Just a Little Sincerity

by Tracie Puckett

  “Sorry I’ve wasted your Friday night,” I said. “The rest of the dance committee bailed when the forecaster started talking about isolated tornadoes.”

  “Wasted?” Derek asked, taking my hand and pulling me over to sit next to him on the lowest riser. “Time spent with you is never wasted, Julie.”

  I smiled, appreciating how easy Derek had made the past few days. It never failed; whenever I was hurt, needed a friend, or even a shoulder to cry on, Derek was there. It was almost as if he had a sense for my pain. And better yet, he had an unbelievable way of making it melt away.

  “I brought something,” he said, reaching back and pulling a basket off the raised seat. “I figured we’d be here pretty late, and I wanted to make sure you had sustenance.”

  “You brought a picnic?” I asked, trying to disguise my flushing cheeks. “You didn’t have to—”

  “I didn’t do anything fancy,” he assured me. “Don’t expect a Matthew-Little-quality meal.”

  “Well, if you know me at all, you’d know the best way to my heart is—”

  “Pizza?” he asked, opening the basket to expose the two miniature boxes of carryout from Giovanni’s Pizzeria.

  The dim gymnasium lighting flickered as the thunderstorm grew stronger. And despite the eeriness of it all, Derek still wore a beautiful, heartfelt smile.

  “You’re amazing,” I said, shaking my head. “I can’t believe you did this—”

  “I guess I know my audience,” Derek said, reaching into the basket to pull out the boxes.

  “You most certainly do,” I said, taking one from him.

  As we sat on the bottom level of the bleachers, Derek and I ate our food in silence. I spent most of our break looking around the room, analyzing all the areas that still needed some TLC. Derek, as far as I could tell, spent most of this time watching me.

  “You didn’t have to do all this,” I said, finally breaking the silence. “The pizza, the decorations, the company… it’s all very nice. But you didn’t have to—”

  “Ah, but I did,” he said. “Not to mention, I wanted to help. It’s fun to watch you.

  “To watch me?”

  “You’re so determined and eager; I’ve never met a person who will stop at nothing to get what they want. Take tonight, for example. The wind is blowing at 70 miles per hour, the lightning and thunder sound like something you’d only hear in a scary movie, and yet you’re still here, singlehandedly decorating the gym so that your classmates can enjoy the Fall Ball tomorrow.”

  As I reached for my water bottle on the riser next to me, my phone buzzed. I picked it up, checked the screen, and scrunched my brow.

  One New Message

  Luke

  I opened the message and read the few words: Storms are getting worse, Jules. You’re not safe there. Stay put. I’m coming to get you.

  “Everything okay?” Derek asked, trying to pretend he hadn’t read the message over my shoulder.

  “Yeah,” I said, setting the phone aside. “Luke doesn’t think we’re safe. I’m afraid he thinks the storms are worse than they actually are—”

  “It’s not the weather that scares him,” Derek said, trying to contain a smirk. “He doesn’t think you’re safe with me.” He turned to pick up the empty pizza boxes and tossed them back into the basket. “I guess we’re calling it a night?”

  “Yeah, I guess,” I said, casting a forlorn look around the gym. There was still a lot to be done and no time to do it. It’d be a miracle if the school was ready once all the guests arrived for the Fall Ball tomorrow.

  “Luke’s not a manipulative, dominant, control freak,” I said to Derek, who seemed to take no interest in hearing my defense. “He’s just looking out for my best interest.”

  “Right,” Derek said, obviously peeved. “He’s just looking out for your best interest, yet whenever you truly need him, he’s nowhere to be found.”

  “Ouch—”

  “Sorry, Julie, but it’s the truth. He only cares to lookout for you when it keeps you from me or when it’s convenient for him.”

  “It’s in his nature to be protective,” I said, defending Luke yet again.

  But as each defense fell off my lips, I couldn’t help but question why I wasted my breath. Derek made a valid point. Luke only cared to come around if he thought I was in some kind of danger.

  Who was I kidding? When it came right down to it, all Luke ever wanted was to be my hero… and not even a hero I could call my own. True to his nature, his actions were self-serving. He’d get the chance to run in, save the day, and pat himself on the back for a job well done. And what would I get? Another exchange of awkward glances that would eventually lead to the same place they always led… nowhere.

  And while he ran further away, I’d keep chasing him. He knew he had me in his back pocket. He knew I wouldn’t let go. Sadly, I knew I wouldn’t let go….

  “Derek,” I said. “I know it’s last minute… and incredible childish considering this is just a high school thing… but would you like to come with me to the Fall Ball tomorrow evening? I mean, after all the hours and help you put in, you deserve to enjoy it as much as anyone else.”

  A faint smile crossed his lips, but he shook his head. “No.”

  “No?” I asked, admittedly shocked. “Simple as that?”

  “Simple as that.”

  “…Why?”

  He sat the picnic basket on the floor and took my hands.

  “Because I like you Julie… and you’re in love with Luke. And as hard as it is to walk away, I think I’m smart enough to know when it’s time to let go. I’m not a cat; you’re not a mouse. I’m not going to keep chasing you. It’s clear where your heart is and I can’t ask you to feel something you don’t feel.”

  “But—”

  “Love complicates everything,” he said, as if I didn’t know. “The thing is… I know why you’re running from me; you’re running after him.”

  “Yeah,” I whispered, knowing there was nothing but truth in his words.

  “So,” he continued. “If he’s running from you, maybe you should stop and ask yourself what he’s running after. You might just find that it’s time for you to walk away too.”

  “I don’t want to walk away from him, Derek—”

  “Finding love is an amazing thing, Julie. But sometimes… moving forward means letting go. It’s time to say goodbye.”

  “With me and Luke?”

  “Yeah,” he nodded, adjusting his glasses. “And with us. I don’t think, considering how I feel about you, we can continue being friends.”

  And as his last few words echoed through the gym, a loud clap of thunder shook the gym, knocking out the lights once and for all. The absence of electricity brought the gym into an immediate cave of darkness. I couldn’t see anything… not even the familiar glare from Derek’s glasses.

  I sat still, waiting for the power to restore, but nothing happened. Derek rustled in the darkness.

  “You need to take some time to really think about your life, Julie. You’ve lost perspective,” Derek said, his voice getting further away. Though I couldn’t see him, I knew he was heading for the door. “Luke should be here soon. And while I don’t want you to chance the storm alone, I can’t walk you through this one myself. But I don’t think you should be here when he arrives either. Get out while you still can, Julie. You’re just going to end up hurt if you keep waiting on him.”

  Chapter Four

  Friday November 02, 11:00pm

  “Back off,” a woman said, her command firm, but kind. “Give the poor girl some space.”

  “Do you think she’s dead?” a man asked, his voice so loud that it sounded as though he was speaking directly in my ear.

  “She’s not dead,” the woman retorted. “Look, she’s moving….”

  Though my head pounded as though I’d been beaten near to death, I managed to open my eyes. Three old faces stared down at me, and only then did it become apparent that I was looking up from
a stranger’s couch.

  I sat up quickly, but two gentle hands fell on my shoulder. The hands belonged to the female—an elderly, graying woman, whose movements were smooth and purposeful. She had an elegant grace about her that was admirable, and I couldn’t help but feel assured by her touch. As I glanced up at the two men behind her, I instantly recognized one and jumped to my feet.

  “Bruno!” I said, throwing my arms around him. “What’s going on? Where are we?”

  Detective Bruno wrapped his arms around me and held me close to his chest.

  “Lonnie heard you screaming from the street,” he said. “He looked out the window just as you hit the ground, sweetheart.

  “Hit the ground?” I asked, feeling the back of my head. “I don’t remember—”

  “You had a nasty fall, little one,” the woman spoke up. “A limb fell from the old oak and struck you.”

  “Down like a sack of potatoes,” Lonnie added, clapping his hands together dramatically.

  The room was dark, only lit by the few candles strewn about on tables throughout the house. Detective Bruno loosened his grip and guided me back to the couch.

  “The cell towers are down,” he said. “No one can get calls in or out right now. The power’s been out for a few hours and Main Street is flooded. We can’t get across town. Last I spoke to Charlie, he’d picked up Matt from the restaurant. They were heading home to take cover.”

  “Are they safe?”

  “They should have made it home in plenty of time,” he assured me. “The wind was bad though. We lost contact.” I nodded as Bruno knelt down to meet my stare. “Why in the world were you out in that, Julie? You were supposed to be at the school. Charlie had sent… someone was supposed to pick you up.”

  “I didn’t want to wait,” I said. “I thought I could make it on my own.”

  “Well, look how that turned out.”

  “What about Lu—”

  “No word from him,” Detective Bruno said. “But I’m sure he’s fine.”

  “Do you want a snack or anything, kiddo?” Lonnie asked. “We’re all stocked up on goodies—”

  “No thanks,” I said. “I need to get home. Charlie’ll be worried sick—”

  “You’re not going anywhere,” the woman said. “Didn’t you hear? The streets are flooded. There’s no power. It’s pitch dark. It’s not safe for you out there.”

  “You can sleep upstairs,” Bruno said. “Grace will show you to your room.”

  “Where are you going?” I asked. “You’re not going to stay with me?”

  “I’ll be on the couch,” he said. “I won’t be far.”

  “Are you sure,” I started, but leaned closer to whisper so only he could hear me. “Are you sure we’re safe with these people?”

  Bruno glanced behind his shoulder and winked at the woman. “Grace is my sister,” he said, turning back to me. “And Lonnie is the poor schmuck she talked into marrying her.”

  I smiled up at Grace and Lonnie, both of them beaming from ear-to-ear.

  “It’s just one night,” Bruno assured me. “Tomorrow we’ll get you home.”

  Five minutes later—after listening to Lonnie relive an animated and exaggerated version of my fall—I followed Grace up the dark staircase. The family pictures on the wall were masked in all the darkness.

  “Watch your step here,” Grace said, pointing at the final step. “It’s creaky. I’ve been thinking it’s going to fall through for years, but it hasn’t given out yet. But you never know.”

  “Have you lived here a long time?” I asked, following her to the first door on the right.

  “Only five years,” she said. “It was Lonnie’s house before we were married.”

  “Ah, newlyweds?” I said, loving the idea that new love could blossom at any given age. I assumed Lonnie and Grace were both well into their sixties.

  “We were married five summers ago,” she said. “We didn’t have a big ceremony, just something small and comfortable. It was a second marriage for each of us, so we didn’t find the point in all the frills and thrills.”

  “I think that’s sweet,” I said, stepping in the room as she opened the door.

  “You can sleep here for the night. I know it’s not a five star hotel, but the bed’s comfortable and the sheets are clean.”

  “It’s perfect,” I said. “Thank you.”

  She set an extra candle on the dresser and turned out, leaving me alone in the dark, cold bedroom. I made my way over to the window and looked outside, hoping to get a better idea about where I was, but nothing was easily discernible in the dark.

  “Knock, knock,” Lonnie said, sticking his head in the room. “Brought you some clothes.”

  “Thanks,” I said, coming over to take the folded men’s pajamas from him.

  “I took a wild guess that Grace’s clothes would probably swallow you whole,” he said. “These are just some old things that used to belong to my… well, anyway, I hope you can get some use out of them.”

  “Thanks again,” I said. “For everything…. You didn’t have to take me in like this. I can imagine it’s unnerving having a stranger sleep in your home.”

  “Any friend of Bruno’s is a friend of ours,” Lonnie said. “Besides, I can’t remember the last time someone slept in that bed. It’s a comforting thought to know there’s a grateful soul down the hall.”

  I nodded and smiled.

  “I’ll let you get dressed,” he said. “Sleep well.”

  After Lonnie left, closing the door behind him, I slipped out of my damp, dirty clothes and into the long, flannel pajama pants and tee-shirt.

  I pulled back the blankets on the bed and climbed in, remembering nothing before I fell into a dreamless sleep.

  Saturday November 03, 8:00am

  The morning sunlight shined through the curtains. I turned over, my back to the window, hoping to fall back asleep. When the light continued to pierce my eyes, becoming too unbearable to ignore, I opened my eyes and shot up at the sight of the other person in the room.

  “What are you doing here?”

  Luke was sitting in a corner chair, just on the other side of the room. He didn’t smile; he didn’t wear anything that even closely resembled a happy expression. He sat still, his lips pursed, his eyes glaring, and his stare unwavering.

  “Luke, what are you doing here?”

  “What part of I’ll be right there to get you got lost in translation?” he asked. “What the hell is wrong with you, Julie? Grace said they found you pinned between the sidewalk and a tree branch—”

  “I don’t remember that part—”

  “Do you remember the message I sent you?”

  “Yes, but—”

  “Do you remember leaving the school when I specifically told you not to?”

  “Yes, but Luke—”

  “But nothing, Julie.” His words were sharp and cold. “I’m sick of this. I’m sick of you blatantly ignoring me when I give you an order. I know you don’t like to think so, but I do know what’s best for you—”

  “I know you like to think that,” I mumbled, pulling the blankets up. “But look. I’m alive. I’m safe, sound, and well rested. In the end, it all worked out—”

  “Well, isn’t that just peachy?” he said, his voice laced with sarcasm. “Sweet little Julie spent her night in a stranger’s house, sleeping in a stranger’s bed, wearing a stranger’s clothes, and ignoring the advice of everyone who wanted to help her. God only knows what could’ve happened to you—”

  “Detective Bruno said I could trust them—”

  “So you can listen to him but you can’t listen to me?”

  “He cares about me—”

  “Dammit Julie,” he said. “Was this just part of one of your sick plans? You nearly got yourself killed, and for what? Just so, if you happen to pull through, I might happen to run to your side and finally profess my undying love for you? Is that what you want? For me to admit that I care?”

  “No,” I sai
d. “I don’t care if you tell me you hate me, Luke. At this point, it doesn’t matter anymore. All I’m saying is… your words don’t always match your actions. How was I to know you’d actually show up last night?”

  “Real nice, Julie,” he said. “Any excuse to make me the bad guy—”

  “What do you want me to say, Luke? I’m not wrong! You don’t know the meaning of consistency! You never carry through! I can’t spend my life trying to decipher your hidden messages!”

  The door creaked open and Detective Bruno stuck his head in the room. “Everything okay in here?” He flashed a glance at Luke. “When did you get in?”

  “Just a few minutes ago,” Luke mumbled, not meeting Bruno’s stare.

  “Sorry about the yelling,” I said. “I didn’t mean to disturb anyone—”

  “No sweat,” he winked. “Everyone is up and at ‘em anyway. We just got ahold of Charlie. He and Matt are both safe and sound, but you should probably get dressed soon. They’re on their way over to get you.”

  “Thanks,” I said, throwing the blankets off to slide off the bed.

  “Heads up, Julie,” he said. “He’s pissed as hell that you left the school alone.”

  Bruno left the room. I turned back to Luke and shrugged.

  “So?”

  “What?” he asked, still angry and bitter.

  “I need to change. You need to go—”

  “Right,” he said, standing up. He walked toward the door and stopped short as he reached for the handle. He didn’t turn around, didn’t look back, but rested his forehead on the door.

  “I’m glad you’re safe, Julie,” he said, his voice muffled against the wood. “If anything would have happened to you….”

  “I know,” I said, figuring this was as close to an apology as I would get from him.

  He pushed himself back and opened the door, finally turning around to look at me. “I won’t be here when you come down. So, get home safe and don’t let Charlie give you too much crap.”