Cassidy Jones and the Secret Formula (24 page)

~~~

Soon after Robin’s vow, I slipped alone into the locker room. No one took notice with all the hysteria. Keeping tuned in to the commotion, I numbly changed back into my clothes. On the bench in front of my locker, I lay on my back, staring up at the ceiling. My thoughts were harsh and condemning. If horrible me had been thinking clearly, Robin would be sitting in the bleachers right now undamaged. I had caught her ball; she was already out when I pegged her.
What an idiot
, I thought, shaking my head in disgust.
What an idiot.
           

As girls flooded the locker room, I continued to stare at the ceiling, condemning myself. Approaching me, friends attempted to comfort, but I refused to receive it. I didn’t deserve comfort. When the dismissal bell rang, I didn’t move. Alone in the locker room, I waited another couple of minutes before getting up to face the music. I had to face it, even if I didn’t like the tune.

Walking into the gym, my feelings were conflicted when I saw Emery waiting on the bleacher bench. When he looked up at me, my eyes dropped to the floor. Guilty, ashamed, dejected, afraid, I walked toward him, ready to hear the tune.

“Do you know why Mr. Rochester shows interest in Blanche Ingram?”

My eyes sprung up. “
Jane Eyre
? Why are you talking about
Jane Eyre
?”
What is
wrong with him?

“You said it was ‘true to life.’ I thought that I should consider how.” He actually looked guilty. “I’ve been distracted today. I’m sorry for that.”

“Why are you sorry?” I snapped. “You didn’t bust Robin’s nose? You weren’t being a jealous idiot.” Shocked the words had come out of my mouth, I dropped wearily on the bench next to him, burying my face in my hands. “I didn’t do it on purpose,” I wept into my palms. “I didn’t want to hurt her. I just wanted to win…My God, I could have killed her.”

Emery placed his hand on my back, as he had at the sports field. After a long silence, he said in a soothing tone, “Cassidy, you don’t see yourself very clearly. Between what occurred yesterday at the sports field and today, I’ve gotten a glimpse into your muddled view of yourself.” He paused. “This will be awkward for both of us. Nevertheless, I believe you need to hear what I’m about to say. It may not be new to you. It’s the sort of way your parents have most likely described you numerous times; however, the impact will be different coming from me…Would you look at me for a moment?”

Turning my face in my palms, I slid my eyes toward him. His expression was so sincere.

With a smile, he stated, unhesitant, “You are a beautiful, intelligent, brave girl, and inferior to no one.”

My eyes slipped to the floor as I soaked in his words. Emery was right. My parents had described me this very way, but they were my parents; they loved me and
had
to view me like that, or so I believed. Having a relative stranger—a boy my age, no less—echo their words validated them to a degree. Not that I agreed in the least, but still, it was nice to be perceived in this way.

“Wow,” I said, straightening up. Emery’s hand moved from my back. “That isn’t at all what I expected you to say. I figured…oh…forget it.” I turned my face to him and met his gaze. “Thank you. I did need to hear that, and maybe someday I’ll even believe it.” I smiled. “Are you sure you’re only fifteen?”

“Chronologically I am,” he said, returning the smile. “I’ve always known I wasn’t typical for my age. I had just never realized the extent of my difference until today.” He glanced around the gym. “This has been eye-opening.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Why? I am who I am,” he stated simply and beautifully.

“And I like who you are,” I admitted, grinning. “In fact, I want to be more like you. Here, I’ll be like you right now and get my head back in the game. Did you have any luck breaking the encryption?”

“I’m close.”

“Good. And that’s with distraction,” I said, standing up. “Let’s get going so you can put some serious time into it.” As Emery rose to his feet, I added sheepishly, “I’m really sorry about this stupid diversion.”

“It wasn’t stupid. It was necessary,” he corrected generously, hefting his laptop bag over his shoulder.

“You’re right,” I agreed. “It taught us both something important.”

He gave me a curious look. “What’s that?”

Fifteen

“Cassidy Jones!”

Great.

Turning from my locker, I looked into Miriam’s face. Her eyes widened in delight when she observed I’d been crying. Sucking in a thrilled breath, she blurted, “It’s true. You broke Robin Newton’s nose.”

“Not intentionally.”

“Who said it was intentional?” She grinned mischievously. “Was it?” Her voice dropped low. “Come on, you can tell me. I won’t say anything.”

Observing, Emery smiled slightly.

I slammed my locker door. “Of course it wasn’t intentional. It was an accident.”

Unmoved, she shrugged. “Either way, it couldn’t have happened to a more deserving person.”

I gave her a stern, disapproving look.

In response, Miriam became more unruly. “Oh, come on, Cassidy. You know it’s true. Robin Newton is terrible. She has caused countless amounts of misery. I look at this as ‘What goes around, comes around.’ She’s paying her dues.”

I shook my finger in her face. “Remember that, Miriam. It’s like you said, what goes around, comes around.”

The most ridiculous, naughty look came over her face.

My caution continued. “You can’t kick
a dog and not expect to get bit.”

Miriam doubled over in laughter. Watching her, Emery smiled at her absurd display while my lips straightened into a reprimanding line.

Bent over, arms wrapped around her gut, she peeked up at me and then broke into new rounds of laughter. After a minute of this, she got control enough to say, “Really, Cass, you are
so
funny. You do that better than my mom.” After brushing a tear of merriment from her cheek, she grabbed Emery’s arm. “You were there. Tell me exactly what happened.”

Grinning, he said, innocently, “It happened so fast, I didn’t see a thing.”

I rolled my eyes.
Ha. Ha.

Miriam shoved him in mock frustration. “Fine. Don’t tell me. I’ll ask around. There are plenty of witnesses to choose from.” With mischief sparkling in her eyes, she smiled up at him. “I can always ask Robin.”

He smiled, I think, because he was at a loss for words.

Apparently, Miriam thought this, too. Laughing, she patted his chest once. “You have the cutest facial express—”

“Miriam, we need to head home,” I interrupted her. Emery was eager to get back to decrypting, and I was eager not to waste any more of his time.

She smiled at me. “Well, I’m ready.”

~~~

Treading down the hill from the school campus, I was flooded with relief, until the three of us turned down a quiet residential street. Midway down the street, Dixon leaned against a parked car, arms crossed over his chest. Toby and Rodrigo stood on either side of him, glancing at us in anticipation. Though Dixon smirked, his eyes burned, fixing on Miriam.

“Crud,” I mumbled, slowing my pace.

Adjusting her pace to mine, Miriam glared back at him. “Who does he think he’s looking at?”

“You,” I whispered in frustration. “Now, just keep your mouth shut.”
Will this day
end already?

Of course, reckless Miriam wouldn’t take the advice. “Who do you think you’re looking at?” she called loudly.

Dixon sneered back.

“Crud.” My feet paused.

Next to me, Emery whispered in my ear, keeping a steady eye on Dixon. “Don’t you do anything. Let me handle this. I promise you, he won’t touch her. Now, keep walking.”

Shaking my head, I stood firmly in place.

Dixon and his toadies laughed, low and rough.

Several feet ahead, Miriam paused, looking back at us, unconcerned.

“You don’t know this guy,” I whispered to Emery.

“No, I do know this guy. Trust me, everything will be fine.”

I moved close to his ear. “Okay, I’ll trust you, but if things get out of hand, all three of them are going over a fence.”

His lips turned up. “I’ll have to be sure it doesn’t get out of hand then. Walk.”

With a lump in my throat, I walked, knowing within minutes they all would know that something not right had happened to Cassidy Jones.

As we silently moved forward, Emery repositioned himself between Miriam and me, his eyes locked on Dixon.

Briefly, Dixon’s eyes moved to Emery, narrowing. Sizing him up, his expression became apathetic. His glare shifted back to Miriam.

Fifteen feet from him, Miriam stopped walking. Emery and I stopped with her. “Dixon,
what
is your issue?” she demanded in an annoyed voice.

“You’re my issue.” He smiled maliciously. “I want to finish our conversation, Big Mouth. Remember the one about how brilliant and charming I am?”

Her eyes rolled up like she was trying to remember. “Huh? Brilliant and charming? No, that’s not how I
would have described you. You must have confused me with someone else. Now, if you want my description, I’d have to say…”

I held my breath.

“…that you, Dixon, are mean, spineless, and totally lame.”

His smile broadened. “Now, why did you have to go get all nasty like that?” He pushed himself away from the car. Dixon had never looked so huge and intimidating.

“I don’t have time for this,” Emery muttered, walking purposefully toward Dixon.

A mixture of annoyance, malice, and amusement played over Dixon’s face as Emery rapidly approached him. “Tobe, Rod,
Mental
isn’t afraid to take a punch,” he mocked, jabbing an open hand at Emery’s shoulder.

In one fluid motion, Emery trapped Dixon’s wrist with his left hand and cupped his elbow with his right. Rolling the elbow toward him and twisting it up, he pushed Dixon’s arm up and back like a lever, locking his shoulder.

Simultaneously, I saw this move in two ways, fluid and frame-by-frame. The strange, indescribable experience took me more by surprise than Dixon being in an elbow lock.

Dixon cried out in shock and pain.

Toby, Rodrigo, and Miriam stared in disbelief at the “nerdy” boy humbling Dixon. I experienced a separate disbelief.

“Didn’t see that coming,” Toby mumbled, gaping.

Seconds into his predicament, Dixon attempted to escape the hold, howling in pain with the attempt.

“Don’t struggle, or your arm will rip out of the ball socket,” Emery warned coolly.

Rodrigo took a step forward.

Without looking at him, Emery cautioned, “That would not be wise.”

To encourage Rodrigo to take heed, Emery slightly lifted Dixon’s elbow, causing him to scream out, “Chill, dude!”