Ashlyn's Radio (20 page)

Ashlyn’s heart pounded with anxiety, but she kept a wide smile pasted on her face. Glancing over her shoulder, she said breezily, “Isn’t that just like you, Rachel Riley. Hoovering up all the credit for yourself! I’d like to think the Crazy Caverhill rep carries a little weight in this town.”

 “Maybe a little,” she allowed. “Okay, I’ll share.”

“Personally, I think it’s the total package,” Caden said. “The three of us making an entrance together, like we were trying to make a statement or something.”

“Hey, I
always
try to make a statement,” Rachel protested.

Ashlyn laughed. “Yeah, and it’s euphemistically translated as
flock off
.”

Gradually, people started milling around again, and the conversational roar resumed. Ashlyn had no doubt what the topic was, but she was just grateful not to be so obviously the center of everyone’s attention.

Ashlyn drew a breath and exhaled, willing her heartbeat to slow. The song, an amazingly current Ne-Yo number, stopped and another started. A song, in fact, very much like what she might expect to hear at a school dance back home. Somehow, that surprised her. Not that she was expecting an old-fashioned country hoedown or anything. Okay, so maybe she had had a nightmare flash of the Rednex’
Cotton-Eyed Joe
variety, but she hadn’t seriously expected it to be like that. But given how creepy the town was, she
did
half expect a weird
Footloose
vibe. But as the speakers pumped out a quieter Justin Timberlake, she started to relax.

“Hey,” Rachel yelled in her ear. “You two should dance. I’m gonna go scare the freshmen girlies standing around the punch bowl.”

Caden took her hand and tugged her toward him. “Come on. This is what we’re here for, right?”

Just like that, the hundred or so other kids on the floor were forgotten. “Right.”

She moved into his arms, and would have slid both arms around his neck, but he took her right hand in his left, and placed his right hand on her hip. Ah! His mama had taught him how to dance properly. How
sweet
. With a sigh, she placed her left hand on his shoulder. Then he proceeded to steer them around the dance floor. Thankfully, he telegraphed his intent very clearly, and she had no trouble following him. It was warm in the gym, and warmer still in his arms, but she didn’t mind.

Too soon, the last strains of the song faded away and they broke apart. Ashlyn glanced around, spotting Rachel near the punch table, which had been vacated.

“Caden, would you mind—”

“I’m on it,” he said, as the DJ segued into a Flo Rida dance number.

A moment later, he and Rachel were working it on the dance floor. She paused a moment to admire them both — okay, mainly Caden; the boy could flat out dance — then turned to get a glass of punch herself. Half way across the floor, the elder Caldwell boy stopped her.

“Thought you weren’t coming to the dance,” Brian said, the words wafting toward her on the unmistakable, catpissy odor of cheap gin. Lots of it.

She gave him a bright smile, trying not to wrinkle her nose. How had he escaped the detection of the chaperones, reeking like he did? That smell wasn’t just coming from his mouth; it was being exhausted by his lungs and pushed out his freaking pores. He was well and truly plastered! “I really wasn’t planning to come. It was a last minute thing.” She shrugged, keeping the smile firmly in place. “School dances really aren’t my thing.”

“Looked like it was your kind of thing a minute ago,” he observed morosely. “But maybe I just didn’t have what you were looking for in a dance partner, huh? Maybe I’m not the right
shade
for you.”

Ashlyn’s smile vanished. “Excuse me. I think I need some air.” With that, she started to move away, but he caught her arm.

“No, wait. Inquiring minds want to know. Do you like getting it on with black men specifically, Ashlyn? Is that your thing?” He grabbed his crotch. “’Cuz I got a thing for you right —
aghhh!
”

He shrieked and started hopping around, courtesy of the foot stomp she’d just applied to his left foot, a little trick she’d learned in self-defense class. Amazing how it came back when you needed it. And amazing how effective it was. She would wager all Brian Caldwell was thinking about right now was staying upright and not puking.

Quickly, she stepped back, expecting a chaperone to materialize to escort the both of them out. A few kids turned their way, snickering and pointing, but no adults approached. Thank God! Now she really
did
need some air. What the hell kind of place was this?  Was the whole town as racist as this idiot?

Before Caldwell could recover himself, she moved on. Bypassing the punch table, she went out into the hall, striding briskly down it. She needed air and some peace. And a drink from the fountain outside the Chem Lab. Dipping her head, she drank from it. When she’d had enough, she splashed her neck with the cold water, then sank down on her heels, resting her back against the cool wall.

Thank you, Mother, for those self-defense classes.

As soon as the thought popped into her head, loneliness sliced into her. God, when was she going to be able to see her mother again? She’d called earlier this week, but the message had been the same. “Your mother has specifically asked that you not visit, and the admitting physician concurs. It would only upset her.”

Upset her? Seeing her own daughter? What the hell was that ab—

Her thoughts were interrupted by a crashing sound, followed by an angry male voice. “Dammit, get off me! ”

“But Anthony—”

Oh, no! Degagne and Berg!

“I told you, Paulette, it’s over. What part of that don’t you understand?”

“But … but … the baby….”

“
Your
baby,” he clipped. “Not mine.”

“Oh, but it is! It couldn’t be anyone else’s. There’s only been you.”

“How do I know that? Besides, even if it is, it’s not my fault. Not my problem.” His words were coldly cruel. “This is on
you
, Paulette. You said it was safe. You said you were on birth control, that nothing could happen.”

Sobbing. “Please, Anthony….”

“I said
get off
! And stay the hell away from me. I’m happily married. This was a huge mistake. You and those damned sweaters! If it weren’t for the trampy way you dress all the time, I never would have stepped out of line.”

Oh, that worm! What a slimy, miserable excuse for a human being! Ashlyn fisted her hands, wishing she could go in there and pop him one.

More sobbing and pleading.

“God, Paulette, would you stop that sniveling?” Then, more calmly, “I have to go back to the dance. We both have to go back. So clean yourself up, okay? I’ll cover for you for a while.”

And Ashlyn had to get out of there. She tried the lab door, but — no surprise — it was locked. Crap! Nowhere to hide. She’d just have to improvise.

On tiptoes, she raced a few yards back down the hall, then turned as though she were just making her way toward the fountain. And not a moment too soon. Mr. Berg came barreling out of the classroom he and Ms. Degagne had been occupying. His steps slowed as soon as he saw her.

“Miss Caverhill,” he said sharply, “what are you doing out here?”

She fanned her face, which was no doubt convincingly flushed, though with fury, not overexertion. “That sweet punch just isn’t cutting it. I needed a drink of water and to splash my face.”

He frowned. “Well, do it now and I’ll escort you back.”

“Oh! Oh, sure. Just give me a sec.” She bent over the fountain, but just let the water slide down the drain. As knotted as her stomach felt right now, she didn’t think the water would go down. But maybe she
should
try to swallow a whole lot of it so she could puke it up on his shoes as they walked back to the gym. What a total douche. She splashed her face quickly, then turned back to him, certain of one thing: she wasn’t walking anywhere with him. “I’ll make my own way back. ’Kaythanksbye.”

She dashed back down the hall and into the gym.

Poor Ms. Degagne. Ashlyn renewed her pledge to find a way to befriend the woman. And this time, she’d do it. First thing on Monday, in fact. For all that she was the school librarian, the poor girl didn’t seem that much older than Ashlyn herself. And the trouble she found herself in made her seem that much younger again. It shouldn’t be hard to relate.

The Flo Rida tune had finished and something else was just starting up. Ashlyn didn’t recognize it but thought it might be Rhianna. As she moved across the floor, she noticed that everyone had gravitated to one corner of the gym. Almost before she processed that though, her heart started jackhammering. This could not be good.

It wasn’t.

Caden stood surrounded by the two Caldwell brothers and one other jock wannabe who tended to tag along behind Brian. And oh, God, Caden had assumed what she recognized from her self-defense classes as a defensive posture. 

“Look at this,” Brian said. “We got a regular Blackie Chan on our hands, boys.”

Ashlyn caught her breath. “Caden!”

If he heard her, he didn’t turn.

Rachel rushed up to her, grabbing her arm. “Ashlyn! There you are! Thank God.” She glanced around desperately. “Where the hell are the chaperones anyway? There are three of those jerks and they’re bigger! They’re gonna hurt him, Ash.”

Someone was going to get hurt, but Ashlyn wasn’t entirely sure it was Caden. His posture was too relaxed, too assured. Which is probably why the other boys just circled him, looking for an opening. The music continued to play. Either the DJ was oblivious, or he was too caught up in the drama to think about killing the music.

“What happened?” she shouted at Rachel.

“That dipstick Brian Caldwell called me something vile and Caden took offense.”

Suddenly, the music stopped, and Mr. Berg’s voice boomed out. “You, there! You kids, break it up.” He strode toward the knot of people, and the boys backed down. Caden dropped his arms. “Mr. Caldwell, that means
you
, and your brother, as well. You, too, Mr. Boone. And you, Mr.—” Berg did a double take. “Excuse me, who are you?”

“Caden Williams, sir.”

Ashlyn pushed forward. “He’s my escort, Mr. Berg. He’s signed in and everything.”

A pause. “I see. Well, I think the four of you gentlemen need to leave.” He turned to Brian, “Except you, Mr. Caldwell. You’ve obviously been drinking on school property. You’ll come with me to the office where your father can fetch you.”

Taking the kid by his collar, Berg marched him toward the exit.

Ashlyn moved to Caden’s side. “I’m so sorry. This place sucks. I shouldn’t have brought you here….”

“I don’t know if the whole place sucks or not, but that one guy’s definitely a jerk.”

He didn’t know the half of it. “Let’s go.”

“I second that motion,” Rachel said. “Like, right now.”

“Hey, wait up!”

The three were almost out the door when the male voice sounded behind them.

 Ashlyn whirled. Defensively, Caden and Rachel turned too, expecting another confrontation from the group of three young men and two young women behind them.

One of the boys spoke up. “We’re not all like that, man. Brian drinks, he gets mouthy and … well, like I said, we’re not all like that here.”

“Thanks. That’s good to know.” Caden acknowledged the group with a nod and opened the door for the girls.

Five minutes later, they were back on the road. And five minutes after that, they’d rehashed the confrontation and decided it didn’t deserve further discussion.

“So what do we do now?” Rachel asked. “Crawl home at eight o’clock with our tails between our legs? Or make our own fun?”

What kind of a question was that? What choice did they have? “Oh, great idea,” Ashlyn said. “Let’s go to the Imax theatre. Whoops, wait a minute, you don’t have one. You don’t even have a
regular
theatre.” Or an arcade, or a mall, or a frickin’ bowling alley, she added mentally.

Rachel laughed. “Oh, ye of little imagination.” To Caden she said, “Take that fork that’s coming up on the left.”

“The Post Road?”

“That’s the one.”

Ashlyn perked up. “What’s on the Post Road?”

Rachel smiled. “You’ll see.”

Ten minutes later, Rachel directed Caden to turn onto another side road. Well, it was more like a lane or a private driveway, and it led them into a meadow of sorts.

“Stop right here,” Rachel said, and was out of the car almost before Caden could kill the engine. “Isn’t it beautiful?”

Ashlyn slipped out of the SUV and Caden came around to join them. In front of them stretched a beautiful grassy meadow. It was late in the season now, but Ashlyn could easily imagine it in the height of summer with lots of wildflowers. As it was, the dipping sun turned everything to gold.

“Very beautiful,” she agreed.

“Hey, I think I’ve got a blanket in the back,” Caden said. “I’ll fetch it.”

He was back with it a moment later. But not before firing up the car’s radio and sliding all the windows down. The strains of Kid Rock’s,
All Summer Long
reached them.

“The local station,” he said apologetically. “It’s the best I can offer, since I don’t have my iPod with me. Unless you’d rather listen to my mom’s operatic arias. That’s all she listens to when she drives.”

“No, this is great.” And it was, really. Better than opera, anyway. Ashlyn had been here long enough to know the station played a mix of classic rock and top 40. Sometimes it actually didn’t suck too bad.

“Hey, our dance was interrupted,” Rachel said. “Dance with me, Caden.”

He did. Then he picked her up and whirled her until she hooted with laughter. Then the music changed and he danced with Ashlyn, and then they all danced together. After which they collapsed giggling on the blanket Caden had spread on the grass. While the sun dipped lower and lower, they laughed and talked and did their best to forget about the ugliness back there at the school.

Finally Caden said, “We should probably get going. I promised Maudette I’d have Ashlyn home before dark.”