It’d been a hectic Sunday. B.J. dragged me off for a shopping trip at the Alderwood Mall since she had to be perfect for her first Homecoming. We’d made it back in time for a riding lesson at Grandma’s. Timber wanted to hike up to one of the old mining towns above Pine Ridge. B.J. insisted we stop by her house so we could take Guard with us. Ringo met us at the parking lot in the hills. We followed one of the old railroad tracks through groves of evergreens and across meadows, B.J.’s puppy chasing after every rabbit he saw. Then I headed to the dojo for karate and I finished up the day with a counseling session at Bernice’s.
I didn’t tell her what I had in mind for Jason’s jacket. I figured I’d get the two wrongs not making things right lecture, and I so didn’t want to hear that crap. Why was it okay for him to knock me around? Why did I have to be nice when I didn’t feel like it? When I said something was over, why did people get to tell me that I didn’t know what I was talking about?
I went into the downstairs bathroom in Warren’s apartment and opened the trash bag. My project wouldn’t get me an A from the science teacher, but the sour milk reeked. I poked at the letterman’s jacket. The cereal was mushy and the little marshmallow bits leached color, but it hadn’t started to mold yet. Darn. And I was basically out of time.
Well, not really. I still had a few more days. The coat had to go back to Jason before the game on Friday. He’d be so pissed he’d break up with me for a change and I wouldn’t have to go to the Homecoming dance with him. I tied the bag shut again and cranked up the wall heater.
* * *
Instead of heading into the Commons Tuesday morning, I went into the parking lot, looking for Jason’s car. He always parked it with a couple of spaces, to spare so nobody would scratch the paint. Normally, he was too cool to lock the classic Trans-Am, but today was different. He’d been expecting some kind of prank before the game on Friday because the doors wouldn’t open.
“Damn it.” What was I going to do now? I had to get rid of the trash bag with his coat. And he so deserved this.
An old pickup pulled in on the other side of the lot and parked. B.J. popped out, followed by Terry and Gabe. Ringo came around from the driver’s side. They saw me at the same moment and B.J. jogged over. “What’s going on, Sarah? Don’t tell me you’re taking the wanna-be back?”
“No. I wanted to return his coat.”
She looked at the trash bag, then at me. “Did you do something dirty, girl-friend?”
I hesitated. “Yeah, but I don’t want to get you in trouble.”
“Okay. No worries.” She waved at Gabe. When he joined us, she pointed to the car. “Open it up.”
“You’re kidding, right?” Terry gaped at B.J. “I thought we were playing it straight so we could stay here.”
“No. He opens it or I will.” B.J. pointed to the trunk. “Do it.”
“I got it,” Gabe said. “This is one of those times when you don’t say anything, Ter.”
She nodded, and a smile eased across her face. “And we’re back from outer space. It’s so nice to be us again.”
Ringo eyeballed the three of them. “I didn’t know you could break into a car, B.J. Should I be scared?”
“Only if you try to use me for a punching bag like Jason’s done to Sarah since school started,” B.J. said coolly. “You do and you die. Gabe will get rid of the body.”
“Got that right.” He popped the trunk. “Dump it in here, Sarah.”
“I wanted it on the back seat,” I said.
“No, you don’t,” B.J. told me. “You want it to take a while for him to find it so it makes the whole car stink. Did you rub dog poop into it?”
“No, that’s disgusting. I used cereal and sour milk. If I’d had more time, it would be moldy.”
B.J. heaved a sigh. “Next time, call me. I’ll teach you how to use dog stuff.”
Grinning, Ringo pulled her close for a quick kiss. “I’m so not pissing you off, shorty.”
They waited while I opened the bag and dumped the coat on top of the spare tire in the trunk. I shook out the last of the soggy cereal. It actually had started to smell. Good one.
Then Gabe closed up the car. He took the trash bag from me, carried it over to the nearest can, and tossed it inside.
“Let’s go have coffee,” B.J. said. “My treat. I’m buying.”
“You never buy,” Gabe said. “What is it? A national holiday?”
“Yeah.” B.J. hooked her arm through mine. “It’s Sarah has a spine day. And we’re not telling anybody about this. We’re letting Jason find out that when you do stinky stuff, it comes back on you.”
* * *
Jason avoided me for the next two days. Or was I avoiding him? He didn’t call, and I was glad about that. The other cheerleaders stayed close and so did their guys. I didn’t walk to class alone. Abbie warned me that Jason said we’d had a fight, but we’d be back together for Homecoming. I figured she exaggerated until Denise stomped up to me in the sophomore locker bay at lunchtime.
“Jason’s way too good to you, and you’re cheating on him with Timber Watkins.”
“I’m not cheating.” I shoved my books into my locker. “I broke up with him weeks ago, but Jason can’t take ‘No’ for an answer.”
“I’m telling him you said that.” Denise planted her hands on her hips. “He’ll dump you in front of everyone and take me to Homecoming.”
“Is that all?” I thought I saw a bruise under her eye. I wasn’t sure and B.J. was headed toward me. “Anyway, the first time he hits you, get help. He means it, Denise.” I walked off to meet my friend.
Behind me, Denise yelled, “He’s not like that. You’re lying about him.”
“Yeah, well, why did Hailey Collins run for Seattle? Was she afraid he’d kill her? Or were her parents scared for her?” I went to meet B.J. “What’s up?”
“Annie called me. She wants you to babysit Trina today. Got time for the munchkin? If you do, you need to let her mom know right away.”
“I’ll call from the Commons,” I said. “The kid can come here for practice and then I’ll go home with her afterward. I’ll have to call Warren and let him know.”
* * *
On Friday night, I hurried into the locker room to get ready with the other cheerleaders. Abbie was going over the order of the cheers we’d do at the Homecoming game when I arrived. We already knew them, but she claimed it helped us calm down and center our thoughts.
Of course, Fiona said the same thing about horse-shows. When the review was finished, Abbie came over to me. “You’re awesome, Sarah. Ready to do some stunts tonight?”
“Sure,” I said. “Why am I awesome?”
Abbie hugged me. “You’ve done more to get through to Timber in the last couple of weeks than my folks and I have since he moved in after Uncle Walt died. You’re my hero.”
“No way,” I said. “You guys are the ones who helped him get his head together. All I did was suggest his mom might have problems. My aunt does. Ten years ago, her ex-husband disappeared with their kid and took her out of the country.”
“What goes around, comes around.” Rita came over to us. She planted her hands on her hips. “So, you had to tell Dave I think he’s hot.”
“Super-hot,” I said, quickly. “He was majorly thrilled. He figures Luis Gomez is a player and didn’t want you to get hurt.”
“Yeah, well, everybody at SFA knows about Luis. He has more girls than a dog has fleas.” Rita grabbed her pom-poms. “If Dave’s helmet doesn’t fit tonight, it’s your fault.”
“Let’s haul butt, ladies,” Marcie called from across the room. “It’s show-time.”
“Rita’s tickled half to death,” Abbie said, her voice low. “She was afraid he didn’t like her. She’s real shy when it comes to guys, and her stepsister being the family fav, doesn’t help matters.”
“She ought to try talking to Dave’s mom. That woman’s great for a person’s ego,” I said. “She’s given me a ton of affirmations to practice.”
“I’ll suggest it.” Abbie held the door for me and we ran after the other cheerleaders.
Once again, the squad looked great. We were totally in step and our moves were incredible. The regular dances went over great with the crowd. They really liked the new jazz number. And a bunch of people sang along with Something Stupid when we did B.J.’s dance.
Out on the field, the Highlanders were even more awful than usual. Owen couldn’t manage to catch hardly any of Jason’s passes, most of which were underthrown. This week, it was the defensive line that couldn’t play football. Or was that wouldn’t?
Saint Pat’s beat us, forty to nothing.
I headed to the parking lot to meet Timber, Warren, and Vonnie after the game when Jason stopped me. “What do you want?” I asked.
“I hope you’re happy.” Jason gave me a mean look. “We lost again. It’s your fault.”
“How do you figure that?” I asked, sarcasm in each word. “Is your dad right? I thought it was enough work being a cheerleader. Are we supposed to play football, too?”
Before I could go on, Jason reached for me. I’d had enough!
I remembered my blocks from karate. I brought up both arms inside his and hit him hard in the chest. That broke his hold. Then I did the punches Vonnie had taught me, one to the gut and one to the chin. I finished with the stomp kick to the knee that Warren practiced with me. Then I did what Sensei Nichols had told me to do. I ran, screaming, toward the parking lot.
That got Timber and Warren’s attention, but Jason was nowhere around when Timber and my brother looked for him. Vonnie and I sat in the locked pickup truck until the guys came back. I didn’t stop shaking until we were at Parthenon Pizza and the waiter brought me a mug of hot chocolate.
* * *
On Saturday, I spent the day vegging around the house since most of my friends were doing the girly thing for Homecoming. Last minute hair and nail appointments, emergency trips to the mall. I skipped all that and pigged out on chips, soda, and ice cream. Warren was off to tutor and Priscilla went to her BFF’s for the day. So I had the house to myself most of the afternoon and I enjoyed it. I wasn’t acting like tonight would be special, not when I was stuck going to the dance with Jason.
Arms loaded with pizza boxes, Bruce came into the family room where I was cuddled up with Cappy watching an NCIS marathon. “What are you doing home, Sarah? Isn’t tonight Homecoming? Didn’t your mom give you a pass on the grounding so you could go to the dance?”
“Yeah and I’m stuck with Jason.” I flipped channels with the remote, then went back to my show. “You could do me a favor and tell Mom he sucks, even if he is the mayor’s son.”
“Consider it done,” Bruce said. “I told her that he kicked my dog and you should trade him in on a human being.”
“Really?” I tossed my afghan on the couch and got up to follow him into the kitchen. “What did she say? She told me I had to date him because Timber’s dad was a drunken logger and Timber was on scholarship at the academy.”
“So are you and Warren,” Bruce said. He opened up the first box so I could grab a slice of my favorite combination pizza. “And there are worse things than getting financial aid, Sarah.”
“Like being a dog-kicking son of a politician,” I teased, taking a bite.
“Exactly,” Bruce said, going to the fridge. He brought me back a Coke and got an imported beer for himself. “What if you bring Bernice into the loop on this next time you see her? She could tell your mom that choosing who to date is your decision. Expecting you to stay with the same guy for the rest of your life when you’re barely in high school doesn’t make a lot of sense. You need to socialize with different people.”
“Okay.” I hitched up on the stool at the breakfast bar and actually had a decent conversation with Bruce until he wandered off to change out of his tire-store clothes and make some phone calls.
* * *
I wore my new, high-necked, low-backed, almost floor length black dress for the dance. I put on my black heels. Most of my bruises had faded, even the ones on my neck from where Jason choked me. I had high hopes that he’d bail tonight and I could go to Homecoming by myself.
I scooped up my hair in a bun so I’d look taller. Timber would be at the dance, too. He was coming solo, so he would be straight with his sponsor. It didn’t mean we couldn’t dance even if we weren’t a couple.
Tonight was the last hurrah with Jason if he showed up.
It was over. Over. Over!
I’d be able to be honest with Mom, Bruce, Aunt Cathy, and Grandma, too. It was about time. There were worse things than a guy who cut firewood for a living and Jason was one of them. Since Bruce would tell Mom that he didn’t like the guy and what he said counted for more than what I did, she’d be off my back for at least a while.
Cosmetics made my eyes bluer than ever. Vonnie had loaned me her silver dangly earrings and a matching bracelet. I decided I looked pretty good, hot even. I hoped Timber agreed.
I dropped extra makeup, my bedroom key, and my cell phone into my black purse. Before I could leave my room, the phone rang. It was a new song, one I hadn’t heard before. Some woman sang, “Timber, I’m falling in love…”
Heat flooded into my cheeks when I remembered Kaitlyn fooling with my phone. I’d so get her for this. I grabbed the phone, yanked it out of my purse, and answered. “Hi.”
“Hey,” Timber said. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah. I’ll see you at school, right?”
“You got it, kid. I’ll be waiting for you.”
When I went into the living-room a few minutes later, Jason was the one waiting for me. He looked the way a guy should in his black tux, not like someone who enjoyed pushing other people around.
Bruce fussed with his digital camera. “Just a moment.”
“No.” I held up my hand. “No pictures tonight.”
“What?” Bruce stared at me. “Sarah, your mom made me buy new batteries, and the expensive photo paper so we can print them off on the computer. She wants pictures of your first Homecoming for the family album. Don’t you want to remember it?”
“No, sir,” I said, using Vonnie’s Last Word.
At the same time, Jason said, “Okay.” He tried to put his arm around me. “Let’s do it.”
I yanked away. “No.” I pointed to the door. “Go by yourself if you won’t keep your word, Jason. I said I’d go with you to Homecoming because you refused to listen to me when we broke up, and you whined to my mother until she said I had to go with you.”
Jason ran a hand through his hair. “I said I was sorry about that. We’re supposed to have another chance.”
“You don’t want to know how I feel about that,” I said. “Let’s go but keep your hands to yourself. I don’t want to be pawed.”
Mom hurried in the front door. “Oh, good. I made it before you left. Sarah, you look lovely. Jason, you’re so handsome.” She beamed at us. “Did you get the pictures, Bruce?”
I started again to say I didn’t want any photos taken with Jason.
Bruce spoke up, loud enough to cover my voice. “Sorry, babe. I forgot the batteries. Sarah will dress up for you tomorrow and I’ll take some then.”
“It won’t be the same,” Mom fussed. “Oh, Bruce. How could you forget? I called and reminded you three times today.”
Bruce shrugged and walked toward the front door to open it. “I’m not perfect. Get used to it, honey.”
I stopped before I went out the door. I tiptoed up to kiss his cheek. “Thanks, Daddy,” I teased, but I meant it.
“Have fun.” Bruce touched my arm gently. “Be careful.” He eyed Jason narrowly. “I want her home on time. Midnight. And if I don’t like what I see at the dance, I’ll bring her myself.”
“What are we doing at the dance?” Mom asked. “You didn’t want to chaperone.”
“I changed my mind,” Bruce said. “I already dropped Priscilla at your mom’s. Let’s go.”
“I’ve got to change first,” Mom said. She frowned at Bruce, then me, and finally Jason. “Are you two going to dinner, Sarah? Which restaurant?”
“None,” I said, super quick. “You ordered me to go to the dance with him. You didn’t order me to go anywhere else with him. Dinner never was an option.”
Jason put an arm around my shoulders. “You’d go to dinner with Watkins.”
“In a heartbeat,” I retorted, shrugging out of his hold. “But you’re not him.”
Jason’s fingers pinched my arm. “Watch it.”
“You better be the one who watches it, boy,” Bruce said. “I live with her smart mouth and I don’t put my hands on her. Never have, never will. I made you apologize to my puppy when you kicked her in the ribs. Use your imagination. What do you think I’ll do if I catch you hurting my daughter?”
Jason gulped and lied. “I haven’t. I wouldn’t.”
“Don’t even think about it,” Bruce said. “We’ll see you at the school.”
When Bruce smiled at me, I felt a lot better, and a lot safer. Both of us knew Jason was lying, but Bruce didn’t blame me for it.
“What’s going on?” Mom asked. “Why would a teenage girl want her parents at a high school dance?”
Bruce closed the door, and I didn’t hear his answer. I walked toward Jason’s sports car. I was almost finished with him. I could make it through the next few hours.
“You embarrassed me,” Jason said, opening the passenger door for me. “You were such a bitch in there.”
“My counselor says I need to be more assertive. We can call it quits right here and now. Then I’d be able to stay home and watch TV.” I hesitated before I got in the car. “It’d be a lot more fun.”
“You said we could have a second chance.” Jason started the car and pulled out of the drive.
“Hey, you were the one who blew it,” I said. “You’ve pushed me around since we started dating. You’ve nearly dislocated my shoulder, choked me, and pretty much treated me like dirt for the past seven weeks. I told you if things didn’t change, my real dad would be taking me to California and you didn’t care. You still bullied me.”
“I’m amazed you’re going with me to Homecoming.” Jason drove toward the academy. “You asked for it, Sarah. You turned the whole team against me. That’s why this season went in the toilet.”
I thought about it the rest of the way to the high school. It wasn’t far. As Timber said, Stewart Falls really was a small town. Had I asked for it? Did I deserve what Jason had done to me since school started? No. Bernice Jefferson was right. No woman or girl should be knocked around by a guy who claimed to love her.
I wondered about Hailey Collins. Nobody talked about why she’d left the academy or Stewart Falls. Had Jason pushed her around too? Had she moved to Seattle to escape him? Had Warren found her yet? Did Abbie have her phone number? What would happen if I called Hailey and asked her what it was like to date Jason? Did he treat her the way he treated me? How had she managed to put up with him for three years?