92. A Change in Seasons

Maybe ten or twenty years from now, I’ll look back on this with fond memories. Fond memories that I got out of this nightmare. Fond memories that I left this school and this town in the dust. But at the moment I’m just wondering how to make it to tomorrow.

I really want to talk to Kelsey about the whole prom thing, but then one day at lunch I see her talking to an upperclassman.

His name is Sam, I think. He’s not a jock, but he runs in the same circles as Ray Spencer. I think he might be competition for Ray, to be honest. Another good-looking, well-to-do guy who dates a lot of girls at this school.

Kelsey is laughing at him and bringing her head close to her shoulder in a way a cat might as it’s purring.

I bump into someone, who curses at me, and I stop staring and find my seat next to Newt.

“That’s crazy,” I say, talking more to myself than anything else.

“There are two times when people get really crazy around here. May and December.”

I look at Newt and wonder how he knows what I’m even talking about, then realize I’m lucky to have a friend like him. Before I can start picking at my lunch, Georgia strolls by and stops in front of us.

“You had your chance, but look who got her instead.”

This girl really just needs a mop in her mouth.

“What did I do wrong today?”

“Oh, nothing,” Georgia says with contempt. “Nothing at all. The news about prom wasn’t hard on her at all. But she’s still going.”

“With Sam over there?”

Georgia nods.

“So are you going with the man of your dreams? Dan? Planning on eloping?”

“No. In fact, Ray asked me. Might’ve been a nice group if you had been smarter.”

I thought Ray was going to ask someone else to prom. I’m going to say something, but she walks away. Newt is eating Cheetos and just staring at me.

“What?”

“Like I said,” he says, shaking his head. “May and December.”

Things do feel different, but it’s the end of the school year and everyone is ready for summer. Poe still doesn’t talk much with me at school, yet she wants to go to prom with me. Kelsey acts like a stranger, not even painting by me in art any longer.

Mom is a mess, drinking more than ever. She’s no longer hiding it, which is not good since I’m no longer hiding my growing contempt at having to watch her self-destruct. This is one of those cycles that can only end badly.

I don’t hear from Jared, nor do I hear from Sheriff Wells.

It’s nothing except a vibe I get. Things are different.

All I know is that summer is coming, and maybe with it will come a change. Or at least a change of scenery.

Maybe if I could look into the future, I’d feel a little more at ease.

But something tells me otherwise. Something dark and oppressive is coming, something that’s going to change everything, something that is even worse than what happened with Jocelyn.

Nothing could be worse than that.

Nothing.