by Debra Doxer
The day after Parker put the note in Jonah’s locker, I walked toward the cafeteria at lunchtime, wondering if she’d gotten her way. If so, there was no doubt I’d hear about it. The whole world would hear about it if Jonah had asked her to the dance, and I already planned to act excited for her, even though it would be far from the truth.
With change for a diet soda in my hand, I strolled into the cafeteria in time to spot the girls settling into their seats at the familiar round table in the middle. Just inside the doorway, a group of cheerleaders were huddled together, including the ones who had been wearing their navy-and-yellow uniforms all week while they collected donations for the homecoming dance.
Malcolm was just sitting down when I took the chair beside him. “What’s that about?” he asked, nodding toward the group of cheerleaders. Looking over, I noticed the principal was also standing there, along with the gym teacher who was the cheerleading coach.
“The donations are missing,” Ashley said. “All the money they raised is gone.”
Malcolm and I shared a surprised look. “You mean someone took it?” he asked.
Parker shrugged. “Either that or it walked away all by itself.”
“Weren’t they keeping it in a lockbox?” I asked, recalling the silly-looking bedazzled metal box.
“The whole box is missing,” Ashley explained. “They were locking it in a desk drawer in the main office every night. This morning it wasn’t there, but they can’t remember if anyone actually locked it up at the end of the day yesterday or not.”
Lea snorted out a laugh. “I think the Spanx they wear under their uniforms is cutting off the circulation to their brains.”
“So, what happens if they can’t find the money?” I asked. “No dance?”
Parker shrugged carelessly. “Who knows? This never happened before.”
Since she appeared so unconcerned about the dance possibly being canceled, I speculated that Jonah hadn’t asked her to go with him. Speaking of Jonah, he and Ethan arrived then, marking Jonah’s first appearance at lunch this week. Jonah took the empty seat beside me, and it seemed they’d already heard the news.
“The cheerleaders are having a freak fest.” Ethan laughed. “How much money do you think was in there?”
“I heard it was almost a thousand dollars,” Parker replied, staring at Jonah, as usual.
“I bet the little blond one took it,” Ethan said, looking over at the gathered cheerleaders. “What’s her name, Bree or something?”
“You probably slept with her and you don’t even remember her name?” Lea shot the accusation at Ethan.
He frowned. “Despite what you think, I haven’t screwed every cheerleader in this school. Besides, I heard that one’s a klepto. She got caught pocketing laxatives at the drugstore.”
“Laxatives?” Malcolm asked, scrunching up his brow.
“Girls with eating disorders eat them like candy,” Ashley commented.
Parker nodded. “It’s true.”
I laughed. “So she’s a klepto with an eating disorder? What did this girl ever do to you guys?”
“I didn’t say she had an eating disorder,” Ashley said, looking annoyed. “I was just pointing out a fact.”
“A fact that you know because you have an eating disorder?” Ethan asked.
Ashley glared at him. “No. I do not have an eating disorder.”
“Oh my God,” Lea exclaimed. “Would everyone please stop saying eating disorder?”
Of course Ethan then turned to her and repeated those words over and over again.
“Is this kindergarten or high school?” I muttered.
“Same difference,” Jonah replied quietly beside me.
When I turned toward him, he shot me a quick, conspiratorial smile before looking at his phone again. I bit my lip, trying not to laugh, and glanced away.
For the rest of lunch, as I listened halfheartedly to more speculation about who might have taken the money and whether the dance would be held or not, I noticed Parker and Ashley had their heads together more than once, speaking low about something. When the period finally ended, Jonah stood up first and strolled out.
I usually left the cafeteria with Lea since our lockers were near each other, but today I already had my books and I found myself walking behind Parker and Ashley, debating whether I wanted to catch up to them or just walk in peace on my own. Just as I was about to fall farther behind because obviously peace won out, Parker turned to Ashley and said, “I bet he’s just getting to his locker now. Wait until he sees the surprise waiting inside for him. Wait until everyone sees.” Then they laughed together as they turned the corner.
I stopped walking. It clicked immediately in my head, and although I couldn’t be sure, I had an idea about what happened to the lockbox. Making an abrupt turn, I jogged across the building in the direction of Jonah’s locker, my messenger bag slapping against my hip. Pushing through the crowded hallway and ignoring the dirty looks I got, I knew I had to reach him in time. It was inexplicable, the need I had to rescue Jonah just like he’d rescued me.
My pulse kicked into high gear as I got closer, and when I ran up the short flight of stairs that took me to the hallway where Jonah’s locker was located, I spotted him right away, just beginning to turn the combination.
“Stop!” Breathlessly, I landed in front of him and leaned back against his locker so he couldn’t open it.
His expression changed from wide-eyed surprise to concern. Bending down to my eye level, he put his hands on my shoulders. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
“Your locker,” I replied, my breaths coming fast. “I just overheard Parker and Ashley talking. I think they stole the cheerleaders’ lockbox and put it inside your locker.”
He leaned back, his forehead creasing. “You’re serious?”
I nodded.
Shoving a hand through his hair, he straightened. “And you ran all the way over here to tell me?”
I nodded again, feeling my cheeks warm at his curiously pleased expression.
His fingers squeezed my shoulders. “Thanks.” Jonah said the word like he couldn’t believe I’d done it.
I shrugged as though it was no big deal, because it really wasn’t.
“Should we take a look inside?” He gestured toward his locker, which I was still leaning against.
“Carefully,” I warned, stepping away and glancing around.
Jonah reached for the lock and spun it a few times. After looking at me, he slowly pulled the metal door open as he tried to peek inside. Seconds later he quickly shoved his hand in, catching something that banged loudly against the inside of the door. Once he had a hold of it, he opened the locker wider, standing in front of it so no one could see. I peered beneath his arm to find him balancing the bedazzled lockbox in his hand.
Even though I knew the box would be there, actually seeing how far Parker and Ashley had gone to get Jonah in trouble was a little shocking. I understood wanting revenge, and if Jonah had screwed Parker over I’d understand, but he hadn’t. His only crime was ignoring her, as far as I knew.
Shaking his head, Jonah carefully tipped the box on its side and put it back in, letting it rest on a pile of notebooks.
“How do you think she got into your locker?” I asked.
He closed the door and turned to me. “The school must have a master list of all the combinations somewhere. They’re supposed to keep one on file. Maybe she got her hands on it.”
“She did this because you wouldn’t take her to the dance?” I asked, wondering if he had gone out with her or done something more to earn her wrath.
Jonah laughed miserably. “I don’t think it’s just that. She put some pictures of herself in my locker and I returned them, telling her I didn’t want them or any more like them. She wasn’t exactly happy about it.”
“Pictures?” My eyes grew wide.
“Not what you’re thinking, but close.”
I was thinking naked, but close was disturbing enou
gh. I glanced away, wondering how anyone had the balls to do that. Obviously, Parker wasn’t playing with a full deck. “What are you going to do?”
As he looked down at me, a smile broke across his face. “What do you think? I’m going to move it to her locker.” Leaning in close, he asked, “Want to help? I’ll need a lookout.”
“A lookout?” I repeated, not really hearing him because his nearness was distracting me, and I was getting lost in his eyes.
“When I break into her locker, I’ll need a lookout. You up for that?” He leaned back again.
I realized what he was asking me. “When are you going to do this?”
“After school, before she snitches to someone and sends them looking in my locker.”
I actually wanted to help him and punish Parker for thinking she could do whatever she wanted. But then I thought about how indifferent Jonah acted toward me all the time. Folding my arms, I eyed him skeptically. “Why should I help you? You’ve barely spoken to me all week.”
He looked at me. “I haven’t spoken to you? You weren’t exactly talking to me either. In fact, you were sort of scowling at me most of the time.”
“What?” I reared back. “I was not.”
He smiled tightly. “Actually, you were. But thanks for being on my side today.”
My gaze sharpened. He sounded hurt. Had I been scowling at him? I supposed I could have been. “You’re welcome, and if I was scowling at you it was because you made me.”
To my surprise, Jonah laughed, and I did too when I realized how juvenile I sounded. “I didn’t mean to make you,” he said. “Maybe we should start over. What do you think?”
Tilting my head, I wondered if he was serious. His expression was earnest enough as he stood there waiting for my answer. “Okaaay,” I finally said, still skeptical.
Jonah smirked. “That sounded sincere.”
When my eyes narrowed, he chuckled. “Let’s shake on it before you change your mind.”
He held out his hand, and I looked at it a moment before putting my smaller, paler one in his. His fingers gently closed around mine, and my gaze flicked up to his face.
“To starting over,” he said.
I’m sure I said something back, but I was more focused on our hands and the way his touch sent my pulse racing. We released each other at the same time and then stood there staring, a strange charge flowing between us.
Jonah broke the connection first, glancing away and shifting restlessly on his feet. “So you’ll help me then?” he asked.
My answer was easy now. “Sure. Why not.”
He grinned. “Thanks. I’ll come find you later at your locker at the end of school. Wait for me.”
The bell rang, and Jonah lifted his chin in my direction. “Better hustle. I can’t have my accomplice getting detention.”
He walked away first, heading in the opposite direction I was. Shaking my head, I turned and walked toward my next class. Halfway there, I realized my heart had never slowed down.
***
Theo: Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear.
You would think that getting the master list of combinations to all the lockers in the school would be challenging. But if that list was on a computer and that computer connected to the Internet, it could be found. Apparently, Parker got her hands on it, and now Jonah had a copy of it too, right on his phone.
Mental note: Never keep anything private or valuable in my locker.
“Tell me how you got it,” I said, watching as he swiped it off the screen.
We were sitting on a bench behind the school, waiting for the building to clear out. About ten minutes ago, Jonah had found me at my locker, waited for me to gather my things, and then walked me back here to wait with him.
“I told you my dad works with computers. When I explained what happened, he hacked into the school’s network and found the master list for me. He’s cool like that.”
Jonah grinned and I laughed softly, shaking my head, not sure if I should believe him. My father was cool like that, but not many parents were.
“So, how do you think Parker got it?” I asked.
“She has a little brother,” he said, glancing at the door as more students filed out.
I recalled the boy in glasses from the portrait of her family hanging in her living room.
“Usually she won’t acknowledge his existence because he’s a hard-core geek. But I figure he hacked in and got it for her. Either that or she asked someone who works in the office to swipe it.”
Nodding, I shifted on the cold wooden bench, gripping my gloved hands together in my lap.
Jonah noticed. “Is it too cold out here? Do you want to wait inside?”
It was a little chilly for me, but I was enjoying sitting with him too much to move. “I’m fine,” I replied, glancing down at our thighs that were parallel to each other, with only a few inches separating them on the bench. Mine were half as long as his.
Clearing my throat, I averted my gaze from our legs and asked, “What I don’t understand is how Parker planned for you to get caught. You could have sneaked the box out of your locker and dumped it somewhere, and no one would have known you ever had it.”
He nodded knowingly. “She had a bunch of papers stuffed onto the shelf behind it. If you hadn’t warned me, I would have pulled open my locker door and it would have fallen right out, crashing onto the floor for everyone to see.”
Huh. Feeling smug, I smiled happily.
Jonah’s eyes narrowed on me. “Feeling pretty good about yourself?”
“Yes, actually. I am.”
Laughing quietly, he glanced at his watch. “We should do this. I need to get to the field for practice before anyone notices I’m gone.”
“Ready when you are.”
As we stood, his expression turned serious. “Listen, you don’t have to help me if you don’t want to. If we got caught, I’m not sure what the punishment would be.”
I studied his face. While I appreciated the sentiment, his somber expression amused me.
“This isn’t that big a deal. I’ve pulled off bigger pranks. If you want, I could move the lockbox and you could be the lookout.”
Jonah eyed me as if he didn’t know if I was serious or not. “Thanks, but I think I can handle it.”
“Okay.” I shrugged. “If you change your mind, let me know.”
He shook his head, grinning ruefully. “Didn’t anyone ever tell you how fragile the male ego is? Stomping all over it is hardly ever a good idea.”
“Believe me, I know.”
Jonah arched an amused brow. “Get a lot of dates with an attitude like that?”
I scoffed. “I have no problem getting dates. If I were interested in dating, that is, which I’m not.”
“Why aren’t you interested in dating?” By his expression, you’d think I said I wasn’t interested in breathing.
“I’m focusing on other things at the moment.” I wasn’t ready to share the history of my own broken ego. Getting cheated on doesn’t exactly boost your confidence.
“What other things?” he asked.
Exasperated, I rolled my eyes. “You know, school, adjusting to being back here, wondering if skinny jeans are a fad or a wardrobe staple. So, are we doing this or not?” Was he really interested in this topic? Was it because he wanted to date me? I really didn’t think so.
Looking amused again, an expression he seemed to wear a lot around me, he held out his arm, silently motioning for me to precede him into the building.
The plan was to do this at a time when there was a general lull in the hallways, after the last bell, when after-school activities were in full swing.
Once we were inside the doorway, Jonah asked for my phone. When I handed it to him, he used it to call himself and then gave it back.
“Don’t hang up. I’ll go get the box in my locker while you keep an eye on Parker’s locker. Make sure it’s clear, and I’ll let you know when I’m on my way to you.”
I nodded and then watched him go, with his phone held loosely in his hand and an empty backpack slung over his shoulder, admiring his tall form and the casual but confident way he walked. He kept the call active, causing a rustling noise to sound from the speaker of my phone.
I wasn’t standing near Parker’s locker, but I was around the corner where I could see both the door to the hallway and her locker. The halls were mostly quiet this afternoon, with only the sound of a faraway door banging closed every now and then.
“Seaborne. How does it look?”
My name came to me in the quiet, startling me. “All clear,” I whispered before giggling softly. He was taking this very seriously.
There was more rustling as Jonah moved through the building. When the heavy door behind me creaked open, I moved to duck around the other side to stay out of sight just as I noticed it was Drew there, and he was on a collision course with Jonah if he kept walking in that direction.
“Stop,” I whispered into the phone. “Drew is headed right for you.”
I knew he’d heard me when the sound of his footsteps abruptly halted. “I’m turning around,” he said. “I’ll come in the other way.”
Staying hidden, I listened for Drew, which was easy because his sneakers squeaked against the tile floor. I waited until the sound disappeared completely before moving back to my spot. All Jonah needed was for Drew to see him, the one person in this school who disliked him the most.
“Okay, coming to you from the other side,” Jonah said.
A few minutes passed as I leaned against the wall before I saw him walk in through the door at the far end of the hallway. He nodded to me across the distance as he pulled up the master combination list on his phone and then went to work on the lock.
Much to my surprise, now that Jonah was standing there breaking into Parker’s locker, my heart rate kicked up. I was anxious for him, not wanting him to get caught.
The locker opened easily, and he was pulling the lockbox from his bag when I heard footsteps echoing behind me. Moving to the corner again, I listened to their approach. Then I heard the squeaking. Oh no. Drew was coming back.
