Run Like Hell (7 page)

Jack’s car pulls up and I meet him outside.

“Hi again,” he says and kisses me.

It’s chilly outside so I lead him into the house. Rory waves hello but doesn’t say anything when we head upstairs to my room. Mom and Dad allow me to have boys in my room as long as my bedroom door remains open. Tonight, I close it.

Without speaking, Jack reaches into his jeans pocket and pulls out a small box wrapped in purple paper.

“What’s this?” I ask in wonder as he hands the gift box to me.

“It’s for you. Go ahead, open it,” he encourages so I carefully unwrap the paper and open the box. My eyes widen in surprise.

“Jack, it’s beautiful.” Gingerly I extract the thin gold bracelet and examine the gold charm attached to it. It’s engraved,
I love you forever
. “I love it.” I gush and kiss him. I hold out my wrist and ask him to clasp it on.

“I wanted to get you something special. We’ve been friends for such a long time and having you as my girlfriend is more than I could have ever imagined. I mean, I definitely imagined it, and hoped you’d be my girlfriend one day, but I want you to know, no matter what happens between us, I’ll always love you.”

His words are touching and take me by complete surprise. “I feel the same way, Jack. Thank you so much.”

He’s gazing at me with his hypnotic brown eyes. I’ve never loved him more than I do now. I pull his shirt over his head and love the hardness of his bare chest under my palms. Jack touches my face and is about to say something when the door bell rings.

Will we ever have a moment alone?

“Are you expecting anyone tonight?” Jack asks suspiciously and puts his shirt back on.

“I don’t know, but whoever it is needs to go away.” I peek out my window but don’t see a car other than his and Rory’s in the driveway. The door bell rings again and I go downstairs to answer it. “I’ll get it,” I tell Rory. Jack trails behind.

“Who is it?” I yell, but there’s no reply.

Jack steps in front of me protectively and peeks through the peep hole. “I don’t see anyone,” he whispers.

I run to the kitchen and grab the portable phone, ready to dial 911.

“Who’s at the door?” Rory asks, coming up behind us.

Jack slowly opens the door but the porch is empty. I hold Tiger back so he can’t run out of the house. We stare at each other blankly. It’s too late for the neighborhood kids to be playing ding-dong-ditch on a Sunday night.

“Do you think it’s the same person who returned your wallet?” he asks.

“I don’t know.” I have my suspicions though. After we close the door and go back to the living room the doorbell rings again. Jack runs and opens the door but no one is there. How could someone have run away quickly without us seeing them?

“This is ridiculous,” Rory mutters and pushes past us through the door. “Knock this off or we’re calling the cops!” she yells outside and slams the door. “Punks,” she mumbles.

Jack peers through the peephole waiting for someone to return but the porch remains vacant of visitors. Then there’s a knock on the sliding door in the living room.

“Call the cops and report them,” Rory advises, heading to the living room to survey the deck and backyard.

I call the police and tell them someone is ringing our doorbell and banging on our windows. I’m told a police car will stop by shortly. Tiger is agitated and barking and running around the house.

The knocking continues, on various windows, but when we glance outside we don’t see anyone. Rory doesn’t want us going outside, especially since the cops will be arriving soon.

Ten minutes later, the doorbell rings and it’s the police accompanied by two young teens with their heads hanging low. I’m relieved to see the cops. The officers tell us they found the boys hiding in the bushes outside our house. I breathe a sigh of relief. One officer peers over my shoulder and looks in the house.

“Anyone here with you?” he asks.

“My aunt.” At the mention of her, Rory rounds the corner and walks over and says hello.

The officers exchange a glance. “We found these two lurking around. We’re planning on hauling them back to the station. Their parents can pick them up.”

The boys glance at one another and then stare at me. I know them. One kid lives across the street and the other is his friend who hangs around with him. I think they’re about thirteen years old.

“Why were you bothering us?” I ask my neighbor.

He looks nervous, but shrugs and admits, “I know your folks are out of town and I thought it would be funny to scare you.”

At least he’s honest. Knowing it was the two of them lurking around rather than that freak from last night is a relief.

I eyeball Rory and she nods in understanding. “Officers, we’d be happy with an apology and a promise that they won’t prank us again. Perhaps you can avoid taking them back to the station.” My neighbor looks at me gratefully.

“Boys, it sounds like she’s giving you the opportunity to repent.”

The boys immediately mutter apologies. It’s good enough for me. One officer escorts them across the street to speak to the kid’s parents.

We thank the other officer for assisting us. He smiles when he sees Tiger behind us. “Looks like you have a good guard dog protecting you too.” Tiger barks from behind my leg.

The officers leave and I close the door and sigh heavily. I’m exhausted by all the surprises today. “Jack, I think we should call it a night,” I admit. This weekend will be remembered as a big Fail, in every regard. The silver lining is the bracelet on my wrist and the sweet words Jack told me. Right now, I want to go to bed and wake up to a new day.

“I understand. I have a game tomorrow night, will you come? I can stop by after the game if you’d like me to.”

“Sounds like a plan. Maybe Rory will be working late tomorrow.” I finger the small heart charm dangling from the bracelet. “Thank you for the bracelet. I love it.” I lean towards him and give him a light kiss.

Tiger roams around the front yard and Jack’s staring at me, hesitant to leave. “You sure you’ll be okay tonight?” His concern is touching.

“I’ll probably fall asleep as soon as I get in bed.”

“Okay, then I’ll see you tomorrow.” Jack’s kiss is a great way to end an otherwise horrible weekend.

Walking back into the house, I lock the doors and leave the outside lights on. I say good-night to Rory and head upstairs to my room, overcome with exhaustion. I keep the home phone and my iPhone beside my bed. Once my head hits the pillow, I fall asleep.

Chapter Six

Monday morning. It’s a struggle getting out of bed, and even harder disguising my forehead gash with concealer. A long-sleeved, black t-shirt layered with a grey hoodie covers my scratched arms. My hair hangs long and straight and I brush my bangs over my forehead. Normally I’d swipe my bangs to the side but it’s necessary to cover my gash to avoid all questions of “what happened to you” at school today. I’ve redressed my leg bandage and it’s sufficiently covered by my jeans.

I head downstairs and refresh the dog’s food and water. I don’t have the energy to walk Tiger this morning. Instead, I open the sliding door to the deck and he roams around in the backyard while I fix myself something to eat. It’s unusually quiet in the house without my parents around. As much as I love the freedom of being alone, the silence is unsettling. Rory must’ve left for work early since her car isn’t in the driveway. She didn’t leave a note.

The toaster pops, interrupting my thoughts. I hurriedly grab two hot waffles with a napkin, entice Tiger back into the house with the lure of a dog biscuit, and then leave for the bus stop. A few other high school students are waiting at the bus stop down the street from my house. Julie, a friend of mine, smiles as I drop my backpack on the ground and sit on the curb beside her.

“How was your weekend?” She barely glances up from her cell phone. Her red painted fingertips fly over the tiny buttons on her phone. She blindly reaches beside her and grabs the paper coffee cup on the curb and takes a sip.

I shrug, wanting to avoid all discussions pertaining to the weekend. “Fine, and yours?”

Her face brightens as she glances away from her phone and looks at me. “I went to Chelsea’s party Saturday night and it was amazing! Did you go too? I don’t remember seeing you there.”

“I was going to go but something came up. I heard it was a good time.”

“Too bad you weren’t there. She hired the DJ from Club Extreme, that awesome club in the city. Anyways, the music was insane and everyone from school was there.”

Everyone but me, I wanted to correct her.

She talks on and on about the party, suddenly uninterested in her cell phone. I’m thankful when the bus arrives and I gratefully sit by myself. Conversations regarding Saturday’s party swirl around me. People are discussing Chelsea’s huge house, how lucky she is her parents travel frequently and leave her with her older brother, and I even overhear someone talking about her pet parrot. I dig in my backpack and extract my iPod to drown out the chatter. Settling into the seat and pulling my hoodie over my head, I close my eyes for the remainder of the bus ride before we arrive at school. This morning I woke up earlier than usual to walk Tiger and I’m already tired.

Traci’s waiting for me outside the school at the main common area, sipping her usual medium, non-fat mocha. I order my favorite, caramel latte with whip, from the Coffee Cart and savor the steaming hot beverage. With coffees in hand, we walk to our homeroom.

“How are you feeling?” She sidesteps a group of leering boys in the hall. Traci’s always so blasé about the attention she attracts.

“Slightly better. Do I look like I ran a marathon through the woods?”

Her vibrant eyes peer at me over her coffee cup. “You’re perfect, except—” gingerly she brushes my bangs forward, “—there, much better. Now, no one will know what you’ve been through.”

I know she’s hinting that my secret is safe with her. I never had a doubt.

The hallways are littered with students texting, listening to their MP3 players and gossiping. We wave and say hello to several of our friends as we continue to our class.

“Carlos called me last night after you and I talked. He wants me to go to his game tonight. Are you going too?”

She’s not a big fan of basketball, but she’s gone to the games with me in the past when I went to support Jack. “Yeah, I was planning on going. Let’s go together then.” She agrees to pick me up before the game as we arrive at our classroom.

We have the same homeroom and take our usual seats off to the side. Our English teacher hasn’t arrived yet. The other students file into class and as I expect, they are all discussing the party on Saturday night. I groan, not wanting to listen because it’s a reminder of the attack as well as what I missed out on. All my friends updated their social media statuses based on the party and posted tons of photos online. I’m already sick of hearing about the party and school hasn’t even started yet.

Traci’s discussing a reality-show she watched last night on television when she suddenly stops speaking. Several girls nearby awe in unison. Carlos is standing in the doorway holding a single rose and small teddy bear. A rosy blush has crept across Traci’s features but she doesn’t take her eyes off him as he walks toward her. They’re staring intently at one another as he advances.

Silence settles over the classroom as Carlos kneels beside Traci’s desk. “I want to thank you for our date yesterday.” His fingertips brush hers as he hands the teddy bear to her. She softly inhales from his slight touch. Slowly, Traci leans forward over her desk and offers him a kiss. His hand touches her cheek as their lips meet.

“I had a great time,” she whispers.

“I’ll see you tonight at the game?” His eyes lock on hers.

“Absolutely,” she breathes before he hushes her with his lingering kiss.

I’m reminded of Jack’s gift and speech from last night. I caress the charm dangling from my wrist and think ahead to our plans this evening, after the game.

Carlos stands and realizes we’re watching him. He flashes the class a charming smile then hurries out of the room. It occurs to me that Carlos has the confidence and good looks to pull off a stunt like this. I can’t imagine any other guy in our school having the nerve to present a girl with a teddy bear and rose in front of an entire class.

Several girls sitting nearby ask Traci how long she’s been dating Carlos. As Traci entertains their questions I can’t help admiring Carlos’s romantic showmanship. I pull out my cell phone but remember that Jack won’t have his cell phone on him. I put my phone away just as our teacher walks into the classroom. The school has a strict “no cell phones in class” policy.

After third period, Jack meets me at my locker. The familiar notes of Jack’s body wash alert me he’s near before his arms slide around my waist. I love the way he smells after his morning showers. I turn in his arms and greet him with a soft kiss. His mouth tastes hot and spicy, like cinnamon.

“How was practice this morning?” I murmur against his lips, unwilling to break our kiss.