The week progressed quickly. Too quickly for my taste. All too soon the subject of Archangel came up again.
My friends agreed to come to my house and make me up again. Our shopping trip was set for Saturday and, before I could complain about it, my friends told me I had no choice in the matter.
Soon, the problems that Ankell faced before the Second Revolutionary War seemed insignificant compared to the problem I was facing Friday at Archangel. I was worried that Jill and I would be at odds over Devon. I wanted to keep my friends more than I wanted a boyfriend.
Wednesday at lunch Taylor cut Becca off mid-sentence.
“Oh, no,” she groaned, her eyes focused down the hall. “They’re doing their rounds.”
“Who?”
“Bitch Squad Alpha,” Jill growled, looking down the hallway as well. I craned my head around Becca and saw three girls walking toward us. One of them I recognized as Karmen.
Becca turned to me, her expression pained.
“Brace yourself.”
“Oh, Jill,” Sarah Henderson, who was flanking Felicity Hanks on the right, greeted. The girls seemed perfect, even in the same uniform. Their hair and nails were impeccably kept and their makeup smoothed out all imperfections.
“Hi, Sarah,” Jill greeted quietly.
“I haven’t seen you since the summer trip.”
“Even then you didn’t see her, Sarah,” Felicity said, her tone lofty and cold. “She was too busy hanging out with Devon and Todd. Clark was with them for the first few days, remember?”
“Oh, of course,” Sarah agreed. “Jill, did you understand the chemistry homework?”
“Uh…yeah, kind of…” Jill said hesitantly.
“Awesome. I need to copy it before class. Show up a few minutes early, okay?” Before Jill could protest, Sarah reached down and pat her on the head. “Thanks, you’re such a pal.”
“Ooh, who’s this?” Felicity nodded to me, taking a few steps closer. She leaned down, inspecting me. “A new girl.”
“That’s Lily Sandover. I told you about her,” Karmen chuckled. “She’s in my Lit class.”
“This is her?” Felicity barked a laugh. “You’re the Sandover kid? Everyone around the Commission has been talking about whether or not to accept your family into the Commission.” She looked me over once more and then pouted. “How disappointing. I thought with all the wonderful things everyone says about your father that you wouldn’t be so plain.”
The words stung more than I should have let them, but it was already difficult being the new girl in school.
“Well, if you do get into the Commission, be careful,” Felicity snorted. “There are a lot of perverted old men in there who really like the wide-eyed, innocent school-girl look.”
“I wouldn’t be concerned, Felicity,” Becca assured with a cold smile. “Your father won’t interest her. She won’t take his attention away from you.”
“Ah, Becca.” Felicity turned to Becca as I blinked incredulously at the Becca’s bold words. “I thought the summer would soften you, but I guess even a horrible illness can’t cure you of being a cunt.”
“Call me that again,” Becca growled, standing for the confrontation. We were all on our feet shortly after.
Taylor stood between them. “Let’s not start a fight right here.”
“Keep your nose out of this, fat ass!” Karmen snapped.
“What the hell is your problem?!” Jill bellowed as Taylor backed away, hurt.
“She just wishes she could eat whatever she wanted without having to stick her fingers down her throat afterward,” Becca bit back. “Don’t take it personally, Taylor. Remember, she has to have Luke do all her homework for her, and Todd still beat him out on the exam. Your boyfriend is the best in the school.”
“Please,” Karmen rolled her eyes. “Luke, Ray, and Vince can beat Todd any day.”
“Not according to the Board of Education,” Becca taunted.
“What’s goin’ on here?” a voice asked. The boy coming down the hallway appeared to be a senior. He was tall and lanky with thick, curly brown hair and brown eyes.
“Just dealing with some trash,” Felicity quipped, glaring at us.
“Why are you even bothering?” the boy asked, putting his arm around Felicity’s shoulders. “They’re just nobodies.”
“Not all of them,” Sarah corrected. She turned to me. “This is the Sandover girl.”
“Oh…” The boy scanned me. After evaluating every inch, he chuckled, rolling his eyes. “She’s going to get eaten alive.”
The group walked away. My heart was beating hard inside my ribcage. Becca growled.
“I hate those bitches…”
“More importantly,” Jill started, smacking me on the arm as I resumed my spot between her and Becca, “why the hell didn’t you tell us that you’re going into the Commission?!”
“Nothing’s official!” I protested. “I mean, it’s a little early for my dad to get appointed to something like the Commission of the People, right?”
“You’d be surprised,” Taylor said. “They’re always on the lookout. It only takes one thing to catch the attention of Dana Christenson and you’re in.”
I hesitated.
“I don’t know why I didn’t say anything…I guess I just don’t want to believe that it will really happen…” I turned to them, smiling weakly. “I don’t want to be a Commish Kid…” I whined with a broken laugh.
Jill put her arm around me.
“It’s okay, you can still be our friend.”
“Of course,” Taylor agreed. “It just means that we won’t see you as much…”
“And that we have to be careful what we say around you…” Jill added.
“And that you have to be on the balcony of Archangel instead of with us…”
“You know, amazingly, this is not comforting…” I groaned.
Chapter Ten
I was a little worried at how easily the words had gotten under my skin. I continuously turned over the warnings of the Commission and how I would be “eaten alive.”
In many ways I was thankful to go to Archangel. I could get my mind off of everything. That Friday, the only problem I allowed myself to think about was Devon and Jill.
After being dressed in a far-too-tight dress and covered in makeup, we took a taxi to Club Archangel. The wide-eyed look from the taxi driver finally convinced me that the shopping trip the following day was a good idea. I could not let my friends dress me anymore.
Once inside Archangel, we went to a table under the balcony again.
“Okay, tonight, you will participate in the activity that is called creeping,” Taylor teased.
“I know what creeping is.”
“Now you get to practice it,” Becca laughed. “At one point, you’ll get up and dance your way to the various sides of the club and listen to any gossip you can. If they’re talking about anything interesting, stick around and listen in. Just dance close to them.”
“That seems pretty obvious, don’t you think?” I chuckled.
“Maybe a little, but most people are surprisingly oblivious. Everyone knows that people do it, but if the conversation’s interesting, people stop noticing things they should,” Taylor explained. “We’ll all take turns tonight and then we’ll meet up here and talk.”
I didn’t know what would be considered interesting gossip, but I agreed to eavesdrop around the club.
I sipped the water Jill had brought from the bar and watched people dance in the flashing lights.
The boys greeted me as though I had always been one of the group. The club was not as overwhelming as the previous week. My realization at how much more relaxed I was made me feel that, maybe, I could handle the weekly trips to Club Archangel.
I saw Clark looming around the back of the table again and realized I could ask him about my family joining the Commission of the People. He must have seen the realization in my expression because his eyes widened and he cleared his throat.
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“I have to go,” he whispered before quickly moving away.
“I’m going do my creeper rounds,” I said rapidly, following him. I wove through the dancing students until I was able to grab Clark’s arm. He jumped and turned to me, his eyes wide with fear.
“Lily…”
“Clark, hi,” I started stupidly. “I know that we don’t really know each other, but I need to ask you something.”
“I’m sorry, Lily, but I really have to go,” he said, turning away.
“No, wait!” I grabbed his arm again. “Clark, I really want to talk to you.”
“About what?” he asked nervously.
“My family…and the Commission…”
“I can’t tell you anything about that,” Clark said. “I can’t reveal anything that happens in the Commission meetings.”
“I know,” I assured. “But…Clark, are you always this nervous?”
“What do you mean?”
“You look terrified…” I noted, suspicious. “Why are you so nervous all the time? Is it because of the Commission?”
Clark’s eyes moved upward and I followed his gaze. I turned to the balcony where no one was dancing. There was a small group of Commish Kids standing next to the railing, looking over the club like royalty surveying their subjects.
They were looking directly at us.
I stared at them in shock before turning to Clark. Once again, I was surprised. Clark’s entire demeanor changed. He was challenging them, staring at them as if telling them that they had no right to look down on him.
The group backed away from the railing, the final girl’s eyes lingering on me one moment longer before turning away.
Clark sighed heavily, his nervousness returning.
“You should not be talking to me,” he whispered.
“Clark, what the hell?” I gasped. “What was all that?”
“You wouldn’t understand.”
“I might soon,” I growled. He sighed heavily and closed his eyes, adjusting his glasses.
“I know…” His voice was full of regret. “I’m sorry, Lily. I understand that you have no influence over this situation…”
“Wait, Clark…please, can you just tell me if it’s true that the Commission has been talking about letting my family in?” I pressed. My heart was thumping against my ribs as I watched his reaction. He closed his eyes again and took a deep breath.
“Mr. Christenson has taken a great interest in your family,” he admitted. “And I mean a great interest…”
My stomach turned over.
“Does that mean…”
“I don’t know,” he admitted. “But, generally, if you have him interested…you’re in.”
I had to close my eyes and focus on keeping myself from collapsing as nausea passed over me. If my family got involved in the Commission of the People, I would be locked in the world of politics for life—exactly where I did not want to be.
“Lily,” Clark said slowly, placing a hand on my arm, “for your sake, I hope that Mr. Christenson’s interest is only in the work your father does.”
I blinked.
“What does that mean?”
Clark’s expression became pained.
“I wish I could tell you,” he said. “But…if Mr. Christenson’s current fascination is anything to judge by…you and I are in the same boat.”
He turned and disappeared before I could gain my bearings enough to ask more questions. I was so frightened, I simply stood in the middle of the dance floor, trying to wrap my mind around the possible new direction of my life.
I wasn’t sure how many songs passed before I felt arms around my waist. I whirled around to Devon’s smiling face. I relaxed and laughed nervously. He swayed with me.
“You looked lonely out here by yourself,” he said. “I thought I would come and dance with you.”
I laughed again, unable to help myself and then I leaned forward and hugged him, my head against his chest as I took a deep breath. I needed someone to help me stand temporarily. He continued to sway with me to the song’s slow, heavy bass.
“Hey, are you alright?”
“Yeah…” I said, finally looking up at him. “I’m sorry.”
He looked down into my eyes and studied me before taking a deep breath and shaking his head.
“What?”
“You made me sad,” he told me. “Someone as beautiful as you should never have such a sad look on her face.”
I smiled genuinely and looked away, embarrassed.
“You don’t take compliments well,” he teased. “For making me that upset, you owe me a few dances.”
“A few?”
“Yes,” He grinned enough to make me smile wider. “We’ll do our rounds together.”
“Okay.”
I didn’t care about Jill’s jealousy. I wanted to be with someone who would take my mind off of the Commission. We moved to the edge of the room as we danced, his hands never leaving my waist.
When we finally made it in front of one of the groups in another seating area, we slowed our dancing to listen.
“…that Jessica Bevins is going to get another younger sibling.”
“Unbelievable,” a boy shook his head. “Her dad is making babies like no other.”
“She’s upset, since this will be her fourth half-sibling…”
We moved as Devon danced away from the group. Apparently, that was not worthy gossip.
We passed through group after group, listening to bits of conversations. I did not hear anything of interest for me, particularly since I did not know who anyone was talking about. I just followed Devon’s lead, eventually blocking out all the conversations and dancing to get my mind off everything. Every now and then I would glance at the balcony, paranoid. Every time I looked there were two different Commish Kids leaning against the railing, casually scanning the crowd—it was creepy.
I realized that I would likely be one of them and my heart plummeted back into the floor. I turned to Devon and smiled weakly.
“Tired?”
“Yes,” I said. “Did I pay back my debt?”
“Yes,” he assured as we turned to return to our table.
“Hey, you two,” Becca laughed as we approached. “How was it?”
“Good.”
“Hear anything interesting?”
“Nope,” Devon said. “Pretty dull tonight.” He turned to me. “Water?”
“Yes, please.”
As he slipped away, Becca smiled.
“You really like him,” she noted.
“I don’t know…” I murmured. “I like him…but…”
“But what?”
“Jill likes him, too,” I whispered, nodding to Jill, who was talking with Taylor about something else. Becca looked between Jill and me, blinking in surprise.
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah. Pretty damn sure.”
“Huh…”
Becca’s reaction was not what I expected, so I stared at her expectantly for a few moments.
“Huh? That’s it?” I gawked. Becca looked confused and a little dazed. “Tell me what I should do!” I hissed. “You know her best.”
“Um…I don’t know.” Becca shrugged. “This is news to me.”
Her reaction was puzzling, but before I could ask her anything else, Devon returned. Jill noticed him and smiled broadly, cutting off Taylor in the middle of her sentence.
“Hey, Devon, wanna dance with me?” she asked. I looked to Becca with my eyebrows raised. Devon shook his head.
“Sorry, Jill, I’m a little tired. Maybe in a little bit,” he assured. She pouted, half-playful.
“Fine,” she playfully snapped. “I’ll go by myself.”
I busied myself gulping down water. I heaved a breath of relief when I had downed two-thirds of the glass and smiled at Devon, now that Jill was gone.
“Thank you for doing the rounds with me.”
“No problem,” he grinned. He turned to Becca. “What about y
ou, beautiful? Have you done your rounds, yet?”
“Nope.” Becca shook her head. Her tone was clipped and I noticed a major change in her demeanor. Devon made a confused face at me and shrugged.
I drew a deep breath and took another gulp of water, feeling things become turbulent again.
* *** *
My friends met me in the downtown area the next morning to take me shopping. My mother gave me some spending money and then told me that I could use my card up to five hundred dollars. Her generosity surprised me—she was extremely happy that I was starting to act like a teenage girl instead of a hermit.
The first store was a large clothing store where I played dress-up for my friends. It got to the point where I was sure they were pulling anything they could just for fun.
After the second store, I had spent three hundred dollars on clothes and my friends carted me off to the make-up store, teaching me the various products they had used on me so far.
Armed with everything I could need for Club Archangel, we returned to my house, laughing and joking as if we had been friends for years. All the awkwardness of the situations we had been in the previous weeks at Archangel was gone.
Once at my house they showed me how to put on my makeup, explaining to me that I was expected to make a habit of making myself look pretty. I reluctantly agreed, though I disliked the idea of going to school in makeup.
We passed the afternoon in the way groups of girls did: talking and talking, not sure how we strayed from one topic to another. My friends ended up staying for dinner, where my family also had fun with them, though I could tell that my father was feeling a little outnumbered by all the girls. My mother was relishing in the girl-talk.
I hated to admit that I was enjoying it as well. I was starting to change, and was a little concerned about how much more Central would change my life.
Chapter Eleven
The only thing that made school fun was Mr. McDermott. Even though we spent two weeks going over two chapters of the book, discussing the policies of teenage pregnancy—since Ankell had become a teen parent—his alcoholic behaviors, and the hatred he had for his country was fascinating and it made the weeks fly by.
But in those two weeks, my life changed completely.
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