* * *
I was so dreading my first science test. It had been really difficult to learn the material. I'd always considered myself to be smarter than most, but eighth-grade science was like a foreign language to me. I'd asked Mom and Dad for help, but they had their hands full making sure Kirsten and Sophie were doing well, which meant that I was pretty much on my own. From the moment Mr. Taylor gave us our tests, I knew I was doomed.
* * *
As we walked home from the bus stop later that day, Kirsten asked, “So … how's your new best friend, beauty queen?”
“I've told you guys not to call me that,” I said, frowning. “And what do you care how she is? It's not like you'll ever meet her.”
“Why not?” Sophie piped up.
“She's … just really busy.” Please, just shut up, already …
“Busy what?” said Kirsten. “Doing her hair?”
I closed my eyes in frustration. “Just drop it.”
Sophie frowned. “I don't think I like this new you, Evie. You're turning into kind of a jerk.”
“Please, guys, drop it. I'm asking nicely. Don't make me ask again.” That shut them up.
I went straight up to my room when we got home. I sat on the bed and looked into my full-length mirror.
I loved how I looked now. I'd always thought of myself as pretty, but thanks to Rhonda, now everyone at school could see it too. Kirsten and Sophie just can't understand how important that is. One day they will. Then they'll realize how childish they're acting.
Chapter 7
DAY 7
JOSHUA
I craved an uneventful school existence. I mean, there's nothing worse than being the center of attention if it's for the wrong reason. That's why I was glad most of my school days were able to pass without incident. Math, Phys Ed, English, Social Studies, it was all business as usual to start the year, and that was just fine with me.
I'd been sitting next to David in Mrs. Cox's class for a week now, and he'd still barely spoken to me. I'd tried several times to engage him in conversation, but he'd politely ignored me. He looked so sad. It was like he was a turtle, afraid to come out of his shell.
Of all the friends who'd drifted away from me after I became a target of the bully squad, I blamed David the least. Personality-wise, he was probably more like me than any guy I knew: he was my height, skinny, with short blonde hair and a few freckles. Because of his small stature, he was also very unpopular, and undeservedly so, as he was one of the nicest, most good-hearted people I'd ever known. Back in fifth grade, we'd been as close as Eve had been with Emily and Susan, but the last year had been a rough one for David.
His little sister Heather had died in a car accident, which in turn led to a bitter divorce between his parents. He now lived with his mother full-time. The bully squad had started picking on both of us at about the same time, and I was glad, given his circumstances, that they had kept their focus more on me than him. He kept himself pretty well hidden, spending his recess periods alone in the computer lab. I was happy to sit next to him in class, but the fun get-togethers we'd had when we were younger were now a thing of the past, despite my recent efforts to regain his friendship.
* * *
About the only part of my day that was worth remembering was Science class. It was a new experience spending an hour within three feet of a popular girl. I was sure there were guys who would've loved to be this close to Eve for an hour a day, but somehow, I doubted I was the object of much envy, especially considering she still wasn't talking to me. Or looking at me. Or acknowledging my existence in any way.
When we got our tests back I was pleased to have gotten an A, but I was also somewhat disappointed at the big red “D” on Eve's test, which also came with a stern look of disapproval from Old Man Taylor. She looked very embarrassed. When she saw my test, however, she threw a look my way that I couldn't interpret at first. It wasn't one of disgust or social superiority. I think it was curiosity.
I met her glance for a couple of seconds, and then remembered my place in the school's pecking order. I hope no one saw that.
Chapter 8
DAY 7
EVE
On Saturday, Rhonda had set me up on another date; this time with a tall, good-looking, athletic guy named John, who was in my Social Studies class. We went to the movies, followed by a walk around the mall next to the theater. He was really nice to me at first, but just like Matt, he ended the date by getting way too handsy for our first get-together. This was becoming a trend, and I was starting to get really pissed off. Perks of popularity, my butt!
I went the whole weekend without talking about Science class with my parents, but I knew I couldn't put that off indefinitely. They were always asking me about my schoolwork, and though I was able to keep up in all my other subjects, Science class was like a boulder around my neck. There was going to be hell to pay that evening, I just knew it.
My worst fears were confirmed when Mr. Taylor gave my test back. It was a D, just as I knew it would be. I saw the look of disappointment on his face, and noticed the change in his expression when he handed Joshua his test. He'd gotten an A, along with the words “Well done” scrawled in ink under the grade. Joshua silently took the test and stuck it in his notebook.
I took a moment to look at Joshua, something I'd been trying to avoid doing up till then. He was only an inch shorter than I was, with pale, zit-free skin, dark brown hair, dark brown eyes and not much meat on his bones. He always wore such drab clothes: blue jeans, a plain white tee and his navy blue hoodie. It was just sad to look at. At least he wasn't a total slob, like so many of the other boys were.
For all his faults, he wasn't the worst-looking guy in class, and I could only wonder what could have happened to turn him into the little monster I'd heard so much about. He turned his head and caught me looking at him, but turned away again before I could say anything. He got an A. He may be a freak, but he's a smart freak.
* * *
Later that day, when my mom got home from work, I showed her my science test. I knew from experience hiding bad grades only made things worse. She showed it to my dad the minute he got home, and, immediately after dinner, I got one of those two-on-one sit-downs that kids hate so much.
“A 'D'?” my mom said. “Eve, I know you're smarter than this!”
“It's just so hard, Mom,” I said. “I've read the material over and over again, but I'm just not getting it!”
“You've dug yourself a hole, Eve,” my dad added. “So until you find a way to dig yourself out of it, maybe you should concentrate on your schoolwork more than your social calendar.” He looked at my mom, who nodded. “You're grounded until your grade improves.”
“That's not fair! It's not my fault that my lab partner is the creepiest kid in school!” And the dates sucked anyway … isn't that punishment enough?
“No more excuses, Eve,” my mom said, “and no more D's. Are we clear?”
I'd spent a lifetime learning that arguing with my parents was pointless. “Yes,” I replied through gritted teeth.
“Why don't you ask Emily for help?” my dad asked. “She's a smart girl.”
If I regretted my falling out with Emily before, I was feeling double the regret now, as I'd kept that little piece of information secret from my family. “Yeah, I'll do that,” I said.
Great. Only one option left. Someone up there must have it in for me.
Chapter 9
DAY 9
JOSHUA
By the time my second lab project came up, it seemed like most of the other boy-girl pairs had gotten over their initial awkwardness and started to work together. But as Eve and I received our assignment and materials, she still refused to look at me. I was in a bind: I couldn't talk to her, but I couldn't not talk to her either.
Screw it. Enough's enough. As politely as I could, I said to her, “Look, Eve, I'm really sorry you got stuck with me. But there's nothing we can do about that now. So we can either spend the rest of
the semester ignoring each other and get an F in teamwork, or …” I paused for dramatic effect, “… we can find a way to make this work.”
This seemed to help her make her mind up, and she looked at … well, not at me, but in my general direction, and then nodded her head.
She looked like she needed more convincing. Hoping like hell my voice wasn't shaking, I continued, “Look, I'm not a bad guy, okay? I'm easy to work with, I'm a good listener, and I'll help you out with anything you're having problems with. Just give me a chance. Please.”
She thought about it for a second and then rolled her eyes and made a sour face. “Fine. Just don't think for a moment that we're friends.” Fat chance of that.
I'd been scared to look at her before. I was shorter than almost all of the guys in my class, and pretty much all the girls too, so I was thankful to get Eve in that she was still fairly close to my height, only an inch taller. There's really nothing that makes you feel smaller than looking up at a girl that's the same age as you, especially one as beautiful as Eve. But as I regarded her for the first time, my thoughts started to wander into dangerous territory.
I had to remind myself several times that we were lab partners and that was it, and to keep any other thoughts buried deep. But my God, she was so pretty. I wondered if … no, stop it, Joshua, stop it! Look away! She's given you a gesture of acceptance, that's it! Take it as a victory and leave it at that!
We muddled through the assignment okay, I guess. She wasn't giving it her best effort, but at least she was trying. It was obvious science just wasn't her thing. We got a B-minus on our teamwork, which wasn't great, but it was still better than a D.
* * *
When I got home that afternoon, I found Alyson frantically typing on the computer in Dad's study. She looked up as I came in. “Hey, Aly. Got a minute?”
She smiled. “For you, Joshie, I have three. I need a break anyway. What's up?”
“I … need your advice. There's this girl at school …”
“Oooooooh,” she said, looking at me for the first time.
I smirked. “Settle down, sis, it's not really an 'oooooh' situation. This girl doesn't like me. She really doesn't like me.”
She stood up, stretching her back, flicking her long brown hair behind her. “But you want her to, don't you?”
I blushed. “It would be nice. She's my lab partner in Mr. Taylor's Science class. We're kind of stuck with each other.”
She nodded sympathetically. “Oh, you got Old Man Taylor after all?”
“Yeah.”
“My condolences. Is he as surly as ever?”
“Yes, but my problem isn't with him, it's with my lab partner, Eve.”
“What's the problem?” she asked, sitting down at the computer again.
“The problem is, she's one of the prettiest, most popular girls in school, and I'm … well, me.”
“I remember the guy I got stuck with when I was in that class,” she said, grimacing. “Bryce Waxman. Total toad. Spent half the semester trying to look down my shirt.”
I shuddered. “Thank you for that image, Aly. Got anything useful for me?”
She looked at me. “You're good at science, Joshie. I'm sure she'll eventually see that. Just be patient with her.”
“That's it?”
“Try not to look down her shirt.” She resumed typing.
Thanks, Aly. I feel SO much better now.
Chapter 10
DAY 9
EVE
I spent two whole days trying to come up with another way out of my science dilemma, without success. As I sat down at the work-table in preparation for our second lab project, I was still trying to figure out how to get over the fact that just being near Joshua made me uncomfortable, when he spoke directly to me for the first time.
What struck me first was that his voice was deeper than I thought it would be. I was sure, given how short and skinny he was, that he would have a high-pitched, squeaky voice. At the very least, I expected to hear a crack in it, like I'd heard in so many of my male classmates, but no. His voice had already made the transition into adulthood, but he had a sixth-grader's face. It just didn't fit. Nothing about him fit. It was beyond weird.
* * *
The bus rides to and from school were usually pretty uneventful for me. There was barely anyone on the bus that I knew, so I didn't have to put on an air of “popular girl” snobbishness. I usually sat near the front, where I would stare out the window or into empty space. The bus was typically full of ten- and eleven-year-olds acting like toddlers, so it took a lot of concentration to ignore them.
I don't know why, but today I decided to look at all the other passengers, even though most of them were complete strangers. I did a double-take when I saw who was sitting in the back row.
Joshua.
I was shocked when I saw him. We'd been classmates for years, but I'd genuinely never noticed he was on the same bus that I was. He was so small and inconspicuous. I stared at him for a full minute. No one sat next to him or talked to him, just like in the cafeteria. He just leaned his head on the window, staring out at nothing the entire time. Suddenly, I felt a pang of guilt.
Rhonda had told me a lot of stuff about him, including a story about how he'd murdered the family cat or something. I remember thinking at the time, that takes a sick, twisted person to do that. But looking at him on the bus, I was unable to match up the Joshua I'd been warned about with the one that was right in front of my eyes.
He didn't look evil. Or twisted. Or sick. He just looked … sad. Very, very sad.
Chapter 11
DAY 10
JOSHUA
After fourth period, I was walking to the cafeteria a few yards behind Emily, who was in my English class. I heard someone calling her name, so I turned around to see who it was. It was Eve. She hadn't seen me in the crowd. I did see Emily, though, as she took one look at Eve and then immediately turned away and kept walking with a sneer on her face. Eve looked horrified.
Those two were inseparable for years! What the hell happened? Whatever it was, it had to be bad. Really bad. I had no doubt Rhonda had something to do with it.
* * *
On the Island, I tried listening to music on my headphones, but after a while I realized I wasn't really listening. All I could think about was Eve.
I'd long ago learned to accept my outcast status, and my ability to read people was a bit rusty, but something about her just seemed … off. Not that I had a clue what 'on' was for her, of course. We'd never really been friends, even before I became the least popular person in school.
Eve had always struck me as being intelligent and outgoing. Now that had changed. She'd switched social circles, was barely scraping by in Science class, and her attempts at copying Rhonda's natural arrogance were becoming less and less convincing. But this was all guesswork on my part, and for the first time in months, I cursed my outcast status. I wanted so bad to reach out to her, but I just couldn't … like she'd really open up to me, the school leper.
During Science class, we did a chapter review in preparation for Friday's test. As we were packing up our things and getting ready to head to sixth period, Eve put her hand on my arm and asked me to stay behind for a minute. She didn't speak until everyone else had left.
“Joshua, I … I need your help.” She wasn't looking at me when she said it, but it was obvious she regretted it had come to this. “Look, I'm not good at science. I just don't get it. But you obviously do.”
No, she couldn't possibly be going THERE.
“My parents took one look at the D that I got and grounded me until I can bring my grade back up,” she said. “You're the only person I know who knows this stuff. I'm going to fail tomorrow's test, and probably every one after that, unless I get some help. My parents would, but they're too busy. I … can't bring any more D's home. Will you help me?” And finally, she turned her head and looked at me.
Holy hell, she was going there.
Every ala
rm bell in my head went off at once. Don't do it, Joshua! She's one of THEM! Politely turn her down and run out of the room as fast as you can! Just look her in the eye and … oh, dammit. Now I've done it. I looked in her eyes.
But wait… something wasn't right. I'd looked into the eyes of my female classmates for years, and all I'd seen was contempt. That's not what I was looking at this time. Eve was struggling, and not just with having to stoop so low as to ask me for help. It was all over her face. That gorgeous face …
Sigh. Who was I kidding? Every thought racing through my head just merged into a ball and went south of the border. An awesomely pretty girl is asking for your help, you idiot, are you REALLY going to turn her down? Screw the consequences, this is a chance that may never come again! So, like a moron, I nodded my head and said, “Okay.”
She exhaled in relief. “How about the library, tomorrow at lunch?”
I nodded again. “That'll work.”
“I hate to ask, but … could you please not tell anyone about this?” She almost looked ashamed.
I'm an outcast. Who am I going to tell? “I won't.”
She turned away again. “Thanks, Joshua. Find the quietest corner of the library, and I'll meet you there as soon as I've finished eating.”
My brain was still processing this incredible turn of events, and I seemed to be unable to speak more than two words at a time. “Will do.”
After she left the room, all I could do was blink my eyes over and over again. Um … what the hell just happened?
* * *
I was usually one of the first people to get on the bus, whereupon I would immediately head for my usual spot: all the way in the back, window seat, left side. I would sit there quietly, staring out the window until it was time for me to get off. That had been my routine for years.
Joshua's Island (James Madison Series Book 1) Page 3
