by B.M. Green
Chapter 14
The first week of school had come and gone, and the second week was almost finished.
“So, whadya do today?” Zeke climbed onto a thin wall and balanced himself as he continued walking along side Holidee. Holidee watched him and laughed.
“I hope you fall.”
“Now you don’t really mean that, do you?”
“Yes.” Zeke jumped off of the wall.
“I know you’re kidding.”
“How’s that?” Zeke grabbed her arm and stopped her.
“I just know.” He got closer to her. “Did anyone ever tell you how beautiful you are?” Holidee’s eyes slowly looked up into his. Zeke’s hand slid up into Holidee’s hair. “You truly are amazing.” Zeke leaned down to kiss Holidee, but she quickly turned her head before their lips touched.
“I’m sorry.” Zeke closed his eyes and then opened them to look at the back of her head. She started walking again.
“Holidee.” She kept walking. “Holidee, wait.” A little faster. “Holidee, stop!” Zeke caught up with her and turned her so that she faced him. “You don’t have to be sorry. If anything, I should be the one who’s sorry. Look,” Holidee looked at him. “a bunch of us are gettin’ together at the pool. Why don’t I pick you up and we can join them. Huh? Whadaya say?”
“I don’t know, Zeke. I don’t quite fit in with your type. You and I both know that.”
“C’mon Holidee. I want you to go. It doesn’t matter what other people think. All that matters is what I think. And I think that you and I were…”
“Were what?” Zeke smiled.
“Were meant to go to the pool together.” Holidee smiled and playfully hit Zeke in the chest.
“Alright. I’ll go. But I won’t enjoy it.”
“Yes, you will.” Holidee smiled. “I’ll pick you up in twenty minutes.”
“So who’s this mystery girl Zeke’s been hangin’ with?”
“I don’t know. Bet she’s from another school.”
“Probably. How else has he been keepin’ it under wraps?”
“Well, I heard she just moved here from California.”
“Really? ‘Cause I heard she’s lived here her whole life but has been home-schooled.”
“And I heard that she dropped out of school.”
“Yeah, right.”
“Zeke would never go for a girl like that.”
“I don’t know. He hasn’t gone for any other girl either.”
“True.”
“Still…”
“Will you guys shut it?” Everyone turned to look at Tom, who had his feet hanging over the side of the pool. He had his bowie knife in a sheaf attached to his leg by Velcro.
“Okay, tough guy, who do you think she is?”
“I think she’s a nice girl.”
“How would you know?”
“Cuz I’ve met her.” All of them became interested real fast.
“You’ve met her?”
“You know who she is?”
“Yeah. Big deal.”
“Yeah, it is a big deal. Zeke hasn’t had a girlfriend his whole high school life!”
“Guys, guys. C’mon now. Let up a little.” It was Rip who was talking. He and Rebekah had been quiet the whole time. But they, too, were curious about who the girl was. “We’ll all meet her in a few. So give my buddy, Tom, here, a break.” Tom looked at Rip and then back at the water. Out of everyone in his school, besides Zeke, Rip and Rebekah were probably the only two people he kind’ve liked. They were alright.
A car rumbled up the driveway, and everyone knew it was Zeke. Zeke and some girl.
Zeke shut off the car engine and got out. He grabbed his towel and then walked over to the other side of the car and opened the door for Holidee. She smiled at him and got out.
“Thanks.”
“No problem.”
“So whose pool is this?”
“Mine.”
“Yours?”
“Well, it’s my dad’s house.”
“Cool. Do you have a lot of pool parties?”
“Just every now and then. Not big ones though. Just a few friends.”
“Tom?”
“Yep. Tom’s always here. Then there are some football guys. Sometimes they bring their girlfriends. Then there are just girls. Usually friends, if not the girlfriends, of the guys.”
“Sounds like fun.”
“It is. I think you’ll like them. They’re pretty cool.”
“I hope so.” Zeke led Holidee around back and opened the gate to the pool for her. She walked onto the patio and saw about eight people looking at her. Zeke followed her inside and smiled.
“Hey guys! Start the party without us?”
“No way, man! It’s not a party without you.” They laughed. One of the guys walked over and did a handshake with Zeke. There were four guys and four girls, not including Zeke and Holidee. One girl was lying on a raft, sun tanning. Another girl was sitting on the edge of the pool. The other two girls were laying on beach chairs, sun tanning. Holidee saw Tom sitting on the edge of the pool. She also saw a guy leaning against the side of the pool beside Tom. It was Rip.
“Holidee, that’s Trish and Amy.” The two girls lying out on chairs waved. “That’s Kristie.” The girl sitting on the edge of the pool looked over at them. “That’s Rebekah.” Holidee smiled. She was laying on the floaty. “You already know Tom. Beside him is Rip.” He smiled and waved at her. “And the other two are Jack and Ty.” Jack and Ty were both muscular to the point that they could pass as bodyguards or bouncers. Jack had a rougher look than Ty. Ty looked more sweet and gentle. He had crystal blue eyes. Jack had deep brown eyes. “Everyone, this is Holidee.” They all said hi. Then Zeke walked to the edge of the pool and hopped into the water. He joined Tom and Rip. Holidee walked to the edge of the pool too. She sat down on the concrete and put her feet in the water. Rip looked at her and smiled.
“C’mon, Holidee, get in the water! Not afraid are you?” Zeke laughed.
“Not her! She’s a born swimmer.” Holidee smiled and decided to tease ‘em a bit. She stood up and dove head first into the water. Zeke’s pool was about fifteen feet long. She swam clear to the other end.
“Hey, where’d she go?” Tom smiled. He knew very well that in the water, she was practically invisible. Everyone in the pool was trying to see her. Even Trish and Amy, who weren’t in the water, were curious.
“Boo.” Rip turned around to see Holidee standing over him.
“How’d you…?” She smiled and hopped in the water, in between Tom and Rip.
“So what did ya think of that biology assignment your…Mr. Jublemaker gave us?” Holidee looked at Rip.
“I thought it was pretty easy, with some challenges.” Zeke and Tom looked at each other and then at Rip and Holidee.
“Wait! You two know each other?”
“Yep. And Bek. We have some classes together. I think we’ve become pretty good friends. What do you think?”
“Yeah. I think so.”
“Huh.” After a while, the girls all lay on chairs to tan, including Holidee, and the boys were at the opposite end of the pool.
“So are you two dating?”
“No.”
“But he really likes you, right?” Holidee thought about it for a minute.
“Yeah. I guess so.”
“So why aren’t you dating?”
“I don’t know.”
“Have you kissed?”
“Why would they kiss if they’re not dating?”
“I don’t know. It could happen.”
“So have you?”
“No.” Holidee left out the fact that he tried to kiss her. The girls looked over at the guys, who were also talking.
“So you know Zeke pretty well, then, right?”
“Yeah. I guess you could say that. I spent the whole summer with him and Tom.”
“So you know Tom really well too?”
“Yeah. K
ind of. He’s kind of a mystery.”
“You’re telling us!”
“Yeah. We’ve been going to school with him all our lives, and no one knows anything about his home life, personal life, etc. Heck! We didn’t even know what his voice sounded like until the eighth grade!”
“And that was because of an oral history report we all had to do.”
“Yeah.”
“Well,” Holidee began. “He’s a pretty nice guy. Yeah, he’s a little mysterious, but who isn’t?” Holidee didn’t really want to talk about secrets. She had plenty of her own, and she didn’t plan on sharing them with everyone.
“So have you kissed her?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Yeah, why not? She’s hot enough.”
“Since when does a girl have to be hot enough to kiss?”
“Since forever. You can’t kiss an ugly girl.”
“Well, you could, but would ya want to?” Tom hadn’t said anything the whole conversation. He looked over at the group of girls and met eyes with Holidee. Then, after a minute or two, he looked away. He patted Zeke’s shoulder once and then got up and walked inside the house. Holidee looked at the other girls.
“I’m gonna go to the restroom real quick.”
“Okay.” Holidee got up and walked inside Zeke’s house. Tom was leaning against the kitchen wall with his eyes closed. Holidee slowly walked up to him.
“Hey.” Her voice was soft and quiet. “Are you okay?” Tom opened his eyes with a jolt. After a few minutes, he looked at Holidee.
“Do you ever feel haunted?” Tom closed his eyes again and then opened them, this time looking straight ahead. “Haunted by your past? Or…or by a memory that’s never happened?”
“Tom? What are you talking about? What’s bothering you?”
“I feel like something’s missing, but it’s nowhere to be found.” He went silent for a few minutes. “I feel as if I’m being…”
“Being what?” No reply. “Tom?”
“Nothing. It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.”
“Tom. It’s okay. You can trust-“
“I said don’t worry about it. It’s nothing.” Then Tom stood up straight and walked out to the pool. Holidee watched him leave and then left also after a couple minutes. She joined the girls, but her mind drifted. She wasn’t listening to them. She was listening to what Tom had said a few moments ago. Do you ever feel haunted? I feel as if I’m being…Do you ever feel haunted? By your past or future? I feel as if I’m being…Do you ever feel haunted? By a memory or person? I feel as if I’m being…Do you ever feel haunted?
“I’ll see you later! See ya at school next week!” Zeke turned to Holidee. “Have fun?”
“I think so. They are pretty nice.”
“Yeah. See? I told you you’d have fun.” They were the only two left at Zeke’s house. Everyone else had gone home. Then Holidee and Zeke heard a car motor pulling into the driveway. “That’s my dad. C’mon. I want you to meet him.” Zeke grabbed Holidee’s hand and drug her to the front of the house. “Hey, Dad!” Holidee looked up and saw Zeke’s dad for the second time in her life.
Mr. Wolford. He wasn’t a short fellow, but he didn’t quite reach six feet. His hair was a dark red, with a few gray hairs. His twelve o’clock shadow was a kind of red color. His eyes, as green as they were, looked tired and worn down. He reminded Holidee of a tired Irish man, who had lost his youthfulness. Then he hopped out of his truck. He had no shirt on. His pants were work pants that were dirty from work. He had a work belt on, but Holidee couldn’t see what was in it. He was very muscular. And tan. He definitely reminded Holidee of a man from Ireland, but now she saw some youthfulness in him.
“Dad! This is Holidee, remember?” He looked over at them.
“Ah! Holidee! Nice ta see you again! How are you?” He took his tool belt off and put it in the back of his truck. Then he walked over to them and shook Holidee’s hand.
“Good, Mr. Wolford. Thanks.”
“Nah. Don’t call me Mr. Wolford.” He bent down close to her and whispered, “It makes me feel old.” Then he laughed and stood up again and went back over to his truck. Holidee smiled. “So what have you kids been up to?” He had started to unload his truck.
“Nothing much, really. I had a few friends over to swim.”
“Behaved, I hope.” He glanced at Zeke.
“Of course, Dad!” Zeke’s dad eyed him suspiciously.
“So, Holidee, what have Crix and Mer been up to lately?”
“Well, Mer’s been working a lot. Crix has been putting together assignments for school. That’s about all.”
“Work, eh? Hmm…Zeke! Come over ‘ere and give your pops a hand!” Zeke handed his towel to Holidee and ran over to his dad’s truck. The two of them lifted a sheet of metal out of the truck and carried it to the backyard fence. “Holidee, dear, could ye be an angel and open the gate fer us?” Holidee ran over to the gate and held it open as they walked through into the back yard. “Thank ya, dear.” They carried it to the garage and set it down inside. Then they came back out to the front. “Thanks, Zeke.” He shut the back of his truck. “Why don’t we go inside and chat?” Zeke looked at Holidee and smiled. The three of them walked inside.
Zeke and Holidee sat down on the couch in the living room, while Zeke’s dad walked into the kitchen. “Do you two want something to drink? Lemonade, maybe?”
“Yeah. Sure.”
“Sounds great.” After a few minutes, he walked back into the living room and handed a glass of lemonade to Zeke and a glass to Holidee. Then he sat down in a chair, holding a bottle of beer. He took a sip and then continued talking.
“So, Holidee, tell me about yerself.”
“Well, sir,”
“Please, call me Mac.”
“Well, Mac, I’m sixteen. I moved to Georgia last year, after my parents died. I live with my godmother, Mer, and Crix. Uh…I like the ocean.” Holidee smiled. “I have my own house. I inherited it from my mother. It was the one where Crix and Mer got married. Um…I have a pet sea otter…kind of. His name’s Micrip. Uh…there’s nothing really else to say. My life’s not too exciting,” she lied. “So tell me about yourself.” Mac set his beer bottle on the coffee table.
“Well,” he began, “I work in a scrap yard. Metal to be specific. I work ev’ryday ‘cept Sunday. I usually get off ‘round five. Zeke and I usually go fishin’ ‘bout once a month. Um…hmm…my grandparents came from Ireland. I don’t know why they left. So me dad’s side speaks funny.” Holidee laughed.
“So do you.” Mac laughed. So did Zeke.
“I s’pose I am part o’ me dad’s side.”
“How long have you lived in Georgia?”
“My whole life. My grandparents liked the beach, so they stayed there. I, on the other hand, decided ta go inland.”
“So how’d you become…whatever you are? Working in a scrap metal yard?”
“Well, it pays good, and you don’t have to have a high education. Ya see, Holidee, I met Zeke’s mum in high school here. We hit it off pretty good, and before I knew it, I was in over me head. You see,” he leaned closer to Holidee and whispered, “I got ‘er pregnant afore we were married.” Zeke shook his head and laughed. “Her parents didn’t like me much after that. So I had ta get a job ta support my family-to-be. We got married shortly after we found out ‘bout her bein’ pregnant. It was a small wedding, but beautiful.”
“Huh. Well, at least you were committed.” Mac laughed.
“Right you are! But I always remind Zeke ta think with ‘is head. If ya know what I mean?” He laughed.
“Dad!” Holidee laughed.
“So, you can smack ‘im around a bit if he gets too cozy.” Zeke shook his head.
“I’ll remember that.” Holidee smiled. “Well, it was nice meeting you. I had better head home. It’s getting a little late.”
“Alrigh’. You should stay for dinner sometime.”
“I�
��d like that.” Zeke got up to take Holidee home.
“Now don’t be a stranger!” Holidee smiled.
“I won’t.” Zeke drove Holidee home. Holidee waved good-bye to Zeke as he drove off. Then she stood in front of Mer’s house. She shook her head in disgust as she peered at the pink shutters and shingles. She smiled as she thought, home, sweet, home.