Second Bestie (Redbend High Book 1)

by Anna Marie Kittrell

“Well, it’s not my brother I betrayed,” Saul said, teasing. “It’s Bianca.”

  Bianca snapped her head up and stared at him.

  He stood, walked to her chair, and knelt. “I’m the one who told Misty about you coming to church. I kind of like her—did kind of like her. She was standing beside me in the hall when you walked by. I was just making conversation.”

  “You used me to make conversation?” Bianca’s nostrils flared.

  “I know it was a horrible thing to do. I had no idea she would confront you like that, that she was so mean. Anyway, I am extremely sorry. What I did was wrong on so many levels. I hope you will forgive me, but if not, I understand.”

  Bianca stared at him.

  Saul shifted, still kneeling beside her chair.

  Her rigid shoulders melted. “You’re not the only one who’s made a bad decision that hurt someone.” She looked over at me and then returned her gaze to him. “Too-tall Saul, I deem thee forgiven.” She raised her chin and cut her gaze down to him.

  “Thank ye, Milady.” Saul rose and bowed low.

  Something tugged my heart. “And Bianca, I really am sorry about those terrible things I said at the concert.” The words broke in my throat.

  She nodded. “It’s okay.”

  “Now, that’s what God likes to see. I’m really proud of you guys,” Greg said. “Let’s hit our knees and take our requests to the Lord.”

  Several people moved to the wall and knelt under the Kneeling Zone sign as Greg prayed for us aloud. Bianca and I remained in our chairs, heads bowed. I silently prayed along with Greg this time, asking Jesus to come into my heart. Tears of joy washed through me, cleansing my soul before streaming down my face. I knew I’d made the right decision.

  Perfect love drives out fear. Did it ever. I was sitting in church, unafraid, next to Bianca. Only God’s perfect love could pull that one off.

  I sat still, enjoying the warm rush of God’s love as it inflated my heart. After a few moments, I raised my head, amazed at how much lighter I felt. I wondered if Bianca felt lighter too.

  After prayer, Sandy passed around the Pray Doh can. Bianca snarled her nose at the childish container, her expression priceless. I clinked in fifty cents, plus two quarters for Bianca.

  “Okay, I’m pumped to hear some praise reports,” Greg said.

  “I made a B plus on that test we prayed about,” Isaac said.

  “Fantastic. And did you study?”

  “Sure did.”

  “High-five, man.” Greg opened his palm to Isaac.

  “Derek, how about you and Mr. Franklin?”

  “It was hard to think of something nice to say. One day he was glaring at me while I played my game system and I told him—in a loud voice so I wouldn’t have to get close—that I missed how Mrs. Franklin used to bring me cookies. He didn’t say anything, just turned around real slow and went in his house. I felt kind of bad, afraid I’d hurt his feelings.” Derek looked down. “Anyway, I didn’t see him for a couple days. Then yesterday, I was on the porch and he walked to the fence and glared, like always. But this time he called me over. I was scared, but I went anyway. And he…”

  “He what?”

  “Gave me a box of chocolate chip cookies.”

  Greg struggled to speak over the laughter that filled the room. “So, do you think what we talked about is true? Maybe hurt turns into anger and causes people to be unfriendly sometimes, even when they want to be nice?”

  “Yeah, I think that’s true. My dad still hates Mr. Franklin’s guts, though.”

  “Maybe you can work on him next,” Greg said. “I’m proud of you, Derek.”

  A familiar chime rang through the loudspeaker.

  “Lenni’s doorbell?” Bianca whispered, looking around.

  “One more thing,” Greg said above the noise. “Anybody know last week’s memory verse?” I raised my hand, and he nodded to me.

  “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Hebrews, chapter eleven, verse one.”

  “Right on, Molly. Good job.”

  My face warmed. “Thanks.”

  “Youth, have a great week, and I’ll see you Sunday.”

  Bianca and I rose and tucked our Bibles under our arms.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  “So, what’d you think?” I asked.

  Bianca shrugged. “It was okay, I guess.” Her mask was cracking, I could see right through it.

  Her father walked into the church foyer, accompanied by several men from the congregation. “You are truly gifted, Seth. We are so pleased you’ve returned,” Mr. Piper said, patting his back.

  “Thank you. It feels really good to be back. Amazing, in fact.” Seth’s smile lit his eyes—clear like green glass.

  “I was kind of looking forward to the piano smoke effects again, though. Guess you pounded all the dust out last week.”

  “I was so nervous, I probably shook all of the dust out.”

  “Certainly didn’t show. You’re a natural on the keys.” Pastor Jacobs pumped Seth’s hand. “Please, consider joining the Cornerstone men’s ministry. We get together the last Friday evening of each month. Sometimes we go to dinner or bowling instead of gathering here at the church. There’s a meeting this Friday night.”

  “Sounds good, but I’ll have to check my schedule. I’m starting a new job tomorrow.”

  “Hey, Dad,” Bianca said, pecking his cheek. “You ready?”

  “Let’s roll.” He smiled and fished the keys from his pocket. I giggled as he pulled out the ruby slipper key chain. “I really need to get this back to your mom.” He put an arm around Bianca and they walked to the jeep. Seth opened the door for her.

  I inhaled the cool, evening air. It was almost dark. Mrs. Piper would want me to ride with her or on Mr. Cecil’s bus.

  I jumped at the loud blare of a horn. “Molly, need a ride?” Bianca waved.

  “Sure.” I jogged the few steps to the jeep.

  “Now it’s your turn to be crammed into the cargo space,” she teased, turning up the radio. We sang with Dizzy on the short ride to my house.

  “Thanks, Mr. Ravenwood. See you in the morning, Bianca.”

  “Oh, Dad’s going to drive me to school before he goes to work.” Bianca latched onto his arm.

  “Okay. See you at school.” I squeezed from behind the seat.

  “Scary witch.” Seth gazed at my front porch.

  “I’ve seen scarier,” Bianca said.

  I waved and bounded up the walkway, light as a feather. Boo met me at the door. I scooped him up and walked through the house calling for Mom and Dad.

  “In here.” Mom’s voice carried into the hallway from the bathroom. “I’m just stepping into the shower.”

  “Where’s Dad?” I asked, cracking the door an inch.

  “Bowling,” she said, her voice lilting. “This time he didn’t even stop to change clothes. He actually went to the bowling alley in his button-down shirt and neck tie.”

  “Hope he doesn’t strike out.”

  “It’s bowling. Getting a strike is a good thing,” Mom said, peering around the shower curtain.

  “Okay, in that case, I hope he does strike out. I’m going upstairs.”

  “Aren’t you going to eat something? Leftovers are in the fridge.”

  “Nah, I snacked at church. Oh, and Bianca’s dad got the job.”

  “Yes, your father told me. He seemed excited for Seth.”

  “Me, too,” I said. “Night, Mom.”

  I carried Boo through the house and up the stairs before sinking into a honeysuckle bubble bath. I texted Lenni from the tub.

  How was the play? I set the phone on the side of the bathtub and shaved my legs.

  Ms. V got roses after. I did okay too. Only forgot one line. LOL.

  I bet u rocked. Mom taking us to school tomorrow. Bianca riding with Seth. Pick u up.

  K. Nite.

  I closed my eyes and soaked until the bubbles dissolved.


  * * *

  Lenni ran down her porch steps and raced over the walkway toward the van. I slid open the door.

  “Hey, Molly, Madeline,” she chirped.

  “You’re bright-eyed and bushy-tailed,” Mom observed.

  Lenni stared blankly.

  “She means you seem to have lots of energy this morning,” I translated.

  “I feel fantastic.” She wiggled around in the backseat. “Molly, I had the most amazing dream last night. I dreamed that you, Bianca, and me were onstage performing Toil and Trouble, but it was different somehow.” She knit her brow. “Anyway, we brought the house down! We were fabulous. We all got flowers and real acting jobs. There were casting directors in the audience, and we became famous!”

  I frowned. “Lenni, I thought you couldn’t dream.”

  “Oh, geez. I forgot to tell you.” She thumped her forehead with her palm. “One of Mom’s customers is a pharmacist. Mom told him about my dreaming problem when he came into the shop to get his wife an anniversary gift. He got her one of those stuffed kittens with rhinestone collars that can double as a bracelet. The ones I told you she picked up at auction.”

  I gave Lenni a look, prompting her to get on with her story.

  “Oh, right, dreams. Anyway, the pharmacist said for Mom to buy me a bottle of Vitamin B-complex, because sometimes dreamlessness is a sign of a deficiency.”

  “It worked?” I asked, astonished.

  “Can you believe it? Two years without one single dream then I pop a few over-the-counter vitamins and poof! I’m dreaming again. Bianca was happy about it, too.” Lenni drew her slender legs under her and blew a pink bubble.

  “That’s amazing,” Mom said. “I knew vitamins were important, but, holy cow, dreamlessness? Who’d have thought?”

  “I know, right?” Lenni shrugged.

  “Here we are.” Mom rolled the van to a stop in front of the school. “See you after school.”

  “Bye, Mom. Glad you’re feeling well this morning.”

  “You and me both.”

  “Bye, Madeline,” Lenni said as she hopped from the van.

  Bianca’s hair, filled with morning sunshine, beckoned from the center of the schoolyard. “Bianca!” Lenni bellowed—her voice amplified through cupped hands.

  Bianca whipped her head toward us. I waved as Lenni ran, helter-skelter, to meet her.

  “So, Bianca, did you have a good time at church? Did your dad play the piano? Oh, Bianca, do you think he could teach me to play? You know how I’ve always wanted to play the piano. How much do you think he’d charge for lessons? And where would we practice? Do you think the church would let us use theirs? Maybe I could ask for a piano for my birthday—”

  “Whoa!” Bianca grabbed handfuls of hair from her own temples, shaking it by the roots. “You’re making my head spin.”

  Lenni looked at her, wide-eyed. “Oops, sorry. One question at a time?”

  Bianca squinted. “That would help. Thanks.”

  “Okay.” Lenni put her hands up and exhaled. “Did. You. Have. A. Good. Time. At. Church?” She bobbed her head with each syllable.

  “Yeah, it was alright,” Bianca said. “And I know you’ve always wanted to learn to play piano. I think Dad’ll give you lessons. Probably for free.”

  “Yay!” Lenni hugged Bianca and hopped up and down. Bianca turned her head toward me, hair bouncing, eyes bugged. I giggled and snapped a picture with my phone.

  “Is that the bell?” Bianca craned her neck toward the school.

  Lenni jerked her arms from around her shoulders. “I don’t hear anything,” she

  said.

  “That’s weird.” Bianca smoothed her hair and tightened the laces on her red velvet corset.

  The bell rang, echoing loudly through the schoolyard.

  “There it is,” Bianca said. “I must’ve had a premonition.”

  “Don’t you need a job to get a premonition?” Lenni asked as we joined the swell of people entering the school.

  Bianca shot me a glance.

  “Promotion.” I mouthed the word Lenni had misunderstood.

  Bianca cut her gaze to the ceiling and shook her head.

  * * *

  “Ugh, are you kidding?” Lenni muttered, standing on tiptoe. “It’s Friday. You’d think they’d have the decency to give us something edible.” She snarled her nose at the heap of mush in front of her.

  “Why should Friday be any different?” I asked.

  “I want you guys to stay over tonight,” Bianca said as the lunch lady deposited a jiggling mound of macaroni-and-something onto her tray.

  Lenni looked at Bianca, dumbfounded. I was sure her expression mirrored mine.

  “What’s the big deal? You’re both looking at me like I’ve asked you to drink blood, or eat this food, or something.” We walked to an empty table by the window and sat. “Well, are you going to stay the night with me or not?” she asked, her gaze flicking between us.

  “Sure, I’d love to, I’m just surprised,” Lenni said.

  “Molly?” She looked at me.

  I wiped my mouth with a napkin. “Count me in.” I nodded, stomach fluttering a little. A reaction to Bianca’s invitation, or the bite of mystery casserole. I wasn’t sure which.

  “Both of you come around six, and don’t expect to make it home until tomorrow afternoon. I have something special planned tomorrow morning.”

  “Sounds mysterious.” Lenni widened her eyes.

  “It’s something I should’ve done a long time ago. Something important,” Bianca said, unfolding her napkin. “And I’ve decided I want us to do it together.” She placed the napkin over her peanut butter cookie and pushed the tray away.

  “Let’s go outside,” Lenni said. We dumped our trays and walked through the doors to the schoolyard. Lenni ran from group to group, squealing pleasantries, getting her social fix.

  “How does your dad like his job?” I asked Bianca as we walked toward an empty picnic table.

  “He likes it. He told this crazy story about some guy getting his tie caught in the ball return. Who bowls in a necktie, anyway?”

  My face grew warm, remembering Dad had worn his tie to the alley again the night before. “I’m glad he’s enjoying it.”

  “Me too. I haven’t seen him like this since Mom—since I was a little girl.”

  “Okay, I’m back,” Lenni said brightly, as if Bianca and I had gone into suspended animation during her absence. “I just had to catch up with some people I haven’t seen in a while.”

  “Lenni, you see them every single day.” Bianca rolled her eyes as the bell rang.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Lenni climbed down from the van.

  “Hold on a sec,” I said through the passenger window, and then turned to Mom. “Mom, can you take Lenni and me over to Bianca’s around six? She’s having a sleepover.”

  “Sure, that’ll be fine. I need to go to the store this evening. I’ll drop you girls off beforehand.”

  “See you in a couple of hours, Len.”

  “Thanks. I’ll be ready.” She skipped up the walk.

  Mom backed out of the driveway. “Bianca’s tonight? That’s a switch.”

  “I know. I’m not really sure what to expect.”

  “Well, I think it’s great. Maybe this means she’s comfortable with the way things are at home.”

  “Maybe.” I shrugged.

  “Not to sound judgmental, but, please be careful in that neighborhood. Stay indoors. Old Town has a reputation for being…what do the kids around here call it…”

  “Rugged?”

  “Yes, rugged, that’s it.” The slang term sounded funny coming from my mother.

  “I’ll be careful. I’ll be back sometime tomorrow afternoon.”

  We pulled into our driveway.

  “The wind blew hard last night, but her hat is still in place.” Mom straightened porch witch’s dress before we entered the house.

  Excited to see us, Boo squirmed so much I
had a hard time picking him up. “Mom, I’m going upstairs to pack.” I kissed the little dog’s head, set him back down, and jogged upstairs to my room.

  I had no clue what to bring with me to Bianca’s. I wondered what kind of something special she had planned. I ran my fingers through the closet, parting hangers and frowning. I shrugged and pulled down my softest pair of jeans and a navy-blue sweater. The radio forecast said tomorrow would be chilly.

  * * *

  Mom drove cautiously into Old Town. The shadowy trees looked even more ominous in the waning light.

  I turned toward the backseat, facing Lenni. “I wonder what she wants with them?” I glanced between her knees at the green bottle that held three bloodberry blossoms.

  “She didn’t say. Maybe ambiance?”

  I smiled, proud of Lenni for using such a big word.

  Mom brought the van to a gentle stop in front of Bianca’s weathered house. “Is she home?” She sounded concerned as she scanned the damaged windows. The front door swung open and Bianca breezed down the porch steps.

  “My dad’s working until seven.” She offered Mom a smile, revealing rarely seen, straight, white teeth.

  “Thank you, dear. I’m sure you girls will be fine,” Mom said, not sounding completely convinced.

  “See you tomorrow afternoon, Mom.” I hugged her.

  “Thanks, Madeline,” Lenni said as she gingerly stepped on the running board. Bianca took the bottle from her before Lenni lowered her foot to the pavement. We trekked up the crumbling walkway. Mom waited until we stood on the splintered porch before leaving.

  Bianca set the bottle on the scratched coffee table. “Make yourselves at home.” She took our bags, dropped them to the floor, and then flopped on the orange sofa. She crossed her tall boots on the table, next to the flowers. Lenni sat beside her. I sank into a scuffed leather recliner.

  “This chair is comfortable,” I said, pulling the lever on the side, lying back.

  “Yeah, that’s Dad’s. Thankfully, he doesn’t spend as much time in it as he used to.”

  I glanced around. Scrapes marred the wood floors. Overhead, an amber globe hung from a tarnished gold chain, giving the room a topaz glow. Lenni stared at the bloodberry flowers with question marks in her eyes.