I glanced at the doorway. “Hailey? No. We’re friends.”
“She slept with Josh Parker,” her friend informed me.
I thought about dispelling the rumor, but remembered Hailey thought it made her sound exciting. Who was I to take it away from her?
“That’s the rumor,” I said.
I opened my books and grinned at the pages in front of me.
I was definitely going to a Halloween party with my fellow virgin. Jane was going to be there, and so was I.
CHAPTER THREE
SCURVY DOG
On Halloween night I stood in front of the full-length mirror on the wall at the end of my bed and made faces at my reflection. I’d smudged my mom’s eyeliner over my face to make beard stubble and a black eye. I tied a yellow bandana on my head, and for once, my scar worked to my advantage. I’d poked one of mom’s big gold hoop earrings into the empty hole in my left ear lobe.
“Argh,” I mouthed to the mirror. “Me maties.”
I got my ear pierced in seventh grade on a bet, although I didn’t wear earrings anymore. I’m still not sure if Mom minded the pierced ear or not. All she said was that she wasn’t the conservative one in the family--my dad was. Yeah. But he was also dead. When I showed her the earring, she told me my father would roll over in his grave.
Even now, I tried to imagine Jeremy Chase rolling over in his grave, but I couldn’t picture his face. How could I? I shrugged, looking at my pirate self in the mirror and wondering what Jane would wear to a Halloween party.
I’d pulled on a torn-up old pair of jeans and a white t-shirt with a pirate flag Mom had ironed on--her contribution to my costume.
She knocked on my door.
I turned and snarled. “Argh! What say you, scurvy dog?”
Mom never walks into my room without knocking. She respects my privacy as a “young man.”
She opened the door, smiling when she spotted me. In her black yoga pants and white t-shirt, with her hair in a ponytail, she looked like she was about twenty. “You’re the most gorgeous pirate I’ve ever seen.”
She walked in and handed me a red silky scarf. “Here, use this for a sash.” She tied it around my waist.
I checked in the mirror and nodded. “Cool.”
Her eyes started to water up.
I turned. “Mom, please don’t cry, and please don’t get the video camera out.”
“Sorry, Zachary.” She wiped at her eye. “You just look so much like your dad right now.”
Since I’d only been a couple of months old when the accident happened, I didn’t have any memories about him. I’d seen photos and old footage of him playing hockey, and it was enough for me.
“I’m nothing like him,” I snapped, and looked down.
“I know,” she said softly.
“So, you’ll be at Mac’s tonight?” she added, injecting false cheer to her voice. She didn’t try to talk about dad much anymore. Which I saw as a good thing.
I nodded, glancing up.
“I’m glad you’re making friends. Do you need a ride?”
“Hailey’s picking me up.”
Lucky for me, Hailey’s the proud holder of a driver’s license and owner of a beat-up old Honda she bought with her own money from working at the rink.
Sometimes it sucked having a December birthday. I couldn’t wait to get my own driver’s license. I turned back to the mirror for a second, making another pirate-like face.
“Hailey’s the redheaded girl who works at the arena?” she asked my reflection in the mirror.
I nodded.
“Is she your new girlfriend?” She struggled to keep her voice neutral.
“I already told you Mom, we’re friends.”
She nodded again, stepping forward to touch my cheek. “Okay. She doesn’t seem like your type, that’s all.” She paused. “Do you miss Claire?”
Mom thought Claire was my type and probably thought I was still in love with her. Proper, well-dressed, conservative Claire. I never told Mom what Claire did. It would have devastated her more than it did me.
“I don’t miss her. It’s already been a long time.” True. I didn’t even think about her much anymore. My attention was focused on someone new. The anti-Claire.
She pursed her lips together. “Is this Hailey a nice girl?”
“She’s my friend, Mom, so yes, she’s a nice girl. Why don’t you talk to her more and find out for yourself?”
“Yes, I should.” She flicked her bangs out of her eyes. “At least she has a job, unlike that dark, depressing girl I see reading in the stands all the time. Josh Parker’s twin. She’s always at the arena, always with a book. It’s odd. Doesn’t she have anything better to do?”
I glared at her. “You read all the time. So do I. Besides, Jane has to be there,” I snapped. “Josh’s parents work all the time. Josh can’t drive because he lost his license, drinking. Jane has to take him. She doesn’t like hockey much.”
“I noticed,” my mom said dismissively, as if such a notion made anyone untrustworthy.
“You don’t know her.”
She gazed into my eyes trying to read the thoughts in my head.
“No. I guess I don’t.” She touched my cheek again. “It doesn’t matter, does it? Have fun tonight, Zachary. If you have too much to drink, or if Hailey isn’t able to drive you home, you call, right? Aunt Diane is bringing over a movie, so I’ll be home all night if you need me.”
“I know, Mom.” From the time I started going to co-ed parties, it was always the same story. She worried about drunk driving. And with good reason.
“I’m not planning on drinking too much, and Hailey is a responsible role model teenager.”
Mom never avoided talking to me about anything. Drinking. Drugs. The lectures started early. I guess they even sank in most of the time.
“Okay. Just be careful.” She turned to leave my room. “Maybe you’ll meet a nice girl tonight?”
I didn’t answer. Obviously the one girl on my mind wasn’t the one my mother pictured me with. Not that dark depressing girl who read books at hockey games.
A few minutes later, the front doorbell rang and I jumped down the stairs two at a time.
“I’ll get it.”
Aunt Diane was sitting in the big lounge chair in the living room. Mom sat on the couch. The two of them worked together at the store all day, but they still hung out together at night. It was kind of nice, but kind of sad at the same time. When Mom was a sales rep she always worked late, and she was usually too tired to socialize much. Instead, all she seemed to do was run and read.
She’d gone on a few dates over the years, but I never met any of the guys. Now back in her hometown working in retail, she had more free time and seemed happier, and a lot less stressed. I wondered if she would meet someone in Haletown. It might be nice for her. Weird. But nice.
“Zachary. You big handsome pirate,” Aunt Diane called out, breaking into my thoughts. “How are you, sweetie?”
I smiled at her, as I headed down the hallway to answer the door. “Great, Aunt Diane. How’s it going with you?”
I didn’t wait for her reply but went right to the front door. I pulled it open and promptly started to laugh.
Hailey’s face was painted black. She wore black tights and a black skullcap she’d tucked all her hair into. A circular black cardboard disk surrounded her.
“You’re a hockey puck!” I said.
She beamed at me as I laughed, pleased that I got her joke. I’d told her what we called the hockey groupies in Kirkdale—“Pucks.” I opened the door a little wider.
“Come on in, Puck.”
My mom and aunt got up and followed me into the hallway. They watched Hailey turn sideways to fit through the door.
“How are you going to drive in that thing?” I asked.
“Oh, I take it off. I just wanted you to see the full effect.” She smiled proudly.
“It’s great,” I told her.
My mom crept up
behind us. “Mom, you know Hailey.”
“Hi, Hailey. Cute costume!”
“Hi. Thanks! Well, it is a hockey party,” Hailey said, glancing to me for help. She wasn’t sure if my mom knew what Puck meant or not.
“I love it!” my aunt shrieked as she followed my mom into the hallway. “It’s very clever.”
“You have no idea,” I mumbled under my breath.
My two-woman cheering section planted themselves in the hallway. Their faces were as eager as if they were coming with us.
“Have fun watching your movie,” I said. Now please go away, I thought.
“What are you watching?” Hailey asked, with a little bit of hero worship in her eyes. A lot of kids looked at Mom that way sometimes, between her looks and her clothes. Even I know she’s amazingly beautiful.
“Sex and the City, Season 6,” Aunt Diane said.
“Yuck.” I groaned.
“Wow.” Hailey sounded impressed.
“Come on, Hailey.” I hurried forward, pushing Hailey out. “And before you even begin to launch into an explanation of why you are watching that stupid show, we’re out of here.”
“Drive safely,“ my mom called to Hailey.
“Precious cargo, I know. Don’t worry, Mrs. Chase.” Hailey grinned as I gave her another push on her shoulder.
“You kids need a ride home, you call, okay?”
I closed the door behind me.
“God. How embarrassing,” I said to Hailey as we headed towards her half-white, half-rust car. I only half meant it.
“No, they’re very cool. And they’re both so pretty. God, I can’t believe your mom actually, like, acknowledges drinking. My mom’s philosophy is “don’t ask, don’t tell.” I’m not sure if she thinks I’m innocent or completely corrupt. At any rate, I haven’t been able to stomach alcohol since the night I got drunk and threw up for two days after. I told my mom it was food poisoning.”
I wasn’t sure what to say. Her mother sounded scary. My mom didn’t beat around the bush. She worried--because of my dad.
“Your mom is so young looking. I can’t believe she’s actually watching Sex and the City. My mom wanted to have the show censored and banned.” She started to climb out of her hockey puck costume. She stepped out of the cardboard, opened the back door and lay it in the back seat.
“She’s okay.” I stared at Hailey in her black tights.
“Hey, you look hot.” And she did. Her figure was not the typical teenage stick figure. With her hips and boobs, she looked fantastic.
“I’m a beluga whale.”
I whistled. “No way, Hannigan. Under the skullcap and black paint, you’re smoking. A delicious looking hockey puck. Better keep your costume on at the party if you want to get out of there still a virgin.”
“You’re delusional, Zack.” She flashed a shy grin as she slipped into the driver’s seat. “But thanks.”
I crawled in the passenger seat. As I put on my seatbelt, I asked her: “Which guy are you so interested in, anyway?”
I watched her blush to a cute reddish shade. “Not interested in hockey players, Zack. They’re Neanderthals.”
“And that would make me?”
“An aberration.” She turned on the engine and it sputtered to life.
“Aberration?”
“A peculiarity. Not the norm.” She shoulder checked and pulled away from the curb.
“Definite labeling. I could definitely accuse you of stereotyping. And by the way, I know what aberration means, but why do you?”
“Same as you. I’m a geek. So are you. You read. You’re smart. I mean, when’s the last time you got drunk and peed on someone’s front lawn. Or had sex with more than one girl in one night. I’m sorry, my friend, but you are too nice.” She kept looking from me to the road. “And I don’t want to stereotype, but if the blade fits…”
“Hm.” I didn’t answer her accusation. I wasn’t sure I liked being called a nice guy. I mean, I’d done my share of tormenting kids when I was younger. I’d pulled the legs off spiders and stepped on ants. I dated a girl with big boobs in seventh grade because I’d wanted to touch them.
Along the way though, I’d learned it was easier to blend in instead of trying to stand out. I stayed away from drinking too much because of what it did to my family. It had made it smaller--by one. And I wasn’t sure I liked the way Hailey viewed hockey players. I was one of them.
“You’re the one with a job at the rink. And why are you so eager to hang out with the so-called Neanderthals.” I raised my eyebrows. “Josh Parker?”
Her face tightened up and she stayed focused on the road. It was surprisingly quiet on the roads for Friday night. “I like the game. I’m only coming to the party because you asked me to. As a friend.”
“Mm hm. Whatever you say.”
Her face nearly vaporized with the steam that came off it.
“I told you I didn’t really sleep with him.”
Her squinting, angry eyes made me laugh. “No way, Hannigan. You’re in love with Josh Parker, even though he torched your reputation and dates girls with single-digit IQs?”
She narrowed her eyes even more and didn’t turn to face me. “I am not in love with Josh Parker,” she said, through stiff, frowning lips.
I watched her for a moment, then I laughed again. Yeah. And I wasn’t in love with his twin sister. What a pair we were.
#
After we finally found a parking spot, I followed Hailey to the front door of the MacDonalds’ mini-mansion. Mac’s dad was obviously paid well for whatever it was that he did for a living. The bass from ear-splitting music buzzed from inside the house. Hailey opened the front door and my ears were filled with a rap song, kids’ laughter, and several loud-mouthed voices. The air inside the house was hot, like the inside of a sauna. I smelled beer and sweaty bodies.
The front hallway was packed with kids, most of them in costumes. To the left of the front entrance was a dining room where the speakers were set up. It was packed with girls wearing tiny, revealing costumes, all standing in groups and moving their bodies in time with the loud music. Some girls were already paired up with guys, sitting on their laps. Hailey and I squeezed down the short hallway, and I high-fived a drunken kid from school who stuck out his hand like we were best buddies.
Kids were draped all over the stairs and the hallway leading to the kitchen and living room. The hall was open and spacious, but with so many bodies crammed into it, it was hard to move around. The music got a little quieter as we headed down the hall, but loud voices made up for it.
Hailey moved her head, indicating for me to follow her. She led us to the kitchen. I passed a couple of my teammates, disappointed to see a couple of other pirates among them. I exchanged handshakes and head nods as I passed the other guys. Most of them already had a girl draped on them. I knew from locker room talk that not many had a regular girlfriend. But at the party, they managed to attract some good–looking arm candy.
Once we were inside the kitchen, also stuffed with bodies, Hailey led me to a table in the middle of the room. It was covered with a ripped black tablecloth that was soaked and soggy looking. White plastic cups were scattered around the table, and in the middle of it was a deep punch bowl. In the liquid we could see pieces of something eyeballish floating. I hoped they were little green grapes and nothing worse.
The mayhem in the kitchen bled into the living room area. Kids filled most of the available space, all of them standing or sitting on the furniture and floors.
Hailey leaned over and yelled in my ear. “Have some of that punch; some kids think that Mac’s dad actually makes it for him, but nobody knows for sure. It’s pretty powerful, though, so take it easy and don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
I nodded. I helped myself to a cup and dipped it into the punch, filling the cup. I took a sip and winced. It was heavy on vodka, and a little light on fruit juice.
“You mean Mac’s dad knows about the alcohol?” I asked almost shouting t
o be heard.
Hailey shrugged. “Not technically. But who’s going to say anything?” She glanced around the room. “He’s not anywhere around at these parties. Not visibly anyhow. But I’m sure he’s watching from somewhere. No one gets too out of hand at Mac’s parties. They save that for other people’s houses.”
I shrugged and took another sip of my drink, looking around the room at the scene. That’s when I spotted her. Jane.
She sat in the middle of the living room, blending into the black sectional couch. She seemed oblivious to the party going on around her. She wore her usual baggy black clothes. No Halloween costume for Jane. A guy dressed as Batman sat down on the couch across from her with a girl in a French maid costume on his lap. They were doing some heavy Frenching. Jane turned her body away from them and blocked them from view with her book. I smiled and took another sip of my drink. She looked like a little girl who stumbled upon an adult dress-up party, with no way to escape except into her book.
“Go get her, Tiger.” Hailey gave me a little push on my shoulder.
I dug my feet into the ground and gave Hailey a dirty look. “Bite me, Hannigan.”
“With pleasure.” She pushed me harder towards Jane.
I took another sip of the horrible punch and took a couple of tentative steps towards Jane, wondering what I could say that wouldn’t sound lame. A warm body pressed up close to mine, interrupting my thoughts.
“Hi, Zack Attack. I’m Mona,” a slurry and wet voice said into my ear.
I glanced down at the tasty creature who’d attached herself to my right side, her lean legs pressed up against my thigh. I could feel her boobs squishing into my bicep. She wore a tiny bathing suit top filled past capacity, and a grass skirt barely covering her bathing suit bottom. Around her neck was a plastic yellow lei. She was one of the girls who hung with Josh’s girlfriend at the rink sometimes.
“Hey, Mona, how’s it going?”
She’d never said much to me before. I’d always thought she was a litte shy, despite her reputation.
“Want to get lei’d?” she stood on her tiptoes, and purred into my ear. She wobbled, picking up her lei and rubbing it between her fingers, and then she stuck it between her lips and sucked on it seductively.
PLAYING FOR KEEPS Page 3