Wolf-Crazy

by Palmer, Linda

  Finally, we lay down and made out for a while. Focused on Zeke, I paid little attention to the gorgeous blue sky over our heads or the cow mooing in the distance. I wanted him to know what he'd be missing once he moved out. By the time he rolled me onto him and slipped his fingers into the back pockets of my jeans to cup my butt, I knew he'd gotten the point.

  That night, I went to work on the stand-up supermodel in the string bikini I'd removed from Dax's room. I cut off her head and feet until she was more my height. Then I waited until Zeke's light went out before I slipped down the hall. I softly knocked on the door. "Hey, you awake?"

  "Yeah, why?"

  Instead of answering, I pushed the door open. I deliberately stayed in the shadows so he couldn't really see me, though I could see him, lying on the bed, thanks to the moonlight streaming through the open window.

  He squinted at me through the dark. "What are you doing in here?"

  "Seducing you."

  Zeke's gulp was audible from where I stood. "Skylar--" He was using that tone again.

  I matched it. "Zeke--"

  I stepped into the moonlight with the stand-up model in front of me. I knew what Zeke saw: my face and the very curvy body of a chick whose legs had been cut off mid-calf. He burst out laughing. I turned and left without a word, knowing he was now getting a backside view of the real me dressed in my sexiest nightie--the see-through one with the tiniest matching thong ever. I heard his groan all the way down the hall.

  ****

  We got Zeke set up in his new digs Sunday morning. He had a full-sized bed, so the sheets I'd brought from home fit the mattress nicely. I made it up, spreading a quilt and fluffing the pillows we'd bought at the dollar store that morning. I also set around a good eight photos of me that I'd stolen from my house and tucked into my purse just so I'd stay on his mind. He laughed when he saw them and tackled me to the bed.

  "You thought I'd forget you?" he asked between kisses.

  "A girl can never be too sure."

  "You can."

  I sat up and straddled him, my palms on his chest. "You love me."

  "Always. And you love me."

  "Always. Is my number programmed into your phone?"

  "Yeah, along with some others I've been holding onto."

  I remembered the scrap of paper in his backpack. "What are your hours here?"

  "Monday through Friday I'll open up at six for the early birds and stay until eight. I'll have school beginning at eight-thirty. When I get out at three-thirty, I'll come back here and work from four until eight."

  "That's practically a full-time job! How are you going to run track?"

  "I'm skipping track, okay? Just not interested."

  Whatever. I crawled off him to begin unpacking the tub of clothing. I recognized some of the stuff. "I can't believe your dad didn't take all this to the Salvation Army or Goodwill or someplace. Obviously he loves you." I tucked Zeke's jeans into the middle dresser drawer and hung up the better shirts, hoping everything still fit him. As for all his t-shirts, they went into the bottom drawer. He crammed his underwear into the top drawer and plugged in his laptop to charge it. Since there wasn't a bookshelf, we had to leave his other stuff in the box.

  As we left his room so he could take me home, we met a young woman coming up the stairs. She looked about twenty years old, with highlighted blond hair and hazel eyes. I admired her willowy figure. I'd always wanted to be tall with shapely legs that went on forever.

  Greeting us with a smile, she said, "You must be Zeke Sterling. I'm Valerie Timms. Rex told me you'd be moving in. That's my room, there. I'm going to Ridge Rock Community College this fall. Business major."

  "Hi." Zeke shook her hand and released it. "This is my girlfriend, Skylar Walker."

  Now Valerie offered me her hand. I shook it, murmuring, "Nice to meet you."

  "That your Charger in the drive?"

  Zeke nodded. "Yeah."

  "Love it. Well, see you guys later." With a wave, she went into her room.

  "She's very pretty," I said, leading the way down the stairs.

  "If you go for blondes. I'm into auburn hair, myself."

  "Good answer."

  Zeke drove me to my house but didn't go in, so I was left to entertain myself for the rest of the day. The Walker home felt really different without him in it, but I didn't sulk. What were my problems compared to Zeke's? I had a family that believed in me, though Dax could be a pain at times. Thinking of my brother made me a little melancholy, and I thought about calling him. In the end, I didn't though. He might ask questions I didn't want to answer.

  Bored, I went to my room and put a blank canvas on the easel I set up. I got my paints and began applying color with no real idea where my blue mood would take me. As always, I quickly became lost in the joy of creating, and before my eyes the form of a gray wolf, resting with his head on his paws, began to take shape. I layered the paint on thickly to make the fur look real and tipped it with black.

  Once I completed that, I painted myself lying on my side next to him, a task that took hours. Lost in my self-portrait, I didn't even realize it until someone spoke to me.

  "That's beautiful, Skylar."

  I startled at the sound of Dad's voice and glanced out the window, shocked to realize it was almost dark outside.

  "Your best yet, I think." He looked closer. "The eyes are amazing. They have such depth, such mystery. They almost look…familiar." Coming from my Dad the romantic, this was high praise.

  "Why, thanks."

  With a proud smile he left me. I picked up the canvas and stepped toward the bed so I could turn on a lamp and inspect at my handiwork in better light. What I saw shook me. I'd painted a wolf's head, yes, but the eyes were Zeke's.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Since Zeke started his crazy schedule Monday morning, he had the middle of his days free all week. We made use of the time to get our school schedules on Monday. I walked him around the inside of the building, which was pretty much the same as when he'd gone missing except for some classroom switches.

  On Tuesday, he had another session with Mom, but at ten since he had to work in the afternoon. That day, he talked about specific events: the robbery of a convenience store, a tourist mugging, grand theft auto. He said he hoped to make amends someday, but he wasn't sure how. Mom listened as usual, not judging him. At least not out loud. I intercepted a couple of glances that told me she was worried. Whether about Zeke or me or both, I just didn't know.

  During Thursday's session, Zeke talked about the day The Arm, as he called it, went down. When he'd told Dax and me that it was a huge standoff, he meant it. Apparently several kidnapped teens, him included, had seized the moment and made their escape when they heard rumors that the gang might be going down. They holed up in a swamp somewhere, but had been followed, resulting in a shootout right from the movies.

  Listening to him describe the chaos, I began to respect even more his will to live. I'd never have survived such a transplant, myself. I marveled that a guy with his background could ever find the courage to adapt and make the best of his hell. As for finding the guts to break away, well, that defied logic.

  Friday night after Zeke got off work, we went to a movie, our official second date. We ran into Maggie there. She sat with us, and, while Zeke laughed his butt off at the antics of Steve Carrel, I whispered updates on his new job and living arrangements.

  "Bummer," she whispered back. "At least you got him to admit his feelings for you. That's huge."

  "Yeah."

  "Are you excited about school starting Monday?"

  I shrugged. "I guess. Do you have your schedule yet? Zeke and I only have two classes together."

  Maggie dug into her purse and pulled out her schedule, which we looked at when the screen got bright enough to allow it. I was not one of those people who used their cell phones as flashlights, especially in theaters that were supposed to be dark. I saw that she had three classes with Zeke. That figured.

 
After the movie, we walked to a coffee shop named Java Jumbo, which was down the street a couple of blocks. While Maggie and I sipped flavored cappuccinos, Zeke drank black coffee. We talked for a bit and then went our separate ways. Well, Maggie went one way while the two of us went another. Zeke took the long way home, stopping at a popular lookout for a kissing session that ended way too soon. I was back home by midnight, my curfew.

  The weekend flew by, with Zeke at my house some of the time and me at his place the rest. I met his employers, Rex and Charlee Pryor. If they minded a barely legal teenage girl hanging out with one of the renters, they never mentioned it, and I really liked them.

  Dax called on Sunday, but he didn't talk to me. Mom reported that he was doing fine.

  ****

  Zeke got to my house at eight-fifteen Monday morning, our first day of school. Though it was unseasonably hot, he wore a long-sleeved shirt with his jeans. I, however, dressed for the weather in a t-shirt and denim capris. I loved seeing all my classmates again, most of whom recognized Zeke after a double take or three. It was almost comical watching them watch him. I thought of how he'd looked the last time he walked the halls as a student. Longish hair, brand-name jeans, and plenty of 'tude. Now he came off as reserved, shy almost. If I'd been a mind reader, I'm sure I'd have been blasted with theories about where he'd been and what he'd done.

  But the majority of students at Walker were nothing if not unique. And by the time Zeke and I met in the caf at lunch, I sensed the atmosphere had changed. In fact, he led me to a table where Maggie, Lizalynn, Johnny and Wilt plus a couple of others sat.

  "Were you really kidnapped?" asked a guy named Elijah Adams right after Zeke told yet another student he'd spent the last year of his life in New Orleans. I wondered how many times he'd answered that question already. It was a natural one considering all the missing person posters that had been plastered all over town, the volunteer man hunts, and his high-profile dad's many press conferences.

  "Wait'll you hear," said Johnny. Clearly he and Zeke had talked earlier. Everyone at our table leaned a little closer, eager for the details. Since I wondered what and how much Zeke would tell them, I probably did the same.

  Zeke didn't seem to mind talking. "I was tasered and taken to New Orleans, where some other guys and I had to tear down stolen cars for the parts."

  "You mean it was a chop shop?" Wilt looked awed.

  "Exactly."

  I saw a lot of exchanged looks, but no one seemed to be judging him.

  "Did they make you get these?" Elijah pointed to Zeke's tats, fully visible since he'd rolled up his sleeves at some point that morning. I realized I hadn't even noticed, which meant I was used to them.

  "Yeah."

  "How'd you get away?" Lizalynn's eyes couldn't have been any wider.

  "Mass breakout."

  Wilt whistled under his breath. "Wicked."

  "Why aren't you living with your dad?" This question came from Shaniqua Ligon, senior class president and all around girl wonder. She sat to my left, so had to lean around me since Zeke sat to my right.

  "I want to graduate from Walker."

  Everyone seemed to accept that since they did, too. I waited for someone to ask why none of this had been in the local papers, but no one did. And if anyone wondered why Zeke wasn't in jail for his crimes, they didn't do it out loud.

  I'd hardly paid any attention to Maggie, who sat across the table from me, when she suddenly gave me our need-to-talk signal--a tug on the earlobe.

  "Gotta pee," I whispered to Zeke as I got up and left. Maggie followed. We ducked around a corner and out of sight. "What?"

  "Just wanted to tell you some stuff that Zeke probably won't. In calculus, old man Carson was rude to him. I mean really rude, as in your dad needs to know."

  "Okay."

  "And some of the girls are scared of Zeke."

  "Are you kidding me?"

  Maggie shook her head. "I'm totally serious. That new girl? Sally Withers? She actually asked for another lab partner in chemistry three. She acted like Zeke was going to attack her or something."

  "I can handle Sally," I said, already preparing myself for battle.

  "It's not just her, Sky. There are others. Maybe everything will settle down, but maybe it'll get worse. We've seen it happen before."

  That was true. Last year a guy had come out. I could still remember the phone calls Dad got complaining about him lowering the schools' standards, blah, blah, blah. "No one's acting weird around me."

  "Well they wouldn't, would they?"

  She had a point. "Thanks."

  "You're welcome. Now you'd better get back in there." Maggie peeked around the corner. "I think Shaniqua's about to make a move on your guy."

  I darted into the caf and wedged myself between her and Zeke, who promptly hooked his arm around my neck and kissed my temple. I saw more exchanged glances and realized that I'd forgotten to update everyone on our new status. A quick glance at Shaniqua revealed her thinly veiled disappointment that the prom-queen-bad-boy romance she wanted was not going to happen.

  After school, Zeke dropped me off and headed to Anytime. He told me he'd be able to do his homework on the job, which was nice for him, if not for me. I did not get an invitation to go there and keep him company, which probably meant it was against policy.

  At dinner, I told Dad about Mr. Carson being rude to Zeke. He promised he'd speak to him. As we left the table later, our phone rang. It was for Dad, who took the receiver from me. "Thorn Walker." Pause. "Hello, Mrs. Withers. How are you?" Pause. "Zeke? You mean Zeke Sterling?"

  Uh-oh. My gaze instantly riveted to him.

  "Don't let a couple of tattoos fool you. Zeke is a fine young man." Pause. "Oh she did, did she? Well, he skipped last year through no fault of his own and has every right--" Long pause. "Mrs. Withers, Zeke Sterling is the son of Sam Sterling." Pause. "Yes, that Sam Sterling. He's has a three-eight-nine grade point average and--" Pause. "Why don't you do that? In the meantime, I'll be glad to move Sally out of chem three. Why don't the two of you pick out another class and get back to me." Red-faced and fuming, my dad ended the call.

  I set aside my homework, got up, and crawled into my Dad's lap, at least thirty pounds heavier than I'd been the last time I did it. He looked so surprised, I kissed the top of his head. "Thanks for defending Zeke."

  "The day I give in to the raging of a closed-minded fundamentalist is the day I shut the doors of Walker Academy for good."

  "And that," I said, "is what I love about you best."

  Dad chuckled. "How's he doing?"

  "Okay, I think."

  "How's his apartment?"

  "It's not an apartment; it's a room with a closet. He doesn't even have kitchen privileges. I told him to get a microwave."

  "No need. Your gran's old one is on a shelf in the laundry room."

  "Oh my gosh! I forgot all about it." I jumped off his lap and went to look. Though it was small and needed a good scrubbing, I knew it would do the trick. So I cleaned it up, stuck it in the car, and headed to Anytime Cleaners around nine. Any excuse, right?

  When I got there, I saw two people sitting on the glider in the front yard. I flicked a glance in that direction, stumbling over my own feet when I saw who they were: Valerie and Rick.

  Yeah. That Rick.

  My heart jolted to a stop and then began pumping extra hard. Why was he there? It couldn't be coincidence. I mean, what were the chances? No, he had to be using her as an excuse to keep an eye on Zeke or something. Had he seen me? Maybe. But even if he hadn't, he'd probably smelled me. Yet he hadn't acknowledged my presence with a look or a wave.

  Thoroughly panicked, I walked to the outside side entrance used by those who lived there intending to call Zeke to let me in. But the door stood ajar. I climbed the stairs and knocked on Zeke's door. He opened up a couple of seconds later. "Hey."

  "Hey." I brushed past to enter uninvited.

  He shut the door, his gaze on me. "What's wrong?"
r />   "Valerie and Rick are in the front yard."

  Zeke froze. "Together?"

  "Yes. Sitting on the glider. You need to warn her about him."

  "For sure." He sat on his bed and took my hand to make me sit, too.

  "What do you think this means?"

  "I have no idea."

  "But it's deliberate, don't you think?"

  "Has to be." As if picking up on my angst, he put his arms around me. "Don't worry. I can handle Rick."

  "Yeah, but can you handle Rick, Germain, and Rourke?"

  "If I have to. Hopefully it won't come to that."

  I heard the floorboards in the hall outside the door creak and jumped up to peek out. "It's her," I shot back at Zeke, motioning for him to get up, and opened the door wider. "Hi, Valerie. How are you?"

  "Fine. Isn't this weather gorgeous? Reminds me of home."

  "Where are you from, anyway?" I felt Zeke step up behind me and opened the door all the way.

  "Hi, Zeke." Valerie smiled at him. "I'm from northern California. Crescent City to be exact. My parents still live there."

  "Could we talk for a sec?" Zeke asked.

  "Sure." She moved closer, looking from him to me and back to him. "What's up?"

  "That guy you were talking to… Out in the yard?" I motioned in the direction. "Have you known him long?"