| |
––––––––
My heart was doing jumping jacks in my chest as the Ds and I loitered near the lockers after algebra class. I still hadn’t told them what I had done, but they hung around out of evil curiosity.
Right on schedule, Chloe hurried downstairs from the art room. She went straight for her locker without looking our way. I held my breath and nodded to the Ds. They fell quiet. Denise nudged Mitch, and they all slowly turned to watch.
For just a second, the glamorous veil of the popular entourage lifted, and I saw the ruse for what it was. These people weren’t any better than anyone else. They just knew how to paint a convincing illusion through spiteful torture, and now I was doing the same.
I turned to watch with everyone else as Lancelot wheezed and sprang out of Chloe’s locker, slapping her in the face. She screamed, and the hall erupted in laughter.
The Ds were beyond impressed. I laughed right along with them, even after Chloe glanced down the hall and spotted us. She knew it had been me. Everyone knew. She’d started it, I told myself to keep the guilt at bay. She thought she could boss me around by bullying me like Matilda had, but she didn’t know that I was Matilda’s protégé. She didn’t know that the makeup and clothes weren’t just a casual attempt to be popular. This was a mission.
It would have been nice to have Chloe’s help, whether to infiltrate the Ds inner circle or to destroy zombie Matilda. I didn’t really want to do this by myself, but I couldn’t exactly tell her the truth. Besides, she had already proved that she was more interested in fighting than helping me.
Chloe didn’t come to school Friday, but I didn’t think much of it. Friday was a big day. Mitch made one last attempt to talk Wayne and me into going to the party at Lovers Playground. I was infinitely cooler because I was skipping the party to go on a date with a college boy, and I didn’t have to be a nervous wreck over it, because if I got caught out on the town with Benny, I’d be in infinitely less trouble than if I got busted at the party.
After school, Danielle gave me a ride home. I still wasn’t entirely sure where I stood with Denise, but she hadn’t been as snide lately, so it was a start. The Ds battle for the top of the pyramid had been put on hold with my cool new debut, and there was even a rumor going around now that I might be in the running. I couldn’t wait to tell Matilda.
A dented postal package on the edge of my dresser caught my attention when I entered my bedroom. My closet door cracked open, and one of Matilda’s filmy fish eyes peered out for a second before she joined me.
She heaved and rattled out a sigh of relief. “Your mom almost found me,” she whispered. “After she brought the package up, she started sniffing around and nearly opened the closet door, but the phone rang. Also, the Febreze is almost gone.” She lifted the aerosol can and spritzed the last of the pine forest fragrance under one arm.
“I’ll grab another can after dinner.” I picked up the package and rolled it around, trying to find a good spot to rip into, but Matilda snatched it away from me and tore it in half, spilling the Ebay loot out on my bed.
“I’ve been staring at it for two hours from your closet. I couldn’t take it any longer,” she answered my questioning gaze.
We spread everything out on the bed and took inventory. The khaki miniskirt was really really short. There was no chance I’d get away with wearing that to school, but it was perfect for my fake date. My mom and dad would be leaving for Cleopatra’s long before Benny picked me up.
The jean print tights were a little long, but no one would notice if I wore them with my fur boots. The blouses were made out of thin material, and they were short-sleeved. One was emerald green, and the other was a dark blue. I could wear my jean jacket over them, but it would still be chilly. The silver hooped earrings were big enough to fit around a can of soda. I thought they looked a little tacky, but once Matilda talked me in to trying them on, I was sold.
We decided on the green blouse to wear with the miniskirt, and Matilda tied my hair back with the silk scarf I had picked up at Missy Hart. The shoe selection turned into a heated debate, but I finally convinced the Hun that it was going to be entirely too cold in Benny’s convertible to wear anything but my fur boots. I even persuaded her to let me wear a pair of tights, since I was pretty sure that the skirt was short enough to betray me and expose my underwear at some point in the evening.
Wayne and his dad were playing catch in the front yard when Benny pulled up. They both paused to admire the rented convertible. I didn’t dawdle, for fear of Benny being recognized, but I did take the time to smile and wave. If I acted too suspiciously, Officer Russell would call my parents and ruin not only the whole night but the rest of my life.
Wayne waved back, but he didn’t smile. He looked like he might be sick. It made me bubble with satisfaction, and it felt like payback for all the nights I had watched Matilda pick him up in her Camaro. Have a taste of your own medicine, buddy.
After the glow of vengeance faded away, I finally took a good look at Benny. He was stunning and oozed effortless charm all over the place in his vintage suit jacket. It would have looked pretentious on a high school boy, but he rocked it. His hair was slicked back under a black fedora that matched his shoes and belt, and his face was clean shaven. If he hadn’t been gay and my cousin, I would have been swooning.
Benny waited until we were down the road before he launched the first round of twenty questions. “Was that the boy you’re trying to impress?”
“No. Well, he’s one of them. Sort of.”
“Oh, my,” he laughed. “He’s a cutie. Who’s the other fella?”
“Mitch Brown. The word is that he’s planning on asking me out, but I told him I have a college boyfriend.”
“You don’t like this boy, I take it? Is it because you’re after the boy next door?”
“Uh, something like that.” I gave him a half-cocked smile.
Benny glanced away from the road long enough to grin at me. “So what is this, a ploy to keep one boy at bay while making another jealous? What makes you think that the same stunt will have the opposite effect on these guys? Is this Mitch kid a coward, or something?”
“Not particularly. I guess I’d really like to make them both jealous.”
“Oh, Janie. You have become a naughty girl.” He tipped his head back and howled out an amused laugh. His stark white teeth glowed in the dark. “It’s good to see you coming out of your shell.”
Ten minutes later, we parked on the curb in front of Marco’s Italian Eatery. It wasn’t quite as fancy or expensive as we had originally planned on, but Matilda pointed out the fact that more of our classmates would be there versus an expensive restaurant, and the ultimate goal was lots of eyeballs to report back to everyone who went to the party, particularly the Ds and Mitch.
As the hostess walked us across the dining room to a row of booths, I spotted Amanda Hughes and intentionally ignored her, even though she was ogling Benny with enough shamelessness that her own boyfriend, Clark Hanson, took notice and stuck a menu in front of her face to snap her out of it.
There were other familiar faces at Marco’s, though none of them looked quite as priceless as Amanda’s had. Benny picked up on the atmosphere before I had a chance to explain.
He leaned across the table and took my hand. “I see what’s going on here,” he whispered.
“Okay, so maybe I didn’t give you the whole story, I just—”
“Save it, sweet pea. I got you covered. You’re going to get your first lesson in theater tonight.” He winked at me and then cleared his throat at our waitress arrived. “We’ll have two Cokes and one of those sample appetizer plates to start with.”
I raised an eyebrow at him after the waitress left. “Did you really just order my drink? I don’t even like Coke.”
“Good,” he said under his breath. “That will make the fight we’re going to get into as we’re leaving that much more believable.”
“Fight? Why are we fighting?”
“Because,” he rolled his eyes, “if your lover boys think our relationship is on the rocks, it will spice up the competition. If they think you’re blissfully in love, they’re more likely to just give up on you altogether. High school boys are chickens, generally speaking. They have to have a little motivation. You’ve gotta toss them a bone every now and then to keep their illusions going.”
I was in awe of him. “Wow, you sound a lot like a girl I know.”
“Correction, honey. She sounds a lot like me.” His grin widened, but he muted it as soon as the waitress returned with our drinks. “Have you made up your mind yet? God, and you wonder why I order for you,” he snapped.
The shift was so sudden that I jumped, but I did my best to catch up. “I told you already. I’m just having the Caesar salad.”
Benny sighed and rolled his eyes. “I’ll have the double order of ravioli.” He snatched up our menus and thrust them at the waitress.
“You’re good,” I whispered once she was gone.
Benny folded his arms. “I know. I was thinking maybe we could go out for ice cream after this. You could dump me, while I pathetically beg you to take me back. What do you think?”
I giggled and bit my bottom lip to keep from smiling too widely. We were being watched from all angles. “I think you’re my favorite cousin.”
“And don’t you forget it.”
Benny was a saint. He was just theatrical enough to draw in an audience, but not so over the top that he was obvious about it. The ice cream stop was even better. I began to wonder why I had never taken an interest in theater before. Benny said I was a natural. I loved every second of it. I thought pretending with the Ds was a rush, but ripping Benny a new one over choosing the wrong flavor of ice cream was exhilarating. We laughed the entire way back across town.
My blissful mood plummeted when I saw the flashing police lights as we turned onto my street. I wondered if Wayne’s dad was just inspecting his car before his shift started, but as my house came into view, I noticed two squad cars, and they were both parked in my driveway.
I checked the dash clock in the convertible, but it was still fifteen minutes before curfew. Sweat prickled over me despite the cold, and I began to pick through potential scenarios. Had Officer Russell called my parents after all? Did they think I was running away or being abducted by some college boy they had never met? Then my stomach clenched as an even worse scenario popped into my head. Had they gone up to my room to look for evidence and found Matilda? Did she play dead? Did everyone think I was certifiably mental now?
“Oh, damn.” Benny’s eyes widened as he realized the cops were in front of my house. “Oh, damn,” he repeated. “Is there anything I should know right about now, Janie?”
I swallowed. “Just that you’re my cousin. You were in town for a visit. My friend stood me up, so you took me out for pizza and ice cream. You don’t know anything beyond that.”
“You’re sure I shouldn’t know anything else about this?” he asked one more time as we parked on the curb.
“Trust me. You really don’t want to know. I’m not even sure I want to know what this is about.”
We hopped out of the car and walked up through the yard. The front door flew open before we made it halfway, and my mom ran out of the house in tears. She threw her arms around me and squeezed the air out of my lungs.
“You,” she snarled at Benny, “are much too old for my daughter.”
“Yes, Aunt Linda. I agree.”
My mom gasped. “Benny? Benny, is that you?” She let go of me and snatched Benny’s hat right off of his head. “What on earth are you doing here?”
“Taking my cousin out for pizza and ice cream?” he offered, giving me a skeptical look.
“Is this the college boyfriend everyone thinks you have?” My mom turned back to me with a frown.
“Um, I guess,” I said sheepishly.
By then, Wayne’s dad, two other officers, and my dad had come out of the house to join us. Officer Russell had a pad of paper out and was taking notes. He turned to Benny. “Tell me, young man. Have you been providing your cousin and her friends with alcohol?”
“What? God no.” Benny frowned at me. “You’re drinking now, Janie?”
“No. I’m not. I swear.” I held up my hands and looked from Benny to Officer Russell. “Why would you think I’ve been drinking?” I asked.
Officer Russell narrowed his eyes at me. “Because I received an anonymous call from someone who claimed that you were at the party the night of Matilda Hunt’s death. They also said that you were dating a college boy who was providing alcohol for everyone.” He gave Benny another suspicious glare.
Benny put his hands on his hips and glared right back at Officer Russell. “Please. Do you really think I’d drive over three hours just to buy booze for a bunch of pimply, underage rejects? I am head of the theater department of the Henley Academy of Performing Arts. Besides, I’ve been busy every night for the past six months. I’ve been directing the winter production. There are at least two dozen people who can vouch for my presence at the theater. There’s no way I would have had enough time to make a six hour round trip to Jasper and back. Do the math,” he said hotly.
Officer Russell took a step back, finally picking up on Benny’s flaming personality. He turned back to me and sighed. “Well, maybe he wasn’t providing the alcohol, but I still have substantial evidence that you were at the party. Your parents tell me that you claimed you were studying with Chloe Martin that night.” He flipped through his notes. “But when I checked with the Martins, they said that you weren’t at their home that evening.”
I opened my mouth, but I couldn’t force a lie to come out, not with Wayne’s dad boring his eyes into mine. My heart sank as I realized that I had hesitated too long. My mom covered her mouth and looked away.
“I was at the party,” I said softly and dropped my gaze.
“Janie.” Officer Russell shook his head. “I’m going to need the names of everyone you saw there.”
“I can’t-”
“You most certainly can, young lady,” my dad said. He folded his arms and frowned at me. It was the most disappointed I had ever seen him, and it made a little lump swell in my throat.
“I can’t,” I repeated. My eyes burned on the verge of tears. “I was only there for five minutes, and I only talked to Wayne and Matilda. It was dark. I didn’t see anyone else.”
“Janie,” my dad growled. “I can’t believe this. It’s just too much, and we thought you were such a good kid. Say goodnight to Benny and go to your room.”
Officer Russell looked like he wanted to ask more questions, but he pressed his lips together and nodded to Benny instead. “You’re free to go, son.”
Benny harrumphed and gave me a quick hug. “Sorry you’re in such a pickle, sweetie. It was a mostly fun night. We’ll have to do it again when you’re not grounded.”
“Which will be when she’s fifty,” my dad grumbled.
Benny left, and I sulked up to my bedroom. I hadn’t been grounded since fourth grade, after Wayne and I had used all of my mom’s fancy toiletries to set up a mad scientist lab in the backyard.
When I opened my closet, Matilda was gone. She had probably slipped out to the shed while everyone was in the front yard. The blue shoes sparkled on my shoe rack. There was a little note tucked down inside one.
That Chloe Martin would have made a good D too.
I ripped the note in to little pieces and let it fall to my closet floor. I knew we weren’t getting along, but up until that point, I had assumed that we would eventually make up, once the whole Matilda scheme was over. Not now. Not ever. She had burned that bridge, our ship had sailed, and a million other clichés that meant we were through.
I flipped open my phone and sent the last text that I would probably get the chance to before my parents confiscated it.
I hope you’re happy.
I didn’t get a reply.
While I waited for my parents to finish talking with Officer Russell, I stripped out of my date clothes and into my Dr. Who pajamas. Then I washed my face and brushed my teeth. I tidied my room and made my bed. I had just pulled back the covers when my parents finally paid me a visit.
“Janie,” my mom said softly. “I need your phone and your internet cable.”
I didn’t try to argue with her. I didn’t pout or get angry. I disconnected the internet cable from my laptop and turned it and my cell phone over without a word.
“I don’t understand. What were you thinking, going to that party? And lying to us?” My dad sighed and sat down on the edge of my desk.
I shrugged. “I guess I wasn’t thinking. I just wanted to fit in for a change. I didn’t want to be the goody-two-shoes nerd that everyone ignored or made fun of anymore.”
My mom sat down next to me on my bed. “Honey, when you start college this fall, everyone’s priorities will be different. They’ll respect that you’re smart and well-mannered.”
“I know.” I frowned. “It’s just been an awfully long wait, and after Matilda died and Wayne started talking to me again, I was just so worried that I wouldn’t be cool enough for him to stay friends with for long.”
“Wayne?” My dad’s eyebrows shot up. “You’ve been friends with Wayne your whole life. Do you really think he expects you to jump through a bunch of hoops now that you’re seniors?”
“Yeah. I do.” I laughed bitterly.
“Well, if the kind of hoops you’re jumping through are going to attract the police, then I say he’s not worth it.”
“I wasn’t trying to attract the police, Dad.”
“Well, you did, and we’re pretty disappointed in you. You’re better than that, Janie.”
“You don’t understand. Things have been really complicated lately.”
“Well, they’re about to get real simple. You’re grounded. In addition to losing your phone and internet privileges, you’re not allowed to borrow the car or get a ride home with anyone else. No shopping. No movies. No television. No going next door to visit Wayne even.”
“No makeup,” my mom added. “And definitely no miniskirts. Where did you get that thing anyway?”
“Ebay.” I just didn’t have it in me to lie to her right now.
“No more Ebay,” she said.
“I think you covered that with the internet cable.”
“Don’t sass your mother,” my dad snapped.
My mom sighed. “Goodnight, Janie.”
My dad stood and followed her to my bedroom door. Then he turned and frowned at me. “We’re not done talking about this, Janie, but I think it’s best that you have some time to think about your actions.”
When the door closed behind them, and I was alone in the dark, I cried. I cried because my best friend had betrayed me. I cried because I had betrayed her. I cried because I had hurt Wayne’s feelings, because I had disappointed my parents, and because I had lied to everyone I cared about. I cried because I hadn’t just let Matilda take over my life, I had actually enjoyed it. I cried because as much as I wanted this to be over, it wasn’t. Not even close.