by Admin
"Another point for me!" she exclaimed.
"It's not over yet."
A few minutes later, the game ended, Raylee on top 7-2.
"Okay, you've proven your point. Let's go watch that movie you were telling me about."
Laughing, she joined him as they made their way to his car.
As he started the engine, Paul said, "You know, I'm impressed that you're branching out. We're actually watching a non-scary movie this time."
"Yes, I'm experiencing major character growth."
He grinned. "Your literature mind fascinates me."
Her mom greeted them as they came in, Raylee holding up a copy of Home Alone.
"Christmas in summer, huh?" her mom said. She was in the middle of her favorite TV program, Supermarket Sweep, a game show where shopping couples competed in a live dash to see who could fill their baskets with the most expensive items.
"Okay if we watch this instead?" she asked her mom.
She snatched the VHS tape from Raylee and popped it into the VCR.
"Sure. I need a break from the usual."
She glanced at her out of curiosity. "Where's dad?"
"Upstairs taking a much-needed rest from some strenuous counseling sessions. Apparently, the couple started fighting right in front of him."
"Uh-oh."
Her mom sighed as she dropped onto the couch. The corners of her eyes drooped, showing how tired she felt. Being a pastor's wife wasn't easy. Inevitably, a lot of the stress rubbed off on the spouse. "I'm ready to laugh."
The movie began to play. It was a nice change from her usual suspense-filled smorgasbord of films. After a day filled with video games and chatter about their futures, vegging out proved to be the much-needed end to the day.
After the movie ended, Raylee jumped up from the couch. "I almost forgot! I finally got a Super Nintendo. Wanna play?" she asked Paul.
"Sure."
She plugged in the red, white, and yellow cables into the back of the TV monitor.
"I only have Super Mario World though."
"Sounds good to me."
While her mom worked on something in the next room, she and Paul spent almost two hours playing until her dad came downstairs to end the fun.
"Now I know what they mean when they say, 'Time flies fast when you're having fun,’" Raylee commented.
"That's okay. I got to get home before my parents start a search party." He looked at Mr. Johnson. "Have a good night, Pastor Johnson."
Raylee's mom came back into the room to say goodbye. "Nice to see you, Paul. Have a good night."
Unfortunately, the weather took a turn for the worse the next day.
The sudden summer storm affrighted her, especially as she was alone, at night, in the house, the perfect exposition for a scary movie. Her parents were out on a date, but they called her just then, knowing how easily she got alarmed.
"Aunt Kim will be over as soon as possible."
She felt like such a child, but she couldn't deny that she felt instantly comforted once Kim arrived. Raylee was huddled under a blanket on the couch.
"Why don't we roast marshmallows?" Kim suggested.
"In the summer?"
"Well, the weather is cool right now. Besides, I heard you watched a Christmas comedy during the summer, so anything goes."
Raylee laughed. "You got me there. But I don't have any marshmallows."
Kim held up a bag of fat marshmallows. "No problem."
"I’ll get the roasting sticks." Smiling, she hopped off the couch and skipped to the kitchen where she found some wooden skewers they could use.
Kim owned a cabin in the mountains, where she spent some of her winters, so she had a lot of experience, thankfully, making fires. Raylee was clueless about how to start one, much less keep them going. Returning to the living room, she handed one of the wooden sticks to her aunt and gasped as she glanced at the fireplace.
"Wow, look at it going already!"
"Lots of practice."
The heat felt so nice on her cold face.
"Hey, how's business?"
Kim looked at her oddly, her lip curving at its corner.
"What?"
She smiled. "You haven't asked me about it before. Why now?"
"My friend Paul is learning some about his dad's business, so it got me thinking."
"Well, right now we are in our busier season. Families traveling, that sort of thing." She smashed a marshmallow onto the end of her stick and dipped it into the flame. Raylee joined her.
The fire felt so nice and comfortable. Raylee wouldn't mind sitting here awhile.
"Why don't you apply?"
"Apply where?"
"Kim's Burgers."
She looked at her aunt in surprise. "Really?"
Kim sat down on her butt and pulled off her slightly toasted marshmallow from the stick. "It would give you some work experience. And, to be completely unbiased, of course, not a bad first job. You can start in November. That's when business gets really hectic. It would just be for a couple of hours a day."
Raylee's eyes widened. "Seriously? For me?"
She tickled her niece's ear. "Of course. You're my awesome niece."
Raylee unstuck her gooey marshmallow from her stick and popped it in her mouth, then smiled gratefully.
"I'm going to take you up on that, Aunt Kim."
***
Katy and Raylee were hanging out at the roller rink talking about their futures. They'd already gone around the rink twenty times and their feet were tired, so they were taking a break at one of the tables, eating cheese fries dipped in ranch.
Katy's voice grew serious. "So, I have something to tell you. Apparently, I took so many honors courses, I have enough college credits to get early entrance to an out-of-state college."
"That's good news. Why do you sound so serious about it?"
Katy wiped some cheese off her chin. "I won't be returning to Silver Canyon High in the fall, so that means this will be our last night out."
"Well, how out-of-state is it?"
"Vermont."
"Oh, that's pretty far." She dipped a bare fry into some ranch, but just watched it spin around the dip.
"I knew you would be let down. I'm sorry."
Raylee raised her eyes. "No. don't apologize for making wise choices. I'm happy for you. Sad for me."
"Hey, whatever you do, don't give up on Billy. Only one more year of high school. Anything's possible."
She stood up and they hugged. "Thank you, Katy."
***
The weekend before school started, Raylee and her parents went to Canyon Beach. Almost the entire town had the same idea; it was packed. They eventually found a spot far back from the shore, but at least they had room to spread out their towels and set up their beach chairs.
The weather couldn't have been more perfect—seventy degrees with not a cloud in the sky, and a soft breeze that caressed her face as she reclined in one of the chairs.
"What a beautiful day!" her mom exclaimed.
"Perfect weather, isn't it?" her dad said.
Raylee's body relaxed at the smell of coconut sunblock as her dad lathered his arms with it. Ocean salt mixed with the soothing scent, and she felt herself falling into a content daze.
"We're so proud of you, Raylee, applying to that university in Washington." Her mom opened up a can of tea.
"Thanks, Mom." But her mind was focused elsewhere. While most of the summer proved enjoyable, she never once ran into Billy. In such a small town, she was disappointed and surprised that they didn't encounter one another.
Then her thoughts, as hectic they sometimes could be, flipped over to Katy's departure. They'd only gotten to hang out the one time, at the roller rink. She was happy for her, but she was already missing her raw sense of humor, especially those sly comments she slid in whenever Raylee felt nervous.
She did, unfortunately, see Crystal. Three times.
All three times, Crystal seemed overly confident, especially for someone who lied about her relationship with Billy. Always with Gina, Crystal, like her true self, made sure to shoot poisonous looks her way. Though Raylee was armed with the knowledge that Crystal was a pathological liar, that fact didn't alleviate the insecurity that welled up in her. Crystal still had such a stronghold over her. It took all of Raylee's willpower just to turn away from her glaring eyes.
The crashing waves pulled her back to the beach. And then she recalled the sermon series her dad preached this summer: God was sovereign. Deut. 20:4 spoke of the victory a person had through faith in God: "For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory."
During the service, she'd nodded, affirming the words in her heart, but once she saw Crystal, the confidence vanished, the insecurity and fear replacing it.
Where was God? Why did He seem to leave her when she needed Him the most? The Bible spoke of putting on the armor of God, to "take courage, I have overcome the world", yet when Crystal enticed her through expressions or words, she lost her grip on the power of those words.
She watched her parents as they basked in the sun, enjoying a game of cards. They were so content.
She was afraid to utter a word of this to them. They would be disappointed in her. After all, their faith was never shaken. It would only prove that something was wrong with Raylee. She already felt that way about herself when it came to academics, her looks, boys, standing up for herself. She didn't need the truth reinforced.
"What's on your mind?" her mom asked, rolling over on her towel.
Rayee was terrible at hiding her true emotions.
"Just thinking about the summer. Katy moving away, applying to school." That was the truth, but not the whole truth.
Her dad reached into the cooler and opened up a can of soda. "You seem pretty serious in thought."
She nodded. "I know. I am." She managed to smile, hoping that would end the conversation.
To her surprise, her dad asked about Paul. "Are you interested in dating him?"
"He is such a sweet boy," her mom added.
"No. Just friends. Yes, he's wonderful, but we're not looking for that in each other."
Her mom nodded and grinned, like she knew something that Raylee didn't. Wondering about that, Raylee dug into the ice chest for an apple and sat back to soak in the sun as she chomped on the piece of fruit.
She heard the faint crash of waves rolling in and the cry of seagulls as they tapped across the wet sand, leaving tiny imprints behind them. The sounds of kids playing on the beach filled her ears. It was a beautiful day. She was getting ready to start senior year. The future, her job, her own world of independence was at the fringes.
Her parents were proud of her for her upcoming job with Kim. Just another awesome step toward adulthood, where life would take a turn for the better. Within a year or two, she would be attending college full time, living on her own, and maybe even dating the man of her dreams. She couldn’t wait for it to all begin.
That night, they went shopping for back-to-school gear and dined at their usual spot, Ron’s Steakhouse, her dad’s favorite; Aunt Kim joined them.
For a weekend night, it was exceptionally slow. The California heat died down a bit early, so a lot of families were taking advantage of visiting Canyon Beach or cruising around town.
“Pastor Rick’s message is going to be great." Her dad took a sip of iced tea.
“Dad, you always say that."
“Because it’s always true!" He smiled, his sea-green eyes twinkling, as he cut off a piece of well-done steak.
Rick Stronghold was the new associate pastor working with her dad. They were alternating months so that Rick could reach the younger crowd and her dad could reach some of the older members.
“How’s business?" her mom asked Kim.
“Pretty good and will be even more exciting with my niece there!" She winked at Raylee.
Smiling, Raylee sipped at her soda. It tasted refreshing as she chugged it, washing down the Au Jus sauce from her roast beef sandwich.
Her mom looked as though she just might cry. "We're so proud of you, Raylee."
A little embarrassed at the attention, she mumbled a thank you.
“Are you excited about school?" her mom asked, noticing her embarrassment and shifting gears. "Is Katy in any of your classes?"
"Um, no, she actually is moving earlier than she expected."
“Oh, well, I'm sure that will be exciting for her."
"I'm teaching myself some Russian on the side."
Kim wiped some steak sauce from her mouth. “Russian, huh? How fascinating!"
Raylee smiled at her and nodded. She’d always liked Aunt Kim. She was one of those laid-back people who was easy to talk to. Though, if you didn’t pay careful attention, you might miss something since she talked about a thousand words per minute.
The four of them chatted about simple things awhile. Being in the company of her loving family made problems like heartbreak and self-consciousness nearly disappear. Grateful to God for blessing her with such loving people, Raylee lost herself in the ongoing conversation between her mom and aunt as they discussed business strategies; it was a topic she was unfamiliar with, but the easy cadence of their voices soothed her.
***
In the mirror that hung on the back of her door, Raylee stared at herself. Normally, she wore her hair back because it had a mind of its own, but now she wore it down and she actually liked how it draped in gentle waves just past her shoulders. It had been months since the teasing subsided, but the memory of it remained fresh and painful.
She tugged on the sleeves of her blue buttoned-up long-sleeve shirt as she replayed junior year. It had been crazy, wonderful, and terrible. There were times when she was uncertain whether she would make it another day. Monday was coming fast. Maybe senior year would bring more good things than bad. She smiled at herself, armed with the hope of something new.
SIXTEEN
Senior Year, 1993-1994
Now, with the first week of classes and armed with a close friend in Paul and a renewed sense of self-confidence, especially since months went by without Crystal interfering in her life, Raylee was sure this would be one of those years where nothing would unsettle her.
She and Paul shared almost every class together.
Unfortunately, so did she and Crystal. Raylee tried not to think about it. Maybe Crystal would leave her alone this time.
Wishful thinking.
The first couple of months passed painlessly. The dread that had stuck to her so much last year was nearly non-existent. Only once did she feel on edge, the first time she laid eyes on Crystal in English, but the feeling quickly faded.
Raylee invited Paul over for her birthday and they all enjoyed her birthday cake, which was really chocolate pie, of course. Paul gave her a beautiful cover for her Bible and a friendship bracelet. Her parents got her gift cards to the pizza place in the Waterman. It was a small gathering, but she enjoyed every minute of it.
It was strange. High school dragged by all of these years, but Halloween was already here. She and Paul had chemistry together this go-around, which was great since she wouldn't be enjoying Katy's tactics. Seniors had their pictures taken back in September and had just received their packages. Feeling like Paul was her only real friend, she decided to give him one during class. He'd given her one too. And when the last bell rang, they continued the tradition and attended the community center's Halloween fest.
They decided to go as Betelgeuse and Lydia from Beetlejuice. This time around, the center decided to put on a contest for best costume.
She was disappointed that Billy didn't show.
"Hey, let's get some food," Paul suggested.
She smirked. "You're not going anywhere near the haunted house, are you?"
"No thanks." He smiled and grabbed a plate of chips.
The classic Halloween songs played over the loud speakers. A lot of younger kids attended this time, many of them dragging their parents around the hall.
She and Paul spent most of their time eating, jiggling to the music, and exclaiming over other people's costumes.
She did manage to get him over to the wax figures. The same ones from last year, the villains, stood there, looking just as sharp as before.
Then came the time for the costume winner. Three couples were called up: two little kids dressed as Raggedy Ann and Andy, a Batman and Robin, and Paul and Raylee, who ended up as the winners.
For their reward, they received gift certificates to the video store, a perfect prize.
***
A Raisin in the Sun was their first assigned novel in English. They would be doing a group presentation on it and the Sidney Poitier film. Hopefully, she and Paul would be part of the same group.
Her spirits sunk a bit when she saw that Crystal, Gina, and all of the football team waltzed in, Billy included. It was hard to see him so close to the rest of the clique.
Raylee faced forward, thankful at least that they were sitting behind her, out of her field of vision, so she could concentrate on the class. Paul was sitting in front of her and he turned to her just at that moment.
Though English was her favorite subject, Raylee found herself slipping into morbid thoughts. Like what Crystal was plotting next and how long it would be until she made her first move.
Forcing herself out of those thoughts, she recalled one of her favorite verses, Hebrews 13:6: “So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?" ".
Instantly, she began to feel better.
***
By the time lunch rolled around, Raylee couldn't help but wonder why some girl was taking such a toll on her state of mind. She knew God was her protector, she believed it, and yet the sense that Crystal lay in wait continued to attack her.
