Crushing Summer

by C. M. Stunich

  “How about a kiss from Chloe?” Rush said, taking charge of my mindless peers. God, I could see it in his eyes. He'd wanted to be King so bad. There was some mercy in the universe at least. What might've happened at The Walk without Cage? With Rush standing there egging everyone on, throwing punches, holding Casper down.

  Guy laughed, but when he turned his face over to me, I could see that he felt sorry for me. Great.

  “Whoa, boys,” a voice said from behind the gathered crowd. “The only person who should have this much attention on them is me.”

  Shayla pushed aside two of the guys and froze when she spotted Casper and me. I couldn't read her expression, but it looked liked she just taken a big bite of cat crap. Not good. Her braids were swirled up on top of her head and she was wearing sunglasses, even though it was dark outside. She frowned at us, pausing with one hand on her hip, the other picking at the top of the orange tank she was wearing.

  “Casper Alice,” she said, hissing his name like a snake. Rush laughed, his pale, ruddy flesh darkening as he looked from Shayla to us and back again. He was wrapped tight around her finger, just like the rest of them. It was scary. “I thought I told you not to drag your diseased butt around town. You're spreading disease.” Shayla pretended to cough and then shook her head. “You see what you've done?”

  Casper pushed me gently off his lap, standing up and lifting his chin up, proud, strong. Goose bumps stood up all over my skin. He looked like a warrior, dressed in a gray long-sleeve shirt, a pair of dark pants and heavy boots, like a knight from ancient times. Noble, chivalrous, fiercely protective.

  “Back off, bitch,” he said, and a chorus of oohs and ahs followed the comment around the room. “Leave me and my sister alone. You have no right to treat us the way you're doing. This is your warning.”

  Shayla dropped her shades and looked at him over the rims.

  “You serious?” she asked, looking from side to side, basking in the support of her troops. That dangerous edge was in the air again, cutting across my skin and making me bleed. I didn't want to see this happen again, didn't want to see Casper get hurt. “You're here at this party, which has been thrown in my honor by the way, telling me what to do. You, the worthless, filthy, disease ridden sibling of that skinny wraith bitch. I don't know why you're even bothering to protect her anyway. She's already half-dead.”

  To his credit, Casper didn't move. He stood stone still as Nick Bishop “snuck” in the front door and kicked a glass figurine off Guy's coffee table. Guy cringed, but kept a smile on his face. His dark skin was starting to pale, and he looked like he was about to pass out, but he didn't break character, not even for a second.

  “I'm a human being, Shayla,” Casper said, and she laughed, like that was the most ridiculous overstatement of the century. “And my sister is a human being. Yes, she's sick. No, it's not contagious. I'm not asking you to like her, but you will leave her – leave us – alone.”

  Shayla dropped her shades back into place just as Heidi and Justin stepped into the room. He was laughing; she wasn't. When she saw me, her mouth opened up in a little O. We stared at each other before our attention was drawn back to the Queen Bee.

  “Anya!” she shouted, and in an instant, the massive girl was by her side. So much for the title of Jock. Anya was very much into playing bodyguard for Shayla Harold, world ruler. I looked around the room again, hoping to spot Cage, but I didn't see hide nor hair of him. “Can you show corpse boy the door?” Her gaze narrowed in on me, but she knew she couldn't do anything about it. I was Crush. I was loved by all, right?

  Anya shouldered her way between the guys, towering over them, her red hair pulled back in a messy ponytail, her smile wide and almost grotesque it was so wrongfully gleeful. Shayla's mouth turned up in a grin, blinding me with her bleached teeth.

  “Oh, and first person to give Chloe Summer a kiss wins a date.”

  Oh, hell no.

  Casper and I exchanged a glance that probably took less than a second but seemed like it spanned hours.

  Run? I asked him with my eyes, trying to communicate the seriousness of the situation.

  I can't, I could almost hear him say. I have to show them I can stand up for myself, that I'm not weak, that they can't treat me this way.

  We kept looking at one another while people moved in slow motion around us. Anya coming for Casper, the boys coming for me. I couldn't stay, not even to support my new friend's wishes. We both had to get out of there. There are times in life when you fight and times when you retreat, when you regroup and figure out what to do next. The air was too poisonous right now, too ripe with the threat of violence. They stopped last time, but only barely. Now, we weren't in a public place. We were inside somebody's house with no neighbors, no cops, no Cage.

  “Patrick Carrob just took some girls in a back room. I hear giggling!” Heidi shouted, pointing at the back hallway. The sound was enough to break through Casper's and my silent conversation. A few of the guys pulled away, and I could see murder in their eyes. Not everyone that was hitting on me was single, you know. They had girlfriends, too.

  “Let's go!” I shouted, taking advantage of the distraction to grab Casper by the hand and start running.

  Footsteps pounded after us, frenzied feet racing for a prize they didn't deserve. I thought of that girl in 1999, the one who'd been chased out of her own house. For a second there, I could almost feel her ghost sliding over me, taking control of my heart and pumping me full of her own fear. How she must've felt, all alone, racing towards the beach, chased by the ultimate dream gone wrong. Who doesn't want to be fawned over, appreciated, complimented? It's when it crosses that line from innocent to desperate when things get really bad. I wish I'd asked Cage for her name. I needed to know it. Needed to.

  I squeezed Casper's hand, drawing strength from him and into me.

  We pounded the pavement, and I was happy to see that he had no problem keeping up with me. I couldn't say the same for the rest of my class. By the time we'd rounded the corner onto my street, most of them had given up. But that didn't mean the game was over. They would be back.

  As soon as came to a stop, Casper yanked his phone out of his pocket, held it up by our faces and grabbed me behind the neck. His kiss came so hard and so fast that it nearly knocked me off my feet, burning my lips with red hot terror and the slight scent of need. His tongue danced with mine as the flash exploded and forced me to close my eyes. I didn't fight the kiss, just stood there and watched the rest fall away.

  When Casper finally did pull back, he was panting. I watched as he spun the phone around, holding it flat so I could see.

  First person to kiss Chloe Summer wins, right?

  His fingers flew across the screen as he typed in the message, tagging Shayla, Rush, Anya, even Cage. And then he posted the picture online for everyone to see.

  “I,” he said, pausing to catch his breath. “Win.” And then he stuffed his phone angrily into his back pocket, switching it out for a cigarette. Me, I just stood there, feeling my heart flapping its wings against my throat, threatening to burst from my lips and fly away. Adrenaline was surging through me, making my hands shake as I watched Casper try to light up. He was shaking, too.

  “Don't,” I said, and he paused, pulling his lighter away from his mouth.

  “Why?” I looked around, back towards the party and the lights and the music. It was hard to see from where we were standing, but it didn't look like anybody was chasing after us. I reached up, fingers quivering and pulled the cigarette from between his lips. He just stood there, watching me from eyes surrounded by makeup. I'd never liked guys in eyeliner before, but Casper pulled it off somehow.

  I tossed the cigarette on the ground, gathered up my courage, and slid my arms around his neck.

  His mouth opened for mine and his hands wrapped around my back, pulling me tight against his chest. Inside, I was screaming, my body catching fire from within. My breath was gone, replaced with the smell of sweat, mine and his,
the rhythm of his heartbeat where it pressed up against mine, and the warm blanket of night that wrapped around us like a shawl.

  Casper kissed me like I'd never been kissed before. It was more personal somehow, like I was getting to know him from the feel of his lips and the press of his quivering hands as his fingers probed my back. I was glad we were standing on a street corner because if we'd been in private … I shook the thought off and let myself fall into the moment, drifting downwards like a leaf in autumn, falling into the arms of the earth.

  “Chloe!” The sound of Heidi's voice was coming from far away, like Casper and I were floating underwater and she was on the surface looking down. “Chloe!” I drew back reluctantly, running my tongue across my lips, tasting Casper Alice, watching his eyes watch mine as I took a step back. The toes of our shoes were still just inches apart and the air between us was crackling with the scent of danger and the burn of a new crush. “God, could you run any freaking faster?” she asked, pulling up the strap of her dress. She was carrying her heels in one hand and her purse in the other. “Are you completely bonkers?” she snapped at Casper, poking at his arm with one of her pink nails. “You chastised me for getting her in the water the other day. Look at you, you dragged her here unprepared.”

  “I didn't … ” Casper began, but then he just stopped talking. His eyes were still on my mouth, his hands still shaking. Mine, too. Heidi didn't seem to notice the looks we were throwing each other. Either that or she just didn't care. She seemed more normal now though, like she'd just come out from under a spell.

  “Chloe,” Heidi said, reaching out and grabbing my arm. I felt as if I was waking from a dream as I pulled my gaze reluctantly from Casper's. Her makeup was running down her sweaty face. She looked nervous, eyes darting back and forth down the street. “Please don't do things like that.”

  “Like what?” I asked, trying not to get exasperated with her. She was being so cryptic; it was driving me nuts. Heidi flung her arm out, sending lip gloss and store receipts flying out of her purse.

  “That. Don't antagonize Shayla.”

  “Why?”

  Heidi screamed in frustration at me and spun in a circle.

  “Just don't.”

  Casper looked between the two of us, brow crinkled.

  “Why. Not.” I wasn't backing down. I felt like she was about to crack, to tell me something that would explain her recent behavior.

  “I'm sorry,” she said as tears started to stream down her face. They just rose and fell, one after the other, a stream of melancholy that I didn't understand. “If I'd known … I wouldn't have … ”

  “Have what?” I asked, more gently this time. Heidi closed her eyes, but that didn't stop the tears. They kept coming, draining down her cheeks and dripping across the bare skin of her chest. I stepped forward to give her a hug, but she drew away.

  “You won't want to speak to me ever again after you hear this, let alone comfort me.” She spat the words out on the sidewalk like they were poisoned. I paused, waiting for this confession. Whatever it was, we'd get over it. Friends are for life. If you burn the bridges you build, you'll never get anywhere. I folded my hands, trying to still the shaking.

  “They already know who's going to get picked before they take the vote, you know?”

  Casper and I exchanged a glance.

  “What?”

  I could feel my blood starting to go cold, the heat from the kiss fading in the realization of what Heidi was going to say. I almost went deaf then – the sound of the music fell away, the distant crash of the ocean waves, the rumble of cars on the highway over the hill. I heard the answer in my head before she even spoke it.

  “The Committee. There's one every year, picked by the previous year's Assigned King and Queen.” My blood started to pump harder, thrumming my pulse in my skull, making me crazy with the sound. “Twelve people from the high school. The voting doesn't mean crap, okay? They already know.”

  “Heidi.” My voice, a whisper. I guess I'd known all along really. Had known but hadn't wanted to believe it. Not about the Committee, my mind was still reeling from that. But that's not what she was talking about. That wasn't it. We were talking about the roster here. My name. Line 172. “You signed the roster.” She slapped her hands over her mouth.

  “I didn't know any of this at the time.” Her voice dropped back into a whisper. I had to strain to hear her next words. “If I hadn't signed you up, they would've had to revert to the actual votes, and you wouldn't be in danger.”

  “Heidi,” I said, trying to take another step towards her. I held up my hands placatingly. Her bare feet hit the edge of the curb and she stepped off. “I'm not in danger, not really.” That wasn't entirely true, but I had to calm her down. She was turning hysterical.

  “I'm sorry, Chloe. I'm so sorry.”

  Then she took another step back.

  And there was a car.

  Itt was a black Mustang.

  And I heard the impact just a split second before the scream.

  By the time I got home that night, I was about ready to pass out on the floor in the entryway. I could barely it make it into my room and down the stairs. I swear, I almost fell at least a half dozen times.

  “Do you need any help?” my mom called from behind me, but I waved her off. She shut the door, but didn't lock it, just in case. I sat down on the bottom stair and tossed my purse aside, listening to the sound of it as it smacked against my vanity table.

  Heidi's eyes, wide as marbles. The screech of tires, her body spinning towards the sidewalk like a top, spun by the hand of God.

  I ran my hands down my face and tried to breathe without sobbing. I'd been sobbing non-stop for three hours.

  “911, what's your emergency?”

  “My friend's just been hit by a car.” My voice, soft, almost inaudible.

  At least the EMTs were willing to interfere with Assignment business. Or maybe it wasn't even Assignment related. That car was Justin's car. It belonged to Justin. I told the cops that, and they said they'd check it out, but I didn't believe them.

  I couldn't stop myself from picturing Heidi, beat up and bruised, mouth swollen, teeth missing. She'd hit the curb so hard I found three of them lying there on the pavement. But she was okay. She was going to be alright. She was sleeping right now, but I could see her tomorrow they said.

  A hit and run.

  Everyone else seemed to think it was an accident. Assignment party, bunch of drunk kids, it was bound to happen at some point. I didn't buy that for a second. Did Heidi disobey some order Justin had given her when she came looking for me? He'd obviously hit her on purpose. And it was definitely him. Like Cage had said, this was a small town. There weren't that many black Mustangs in town. Or really any that I knew of for that matter. Is my friend in an abusive relationship? Is that what's been wrong with her lately?

  My phone beeped at me from inside my purse. With a groan, I pulled myself to my feet by hanging onto the handrail and tromped over to it, kicking it open watching as my phone skidded across the carpet. When I picked it up, I saw that it was from Casper. Need nething call me. It was short, but sweet. I gave a little smile. He'd driven me to the hospital behind the ambulance and stayed in the waiting room for three hours. Can't ask for much more than that. Since I was holding my phone, I decided to check for other messages and found one from Anne Chime. Glad I wasn't at the party. Sounds brutal! I ignored that and scrolled down until I find a note from Cage.

  Sorry about your friend. If u want to talk, gimme a call.

  Huh.

  I hit dial and waited in silence for Cage to pick up the phone. He did, right away.

  “Hi Chloe,” he said as I wet my lips and tried to figure out what to say. My brain felt scrambled and my emotions were running circles around me. What I really needed was a good night's sleep. But first, I had to ask. I had to. This wasn't something I could ignore.

  “The Committee,” I said, and I heard Cage inhale sharply. “Tell me about it.” If H
eidi was suspicious of him, and she was privy to all this new information … the pieces just fit together too well. It just made sense for Cage to be on the Committee. He was in charge of voting, of gathering volunteers. Everyone knew who he was, loved him like a god. I started thinking in more detail about the early phone call, running into him at Gander's, his surprise appearance at the beach. If he said Tatiana thought she was pregnant, I believed him, but there was more to his interest in me than just my volunteer work at YAPG. “You were on it, weren't you? You did it, made me Crush.”

  “Chloe,” he began and then stopped suddenly. “I'm a little busy right now,” he started again, voice a little more casual, like we were discussing the ugly mural that adorned the side of the science building. Just stupid, meaningless conversation. I wondered who was listening and why. What was so important about The Assignment that somebody would go out of their way to protect it? “Why don't we get together on Friday, before the concert. We could have dinner or something?”

  “That's three days from now, Cage. I can't wait that long.” He laughed, but not at me, just laughed.

  “I miss you, too,” he said, and I wrinkled up my nose. I wondered if he was at the party still or if he'd even gone. Maybe Shayla was in the room with him? “But I have plans the next few days.” He paused and dropped his voice. To anyone else, it might've sounded sultry, but I could hear the hint in it. Don't press this right now. “I'll make it worth your while, I promise.” I pursed my lips.

  “You'll tell me everything?”

  “Anything.”

  “Fine.” I paused. I wanted to trust Cage. I had fun with him, and he was a nice guy, but if I found out he was behind Julie's Assignment or that he had anything to do with all of the crap that had been going on lately, I would never speak to him again. “And Cage?”

  “Yeah?”

  “You better not have lied to me.” I hung up the phone and then just stood there, cradling it in my head. When I finally did crawl over to my bed, I fell asleep with all of my clothes on, blood stains and all.