Tempestuous (5 page)

“And you think the mom and dad will pack up the kids and run for cover from the dude hacking up a lung?”

“That’s my theory, anyway. You’ll have to prove me right.”

“Me likey,” Colin said with a grin. “In fact, I think I’m beginning to feel a bit of a tickle in the back of my throat.” Employing serious dramatic flair, he proceeded to hack and cough and finally hocked up what sounded like an enormous wad of spit.

“You’re disgusting.”

“And you’re a genius,” he said, grabbing my hand and kissing it wetly in appreciation. “Germ boy lives! I’ll let you know what happens. See you at Ariel’s party.” He giddily shuffled off in his polka-dot print overalls, and I could hear him practicing his coughs and sneezes as he headed back down toward his end of the mall.

Not surprisingly, my shake no longer seemed appetizing. I instead focused on the novel on my lap for quite a while, but touché, at this point in the book Emma was getting one hell of a verbal smackdown from Mr. Knightly for her inappropriate conduct. “
Rebuke = redemption!
” my mom had scribbled in the margins. Yeah, right. Growing up, it was hard not to wonder if I’d been denied some priceless pearls of advice or wisdom that Mom might have had to offer me were she still alive. But the meaningless insight she’d scribbled here left me convinced I wasn’t missing out on much. If she were around to hear it, I’d tell her that I’d been recently rebuked up one side and down the other, and there was not a damn thing redeeming about the experience. Demeaning was more like it. Feeling as though it was hitting just a little too close to home, I dog-eared the page, closed the book, and made my way back toward the Hot-Dog Kabob booth. Ariel would cheer me up.

“
Guess
who came by?” she very nearly wheezed at me when I showed up and lifted the hinged counter separating customer from food service worker.

“Okay, I’ll guess, but only once you assure me you’re not suffering some kind of massive coronary.”

“Chad Mathers!!!!” she squealed. “Hypers!!!!”

“Yeah …
and???
”

“
THE
Chad Mathers!”

“Oh, right,” I replied, grabbing for my apron and slipping it back over my jumper. “And you’re excited about this because…?”

“He asked me if I would double-dip his dog!”

“Ewww. That sounds pornographic.”

“What? He likes his corn dogs extra crispy.”

“Okay, Ariel. As long as you weren’t salivating from the mouth like you are now.” Girlfriend clearly had a crush on this Chad Mathers person. She wasn’t exactly the sort of chick a guy who looked like Chad would be into, so I opted to change the subject lest I accidentally stoke the flames of her unrequited passion. No sense in getting the girl’s hopes up.

“What’s the latest on the White Plague?” I asked. “Are we going to blow this Popsicle stand early tonight?” I sort of hoped that wasn’t the case, since I had things all worked out with Grady to bring Ariel’s birthday cake around at nine.

“Business as usual, from what I can tell. But we should ask Troy. Hey, Troy!” Ariel splayed her belly onto the counter and leaned far over to look into the food stall directly next to us. It was a rotisserie chicken place called Spitfire. Troy Beck’s freckled face peeked back from around the corner of the wall.

“Yes, m’lady,” he said without batting an eyelash before locking his baby blues on mine. “Oh, hey, Miranda. I was waiting for you to get back. Gotta favor.” He slid underneath his counter and popped up in front of ours.

“I already told you how to smooth things over with your girlfriend, Troy,” I said. “I can’t be your Cyrano twenty-four seven.”

“Oh that’s all covered. I did exactly as you suggested. Nice call, by the way—Lauren totally forgave me.”

“And so you need my help because….” I acted annoyed by these frequent requests from people for advice, but secretly, I relished the attention. Besides, I really was that good at it.

“Here’s the thing,” Troy said. “Lauren’s kid brother is in the hospital. He’s got some sort of—”

“Oh that’s horrible,” Ariel and I said in unison.

“It’s okay,” Troy said. “He came through surgery and things are looking good. But the thing is … I kind of promised Lauren I’d get him a copy of the new snowboarding game,
Avalanche X
.” He pantomimed what was apparently supposed to indicate a tricky snowboard maneuver, but looked more like a reenactment of Buster Keaton slipping on a banana peel. “It’s the only thing that will cheer him up. The kid’s had a rough year.”

“Can’t you just buy a copy?” Ariel said.

“If you’re short on cash, don’t expect me to be your loan shark,” I said.

“No, it’s not that. I
wish
.” He shook his head. “Haven’t you seen it on TV? The game is sold out all over town. Has been for weeks.”

“What makes you think I would be able to get you a copy?” I said, considering his request as I added straws to the dispenser.

“Well, it was worth a try.” He sighed and turned back toward the Spitfire counter.

“Wait a sec.” I crossed my arms thoughtfully. “Don’t give up so easily. It’s really for a sick kid?”

“Yeah,” he said, looking hopeful. “Can you help?”

“Maybe.” Smiling, I began to formulate my latest brilliant plot. Might just be able to kill two birds with one stone. “I’m not promising anything, but….”

“No, I totally understand,” Troy nodded his head, his face flushed with appreciation. “That’s great, Miranda. Whatever you can do. I totally appreciate it. Better get back to work,” he said, waving. “And if this works out, I owe you a solid. Again.” I watched as Troy disappeared behind the wall that separated our booths.

“Miranda,” Ariel’s eyes narrowed as she considered me. “You shouldn’t have promised Troy that. He’ll get the poor little kid’s hopes up.” She crossed her arms and looked at me accusingly.

“Ariel, I said I’d
try
. I didn’t say I could do it. Besides, I have a plan. And you should be pleased to know it involves your new friend.”

“What new friend?”

“The magician, of course.”

“Magician?” Ariel looked confused.

“Ariel,
really
….” I rolled my eyes. “CALEB. Jeez. Now, do you want to help me with the plan or just stand around looking confused?”

“Sure, I’ll help!” she said. “What should I do first? Reconnaissance?”

“No, let’s start with some counter intelligence, as in mind the counter. You hang out here and keep an eye on things while I go have a little chat with Caleb.”

“Okay, what should I do if anyone asks where you are?”

“Ariel, do I have to think of everything?” I tossed her my apron with one hand as I lifted up the counter with the other. “I’ll be back in ten.”

Exiting the food court, I glanced down the corridor and saw in the distance what looked like a herd of Ewoks on the move. Upon closer inspection, I realized it was a family of nine, bundled up like mini Michelin men in hats, scarves, and puffy coats. It could only have been Colin’s Cheeze Monkey hellions heading toward the exit. I smiled in satisfaction. I still had the magic touch.

As I rode up the escalator on my way to Got Games, Quinn from Bead Bungalow was on her way down. I was surprised because she typically avoided the bowels of the mall at all costs, though I can’t say I blamed her. Her red hair was pulled into a high ponytail and colorful beads draped from her elegant neck. She waved at me, gold bangles jangling. As usual she looked more like a gorgeous gypsy fortune teller than a mall employee. “Miranda,” she called out as she passed me. “Have you seen Mike? He’s been missing for a few hours and I’m starting to get worried.” I remembered Ariel’s gossip that Quinn and Mike had recently become an item.

“He wasn’t at Treasure Hunt when I passed it on my way in, but I figured he was on his break or in the back room,” I said, glancing at my watch. “It’s only an hour till closing. Maybe he decided to skip out early on account of the snow. Or maybe one of those psychotic-looking porcelain dolls came to life and strangled him.” Quinn’s brow furrowed at my joke. Oops. My big mouth and my innate sarcasm got me into trouble more times than I could count, and this was just another example. “Just kidding,” I said louder as she reached the bottom of the escalator and I neared the top. “I’m sure it’s nothing. I’ll ask around and see if anyone’s seen him recently.”

Still feeling like a heel from my run-in with Quinn, I rounded the corner and came upon the Got Games storefront. A hangout for local multiplayer netheads and board game enthusiasts, Got Games was basically a nerd’s paradise. Exhibit A for why this was my first visit. The place screamed “warlock’s low-budget bachelor pad,” with walls painted floor-to-ceiling black and affixed with cheap star decals. Near the back of the shop, I spied Caleb engaged in conversation with a customer who was hidden from my view at the end of an aisle piled high with classic family board games. As I sidled up, I realized it wasn’t a customer—it was Chad Mathers, apparently still milking his break. As soon as he spotted me, the poor guy blushed from head to toe and stammered something about needing to head back to his post at the Cleat Locker.

“See you tonight, Chad,” Caleb said as Ariel’s fantasy dreamboat backed away, all but stumbling over his sneakers. Tonight? Caleb was ditching my invite to Ariel’s birthday party so that he could hang out with some dumb jock? Talk about your odd couple.

“Sorry to interrupt,” I said. “What’s happening tonight?”

“Oh, nothing you’d be interested in.” Most likely true, I thought, though his cagey response annoyed me a little.

“If it involves the likes of lug nut Chad Mathers, you’re probably right,” I said.

“Really?” Caleb replied. “I was under the impression that ‘lug nuts’ were a lucrative market for you.” He picked up a price tag gun and began tagging boxes of Magic Eight Balls.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I flushed.

“Your rep precedes you,” he said without looking up from his task at hand. “Not that it’s my business. I don’t judge. Besides, Ariel likes you, so I figure you must be okay.”

Embarrassed that a virtual stranger apparently knew the complete
dossier
on my fall from grace at Eastern Prep, I was bordering on speechless. Gossip traveled at warp speed these days, it would seem.

“Did you need something?” he said, getting straight to the point. His brusque self-confidence threw me off my game. I was used to granting people favors—not requesting them. I shifted my weight and scratched my left ankle with the toe of my right sneaker. I wasn’t sure how to play this guy.

“Well, I was on my break and I thought I’d come by and say hi.” I smiled in my most winning manner. Inveigling 101: Open the door a crack with your charm and then waltz right in.

“Okay,” said Caleb, with an elaborate shrug, though I thought I spotted a little blush creeping slowly over his face. That’s better. Now I was getting somewhere. Except for the fact that he didn’t seem to have much interest in holding up his end of the conversation. God, was this guy socially clueless.

“Also,” I said, “I wanted to know if by any chance you could score me a copy of
Avalanche X
.” I hadn’t meant to just blurt it out like that, but this guy had a way of rattling me.

“
What
?” he said, looking incredulous. “Oh right. I knew you didn’t come up here just to chat.” He shook his head in disgust. “GAME OVER” flashed in my head. “Even if I could get you that game—an impossibility, by the way—what makes you think I’d go out of my way to hook you up?”

“But it’s not for me….” Forget it. It wasn’t worth this. Clearly Caleb was a jerk and I wasn’t going to lower myself by begging.

“Of course it’s not for you. You probably just want to turn around and resell it for a hundred-percent markup, opportunist that you are.” Ouch. Now
that
really wasn’t fair.

“You know, you’re not as smart as you think you are.” It was the best comeback I could muster. “Maybe if you actually gave me a chance you’d realize—”

Caleb turned over a Magic Eight Ball and peered into its murky depths.

“Not Likely,” he said, holding up the toy to let me see the prediction it offered. “I can put your name on the waiting list with all the other ‘regular people.’ I know that might be a foreign concept for you, but it’s the best I can do.”

“No. Forget I asked,” I said and turned toward the exit. I was seething. This was a huge mistake.

“Hang on,” Caleb called after me. I turned back, thinking he was going to apologize, and waited for him to say something. He looked me straight in the eye long enough that I started to feel a little uncomfortable under his scrutiny. There was something almost mesmerizing about his eyes, which were the color of a stormy sea. “Give this to Ariel, since I can’t make it to her party,” he finally said, tossing me a rectangular object enclosed in a plastic Got Games bag. I plucked it from the air and turned on my heel, fuming.

I kept my head down as I stepped back onto the escalator, but the sound of nearby giggling made me survey the panoramic view of the ground level below me. The Itneys were exiting the Luxe Labels boutique like a couple of jackals emerging from their cave, laden with shopping bags. On a bench in front of the store, Rachel was sitting on Brian’s lap, stroking his hair and peppering his forehead with kisses. Once the Itneys interrupted their love-fest, the foursome took off in the direction of the movie theaters. I felt like throwing up.