by Brenda Drake
Find Lauren and give her the tarot card.
“No. I’m not playing this game.” Iris grabbed her books, tugged open the door, and darted into the hall.
You cannot get rid of me. I am inside you.
Iris concentrated. Leave me alone.
The voice cackled and the sound vibrated through Iris’s head, hurting her ears and making her clench her teeth. When the voice was around, Iris could hear a nasally breathing like white noise over her thoughts.
If you refuse to help me, I will go it alone.
It suddenly went silent in her head. The loud breathing no longer there. Iris heaved a deep sigh.
She brushed off the crazy woman’s voice as fear. Violet had creeped her out so hard about Aster’s tarot cards being evil that Iris was now hearing things. It reminded her of when she was younger and they would watch scary movies. It would take Iris days to get over being scared. She decided that she’d tie that braided hair rope around those cards and hide the box in the garage apartment. Aster could deal with them when she came home for winter break.
The first bell rang and she rushed to her class. Wade stood outside the door, a backpack on his shoulder. A smile spread across his face when he spotted her approaching.
“Hey,” he said when she reached him.
“Hi.” She tucked her hand in her pocket. The card. It was still there. She quickly tugged her hand out, losing all focus on Wade. Lauren was in her first class, and Iris worried about what the voice had asked her to do. She looked past Wade and down the hall that led to Lauren’s locker. There was no sign of her yet.
“You okay?” Wade asked.
Iris pulled her stare away and glanced up at him. His eyebrows pinched together as he studied her.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” she said. “Just a little distracted. I didn’t sleep well last night.”
Wade frowned. “Yeah, me, too.”
He thinks it’s because of him, Iris thought.
Iris wanted to feel that giddy thing inside her that seeing him usually caused, but the voice and the tarot card waiting in her pocket prevented it.
When she hadn’t said anything, he continued. “You want to join Dena and me for lunch?”
She made her best effort at a genuine smile. “I’d love to.”
He glanced around.
She lowered her head and stared at the speckled floor tiles.
Neither one knew what to say.
“Cool,” he finally said when the silence between them was getting uncomfortable. “Don’t grab anything at the food counter. I packed us something.”
She looked up, startled. “You did?”
“Listen, I’m not sure what happened to make you break up with me. Violet said—”
“What did she say?” Iris asked. Did her sister tell him about fate changing?
A concerned look crossed his face. “She just said it was something out of your control. I don’t get why you went back to Josh. You should have come to me. Was it what we heard my mom say? Why you ended things?”
He thinks it’s because of that? A few days before their breakup, Iris and Wade had been making out in his living room with the lights off when his mom came home. She was on her cell phone telling someone on her campaign that Wade would date whoever he wanted. She had said that Iris was a good girl. It was awkward, but Iris would never end things with him because of it.
“Was it because you thought that person on the phone with my mom could hurt her campaign?” He stared down at her.
Maybe if she didn’t say anything, he’d go on believing that was the reason and she wouldn’t have to lie to him.
“Anyway, it doesn’t matter anymore.” He looked down the hall. “I should go. Don’t want to get another tardy slip. See you at lunch,” he said before jogging off.
She turned to watch his retreat. He was wearing her favorite jeans. The ones that made his butt look good. His worn leather jacket finished off that perfect rebel look. Dena liked to tease him about looking like one of the Bandidos in that jacket, which Iris had to Google. It was a Mexican biker gang, and it would make Wade angry when Dena would say that, since he was Cuban.
The way Wade dressed didn’t match the person he was. He was a good guy, beyond smart, and he always stood up for others. Not to mention, he was a phenomenal cook. Her stomach grumbled at the thought of lunch later.
Lauren, lugging an overstuffed backpack on her shoulder and glancing at her iPhone, ran past Wade. As she approached and noticed Iris standing there, the smile she’d had while looking at her screen slipped. She slowed her steps, spotting something on the floor.
“Is this yours,” she said, reaching for the Hermit tarot card.
“Wait.” Iris tried to snatch it up before Lauren, but she was a second too late.
Lauren quickly dropped the card. “Ow, it shocked me.”
No! It must’ve fallen out when I put my hand in my pocket.
The bell rang, startling Lauren. She brushed by Iris and went into the classroom, leaving the card on the floor.
Iris picked it up, the entire world sinking around her. The vines on the backside of the card were green again. Oh please, don’t hurt her. She pleaded with the voice, but there was no answer.
“Are you coming inside, Miss Layne?” Mrs. Chapman asked from where she stood at the front of the class. Iris made her way to her desk, her eyes on Lauren, who was rubbing the fingers that had touched the card.
What did you do? Iris asked the invader in her head, again.
Still, there was no answer. No craggy voice. No annoying breathing. No thoughts. Just that sinking feeling that made Iris hold her stomach as she slipped into the seat at her desk.
Chapter Six
Wade
For the fifth time, Dena sucked the air out of her empty water bottle and then released it, the plastic popping back into its original form. The crinkling noise grated on Wade’s nerves and it was bugging the shit out of him. He grabbed the bottle from her.
She reached for it. “Hey, what’s up with you?”
“It’s annoying.” Wade tossed it at a nearby trash can. It hit the rim and landed on the ground.
“Nice,” Dena said. “Good thing you quit basketball.”
“Funny.” Wade shuffled over and picked up the bottle. He had left the team because of Josh. Not that he was afraid of Josh, but because he didn’t want to kill the loser. He dropped the bottle in the can and turned to head back. Iris and Violet were walking their way.
Though they were identical, Iris’s hair was darker and longer, and she was curvier than Violet. Iris was slightly shorter, too. They both had a habit of wrinkling their noses when they were nervous and had the cutest freckles like the rest of the Layne girls.
Dena shot to her feet and trotted over to them, wrapping her arms around Violet and stretching up to plant a kiss on her lips. Iris kept walking until she met Wade. He wasn’t sure what to do. Shake her hand? Hug? No. He opted for handing her the can of Dr Pepper he’d gotten her.
“Where’s Carys?” he asked.
“She has a senate meeting.” Iris took the can. “Thanks.”
They were quiet for many seconds, not knowing what to say to each other—again.
“Well, I hope you’re in the mood for my famous mixto sandwiches,” he said.
She squinted against the sun. “Are you kidding? I don’t know what I missed more—you or them.”
Her words smacked him like a surge of wind hitting a sail, leaving him breathless. She missed me. He wanted to admit he felt the same way, but that damn fear that she’d hurt him again prevented it.
“I think I’m flattered?” he said instead and slid onto the bench of the stone picnic table, patting the seat beside him.
She hesitated, looking back at Violet and Dena, who were still lip-locked. The six months away from school and her therapist sessions had really given Violet the confidence to be herself. But Iris knew her sister. By the way Violet’s eyes shifted around, not completely focused on Dena, s
he was still nervous about PDAs.
“Okay, you two,” Wade called to them. “Our lunch break isn’t that long.”
They separated and held hands as they strolled over to the picnic table. “What’s for lunch?” Dena said, stepping over the bench and plopping down. Violet sat and nestled up to Dena’s side.
Wade slid two tinfoil-wrapped sandwiches over to them. “Remember, you owe me a pizza for this.”
“Hey, I’m not the one who wanted to impress Iris with my mixto-making skills,” Dena said.
Wade kicked her under the table.
“Ouch!” Dena glared at him.
“I wasn’t trying to impress anyone,” Wade said. “I just like to cook.”
“I know,” Iris said. “Thank you for making them.”
“You’re welcome,” he said, holding Dena’s stare.
Dena picked up the bundles and handed one to Violet, then unwrapped the other one. “Mixto sandwiches. My day is made.”
Violet inspected hers. “What’s a mixto sandwich?”
Dena passed her a water bottle. “It’s a pressed sandwich made out of Cuban bread, stuffed with ham, roasted pork, pickles, and Swiss cheese.”
“Some call it a Cubano,” Wade added.
“And these,” she said, picking up a chip from a plastic container Wade had just opened and placed in the middle of the table, “are plantain chips.” She took a bite of her sandwich.
Iris smiled at Wade. “It all looks delicious.”
He could get lost in her smile. It lit up her face and sparkled in her eyes. Hanging out as friends was going to be hard when all he wanted to do was take her in his arms and show her how much he wanted her.
She undid the foil from her sandwich and took a big bite. There was nothing hotter than a girl chowing down on a mixto. A little mustard stained the corner of her mouth and she wiped it away with her fingertips.
“This is so fricking good,” she said with a full mouth, covering her lips with her hand.
“Glad you like it,” he said, handing her a napkin. “It’s better when they’re hot.”
“Dude, you outdid yourself,” Dena said. “Cold or hot, doesn’t matter.”
Wade snatched up his can of cola and took a long sip. “You two seem all right. How’d you do it? You know, after the shit that went down?”
Violet lowered her sandwich. “Counseling. Finally accepting who I am. So it’s a pic of me in my bra. Who cares? It’s like a bathing suit. I was kissing someone I really love. And the bullies online, they’re just haters.” She put her hand on Dena’s hand. “It was dumb to let them get to me.”
It hurt enough for her to try to kill herself. They all knew Josh’s gang had shared that photograph online. They’d made a humiliating graphic with it, slut-shaming her. No anonymous app could hide that fact. But they couldn’t prove it. If Wade wouldn’t be suspended and hurt his mother’s campaign for a senate position, he’d beat the shit out of Josh and a few of his douchebag friends. Dena had tried. Didn’t do too well. Ended up with a black eye and busted lip. She had succeeded in getting Josh suspended for a few days with her, which forced the coach to bench him at the following hometown basketball game.
Iris picked at a slice of ham sticking out of her sandwich, a frown on her face.
Wade knew what Iris was thinking. She was part of the group that had hurt her sister. Though she hadn’t had anything to do with it and she immediately went to the principal’s office to rat them out, she still felt responsible. It didn’t help that the jerks only got a slap on the hand because there was no proof they’d done it.
“So any big plans for the weekend?” Wade asked, hoping a change of subject would brighten the mood.
Dena took up Violet’s hand and cradled it in her own. “My girl and I are doing dinner and a movie. We’ve been apart for far too long. We need to celebrate her return to school. Right?”
“Yes. It’s so great to be back.” A wide smile spread across Violet’s lips—one that said, I’m trying so hard to please everyone right now. She was faking it. He could tell by the way her eyes, clouded with fear, darted around the courtyard, most likely looking for her tormentors.
Iris gave Violet a curious look. They had their own language. Could feel what the other felt. Even with the wedge of distrust splitting them apart, their connection was still there.
Each of their cell phones suddenly went off—Dena’s rap song blared, Iris’s chimed, and Violet’s and his vibrated against the table. A look passed among them before they each picked up their phones and checked the notice.
“Holy shit,” Dena said, scrolling down her screen. “Who is that?”
“Lauren,” Iris said, barely above a whisper.
It was a collage of pictures of Lauren at a party posted on her InstaPik by Marsha Simmons. There was one with Lauren making out with Josh. Several of her drinking and snuggling up to him. Written in all caps in the caption below the main pic were: WHORE. DON’T TRUST HER. WORST FRIEND EVER. The comments from others kept popping up. Wade scrolled down them, and every single one was mean and hateful toward Lauren.
Violet scrambled over the bench seat. “This has got to stop,” she said and stormed off.
Iris grabbed her backpack and ran after her.
It took Dena several seconds to register what was happening before she jumped up, grabbed her and Violet’s packs, and went after them.
Wade heaved a sigh, gathered the remains of their lunch, and tossed it in the trash can before following the others. When he reached them, Violet had her arms around a crying Lauren, yelling at a group jeering at her.
“Stop it.” Violet’s glare darted over the many faces in the crowd. “You’re all cruel. How would you feel if someone did this to you? Josh and his gang do this to everyone. Most of you have been victims of their hate before. You should all be ashamed of yourselves.”
Iris was against the lockers with tears in her eyes.
Lauren’s head rested on Violet’s shoulder. “I don’t remember anything,” she said, sniffling.
Anger hit Wade like a punch to the gut. The boys in his Big Brother club acted more mature than the privileged dumbasses at their school. He fisted his hands and marched over to Violet’s side.
“Get out of here,” he yelled, his eyes scanning the crowd. Most rushed off, except for Josh, Marsha, and some guys from the basketball team. He fixed his eyes on Josh. Dena stepped in front of him, her hands on his chest stopping him from going at him. “You think it’s funny,” he said over Dena’s shoulder. “Hurting people like this. You best watch your back. ’Cause you’ll get yours someday. Karma’s a bitch.”
“What are you doing with Iris?” Perry leaned against the locker beside Josh and Marsha. His lanky body towered over them. He rubbed the black stubble on his head, flicking his gaze over at Josh like a puppy looking for praise from his master. “You like Josh’s leftovers or what?” He cracked up at his own lame joke.
Wade was ready to smack Perry. He pushed against Dena, and she pushed back. “You don’t want to go there. You’ll be suspended. Remember the campaign.”
“Who are you, my mom?” Wade hissed.
“You wish,” Dena said. “Come on, man, use your common sense.”
Wade backed up. “Okay, okay. I’m done.”
Josh flung his arm around Marsha’s shoulders. “Let’s get out of here.”
Marsha had a smug smile on her face. “That’ll teach you to mess with someone else’s boyfriend.”
“You’re an idiot,” Wade said to her. “It doesn’t look like he’s fighting her off in those pictures. You might want to put a leash on him. He’s a dog, after all.”
“Whatever,” Marsha said, Josh pulling her along with him.
Perry followed, flashing his goofy smile over his shoulder at them.
“Come on.” Violet let Lauren go, slipped her hand into hers, and led her down the hall.
Lauren glanced around, mascara running like black rivers from her teary eyes. “Where are we
going?”
“To the office.”
Wade shuffled over to Iris. “You okay?”
“It’s my fault.” She slid down the locker and sat on her heels, her bottom eyelids holding a pool of tears. She blinked and they ran down her cheeks.
He squatted in front of her, taking her trembling hands in his own. “None of this is your fault. You’re no longer part of that group.”
She sniffled. “You don’t understand.”
“Then help me to. Why are you torturing yourself like this?”
“I don’t even…” She stood and Wade went up with her. “I want to tell you, but I can’t.”
“Wish you would,” he said.
She smiled, but it wasn’t genuine, it was pained. “I’ll be okay. It’s nothing really. I’m just a little insane lately.”
“Well, I could have told you that.” He chuckled.
A small laugh escaped her lips. “Guess you could.”
She was anything but okay. Was she losing it? He had an urge to hug her but stopped himself. They’d come to a place where he was afraid to touch her. Afraid to let his feelings be known.
Those big eyes of hers looked up at him, and he wanted to take her away from there. Take her somewhere where he could show her exactly how he felt about her.
The end of lunch bell rang, and Iris pulled her hands away from his. Even when crying, she had this natural beauty to her. One of innocence and something a poet could describe better than he could.
“So, you want to come out to the boat?” He plunged his hand into his backpack and retrieved a napkin. “Friday night?”
She sniffled. “Are you asking me on a date?”
“Yeah, sort of a date, I guess.” He handed her the napkin.
“I’d like that.” She wiped her eyes with it, then hoisted her bag onto her shoulder. “Thanks for lunch. See you later, then?”
“Yep.”
Wade rubbed the back of his neck as he watched Iris until she disappeared around the corner leading to the next hall over. Something was off with her. She seemed distracted. Lost.
Not wanting another tardy slip, he jogged off for his next class across campus, worrying about Iris, worrying about taking another chance with her, worrying about pretty much fucking everything.