“I’m worried about Elena.” Lucy shoved her phone into her pocket. “You haven’t heard from her, have you?”
“No.” Meg flipped over her own phone. She had an irrational fear that Lucy was going to grab it and scroll through her messages. Most were from Elena, and unanswered. She kept texting her, asking her to go for a run or check out a Zumba class. After she suggested that they try a nutrition class at the local library, Meg blocked her number.
“She’s missed two days of school.” Lucy frowned as she looked out the bus window. “That girl is never sick.”
“So I’ve heard.” The school bus had almost reached its destination. Meg buttoned up her coat. “Even the healthiest people get sick every now and then. Or maybe she had a family thing.”
“That’s what I’m worried about. I think Elena’s dad is the hospital again.”
“Oh,” Meg answered. She always felt like such a crud when Elena’s dad was mentioned. “Yikes.”
“I’m not great with all that emotional crap. I want to cover my ears and run away screaming whenever she talks about it.”
Meg’s reaction would be much the same if she allowed herself to be truthful. But then she’d gone and invented a dead father because she thought it would be easier to explain. She wished she’d just kept her big mouth shut.
Johanne was sitting in front of them, her head bent over a book, but she hadn’t turned the page in a while. She was eavesdropping, definitely. She had access to all of Sister Deirdre’s files. Her Department of Children and Families report had to be in there. If she had peeked, she’d know the truth.
If Meg had access to those files, she would have nosed through each and every one. She’d know everyone’s secrets-the Scolders, the Debs. Even her friends.
Especially her friends.
Knowledge was power.
“It’s a tough situation,” Meg said because she felt she needed to say something. She remembered an episode of Dr. Phil that she’d watched, weeks ago. “But all she really needs is someone to listen to her. Just be supportive.”
“I’ll let you be the supportive friend. I’ll be the fun friend. Speaking of friends…”
She dug into her bag and pulled out a red and green gift bag. She tossed it onto Meg’s lap. “Merry Christmas, biatch.”
Meg stared at the bag, willing herself not to cry.
“You got me a present?”
“Of course I got you a present. I’m not Scrooge McDuck. Go ahead and open it. It’s that black top you like. It’ll look better with your boobs anyway.”
Meg pulled out the low cut sheer blouse. It was a crop top. There was no way she’d ever wear it. And it hadn’t been washed. It smelled like Lucy’s perfume, and there was a white stain, traces of deodorant, along the sleeve. But Lucy had actually gotten her a present and had taken time to put it in a gift bag.
She felt like her heart might burst out of her ribcage.
Lucy leaned against the window, turned to Meg and opened up her hands.
“Gimme.”
“Don’t you want to wait?” It was the last day of school, but there were still several days until Christmas. Unlike Boston public schools, Rose School had an extra-long holiday break. Meg was looking forward to three whole weeks away from nuns and textbooks.
“We’re heading to Long Island tomorrow to visit my Nana. I won’t be back until January.”
“You won’t be around for New Years?” Meg hoped she didn’t sound too disappointed. “I was thinking of having some friends over.”
Lucy pouted.
“I’ll be eating knishes and watching the ball drop with Nana. It’s a tradition. Why are you stalling? Did you not get me a present?”
Meg pulled the carefully wrapped parcel out of her backpack. She’d gone to a special gift wrap station in the mall and had instructed the clerk to make it look as pretty as possible.
“Oooh, fancy.” Lucy snatched the present and gave it a thorough shake. “It’s not breakable, is it?”
The bus skidded to a stop. Lucy took a quick peek out the window, to see who was waiting at the bus stop.
“What the hell? Elena’s there! And she’s with…oh shit.”
Meg stood up.
The Jefferson girls. They’d found her. But when she looked out the window, all she saw was Elena and Zach, with Flynn in tow. Annoying, but not the nightmare she’d feared.
“It’s Zach’s birthday.” Lucy stood up and slipped her messenger bag over her shoulder. “I completely forgot.” She looked down at the present, now slightly crumpled. “This isn’t underwear or tampons or anything too girly, is it?”
When Meg shook her head, she smoothed down the corner she had creased and walked toward the bus exit. Meg followed.
“Elena, what the hell?” Lucy paused on the bottom step, blocking all the other girls from exiting the bus. “Why weren’t you at school?”
Elena rushed over. Despite the cold weather, she was wearing only skinny jeans and a pink, sparkly, hello kitty t-shirt. It was something a toddler might wear. It fit so tightly, Meg suspected it might actually be toddler-sized.
“I couldn’t go to school on Zachie’s birthday.”
“Zachie?” Lucy jumped down from the step and stared up at her friend. Meg crept around her, careful not to block the bus exit further.
“We went to the movies.”
“Without me?”
“We wanted to be alone.” Elena giggled.
“Hey, Luc,” Zach‘s Adam's apple bobbed up and down as he walked over to them. Flynn, as always, was right behind him, that infuriating smirk on his face.
Meg nearly jumped out of her boots when Elena rushed over to Zach. The squeal she gave wasn’t human. She sounded like a hiccupping chipmunk. She threw herself into his open, waiting arms and gave him a big, wet, sloppy kiss.
On the mouth.
Lucy’s mouth dropped open. The gum she’d been gnawing on fell to the ground. She stepped on it when she rushed over to Zach and Elena, flattening it into a tiny pink pancake.
“Are you two… are you two… together?”
Elena’s answer was to giggle some more. Lucy grabbed Elena’s arm. Her fingernails dug into the tanned flesh.
“Let’s go chat.”
Meg’s stomach plummeted when she took her Christmas present and tossed it to Zach.
“Here, that’s for you. Not that you deserve it.”
Meg followed Lucy and Elena to the corner of the street and stood at a respectful distance as the two girls argued. She was heartbroken that Lucy had given away her present, but she was thrilled that Lucy and Elena were finally fighting. And over Zach, no less! She would have never believed it.
“When did this happen? How did this happen?”
“Oh Lucy, you’re not mad, are you?”
“Why would I be mad? I don’t care who you screw. I certainly don’t care who Zach screws.”
Meg had studied Lucy’s expressions long enough to know that her face told another tale. She focused in on Meg.
“Did you know about this?”
“It’s all thanks to Meggie, actually,” Elena said, trying to explain. “She’s the one who told me that Zach had a crush on me. And she made me realize what an incredible guy he is. I never would have fallen in love with him without Meggie.”
“Elena, you’re not in love with him,” Lucy said. Her voice was much softer. “That’s not possible. It’s Zach Boyd.”
“I am in love with him.” Elena straightened her shoulders and stood up to her full, impressive height. “And why shouldn’t I be? Because he’s not ‘traditionally handsome?’” She made air quotes. “Do you really think I’m that shallow? I love him.” Her voice dropped to a whisper, and she leaned into Lucy. ““We had sex last night.”
Lucy’s eyes widened. Meg gasped.
“I know I was going to wait, but Zach really wanted to, and it made him so happy.”
Lucy’s curiosity got the better of her. “How was it?”
“Quick. And kind of messy.”
Not wanting to hear any more of the gory details, Meg walked off. Flynn and Zach were having a similar conversation, but much more graphic. She cringed when she passed them, and shot Flynn a dirty look for good measure.
She sat down at the bus shelter and stared at Zach. He was so homely, all long legs and gangly arms. Had she done the right thing, pushing Elena toward him? Elena, who could do so much better? She never imagined Elena would fall in love with him or lose her virginity to him!
Sister Immaculata would condemn Meg to an eternity in hell for that one.
Lucy sat down next to Meg. Elena had run back to Zach and was sucking on his neck. Meg wanted to vomit.
“What’s your angle, Ford?” Lucy asked. “In what universe does that make any sense?”
“Text Scott.”
“Why?” Lucy said, but she was reaching for her phone anyway.
“Everyone knows about Zach’s crush on you. Including Scott. And Scott may be…morally kind of a dickhead but he respects his cousin. He was never going to make a move on you, not with Zach there, watching.”
Lucy stared at her for a while, then, a bit reluctantly pulled out her phone and tapped a quick message.
“So, you got Zach out of the way by setting him up with Elena?”
“Two birds. One stone.”
Both of them stared down at Lucy’s phone. Lucy bit her lip, and Meg held her breath. Then the phone began to chirp, startling both of them out of their shoes.
“You diabolical little bitch,” Lucy said as she scrolled through the messages, one after another, popping up fast and furious. “You’re brilliant.”
Meg allowed herself a small, congratulatory smile. It had worked. Scott was on his way to meet them. His messages, though misspelled and grammatically incorrect were eager. Meg could almost hear him panting through the phone line.
“It seems to have worked out. You’ve got a free and clear path to Scott now.”
“So, puppetmaster, you did all this for my lonely loins?”
“Elena deserves a nice guy.” Meg smoothed her skirt over her knees. “With all, she’s going through, she could use a little happiness in her life.”
“Zach is a nice guy,” Lucy admitted. “I’m going to miss him hanging around me like a little lost puppy dog. Elena and Zach.” She shook her head. “What else can you do for me, Ford?”