by Alan Janney
All the eyes turned to me again and several girls gasped. The whole table sounded like it had inhaled.
“You would?” Erica cried. “That’s so sweet!”
All the other girls agreed and gushed over this unexpectedly kind and gallant offer I’d made. Girls in high school are dramatic. But the more I considered this the more I liked it. I could get there early and drop off the locket beforehand.
“Yeah,” I said. “I’ll meet you there. It’ll be fine.”
“Chase, you’re so sweet!”
“And I’ll drive you,” Hannah said. “Chase will be there waiting for us.” As the excitement over this development was cresting, I tried to get Hannah’s attention.
“Hannah, do you…” I trailed off as all the eyes turned back to me. “I mean, can we…would you like to…study…with me?”
All the cheerleaders’ eyes swiveled to Hannah.
“Sure,” she smiled.
“How about,” I said, and the attention returned to me, “how about tomorrow after practice?”
“I look forward to it,” she smiled. I walked away, my face burning, and my exit was serenaded by whispering giggles.
I attacked the weights during our next class. I felt whole for the first time in ten days and my chest no longer hurt. The students in Strength and Conditioning were all athletes for the school, and a friendly rivalry existed on the weight benches. I’ve always been fast, but I’d never been strong before. I got teased a lot, but not after today. I set new personal bests in every category, shattering my old records by as much as fifty pounds. The running backs and receivers were galled that I could almost curl, bench and squat as much as them. I was only a few pounds away from lifting weight for weight with Andy. Afterwards I did pull-ups and pushups until I collapsed. In English class, the teacher showed a video and Hannah scratched my back during its entirety. I eventually fell asleep and she woke me up afterwards by whispering into my ear. It was a good day.
>>ok!! Im bringing the $!!!
Erica texted me at 9:15 pm. I grabbed the locket, climbed into my car, and drove towards Maple Park, guaranteeing myself plenty of time to get there early.
I couldn’t figure Hannah out. If I went back through our interactions one by one and categorized them then I could almost convince myself that she was only being friendly. She scratched my back, she called me handsome, she hugged me once, she wanted to study together, and that was it. Except for that one moment on the bus when she had put her hand on top of mind and hinted…that I should ask her out.
I really needed to talk with Katie about all this.
Katie. My heart hurt. Stupid Sammy.
As I drove, I kept returning my hand to the locket, stroking it with my thumb. Had I really fought nine guys to get this? Was that even possible? Not even Jackie Chan fought nine guys at once. It was absurd, really. Even considering that I caught two or three by surprise and that a couple others had fled, it still bordered on miraculous. I had no logical explanation. Why had the world slowed down that night? Why had I gotten sick afterwards? Why had I eaten so much? Why had my shoes split? Which reminded me. I needed new shoes.
I pulled up to Maple Park. Only one other car was parked near the ramp. Hannah was in the driver’s seat. I was too late! I couldn’t sneak over there and drop off the locket.
“Shootshootshoot,” I mumbled as I climbed out and walked to Hannah’s SUV. How many cars did she have?
Her window hummed down and she said, “Get in the back, stud.” I obeyed. The park was in a nice neighborhood but it was big and poorly lit. I had to admit at 9:45 at night it seemed eerie.
“This is ridiculous,” Hannah said, holding the steering wheel tightly in her fists. “Why would this creep want to meet out here? At 10pm?”
“Do you think he’s here?” Erica asked from the passenger’s seat. “It’s so dark.”
“Hey,” I said, a little too loudly because I just had an idea. “You two wait here and I’ll go check. Maybe it’s already there.”
“Good idea,” Hannah said.
“Thanks Chase!”
I climbed out of the vehicle and started walking towards the bushes under the ramp, jingling the locket in my jacket pocket, but stopped short. I turned around and hurried back.
“What about the money?” I asked. “The reward.”
“Who cares,” Hannah said. “If the locket’s there then let’s take it and get out of here.”
“But…” I said. But…what? I couldn’t tell them about Dad. “Did you bring the money?”
“Yeah,” Erica said slowly, but she didn’t hand it over.
I stared at the two girls for a long moment. Erica seemed torn while Hannah appeared to stiffen and strengthen her resolve. What could I say? Erica had offered the reward and she could withdraw it too, I guess. But I wouldn’t have to give her the locket. But why wouldn’t I? I wasn’t going to extort her. I didn’t want the locket. The right thing to do was give her the locket either way. I couldn’t control whether or not she did the right thing and lived up to her promise. But what about Dad?
“Okay,” I finally said. “I’ll go check.”
My steps were heavy and my heart was heavier as I made the lonely trek to the bushes. I had all my hopes pinned on this. I’d almost gotten shot retrieving the locket. Now I’d have to think of another way to get Dad help.
I felt like a fool and a sham as I pretended to search for the locket in the bushes. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and withdrew the ruby necklace. Somewhere nearby a dog barked. I jogged back.
I held it up to the open window and asked, “Is this it?” “Yes!” Erica squeaked. Hannah took it from me and passed it to her. “Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh,” she gushed and clasped it around her neck. “I can’t believe it’s actually here!”
“I can’t either,” Hannah admitted.
“Me either,” I sighed.
Erica looked at Hannah and asked, “Should I leave the money?”
“It’s up to you, sweetie.”
“Here!” Erica cried and reached across Hannah to thrust a stack of bills into my hands. “I’m so happy!”
I ran back to the bushes, feeling much lighter this trip and smiling the whole way. I pretended to drop the cash.
“Who wants to get a milkshake?” Erica chirped.
“Sweetheart, it’s almost ten. I’m tired and still have homework,” Hannah said.
“Please?” she said. “My treat.”
“Chase?” Hannah asked.
“Sure, why not,” I yawned.
“So,” Erica said around her straw. “Are you two dating?”
We were sitting at an outdoor table underneath a McDonalds florescent neon sign. We each had a milkshake and the night was warm and friendly.
“Oh god, Erica,” Hannah groaned.
“What? None of us can figure it out,” she smiled.
“You are so nosey,” Hannah said.
“Andy said you’re not, but we all saw you holding hands on the bus,” Erica offered.
“Andy said we’re not?” she asked. “What did he say exactly?”
“Who cares?” “I care,” she snapped.
I felt invisible. “Why?” Erica asked, eyes wide. “Do you still have feelings for him?”
“Feelings?” she snorted. “Who said anything about feelings? We were business partners. Just like Chase and I are.”
“How could you be just business partners with Andy Babington? He sure is dreamy,” Erica sighed, and then looked at me. “I mean, so are you. Of course.”
“Thanks,” I said. “We’re business partners?”
“Sure,” Hannah responded. “We help each other out, right?”
“How so?”
“Don’t you enjoy my company?” she asked, and all of a sudden her intensity seemed to increase. Somehow she became more attractive to me, more alluring, more captivating, almost like she could turn on her charm with a switch. “Have you not enjoyed the back scratches? The studying?”
&n
bsp; “Yes. I’ve enjoyed them,” I said carefully.
“Exactly. And I’ve enjoyed you. Most importantly, we get attention and make people jealous.”
“Oh. That’s the most important thing?” “Chase,” she laughed. “You’re adorable!”
As she laughed, a car roared by and the driver laid on the horn. Its occupants were hanging out the window and howling. A passenger reared back and threw something that exploded in the air. A firework. The patrons around us cried out, startled, and the car drove off leaving a trail of cruel laughter.
“Ugh,” Hannah sneered. “Scum.”
“It’s the riots,” I said. “A lot of people are mad. And then they act stupid.”
“They should stay in their slums.”
“It’s sad,” Erica said.
“It’s not sad, Erica,” Hannah snapped. “Those people raided your house, and stole your locket. They need to be incarcerated. Or shot.”
“Anyway,” Erica said brightly, “Are you two together or not? What’s your status?”
“What’s our status, Chase?” Hannah asked me poignantly and as she smiled I swear flecks of light got caught in her eyes and started twinkling.
“Our status is…” I said. Good grief. I couldn’t find a sentence that didn’t have the word Katie in it. “…that I look forward to English every day.”
“And we’re study partners,” she continued.
“Right.”
“And we’ll keep using each other, like all good high school kids do,” Hannah said.
“Are you two going to homecoming?” Erica asked.
At her question, Hannah’s face changed. For an instant, she lost some of her perfect radiance and underneath it I could see a person that was just a lonely girl. But it was gone in a flash.
“I’ve never been to homecoming,” I admitted.
“I…” Hannah said. “It’s only two weeks from now,” she said apologetically looking at me. “And you hadn’t asked me yet.”
“Did you want me to ask you?” I smiled, filling up inside like a balloon.
“Either you or Andy,” she stammered.
“Would you like to go to homecoming with me?”
“Chase…” she said. “Andy asked me this morning.”
Chapter Thirteen
Wednesday, September 19. 2017
On the school’s morning news show, Jon Mayweather (the big-talking wide receiver) started a new sports segment. He entitled it, ‘I’m Open!’ It was a brief ninety-second video of Jon showing film from the previous football game and using an illustrator to point out how open he was.
“Here. Look at this! Do you see how wide open I am right here? The defender is ten yards away! Easy touchdown!”
Jon blustered and yelled for the camera and it was a funny gag. He ended every clip by shouting, “Chase! Come on, man! I’m open!” Even I was laughing by the fourth reiteration, and most of my peers in class were watching my reaction. Andy’s ankle had healed, which meant I’d no longer be on the morning show in the future. I didn’t want to get too attached to the attention.
I skipped my study session with Hannah. I had no desire to attend Homecoming anyway so I wasn’t mad at her. And I wasn’t trying to passively punish her. I just had no idea what to say to her. She had been so…weird in English that the study session would’ve been torture. Plus, after reviewing the facts and my symptoms, I recognized I was jealous. I’m not sure of what, because I didn’t want to go to the dance. But I was jealous of something. Maybe I just didn’t want her with Andy. Anyway, I texted her and told her I couldn’t make it.
I’m a wuss. On many levels.
After practice I called Dad’s doctor’s office and told them I had five hundred dollars. She told me to bring him in soon, they’d take the cash, and bill the rest in monthly installments. Bingo! She set up an appointment for next week.
That evening I sat down to do homework at our kitchen table. Dad turned on the television and watched a sports talk show.
My phone buzzed.
>> I’m outside. Please come talk? – Hannah
How does she know where I live? I walked outside into the twilight to see her leaning against her sportscar. That picture could go on the cover of an automobile magazine.
“Hi Hannah,” I said.
“Okay, look,” she said, approaching me. “We need to talk about…all of this.”
“Sure,” I stammered.
The wind whisked some of her blonde hair under her chin as we watched each other speculatively. “We’ve never really talked. At all. Have we?” she finally said.
“No, we haven’t.”
“Can we…go to your bedroom? Or somewhere other than the front door?”
“Good idea,” I said and I let her in. We walked through the living room towards the back door. Hannah introduced herself to Dad. His eyes got really big.
I sat down on the back porch steps and she immediately bent down in front of me on her knees in the grass.
“Here’s the deal, Chase,” she said. “I not sure what to do. I dropped a few hints that you should take me to Homecoming, but you didn’t ask me. And it’s two weeks away! And you, Mr. Quarterback, could take any girl in the school you want and I can’t read your thoughts. And then Andy asked me, and it’s hard to say ‘No’ to the most popular boy in school when you don’t already have a date. You know? And when you asked me last night I freaked out because I had been waiting for you and…now it’s all screwed up.”
“It’s okay,” I said, which was pathetic after everything she had said.
“I’m not finished. You should know that I’m more… logical in my social life than other girls. I view relationships through more of an analytical lens than a romantic one. I just don’t want you to be surprised. Part of the reason I like being with you is…I don’t know. Because you provide some of the benefits that Andy used to provide.”
“Why did you and Andy break up anyway? And come sit with me,” I said. “That has to be uncomfortable.”
She sat down next to me and during the transition her hand slid into mine. “We broke up for a lot of reasons,” she sighed. “He’s very needy and high-maintenance. He ended up being more hassle than he was worth, you know? He didn’t live up to his side of the bargain. Plus he spread rumors about us that weren’t true. After we broke up he keyed my car.”
“And you’re going to Homecoming with him?”
“He’s gorgeous and popular,” she shrugged. “I had to.”
“I don’t get it,” I admitted.
She smiled at me for a lengthy moment before saying, “You’re not very social. Are you?”
“Not much. Are you spending time with me just to make Andy jealous?”
“Not just Andy. Everyone. But that’s not the only reason. I took a chance on you, and it really paid off when you started playing well. I think we work well together. Don’t you?”
“How so?”
“Talented quarterback and cheerleader captain. Doesn’t that make me an interesting mate?”
“You’re very interesting, but that’s not why,” I said, took a deep breath, and plunged into my best effort to communicate. “Every boy wants to date you. I believe the right way to phrase my feelings would be that I’m enamored with you. I think about you a lot and I can barely focus in English class.”
All that was true! I’d just left out the Katie-obsession part.
“Good!” she beamed and blushed. “That’s one of my specialties.”
“I don’t know much about you, though.”
“What do you want to know?”
“Um,” I said. “Do you have any siblings?”
“I’m an only child. What else?”
“I…can’t think of a single question,” I chuckled lamely. I suck.
“Then I’ll tell you about me. I’ve lived in the same house my entire life. My father owns his own financial consulting firm, he’s on the Board of Trustees at Glendale Memorial Medical Center, and he also acts as a politica
l advisor to our congressman. My mother is very actively socially, and she’s also a realtor. She usually is only showing one house at a time, though, and almost exclusively for friends. I’ve taken jazz, ballet and hip-hop dancing lessons since I was four. I’ve been a cheerleader since I was five. I plan on attending USC and majoring in business or something else respectable. After that I will be a Dallas Cowboy cheerleader for two or three seasons before marrying an athlete or politician, though Daddy says he’ll disown me if it’s a Democrat.”
“Wow,” I said. “You’ve planned thoroughly.”
“We’ve had it planned since the first weekend my mother and I watched the presidential debates and the Cowboys play the Raiders both on the same day. She told me the Cowboy cheerleaders have much more class than the Raiderettes.”
“What do you want to know about me?”
“I already know a lot. I vetted you pretty thoroughly online,” she admitted, grinning. “I’ve stalked you for weeks now.”
“What do you know?”
“You were a good gymnast. Your mother died as a result of a drunk driver, which is tragic but gives you a great human interest story background. You walked onto Varsity team and earned the backup job, which is very difficult to do. You’ve played brilliantly and you’re the highest rated high school quarterback in the state so far this year.”
“I am?”
“You are, and it’s totally weird. You shouldn’t be that good. Your GPA is a 3.5, and you got a 1990 on your PSATs, which is in the 97th percentile. You don’t spend much energy social networking online and you don’t go to parties. You disdain high school social conventions, but we can work on that. It looks like you’ve grown recently, so you’re probably six feet by now. You need new jeans, by the way. Longer ones. You’re handsome even though it appears you broke your nose when you were younger, and you look great in a football uniform. Your best friends are the pretty Latina girl Katie, Cory the offensive lineman, and Lee the math wiz. You’ve never had a girlfriend and I think we’d take a stunning photograph together.”
“I’m impressed,” I said.
“I dug up everything about you I could find,” she laughed.