St Mary's Academy Series Box Set 1

by Seven Steps

Eric reaches out his hand to me. I take it.

  “Shall we, my lady?”

  I smile. “We shall, good sir.”

  We walk back across the parking lot to our room and the four of us settle down for the night. Girls on the bed, guys on the floor.

  Eric lies down on the floor next to me. He reaches his hand up and links it with mine. It takes all I have not to climb off the bed and lie besides him.

  “We have to be out of here at exactly six o’clock tomorrow,” Cole says.

  “Why?” I ask.

  “Because I got us a ride to Orlando.”

  I bolt up straight in the bed.

  “You did?”

  “The guy who does the karaoke contest travels around the country. His next stop is in Orlando. He has a van and he’s leaving at six o’clock.”

  “Cole, you are the best best friend’s boyfriend ever.”

  He laughs.

  “I try.”

  I lay my head back on my flat pillow.

  Maybe everything will work out after all.

  I reach down and rejoin my hand with Eric’s, then I fall into a deep sleep.

  51

  Our ride comes in the form of Sydney Rae—whose real name is Curtis Muggins. He’s nearly fifty years old, with wisps of side combed gray hair and thick glasses, and he smells like old spice and sweat, leading me to believe that neither the deodorant nor his clothes are freshly applied.

  “That was some act you kids put on.” His red, blotchy cheeks huff in air, as if he’s struggling to catch his breath. “You got a band or something?”

  “Yeah. It’s called The Girl With The Red Sneakers,” Cole replies.

  He and Eric are sitting in the front seat, while Bella and I ride in the back with Cujo, a smelly but friendly St. Bernard. Threads of drool stretch from the dog’s mouth onto my lap. Not that I can get away from him. It’s so tight back here that I can barely breathe, let alone move. Looks like I’ll be enjoying my wet leg, the smelly dog, and sweaty Sydney Rae until Orlando.

  “That’s me,” Bella says. “I’m the girl with the red sneakers.”

  “You two ever think about going into show biz?” Curtis asks. “You’d make a heck of a pair.”

  “We’ve talked about it,” Cole says. “Maybe after hi—I mean, uh, college.”

  He clears his throat and glances at me in the rearview mirror. We were lucky to get out of The Lagoon without anyone spotting us. Getting to Orlando without Sydney recognizing us is going to be an entirely different story.

  “Well, if you ever need a manager, I’m your man. I’ve managed tons of acts in my day. Stick with me and I’ll take you straight to the top.”

  The top of the what? I want to ask. The karaoke circuit? Would they be playing obedience school graduations and more prostitute motels?

  Cujo sniffs, as if hearing my thoughts. I try in vain to shift my leg away from him. As if to illustrate how trapped I am, he drops his head and lies across my lap.

  I ground my back teeth and huff.

  I’m all for animals, but this is ridiculous. Cujo’s heavy and stinky and drooly, and right now, I’m not in the mood.

  “Where are we?” I ask.

  We’ve been driving for hours. I peek at the radio, but the display’s broken. All the better for us.

  “We’ve just passed Jacksonville,” Curtis says. “About two more hours.”

  “Can we pull over?” Bella ask, her voice a high-pitched whine. “I have to pee.”

  “We got a rest stop coming up,” Curtis replies.

  I shimmy in my seat. Not that I can go anywhere. Cujo’s big body makes sure of that.

  A few minutes later, the truck slows, and we pull into a rest stop.

  Eric hands me a twenty for some food and coffee, and Bella and I jump out.

  “Don’t be too long,” Curtis calls after us.

  It feels good to stretch my cramped legs. The cool air dissipates the dog smell a little, but I have a feeling I’m still going to have to throw out these jeans. The smell of dog spit will probably never wash out.

  Bella sprints into the rest stop—boy’s she fast!—past the fast food restaurants, and into the women’s bathroom. By the time I catch up with her, I hear a stream of liquid hitting water and someone saying,

  “Ahhhhhhhh.”

  Classic Bella.

  I use the bathroom myself, then wash my hands and face, and rinse my mouth out.

  By the time I’m done, Bella emerges from her stall.

  “I don’t think I can take another two hours in that truck,” she says, scrubbing her hands.

  I dab at the wet spot with on my jeans with a paper towel.

  “At least you’re not soaked with drool.”

  “Are you counting you drooling on my shirt all the way through Georgia?”

  I scoff.

  “I don’t drool.”

  “Tell that to my shirt.”

  We clean up as best as we can, walk into the main area, and stand in line for coffee. Nearby, a television screen blares breaking news.

  “The search is on for four teens who apparently ran away on Wednesday night.”

  My stomach drops as I stare at the older news reporter in the blue suit. “We have Gigi Torres joining us live outside of the Swimworthy penthouse. Gigi.”

  A beautiful Spanish woman wearing a mustard-colored suit stands with a microphone outside of my apartment building.

  “That’s right, Tom. Billionaire Triton Swimworthy took to the airwaves this morning to plead for the return of his daughter, as well as three other teenagers including Eric Shipman, heir to the Shipman Exports fortune, and Ariel’s classmates Bella French and Cole Winstead.”

  The scene cuts to my father, flanked by my six sisters, three brothers-in-law, and nephew. I’ve never seen Daddy look so upset. His eyes are red, as if he’s been crying. His face is pale, his long gray hair tied back into a smooth ponytail. He’s wearing a dark suit, and, even though he’s a powerful man, he looks weaker somehow. Duckie and Alana hold his arms, as if propping him up for the camera.

  Behind them stands Maurice—Bella’s father—and Alfred Grim. There’s no sign of any representatives for Cole. Not surprising, since his mother is dead, his brother and sister somewhere in Russia, and his father is the most wanted Russian mobster in the country.

  “Two days ago, my daughter, as well as three of her friends, ran away from our home.” His voice cracks at the end of his sentence, and my heart squeezes. “Yesterday, their car was found in the woods, abandoned somewhere in the vicinity of the Washington, D.C, Virginia area. Even now, hundreds of volunteers are combing the area for clues of the children’s whereabouts. They cannot begin to know how grateful I am for their concern and for their vigilance. But after twenty-four hours with no sign or word of our children, I can no longer depend on hope and vigilance. I must go back to what I have always been. A father. Therefore, I am offering the sum of one million dollars to the person who finds my daughter alive and whole. I am offering an additional million dollars for each one of her friends found alive and whole.

  Murmurs and called questions fill the audience of reporters, but I’m no longer listening to the television. I can’t imagine the worry and stress that my family—that all of the families—must have been feeling just then. They all looked like they were on the verge of tears.

  Bella squeezes my arm.

  “They probably think we’re dead,” she whispers.

  I look at her fallen face as she stares at the television.

  She’s probably right.

  My family—all of our families—are in chaos, and it’s all my fault.

  Someone touches my shoulder, and I turn around.

  It’s Eric.

  “We have to go. Now.”

  “Why?” Bella asks. “We haven’t even gotten our coffee yet.”

  “Curtis is turning us in for the reward money. He’s on the phone with the cops right now. Once they find us, our road trip will be over. We have to go.”


  My heart leaps into my throat.

  Bella and I push past the people in the long line that has formed behind us. Once we’re free of them, we follow Eric out the front door and into the parking lot.

  I spot Curtis next to the truck, cell phone glued to his ear, glancing around as if waiting for someone, while Cujo pees on the sidewalk.

  “What about our stuff?” I ask.

  “Covered.”

  “Where’s Cole?”

  “Waiting for us.”

  We jog halfway across the parking lot and into the trucker area.

  He stops in front of a dusty, sky blue, eighteen-wheeler with the back door slid partially open. Eric helps me climb up the back, and Cole’s hand comes from the darkness of the truck to pull me up. I army crawl into the truck and deeper into where the light doesn’t touch. Bella comes up behind me a few seconds later, followed by Eric.

  Then the door pulls down low, eliminating any remaining light.

  We sit in the pitch-black, and I’m scared. Not just for myself, but for Eric, Bella, and Cole. Plus, there’s a horrible feeling in the middle of my chest. This is all my fault. My family’s grief, Bella’s, Eric’s, and Cole’s families’ stress, us shivering in the back of this cold truck. It’s all my fault.

  A large, warm hand touches mine.

  Eric. He pulls me close and lays my head on his shoulder.

  “It’s okay, Red. It’s all going to be okay. We’ll get you to that swim meet.”

  “But my dad and Grim—”

  “Don’t worry about them. We’ll deal with that after this is all over.”

  “But—”

  “Don’t worry. It will all be fine.”

  “I wish I could just tell them I’m okay.”

  His hand goes to my hair, and he brushes his fingers through it, soothing me.

  “I’m sure, somewhere deep in their hearts, they know.”

  We lean our backs onto the cold metal and silently wait.

  “What makes you think this truck is going to Orlando?” Bella asks.

  “Didn’t you read the outside?” Cole replies.

  “I was too busy fleeing in terror.”

  “It’s a Disney truck. It’s going to Disney World.”

  “Disney World? The swim competition is at a hotel near there.”

  “Looks like we’ve got a one-way ticket.”

  I let out a breath. In less than two hours, I’ll be competing at Tri-State. But would Coach Fish let me? I’ve dumped his son after all. And he did say my father threatened to sue him if he let me back on the team. But those things are trivial. I’ve crossed the country to get to this competition. I wouldn’t stop now.

  52

  At some point, I must’ve fallen asleep, because when I wake up, light is shining in my face and I’m being pulled out of the truck.

  “Hurry up. He’s coming!”

  I’m barely awake when someone yanks me out of the truck, then strong arms wrap around me. I smell ocean breeze body spray and I know who it is. Eric. He’s carrying me.

  But why? What’s going on? Where are we?

  I flutter my eyes open and suddenly feel hard, cold dirt beneath my butt. After a moment, my vision clears, and I assess my surroundings.

  The sky’s clear blue. I’m in a patch of grass and dirt. My friends are here. Children are laughing somewhere in the distance, and soft music is playing. I recognize the tune immediately. It’s “Part Of Your World” from The Little Mermaid.

  We’re perched behind a bush in front of a colorful building. I watch as the driver rounds the back of the truck and examines the open door with concern.

  That was close.

  Too close.

  “Let’s get out of here,” Eric says. “We can catch a cab to the hotel and be there in plenty of time for the competition.”

  And then, we’re running. Through the colorful building, out the other side, and toward the pool. Eric pulls out his phone and calls us a cab. At this point, it doesn’t matter if the police can track us. We’re almost where we need to be.

  Ten minutes later, we shove ourselves into a blue cab, and we’re off.

  I bounce the balls of my feet against the carpeted floor.

  I haven’t worked out or stretched or even swum in days. But I can’t think about that now. I have to be ready. In a few minutes, I’ll be swimming for my life. There will be no second chances. This is it.

  The car stops in front of the hotel, and we all climb out while Eric hands the man what’s left of our cash.

  “This is it,” I say. “This is what I’ve dreamed about my whole life. If I place here, I can compete to be on the national team. Then it’s the Olympics.”

  Bella pulls me into a hug.

  “You deserve this,” she says. “You’re going to win this competition. I can feel it in my bones.” She pulls away from me. “And my bones don’t lie.”

  Cole places a hand on my shoulder, and I smile at both of them.

  Then I turn to Eric.

  “Thank you. I couldn’t have made it this far without you.”

  His expression is odd. Guarded. What’s wrong with him? Is he just tired?

  He wraps his arms around me tight.

  “I love you,” he says. “Always remember that I love you.”

  His tone is so final. So strange.

  As if he’s saying goodbye again.

  But why would he? We made it, didn’t we? We’re here.

  I pull away and hike up my backpack. There’s no time to think about what Eric’s deal is now. I have to get in there before the competition’s over.

  I turn around and freeze.

  Guarding the entrance to the sports center is a cluster of families.

  Standing in front of them all is my father.

  53

  The world slows down.

  I know people say that, but this time it actually happens.

  My sisters run toward me in slow motion. They wrap their arms around me with tears of relief and joy dripping down their faces.

  “We were so worried!”

  “We thought we’d lost you too.”

  Then that joy quickly turns to anger.

  “How could you do this to us, after everything that’s happened?”

  This particular comment comes from Duckie. She’s the first to disengage from me. The first to stand back with her fist on her hips and her eyes full of fire.

  Guilt at what I’ve put my family through eats at me. My hands tremble, and I jam them in my pockets.

  “Do you know what I thought?” she demands. “What we all thought? How could you be so selfish?”

  “I…” I try to swallow the lump in my throat down, but it’s so thick I can barely talk around it. “I’m sorry.”

  “You’re sorry? That’s all you have to say for yourself? You’re sorry? Well, sorry doesn’t cut it, Ariel. This is not an I’m sorry moment. You didn’t knock over a glass of milk or break a cell phone. You and your friends ran away. You—”

  Daddy cuts through my sisters, and he puts a hand on Duckie’s shoulder, silencing her. My entire family goes still, waiting to see what Daddy will do.

  My stomach tightens painfully as he stands before me, staring at me. I know Daddy would never hit me, but his anger could be just as damaging. His words are like punches to the gut.

  But he doesn’t say anything. He simply pulls me into this chest, holding me tight.

  “I thought I lost you too.”

  My apprehension melts into a new, unfamiliar feeling, and I start to bawl my eyes out. I don’t know if it’s from guilt, or exhaustion, or the fact that Daddy hasn’t held me like this since Mama died. All I know is I’m crazy with tears. Then everyone else gathers around me, and we’re all crying. Even Daddy.

  My father’s warm arms awake something within me I thought was long dead. It reminds me I still have one living parent. I’ve been mourning Mama all these years, but maybe I’ve been mourning Daddy too.

  I hug my father tight,
never wanting to let go.

  “I was sick with worry,” he says. “If Eric didn’t call, I don’t know what I would have done.”

  I nearly jump out of his arms.

  “What? Eric called you?”

  Daddy nods, his dull eyes still red, just like they’d been on television.

  “I received a call from the boy this morning, telling me you’d be here. I gathered the families and flew them down here as quickly as possible. And now, it’s time to go home.”

  My melting heart now burns with betrayal. Eric told my father about our plans. He betrayed me again. Again! I let him back into my life thinking he’s changed. How could I be so stupid? My anger at Eric makes something else bubble up inside me.

  Determination.

  I’ve lost everything.

  My mom. My team. Eric. And, once I get home, I’m sure I’ll lose my freedom too. I will not let anyone or anything take away this opportunity I’ve worked so hard for. They’ll have to put me in handcuffs to stop me from going through that door.

  I take a step back from my father and sisters.

  “I’m not going home just yet.” My voice is surprisingly calm and confident, considering I’ve just bawled my eyes out. My feet are grounded, my hands clasped behind my back.

  Daddy’s eyes widen.

  “What do you mean you’re not going home?” he growls.

  I’m sure I’ve tried his patience enough for one lifetime.

  But he’ll have to endure just a little bit more.

  I clear my throat.

  “I came here to swim in the Tri-State Competition. I’m not leaving until I do that.”

  “Ariel, you have put this family through the worst of pain. Your sisters thought you were dead. I thought you were dead. And what’s worse, you dragged your friends into this debacle. I will not allow you to put this family through anything else. We are going home, and we are leaving right now.”

  I take a second step back.

  “I’m sorry you feel that way, Daddy. But I made a promise to myself. I’m going to go inside, I’m going to beg Coach Fish to let me on this team, and I’m going to swim in that pool and get a qualifying time. After that, I’m going to try out for the national team. And then, I’m going to the Olympics.”