365 Days At War

by Nancy Isaak

  But, still, he wouldn’t let me pass.

  “Please, Kaylee, please. That’s not what I meant at all. I would never want to hurt you, not in any way…not ever.”

  From the back of the house, I could hear footsteps. No doubt, one or more of the girls was coming to check on me. I quickly wiped away the last of my tears and put a weak smile on my face.

  Seconds later, Cherry came around the corner, chewing on a piece of fruit roll-up. “Jacob,” she nodded in his direction. “What’s up, dude?”

  He immediately reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper—shoving it at her. “Just wanted to invite you guys to Thanksgiving Dinner next week. It’s…um, potluck.”

  Then, he turned and practically ran out the front door.

  As it shut behind him, Cherry passed me the invitation. “Dang, Kaylee,” she said, sounding disappointed in me. “You guys have less than one year left and this is how you choose to treat each other?”

  Guess she had heard more than I’d realized.

  * * * *

  I’m so confused about everything—the event, the guys, Jacob…my feelings. I keep asking myself—why do I want to be with Jacob so much and yet I keep messing things up?

  My mom could tell me.

  I miss her so much.

  JACOB

  It was exciting having the girls over to the mansion for Thanksgiving.

  We guys had spent the last two days cleaning and organizing. It probably wasn’t as clean as the girls would have made it but—for guys like us—it was pretty darn clean!

  Because I had wanted to invite the whole tribe, we had decided to have the celebration in the mansion’s ballroom. Rhys and his Raiders—including Shawnee—took up the challenge of decorating the enormous room. I had expected some childish streamers and maybe a paper turkey or two. When the doors were eventually opened, however—Rhys had been keeping everything a giant secret—I was shocked and quite pleased to see the effort that they had put into it.

  Sure, there were streamers and even a paper turkey in the center of one of the buffet tables. But there were also crystal stars hanging down from the ceilings, giant planter pots filled with pumpkins lining the entrance, and elaborate sunflower centerpieces on all the tables.

  What really drew most of the oohs and aahs, however, were the wooden panels that had been screwed into the walls. There were six of them in total, comprising one complete scene of a Thanksgiving dinner.

  Someone with a lot of talent had painted many of the Locals into the dinner scene. At one end, I saw Kieran chewing on a turkey leg, while who could only have been Pauly was reaching across to steal a bun. Down at the other end of the table, meanwhile, Rhys was holding court—talking avidly to his Raiders (including Shawnee), who were seated nearby.

  Porter and Connor were painted at the middle of the table, apparently deep into a scientific discussion. I knew this because of the theoretical symbols hovering above their heads. And, directly across from them, Nate and Xavier were—oddly enough—balancing on surfboards while Cherry considered throwing a pie at them (which I would have bet was ‘cherry’).

  I was a little embarrassed to find that I had been painted, sitting at the head of the table. While the others around me were in an animated state, I just sat there, staring—straight down the table—to where Kaylee was seated at the opposite end.

  “Oh god,” I moaned, worried about Kaylee’s reaction when she saw the murals.

  Rhys, standing beside me, burst into laughter. A few of the other guys joined in.

  “Sorry, dude,” said my youngest brother, nudging me with his elbow. “But—seriously—you have to ask Kaylee out before someone else does.”

  His words were like ice shooting through my veins.

  * * * *

  Just before the girls arrived, I had a chance to speak to Lance. I knew that Josh was still suspicious of the kid but—to me—he just seemed like a quiet, shy guy who wanted to be left alone.

  Like Cherry, Lance had begun working with Frank in the fields.

  “How’s the farming going?” I asked the little blond, sitting down beside him. He was chewing on the cuff of his sleeve, looking nervously at all the guys milling around.

  “It’s good.”

  “Do you like it or do you want another job?”

  Lance shook his head. “I want to farm.”

  “I heard that Rhys invited you to join his Raiders. He thought that maybe you might like that. There are a lot of kids in the Raiders who are in your age group.”

  He shook his head once more. “I don’t want to fight,” he said, quietly. “Please don’t make me fight.”

  I placed my hand on his shoulder and gave Lance what I hoped would be a comforting squeeze. “Dude, if you don’t want to fight—more power to you.”

  * * * *

  “The girls are here!” someone yelled, excitedly.

  I turned around—my eyes searching automatically for Kaylee—and watched her enter the room. The first thing I noticed was that her long blond hair was hanging freely down her back. She had been wearing braids for so long that I had almost forgotten how beautiful her hair was; it shone in the candlelight, waves of flickering gold as she turned her head this way and that.

  When her eyes met mine and she immediately stopped moving, I realized that she had also been looking for me. For once, my nerves held and I went quickly to her, reaching out for her hand.

  “You’re over here,” I said, trying to appear confident and unaffected. “We have a table reserved for all of you.”

  Kaylee was wearing a short green dress that highlighted the color of her eyes. On her feet were high heels that brought her close to my height. I noticed that she had taken the time to put on make-up. It wasn’t a lot like some girls used, but just enough to enhance her beauty.

  And she did look beautiful.

  As I led her toward the table, I couldn’t help but notice how some of the other guys were staring at her. It made me both proud and a little jealous. I realized that Rhys was probably right. If I didn’t make a move soon, there would be more than enough guys willing to step in to take my place.

  * * * *

  At the table, Kieran and I moved in opposite directions, helping to seat all the girls. We had arranged the seating beforehand, so that it would alternate—one girl, one boy. I, of course, had placed myself on one side of Kaylee; Josh was on the other side. Meanwhile, Kieran and Pauly had Cammie between them, while Rhys and Xavier flanked Shawnee. Cherry, we put between Frank and Connor and little Hannah was on the other side of Xavier.

  During the afternoon, Porter had put in a special request. As a result, he was seated next to Jay, with Connor on her other side.

  “You guys did a beautiful job on the decorations,” Kaylee told Rhys. “It must have taken you a long time.”

  Rhys nodded. “We started painting the panels a month ago. You should go up and take a look at them.”

  I glared at Rhys and he pretended not to notice.

  * * * *

  We didn’t actually have any turkey for Thanksgiving.

  Instead, one of the guys had shot a deer. Frank and a couple of his guys had spent most of the afternoon barbequing it, while other guys shucked and boiled corn that had been found in a neighbor’s garden. Meanwhile, Porter and a couple of the younger guys had baked various goodies, including pumpkin pie and gingerbread cookies.

  The girls had also contributed to the meal; they’d brought two salads and a plate of homemade enchiladas. Little Hannah had even made a big jug of lemonade, the fruit coming from a tree at the back of their yard.

  * * * *

  “Did you get enough to eat?” I asked Kaylee.

  She nodded, taking a last bite of her corn on the cob. “But I still want to get some of that pumpkin pie.”

  “It’s delicious!” said Hannah, in her squeaky little voice, her face covered in pumpkin.

  “Only thing missing was the whipped cream,” added Cherry. “God, I’d love some w
hipped cream…and ice cream…and any cream.”

  “Maybe somewhere down the line, we could pick up some cows,” suggested Frank. “I’ve got a good idea on how to separate the milk. Then, we really could have some cream.”

  “Yeah, well,” said Cherry, “you better do it quick because my 18th birthday is on the 14th of December.”

  All conversation ceased at the table.

  I looked over at Shawnee.

  She was staring at her big sister, tears in her eyes.

  Quickly, I turned toward Wester. He was at the table next to us but, luckily, he appeared to be engrossed in a conversation with Andrei and Ian about finding something called a chicken-rider in Minecraft.

  “Sorry, guys,” Cherry apologized. “Obviously not the time or place.”

  * * * *

  If Cherry—like Rhys—had reminded me of one thing, it was that I didn’t have any time to waste.

  After we finished our meal, a few of the guys brought out instruments and started to play. Meanwhile, some of the tables were pushed aside to create a dance floor and the bravest of my guys ventured over to ask the girls to dance. The rest of them just got up and danced by themselves and soon the floor was full of bouncing kids.

  “Do you want to dance?” I asked Kaylee.

  “I’m not very good at it,” she admitted. “I kind of just hop up and down.”

  “I know,” I said. “I’ve seen you do it…like a little bunny. Very cute.”

  She blushed, embarrassed. “My mom says that I look like I’m having a seizure.”

  I stifled a laugh as I held out my hand. “Come on, Kaylee. If you don’t dance with me, then I’m going to have to fight off all the other guys who are standing in line.”

  Still blushing—she placed her hand in mine.

  * * * *

  I don’t know if I got lucky or if the guys playing the instruments saw me leading Kaylee onto the floor and decided to up my game. Either way, the moment we reached the center of the room, the song changed to a slow one.

  Nearby, Kieran reached Cammie a second before Pauly and took her into his arms. Meanwhile, Porter and Jay began to slow dance, their bodies an appropriate hand’s width apart. It made me chuckle and I pointed it out to Kaylee.

  “It’s a cultural thing,” said Kaylee. “If Jay’s father saw her dancing like that, she’d be in a lot of trouble.”

  I reached out and put one arm gently on Kaylee’s waist, the other one holding her hand. Like Jay and Porter I kept her at an acceptable ‘hand’s width’.

  “There was a rumor going around school that Jay is engaged,” I said.

  Kaylee nodded. “She was promised to some guy in Pakistan when she was just a baby.”

  “Wow…was she going to go through with it?”

  “Probably not. We were talking about going to Europe instead.”

  “But, she might of?”

  “Maybe…but not because she wanted to…but for her parents. It would be a big disgrace to her family if she didn’t marry him.”

  “Well, I guess it’s a good thing that she doesn’t have to anymore, because I’m pretty sure that there’s something going on between Porter and her.”

  Kaylee looked over and smiled. “She’s finally got someone almost as smart as her to talk to. And Porter likes science and space just like Jay.”

  “Kind of like they were fated to be together.”

  * * * *

  With her high heels on, Kaylee was only a few inches shorter than me. As we slow danced, she looked up at me, her steady gaze causing my belly to twist and turn. Trying not to be obvious, I put a slight pressure on her waist, causing her to move in closer to me.

  “Do you believe in fate, Kaylee?” I asked her.

  She smiled slightly, turning to look at Porter and Jay, then back at me again. “I believe that some people are meant to be together if that’s what you mean.”

  “That’s exactly what I mean.”

  This time Kaylee moved closer on her own accord. “But, I also believe that we don’t have to accept that fate. Or, sometimes—we miss our fate completely—we’re just not aware enough to see what we’re supposed to be doing…or who we’re supposed to be with.”

  “Tragic,” I murmured.

  “It would be. Imagine loving someone—knowing in your heart of hearts that you’re supposed to be with each other—but the other person not realizing it. How horrible would that be?”

  “Horrible,” I agreed.

  “So…” said Kaylee, taking a deep breath. “I need to ask you something.”

  I was caught up in her beautiful green eyes.

  “Anything…” I murmured.

  “Is it you and me?” Kaylee asked tentatively, her eyes filling up with tears. “Or is it all in my imagination?”

  She looked scared—afraid of what I might answer.

  Letting go of her waist, I reached up a hand, touching her hair gently. “I used to dream of this hair. Back in Mr. Glentor’s class, when I sat behind you. All I could see was the back of your head and this beautiful hair. So many times, I just wanted to reach out and touch it.”

  There was a tear falling down Kaylee’s face. I wiped it away gently, leaning over to kiss the spot where it had been.

  “It’s always been you, Kaylee…always.”

  * * * *

  We didn’t speak much for the rest of the night. Mostly we just danced closely, cherishing the feel of each other’s body. It lasted right up to the point where a sentry raced into the hall, yelling. “We caught two girls on Dume Drive! They were trying to reach the girls’ house!”

  Kaylee immediately pulled away from me, searching out Jay and Cherry. “It’s Sophia and Lily!” she excitedly called out to them. “It has to be!”

  Except—it wasn’t.

  KAYLEE

  When we ran out of the ballroom and out of the mansion, we were all so certain that the intruders would be Sophia and Lily. But, when the darkened shapes of the girls were being pulled toward us by the sentries, I could see right away that both were too tall to be either of our missing girls.

  “It’s not them,” I said to Jay. “Dang it—I was so hoping that it would be Lily.”

  “But they look familiar,” said Jay. “Why do they look so familiar?”

  We were standing next to the cage, waiting—like everyone else—for the girls to be brought face-to-face with Jacob.

  “Dear god,” whispered Cherry, peering into the dark. “Please don’t let that be Orla and Tray.”

  I leaned over, trying to make the shapes out as they were escorted past one of the houses. Suddenly, the light from a tiki torch flicked over one of the girls’ faces. I think I must have stumbled in my shock, because Jacob reached out to hold me up.

  “Kaylee…” he said, confused by my reaction.

  But, before I could say anything, the two captured girls had reached us. The light was fully on their faces now—beautiful, smirking…exhausted.

  “Ohmigod,” whispered Jay.

  “That’s right,” said Peyton. “We’re back, bitches!”

  * * * *

  Like so many things that had baffled us during the last year, we had absolutely no idea how Jude and Peyton had survived their 18th birthdays.

  Neither did they.

  All any of us knew was that—suddenly—Peyton and Jude were standing in front of us. Their clothes were ripped and torn and their bodies were covered in cuts and bruises. There was a large scratch across Jude’s face and her hair was lank and filthy. Meanwhile, Peyton was covered in large red welts—no doubt a bad reaction to insect bites somewhere along their journey.

  But, I thought they looked beautiful!

  * * * *

  Jude could only stand our hugging so much; Peyton, even less. The two of them pushed Jay, Cherry, Shawnee, and me back, shrugging off our attempts to help them.

  “Seriously,” growled Jude. “You guys are crowding me!”

  “Any chance at a bath here?” asked Peyton, looking around. �
��Would love a little hot water if you had it.” Her gaze moved over the dozens of guys jostling to get a better look at her. Not the least self-conscious, Peyton’s hand went up to rearrange her messy hair. “Don’t worry, boys,” she teased. “I clean up real well.”

  A few of the guys tittered in nervousness; others looked definitely interested.

  “Jude?” Porter suddenly pushed his way through the crowd. “Ohmigod—Jude!”

  He stood in front of her, staring. Porter must have grown a few inches in the last year, because he was nose-to-nose with her. Jude didn’t say a word, didn’t move. Anyone who didn’t know her would probably have thought that it was because she didn’t care. However, those of us who had spent the last year with Jude knew that it was because she was trying not to cry.

  “I thought you were gone,” Porter exclaimed. “If I had known, I would have come and looked for you.”

  “I know,” said Jude. “It’s okay.”

  “It’s not okay,” he insisted. “It’s not okay at all.”

  Porter reached out and took Jude into his arms.

  And, this time, she didn’t pull away.

  * * * *

  “She wasn’t at the house,” said Jude, between big bites of pumpkin pie.

  It was just us girls now—and Jacob and Porter—sitting in my dad’s house, listening to Jude and Peyton’s story.

  “So, Sophia didn’t go home from the Arena?” asked Cherry.

  “No, she showed up—just long enough to grab some things and split.” Jude reached out for another piece of pie. “Reena was still there and told us. She said that Sophia told her that she and Lily were going someplace new, but that she didn’t know where.”

  “Do you think that Reena was telling the truth?” I asked.