Mr. Costain rolled down his window. “You guys ready? When James said he would catch up with you later. I have to say, I am really proud of you guys. When James said he’d be meeting you here to evangelize at the Halloween dance, I didn’t think you’d be up for it. I’m impressed.”
Not noticing the stunned silence that greeted his words, he continued. “I’ll be back at ten-thirty to pick you up,” he said. “Keep the faith!” He drove away with a wave.
For a moment all of them stood there, gaping at the departing van. Then, after it had disappeared into the darkness, a gabble of panicked voices broke out.
“What just happened?”
“Did he say EVANGELIZE??”
“This was James’ main event?”
It was clear that everyone was as surprised as Allie, but her first instinct was to put as much distance between her and the Catholic weirdness as she could.
“Well—see you guys!” she said, waving and hurrying towards the dance.
George gaped for a moment as the white angel vanished through the massive bank of doors. “Hey…wait!” he finally said, but Allie was long gone.
Not knowing what else to do, he looked around. Sparrow Hills kids in costumes—normal Halloween costumes—stood in clumps, smoking, talking, and looking curiously at the group of “saints.” The JP2 kids instinctively huddled together.
“Whose idea was this?” Liz said in a panicked voice.
“James’ idea,” George said tightly.
“Can’t we just walk back to our school through the woods?” Brian asked.
“Hey, you kids!” A strange adult in an African mask was walking toward them, making pushing motions with his hands. “No loitering outside!” he said crisply. “If you’re going to the dance, get inside!”
There were groans and arguments from the other groups, but teacher-chaperones were herding everyone through the doors, and before the JP2 kids could get away, they were inside.
The lobby was filled with crowds of students, dressed in an amazing variety of costumes. At first glance, George saw a bunch of vampires, some movie characters, some rap stars, one guy dressed up as Austin Powers, a few others dressed up as Zorro…There was even a guy dressed up as a toothbrush.
But the John Paul 2 kids got more than a few stares and smirks as they moved through the crowd.
“Nice costume,” someone called out at Liz. “What are you supposed to be, the knocked-up grandma?”
“Hey, Peter Pan!” someone said to a reddening Brian. “Nice sword! But someone ripped your cape!”
“Hey, your Holiness! Come here and bless me!” a girl dressed as a go-go dancer said.
J.P. moved forward, an eager look on his face; but Celia grabbed him by the collar. “You are not blessing that girl,” she said between gritted teeth.
“I don’t think they’re going to let us in. See? They’re checking I.D.s at the door,” Liz whispered.
George figured she was right, but when they reached the table in front of the entrance to the gym, the gorilla asking for identification roared at him, “Peterson! Burke! What a surprise!”
“Coach?” George said hesitantly.
“Yeah, that’s me,” the gorilla said in Mr. Lamar’s voice, and tapped itself on the head. “Are these the other kids from your school?”
“Um, yeah,” George said. “Actually, it’s pretty much the whole school.”
Mr. Lamar laughed and stamped the back of their hands with a pumpkin stamp. “No problem. Enjoy the dance. Happy Halloween!”
He waved them through the double doors, and they were engulfed by the darkness within.
Allie stopped running once she got through the school doors. She felt a twinge of guilt. I shouldn’t have done that. But the thought of handing out Catholic tracts at the coolest dance of the school year was enough to make anyone panic.
She decided not to think about it anymore. She craned her neck to look for Tyler, and Nikki, and the rest of her friends among the bizarre and spooky costumes in the lobby. An involuntary shudder passed through her when she saw students dressed in trench coats and hoods as Praxor’s Game characters. Calm down! Where’s Tyler?
“Babe!” a familiar voice called out. “Over here!”
Allie breathed a sigh of relief as she sighted Tyler standing in a corner of the lobby, wearing a pinstriped suit, shades, and slicked-back hair. Madison was with him, looking bored and sophisticated as usual. She was wearing a black cocktail dress, fishnets, spike heels, and a glittery witch’s hat.
“What, are you supposed to be an angel or something?” Tyler said as Allie walked over.
“Brilliant, Holmes,” Allie said. “And you’re the Godfather.”
“Something like that,” Tyler said, flashing his usual toothy smile. “I thought you’d be stuck hanging with the Catholic kids.”
“I ditched them,” Allie said. “Hey, Madison. Nice costume.”
Madison nodded slightly. “Yeah, I guess,” she said in a languid voice. “I like your angel wings. Kind of fitting, you know?”
“I don’t know about that,” Tyler said with a smirk. “Just kidding!” he said hastily as Allie glared at him.
She didn’t get Tyler sometimes. “What are you guys doing out here?”
“I was going out to catch a smoke,” Madison said distantly. “Speaking of which…” She walked away.
“Come on,” Tyler said, grabbing her arm. “Wait till you see the haunted house. It is awesome.”
Allie let herself be led away, trying not to dwell on the fact that her boyfriend had been hanging out with one of the hottest girls in Sparrow Hills. Stop imagining things, she told herself.
The Halloween dance was the most popular event at Sparrow Hills; so popular, in fact, that they had to use more than one gym. The main cafeteria had dancing and food, so Tyler and Allie went there first. The “Monster Mash” was blaring as they stepped through the doors.
“Want to dance?” Tyler yelled in Allie’s ear.
“Not yet!” Allie yelled back. She was still annoyed with Tyler. “Show me the haunted house first!”
Tyler grinned. “You got it, babe!” He led her across the crowded dance floor, through hordes of furiously dancing kids, to the other side of the gym. The doors there that normally led to a hallway; but now the threshold was decorated to look like a monstrous open mouth. TUNNEL OF TERROR, a large sign read over the door, with a subtitle: ABANDON ALL HOPE, YE WHO ENTER HERE. A row of pointy teeth brushed their heads as they passed through.
Oh brother, Allie thought. Abandon all hope?’ That’s so cheesy. The teeth are pretty cool, though.
Inside, the hallway walls were covered in the predictable haunted house style, with black fabric on the walls and the lights covered with blue cellophane. Spooky organ music was playing.
“Is this it?” Allie whispered to Tyler as they walked down the hallway. “It’s not too bad …”
“AAAAAAAUUUUGGGHHHH!!!!” Two dark figures rushed towards her. She screamed and dug her nails into Tyler’s arm.
“Ow!” he said, and burst out laughing. Then Allie realized the figures were Flynt and Brock in flowing black robes. Flynt was grinning through white face paint. Brock wore a skull mask that hid his smile.
“Got you, Weaver!” Flynt crowed, and they melted back into the shadows.
Allie took a deep shaky breath.
“You scared, babe?” Tyler said. “You almost cut me with your nails!”
Allie said tried to laugh it off. “That was pretty cool.”
Tyler didn’t know how much the dark figures of Flynt and Brock had looked, for a moment, like the trench-coated figure a hallway just like this one. Scared? She’d been terrified.
It’s just a haunted house. You’re just freaking out for no reason. That’s the truth.
But wasn’t there someone, probably here right now, who was out to get her? Wasn’t that the truth? Allie didn’t like the truth: it was too scary.
“Babe, you’re like cutting off my ci
rculation,” Tyler muttered.
“Sorry,” Allie whispered, loosening her grip. At that moment, she didn’t care if Tyler called her babe, and was a bully, and had been hanging out with Madison. He was big, and strong, and solid. He could protect her. That nerdy little Truth guy…she wasn’t so sure.
The dance turned out to be inside one of Sparrow Hills gyms; and as George pulled open one of the double doors, he was immediately blasted by a wave of talking and loud music. The place was packed. There were crowds everywhere…loud music…smoke machines…kids in costumes dancing frenetically.
“Isn’t this kind of…creepy?” Celia asked behind him.
“What do you expect? It’s Halloween,” George said.
It was a little creepy, though. People wore weird costumes—some of them pretty gruesome—and, with the dim lights, the smoke, and the clashing music, the effect was unsettling.
J.P. didn’t seem to mind; he headed for the food, then the dance floor, chatting with everyone he met. Celia and Brian stayed close to George. Liz slouched behind them, embarrassed.
“Where’s Allie?” Celia yelled in his ear.
“I don’t know,” he yelled back.
“I think we should find her,” Celia yelled.
“What? Why?” George yelled back. “She ditched us!”
But Celia grabbed him by the arm and pulled him back out of the gym. In the hallway again, she said, “We should find Allie, George.”
“Why? She’s probably hanging out with all her friends. She obviously doesn’t want to be seen with us.” Or with me, he thought bitterly.
Celia didn’t reply for a moment; she seemed to be deep in thought. “Look, I really can’t explain it. I just think we should find her.”
George sighed in exasperation. “Fine.” It wasn’t like things could get worse.
The Tunnel of Terror took Allie and Tyler to the wrestling gym, or THE LOVE SHACK, according to the glittery sign over the doors. Inside, the gym had been turned into a dance floor. The lights of half the gym were turned off and the music, while still too loud, was more of the slow-dance kind. The other side of the gym still had the lights on, and there were some kids playing basketball and goofing off—mostly freshman, she guessed, or the kind of kids who didn’t like dances.
“Now we get to dance,” Tyler said.
“Sure,” Allie said. It wasn’t the most romantic setting, but it would do.
Tyler pulled her onto the dance floor. He put his arms around her and they swayed slowly to the music. Allie felt the sudden urge to do something crazy—kiss him, or put her head on his chest and cry, or something. She was still scared, and she still didn’t know why.
For a while she didn’t say or think anything—she just let Tyler lead her as they swayed clumsily back and forth on the dance floor. She ignored the fact that he was a horrible dancer, or that his hands were hot and sweaty on her back—she just let the soft, sweet music wash over her. Most of all, she ignored the Truth Guy, who suddenly seemed to appear and start asking questions: Does Tyler love you? Does he care about you? Can he really protect you? Does he even want to?
Go away, Truth Guy, she said back. I don’t care. I just want to dance with my boyfriend.
George walked up to J.P., who was busy chatting with a couple of cute girls. “Come on,” he said, grabbing his arm. “We need to find Allie.”
“George!” J.P. said, fixing him with a manic smile. “I was just talking to Melissa and Tiffany here. Mel, Tiff, this is my buddy George. He’s the best wrestler in the state—went to the championships last year.”
Melissa smiled flirtatiously at George. “Really?” she said. “Are you on the wrestling team here? Nice costumes, by the way. You two make a good match.”
“Yeah, sure, whatever,” George said impatiently. “J.P., we really need to find Allie.”
“Allie Weaver?” said Tiffany. “She went that way,” she pointed to the opposite side of the gym. “With that big jock—what’s his name, Tyler.”
“Thanks,” George said, and started to drag J.P. away.
“Aren’t you guys from that Catholic school?” Tiffany said. “What are you doing here, anyway?”
“We’re evangelizing!” J.P. said, throwing his arms out in a papal gesture. “Isn’t it obvious?”
Tiffany didn’t laugh. “Really?” she said. “That’s kind of neat. I really do like your costumes too, by the way.”
“Yeah, they’re original.” Melissa chimed in. “I liked the pope,” she added. “I was really sad when he died.”
George was astonished. “Oh, well,” he stammered, and found himself digging in his pocket. “Maybe I have something on him…”
“Here,” J.P. said, and walked up with an uncharacteristically serious expression. He handed Melissa a pamphlet with the title John Paul the Great: A Pope for the Ages. “There’s some really cool stuff in there about him.”
“Cool!” Melissa said. “Thanks, uh…what was your name again?”
J.P. colored a little. “I told you,” he said. “J.P.”
“No, I mean your real name.”
“That is my real name!”
“Okay, come on,” George said, dragging J.P. away.
“Can I get your number?” J.P. yelled.
“Come on!” George said, trying not to grin.
After a few more songs, Allie wasn’t feeling quite so romantic any more; but Tyler wouldn’t let her go. He held her close and whispered, “Allie…”
“Mmmmm…yeah?” Allie responded, shifting uncomfortably. Her back was starting to get itchy.
“I've really missed you…”
“Thank you,” Allie said, and then thought that wasn’t enough. “I missed you too.”
“Hey Allie…you look really hot tonight.”
Allie didn’t know what to say. She felt hot, but only because Tyler’s sweaty hands were pressed against her back. It was getting kind of gross. The only thing she could do was nestle closer to him and wish desperately that he would just shut up and dance with her.
“When I saw you tonight,” Tyler said. “The first thing I thought was how sexy you looked.”
Was that supposed to be a compliment?
“I just saw you there, and I was like…wow! She is soooo hot. What a babe. Wow.” His hands shifted again on her back, and Allie suddenly became aware that he was trembling with excitement.
This whole thing seemed…familiar, somehow. Why was that?
Suddenly she remembered how George had looked, just a few hours ago, when he had seen her in her costume—how his jaw had dropped, and what he had said: Wow. You look beautiful.
Then the Truth Guy was at her elbow again. But this time he wasn’t asking awkward questions. You’re beautiful, Allie, was all he said, over and over again. George was right. You’re beautiful.
Suddenly she felt sad. George had said she was beautiful. And she had ditched George to be with this guy, who said that she was “hot” and “sexy.” George’s jaw had dropped when he had seen her; Tyler had practically licked his lips…
Allie pushed Tyler away as gently as she could manage. “I—I think I have something in my eye.” She put her hand over one eye, being careful not to smudge her mascara. “Be right back.”
Tyler gave her a funny look. Was he annoyed? Angry? “Sure, babe,” he said grudgingly. “I’ll be right here.”
She started to walk away but ran into someone with a jolt. She cursed under her breath and muttered, “Sorry.”
“Allie?”
It was George.
Allie looked very, very flustered as she backed away from him. “George! Uh…hey. What are you doing here?”
George found himself at a loss for words. I came looking for you, he wanted to say. Because Celia said I should find you…and because I wanted to find you. But he couldn’t say that. It would sound stupid.
“Peterson!” Tyler Getz strode forward. He wasn’t smiling now. He looked furious. “What are you doing here?”
George felt
a flash of irritation. He did not want to deal with Tyler right now. “What, do I need your permission?”
“You don’t go to school here,” Tyler snarled. “How did you get in?”
“Coach let me in, if you really need to know.”
“Yeah, Coach Holy Roller just loves you religious types, doesn’t he?” Tyler smiled sourly. “That’s probably the only reason he let you and the shrimp join the squad.”
Couples around them stopped dancing and began to look in their direction.
Tyler turned to Brian with a nasty grin. “Hey, Burke,” he said, nodding mockingly to Brian, J.P. and Liz. “Cool costumes. You guys really fit in. Especially Peterson. A Catholic priest. Guess we better keep the kids away.”
Shock and indignation spiked through George’s chest. “What?”
“I said,” Tyler said, relishing the words, “we better keep the underage boys away from you, Peterson. We know how Catholic priests are…”
The anger hit George like a bowling ball, punching his stomach and nearly taking away his breath with its force. “Take that back,” he said hoarsely.
“Take what back?”
“What you said about Catholic priests.”
“What if I don’t want to?”
“Then I’ll make you.”
“Make me how?”
George stared into Tyler’s eyes. “Let’s go.”
Tyler chortled. “You asking for a smackdown, Peterson? Right here?”
“I’m not asking you for nothing,” George growled. “I’m telling you that I’m gonna take you down. Right here. That is, if you’re up for it. Come on. I know you’ve wanted to have a go at me—well, here’s your big chance.”
Tyler’s eyes glinted. “Sure,” he said in a low voice, almost a whisper. “Oh, sure, Georgie boy, I am so up for it. Okay, listen up!” he shouted to the whole gym. “Kill the music, Billy!”
The music suddenly stopped; apparently the DJ was a buddy of Tyler’s. All the dancers on the floor stopped, too, looking towards them with curious expressions.
Catholic, Reluctantly (The John Paul 2 High Series) Page 14