Twisted

by Jo Gibson

  Cat turned to look at Amy, and his smile changed to something warm and genuine. Everyone had heard her say that Cat should be innocent until proven guilty. Of course he was guilty, but that was beside the point. Amy had spoken up to protect his rights.

  And then there was the matter of the vote. Cat had been terribly flattered when Amy had pulled the construction paper heart out of her purse. It had meant so much to her that she’d kept it. He almost wished he could tell her that he was the one who’d voted for her, but now he could never declare himself. They’d compared his printing, and they’d realized that he was the one who’d sent the cards to Tanya and Gail. It didn’t really matter in the grand scheme of things, but it was still a minor inconvenience. He’d have to change his style of printing so that no one could recognize it.

  His gaze turned to Gail, and he frowned again. She was shallow and silly; but he had promised Karen that he’d test her, and he would fulfill his promise. The test would take place tomorrow, during the school day. She’d be less suspicious then.

  If Gail passed his test, he would let her be queen. That was only fair.

  But if she failed, he would eliminate her, just as he’d eliminated Tanya.

  Ten

  The next day at lunch, everyone was talking about the Valentine give-away that WROQ was sponsoring. There would be a drawing at the Hamilton High Valentine’s Day Dance, and twenty students would win WROQ caps and T-shirts. The grand prize was a stack of top-ten CDs, and Danny was passing around a sign-up sheet.

  The usual crowd was gathered around the team table when Danny approached with the sheet. He handed it to Amy with a flourish, and sat down next to her. “You guys can start in on this one. After school is over, I’m going to get the one I posted by the front entrance.”

  “I don’t believe it!” Amy glanced down at the list of neatly printed names. Danny had gotten a sample of everyone’s printing, just as he’d promised he would. “Is the contest a fake?”

  “Of course not. Crazy Mark Hannah’s going to do the drawing himself.”

  “Crazy Mark Hannah, the Top Banana, the guy with a peel?” Brett was impressed. “He’s WROQ’s top DJ!”

  Danny nodded. “I said I’d write some theme music for one of his shows, and he promised to help me out with the drawing.”

  “And you got everyone here to sign up?” Amy smiled when Danny nodded. “That was absolutely brilliant, Danny!”

  “The instructions I wrote at the top say to print your full name and address. I figured that would give us enough letters to work with.”

  “Perfect.” Brett nodded. “But how about the people who aren’t here today?”

  “We’ll catch them tomorrow. Mr. Dorman says I can pass the list around in homeroom. Anybody who misses out today can sign up tomorrow.”

  Kevin looked worried. “But how about us? We can sign up, can’t we?”

  “Sure. Knock yourself out.” Danny pushed a blank sign-up sheet across the table. “It’s a legitimate contest. We’re just going to examine the names before we drop them in the fishbowl, that’s all.”

  Kevin nodded, and printed his name and address. Then he passed the paper to Gail, who did the same. It took only a few minutes for the paper to circulate around the table, and it came to rest in front of Danny.

  “You’d better sign it, too.” Amy nudged him. “It won’t look right if you don’t.”

  Danny grinned at her. “Do you think I’m Cat?”

  “Of course not. But someone else might, and you can prove you aren’t by signing up.”

  “Okay.” Danny nodded, and printed his name and address. Then he shoved the paper to Amy. “How about you?”

  Amy put down her name. And then she handed it to Brett and pushed back her chair. “I’m going to get some water. Does anyone else want anything?”

  “I’d like some water, too.” Danny nodded. “Do you need some help?”

  “No. I’ll get it.” Amy hurried to the counter and got two paper cups full of water. It was lukewarm, and she walked to the ice machine, which was close to the team table. She was just about to push the button for ice, when she heard Gail’s voice.

  “What do you think, Brett?” Gail sounded worried, and Amy peered around the ice machine to see what was the matter. “Is one of us Cat?”

  Brett examined the list, and shook his head. “No. As far as I’m concerned, everyone at this table is in the clear.”

  “Are you sure? Tanya said she thought that Amy wrote those poems.”

  Brett frowned slightly, and then he glanced at Amy’s name again. “No way, Gail! Amy’s printing is completely different. And there’s no way she could have voted for herself in the queen contest. The boys have to vote for girls, and the girls have to vote for boys. That’s the rule.”

  “Well . . . maybe.” Gail didn’t look convinced. “But Amy counted the votes. She could have slipped in a couple for herself. Anybody can cut a heart out of red construction paper. And she did have one in her purse.”

  Amy was so shocked, her mouth dropped open. She couldn’t believe that Gail suspected her of being Cat.

  “You’re crazy, Gail!” Colleen looked just as shocked as Amy was. “Amy would never do something like that! What possible motive could she have?”

  “Jealousy. You know that Amy was always jealous of Tanya. Tanya was pretty, and popular, and she was dating Brett.” Gail turned to give Brett a smile. “Unpopular girls like Amy always dream of dating the best-looking guy, and being queen of the dance.”

  Danny shook his head. “Hold on, Gail. You’re going wacko if you think Amy had anything to do with those Valentine cards. And she’d never vote for herself for queen. She’s the most totally honest person I know.”

  “And how about the half-heart pendant?” Colleen sounded outraged. “And your theory that the person who gave Tanya the necklace pushed her down the stairs? How can you possibly think that Amy would do something like that?!”

  Gail looked as if she wished she hadn’t brought up the subject. “Look . . . I didn’t say that Amy killed Tanya. But I still think she might have sent those cards. She knew she could never win the contest for queen, so she struck out at the girl who was leading the contest.”

  “Listen to me, Gail.” Brett turned to her, and Amy noticed that he wasn’t smiling. “What you’re saying is . . . well . . . it’s just impossible! I haven’t known Amy as long as you have, but I know she didn’t send those cards.”

  Kevin nodded. “That’s right. Amy would never do something like that. You’re accusing the wrong person.”

  “And you’re accusing her behind her back.” Colleen spoke up. “That’s not fair.”

  “I think the stress is getting to you, Gail.” Michele sighed deeply. “You might not realize it, but you’ve changed completely since this contest started. Now all you think about is being queen. It’s like you’ve turned into another person.”

  Jessica nodded. “You used to be our friend, and we want you back the way you were. This contest is making you crazy. Maybe you should think about taking your name out of the running.”

  Gail gave a mean little laugh. “Oh, sure. That’s what you’d like, isn’t it, Jessica? You’ve got the most votes after me. If I pulled out, you’d be queen!”

  There was an uneasy silence at the table. And then Brett stood up. “Come on, Gail. Get your coat. We’re going out for a walk.”

  “But it’s snowing outside, and I’ll ruin my hair.” Gail turned to scowl at him. “That’s the dumbest idea I’ve ever heard! Do you have any idea how cold it is out there?”

  Brett nodded, and pulled her to her feet. “It’s twenty degrees above zero.”

  “But that’s below freezing!” Gail shivered. “Give me one good reason why I should go for a walk with you!”

  “Because you need it. It might help you chill out before you lose all your friends.”

  Gail was fuming as she walked down the hall to her locker. School was over for the day, and the afternoon had been a
disaster. Brett had been impossible when they’d gone on their walk. He’d talked about the value of friendship, and how she’d let this contest for queen go to her head. He’d lectured her the whole time they were outside, and Gail had been on the verge of telling him that she didn’t want to go to the dance with him after all, when the bell had rung and they’d been forced to come inside.

  Even though she’d been free during fifth period, Gail hadn’t helped to count the votes. There was no way she wanted to spend a whole hour with Colleen and Amy. She’d gone to the library instead, but that had been a mistake. Everyone there had wanted something from her.

  Gail had promised Jessica and Neal that she’d study with them, but she’d pleaded a headache. And when Kevin had come in, halfway through the period, to ask to borrow her history notes, she’d lied and told him she’d left them at home.

  Sixth period had been just as bad. She’d refused to help her Chemistry partner because she just hadn’t felt like being charitable to a bonehead who couldn’t remember the formulas for idiotically simple compounds like sodium chloride and hydrogen peroxide. And when the girl at the next table had asked if she knew how to figure out atomic weight, Gail had lied and said that she didn’t have a clue.

  Naturally, Gail had blown her part of the oral report in seventh-period English class. The other students on her panel had been depending on her to bring up their grades, but that was just tough. It was a dog-eat-dog world, and she didn’t see why she should knock herself out when she already had an A in the class. And after the final bell had rung, she’d sat at her desk for a full five minutes so she wouldn’t have to run into Brett in the hall, and risk another boring lecture.

  Gail stashed her books in her locker, and sighed. There was an emergency cheerleader practice after school today. Now that Tanya was dead, they had to work out some three-person cheers before the next game. But Gail just didn’t feel like going. Jessica and Michele couldn’t learn their steps without her coaching, but it wasn’t her fault that they were so stupid.

  As she passed the bulletin board, Gail’s spirits brightened a bit. She was still in the lead for queen, and there was no doubt in her mind that she’d win . . . unless Brett decided not to vote for her anymore. Perhaps she should wait to tell him what a self-righteous pig he was, and be nice to him until the contest was over.

  Gail hurried down the stairs and ran down the hall toward the boys’ locker room. She was willing to eat crow, as long as she could be queen. Brett was standing in the hall, next to Neal, and she put on her most charming smile.

  “Brett? Could I please talk to you for a minute?” Gail motioned to him, and Brett followed her down the hallway. When they were out of earshot, she managed to work up a teary-eyed look. “I’m sorry I was so awful today. I guess you guys were right, and the contest is really getting to me.”

  Brett nodded, but he didn’t smile. Gail let a tear run down her cheek, and wiped it away with the back of her hand. Thank goodness she could cry on demand. Boys always caved in when girls cried. It was a fact of life.

  “I’ve been thinking about what you said, and maybe I should withdraw from the contest. I want you to know that . . . that my friends are more important to me than being Valentine’s Day Queen.”

  Brett nodded again, and he seemed to thaw a bit, because he reached out to wipe the tear from her cheek. “Think about it carefully, Gail. Would you really pull out of the contest to save a few friendships?”

  “Of course I would!” Gail let another tear spill down her cheek. “I’ll do it first thing tomorrow morning. And I’ll tell Mr. Dorman to split up my votes and give them to the other girls. The only reason I really wanted to win was . . . well . . . it’s my dad. When my mom was alive, she always talked about the time she was the Homecoming Queen at Hamilton High. Dad was captain of the football team, so he was Homecoming King, and that’s the night he proposed to her. He’s been really depressed ever since she died, and I thought it might make him happy to see me crowned as Valentine’s Day Queen.”

  Brett looked a little uncertain. “Gosh, Gail . . . I didn’t know your mom was dead. I’m really sorry. When did it happen?”

  “Four years ago. She was there one day, and . . . gone the next.” Gail made her lower lip quiver. Actually, her mother was alive and living in Sacramento with the guy she’d run off with, but since her dad never talked about it, no one else knew.

  “I didn’t know they had Homecoming Queens back when your mother was in school.” Brett sounded curious. “How long ago was it?”

  “Uh . . . I’m not really sure.” Gail struggled to think of something. “But Mom got married right out of high school, and I was born two years later, so I guess it was over twenty years ago.”

  Brett smiled at her. “What was your mom’s name?”

  “Elizabeth. She used to joke around about having the same name as the English queens.” Gail smiled back, but her mind was racing. She knew she’d better not say any more about her mother. The best way to keep from being caught when you were lying was to keep everything simple so you could remember what you’d said. “The things you said on our walk made me stop and think. Now I realize that I had a totally selfish reason for wanting to be queen, and I really don’t deserve the honor after the horrible way I acted today!”

  “Well . . . I guess that’s true. But anyone can make a mistake. And if you’re really sorry, maybe you could apologize to the other girls.”

  “Oh, I will!” Gail managed to look totally sincere. She’d get through the required apologies somehow. “But I still think I’d better withdraw from the contest . . . don’t you?”

  Brett began to frown. “Well . . . maybe not. I can see why you want to make your dad happy, and that’s really not a selfish reason. But how about the stress? Can you handle it?”

  “I . . . I think so. And you can tell me if you think I’m acting crazy again. I’m just so upset about those cards, especially after what happened to Tanya. And I can’t help thinking that the same thing might happen to me!”

  “Don’t worry, Gail. I’ll protect you.” Brett slipped his arm around her shoulders and gave her a light kiss on the forehead. “We’ll stick this out together and make your dad happy. I’ll even call him personally and invite him to come to the dance to see your coronation.”

  “Oh, that would be wonderful! Dad would just love it! I know he would!” Gail thought fast. Her father traveled a lot on business, and if she was lucky, he’d be out of town. Of course, if Brett called him today, Dad would stay home for the dance. And then he might just blow her whole sad story about Mom being the Homecoming Queen.

  Brett looked anxious as he noticed Gail’s worried expression. “What’s the matter, Gail?”

  “I was just thinking . . . please don’t call my dad right away. I don’t want you to ask him until the very last day of the contest.”

  “But, Gail . . . if I don’t ask him right away, he could make other plans.”

  Gail nodded. “I know. But think about how he’d feel if he thought I was going to win, and I didn’t.”

  “That’s impossible.” Brett hugged her a little tighter. “I’ll make sure you win, Gail. You can count on me.”

  “I know you will. But I just don’t want to tempt fate, that’s all. You never know what’ll happen for sure, until the last vote is counted. And I certainly don’t want to risk disappointing my dad. I’m all he has left, now that Mom is gone.”

  “I understand. And I guess you’re right.” Brett smiled down at her. “You’re a really good daughter, Gail. I think it’s wonderful that you’re so concerned about your dad’s feelings.”

  Gail nodded. It certainly wouldn’t do to tell Brett that her dad didn’t care what she did as long as the house was clean. “Well . . . I might not be the best daughter in the world, but I try to be. We have to . . . uh . . . stick together as a family. You know what I mean?”

  “Sure I do. I’ve got to run, Gail. The guys are waiting for me. You’re going to cheerleader
practice, aren’t you?”

  “Uh . . . sure I am!”

  “Then I’ll see you after we’re through, down at the Hungry Burger. And don’t forget to apologize to Jessica and Michele. The sooner you do it, the easier it’ll be, and it’ll make you feel a whole lot better.”

  “Right.” Gail nodded and smiled, but she felt more like frowning. Now she’d have to go to cheerleader practice. And she’d have to apologize to Jessica and Michele. She’d have to be nice to Brett and all her other classmates until the contest was over. The whole thing left a bitter taste in Gail’s mouth, but she would do it. It was worth almost anything to be Valentine’s Day Queen.

  Eleven

  Brett frowned as he paged through the copies of Hamilton High’s yearbooks. Something about Gail’s sudden transformation had made him suspicious, and he’d come up to the library to do some research to find out if she had been telling the truth.

  He’d added up the numbers and figured out which yearbooks he should check. And when he hadn’t found Gail’s parents’ names, he’d gone back to check five years earlier and five years later. The football teams were all pictured in the yearbooks, but Gail’s father, Howard Baxter, hadn’t been in any of the pictures. And although Brett didn’t know Mrs. Baxter’s maiden name, he hadn’t been able to find any girl named Elizabeth who had been crowned as Homecoming Queen.

  Brett closed the last yearbook and placed it back on the library shelf. Now he knew the truth. Gail wanted to be the Valentine’s Day Queen so badly, she’d lied to him. And that made him furious !

  What should he do? Brett sat at the table and drummed his fingers impatiently on its wooden surface. He had to do something. That card Gail had received from Cat had said it all. A queen should be kind, faithful and true, and Gail didn’t deserve to be queen.

  The halls were silent and deserted when Cat prepared to slip the third Valentine card through the vent in Gail’s locker. He knew she’d have to come back to get her coat, and she’d see it then. Naturally, she’d go running down to the Hungry Burger, but she would never get there. Cat’s plan was foolproof. He’d worked it all out very carefully, and Gail would never see any of her friends again.