“That was nice of you,” Cara told him. “But you don’t even know if I deserve the position.”
“I can tell that you do.”
Instead of arguing that it wasn’t possible for him to simply tell, she bit into her apple again. Suddenly, she realized she forgot to respond to Ethan’s invitation, and she leaned forward to look down the wall. Rachel pulled out a set of earbuds and handed them to Ethan with a shake of her head. He laughed and rested his hand on Rachel’s knee.
Cara tensed and turned her attention back to Garren. Just because Ethan had opted for a look she wasn’t impressed with and was touching her best friend didn’t mean she had a right to judge him. She should be happy for Rachel.
As if in tune with Cara’s intuitive suspicions, Garren pointed to Ethan and said, “That one hangs out with a sketchy crowd. You should watch out for Rachel.”
“How do you know about Ethan’s crowd?”
“I’ve been around long enough to notice.”
Cara wasn’t surprised to hear a warning about Ethan, especially since he’d changed so much over the summer. But she was sorry, for Rachel’s sake, that her instincts had likely been correct.
She finished her apple as she and Garren sat in a comfortable cocoon of silence. Like the day before, Garren took her apple core and tucked it in his bag. They rose from the wall as Rachel rushed over, wearing a huge grin.
“See you two in journalism class,” Garren said, and headed toward the building.
Oddly, Rachel didn’t give Garren a second glance as they followed along behind him.
“You and Ethan looked pretty happy together.”
They entered the building and headed down the hall and around the corner to Rachel’s locker. “He’s cute, but he’s changed. Last year, I heard him one day after school playing this sweet, romantic music on his guitar. I figured he was the quiet, sensitive type. But just now he had me listen to some heavy stuff. It’s probably death rock.”
Rachel pulled a textbook from her locker and slammed the door. “Plus, I thought he was after you at first. He kept mentioning you and wanted you to sit with us.”
Cara frowned, but kept her mouth shut. Now didn’t seem like a good time to bring up Garren’s warning.
Rachel shook her head and linked arms with Cara as they walked down the hall. “But I was wrong. He wants to get together after school.”
“I was going to say, for someone who was after me, he sure touched you a lot.”
“You saw that?” Rachel covered her mouth with her hand, pretending to be embarrassed.
Cara knew better. “I was worried he was trying to poison you. What was he feeding you?”
Rachel wrinkled her nose. “Some weird organic crap that tastes like hell. He’s really big on it.”
“Gross. You should just say no.”
“I don’t want to put down his passions.”
“So are you interested in him or not?”
Rachel smiled softly. “Yes. He’s cute. And potentially sweet. He wants to introduce me to some of his friends tonight.”
“He’s already introducing you to his friends?”
“I think it’s romantic that he’s acting so serious about me so soon.”
“Just don’t swoon too hard over that death rock,” Cara teased.
Rachel elbowed her in the ribs.
Cara played hurt and winced.
Garren’s warning that she should watch out for Rachel chimed in her mind. “Be sure to watch out for yourself.”
Rachel rolled her eyes. “Yes, Mom.”
* * *
Cara sat between Rachel and Garren in the journalism classroom and took a few final deep breaths to slow her racing heart.
David turned from the whiteboard. “Congratulations to Cara Markwell for getting the most votes for this year’s editor spot.” His words were softer than the ones he’d spoken during class the day before.
Mr. Cutter clapped from the teacher’s desk. The rest of the class followed his lead.
David shared his lopsided smile with her. Their eyes met and her heart buoyed in the warm bath of energy that built up within her and flowed out toward him.
“Cara, please see me after class about getting started on the first newspaper issue.”
The class period dragged on. Cara hoped she pulled off the right balance between observing David and looking elsewhere. It was hard to turn her eyes away when she had such brief opportunities to admire him.
Finally, class ended. Mr. Cutter stood to write on the whiteboard. David took the teacher’s seat. Cara remained at her desk, and several students stopped to congratulate her. Garren was one of them. Surprisingly, Rachel was not. She was the first one out of the classroom. Ethan was probably waiting for her again.
A ball of jealousy flared up within Cara, but it died down when her eyes fell on David’s. She waited in her seat until the other students had left the classroom, then walked over to the teacher’s desk on rubbery legs.
David swiveled in his chair to face her, but avoided her eyes. “I’ve been reading the past newspaper issues, and there’s plenty of evidence that you’ve worked hard to earn the position. You’re the one I would’ve chosen for the editor spot no matter how the vote turned out, just so you know.”
“Thanks for saying so.”
Mr. Cutter paused to look over at them before he continued writing on the board.
David met her gaze, but abruptly looked away, then swung his chair back under the teacher’s desk and collected some papers. “I trust that you’re familiar with the editor’s duties, so I’ll leave things in your hands, unless you have questions. Garren has experience with layout and agreed to help with that. I’ll want to look everything over. But that should be the extent of my involvement.”
“Thanks for your support,” she said and walked off.
So much for working closely with him.
“Congratulations, Cara,” he called after her, sounding more like he was apologizing to her than praising her.
* * *
At home, the welcome aroma of sautéing vegetables wafted through the air and lured Cara into the kitchen.
Her apron-clad mom mixed chopped onion, celery, and carrots in a frying pan. She motioned with a wooden spoon for Cara to get started on the two palm-size heads of elephant garlic waiting on the cutting board.
“I thought we’d use one head for lentil soup and bread and save the other for our favorite snack later this week, if you don’t mind getting those ready to bake?”
“Sure.” Cara felt her mom’s eyes on her as she dumped her backpack by the nook and pulled an apron from a hook. “I got the editor position,” she said, tying on the apron. She pulled a knife from the block on the counter.
“I knew you would. Congratulations.” Her mom continued poking at the vegetables while peeking sideways at her. “You don’t look too happy about it. Is it because you’ll have to work with the student teacher?”
“Yeah, that’s gonna be weird. But David said he’s going to leave most of the work up to me and the new guy, Garren.” She cut the top off the first giant garlic head, then set it aside and grabbed the other.
“David?” Her mom put a hand on her hip. “You’re not calling a teacher by his first name at school, are you?”
Cara sawed the top off the second bunch of garlic. “No. I meant, Mr. Wilson.”
Her mom dumped the vegetables from the frying pan into a large pot of beans and broth on another burner. “I’m not trying to upset you. I just know that you wouldn’t want to jeopardize his job.”
“I wouldn’t do anything to hurt him.” Cara reached into the cupboard beneath her for the aluminum foil and ripped off a sheet.
“Who’s this new guy you mentioned?”
“His name’s Garren.” Cara set the garlic on the foil, grabbed a bottle of olive oil from the counter, and filled the heads.
“I actually met him at Liberty Charters the same day I met David.” She thought better of revealing that she
almost ran him over with her car. Her mom was unhappy enough about the scrape on her Civic. “I guess Garren has experience with layout. And he’s been eating lunch with me.”
Her mom stepped aside so she could fetch a cookie sheet from the small cupboard beside the oven.
“What do you think of Garren?” her mom asked, her eyes never moving from the mass she swirled around in the pot.
Cara didn’t want to give her mom the impression she was attracted to Garren, so she decided not to mention how good looking he was. “He acts sort of weird, old-fashioned or something.”
“That doesn’t sound so bad.”
“He’s really nice.” That seemed like an understatement. “And I’ll be glad to have help with the newspaper layout.”
“You’ll be spending a lot of time with him, then?”
“Maybe.”
“Sounds promising.” Her mom smiled at the soup.
Cara crushed ends of foil together to encase the garlic heads and placed the bundle on the cookie sheet. “It’s not promising.”
Her mom stopped stirring. “You’re not just saying that because you’re hung up on the student teacher?”
Cara opened the oven and shoved the cookie sheet onto the top rack. “No. I’m just not into Garren.” She shut the oven door and faced her mom. “But to be honest, yes, I am hung up on the student teacher.”
Her mom eyed her warily, then pulled her into a hug. “I know it must be hard, honey. But I’m glad you understand that you need to forget about him.”
Easier said than done.
TEN
Cara didn’t hear from Rachel Thursday night, although she’d expected an update on the Ethan situation. And Friday morning she didn’t find her at either of their lockers, where they usually met. Cara pulled out her phone and sent a text:
Didn’t see you this morning. Are you home? You still have to fill me in on how things went with Ethan’s friends.
Rachel never sent a return text. Cara wondered if she’d gotten sick. Until lunch hour came and Cara sat on the stone wall.
Another pervading fog wove through the campus. Rachel and Ethan had taken up their same spots from the day before. Ethan once again fed Rachel odd food, though Rachel ate and drank the offensive offerings with less of a grimace. She must be getting used to the stuff.
Cara figured Ethan was a health food addict or something. Although he sure didn’t look like one. She couldn’t remember him ever looking so pale, and his hair hung past his chin in limp¸ scraggly strands. His appearance had definitely taken a nosedive over the summer.
The only explanation Cara could think of for Rachel’s lack of communication was that her phone was broken, or missing. She was about to head over to ask Rachel about it, when Garren sat down beside her.
He took a red apple from his bag and offered it to her. It looked every bit as delicious as the apples he’d given her the past two days. She pulled a ham sandwich from her lunch sack and held it out for him. He shook his head.
“I’ve got more chips for you, too, if you’d rather have those,” she said, setting down a bag. She took half the sandwich from its plastic wrapping. “Take it. If I eat the apple, I’ll only be able to eat half of this anyway.”
“Deal.”
She accepted the apple, bit off a hunk, and let the juices flow across her tongue before she chewed and swallowed. “Where do you get these? They’re unbelievable.”
“A secret source.”
This kind of obscure answer was becoming typical for Garren.
“I’ll bring you an apple every day if you love them so much,” he said, and bit into the sandwich.
“I definitely won’t turn them down,” she said, and took another succulent bite.
“I see you’re keeping an eye on Rachel.”
Cara nodded. “Something’s not right with her. I’m not sure what it is, but she didn’t meet me this morning and she hasn’t been answering my text messages.”
“You should talk to her.”
“I will. But I don’t want to interrupt her time with her new boyfriend. If that’s what Ethan is.”
“You didn’t warn her about him.” Cara was glad that Garren didn’t sound accusatory. He did sound disappointed, however.
“I had hopes you two would be into each other.” She watched closely for his reaction.
“I’m not…” He looked up at the sky for a moment, then met her gaze. “… attracted to her.”
So he wasn’t attracted to Rachel—or to her, so it seemed. And she hadn’t seen him interact with any other girls, though he didn’t seem shy. Maybe he was gay and hadn’t felt comfortable pursuing relationships with any guys yet.
“Forcing things never works,” he said with a hint of frustration.
“I guess I’ll just have to keep trying to look out for her,” Cara said.
“She’s fortunate to have a friend like you.”
“I’m pretty fortunate to have her, too.”
Cara finished her apple. As was Garren’s peculiar habit, he took the core and deposited it in his bag, along with the bag of chips she handed him. As they sat together, swaddled in silence, Garren often glanced in Rachel and Ethan’s direction.
When lunch ended, Garren stood to wait while Cara stuffed her lunch sack and diet soda bottle in her backpack. She rose from the wall, and he walked with her as she headed toward Rachel and Ethan. As they drew near, Rachel’s and Ethan’s eyes narrowed.
“What’s going on, Rachel?” Cara stopped several steps farther back from her friend than usual.
Garren remained by Cara’s side. Rachel and Ethan backed up and scowled at him. Ethan slung an arm around Rachel’s shoulder and the two of them turned and stalked off.
“What’s your problem, Rachel?” Cara called out.
Rachel didn’t acknowledge her.
Cara pressed her lips together and held back the harsher words she wanted to let loose. In their two years of friendship, she’d seldom known Rachel to be quiet and she’d never known her to be rude. Also, it had only been a couple of days since Rachel had been interested in dating Garren.
Cara slapped on a smile and faced him.
He frowned at her. “You’re upset.”
She lost her fake grin and sighed.
He offered her his arm. The genteel gesture threw her off. She felt confident this was simply gentlemanly treatment, but from the stares of their fellow students, others didn’t find the interaction so casual. She didn’t mind if people thought she and Garren were involved, especially if it helped hide her attraction to David. Still, she wondered why Garren wouldn’t care.
She slipped her arm through his. “I’ll be fine.”
They walked toward the building and Garren kept her arm tucked in his. A breeze carried his scent over to her. She inhaled, absorbing the fragrance of what had to be a cologne—a fabulous one, reminding her of freshly dried laundry, lemon candy, and recently fallen rain. The pleasant smell put her at ease. She couldn’t imagine how Garren would put anyone off.
“Does Ethan have a problem with you?” she asked as Garren steered her into the building, then down a side hall.
“Most likely.” He didn’t sound aggravated about it. “Let’s hope he gets over it. Please don’t let it bother you.”
He said good-bye and left her at the door to her chemistry class.
Strange, he hadn’t walked with her after lunch before, and she couldn’t remember telling him where her class was.
* * *
Before journalism class, Cara hurried down the hall toward Rachel, who was heading to meet Ethan at his locker. Cara touched her shoulder, but Rachel didn’t stop. When Cara grabbed her forearm, Rachel spun around and faced her with a pinched, annoyed look.
“I’m busy.” Rachel’s words came out sounding like a hiss. She didn’t look Cara in the eyes.
“You and Ethan could have been more friendly to Garren at lunch.”
“Ethan has a bad feeling about him.”
“What
does that mean?”
“Garren creeps Ethan out. He makes me feel weird, too. Ethan wanted you to hang out with us, but not now.”
Knots of anger tightened in Cara’s chest. “Us? You and Ethan are an official couple now? Forget the fact that, as of yesterday, ‘us’ would have referred to you and me.”
“I hope Ethan and I are a couple.” Rachel’s words floated from her mouth, dreamlike. She headed off, leaving Cara standing alone in the middle of the hall.
Rachel stopped at Ethan’s locker. He slid an arm around her waist, and they walked in the opposite direction of the journalism classroom. Cara watched as they made their way down the hallway and out the exit.
Garren was clearly right about Ethan being a bad influence. Unfortunately, at this point, Cara doubted there was anything she could do to change Rachel’s mind about him. She’d just have to try to keep an eye on things.
* * *
Cara had hoped to get to journalism class early to talk to David. But after her run-in with Rachel, her nerves were worn ragged. She barely made it to class before the bell rang.
The other students were already seated. Mr. Cutter sat at the teacher’s desk with his laptop, and David stood at the whiteboard completing his lesson plan. Garren gave her a sympathetic smile as she slunk over to her seat.
After class, she remained at her desk as the other students streamed out of the room, happy to be free for the weekend. Mr. Cutter remained at the teacher’s desk, eyeing her every few seconds. David slowly walked over and sat sideways in Garren’s seat. She shifted around in her chair to face him, and their knees nearly touched.
He stared down at their legs. His chair scraped against the floor as he angled away. “Did you need something from me?”
Her heart pounded so hard she worried he could see it through her blouse. She quit fussing with her sleeves and crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m planning to write a ‘new teacher feature’ for the first newspaper issue.”
She knew her mom was right that she needed to put David behind her. But she couldn’t resist a school-approved way to get to know him better and to spend time with him. “I’m hoping you’ll be available for an interview, maybe Monday after school?”
He hesitated.
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