Viral

Viral

Alex Van Tol

orca soundings

ORCA BOOK PUBLISHERS

Copyright © 2011 Alex Van Tol

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system now known or to be invented, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication

Van Tol, Alex
Viral [electronic resource] / Alex Van Tol.
 (Orca soundings)

Type of computer file: Electronic monograph in PDF format.
Issued also in print format.
ISBN 978-1-55469-413-6

I. Title. II. Series: Orca soundings (Online)
PS8643.A63V57 2011A      JC813'.6      C2010-908059-9

First published in the United States, 2011
Library of Congress Control Number:
2010942101

Summary:
After his friend Lindsay is filmed in a compromising situation, Mike tries to save her from herself.

Orca Book Publishers is dedicated to preserving the environment and has printed
this book on paper certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.

Orca Book Publishers gratefully acknowledges the support for its publishing programs provided by the following agencies: the Government of Canada through the Canada Book Fund and the Canada Council for the Arts, and the Province of British Columbia through the BC Arts Council and the Book Publishing Tax Credit.

Cover design by Teresa Bubela
Cover photography by Getty Images

www.orcabook.com
Printed and bound in Canada.

14 13 12 11    •   4 3 2 1

To the universe: draw your swords

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter One

You only get one chance.
Ever heard that saying?

It's true. Especially with the important things in life. So when that one chance rolls around, you can't afford to screw it up.

Except, somehow, I did.

Things had been going so well between Lindsay and me. After years of just being friends, something had shifted in the way I felt about her. I didn't want to be just friends anymore. And I could kind of tell she didn't either. You know, from the way she looked at me. The way she talked to me. The way we suddenly felt shy with each other when we hadn't before. The way my heart kind of skipped a beat when her name came up on my phone.

It took me months, but I had finally worked up the courage to ask Lindsay out. I had it all planned: I was going to ask her at the year-end party at Sara's place.

On the night of the party, I was nervous as hell. Which is stupid, really, because it's what both of us wanted. But still, you want to do things right, you know?

So anyway, after a few beers everyone was down at the fire pit, and just Lindsay and I were left sitting on the back deck. It was a cool night in late June. Pink clouds. Still air. The universe had even arranged some lightning flashing on the horizon. Perfect.

Lindsay was lounging on a chaise. I was hanging out on the double swing. She shivered a little. My cue.

“Want my hoodie?”

She smiled and shook her head. “I'm okay.” But then she rubbed her arms. Cue number two.

I patted the seat beside me. “Come sit,” I said. I held up a corner of the blanket that was draped over the swing back. I could easily have tossed it to her. But that wasn't the point. I wanted her close to me. I couldn't exactly ask her out if she was, like, ten feet away.

Sharing a swing with my best friend was something I would've done without thinking twice just a few months ago. We would have sat together under the blanket and listened to the sounds of laughter drifting up from the fire pit below. Laughed at how drunk other people were. Made fun of teachers we didn't like.

But when it actually
means
something… it's different.

She shrugged. “Sure,” she said. “It
is
getting chilly.” She stood up. Stretched. God, how had I spent all these years not wanting her? She moved toward the swing. “Shove your butt over, Mikey.” I grinned and she sat down beside me. Kicked off her sandals and brought her legs up under her—those long gymnastics-ripped legs of hers. I handed her some blanket and she tucked her feet underneath. She leaned into me. “This okay?”

My stomach did a flip-flop. “Yep.” Definitely okay. I took a deep breath. “So,” I began. But then I didn't know what else to say. My mind was blank.

Lindsay looked up at me. “Yeah?” The lightning forked a little bit closer. The storm was still too far away for us to hear any thunder. “So?”

“Yeah. That's, uh, that's some pretty great lightning, you know?” I sounded like an idiot.

She put her head on my shoulder. “It's totally great lightning, Mike,” she agreed. I heard the smile in her voice.

I got a grip on myself and tried again. I was going to do this. “Yeah, so, um, I wanted to ask you something,” I said. I lifted a strand of her hair and wrapped it around my fingers. So soft.

“Mm-hmm?” she asked. “What's that?” Her arm drifted across my stomach and rested there. She never used to do
that
. She hooked her thumb in one of my belt loops. I took another deep breath and let it out slow. Real slow.

“Yeah, so, I was wondering…” Another deep breath. A flash of lightning lit up the horizon. Another followed right on its heels. A puff of wind flipped up the corner of the blanket, exposing Lindsay's legs. Her amazing endless legs. She reached down absently and flicked it back into place. Snugged up tighter to me.

“You were wondering…?”

And suddenly I just…chickened out. “Yeah, I was wondering…do you, uh, do you want…another beer?” I finished lamely. As soon as the words left my mouth, I was furious with myself.

“No,” I said, backpedaling. “I mean, never mind. Never mind the beer.” I sucked in another breath. “I actually meant to ask you if—”

Right then, Aaron and Morgan crashed through the back door. Lindsay shifted, sitting up and edging over to the other end of the swing.

Morgan had a shaggy beard strapped to his head. He danced over to us in tight yellow Speedos and huge sunglasses, singing “Bohemian Rhapsody.”

Normally I would laugh—who wouldn't? The guy's an idiot. But Morgan's screwing around was the last thing I needed right now.

Aaron's eyes lit up when he saw me. “Hey! Whassup, Mikey!!” he shouted. He raised his beer. “You too cool for the rest of us down at the fire pit?”

Just then he noticed Lindsay bunched up at the other end of the swing. He looked from me to her, then back at me. Raised his eyebrows.

I rolled my eyes:
Duh!
Aaron's eyes widened in sudden understanding.

He started to back away. “Du-u-ude,” he said. “It's cool. We're leaving now.” He punched Morgan on the arm and nodded toward us.

Morgan opened his mouth to speak.

“Shut it,” said Aaron. “We're leaving.” They turned to go.

But it was too late. The door opened again and a group of girls giggled out onto the porch. More people followed.

And my chance was lost.

Chapter Two

Lindsay hopped down from the swing. Weaved her way through the group and went into the house. I waited, thinking she had just gone to get another beer.

After about ten minutes, I wondered if she had left. Some people had been talking about going over to Angad's place. Maybe she had gone along?

I didn't go after her. I was too pissed off with myself. Embarrassed too.

I stayed in the semidarkness of the swing, avoiding everyone. Eventually, they drifted across the yard. Back to the fire pit.

Except for Scarlett. She came back after everyone else left.

Everyone at our school knows Scarlett. And every school has one. She's the flirty knockout with a rep for being easy. People call her Skanky Scarlett. I've heard she'll hook up with anyone. Not exactly my type.

She sat down where Lindsay had been only minutes before. She pressed her skinny body against mine, chattering away. Stuff I couldn't care less about. How her skirt shrank in the dryer. How she painted daisies on her nails last night. How she liked to watch my lacrosse games.

I responded just enough to be polite. I was still stewing over fumbling the ball with Lindsay. How could I have choked so badly?

Listening to Scarlett's yapping kind of brought it home. I had to try again. I couldn't let this day end without doing what I'd spent the last five months working up to.

I decided to go after Lindsay. Wherever she was—here or at Angad's place—I wanted to see this thing through.

Lightning flashed. Still no rain, but I could hear the thunder now. The wind was picking up.

“God, it's really cold, eh?” Scarlett was saying. “I'll bet
you
can warm me up, Mike.” She shivered prettily and climbed up on my lap. Uh, no. I put my hands on her hips to shove her off. She grabbed my hemp necklace.

“Oh, this is so cool, Mike!” Scarlett squealed. “Can I wear it?” She pulled me closer. I could smell booze on her breath.

Gross.

“I don't think so,” I said. I started to push her off.

Then—still holding tight to my necklace—she kissed me.

Right then, Lindsay banged through the back door. “Holy smokes, Mike, you should have seen the lightning from up on the roof—”

She stopped short when she caught sight of me. A beer beside me, Scarlett in my lap, my hands on her hips.

Lindsay's eyes widened. Her lips parted and I heard the breath leave her body like she'd been kicked.

I threw Scarlett off my lap and stood up.

“No. Linds,” I said. I spread my hands. Shook my head. “No. This isn't…it's not…I didn't—”