“You’re so funny. Nobody has ever made me laugh the way you do. So, are you thinking of someone ugly?”
“Nah. I’m thinking of how embarrassing it would be for someone to see me. That seems to be doing the trick. Wow; what a way to start the day!”
Just as Gina was going to give him a quick kiss, she saw Avalon hurrying down the hall toward them with a look of urgency on her face. Feeling every muscle in her body tighten, Gina tried not to let her feelings show.
Looking frazzled, Avalon first addressed Gina. “I’m so sorry to interrupt. Please don’t be angry with me.”
“I’m not angry with you, Avalon. We’re friends, remember?” Gina felt as if she were going to choke on her own words. Liver and onions tasted better in her mouth.
“River, I really need to talk to you. I know we’ve only got seven minutes before first period, but can I steal a few of them? Sorry, Gina.”
“Like I said, Avalon, no problem. See you in class, Riv.” Gina gave River a quick peck and hurried away, hoping he hadn’t noticed how annoyed she was.
“Hey, Avalon, are you okay? You look like you’ve come a little unglued.”
“Well, that would be pretty accurate. There are two things. First, last night my dad was colossally upset. He didn’t want to talk about it, but he said something happened at work, and he’s afraid your mom might can him, even with the grand opening of the theater being only one month away. Riv, do you know anything about this? Because if you think your mom is going to fire my dad, can you please beg her not to do it? We’ll be so doomed if that happens. I mean, we’ll be totally fu—”
River put his hands on her shoulders. “Calm down, Avalon. Your dad isn’t going to get fired because of anything that happened. My mom worked it out with him. I wouldn’t bullshit you about this. And if she were thinking about it, I’d grovel and beg until she changed her mind.”
“For realsies? You’d do that for me? You don’t think she’s gonna ax him?”
“No, I don’t. I won’t even make a joke about it because I can see how upset you are. What else is bothering you?”
“Well, you already know that someone is leaving nasty notes on Larsen’s locker and mine. I’ve found several, but I’m sure there’s been more. I know that my brother and Larsen have taken them off before I could, and I’ve done the same thing when I’ve seen anything taped to Larsen’s locker. The nasty notes are always folded, too, you know, so someone walking past, like a teacher, won’t take them off.”
“Has there been a new development?”
“Yeah. Today Erik and I came to school a little early. He stayed in the car to leave a voicemail for his girlfriend, Carrie Lynn, and I headed into school. So, first I go right to the girls’ room. About five minutes later I’m on my way to the locker, and I finally see the kid who’s putting up the notes. He’s this sophomore named Kenny Milano who I’ve seen hanging with Jax. I’m pretty far away, so I wait until he’s done, and just as I was going to say something, I saw Erik coming from the other end of the hall. We both saw the same thing from two different directions.”
“So, what happened? Did Erik go after him?”
“Oh, he was definitely going right to him, but when he saw me, he just let the kid walk away. But he said he was going to deal with him at lunch.”
“Oh, shit.”
“Riv, I swear, I’m not asking you to get in the middle of a fight or anything, but just keep your eyes open, okay? If my brother touches that kid, he’s going to destroy his own future. I just can’t let him do that.”
“Hey, it’ll be okay. Try not to worry. Your dad’s job is safe, and I’ll keep an eye out for your brother. See you later, Avalon.”
Chapter 25
Gina had been stewing all morning about how Avalon was stealing her precious time with River. At lunch, when she noticed that River kept scanning the cafeteria for someone, she felt even more resentful of Avalon. Bianca, sitting at the same table, gave Avalon a quick smile to remind her best friend to do a better job of hiding her feelings.
But Gina was determined to find out what was on her boyfriend’s mind. “Hey, Riv. You looking for someone?”
“Oh, yeah, Gin. Actually, I was wondering if Erik was here.”
Bianca piped up. “He’s right there by the door, staring at someone. He’s half-hidden by the pillar. See him? He’s wearing the New York Mets T-shirt.”
“Oh, yeah. Thanks.” River watched as he saw Erik leaning against the wall by the door, staring intently at Kenny Milano, who didn’t notice him at all. As Kenny rose from his seat, Erik stood up straight, and River had no doubts Erik would follow him out the door.
As Kenny left, then Erik, River excused himself and left his half-eaten lunch on the table.
“What the eff? Where’s he going? Did Avalon ask River to babysit her twenty-year-old brother? Give me a break! Why doesn’t that girl get her own knight in shining armor and leave my boyfriend the fuck alone?”
“Gina, calm down. You are getting yourself way too worked up over this. River only has eyes for you. Now, don’t blow it by acting like a jealous bitch. Or worse—like Taylor.”
`*`*`*`
As soon as River left the cafeteria, he saw that Erik had caught up with Kenny. He was pleased to see that Erik didn’t have Kenny in a chokehold, but Erik clearly looked angry. Not wanting to interfere, River pulled out his cell phone, leaned against the wall, and pretended to be talking to someone.
Forty yards away, Erik jumped in Kenny’s path to keep him from turning the corner and going outside. “Yo, kid. You seem like you’re in a hurry. Where you going?”
Kenny stammered. “Uh … just going to meet my friend outside.”
“Oh, yeah. Your friend got a name?”
“Yeah.”
“Why don’t you tell me what it is?”
Kenny tried to toughen his stance. “What’s it to you? You don’t need to know my business.”
Erik got in his face. “Listen to me: I’m not the kind of guy who sticks his nose into other people’s business because, see, I don’t give a fuck what other people do unless they fuck with me and mine. Then, Kenny boy, it’s a whole new ballgame. And right now, you’re up to bat.”
Kenny sneered at Erik’s New York Mets T-shirt. “I’m a Dodgers fan. Dodger blue all the way.”
“You’re gonna be black and Dodger blue up the ass and in your face if you don’t shut up. Do I look like I give a fuck?”
Kenny looked down at his shoes. “No. Not really.”
“Now, you gonna tell me your friend’s name?”
“Yeah, okay. It’s Jax.”
“Like in Jax Reinhardt?”
“There’s only one Jax in the whole school, and you seem to know it, so why are you asking me?”
“You’re a real smart-ass, aren’t you? I’ve got some questions for you, and you’re gonna answer them, hear me?”
“I don’t even know you.”
“And unless your nose doesn’t want to make the acquaintance of my fist, you’ll talk to me. Those notes you’ve been taping up on people’s lockers when you think nobody’s watchin’, are you doing that for Reinhardt?”
Kenny tried to hide his mounting fear. “Uh, maybe.”
“Is he paying you to do it?”
“No way!”
“Is he threatening you if you don’t do it?”
“No, man, he’s my friend.”
Erik got closer to Kenny the second he saw him looking to get away. “Really. That senior punk just can’t get enough of your sophomore punk ass. You expect me to believe that?”
“We’re friends, man.”
“Were you friends before you started taping notes on lockers?”
Embarrassed, Kenny didn’t respond.
“Answer me, punk! Tell me, did you just become friends when he asked you for a favor?”
“Yeah. So?”
“Why the hell do you want to be his friend?”
“He’s cool.”
“What’s cool about him?
”
“He drives a black Stang, works out at a gym, hangs with the cool kids … he’s just cool. Whatever.”
Kenny tried to move away again, and Erik blocked him once more.
“So, you think Jax is gonna still be your friend when he’s done using you? Do you? Because I’m here to tell you he’s not. Now, I’ve got another question for you.”
Kenny wiped his sweaty palms on his pants, hoping Erik wouldn’t notice.
“Do you read those notes you tape up on people’s lockers?”
“Yeah.”
“So let me get this straight. You know what garbage is in those bully letters, and you don’t give a rat’s ass. As long as you think that dick is your friend, you’ll do anything to hurt anyone.”
Kenny began to tremble. “They’re just notes, man. Sticks and stones will break my bones and all that names-will-never-hurt-me stuff. People get over words.”
“Is that fucking so? Aren’t you a goddamn scholar. Did you know that Avalon is my little sister?”
Erik glared at Kenny, watching how his eyes bulged upon learning Erik’s identity.
“Oh, shit. You’re Erik Martelli.”
“Oh, shit, that’s right, little dick. So, where were we? Oh, yeah. You were saying people get over words. I guess you think my sister’s gonna get over being called a freak, a Jersey whore, a blue-and-green piece of rotting cheese, and all of the other shit on those notes? And I guess Larsen Davis is supposed to forget someone saying he blows dead cows and all of that other homophobic crap?”
Kenny took a step back as Erik took one forward. “I don’t know. I guess.”
“You fucking guess, do you? Say, Kenny, you look like you’ve got a bad skin thing happening. How long has that been giving you trouble, Acne Boy? Looks like someone tried to put a fire out on your face with an icepick. Hey, Crater Face, how’s life on the moon? Is that shit contagious? Was there a zit epidemic and someone forgot to tell me? Hey man, I hear some cons escaped from the local prison. When did you break out?”
Erik could see the hurt in Kenny’s eyes. “I can keep going. I got lots more where those came from. You think you’re gonna get over these words by tonight? Tomorrow? Because I can see on your face that they hurt.”
Kenny relented. “Yeah, okay. So maybe words hurt.”
“You know what words are gonna hurt you the most?”
“No …”
“When Jax Reinhardt tells you to fuck off because he’s used you up like a dirty old rag. That’s gonna be pretty humiliating. I sure wouldn’t want to be the chump who lets a guy like Reinhardt use me like that. No, I’d want to walk away before anyone got the chance to make a fool out of me.”
Kenny considered Erik’s words.
“So, Kenny, do your parents know you’ve been hanging out with Jax?”
Kenny choked back the tears. “My dad died two years ago. It’s just my mom and my little sister, Kasey.”
Erik’s tone eased considerably. “So, you got a little sister. How old is she?”
“Twelve.”
“No kidding. I’ve got a kid sister who’s twelve. Isabella. She’s in the middle school. I’ll bet she’s in the same class with your sister.”
Erik could tell by the look in Kenny’s eyes that their sisters were acquainted. “So, what if someone put notes on your kid sister’s locker calling her the kind of names Jax has been calling Avalon? Would that be okay with you?”
“Hell no! I’d punch the crap out of them.” Kenny stepped back, realizing what he’d just said.
Erik stayed put. “Chill. I’m not going to touch you. But you know what? My first instinct was to break you into little pieces just for taping that shit on the lockers. But my life has been fucked up enough, and I don’t need to make things worse for myself or the people who love me. Now, you can stay friends with Jax Reinhardt if you want, but I’m telling you he won’t stay friends with you. He’s not your friend now.” Erik raised his voice to make a point. “The dick is using you. Got that?”
“Yeah. I hear you.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah.”
“Good. And I’m never, ever gonna catch you thinking about playing courier for a bully again, right?”
“No, I hear you. I’m gonna tell Jax I can’t do it anymore.”
“Okay, well, if you do that, and he gives you any trouble, you come find me. I’ll be your friend for real. You know that the only reason Jax is messing with Avalon is to get to me, right?”
“No, I didn’t know that.”
“Time to grow up and man up, kid. Okay? Now, go take care of business. I’m gonna believe you’re a man of your word.”
“I am. You’ll see.”
“Good.” Erik turned to leave, but Kenny called his name.
“Yeah, what is it?”
“Just wanted to say thanks and all. Deep down, I kind of knew you were right, but I thought I could make him like me for real. You’re actually a good guy. Someday some kid is gonna be real lucky to have you as his dad.”
As Kenny walked back toward the cafeteria, Erik swallowed the lump in his throat and spoke softly to himself. “Thanks, kid. You just made my day.”
`*`*`*`
River rushed back into the cafeteria and took his seat again. “Miss me, baby?”
“Yeah, Riv. Where did you go?”
“I didn’t go anywhere. I was just outside the door. Had to make some calls.”
“Really, you got up in the middle of eating your sandwich to make some calls?”
Bianca knit her eyebrows to warn Gina not to ask River too many questions.
“Yeah. Just some family business. No biggie. Thanks for not throwing my sandwich out.”
Bianca stood up. “I’m gonna go catch up with Tonio. See you two in class.”
“Catch you later!” Gina looked doe-eyed at River. “I’m glad you came back.”
River looked puzzled. “Of course I was coming back. Why do you even say that? Baby, is this about Avalon coming up to me this morning?”
Gina silently chastised herself for letting her jealousy show. “Sorry, Riv. I just worry …”
River wolfed down the rest of his sandwich, put the plastic wrap and his napkin in the brown bag, and made a ball of it. “Avalon’s not trying to come between us, Gin. She had some real serious things on her mind, and believe it or not, there was a good reason for her to talk to me. I’m not going to blab about what she tells me in confidence. Okay? Are you cool with all that?”
Gina moved her chair around the corner of the table until she was next to River. After gently touching his face, she kissed him softly on the lips. “I’ll get it together. I promise.”
“Okay then, baby, we’re good.” As River gave Gina a kiss, all she could think about was the great conversation they’d had first thing in the morning before Avalon came along and messed everything up.
Chapter 26
Larsen took a long sip from his water bottle. “You know, Riv, I love looking out at the mountains. We live in a really pretty part of the world. But sometimes this year-round heat really gets to me. It shouldn’t be so hot when winter is two weeks away.”
River sat down next to Larsen on the boulder and looked out at the desert scenery. “Yeah, I know. My dad was saying last night that in 1995, it was a record 123 degrees on Christmas Day.”
“Wow!”
“Yeah. Santa Claus sweated off so much weight while delivering presents here that his reindeer didn’t recognize him when he got back on the sleigh. But it made it a whole lot easier for him to get down the rest of those chimneys. Ha ha. And I’ll bet Mrs. Claus was—”
“You’re a trip.”
“Well, the first part is true.”
“My parents are from Chicago. I was born there, you know. We moved out to California when I was about five. My dad used to tell me about some really brutal winters. As bad as they sounded, I wouldn’t mind checking one out right about now. He used to tell me all kinds of stories—not just about C
hicago, about being a jazz musician and traveling through Europe in his early twenties. He played the trumpet. Paris was his favorite city, and he stayed a whole year there. After that gig was up, the quartet he was in went to different cities, like London, Berlin, Nice, and lots of smaller places most people have never heard of. When he would tell me stories about his early life, I would feel like I’d seen a whole lot more of the world. He was a great guy. I really miss him.”
“How come you hardly ever talk about him?”
“Probably because my mother used to get upset when I mentioned him, so I just stopped. I guess I’ve been programmed, like a robot or something. But I think about him every day of my life. Hey, where’s Gina?”
“Bianca’s mom picked them both up about five minutes ago. They’re going into Palm Springs to do some Christmas shopping. Anyway, I wanted to meet you out here, away from everyone, because I was wondering if you’re going to try to contact Peter today.”
“I’d really like to, Riv, but I think it’s going to be nearly impossible right now. The work being done inside the main hall is crazy. And they’re refinishing the stage.”
“And what? You’re afraid Peter’s going to slip on some varnish or trip over equipment?”
“You’re too much, Riv. Get real.”
“Why? That’s no fun. Kind of ironic that I’m talking about a ghost, and you’re asking me to get real.”
“Yeah. That is kind of weird. What I’m trying to say is that there are a whole lot of people around, not just the guys who work there regularly, but the air-conditioning guys, too. There’s no way I can be alone to see if Peter will talk to me. And the regular guys are working OT to make sure we’re ready to go before the deadline. You know your mom; no way she’s letting it go down to the wire. I’ll try to contact Peter first chance I get. Might not be for a week or two. Believe me, I want to help Peter and Kathryn in any way I can. I’m not exactly an expert in this. In fact, I’m clueless. It’s not like there are a lot of people I can ask for advice. Hey, heads up. Here comes Avalon.”
Avalon hurried over to where the boys were sitting. They both stood up as she approached. “Hey, you two. Riv, I just wanted to thank you for being my friend this morning. I haven’t seen my brother. I was just wondering if you knew what—”
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