I hope down from the side of his truck, wearing a cocky grin. “Maybe.”
When I was a kid, Fall Fest was about going to play games, and ride the few rides they actually had. Now, it’s about walking around and hanging out with friends. I think about going. Maybe Adam will be there. No. He’ll definitely be there.
If I can get my mom to let me go maybe that will give me a chance to apologize to him face to face. My apology earlier was insincere. Well, not completely insincere. I am sorry I hit him, but I’m madder at myself for losing my cool, and severely misjudging him.
When I walk into my house, Mom is still at the kitchen table reading her paper. She folds it up as I sit down next to her. She checks the time. “That was quick.”
“Yeah. He said he was in a hurry,” I lie.
“Oh, okay.” She pats my hand. “Wren called.”
“I’ll call her back in a little bit.”
Mom cocks her head to the side, giving me a concerned look. “Is something wrong, sweetheart?”
I know it’s wrong, but I begin to fabricate my lie even further. “Adam asked me if I was going to Fall Fest. But I told him I couldn’t go because I was grounded.”
She narrows her eyes, trying to read me. “Oh he did? Did he?” I nod, excitedly hoping that she doesn’t catch on. “Do you like this boy?”
I’m not sure. “No.” Maybe. Honestly, I’m not even sure how to classify our relationship to myself. We’re not friends. We’re definitely not dating. So then what are we?
Mom steadies her gaze, keeping her hazel eyes level with mine. “Is he picking you up?”
“No. I told him you wouldn’t let me go.” I think it bothers Mom that I’m not fighting her on this.
“How are you going to get there?”
I hesitate for a second. “Wait. Are you saying I can go?”
Mom smiles. “Maybe I am.”
If she knew what I did last night, I’m certain she’d take back this act of leniency. “Wren can take me.”
Mom peeks at the phone. “Give her a call.” I shock Mom when I jump up and hug her. It actually feels good. I haven’t done it in years.
After I release Mom, I scurry to the phone and punch in Wren’s number. She picks up on the first ring. “Hello.”
“Hey.”
“What’s up?”
“You up for Fall Fest?”
“You know it.”
Chapter 8: Ellory
The urges didn’t emerge when Adam was around guys, only girls. He remembered a time during football practice when the wide receiver caught him staring at his neck.
“Dude.” He waved his hand in front of Adam’s face. “Are you okay?”
Adam gasped. “There’s nothing there. No blood.”
The wide receiver backed away slowly. Adam’s tendencies had come alive. “What’s with you? Man, are you tripping?”
Adam snapped out of his trance. He played it off coyly. “No, dude. I just have a doctor’s appointment today. I was hoping they don’t have to draw any blood.” Inside, butterflies bounced off the walls of Adam’s stomach when he mentioned the word blood.
The wide receiver chuckled. “Ah, man, I feel you. I hate needles.”
For Adam, when he noticed girls, it was like every one of them had a permanent marker scrawled across their necks with a message to him. It would say, ‘insert knife here’ or ‘slash at your own risk.’ From then on, he’d imagine doing exactly what those messages were telling him to do.
Ellory Graham was different. Adam had figured that out the moment he laid eyes on her in first period English Lit. Normally, he liked his women weak. The weak ones were a lot easier to manipulate. But Ellory, she was mouthy, strong, and self-assured.
Those characteristics left him absolutely fascinated.
Every time he tried to fraternize with the opposite sex, his urges came out to play. Typically, he either ended the relationship early, fearing that the monster inside him would come out of hiding, or he decided that the female in the relationship had to meet her demise to quench his thirst for blood.
But that wasn’t the case with Ellory Graham. It stunned him that when he was around her, there were no urges. When she was in his car and at his house, he caught himself staring at her neck several times. He was waiting to see if his morbid fantasy would play out. He wanted to see the blood pour of out of the gash on her neck that he envisioned in his mind. But, there was nothing—just another neck.
He drove down the street, the music blaring. He did the driving ritual often trying to distract himself, but thoughts of Ellory remained constant. Could she be his savior? Could she redeem him of his wicked ways?
There was only one problem with the Ellory Graham situation. She didn’t like him. Not even a little bit. And that was weighing heavily on his conscience.
Adam never had to woo a girl before. He was used to them throwing themselves at him, like harlots in an ancient Grecian market place. It never occurred to him that he’d actually have to work to gain Ellory’s trust and affection. Now, he’d have to be like any other guy and play the game.
He planned on attending Fall Fest, the one event the whole town seemed to be talking about. He liked that there wasn’t that much to do here. In Chicago, every day of the week there was something that you could do. There was little time for unwinding and doing mundane things.
He knew he would see Ellory there. He had to think of something, anything that would get her attention. But, what?
In the past he considered himself to be one of the best strategists, so why, when it came to this girl, was it so difficult for him to come up with a plan?
He picked up his phone that rested in the cup holder of the middle consul and went to his contacts. He strummed through number after number, until he found the one he needed. He stopped in the section of the contacts that said K. K was for Katie. She gave him her number his first day of school.
In all honestly, he despised her. The girl was vile and she lacked self-respect. Not to mention he noticed the red liquid oozing down her neck the moment he laid eyes on her. If he did kill any girls in town, she would be the first on his list. He dialed her number and the phone started ringing.
After three or four rings, Katie picked up. “Hello.”
Adam put the phone to his ear, turning on his charm. “Hey, Katie, it’s Adam.”
“Oh, Hi Adam,” she gushed. The sound of her sultry voice made his stomach churn.
“So, are you going to this Fall Fest thing tonight?” he asked.
“Are you going?”
“I was thinking about it.” He paused briefly. “Do you want to go together?”
“I would love to!”
“Sweet. I’ll pick you up at seven.”
“See you then.”
Adam hung up the phone and tossed it onto the passenger seat. He had set his plan in motion. A devilish grin spread across his lips as he stared into the rearview mirror. He may have underestimated himself because the plan he came up with was brilliant.
He knew that Ellory disliked Katie. It was clear from her comments in school and at the party. When he thought about it, he was certain that he’d found the best way to get Ellory’s attention. He was going to use Katie Halston to crack Ellory Graham.
Chapter 9: Fall Fest
Wren arrives just as the sun sets. I stroll to her car, admiring the splash of colors in the sky. Yellow. Orange. Pink. Even patches of dark blue with a faint glow from the stars. A gust of wind, with a bite on its tail, blows forcefully, and nips the tip of my nose. I shiver as the chilled air seeps through my insulated hoodie. It feels good to shiver because despite the wind and the dropping temperature, I’m warm inside. Not just warm, I’m on fire.
For the first half of the drive, Wren and I ride in silence. Then, I finally decide to speak up and talk about what’s been on my mind for the last few hours. Adam. Wren is more important to me than any other person in the entire world, aside from Mom. I know she likes Adam and if she’s still interested, I won�
�t act on anything. No matter how I feel.
“I took Adam on a tour today.” I clear my throat nervously.
She keeps her eyes on the road. “Oh, yeah. How did that go?”
I lower my voice. “He kissed me and I slapped him. That’s how it went.” Wren doesn’t answer. “I know you like him.”
“Do you like him?”
“I don’t know.” There’s a small part of me that still despises him based on first time I saw him in the school parking lot. Then there’s another part of me that is anxious every time I think that I might see him.
Wren shrugs nonchalantly. “Fuck him.”
My eyes bug out. “Excuse me?” Did ‘Miss Proper Etiquette’ just use profanity? “Did you just drop the 'f’ bomb?”
She giggles. “Yeah. You’re rubbing off on me.”
“I’m serious though, Wren. If you want him, I won’t act on anything. I don’t care how I feel. You mean more to me than some boy I think I have feelings for.”
“I don’t want him. I figure when I get to college there will plenty of nerds who will be dying to get their hands on this,” she jokes, motioning to her body.
I’m laughing so hard that I snort. When I finally get myself under control, she pulls into the parking lot.
After getting out of the car, Wren laces her arm through mine and we walk to the entrance. “So,” Wren begins, “You have yet to tell me how good this kiss between you and Adam was.”
Thinking back, I was too confused and pissed off to evaluate the kiss fairly. But right before I pulled out of it, there was a numb, tingling sensation on my lips. A sensation that felt so amazing, I had to fight the better half of myself to keep myself from kissing him again, and again, and again. Heat rises to my cheeks when I think about his lips on mine. “It was awesome,” I tell her.
Wren looks at me, one eye squinted. “Then why did you hit him?”
“Impulse. I don’t know. He pissed me off before. And on top of that I thought he was a different kind of guy. Someone like Blake.”
“Ugh. How can you even categorize him with Blake? I guess it’s because you don’t have any classes with him.”
“I meant looks-wise.” Blake is wildly hot on the outside, with his rock hard abs, perfect white-toothed smile, dimples, and grey-blue eyes. But on this inside, he’s dumb and shallow and selfish. I can’t imagine being Megan White and actually have to hold down a conversation with him.
Two feet away from the entrance, I tell Wren about what happened after she left Adam’s party. Then I tell her about Adam and how he carried me home.
“Wow, she gushes. “That sounds like something that only happens in fairytales.”
I agree. “I know, right? That stuff only happens in movies.”
The Fall Fest banner dangles above us with the words ‘Fall Fest’ in orange and brown letters. A parade of people pass us as the corny music comes from the rides lingers in the air. Children walk, holding their parent’s hands, clutching balloons in their free hand. The sound of fryers sizzling echoes from the food booths and the smell of a grease filled heaven invades my nostrils. Shrieks of excitement ring out and I scan the passerby’s in search of Adam. He has to be here. He just has to.
Wren leans into my ear. “Are you sure he kissed you?”
“Why would you say that?” I snap. “Would I ever lie to you about something like that?”
“No.” She points to her left. “But look.”
My eyes follow her finger to a corndog booth. Adam stands in front of the booth with Blake, Megan, and Oh. My. God. Katie.
A dull ache throbs in my rib cage. It starts slowly then builds until I clutch my side unable to breathe. He’s touching her. Tucking a stand of her hair behind her ear. I’m jealous. This is new. And I’m furious. He spots me in the crowd as Wren lugs me toward the hot chocolate stand and I give him a look full of pure disgust. How could he kiss me like that and then show up with another girl? A girl I despise more than anyone else on the planet.”
I have to talk to him. The uneasy, gut-wrenching emotions that are taking over me will chew me up and spit me out if I don’t. I unfurl Wren’s fingers from my arms and start toward him. Wren latches on to me again. “Ells are you sure going over there is a good idea.”
“Wren, I have to. Please just let me.” Wren releases my arm, shaking her head and folds her arms across her chest.
Stomping toward them, I reach Adam, grab him by the arm and rip him away from Katie. “What do you think you’re doing?” Katie yells.
I’m seething, and I grit my teeth. “Saving him from contacting AIDS.” We only make it a few steps before he removes my fingers from his arm. “Leave me alone,” he says coldly.
He moves closer, inches away from my face. I focus on his full-enticing lips and I think about the way they felt against mine. No. I snap out of it and throw my hands in the air. “I can’t believe you!” I yell in a gruff voice. “I’ve never met someone who is as big of a dick as you!”
“You made it that way!” he shouts in a grizzly voice.
Here I am, ready to admit I was wrong. Ready to apologize. Ready to beg for his forgiveness and he’s here with someone else. I have every right to be pissed off. More than pissed off, I’m about to explode. I hope I blow him up in the process.
Katie takes a few steps forward. “Back off Ellory. He knows what he wants. There’s no point in throwing yourself at him.”
I sneer at her. Torn between heartache and rage. “You back off! Unless you want my sloppy seconds!”
Adam is still looking at me. He’s memorizing every feature on my face. I glare at Katie and she glares at Adam. “Adam, what is she talking about?”
Keeping his eyes on me he replies, “I have no idea.”
I’m laughing hysterically. I’m a lunatic, seconds away from tearing the hair from my scalp. “You’re a liar, a sham of a human being, and a bastard!” I raise my hand, backing away. “You know, I had every intention of coming here, apologizing, and telling you I was wrong. And that maybe, just maybe the kiss earlier meant something to me.” Something more than I’m prepared to admit. “But here we are.” He opens his mouth to speak, but I go on. “I’m so glad that I figured this out now.”
“Figured what out?”
“That everything I thought was wrong about you was right.” I tilt my head to Katie. “Have fun with the town’s leftovers.”
I turn on my heel and stalk toward Wren who’s patiently waiting for me next to a fried rice booth. “Crazy bitch!” Katie shrieks at my back.
“Really, Katie! Is that the best that you can do?”
For a second I drown out all the fair noise until Katie screams, “At least my father loves me enough not to leave me!”
I freeze and ball my fists up at my sides. The blood in my veins is a cauldron above a blazing fire. Boiling. Bubbling. My teeth chatter as a deep red appears on my cheeks. I look at Wren. She wears a shocked look on her face. “Ells, don’t do it. Seriously.”
I can’t help it. I can’t believe she just went there. I have never gone there. I’ve never even thought of involving Katie’s family members in my comments. Besides, she gives me too much good material on her own.
“You little bitch!” I shriek. “I will rip your head off!” I charge toward her, my fist high in the air, prepared to shatter the bones in her nose a second time. Adam catches me by the arm before I reach her. “Calm down,” he says in a soothing tone. “Don’t cause a scene.”
“Are you deaf? Did you not just hear what she said to me?”
His lips form a straight line. “I did. But don’t you know that every time you respond you’re stooping to her level.”
“I don’t care.” I yank my arm from his grasp, marching forward. He clutches the hood on my shirt and pulls me backward. “I’m telling you Ellory. Don’t go there.”
I frown. “Why not? She did.”
The thing is I know all kinds of secrets involving Katie and her family. Being friends with someone for seven ye
ars will give a person that advantage. I know her father once had an illicit love affair with a bus driver named Brenda. I also know that her father isn’t even her real father. Her mother hooked up with a townie way back when and nine months later out popped Katie.
Even though I know all of her deep, dark secrets. I’ve never dreamed of saying anything to anyone. Bringing a person’s family into a feud is a whole different level of nastiness.
Katie doesn’t necessarily have to throw physical punches to win a fight. I mean, let’s get real here, that girl couldn’t throw a physical punch to save her life. What Katie does is much worse. She throws verbal punches. Don’t get me wrong, physical punches are painful. I’ve thrown some and been given some in return, but verbal punches are ten times more painful than physical punches. The pain stays with you, lingering, taunting you long after the shiner on your face has healed. Verbal assaults are like a slow suffocating death and sometimes they leave a bigger dent on the inside—a dent in your soul.
After all, this was girl world. Nobody in girl world fights fair. It’s a dirty, wicked, conniving game. Whoever is left standing at the end without succumbing to their torment your opponent causes is the winner. This is one of the key reasons why Wren and Molly are my only girl friends. Also, because you can’t trust girls like Katie, or Megan. They’ll be the first ones to stab you in the back if they thought betrayal would advance them farther.
I inhale, filling up my lungs. Then exhale. I’ve calmed myself down and I’m ready to end this squabble. My eyes shift to Adam. He’s staring at me, his eyes full of concern. “Are you gonna be okay?” he asks, thoughtfully. I don’t answer. I just shake my head; give Kate one last evil glare and walk away.
As I weave through the crowd, making my way back to Wren, the sound of Katie clucking echoes through the thick, fall air. She’s insinuating that I’m a chicken. I know she’s wrong. The black and blue road map on her face also says otherwise. Come Monday, I’ll take it even further. Come Monday, I’ll be airing out all of Katie Halston’s dirty laundry and I’ll make that bitch wish that she had never been born.
A Whisper To A Scream Page 7