by Rue Volley
I was still a deer in headlights.
“Rue? Dear, please continue.” Mrs. Harris said. I looked over at her.
I cleared my throat. I peeked up at Johnathan who was just so... pretty… Jeezus. Okay Rue, just do it, he won't know it's about him, will he? You know he will, good god.
I began to read. My heart was beating so hard, I felt like I was living Edgar Allen Poe. I paused and looked up. Three girls were looking at me, obviously thinking about mushy stuff and then I locked eyes with Johnathan. He had the most peaceful look on his face, like I was the center of the universe. I finished, tripping on my way back to my seat. I didn't bite it, don't know how, but I sat back down, knocking things off of my desk in the process. I reached down to grab the stuff off the floor and Johnathan was once again retrieving my things. We looked up at the same time, our faces inches apart,
I could have kissed him but I didn't. I wanted to though.
“Well Rue! It only took an entire year to get you to embrace romance!”
I looked up to Mrs. Harris who had a smile of triumph on her face.
“Thanks?” I muttered... face turning red.
“Is there anyone else who would like to share their work?” She asked as she scanned the room.
I was busy staring at my desk.
“I would like to read something I have,” Johnathan said.
I was shocked; Johnathan stood up and made his way to the front of the class, no paper in hand.
Mrs. Harris looked at him a little skeptical, “Well I'm not going to say no but you appear to have nothing to read young man.”
“Oh… well I memorized it makes it more real.”
“Well please indulge yourself Johnathan.”
Johnathan looked straight at me.
“I love her.”
Mrs. Harris started to tap her fingernails on her desk.
He said nothing else.
“Okay… is there more?” She asked him as she took her glasses off to clean them.
Johnathan looked at her, and then back to me. Then he said, “Does there need to be?”
“Well Johnathan, I guess not.” Mrs. Harris pushed her glasses back up her face. She started to laugh.
The bell rang and I gathered my things, darting out of the room.
***
Sam pulled up in front of the school. Kai called shotgun and Sam told him to get in the back with me. Josh laughed and slid in the front seat.
“Hey sis, any luck today?” Josh asked her.
“Maybe, think I have some more work to do but I'm starting to get an idea,” Sam said.
Josh sat there staring at her.
“Well, is it share hour or what?”
“Not yet,” Sam said as she checked her hair in the mirror.
Josh crossed his arms. I loved the fact that someone could piss him off. It made me happy.
“Why?” He asked.
Sam turned to him, “You know why, Josh. You are notorious for jumping in before things are fully understood.”
“Do not,” he said.
“Yes... you do, just give me a couple more days... to, ya know, figure this out. then and only then will I include you. Remember I need you to keep an eye on,” She nodded towards me.
“I'm sitting right here Sam. I'm old enough to know the truth about Santa Claus, thank you.”
Josh started laughing and so did Kai. I swear I saw Sam crack a smile as we pulled out.
Kai and Josh had started playing some demon-slaying video game and Sam had told us she'd be back later. Guess she was on the hunt for whoever it was that she thought had helped my mom and dad put a glamor on this town. I didn't even cause any trouble when we got home, I ate some leftover road kill Kai had whipped up and then filled my plate with veggies and went to my room. I wanted some alone time, away from all the stuff and things. I laid back and hooked my earphones up. I was half way through a song when I felt a tug on my foot. I was deep in thought, so I jumped up. I looked up to see Sara smiling in my face. I pulled my earphones out, wishing I didn't have to face her; I just knew where we were going.
“Sooooo...” she said.
I scooted over as she dropped down onto my bed.
“So?” I asked her.
“Oh Rue, you didn't tell me that you had a cousin coming to visit.”
“Truth is I didn't know myself. Mom just sprung it on us last night,” I said.
“Well, tell me everything you know.”
I froze. “What do you mean?”
“About Josh!” she said and got way too excited.
Oh Jeezus, how about the truth? How the hell am I going to explain this? Yeah Sara ya see my parents are from a race called Protectors, kinda like energy sucking vampires. Oh and yeah, so is my new boyfriend but he may be evil since he tried to kill me in the woods after we got to second base. Oh and yeah, the reality here it's a glamor, ya know it's not real. She snapped me out of thought.
“Hey, I'm serious; he is just the hottest hottie hot hot!”
I crinkled my nose. “Well, that's just gross,” I said.
She started to laugh. If she only knew.
“I know Rue, he's your cousin and all, but come on, help me here. Pretty please.”
She gave me her puppy dog eyes and I couldn't disappoint her, besides, I figured it would be an excellent opportunity to mess with him.
“Okay, well let’s see, Josh is really sensitive,” I said.
She sat back, like it was a bedtime story. I had her full attention.
“Oh yea, he actually likes flowers, purple pansies.” I said with a grin.
“Purple? I thought they were yellow.”
“Well maybe yellow then, I'll look it up.” I looked down smiling again.
“Ooooo… do you think I should get some for him, ya know this weekend?”
“Oh yea, that will rock his world,” I said.
I felt the “screw you Josh” coming on, so I continued.
“He loves to talk about everything. You just keep talking he'll open up big time, like a faucet, can't shut him up. Just keep asking him questions.”
“Oh how cool! Ya know guys normally aren't like that,” she said.
“Oh I know, but Josh is different, he's more like a girl, in that way. If you tell him that, during your conversation, you'll see how much he changes just blossoms like a butterfly.”
“A butterfly?”
“Oh yea Sara he loves those too.”
She looked at me strange... “Really...? Are you sure Rue?”
“Yea, I'm sure.”
“Well he's downstairs with your brother playing video games right now.”
“Oh yeah… well, ya know how boys act when they are with each other. He'd rather be reading a book, I'm sure, but he's just making Kai happy.”
“Ohhhhh... how sweet!”
“Yea Sara, Josh is a sweetie…”
Sara leaned over and gave me a hug.
“I soooo owe you for this!”
“No… no you don't.”
“Yes I do! Let’s go get a frap, I know you’re a sucker for the vanilla bean.”
“Yea I'm a sucker for the five-hundred calorie drink.”
“Ohhh… come on…”
Sara jumped up and looked back at me at the doorway, “I think I'll see if Josh wants to come too.”
“Ummm... okay, great.”
She hurried off and I had to smile.
“That's what you get you memory sucker.” I said and smiled to myself.
***
I decided to shed my ‘I'm with stoopid’ t-shirt. If I had thought for one minute that Johnathan would have been at Calvary that day, I wouldn't have worn it, but I figured maybe he didn't notice anyway. I threw on my black thermal and jacket. I just kept my black chucks on... I could just live in them anyway. I paused for a moment, feeling a tinge of guilt for sabotaging Sara, but I didn't want Josh liking her anyway, Sara had been my friend since grade school and normally I would do anything to assure she got just what she
wanted, but Josh? No not him, so far he had just irritated me to no end and I wasn’t gonna have him skeezing on my BFF. No way. Besides he was a, you know, I guess like me and Kai, Mom and Dad too. I didn't even fully understand what we were anyway... I'm not doing this right now, truth was a frap sounded awesome. A free frap even more awesome... I'm outta here.
I came down the stairs and Sara was sitting in between Kai and Josh on the couch...
“So that's the demon?”
Sara was obviously trying to look like she cared.
Josh and Kai were fixed on the screen.
Kai chimed in.
“Since when do you care about video games Sara? You’re not a gamer.”
“Since now, ya know looks interesting.” Sara looked at Josh.
“Yea, well I'm... awww shit, dammit!” Kai stood up and dropped his controller on the couch.
Josh started to laugh, “Should have been concentrating on business instead of chatting.”
“Ohhh... it is on!” Kai announced.
Sara decided she had an opportunity to ask...
“So… me and Rue are going for some coffee...”
Both Kai and Josh had gotten back to it… slaying and stuff.
“K... see ya later.” Kai kept jumping up a little, with each swing of his virtual sword.
Sara continued, “Well, you are both welcome to come with us.”
Josh laid his controller down, “Sure sounds good...”
Kai started to protest, but Josh assured him that he would continue to kick his ass later.
“You wish dude...” Kai said dropping his controller. “Alright... let’s go girls.”
I was surprised that Josh was so quick to go. I guess I shouldn't be, he is ‘babysitting’ anyway. Maybe he felt like it was a two-fer ya know, he keeps an eye on us, and gets to hang with Sara. That thought kinda pissed me off.
We all piled into Sara's car, I tried to sit in the front, but Josh took it. What's up with him always calling shotgun? Oh well, truth was, I was just happy to do something normal after the last couple of days of crazy. We pulled up to ‘Coffee’. Josh started to laugh.
“Well that's original, it just says ‘Coffee’, guess it gets to the point,” he said.
“Yea, well they have the best drug in town, caffeine!” Sara added.
“Looks like every kid in town is here.”
Kai looked out his window.
“Well, we don't have a lot to do here.” I added.
Josh turned around in his seat and smiled at me.
We all got out and decided to go in. I didn't notice the Black BMW on the street, should have, but I didn't.
Sara led the way, nothing unusual there. She walked right to the counter ready to get our frap on, big time. Josh stood there, scanning the room, with a strange look on his face. I leaned towards him...
“Think you could blend in?” I whispered.
He looked down at me. I thought why does every boy have to be so tall?
“I am blending... just checking the room.”
“For what?” I asked.
“Don't forget why I am here, Rue.”
“Oh my god...” I whispered.
Josh started to tense up... “What?”
I started to laugh under my breath, “Teenagers everywhere... drinking coffee.”
I reached up to his arm and started to drag him towards the counter.
“Very funny Rue. Ha Ha”
“Come on Josh.”
Sara and I received our Fraps. Kai and Josh both got something with double shot of this or that... of course. We snagged the corner booth, which never happens. Awesome, something is going right, thank god. We all settled in, Sara was being super chatty, mainly towards Josh and he periodically looked at her, smiling or nodding, or both. I cracked a smile, just knowing he'd rather just grab her head and suck it all out, but he couldn't, not here... sweet. I started to look around, noticing all these kids I had grown up with, or had I? It kinda saddened me to think that memories, a lifetime’s worth could just be conjured up, or changed on a whim. It pissed me off to think that whoever we were, and I knew there were more of us, just had this big game going on, with people’s lives, with humans. I'm human right? Was I at all? Did I really grow up here? I remembered wrecking my bike when I was 10, skinning my knees something awful. Did that really happen? My thoughts were interrupted.
“Hey.”
I looked up, pulling me out of my Jeopardy moment.
“Hey Johnathan!” Sara looked at me then back to him. She immediately scootched over pulling me with her.
“Sit down Johnathan, we have plenty of room!” she said.
He got a crooked smile on his face and sat down next to me. His side was mushed against mine and I could feel his body heat... Jeezus. I had a flash of something really dirty go through my mind.
“So, I see you got dragged to the hot spot.” Johnathan was looking across the table at Josh.
“Yea… Sara and Rue wanted some drugs I guess,” he said, as he shrugged his shoulders.
Johnathan looked at our drinks, “What...those...? Yeah, if you want to overdose on sugar.” He nudged my side.
“Umm, I'm a sucker for Vanilla Bean, wicked drug, very pushy… Always says ‘Please, pay too much for me’.”
Johnathan laughed at me. Then Kai decided to make a true protester’s statement while he was sucking down his high adrenaline iced double shot something or other.
“Yea… no shit Rue. All this was like what, twenty bucks or something, I should just figure out how to make this stuff at the house.”
Everyone at the table said, “NO” at the same time. Kai looked around at all of us. “What?” he said.
We all started laughing.
I heard the bell on the door and looked up. Mr. Noble, the key holder to the towns library came rushing in, a newspaper tucked under his arm. He walked up to the counter and ordered his coffee black, no sugar, nothing, Yuck. I heard the bell again and saw Sam come walking in looking around the room.
“Oh there’s uh… mom,” I said.
Sara looked up from her drink. “Where? I don't see… Who's she?”
“Who Sara?” I asked her.
“That girl there, with the awesome red hair. How does she get it that color?”
I looked at Josh and he turned around, “Oh, that's my sister Sam.”
“Rue, you didn't tell me Josh here had a sister coming to stay with you guys too.” Sara said.
“I… I didn't know, well it wasn't for sure… but hey look she's here so...” I said as I sucked on my straw.
Sam spotted us, well Johnathan first really; she came over to our table.
“Hi...” she said.
I decided to start the introductions, although almost everyone at the table knew her already.
“Hey Sam! Umm… this is Sara and Johnathan... You already know your brother and Kai.” I started to laugh but it sounded nervous, “and me.”
“Hi, Sara, Johnathan.” Sam spoke, but she was locked eye to eye, with Josh.
“Ummm… Josh, hey will you give me the drink tour here?” she asked him.
Josh looked at her, “I just got here myself Sam. They have a board with...”
Sam started to laugh... “Latte this, espresso that, I get sooo confused, I always use Josh here as my navigator when I buy coffee.”
Josh just sat still. Sam raised her eyebrows and he said, “Yeah… yeah that's true, she sucks at ordering stuff like this, I'll help ya.”
He stood up and they both started to walk towards the counter. Conversation started back up at the table, but I kept an eye on the two of them. I couldn't help thinking that something was up. Sam could obviously do things on her own being all Rambo chick and stuff. I didn't notice Johnathan was trying to talk to me.
“Rue?” I snapped out of it for a moment.
“What?” I looked down at my drink.
“So, what are doing this afternoon?” he asked me.
“Tour guide,” I mu
ttered.
Johnathan looked at Sam and Josh, who were obviously in conversation.
“Oh, okay…”
I realized he sounded upset at least a little.
“Yeah, ummm, I'm sure I'll have some time at some point today, but for now, I’m just hanging with them”
“Sure... no problem, I bet you and Sam have some girl stuff or something.”
I looked at him.
“Girl stuff?” I asked.
“You know... whatever you guys do, girls I mean, when you hang out.”
Johnathan cracked his, oh so famous, smile.
“I don't really do ‘girl stuff’. I'm more the listener, not the talker.”
“Huh,” he said.
I just sat there wondering what the hell he thought I did with Sara. Sit around watching romance movies? Talking about boys. What the...
“I'm kidding you know, I don't think you are girlie, just don't get that vibe from you,” he whispered.
I felt bad for painting him into the dick corner.
“Oh yeah, I knew that.” I reached up and started to mess with my hair across my shoulder. I stopped pretty quick, realizing I was coming dangerously close to being ‘girlie’.
Suddenly I felt a burst of energy come out in a wave; it almost had a sonic sound to it. It had radiated out in flash of white, leaving everything looking shimmery. I looked around at the table. Sara, Johnathan, and Kai were frozen still. I pulled myself up and realized the entire coffee shop was suspended. People were mid sip, mid laugh, mid walk. The girl behind the counter was pouring some liquid into a glass and it just hung there... so much for physics. I was about to run, then I noticed three people just standing in a circle in the middle of the shop. It was Josh, Sam, and Mr. Noble.
“Nice Clark,” Josh said.
Mr. Noble just smiled at them both.
“Well, I would say it's nice to see you, both of you, but you know I've never been the emotional type.”
Sam and Josh stood their ground.
“What Clark... you controlling time now too?”
He started to laugh, “Oh you would be surprised how many skills you can hone with all this time I've had on my hands Josh.”
“I don't understand why you would help Grace and William, Clark; you seem to be a creature that only looks out for himself.” Josh said.
Clark shifted his stance and crossed his arms.
