Lone Star in Jersey

by Anne Key

  “FGL. I love them, for reals. I like The Band Perry too.”

  Eli quickly pulled out a pen and wrote “FGL” on his hand. He knew The Band Perry, but he’d never heard of whatever band FGL was before. It was also possible he just didn’t understand what she was saying. Her accent was completely foreign to him. “I’ve never… you said ‘FGL,’ right?”

  She nodded, but he thought maybe she was getting annoyed with him now. “Uh. Wow, okay.” What to ask next? “Favorite food?”

  “Tacos. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.” At that, she almost smiled.

  Eli thought for a minute, then counted off facts on his fingers. “From Austin, new to the school, likes FGL—whatever that is—and tacos all day. That’s four. Um.”

  “Florida Georgia Line. That’s who FGL is.”

  “Oh, okay.” He’d never heard of them, either.

  “Time’s almost up, everyone,” Mr. Ashford told them.

  “So, last question. Why did you move up here?”

  Okay, whoa. She went sorta white, and Eli thought the girl was going to pass out. “Can’t you just ask me my name?”

  He froze for a second, torn between asking her if she was okay and just doing what she wanted. “Uh. Sure. I’m sorry. Um. I probably should have asked that first, huh?” Duh. Of course he should have. And if he had just been polite, he wouldn’t be where he was now. He could be so stupid sometimes. “What’s your name?”

  “Sammy. Samantha Moore.” She twisted her fingers in her lap, and then her chin went up, lips tightening. “My turn. What’s your name, what’s your favorite color, and what’s your favorite app?”

  The questions shot out like machine-gun fire, and Eli just felt sick again watching her.

  “Eli Green, purple, and Skater,” Eli shot back. “And I didn’t mean to ask a nosy question, Sammy. I’m sorry. Really.”

  “It’s okay. Just… I’m not ready yet. Daddy said that was cool, so I’m going with it. What’s Skater? Is it a video game?”

  Sammy was moving on, so Eli figured he should let it go too. Skateboarding was one of his favorite things to talk about anyway. “It’s this skateboarding app. You can try all kinds of tricks, and you can skate in different scenes that are based on real places the pros skate. It’s pretty dope.” He started to smile but caught himself and toned it down abruptly. He’d read on the internet that too wide a smile might give him away. Shifting in his seat, he hooked an arm over the back of his chair and let his knees fall open.

  Eli didn’t usually forget things like that anymore, but he hadn’t slept all that well last night. He was obviously off his game.

  “Cool. So, Eli Green, purple, Skater.” She counted off on her fingers, then caught her bottom lip in her teeth.

  That was pretty cute.

  “Favorite show? Do you like coffee?”

  “Who doesn’t like coffee?” Eli was starting to hope this wasn’t his only class with this girl. “And, don’t laugh, Teen Wolf.”

  “Oh, I love that one. Derek is a studmuffin.”

  “Studmuffin?” Eli shrugged. He kind of thought everyone on the show was pretty good-looking. He liked to watch the way the guys walked and how they were with the girls. Mostly, though, he just wanted Tyler’s shoulders. And maybe his eyes.

  Mr. Ashford clapped his hands to get their attention. “Everyone done?”

  Eli glanced up at the teacher and then back at Sammy. “We’re good, right?”

  “Yeah. I got this.” Sammy nodded, and the little sparkly earrings she was wearing caught the light as they swung.

  Eli gave her his best quirky, closedmouthed smile. That game wasn’t so bad. Maybe he could handle drama class after all.

  “Faaantastic! So, now it’s your turn to introduce your partner to the rest of the class.” Mr. Ashford pointed to a couple of girls in the back row. “Janie and Keisha, you guys did this last year, right? Why don’t you go first?”

  One of the girls popped right up out of her seat. “Okay! So, everyone, this is Keisha.”

  Wait. They were going to have to talk in front of everybody? “Shit,” he whispered under his breath. Just when Eli was starting to think he was going to make it through class without throwing up. He sighed and slumped in his chair.

  This girl looked way too happy to be doing this and was much too energetic for first period. Also, she was wearing some seriously scary pink lipstick. Whoa.

  Mr. Ashford interrupted with a wave of his hand. “Stand up, Keisha.” Keisha nodded and stood up more slowly. She looked pretty confident; Eli got a good vibe.

  “Okay. So, again. This is Keisha. Her favorite singer is Adele, she loves science, she runs before school every day, and she’s hoping to make varsity track team.”

  Eli nodded. Yep. Keisha sounded pretty cool.

  Keisha glanced at Janie and then took her turn. “This is Janie, which is short for Janella. Her favorite color is fuchsia, she loves Justin Bieber, she hates gym class, and she can’t live without her phone.”

  “Which, of course, is turned off right now and hidden away in her backpack,” Mr. Ashford said with one of those grins that meant he was being funny but serious at the same time. Eli’s dad gave him that look all the time—Eli knew it well.

  Janie giggled, and Eli didn’t think she got it at all. He didn’t think Keisha was too keen on Janie, either.

  “Next? Rick and Phil?”

  The guys stood, and it was the same old thing. Name and bands and pizza—everyone liked pizza, obvi.

  Then Mr. Ashford turned toward them, and it was suddenly their turn. Sammy surprised him by standing right up, no problem, looking at the class first, then Mr. Ashford. “Y’all, this is Eli Green, his favorite color is purple, he’s into Teen Wolf, skateboarding, and coffee.”

  The whole room got uber-quiet. Like completely dead, and everyone stared at her. It had to be her accent. Eli scanned the room slowly, and what started as staring turned quickly into whispering. Eli looked at Sammy, that horrible feeling of dread building in his chest. He knew what it felt like to stick out, to have people whispering about you. He thought she’d been brave to just stand right up like that; he certainly hadn’t wanted to go first. But he wasn’t going to let her stand up there alone, either.

  Mr. Ashford broke the silence. “Well, thank you.”

  Eli stood up. “My turn,” he began. He swallowed the nerves back and looked at Sammy instead of the rest of the room because it just felt safer. “This is Samantha Moore. She likes to be called Sammy.” Breathe, Eli. Don’t pass out.

  Turning to face the room this time, he went on. “So, check her out. She’s new to the school this year. She just moved here from outside Austin, Texas, which I hear is the coolest city ever. She could eat tacos all day long, and her favorite band is—” He looked at what he’d written on his hand. “FGL, which stands for Florida Georgia Line. I’ve never heard of them, but I’m gonna google when I get home.”

  “Me too.” Mr. Ashford smiled at them. “Welcome, Eli and Sammy. Have a seat.”

  Eli practically collapsed into his chair. He locked his fingers together to stop them from shaking.

  “Thank you,” she whispered while another set of kids went. “That was great.”

  It had been scary as fuck to stand up there and pray everyone didn’t see right through him. In their place, Eli was pretty sure he would have noticed he was a total noob.

  “You were awesome,” Eli whispered back, starting to breathe again. “That was seriously terrifying. I don’t even want to be in this class.”

  She giggled, trying to muffle it by pressing her lips together hard. “No one wants to act at eight in the morning. It’s why the class was open.”

  Eli snorted, mentally checking his posture. That was funny. He’d had to act like a girl until the end of freshman year—morning, noon, and night—but it was not having to act that had him nervous. “Next time, I’m bringing coffee.” Or maybe he’d oversleep on purpose.

  “Enough, you two.”
<
br />   Uh-oh. “Sorry, Mr. Ashford.”

  “Sorry, sir.” Sammy didn’t sound all that sorry, when you got down to it.

  Wait until he told Mom he’d gotten in trouble for talking too much in class. She’d never believe it.

  A couple more groups took their turns, and then the bell rang. Most of the kids seemed cool, and a few of them even stood out in their own ways too. Mr. Ashford didn’t give them any homework, and as Eli followed Sammy out of the room, he was feeling pretty good. “I wonder if I’ll get lost again on my way to my next class.”

  “I’m not even sure I know what mine is.” She rolled her eyes. “Introduction to Hell, possibly.” She slapped her hand over her mouth, then dropped a wink with one perfectly made-up eyelid. “Did I say that out loud?”

  “I didn’t hear anything.” Eli laughed. “Maybe I’ll see you at lunch?”

  “Yeah. That would be cool. See ya.” Sammy waved, and he saw tiny little rhinestones in her fingernails. Wow.

  Chapter 3

  SO, HER English teacher was a demon who snarled at her for calling her “ma’am,” her precalc teacher was okay, if as old as Methuselah, and she wasn’t sure if her AP Spanish teacher had ever met a Mexican person. Ever.

  Still, Sammy’s classes were over, and she hadn’t died. Now, she had to try and figure out this whole bus thing. Okay. Oh God.

  Outside the school the parking lot was a wall of yellow. There had to be ten or twelve school busses lined up nose to tail. Folks rushed by her going this way and that way, and she just stared.

  “Sammy! Hey, Sammy.” Eli came out of nowhere and caught her by the arm. “Waiting for a ride?”

  “No. I don’t… I haven’t ever….” Oh God. Oh God. Oh God. Don’t cry. You cannot cry in front of some boy.

  “Whoa, okay. It’s cool. Where’s your schedule?”

  “My…?”

  “Your class schedule. There’s a number at the top on the right. That’s your bus number.” Eli pulled his out and showed her. “See? Mine is 429.”

  “Oh. Okay.” She pulled her backpack around and searched through all the papers, hunting for the already well-used schedule. By the time she found it, she was feeling like she couldn’t breathe, and she blindly thrust it out toward Eli.

  God, what was happening to her? She wasn’t an idiot. She wasn’t a moron. She wasn’t even on the rag!

  “Okay, I got it.” Eli took the paper from her. “Wait, you’re 429 too! Where do you live? Never mind. I hate the stupid bus. Why don’t we blow it off and walk?”

  “Okay. Is it far? I mean, I’m not broke or anything. I just, I don’t even know how to get to Daddy’s, which makes me like the dumbest girl you’ve ever met, right?” And what if Daddy had rules about walking alone with boys? He’d never even said one way or the other. They’d never talked about… anything important.

  Momma, I miss you. Why aren’t you here? Helping? If you’re all up in Heaven or Nirvana or whatever, why aren’t you guiding or haunting or something?

  “Oh. Um. Okay. So… we can take the bus, then. It’ll let you off right at your house, right? Or near it anyway? Will your dad be home? I mean you’re not going to be by yourself, are you?”

  “No, you know what? Let’s walk.” She firmed her lips and nodded. This wasn’t near as scary as cheerleading tryouts or finding your momma dead in the bathtub or going up for that first time in Academic Decathlon. She wasn’t a baby, dammit. “I’ve got a phone; I’ve got Google Maps—I can find it. I guess you’re not an axe murderer, right? Because if you are, I can kick super hard.”

  “Holy crap. Are you all this crazy in Texas?” Eli smiled at her, and she was pretty sure he was trying to make a joke. “You’re making me dizzy.” He knelt on the sidewalk and helped her get her backpack back together. “I promise you, I’m not carrying an axe along with all the other shit in my bag. Too damn heavy.”

  “They have foldable ones.” Shut up, Sammy. Obviously, he already thinks you’re a freak. The last thing you need is for him to tell everybody else. “My boyfriend, my ex-boyfriend, he’s a big hunter, and yeah, it’s football season. We’re all this crazy.”

  “I didn’t mean that like… I mean, I was just trying to maybe make you laugh or something, because it seems like Intro to Hell might have taken it out of you.” He did that sideways-smile thing again and shrugged. It was actually kind of cute. “Come on. I’ll take you the cool way, past the coffee shop.”

  “Oh God. Yes, please. My bestie, Lace, her momma used to pick us up every day and we’d go to this place on the square called Cianfrani. They had a white chocolate mocha to die for. My daddy is totally weird about coffee, like a freak.” She glanced over, because she wanted funny, not freakish too.

  “Don’t tell my mom, and I won’t tell your daddy.” He made a real mess of trying to sound like her when he said “your daddy” and must have known it because he made a face. “Oh, man. Leave the accent to the professionals.” That got him laughing. “Sorry.”

  “Yeah, yeah. Just stick with dad, dork.” She looked up into the sky and smiled. God, Lace would be so jealous. It was only, like, eighty-five degrees. Gorgeous. Like there was hope that you could wear a sweater before Christmas.

  Eli led her off the school grounds and down a narrow tree-lined street. “You’re not the dumbest girl I ever met, you know.”

  “Well, that’s comforting. Who is she, and I’ll make friends with her so I look smarter.” She texted Daddy as they walked.

  walking home. cy2nite

  Eli snorted. “Wow. Can’t take a compliment. I’m guessing you’re pretty smart since I didn’t see you in any of my other classes today. I’m embarrassingly average, apparently.”

  “I do okay.” She was a little better than okay, but she knew from experience you didn’t ever embarrass boys, not unless there was more than one of you. “I was in English and Spanish 3 today, science and World History tomorrow.”

  “Oh, I have those tomorrow too. Maybe we’ll run into each other there. I also have PE and something else. I forget.”

  Daddy texted her back. You’re alive! That’s a good sign. Still at work. Home about six. Are you alone? Don’t get lost. xo

  They made a right turn onto a busy street that looked kind of familiar, and then Eli pointed down the block. “Java Jam. I don’t want to put down your fancy-sounding coffee shop, but the white chocolate mochas here are awesome.”

  “It’s a little hole-in-the-wall in this crazy old building with lots of crusty old dudes. I’m totally willing to experience a new favorite coffee shop.”

  “Good.” Eli hurried to the door ahead of her and held it open. “After you.” The shop was not a hole-in-the-wall, but it wasn’t, like, huge or anything. The music was kind of loud, and the walls had guitars and sheet music and pictures of bands all over them. “Awesome. Green Day.”

  There was a line, and the two of them got in it.

  “So, are you from here?” To Sammy, Eli sounded like everyone else—aka not like her—but he’d been nice. She was still waiting for someone else to be nice to her. Some of the girls.

  “Oh yeah. I was born a couple towns over, in Carlton, and my sister too. We were there forever until we moved this summer. So, I’m new to the school, but not to New Jersey.”

  “Yeah?” She hadn’t even wondered. Eli was so on it. “You don’t seem new. You seem like you totally have it together.”

  Eli grinned. “I am ridiculously good at making sure people think that. That drama class today? I spent most of it feeling like I was gonna puke. I don’t talk in front of people. I don’t introduce myself to strangers. Like, ever.”

  “No? You were totally cool about it. Really.” Hopefully, she had been too.

  “Yeah, well, you stood right up there like it was no big deal, so.” Eli pulled out his wallet as they made it to the counter. “White chocolate mocha?” he asked her.

  She nodded. “Yes, please.” She had a couple of fives in her purse.

  “Two white chocolat
e mochas, please.” Eli straightened his shoulders and handed the girl behind the counter a ten.

  “I have some cash…,” she offered, not sure what was right here.

  Eli winked at her. “I got it.” He took his change and handed her one of the cups. “Sit? Keep walking? Hang on.” He pulled his phone out of his pocket. “Hm. Gotta keep walking. I have to babysit the brat.” He texted something and then put the phone back in his pocket.

  “How old is your sister? Thank you, by the way. I’ll get the next one.”

  Eli held the door for her again as they left the shop. “You’re welcome. She’s twelve, which technically means she can stay home by herself, but she’s always in trouble, and they don’t trust her, so I get stuck sitting at home with her when they’re out.”

  “Ah. I’m an only.” Hell, she wasn’t 100 percent sure her mom had ever actually had sex.

  “Lucky. Cross here.” He led Sammy across a wide intersection. “What’s your address?”

  “I’m on Maple. On the corner of Maple and Elm.”

  Eli looked at her. “No way. Big blue Victorian? Dumpster out back and a crater in the driveway? That’s your house?”

  “That is totally Daddy’s house.”

  “I live like four blocks down on Elm. That is my favorite house in the whole neighborhood! I skate by it all the time; the sidewalks there are supersmooth. Is it completely cool inside? Is the room in the tower really round?”

  “It’s working on being completely cool. Some of the rooms are. Some are just a wreck.” She was still trying to talk Daddy into giving her the round room.

  “That’s so cool.” He stopped walking. “Hold up. So, if you want to make it to school faster, you’d go up Maple to here and turn down this street. You can see the school from the end. From here, we can go right down Maple to Elm. Easy.” Eli upended his coffee cup and then tossed it in a trash bin on the corner. He tucked both hands in his pockets. “So, are you going out for anything at school? Sports or something?”