In the Middle of Nowhere

by Julie Ann Knudsen

  Connor spoke first. “Hey! What’s up, Willow?” He smiled and waved. “Nice to meet you.”

  “Nice to meet you, too.” I said. Nice to meet you, I thought to myself. I’ve been in the same school with you for the past five months, traveled the same crowded hallways, dined in the same stinky lunchroom and even had a mutual friend, Tessa, in common, and he was pleased to meet me? Whatever. On second thought, I was okay with it and wished the circumstances were the same for my familiarity with Rocky.

  Rocky gave me a nod. “How’s it goin’?”

  I smiled. “Good.”

  I hated to admit it, but Rocky looked hotter than ever and Connor wasn’t actually as ugly as I had thought. Freckle-faced Connor seemed friendly and outgoing, which kind of made him seem cuter and less gangly. They both had on long-sleeved polos and cool, tight jeans.

  Tessa plopped down on the couch across from me and Rocky and Connor on either side of her.

  “Whatta ya gals watching?” Connor asked.

  “We just rented Beach Bums,” Tessa answered.

  “That movie was hysterical,” Connor said, “and you know what made it even funnier?” Connor looked at Tessa and then over at me. We both shook our heads.

  “What?” Tessa playfully whacked him in the arm. “The suspense is killing me.”

  Connor reached into his coat pocket and pulled out something that looked like a cigarette, a big, fat homemade cigarette. It took a minute for my mind to register what he was holding. Tessa grabbed it and smelled it.

  “Is it good shit?”

  Connor smiled. “The best shit. Ask Rocky.”

  Rocky nodded. “Yeah. It’s pretty good.”

  Tessa popped up. “Hold on. Let me get my lighter.” Tessa raced into the kitchen, quickly grabbed her lighter and pack of cigarettes off the island and joined us.

  “Who wants the first hit?” Tessa offered.

  Connor motioned to her. “Be my guest.”

  Tessa lit the joint and inhaled deeply. Connor moved closer to her and she blew the smoke into his mouth. They both chuckled. Connor took the joint from her, took a long, deep drag and held his breath. Tessa leaned toward Connor and she took in his expelled smoke. They kissed afterward.

  Connor turned toward Rocky, “Waste not, want not.”

  Rocky took the joint. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

  Connor laughed. “Forget it. Just toke, man.”

  Rocky took a drag and held his breath. Oh my God! What was I going to do? I assumed he was going to pass it to me next. I had never smoked pot in my life, let alone been in the same room with people who were getting high off of it. The next thing I knew, Rocky stood up and handed me the joint.

  I didn’t know what to do! I had one of two choices. I could pass it along to Tessa and give a, “No thanks, not my thing” response and come off like a complete and total nerd or I could just take the joint, mimic how the rest of them smoked the damn thing and hope for the best.

  I quickly realized I didn’t have the luxury of time on my side in order to make such a decision, when I looked up and found all three of them staring at me. Before I knew it, I sucked on the slimy, wet joint and held the foul tasting smoke in my lungs right before I spewed it into the middle of the room, ending the whole fiasco in a raging, coughing fit.

  • • •

  “You okay?” Tessa asked, genuinely concerned for my well-being.

  Once I finished choking, I answered. “Yeah. I’m fine.”

  “You’ve never smoked before, have you, Willow?” Tessa asked as she smiled wryly and took another drag.

  I hated being put on the spot, especially with three pairs of ears waiting for a response. I didn’t want to lie, but I also didn’t want to admit that I had never smoked marijuana before, especially in front of the uber-cool Connor and Rocky.

  Thankfully Tessa didn’t insist upon an answer from me and instead turned toward Connor and transferred her magical exhaust into his mouth.

  Since I didn’t feel any differently after taking that first hit, I decided to take another one, hoping that it wouldn’t have any effect on me the second time around. Plus, I wanted to play it cool and not let the others think that I was totally inexperienced when it came to drugs.

  I inhaled, held my breath and exhaled slowly this time, luckily, without coughing up a lung.

  I passed the joint to Tessa. As I went to sit back down, I almost fell over. I suddenly felt dizzy and all the noises in the room became magnified. Between the ticking clock and Tessa’s giggles, I felt like my eardrums were going to explode. When I looked at Rocky and Connor, they seemed to be moving in slow motion. I got scared for a minute because I was lucid enough to connect the dots in my drug-affected brain and realize that I was, in fact, high.

  Connor moved his hands rapidly in front of Tessa’s face, which made her recoil in fear. Connor and Rocky started laughing. I chuckled. Tessa looked so silly being afraid of Connor’s quick, yet slow hand movements.

  “Stop it, Connor!” Tessa shouted in slow motion.

  Connor did it again. Tessa got up and ran down the hallway toward the area that Jaques had come from the first time I visited their house. Maybe she went to confer with her brother, the drug expert, in his cave or maybe she went to use a bathroom somewhere. Either way, I could honestly say I didn’t care where Tessa went.

  Connor and Rocky burst out laughing again. I couldn’t control myself. I did, too! The whole scene was absurd and I finally relaxed and put my feet up again. I took the longest hit when Rocky handed it off to me for the third time. As I held the THC-filled smoke in my lungs, I nodded and thought to myself, this really was good shit.

  CHAPTER

  THIRTY

  Tessa finally joined the three of us. By the time she did, Connor had already raided her food pantry and popped us some popcorn. Rocky started the movie Tessa rented and the three of us sat there and laughed like a bunch of hyenas.

  Tessa stood directly in front of Connor and pouted. “Why didn’t you wait for me?”

  Connor looked up at her and pulled her onto his lap. “Sorry, babe. We didn’t know what the hell happened to you.”

  “You could’ve come and looked for me,” Tessa said as she rested her head on Connor’s shoulder.

  Connor was sidetracked by a funny part in the movie and chortled. Unfortunately, unlike the rest of us, Tessa was not amused.

  She stood. “Stop watching that, Connor!” she demanded.

  “What?! Why?”

  I could see Tessa thinking. She softened. “’Cause I want to show you that new thing I bought that’s upstairs in my room.”

  Tessa now had Connor’s undivided attention. Connor sprang up and looked her in the eyes. “Show me.”

  Tessa took his hand and they walked away.

  I was quite embarrassed because I could just imagine where they were going and what they would be doing once they got there. I looked over toward Rocky who rested easily on the sofa as he ate popcorn and sipped a soda. He was really into the movie and kept laughing all by himself.

  I was still thirsty so I got up and went into the kitchen. I opened the fridge and searched for something to drink. I didn’t want another soda, so I settled on a water bottle. As I closed the fridge and turned around, I bumped right into Rocky, actually into his hard, muscular chest.

  He was much taller than I, so I had to look up at him.

  “What are you doing?” he asked.

  I showed him the water. “Just getting a drink.”

  “Why’d you leave me?”

  I was confused and didn’t understand what he meant. “Leave you? You were watching the movie and I was thirsty.”

  Rocky put both his hands on my waist and whispered. “You’re cute. You know that?”

  Nervously I looked around the kitchen, hoping that somebody, anybody would walk into the room and interrupt the awkward moment. I even said a quick prayer that Jaques would suddenly appear.

  No one came. Rocky closed hi
s eyes and bent forward to kiss me. Before his lips could reach mine, I ducked and briskly walked away from him, straight into the family room.

  I sat on the couch and remained rigid, hoping that Rocky would take a hint and not sit anywhere near me. He sauntered in and did exactly what I dreaded. Not only did Rocky sit next to me, he practically sat on top of me. I stared at the TV and pretended he wasn’t there. Pretending didn’t help for very long as Rocky’s hand crept onto my thigh and started rubbing it.

  “Hey. What’s wrong? I just wanted to kiss you.”

  My heart started beating so rapidly, I thought it would pop out of my chest. I wasn’t high anymore and didn’t know how to respond.

  “Uh, uh,” I stuttered as I continued watching TV. “I’m flattered, but—“

  “Yum!” someone shouted. “Something smells good out here.”

  Rocky and I turned to the left and saw Jaques entering from the hallway where he spent most of his time hibernating.

  “You guys got any left?”

  Jaques stopped near Rocky and me and waved. “Hey, man. What’s up? I’m Tessa’s brother, Jaques. And you?”

  Rocky stuck out his hand to shake, thankfully the same hand that had been rubbing my leg. “I’m Rocky.”

  The guys shook. “Cool,” Jaques said and stared at me as if waiting for my name, too.

  “We’ve already met,” I said. “A couple of times actually.”

  Except for the pupils, Jaques’s eyes were completely red. He was as high as a kite and I wasn’t surprised. He smiled as he remembered. “Yeah, that’s right. Holly, right? Your name is Holly?”

  Rocky chuckled next to me. I couldn’t help myself and giggled, too. I put on my most serious face and smiled up at Tessa’s baked brother. “Yes, you’re right. My name is Holly.”

  • • •

  I wasn’t insulted that Jaques didn’t remember my name. At least my prayers were answered when he came in and he stopped Rocky from making any more moves on me.

  I couldn’t believe I actually thwarted “The God’s” attempt at seducing me. The hottest boy in school wanted to kiss me and I actually stopped him dead in his tracks. I’m sure he was flabbergasted that a little ole sophomore like me didn’t want to get to first base with a big, manly senior like himself.

  A part of me almost wished that I was still on speaking terms with Erica and Taylor. Their heads would spin with this latest tale. I wouldn’t be surprised if they didn’t believe a word of it.

  Jaques ate the rest of the popcorn and watched the movie with Rocky and me. Jaques laughed at every joke, even the ones that weren’t funny. But, because he was there, Rocky didn’t try to get to any base with me. I never thought I’d be so happy to be in the presence of crazy Jaques, but I was.

  The movie was almost over when Tessa and Connor decided to come back downstairs and join us. Connor was disheveled.

  “Come on, guys,” she said. “Connor and I wanna go to the store to get some beer.”

  Jaques stood up and fished for his wallet. “Hey, can you dudes bring me back some if I pay for all of it?”

  Connor’s green eyes got big. “Sure!”

  Jaques handed Connor a wad of bills.

  “Thanks, man,” Connor said.

  “No, thank you,” Jaques said before he bowed to Connor, as if he were addressing royalty.

  Tessa rolled her eyes. Rocky and I stood and followed her and Connor into the hallway and toward the foyer.

  When we reached the front door, Rocky leaned over and whispered to me, “Her brother is the weirdest dude I’ve ever met.”

  I looked up at him and smiled. “Tell me about it!”

  • • •

  Connor drove us in his parents’ Lexus to the same convenience store where I had caught Brian, or his identical twin brother, earlier in a compromising situation with another woman. I did realize, though, that I’d have to investigate further before I could make any accusations against him.

  Tessa sat in the front with Connor, Rocky and I in the back. Rocky ran inside to buy the beer, even though both he and Connor had fake IDs.

  Rocky came out with two twenty packs of beer.

  “Who the heck’s gonna drink all that?” I asked.

  “You don’t know these two,” Tessa said as she turned toward Connor and ran her fingers through his hair.

  “Plus, we gotta bring some back to Jaques,” Connor added.

  Rocky climbed in back with the beer, ripped open the cardboard and handed one to Connor. He popped open a can for himself and asked Tessa and me if we wanted one.

  “No thanks,” we both said in unison.

  Tessa leaned over to Connor. “Let’s take a drive. I don’t want to go back to my house right away.”

  “Doesn’t Jaques want his beer? He did pay for it.”

  Tessa got annoyed. “Did my brother look like he needed beer? He’s probably passed out by now.”

  “Where do you wanna go then?” Connor asked.

  “I don’t care.” Tessa turned to Rocky and me. “Do you guys have any suggestions?”

  I shook my head.

  “Where’s there to go?” Rocky asked.

  With no real purpose or direction, we headed south on Webster Avenue. I was concerned because Connor started on his second beer as he drove. That’s one thing I wasn’t cool with, drinking and driving, but I didn’t want to seem like a total geek by saying so. Instead, I kept my eyes peeled to the darkened road in front of us in case Connor became impaired.

  Finally we slowed and pulled into a parking lot. At first I didn’t recognize where we were, but I then realized we were at the only elementary school on the island, my brother’s, called Orchard, where my mother just happened to work. Connor killed the headlights.

  “Why are we here?” Tessa wanted to know.

  Connor shrugged. “Where else can we go? It’s freezing.”

  “Again, so why are we here, if we’re not going to play outside on the swings?” I could hear the annoyance in Tessa’s tone.

  Connor turned toward Tessa and the two of us in back. He sipped his beer. “I happen to know a way to get into the school, even though it’s locked.”

  Rocky finished his beer, crushed the aluminum can in his hand and threw it on the floor. “Didn’t you and some other guys do this a few years ago and get busted?”

  Connor smiled. “Yeah, but I was stupid back then and have learned never to make the same mistake twice.”

  “I’m game. Let’s go,” Rocky said as he opened his door, grabbed the case of beer and climbed out. Connor addressed Tessa and me. “You two gonna come?”

  Tessa looked at me and shrugged. “Sure. What the hell else are we gonna do besides freeze our asses off out here?”

  Connor got out and Tessa followed. I sat there for a moment, frozen, not from the cold, harsh temperatures that now permeated the car, but from the fear of what we were about to do. I just knew in my gut that nothing good would come of it.

  As I sat there and contemplated my next move, I could see their three shadowy figures off in the distance, getting smaller and less visible. I was scared to go, but even more scared to stay alone in the car, in the middle of the dark and desolate parking lot.

  Against my better judgment, I left the safety of the car and followed them into the night and into the worst decision of my life.

  CHAPTER

  THIRTY-ONE

  I started to get spooked the minute I left the Lexus. I could swear someone was following me so I ran as fast as I could, actually sprinted, in order the catch up with Tessa and the boys. I never realized how fast I was able to run and contemplated signing up for the track team, once the spring sports season rolled around.

  I found the three of them behind the school. When I reached them, Connor had already removed a small metal door from its hinges with a pocketknife. He stuck the knife in his jeans, put the door to the side and crawled through it. Rocky and Tessa followed him and I did, too. It was freezing outside and I was glad to be anyw
here that was heated.

  When I stood up, I brushed off my knees and saw that we were inside a small janitor’s room. Brooms, mops and feather dusters hung from the walls. I couldn’t imagine what purpose the little metal door served, but I didn’t care enough to ask anyone either.

  Connor opened another door, which led to a darkened hallway, and looked both ways before entering it. He used the flashlight app on his cell phone as a guide so we wouldn’t trip and kill ourselves as we followed him. The four of us looked like a troop of Boy Scouts on their first camping trip.

  We reached the school’s gymnasium and walked inside. Connor left us for a second and switched on the lights.

  “Give me one,” Tessa said to Rocky. He handed her a beer.

  Rocky turned to me. “You sure you don’t want one? We got plenty.”

  I put my hand up and shook my head. “I’m good, thanks.”

  Connor grabbed a beer, walked toward the wall, grabbed a cord and pulled down a hinged lunch table that was folded up inside its own little alcove.

  Connor sat at the rectangular table and we joined him. Tessa sipped her beer and looked at Connor. “Now what?”

  “What do you mean, now what? You said you didn’t want to go back to your house. Where else did you want to go?” Connor was definitely irritated.

  We all just sat there and looked at each other. The three of them drank their beer while I fiddled with my phone. I checked to see if I had any new texts. Not one.

  Connor piped up. “Rocky, tell them about the time you drank so much, you went skinny dipping in the principal’s pool.”

  Rocky chuckled as he remembered.

  “Which principal, which pool?” Tessa asked.

  “The principal at this school, um …” Connor thought. “Mr. Roberts, I think.”

  I shook my head in confusion. “Brian Roberts?”

  “Yeah, I think that’s him,” Connor said and took a swig. “Tall dude. You know him?”

  “Maybe, but he’s a fifth grade teacher not the principal. Mr. Woods is.”

  “Well, he used to be the principal here three years ago when Rocky decided to do a belly flop in his pool at two o’clock in the morning,” Connor laughed.