Castle Heights: Crown of Thorns

by Sasha McDaniels

  “Well, which is it? Contagious or not? I’ve got a hockey game this Saturday. It’s recreational, with friends, but still, I don’t want to miss it. I can’t afford to get sick.”

  “Not contagious,” I bit out.

  “Good then. You sit. Cuddle up on the couch. Eat some snacks. Here,” Ben said, rummaging through the stack of stuff he brought over. “Have a peanut chocolate bar unless you’re allergic to peanuts.”

  “I’m not allergic to peanuts,” I said. Actually, a chocolate bar loaded with peanuts sounded so good to me right then, I could practically taste it. My mother didn’t buy many sweets, especially not chocolate.

  “So let’s do this. What do you want to watch? There’s an order box on this tv so we can practically watch anything.”

  “I really can’t, Ben,” I said. My heart sank as I said so.

  “Are you sure? I mean, I’d really like to spend some time with you, Reagan, get to know you.”

  I demurred. “No, really, I can’t. If I do, I’ll get in trouble. If my mother catches me out of bed, she’ll kill me.”

  “Well, hmm, let’s see, your mother isn’t here. There’s no way she’d ever know that you watched one movie with me. She’ll be gone for at least three hours. That I know for sure because she left with my mother. They went to run errands.”

  Butterflies filled my stomach. “But how do you know they’ll be gone for three hours?”

  “Trust me, when my mother runs errands it practically takes her all day. She went shopping, and she shops for a long time. That’s why I refuse to go shopping with her.”

  “And she took my mother with her? Are you sure?”

  “Yep. That way your mother could see where my mother likes to go in case she needs to send your mother out on an errand.” Ben rolled his eyes. “My mother did this with the last lady who worked for her. I guess you could call it her little orientation.”

  “What happened to the last lady who worked for your mother?” I asked.

  “She disappeared. Didn’t show up for work one day. Crazy thing is, she turned up dead not long after that. Police never figured out who killed her.”

  “Someone killed her?”

  “Yep. I’ll spare you the gory details of how.”

  I chewed on what Ben had told me for a while. I decided to do some research on the matter later when I got the chance. I shifted my attention back to the situation at hand. “What if my mother comes back and catches us?”

  “I’ll say I forced my way inside. That I pressured you to talk to me. I’ll take all of the blame.”

  Ben didn’t know my mother. She’d blame me for sure if she caught me with him.

  2

  Ben was very persuasive, but I suppose I can only assign him part of the blame for my indecision. The truth was that I wanted to let him persuade me. I wanted to watch a movie with him.

  “Tell you what,” Ben said, “I’ll text my mother in a little while and ask her when they’re coming back. She’ll tell me. Then I’ll make sure that I’m gone by then.”

  I thought it over. The idea sounded as if it might work. I decided to take a chance. The punishment wouldn’t be good. As a matter of fact, it would be terrible. But maybe it would be worth it, I thought. And that’s when I made a radical suggestion.

  “How about we go watch the movie in your home theatre?” I asked.

  “Really? Sounds like a plan,” Ben said, and he slapped his leg.

  I tried hard not to stare. I thought he was super cute, maybe even the cutest boy I had ever seen.

  I bundled up and helped Ben gather the snacks. He still had on his coat and hat. I followed him out the door.

  I trudged down the steps frightened. I didn’t want to get caught, but I really, really wanted to watch a movie in a real home theatre. I almost considered asking Ben if he had a car so that we could go to a real movie. I figured, hey, if I’m going to take a chance, I might as well really take a chance, but baby steps. If I made it through this experiment and lived to tell the tale then maybe I’d try something else more daring in the future.

  But as soon as we entered the back door of Ben’s house, I decided that I’d never disobey my mother again. I promised myself right then and there that I wouldn’t do anything like this again. The risk was just too great and the fear was almost debilitating.

  “I could get in a lot of trouble for this, you know,” I said to Ben.

  “Relax, Reagan. Kick off your snow boots. Let me give you a quick tour of the place.”

  “Fine,” I said.

  I followed Ben as he led me through the house. The house had to be about fifty times the size of me and my mother’s little apartment. Everything was decorated with high quality looking stuff.

  The walls had expensive moldings and there were columns and arches everywhere throughout the house. There were marble floors and huge Persian rugs. Every room was gigantic.

  I was about to follow Ben up the expansive staircase but I stopped.

  “What’s wrong? It’s okay, you can come upstairs,” he said.

  “I don’t think I should,” I said. I could feel the front door behind me, but what I really needed was access to the back door.

  “I want to show you something,” Ben said.

  “I think we should just go watch the movie now.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “I think you’ve convinced me of enough for one day,” I said with a scowl.

  Ben laughed. He looked so cute when he smiled. I thought I might die from his good looks or maybe I was just anxious about being around a boy. I had never had a crush on a real boy before. I had had television and internet crushes—that’s all.

  “Come on, let’s go to the theatre then. Can I get you something to drink? A soda, hot cocoa, a martini?”

  “Whatever is quickest. As long as it isn’t a martini,” I said.

  “The hot chocolate will take only a couple of seconds. Listen, you pick the movie, and I’ll make the hot chocolate.”

  My eyes darted around. “Okay,” I agreed.

  I followed Ben into the theatre room. It was amazing. The large room had black walls and a huge screen in the center of the room which was flanked by dramatic red curtains. There were four rows of four seats.

  “Sit anywhere you like,” Ben said.

  I chose the middle row. Not too close and not too far away. I sat down.

  “What should we watch?” I asked.

  “Lady’s choice this time,” Ben said.

  “What are you in the mood for? I like all kinds of movies. Anything is good with me.”

  “How about a scary movie? This is a good day for that. It’s overcast and cold,” Ben said.

  “I love scary movies,” I said, my eyebrows quirking up.

  “The screen works with voice command. Think of any movie. If it’s available on demand, we can watch it. The password for the account is already programmed. All you have to do is choose.”

  I rubbed my hands together. “Awesome!”

  “That’s the spirit,” Ben said with a smile. “Be right back with that hot chocolate. You take marshmallows?”

  “Lots and lots of marshmallows,” I said.

  “My girl.”

  My heart fluttered at him saying that. I shook my head at myself once Ben was gone. I needed to get ahold of my feelings or rather my desperation. Then again, Ben seemed pretty great if I ignored the fact that he had basically asked me to risk my life to watch a movie with him. A little voice inside of my head said, well, maybe he likes you.

  My answer was how could he like me when he didn’t even know me. I wasn’t like those glamorous girls on television. My hair was too long, my clothes were too dowdy.

  I closed my eyes and tried to think of a scary movie. I came up with one quick. It was my favorite horror movie. I said the movie’s name, and the voice activation system replied, saying, “Now playing Clementine.”

  The movie appeared on the screen. It started to play. “Stop!” I yelled.
/>   “Oh crap,” Ben said. He was holding two wobbling mugs in his hands.

  “I’m so sorry,” I said, springing out of my seat. It was clear that Ben had almost spilled the hot chocolates.

  “That’s okay,” Ben said. “You know, you sure are spirited for someone who’s supposed to be sick.”

  “Well, I’m…” I tried to come up with some excuse.

  “Relax, we’ll deal with your duplicitousness later. For now, sit and enjoy this hot chocolate. Cue the movie. Oh, I forgot. Want some popcorn?”

  “It’s fine. You don’t have to get me anything else,” I said.

  “Of course I do. Something tells me that I ought to make this moment special.”

  I averted my eyes. “Whatever you’d like. I’ll just sit here and watch the movie.”

  My eyes were glued to the screen.

  This is how it was for me. I got immersed in movies and television. It was like I stepped into another world when I watched them. After all, the only way I could ever leave my house was by disappearing into the tv

  I startled when I felt a warm blanket descend upon my lap. “Thank you,” I said. My eyes met Ben’s. This time I looked into his eyes for a little while before looking away.

  “I texted my mother. She says they’re stranded in town, so it looks like we’re in luck,” Ben said, holding the popcorn. The smell of the popcorn filled the theatre. They had a popcorn popping machine in the corner of the room.

  Relief washed over me. Ben sat down and pushed the popcorn bucket towards me. “You didn’t taste the hot chocolate? I’m telling you it’s delicious. I guarantee it’s the most delicious hot chocolate you’ve ever had.”

  “Sorry,” I said. I grabbed a handful of popcorn out of the red and white popcorn bucket and stuffed my mouth. “Delicious,” I said with a full mouth. “Now, time to taste your yummy hot chocolate.”

  Ben watched me, waiting for me to take a sip of the hot chocolate as a woman screamed from the movie. I took a sip from the mug. I tried to put on my best face. “It’s so good,” I said, smiling.

  Ben shoved the popcorn bucket in between his thighs and took a sip from his own mug. He winced. “Ack! This is terrible. It’s too watery. Let me taste yours.”

  I handed him my mug. He sipped from it and winced again. “You lied to me, Reagan. Yours tastes watery too.”

  “Sorry, I didn’t want to hurt your feelings,” I said

  Ben took the mug from me and sat it down on the floor. “Hold up your right hand,” he said. I held up my right hand. “Swear that you will never lie to me again. We are friends. We must never lie to each other.”

  “I don’t know if I can make that sort of promise,” I said, giggling.

  Ben put his hand to his chest and feigned being hurt. “Come on. Grant a dying man one last wish.”

  I stiffened. “Dying?”

  “Yes, I’m dying of a broken heart.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I get the sense that you don’t want to be my friend.”

  “I do want to be your friend,” I said.

  “So swear that you will never lie to me.”

  I hesitantly held up my hand. I told myself that holding things back didn’t necessarily count as lying. I’d stick to yes or no answers and try hard not to elaborate. “I swear never to lie to you,” I said.

  “Good,” Ben said with a smile.

  “Now you,” I said.

  Ben seemed surprised that I said this. “Oh, no, not me. I won’t make a promise I can’t keep.”

  “Hey, that’s not fair!” I shouted.

  “All’s fair in love and war,” Ben said with a smug smile. He gathered a handful of popcorn and stuffed it into his lovely mouth.

  “Seriously,” I said. “You have to make the same promise.” I felt tricked, and I wanted my due in return.

  “Maybe,” he said. “We’ll see.”

  “Jerk,” I said.

  “So they tell me, sometimes,” Ben replied.

  We watched the rest of the movie in silence. Ben shot up out of his seat at the end of the movie and gave a standing ovation. I did the same. Soon both of us were bowled over with laughter.

  Then it occurred to me to ask Ben where his father was.

  “He’s on a business trip,” Ben said.

  “Oh, that’s cool. What sort of business is he in?” I asked.

  “He’s a doctor.”

  “Oh, wow, that’s impressive.”

  “Yep, he’s a very special doctor.”

  “What sort?” I asked.

  “Can’t say. Top secret stuff.”

  I punched Ben playfully in the shoulder. “You like to annoy me. Why do you like to annoy me?”

  “I like to see you get a little riled up. You’re cute when you’re mad.”

  Nervousness flooded my face. “Thanks,” I said.

  “Do you have a boyfriend?” Ben asked. He turned towards me.

  I kept my head facing forward. “No,” I said.

  “Why not?”

  “I just don’t,” I said, lying. The truth was that I couldn’t have a boyfriend. I could have maybe found a boyfriend online, but even with meeting people online I had to be super careful. So I kept things strictly platonic in all of my internet relations.

  “Well, if you’re wondering, I don’t have a girlfriend,” Ben said.

  “That’s nice,” I said, keeping my eyes trained on the screen. The credits were rolling. I tried very hard not to smile.

  Ben used voice command to have the lights turned on. The lights seemed to roar on, although it was only my surprise from moving from the darkness to the light that probably startled me.

  Ben pulled out his phone and looked at it. “Another text from my mom. She says that it will be at least another couple of hours before they can clear the roads enough for them to get back from Main Street.”

  “Good,” I said. “I mean, I’m glad the roads are being cleared.”

  “So what should we do next?”

  I was hesitant to tempt fate. “I should probably get back to the apartment,” I said.

  Ben put his hand on mine. Electricity seemed to travel between us.

  “Now will you let me show you upstairs?” Ben asked.

  I stood up quickly. Ben’s hand fell away. “I think I should get back to the apartment. Just to be safe.”

  Ben looked disappointed. “Next time then?”

  There would be no next time, but I nodded my head in agreement anyway.

  Ben led me through the house again, helped me retrieve my stuff, and walked me out into the snow towards the apartment. The wind whipped my face. The cold stung my eyes. “I can find my way back,” I said. “You don’t have to walk me the rest of the way.”

  “Wouldn’t want you to turn into a snow woman,” Ben said.

  I stopped dead in my tracks. A snow woman? I had never made a snow woman. Every Christmas I watched the Frosty the Snow Man claymation on television. I loved it. “How about we make a snow woman now? Really quick,” I said. Who knew when I’d get the opportunity again.

  “Seriously?” Ben asked. His eyes darkened.

  “Well, if you don’t want to, you don’t have to. I mean if you think it’s childish or something.”

  “It’s not that I don’t want to. I mean, I don’t think it’s childish. I just want you to get inside, where it’s warm. It’s too cold out here now for that. Maybe some other time.”

  There wouldn’t be some other time, I thought. I was thinking that when I heard tires crunching in the snow. That was enough to get me running.

  I hurried inside of the apartment and rushed out of my clothes. I got out of my boots, found a towel and dried them off, shoved my clothes quickly under my bed, and rubbed my cheeks trying to warm them.

  I decided that it might be a better idea to hop into the shower in case my mother came right to the apartment. There was no way to explain my weather-beaten face.

  I scurried into the bathroom and hopped into the shower. I
listened carefully with my natural ears, to see if I could hear anything, any signs of my mother being home.

  I heard nothing but the hiss of the shower. The steam filled the bathroom. I washed slowly, lingeringly, enjoying the warmth of the water.

  I thought about Ben too. Ben was the only person my age that I had spent any time with. We didn’t have to be boyfriend and girlfriend, but I sure wanted to be friends.

  Ben was funny, and a bit wicked. Also attentive, I thought. Whoever became his girlfriend, I counted her as lucky.

  When my skin began to wrinkle from the water, I decided to get out of the shower. I toweled off and brushed my teeth. I needed to get rid of the smell of popcorn and candy on my breath. I also needed more time to get rid of my smile. I couldn’t stop smiling as I thought about the time I had spent with Ben.

  I figured my mother must have been inside of the main house because I didn’t hear her.

  I opened the bathroom door finally and stepped out of the bathroom. My mother stopped me. She was so close to me that our noses almost touched since the two of us were about the same height.

  “Where have you been?” she asked. Her eyes were full of anger and hurt.

  “Nowhere,” I said. I tried to maintain my composure.

  “You’re lying to me. I saw you. Out there with the Thompson boy.”

  I stepped backward, but my mother grabbed ahold of my arm tightly and pulled me out of the bathroom.

  “You didn’t see me,” I stammered. “Maybe it was another girl, maybe, maybe it was—“

  “Silence!” my mother shouted.

  “I swear it wasn’t me.”

  “You lie,” my mother hissed. “Do you know how much of a fool you’ve made of me? I had to explain how my very sick daughter had managed to pull herself out of bed. I had to explain how my very sick daughter had managed to dress herself in warm clothes. How she had managed to run through the snow and up the stairs.”

  “I’m sorry, Mother,” I choked out.

  “Sorry you are and even sorrier you’ll be.”

  “It’s just that he wanted me to come into the house. He pressured me to—“