostility would have faded after a few days.”
“This whole thing isn’t right,” I said. “It doesn’t add up, but there’s not enough out of the ordinary to have it even make sense in a nonsensical way.”
“Do you believe in fate?”
“Like that things are predetermined? Yes. Why?” I asked.
“I don’t know. It’s just something I’ve been thinking about lately. Maybe we’re supposed to meet certain people who change the course we’re on or help us grow into a better person. And maybe we’re supposed to help them out in return. I wonder if that’s a form of payment or if it’s supposed to happen anyway.”
“Everything happens for a reason and all that.” I tried to play it off, but I believed the same thing.
“Yeah, sort of. How much can we interfere with fate and get away with it? Are there always consequences if we interfere? Are those consequences always negative?”
“Or maybe it’s fate that it’s supposed to be messed with in the first place.” I felt a shiver dance along my spine and pass through my arms and legs.
I sensed him studying me and stopped staring ahead long enough to glance at him. Our eyes held. The noise of the busy hall disappeared, as did everyone bustling around us. It was like we had been sucked into a private vacuum. It was too intense. Too knowing. I felt different in that moment and broke our connection. My animosity toward him had dissipated, transforming into something else.
Maybe I was taking my frustration with Trevor out on Landon because Landon was a connection to the situation I desperately tried to understand. Did Trevor know Landon was going to my school? Should he? Was this his reason for asking me if there was anyone new around? Landon was a link to the puzzle. A way in.
In that moment, I realized I was going about this the wrong way.
I smiled, remembering his reason for not taking any other offers to walk with me to class.
Was it wrong to use someone who was using you?
I didn’t think two wrongs made a right; I just thought it leveled the playing field.
CHAPTER 12
Elyse called that evening. I could tell by the sound of her voice she had exciting news to share.
“Do you want to know how the interview went? Of course you do. You’re so lucky you have an inside contact. I’ll give you the highlights. He has a streak of sarcasm, but we kind of knew that already, didn’t we? He said that the scariest thing he ever did was agree to the interview.” I laughed and she continued, “But he’s a science geek, loves sports, all outdoor activities, has a dog, loves cars, and wants to go to college back in New Mexico.”
“What a normal guy,” I said dryly.
“Yeah, I thought so too. He seemed to click with the guys in our group. I’m glad I invited him to join us at the lunch table.”
“Seems like you forgave him quickly.”
“Benefit of the doubt.”
I rolled my eyes because I knew her real motivation. “So what else did you ask him?” I asked.
“Question: ‘What food could they not pay you enough to eat?’ His answer: ‘Shrimp. I hate the texture.’ Question: ‘Is there anyone or anything you cannot say no to?’ His answer: ‘Family and its obligations.’ Question: ‘What is the most annoying thing that someone could do to you?’ His answer: ‘Judge me. I mostly don’t care what people think.’ I followed up by asking him more about that answer since it’s a contradiction. He launched into this whole thing about how judging is different than making snap judgments about someone and that when you judge it’s based on actions and reactions, where snap judgments are unfounded. It was really moving. Anyway, question: ‘What deep, dark secret do you want to unload from your shoulders and share with the world?’ Answer: ‘If only that would remove the weight.’”
I knew of a secret. I just didn’t know what it was or what it meant or how it impacted me.
“He is so sexy,” she paused, probably hoping I’d agree with her out loud. “So that’s the juiciest I have to share. I didn’t get into too many personal questions because of my promise to you. I didn’t want to tempt myself.”
“I appreciate that. Did you plan on coming over tonight?”
“No, Jared’s coming by in a bit. Let’s do homework together tomorrow or the night after.”
“Sounds good. See you at school.”
I had an open evening so I decided to take Roxie for a walk. As I laced my running shoes, she sat patiently by, and I thought back to the first time I had seen her sitting quietly in the kennel. It had been a total madhouse, with all the other dogs barking and vying for attention.
It didn’t take much convincing on my part for my parents to adopt her five years ago. They liked the idea of having her around as a protector. Her size alone was a deterrent. But she was really a mellow girl unless a stranger approached the house. We weren’t sure of her breed, but we thought she was a mix between a Lab and a Great Dane because of her build and her white and tan short hair.
I did my best to take her for walks every day, usually after school but sometimes before.
We took our usual route around the outside of the sub, then cut through the middle to the park.
It was about halfway through the park when I sensed someone close to me. I glanced around. We were alone, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that we weren’t. It felt like someone was hovering over me. The feeling stayed with me the remainder of the walk. I didn’t feel scared—and I couldn’t decide if that was because it was still daylight or I didn’t feel in danger. Still, it was a different feeling than when neighbors looked out their living room windows to see why their dogs barked. It stayed with me past each house, as if it were following me.
When I unlocked the front door, the feeling left.
I grabbed a bottle of water and pulled out my history notebook to review for the quiz tomorrow.
It didn’t take long for my notes to blur. I couldn’t concentrate enough to retain the crucial dates and facts. It was especially frustrating since I realized early that the questions were pulled directly from the notes. I was set as long as I took notes each day and reviewed them. But my mind jumped from thought to thought.
I hadn’t had the dream with the guy in the shadows in a while. My dream guy stopped arriving after I touched his hand, even though that was what he seemed to want all along. What was the point of it all if he disappeared after? Then Landon enrolled at my school and chose my friends to buddy up to. He knew I suspected him of being involved in whatever Trevor was involved in. Then the weird feeling while walking Roxie. I didn’t feel crazy, but I wondered if people who are crazy acknowledge that they feel crazy. I didn’t particularly consider myself a paranoid person, yet I couldn’t deny what I felt.
The thoughts swirled around until they blended together and became background noise. I turned my attention back to studying.
CHAPTER 13
The next day, I ran late, but I made it to my first hour seat just as the bell rang.
Mr. Lewton organized us into groups of six for mini-Socratic seminars. Our assignment was to discuss a random topic and then write about how much, if any, our views changed during the conversation. It was always interesting to hear other sides of an issue I might not have considered.
My history quiz went as expected, and I was grateful my focus had returned last night to study the notes.
Elyse monopolized the lunch conversation with her latest family drama, which was fine with me. We had a float-planning meeting after school, so the more she got out of her system,
the better.
Student council met in the library again. We were a step ahead of the other grades because we had already sketched our design. Our biggest tasks were to divvy up the items needed and assign sponsors to contact for donations.
The meeting was only a half-hour, thanks to Adrienne’s organization. Elyse, Adrienne, Lauren, and I teamed up to find child- and adult-sized mannequins and the clothes to fit them. Adrienne tasked another group with finding the building materials, boxes, and Styrofoam. The last group took on the challenge of gathering all the details for the finishing touches: paint, gadgets, and they had to figure out what to use to seamlessly blend each section of the float’s floor together.
After a few nights of calling around after school, our donated items were ready for pickup at the end of the week. Elyse and I managed to wiggle our way out of that task. The float would be assembled at Emilee’s house—big surprise—and we knew we’d spend more time there than we desired, so the fewer trips we took driving over there, the better.
Friday arrived fast after a busy week. The day flew by and I found myself with Elyse at her locker after school.
“I am so ready to go to the cider mill tomorrow! Who’s driving with us?” I asked. The cider mill outing was another yearly tradition.
“I’m not sure of driving arrangements yet. I told everyone to meet in the parking lot here, and then we’ll head out. It’s a forty-five minute drive, and we can go as one caravan. I found a new place that will let us go out and pick our own apples. Blake’s Big Apple Orchard in Armada. They also have a pumpkin patch, corn maze, and haunted hayride at night.”
“And cider and donuts? And caramel apples?”
“Naturally. I took your requirements into consideration when deciding. I didn’t want you freaking out on me.”
“Good. How big of a group do you think we’ll have this year?” It had started out with just a carful of us, but it had grown each year.