by S. E. Akers
What the heck is THIS about? It suddenly dawned on me “why”. Apparently, the rumor-mill hadn’t stopped churning in my absence. Crap! Well, I asked for “normal”. What’s more normal than your classmates gossipin’ about you behind your back?
My head started to pound from the sound of their faint giggles echoing around me. My ears couldn’t make out what they were saying, but that didn’t mean my mind couldn’t.
Riley Myers whispered to several girls,
I still can’t believe she’s making
a play for both of them.
Especially when Mike is her
own sister’s boyfriend!
What a slut!
I guess she’s not so
“innocent” after all.
I turned away and clinched my fists. I didn’t want to give them the satisfaction of knowing how pissed I was.
Then Hannah Franklin was next.
Wonder which one of them was with
her at the Heritage Inn last night?
I heard her car was parked there…
for SEVERAL HOURS!
That’s just PERFECT! How could they even insinuate something like THAT! Ugh! I felt more comfortable last night in the pews of a snake-handling church than I did here.
At least the snakes there were “obvious” and not disguised as “friends”!
I sat there and listened to every nasty, fabricated rumor. I was so mad I could have hurled more than just dirty looks at them, but I tried my best to remain as calm as possible.
Katie will be here soon…Class will start in a few minutes and they’ll have to shut up! I can get a good forty-five minutes of peace then. Overwrought with embarrassment, my mind began to roam. Until I hit the hallway, and then my next class, and then the next, and the next, and eventually the cafeteria! I could feel myself beginning to slump in my seat. Shit…This is going to be a very long, “normal” day. I was already upset, and I knew without a doubt, that “today” would surely test my emotions. I’d left my sunglasses at home. I didn’t think I would need them, but I couldn’t wear them in class anyway. I would be forced stay on my guard and lock away all of my feelings for the day.
Hopefully they won’t accidentally “see them” in my eyes…
Katie finally entered the classroom when the bell rang. Her reaction to my presence was not what I’d expected — it was far, far worse. My BFF hurried to her seat directly in front of me without even a “screw you”. Katie then shoved her backpack underneath her desk with a dramatic “thump” and scooted it up a few inches, well away from mine. I started to tap her shoulder when she unexpectedly let out an overly-exaggerated grunt. Stunned, I retracted my hand. Mrs. Thompson soon instructed us to open our textbooks to page 238.
Katie’s actions made it more than obvious as to how she felt and what she was thinking. No telepathy was required — nor desired. I didn’t want to hear or feel them. I was too ashamed and knew I deserved every last one of them. If we weren’t so “emotionally connected”, I could probably brainwash her into giving me a full reprieve. But truthfully, I wouldn’t compel her forgiveness even if I could disconnect myself from her. Not Katie. I loved her too much to do something so sneaky to my best, bosom friend.
Oh well, I reflected quietly with a solemn sigh. At least I get my “forty-five minutes”.
Chapter 20 — Cold Shoulder
The next three periods were pretty much a repeat of the first. Literature, Government, and Geology should have been renamed “Gossip”, “Stares”, and “Giggles”. Fourth period was by far, the absolute worst. Katie was still ignoring me. I’d actually forgotten how long that girl could hold a grudge. I had to sit beside Mike, which brought forth one of the foulest looks from Kara Leighton that I’d ever seen. But, my most abysmal moment had to have been when I entered the classroom and saw Ty sitting at his desk. He shied his head down and said absolutely nothing. I couldn’t even concentrate on Ms. Fitzpatrick’s lecture. Over and over, I thought, Please don’t let him have heard where my car was parked last night! This was one of those times when I wished Welch wasn’t such a daggone small town! No matter what you did or how careful you were, “news” traveled fast — “bad news” ALWAYS beat you home.
With all the rumors running rampant, surely my need to question Mike after class about his memories regarding last Saturday night would only add fuel to the fire. But I’d put it off long enough. It had to be done. I had to see if he remembered anything at all. Though I still found it extremely difficult, I tried not to blame him for being “possessed”. It wasn’t directly his fault that he’d prevented me from getting Daddy help. The Onyx was simply using his body to kill me. I knew my misguided thoughts were fueling my anger towards the cocky jock, so I would have to keep my cool. After all, Lazarus was the one who killed him. Plus, I didn’t want a huge argument to ensue and drum up rumors of a “lovers quarrel”. That was the last thing I needed!
As soon as the bell rang, students were up and out of their seats, hurrying to the door. Mike attempted a quick getaway, but I managed to catch his attention with a firm nod directed towards a door in the back of the classroom, which led into one of the science labs. Nice and private. I went on ahead and waited patiently for him to follow. Once everyone was out of Ms. Fitz’s class, Mike slipped into the lab and laid his backpack on one of the black tabletops.
“Look, if this is about all the rumors going around about you and me, just so you know, I didn’t have anything to do with them,” Mike insisted.
“I couldn’t care less about that,” I snapped. “I want to know what you remember about last Saturday night? Particularly, when you took me by the mine to meet Daddy.”
Mike started fiddling nervously with the straps on his backpack. “I don’t know…I don’t remember much about that night,” he confessed.
I watched him step closer. It put me on edge, seeing how the last time we were all alone like this, his hands ended up around my neck, trying to choke the life out of me. Naturally, I heightened my guard. I still wasn’t one-hundred-percent sure the so-called “Onyx” couldn’t pop back into him at anytime.
Mike appeared apprehensive, but I didn’t know “about what”. His brain wasn’t really “saying” anything. It felt like a big, knotty ball of confusion and crap. I needed to probe him some more.
“You don’t remember anything?” I quizzed. He shook his head. Now I was annoyed. “How did you get home that night?” I demanded.
“I don’t remember!” Mike yelled and slammed his hands down on the table. He could tell by the look on my face that I wasn’t in the mood for any attitude. Mike composed himself quickly. “Sorry, Shiloh. I’m just really frustrated. Hell, you’d think I’d gotten drunk or something by the way I woke up the next morning. My head was throbbing like I was hung over, and my whole damn body ached. But what was really weird was that my hands were red and throbbing, like they’d been burnt or something.” Mike noticed the “not-so-surprised” look on my face and grabbed my shoulders. “Do you know what happened to them?” he asked anxiously.
You wouldn’t believe me if I told you, I thought as I jerked away.
“What’s the last thing you remember?” I asked.
Mike took a deep breath. “I remember driving you to the mine…and it was snowing pretty hard, but everything else is a blur.”
I was getting nowhere. “So, you don’t remember anything else about that night?”
“I remember someone put a damn snake in my car, and Ty and I got into a fight,” he added.
“Is that it?”
“No,” Mike insisted as he leaned in closer and then hesitated. “I remember I thought I was the luckiest guy in the world to have you on my arm.”
My bottom lip fell to the floor. How freaking long does it take for the effects of a damn ruby to wear off? Please tell me he didn’t just say that!
The next thing I knew, Mike’s eyes were closing, and he was leaning in to kiss me, totally misinterpreting my open mouth as a daggone invitatio
n.
Crap!
Suddenly a loud, “UGH!” blared behind us. His attempt to steal a kiss was interrupted before I could even push him away. I turned to spot Kara Leighton standing in the doorway. She was the one who’d let out the bitchy grunt. Promptly, the fuming redhead spun around on her heels and stormed off in a cloud of pure hell-fire and hate.
I stomped my foot on the floor and scowled. “That’s freakin’ PERFECT!” I snapped as I snatched my backpack to make a quick exit. No telling who she would blab to first about the “compromising position” that she’d just found us in.
I have to stop her! Maybe I can compel her like I did the waitress? Mike grabbed my arm as I was trying to leave. I took a calming breath to restrain some of my rage and whacked him smack on his head. “SNAP OUT OF IT!” I scolded with a grunt and then bolted out of the science lab.
Please don’t let her tell ANYONE, especially Ty — Crap! CRAP! CRAP!
Kara wasn’t in the hallway, so I raced for the stairwell and scanned every classroom as I flew down the hall. WHERE IS SHE? I hurried downstairs to the floor where the senior lockers were located. I searched through the sea of students, but she was still nowhere to be found. It instantly dawned on me — The Cafeteria! I slung my things in my locker and hauled ass across campus.
Unfortunately, I was too late. The little red-headed witch had half the cheerleading squad huddled up in the middle of the cafeteria. All of them shot me vile glares as I approached and then quickly dispersed around the lunchroom like busy bees, buzzing from table to table to spread the latest fiery hot gossip at the request of their queen.
I stood there helplessly paralyzed. All I could do was watch while they spewed their wicked distortions around the room. What starts off as something innocent like an interrupted, “attempted kiss” takes no time to turn into getting caught “mid-screw” — especially with those gossip trolls! One by one, everyone’s eyes fell on me from all directions, and the looks they threw cut like a jagged knife. Sadly, even skin with the invincibility of diamonds could neither block their sting, nor the painful sentiments behind them. I watched Kara sashay proudly over to the table where Ty was sitting with some of his teammates. He appeared to be scanning the room for someone and didn’t see her approaching until she had plopped down beside him. Kara flashed me a devious grin. Oh, she wanted me to be well aware of whom the next recipient of “the news” would be. I couldn’t bear to watch, so I turned away, shamefaced.
It just so happened that my eyes fell upon Katie, who looked like she had just heard the “latest scoop”. To my surprise, she appeared concerned. She looked over to see Kara whispering in Ty’s ear. Katie’s eyes searched desperately around the room until she spotted me standing in the middle of the cafeteria. I wasn’t sure, but it seemed that even though she was rightfully put out with my recent behavior, her eyes began to soften. I hoped what I saw was genuine, and that it wasn’t just wishful thinking on my part. In the midst of my “social demise”, I truly needed what mattered most — my best, bosom friend.
The sound of irritating crackles began to blare from the intercom, and then Mrs. Tuttle’s voice announced,
Shiloh Wallace…
Please report to the main office…
You have a visitor…
Shiloh Wallace to the main office.
If there was anyone whose eyes weren’t on me already, they sure were then. Awkwardly, I hurried to the side exit and bolted across campus. Well, at least I have a reason to get out of there. Any longer and they’d have sewn a red “S” to my chest, and rest assured, that monogram wouldn’t stand for the first letter in my name!
As I approached the building that housed the main office, my curiosity kicked in and my mind began to whirl with speculation. Maybe it’s Tanner? I wasn’t sure if he’d received my message. It wasn’t like he had “returned my call.” It has to be him.
When I grabbed the door handles of the main building, the cold metal hitting my hands forced an alternative thought to pop into my head. What if it isn’t Tanner? What if it’s LAZARUS? I released the handles like I would a scalding hot pot on a stove and stared at the door in silence. I stopped breathing. He did stop by the house looking for me last night…I’m sure he called Charlotte this morning…She probably told him that I ripped up the check…OH NO! IT CAN’T BE HIM!
Once inside, my pace slowed to a calculated creep. Every step that carried me closer to the office made my heart pound harder and faster. I lingered just outside the door, hoping to make out any voices coming from inside. All I heard was Mrs. Tuttle fussing at some students. While I stood there plastered up against the cold cinder-block wall, my eyes were drawn over to the school’s massive glass trophy case standing directly across from the entrance. I could make out a few images in the room from the reflection in the glass. I waited with bated breath for my “visitor” to emerge, though I couldn’t see anyone of interest.
Without warning, Principal Harless shot into view and was heading out the door. No sooner than he’d spotted me in the hallway, he quickly made my undisclosed location known.
“Ah, there you are, Shiloh. You have a visitor inside. Mustn’t keep him waiting,” Mr. Harless blared as he patted my arm and then marched off down the hall.
So much for the element of surprise, I affirmed to myself as I stood there flinching. Surely whomever “he” turned out to be, was now well aware of the fact that I was right outside the door. I took a deep breath and reluctantly stepped into the office.
“Finally,” a familiar voice called out. “I was about to head off to work.”
Every tense muscle in my body immediately relaxed. Samuel. I could have melted right there on the floor. I walked over and hugged him like I hadn’t seen him in years. It was nice to see at least one face actually smiling at me and not looking back with any sort of judgment.
“Samuel, um…What are you doing here?” I asked in a somewhat shaky voice.
“I came by to check on you.” Samuel noticed I appeared rattled and continued, “…and I think I was a right on the money, too. What’s going on, Shiloh? Is it too soon for you to be back?”
I pulled Samuel off to the side. “It wouldn’t be so bad if I weren’t the talk of the school,” I whispered. “It’s been kind of rough today, what with all of the whispers and stares from everyone.”
Samuel looked confused. “What are they whisperin’ about?”
I really didn’t want to repeat any of the “distortions” to him verbatim. Too embarrassing.
“Let’s just say the whole school has gotten the wrong impression about things that happened at the dance between me and Mike…and Ty. That’s all I’m going to say.”
Samuel patted my back. “Oh, Shiloh…There are worse things in the world than high school rumors. Don’t give ’em a second thought, honey. Don’t let ’em bother you.”
I couldn’t help but agree with his “worse things in the world” declaration, especially after my adventure last night.
“I know,” I acknowledged with a sigh. “I’ve been trying to put them out of my mind, but it’s kind of hard when EVERYONE is gossiping about you.” I wasn’t sure how it worked when Samuel was my age, but the high school rumor-mill kept up with the times. Not only did you have to put up with the usual nasty chatter and hurtful scribbles, whether etched into lockers or penned on the bathroom walls, but the texts, emails, Facebook postings, Tweets, and the occasional video uploaded to YouTube were enough to send any teen into a “social coma”. Any other time, I’d let something like this simply roll off my back and not give it a second thought, but after the week I’d just had… Can’t I catch a freakin’ break? The thought of a “student-wide brainwashing” sounded really appealing. If things didn’t get any better, I would have to ask Tanner exactly how that would work.
“I’m sure it’s not everyone,” Samuel contended. “You teenagers and your drama.” He shook his head and let out a laugh. “Katie wouldn’t gossip about you.”
I lowered my hea
d in shame. “No, you’re right. She’s not gossiping. She’s too busy ignoring me for not returning any of her calls this week. She’s pretty ticked at me…and I deserve it,” I affirmed, while the promise I’d made to him about “not shutting people out” socked me straight in the gut.
Though Samuel didn’t say “it”, the “I-told-you-so” look he shot me was sufficient in getting his point across. “Katie may be hurt, but she still loves you, Shiloh. It’ll pass.” He grinned and added, “Once you’ve apologized to her, of course. Just wait and see.” Even though I appreciated his assuring “words of wisdom”, I really wanted to get off the subject.
“Hey, why are going into work so early?” I asked.
Samuel’s smile quickly faded. “There’s been some safety issues…or rather, concerns that have been raised by Xcavare Enterprises. Mr. Riverside wants all the foremen present at the meeting. The sale won’t be official until they’re addressed.” Samuel leaned closer and whispered, “If you ask me, I think he’s trying to back out of the deal.”
I pulled back from Samuel. “Why do you think that?” I already knew the answer to that one. He thinks he knows where the wand is, so why does he have to buy something he doesn’t need?
“The mine hasn’t had any serious incidents in several years, but Lazarus Xcavare is having his team check on every safety citation over the past forty-three years and going through the mine with a fine-tooth comb. I overhead Mr. Riverside’s attorney telling him that even though the contract was signed, any safety violations would make it null and void if they were found before the waiting period was up. That’s by five o’clock tomorrow afternoon.” Samuel raised his brow as a curious look crept across his face. “What’s got me puzzled is why he wants to buy Shiloh Ridge if he’s trying to get out of purchasing the mine? You wouldn’t happen to know, would you?” Samuel asked with a funny look in his eyes.