I laughed. “Hopefully I’ll get my driver’s license one of these days. But really, you don’t need to give us a ride.”
A short time later Billy and I were walking hand-in-hand away from Rochelle’s house.
“Do you know how to get home from here?” he asked, doubt clear on his face.
I laughed at his expression. “I know I have no sense of direction, but believe it or not, I’m kind of familiar with this area. I spent some time here when I first arrived in your world when I was looking for my family.”
“Okay, then I guess I’m safe in your hands.”
“Yes, you are.”
“What did your mom really say?” he asked after a moment.
“She understood, and she said Amy is doing the PSA in my place.”
“I’ll bet Amy was happy about that.”
“I’m sure she was, but my mom said my dad was mad at me for running out.”
Billy looked at me. “Then he must not really believe our story.”
Between Dad’s attitude over the SlenderBars ad campaign, and the fact that he was mad that I didn’t go through with the PSA, it sure seemed that way. “I think you’re right.”
We were quiet as we walked, and I thought about the car I’d seen at school and that had driven past Billy’s house, and decided he had a right to know. “Billy, I have to tell you something.”
Chapter 42
Billy
The tone of Morgan’s voice got my attention—worry, guilt, and fear all conveyed in one sentence. “What’s wrong?” I asked as I gazed at her, the girl I’d declared my love for that very day.
The memory made me smile, but the look on her face brought on a feeling of apprehension.
“I saw a car,” she said.
I glanced around, and for half a second it felt like we were back in my world, on the run from the Enforcers. “Where?”
“Not here,” she said. “At the school. And at your house.”
A feeling of frustration swept over me. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, Morgan.”
She sighed. “Okay. On Monday after school when we were leaving, I saw a car in the school parking lot that looked familiar. And then on Wednesday I saw it again, driving past your house.”
“What car? What looked familiar about it?”
“It was a white Toyota Corolla.”
She stared at me, like she expected me to know the significance of her statement. And then I did. “Was it my parents? Were they in the car?” My heart thumped painfully in my chest. I wasn’t sure if it was from excitement that my parents were trying to find me, or if it was from terror that they would find me.
“I couldn’t see who was driving,” she said. “But there was only the driver in the car. At least when it drove by your house. And Billy . . .” She paused. “The car slowed down when it went past your house.”
“Are you sure?” This wasn’t something I wanted to speculate about. It was too important. “Are you sure it was them?”
She shook her head. “No, that’s the problem. That’s why I didn’t say anything before. I mean, it’s a white car. There are tons of those around.”
What was she doing to me? “Then why tell me? I mean, if there are so many of them out there, what made you even notice that car?”
“Well,” she said as she considered my question, “I guess it just caught my eye. I mean, there weren’t that many cars in the parking lot at school Monday afternoon since it was after detention. But the thing that really made me pay attention was when I saw what looked like the same car drive past your house right after we got there on Wednesday. And then when it seemed to slow down as it passed your house . . .” She shrugged. “I just thought you should know, that’s all.”
There was so much uncertainty in what she’d seen that I half-wished she hadn’t told me. For one thing, there was nothing I could do about it. Two, I had no way to verify for myself what she’d seen. And, three, even if I could, then what? “Thanks for telling me,” I said.
“I should have told you sooner.”
“That’s okay. I mean, there’s not much to tell. It could have been anyone, really.” And I kind of hoped it was—anyone but my parents, that is. What would it mean if they were trying to find me? What would be going through their minds? They’d buried their son a few months ago. Who was I to them?
“We’ll have to catch the bus to get to my house,” Morgan said as we walked through the downtown area.
We sat on the bench next to the bus stop, and as we waited we talked about things other than PSA’s, alternate worlds, government control, and my parents maybe trying to find me.
When we got to Morgan’s house, no one was home.
“I guess Amy and my dad are still with Holly,” Morgan said. “And my mom must be at the boys’ soccer game.”
Morgan fixed us something to eat, and when Amy and her dad got home, Amy’s face was flushed and she wore a huge smile.
“I’m in another commercial,” she sang out as she danced toward us.
“That’s great,” Morgan said, but I could tell by the tone of her voice that she didn’t mean it.
“It was pretty embarrassing to have to face Holly,” her dad said. “Luckily, she’s a professional and she went on with Amy without missing a beat.”
“Like I told Mom,” Morgan said, “I’m really sorry. I should never have agreed to do the PSA in the first place.”
“No,” her dad said. “You shouldn’t have. It makes you look bad, and by extension it makes your mother and me look bad.”
Morgan’s shoulders sagged, and I knew she felt terrible about this. I’d been there. I’d seen the way she’d frozen. I knew she wasn’t faking it, or trying to get attention, or anything like that. She truly believed in what she was doing, and I admired her for standing by her principles.
“Well, it worked out for me,” Amy said, her face practically glowing. “I have to call Cassie.” Then she left Morgan, her dad, and me alone.
Morgan’s dad turned to me. “I understand you were there, Billy.” He glanced at Morgan before settling his gaze on me. “What happened?”
I looked at Morgan, hoping to get her approval, but she was staring at the floor.
“It’s not her fault,” I said. “She was all set to do it, but she couldn’t say those things.” I looked at her dad with intensity. “After what she went through? How could anyone say those things?”
His eyebrows pulled together. “Sometimes we have to do things, even if we don’t want to.”
“And sometimes we have to stand up for what we believe in,” Morgan said, her gaze on her dad. “Isn’t that what you taught me?”
His eyes met hers. “Yes, of course.” They stared at each other for a moment, but her dad looked away first. “I have some work to do.”
“Thanks for defending me,” Morgan said to me after her dad walked away.
Glad she wasn’t mad at me, I smiled. “I just told the truth.”
“Yeah, well, sometimes he has to hear it from someone besides me.”
When school got out on Monday, I walked out of the building with Morgan, all the while keeping an eye out for the white car that she’d seen twice the week before. Even as we boarded the bus and left the parking lot, I looked at every car in the area, on high alert for anyone who looked even vaguely like my parents.
“Are you okay?” Morgan asked as she touched my arm, making me jump.
“Yeah,” I said, barely glancing at her, my gaze glued to the window. “Just looking for . . .” I glanced at her again. “Well, a certain white car.”
“Oh.” Her head swiveled toward the window. “Good idea.”
We made it to my stop without seeing any suspicious cars, and we both got off and went into Tasco’s house. I dropped my backpack on the floor and went right to the window, keeping watch.
Morgan stood next to me. “Is Tasco still working on that SlenderBars campaign?”
“As far as I know.” I laughed. “After I told
him how much I hate power bars, he hasn’t asked me to look at his progress though.” I turned to her. “What about your dad?”
“Yeah, he’s still working on it too. I guess they have a presentation to the president of the company in a couple of days. He seems kind of stressed about it.”
I turned back to staring out the window. “So you haven’t heard anything about switching to another school?”
“Not yet,” she said.
Tasco’s street wasn’t very busy, and after a while I was ready to give up watching for a white car that may or may not drive by.
Chapter 43
Morgan
Watching Billy obsess over any and all cars that passed his house made me regret telling him about the car I’d seen. It was probably nothing, and now he was worrying about it. “Let’s do something else,” I said.
He turned to me with a smirk. “You mean besides staring at my street?”
I laughed. “Yeah. I have homework to do.” Even if I was going to have to change schools—and the thought terrified me—I didn’t want to take a chance on getting behind on my homework. What if Mr. Cunningham relented and let me stay? I wanted to prove I was a good student.
“Yeah, me too.”
Settling onto the couch, we pulled out our books, then got to work.
Half an hour later someone knocked on the front door. Eyes wide, Billy looked at me, then got up and walked toward the door. I jumped up and followed him, curious who it could be, and got there just in time to see my mom standing on the porch.
“Mom?”
“Morgan,” she said, looking around Billy’s shoulder. “Mr. Cunningham called and asked that we meet with him right away.”
My heart started to pound. This is it. He’s going to make me leave Fox Run. “Did he say why?”
Dismay filled her eyes. “I think we both know why.”
My hand automatically sought Billy’s, and his fingers intertwined with mine.
“Get your stuff and come with me,” she said.
I knew I had no choice—I’d already made my choice when I ran out on Holly at Saturday’s filming. Without a word, I went back into the living room and gathered my books. Billy and Mom followed me.
“Maybe you can talk him out of it,” Billy said.
I zipped up my backpack and hoisted it over my shoulder. “You know he won’t agree.”
“It’s worth a try,” Mom said.
I gave her a half-hearted smile, then turned to Billy. “I’ll call you later.”
“Okay.” After giving me a hug, he released me. “You have to do what you think is right.”
I nodded, then followed Mom out to her car.
“What about Dad?” I asked as we drove towards the school. “Shouldn’t he be here?”
“He couldn’t get away from work.” She glanced at me. “He’s getting ready for that big presentation, you know.”
“Yeah. I know.”
Ten minutes later we walked into Mr. Cunningham’s office.
“Mrs. Campbell,” he said with a smile. “Please come in.” Ignoring me as I sat next to Mom in one of the chairs by his desk, Mr. Cunningham sat in his chair. “Now, I think we all know what we’re here to discuss.” He finally looked at me. “I’m very disappointed that you didn’t follow through on doing the PSA, Morgan.”
Sure you are. Now you’ll have an excuse to kick me out of your school and make me someone else’s problem.
“Regardless,” he went on, “there are consequences.”
“Mr. Cunningham,” Mom said. “I feel very strongly that it would be in Morgan’s best interest for her to continue attending school here. And I know we all want to do what’s in Morgan’s best interest.”
Good one, Mom. But when I looked at the principal’s face his lips had puckered as if he’d smelled something sour. Clearly, he wanted to do what was in his best interest.
“I understand, Mrs. Campbell. However, arrangements have already been made, and Morgan will begin attending Brightwood High School tomorrow.”
“What?” I cried out, not able to believe things were moving this quickly.
Mom placed her hand on my arm as she focused on Mr. Cunningham. “I want you to know that my husband and I strongly object to this.”
“I understand, Mrs. Campbell. Nevertheless, Morgan had a choice, and this is what she ultimately chose.”
I’ll do the stupid PSA, I nearly blurted, but then Billy’s words came to mind. You have to do what you think is right. As difficult as it would be to change schools, I couldn’t support the messages of the PSAs that Holly’s group were doing. “It’s fine,” I said, surprising everyone, including myself. To emphasize that this didn’t hurt me, I added, “It’s no big deal. In fact,” I added, “it will be a chance for me to meet more people.” And get their support to end the government control. Unexpected as it was, I suddenly really liked the idea of switching schools. It would give me a new place to preach my message.
I turned to Mom with a smile, and it was genuine. “I just need to get my stuff out of my locker.”
“Wait a minute,” she said, then she looked at Mr. Cunningham. “How is Morgan supposed to get to this school? It’s twenty miles from our house.”
“That will be up to you, Mrs. Campbell.”
Mom sighed, obviously feeling defeated.
“Now,” he said. “I have to tell you that at the end of this school year you can apply to return to Fox Run.”
“Unless I like it better at Brightwood,” I said.
“Of course,” he agreed, then he looked at Mom. “You’ll just need to check her in at the office in the morning, and the staff will take it from there.”
It didn’t take long for me to clean out my locker, and after dropping my textbooks off with Mr. Cunningham, Mom and I headed home.
“Why the change of heart?” Mom asked. “Wouldn’t you rather stay at Fox Run?”
“Well, yeah. But I’m trying to look at the positive side of things. At Brightwood I’ll be able to tell more kids to opt-out of the monthly weigh-ins. You know, get more support.”
“Huh.” Mom turned to me with a smile. “You’re becoming quite the activist.”
“You’re just noticing now?”
She laughed. “No. But it just seems more apparent.” She paused. “I’m proud of you, sweetheart.”
“Thanks.” Her words of praise boosted me even more, and I found myself looking forward to the next day.
Dad was less supportive of my positive attitude.
“How can you be so casual about this, Morgan?” he asked. “First you don’t follow through on your commitment to do the PSA, and now you act like it’s no big deal to change to a different school. A school that your mother will have to drive you to each day. And pick you up. That’s going to be a real inconvenience for her.”
“Steve,” Mom said in a calm voice. “It’s okay.”
He frowned at her. “No, it’s not. She’s been selfish, and now you’re paying the price.”
“I tried to do the PSA,” I said, wanting to defend myself. “But I couldn’t spout their message in good conscience.”
Dad stared at me with a look that said he was trying to understand me. “I just hope you can make it work at this school.” His eyes narrowed. “I don’t want to have to go through this again at your new school.”
“Neither do I.” And I meant it. Maybe I’ll give myself a little time to fly under the radar before I start telling people about the opt-out, I decided.
After Dad finished his lecture, I called Billy.
“So it’s really happening?” he asked.
“Looks like it.”
“At least it’s better than being locked up in Camp Willowmoss.” He laughed. “Some people might think you were getting off easy.”
“Yeah, if they lived in your world,” I said with a frown.
We talked for a while longer, with me promising to call him the moment I got home the next day.
Chapter 44
&nbs
p; Morgan
“Welcome to Brightwood High School,” the woman behind the counter said to me as Mom signed the paperwork to enroll me.
“Thanks.” I forced a smile on my face as I glanced at the people around me. The optimism I’d felt the day before had completely deserted me, and now I was feeling mild panic. Nothing like the panic I’d had when I’d first gotten to Camp Willowmoss, but panic nonetheless.
“We have a student volunteer who will show you around,” the woman said as she handed me my schedule.
“Great.”
“Jen?” The woman called out.
A girl with spiky blond hair walked over to the woman, then glanced at me.
“Jen, this is Morgan. She’s new here and needs you to show her around.”
I flashed back to my first hours at Camp Willowmoss and Kiera, the girl with spiky magenta hair. I’d certainly had more than my share of being shown around new places.
“Hey,” Jen said.
“Hi.”
“Okay,” Mom said. “I’ll be back to pick you up at the end of the day.”
“Thanks.” I gave her a quick hug, then watched her leave.
“Let me see your schedule,” Jen said, and I handed it to her. She looked it over, then handed it back. “I’ll take you to your first class and show you some other stuff along the way.”
“Okay.”
“Where are you from?” she asked as we walked out of the office.
Not sure how much I wanted to share about myself, I kept my answer simple. “Fox Run.”
She glanced at me with a puzzled look. “Isn’t Brightwood a little far for you to go?”
“I guess.”
She pointed down a short hall. “There’s a girl’s bathroom down there.” A moment later we walked past a common area. “This is where we have lunch.”
“Okay.”
“Hello, Jen,” a man said as he walked towards us.
“Hi,” she said cheerfully.
After (Parallel Series, Book 4) Page 18