Everyone filed out of the auditorium once the final debate ended. The air buzzed with excitement for tonight’s gala. How were they going to transform this place into a ballroom in such a short time? It didn’t seem feasible.
I’d had almost an hour to digest and fret about the note. What had I been thinking trying to expose the Farmers’ Aid Bill here with five hundred plus students and at least one hundred adult political nuts in the audience? I should have just waited and told Jeremy. I’d definitely brought our little group into more danger now.
With no way to erase the huge mistake, I wondered what might happen to us. If only I’d seen the note this morning, maybe I wouldn’t have worked so hard to call out the dogs on the Bill. I could’ve talked to Jeremy about it, too.
When I got to the bus, I went straight for the back row. If only I’d kept my mouth shut. If, if, if.
Wait a minute. He ran. Iceman ran from me. He must’ve heard everything I’d said in the debate, and yet, he ran. Wouldn’t he have done something to me in that alley if I’d crossed the line? Maybe I was overreacting. Maybe the weird look Iceman gave me in the alley came from fear. Maybe I put out enough information about them to scare them away.
Rick squeezed past me to sit by the window on the back seat next to me. In a flash, he took the pink paper I still had clutched in my hand and started to open it.
“Hey! That’s mine. Give it back,” I said. I didn’t want him to read it.
“Oh, the way you were holding this little pink slip, made me think it was for me.” He smiled broadly, teasing, holding it away from me while continuing to unfold it.
“It’s just my dry-cleaning receipt.” I insisted, pushing my way over him, my arm completely outstretched, trying to get it back. It was kind of fun to play this way, but I really didn’t want him to read the note, and what if Marybeth took notice? She thought she was safe.
“Then it’s no big deal if I take just a quick look.” He laughed a little, keeping me back easily with one hand, holding the unfolded receipt with the other, staring hard at it, eyes squinting.
The arm restraining me went lax, and I snatched the receipt from his hand just as the bus started to move. He didn’t resist. He merely sat upright and stared at me. He didn’t really look at me, though. He looked through me. Until he suddenly focused and asked, “Who wrote that? Was it the FBI?”
I just stared—unsettled.
He moved in close to me, his hot cheek pressed against mine as he talked directly into my ear.
“Was it the bad guys? Have you been getting threats? What’s going on?”
I could smell his spicy cologne and imagined we were somewhere else. I thought about when I told him about the guy at Georgetown, he had been masterful in the way he handled it. Maybe he could help me out again. I swallowed hard and took a deep breath before telling him.
“The bad guys have been following us and listening to us since the ballroom. They keep warning me to be silent about what I saw. For the most part, they just make sure I know they’re watching.” I felt instant relief.
“We’ve got to tell the FBI. This is crazy,” he said.
For a second, I thought I should tell him I’d been talking to the FBI all along, but then I remembered my promise not to say anything.
“No,” I said. “The bad guys would know if we contacted the FBI, and we’d be in more danger than we already are. We can’t contact them.”
“We can get into contact with them,” he said. He sat up straight and looked forward.
He sounded so sure that I wondered if the FBI had questioned him too, like me and Marybeth. I looked at him. His blue eyes sparkled with assurance. I leaned back into him and asked him flat out if he had been in contact with the FBI.
“Yes,” he whispered.
I took a deep breath and held it, thinking about this “little” revelation. For a moment, time was suspended. Why had they told me not to tell anyone, when it seemed everyone had been questioned? Why did they want to make me feel like I was alone? I felt a little sick. The bus moved into traffic.
“They interviewed me about the murder,” he said, matter-of-factly.
I couldn’t believe it. I started to feel a tightening heat in my chest. This really upset me. I’d worked so hard to keep my meeting with them a secret, and the secret weighed a ton, and they let me carry the burden without any help, when I could’ve had it. The punch in the FBI’s parking garage flashed across my mind, and I wanted another shot at Jeremy.
“Did they interview you too?” he asked.
“Yes,” I said, feeling no need to keep it a secret any longer. Really, I wanted to tell everyone, I was so mad. “We’ve met several times actually. They told me I couldn’t tell anyone. Why would they do that if they talked to you, too? It makes me kinda mad.”
“I don’t know. They told me not to tell either.”
“I want to punch Jeremy right in the face.”
“Jeremy? Was your agent’s name, Jeremy?”
I felt my face flash hot. “Yours wasn’t?” I asked, wondering what was going on.
“Special Agent Todd Nills, I think.”
“Oh. I would’ve thought they would’ve used the same agents for all of us.” It hadn’t occurred to me that there could be other agents questioning everyone else. Maybe there were a bunch of agents hanging out near us all the time, but I only knew Jeremy and Nathan. Maybe they didn’t want all of us to draw attention to them. Maybe that’s why it was all so secretive. It still made me mad. They should have told me everyone was talking.
“Yeah, weird. Do you think they talked to everyone?”
“Probably,” I said, a ball of fire rolling through my throat. “Okay, so how do we let them know about this note? I can’t stand the thought of you being in danger.”
I chuckled. If he only knew. “I’m not sure. For me, it’s kind of the luck of the draw running into them.” I was glad he hadn’t made the connection with Jeremy being the “college guy” we’d hung out with the last week and a half.
“Me, too. They just kinda pop up every now and then. Hmm.”
“We’re leaving tomorrow. Besides, it’s too late now, anyway. They meant for me to read the note before the debate today. Me and my big mouth. I just had to prove I was smarter than they were. Now I probably put us all in more danger.”
“No, you haven’t.”
“But I have. If I had seen the note before the debate, I wouldn’t have tried so hard to get people to pay attention to their bill. Now they know I know. What have I done?”
“Stop it. You figured it out. That’s a good thing. We just need to tell the FBI.”
I wasn’t so sure anymore. They made me mad. Anyway, what could they do now?
“If we get the chance, we’ll tell them. But I’m not going to stress about it. Tomorrow we’re out of here, and it’ll all be a thing of the past.” I tried to convince myself what I said was true and took a deep breath, pushing against the back of my seat, looking down the aisle of the bus. My eyes met Alex’s. He was two rows forward, legs in the aisle, staring at me.
My face got hot, and I shifted from side to side. I sighed, looking up and seeing Marybeth’s face looking down at me, grinning. She moved her eyes back and forth from Rick to me and made a kissing gesture. I wished I’d never told her about Rick kissing me. I shook my head, a minute movement, and narrowed my eyes at her. She gave me a pressed smile and then said, “The gala’s going to be amazing. Don’t you think, Kira?” Without looking at her, she nudged Kira, who got on her knees and turned around to look down, too. But it wasn’t me she wanted to see. It was Rick, and he looked at me.
“My dress is amazing, Marybeth,” Kira said, still staring at Rick. “Wait until you see it. And my shoes are to die for.”
“My dress makes me feel like a princess,” Marybeth said. “I got it from my good friend, Janice back home. She has the most amazing gowns.”
Before coming on the trip, I’d decided not to go to the gala. It seemed like such a silly
thing, but listening to Marybeth and Kira I got an achy feeling in my gut, wishing I’d brought a dress so that I had the choice. Anyway, an event that would make someone use the word, “gown” probably wasn’t a place for me.
“What’s your dress like, Christy?” Kira asked me, her eyes never leaving Rick.
“My dress?”
“Your dress for the gala!” She finally looked at me, smirking.
“Oh, yeah, the gala. I’m not going.” My heart pinged a little when I said it.
“What?” You have to go!” Marybeth said.
Kira had a thin smile on her face.
“Yeah, you have to go, Christy,” Rick said.
Kira’s eyes narrowed.
“I don’t have to go. Besides, I didn’t bring some awesome gown or even shoes for that matter. I’d be totally out of place. It’s no big deal.” I wanted it to be no big deal, but why did my heart seem to squish at the thought of not going now? I looked forward to avoid the three of them and ran into Alex’s gaze again. Why was he staring at me like that? Was it because I was next to Rick? I smiled at him, my nerves on edge, and he stood and made his way to the seat opposite Marybeth and Kira, squishing Eugene against the window as he sat facing the aisle—and me.
I felt Rick sit up tall to look over me at Alex.
“What are ya’all talking about?” Alex said, glancing around at everyone and then back to me.
“Christy’s not going to the gala,” Kira said in a cheery voice.
“You’re not?” Alex asked.
I felt Rick shift in his seat.
“No. I’ve got some things to do—” I felt my face go hot.
“And, she didn’t bring a dress!” Kira blurted.
“Look, it’s no big deal. I don’t know how to dance all fancy anyway,” I said, glaring at Kira and wishing I’d brought a dress.
Alex took a long look at me and then went back to his seat and started talking on his phone. I felt a bit numb. I guess he didn’t care if I went or not.
Rick and Marybeth continued to try to persuade me to go.
I refused every time. I didn’t want Kira to know how badly I wanted to go. I had to save face. The bus stopped.
“You have two hours, ladies and gentlemen,” Mrs. J’s voice roared. “That is one hundred and twenty minutes and not one longer. Be outside in two hours. Understand?”
After heads nodded, there was a mad dash to get out of the bus. I walked into the hotel last with Rick. Even Alex was long gone. I took a quick look into the buffet room for the FBI. No luck.
Rick tried one more time. “Sure you’re not gonna go?”
“I’m sure,” I said, feeling a bit sick. “Maybe I should try to get a hold of you-know- who.”
“’Kay,” he said, as I opened my door. He gave me a crooked smile, eyes gleaming and walked away backwards, looking at me until I looked away and went into my room.
Marybeth hadn’t wasted a second. She was already in the shower.
I sat on my bed and tried to clear my thoughts. I’d have to make the best of my evening. Maybe I’d check the buffet room at about seven for the guys. If they weren’t there, I’d check the rec room at eight or eight-thirty if I thought of it. I wrote a note for Jeremy and stuffed it into my pocket. One more note. It was almost over. Tomorrow we’d be gone. Then it would finally be over. I shivered.
I heard the hair dryer and let myself doze off to the hum.
When Marybeth opened the bathroom door, I woke to a gush of sweetly perfumed air.
She looked amazing in a lime green princess dress that made her eyes look even more brilliant.
“You look beautiful!” I said, slinging my legs around and sitting up so that I could feel the fabric of the dress. “Wow! You look just like a princess.”
Her hair was pulled up in a loose bun and curls dangled all around it.
I felt another large twinge of regret for not bringing a dress. I’m sure the gala would have been cool. What had I been thinking? I could have danced with Alex. Then again, when I’d left home, I didn’t think there would be an Alex, and he didn’t seem concerned I wasn’t going, anyway. Rick would have danced with me, though.
There was a knock on the door. Thinking it was Kira, I jumped up, excited to see her “amazing” dress, too. Instead, a hotel guy stood, holding a huge, long pink box with a large white bow on it.
“Delivery for Christy Hadden,” he announced, placing the box into my arms.
I squinted, wondering what it could be.
“What in the world,” Marybeth said, shutting the door. She grabbed the envelope from the top of the box as I set the whole thing on my bed. She handed it to me, and I pulled out the card, it read,
I can’t wait to see you in this tonight. Alex.
Marybeth, who’d been reading over my shoulder, let out a loud squeal.
My heart pounded hard.
“Hurry, hurry,” she said. “Open it, open it.”
I fumbled with the bow and finally untied it with the help of Marybeth. I was so nervous, my mind in a whir. How did he do this? When did he do this? Was there really a dress in here? What shoes could I wear? My heart fluttered and I tried not to become hysterical.
Lifting off the lid revealed a beautiful pink silky dress and in the bottom of the box, matching shoes. He’d thought of everything. I was speechless, mouth open, staring at them.
“Oh my gosh!” Marybeth yelled. “I knew he liked you. Now you have to go to the gala. Hurry up, get changed. We only have about thirty minutes to make you stunning. This is a real princess story.”
As I slid into the dress, I kept thinking this wasn’t really happening. It couldn’t be. Things like this didn’t happen to me. The dress felt weightless and hugged every curve of my body. I felt a bit self-conscious as I stared in the mirror. I clenched my teeth and wondered if I could pull it off.
“Ready?” Marybeth called as she turned the doorknob to the bathroom.
“I guess,” I said, as she opened the door.
“Wow! That dress is incredible. Now, let’s make the rest of you incredible, too.”
Marybeth worked like the wind, pulling my hair up and straightening pieces that fell to my shoulders. In awe, my respect for her grew. I could never have done this to myself and never imagined anyone doing it for me.
“Perfect!” she proclaimed.
Then she put all kinds of stuff on my face. She was done in a flash.
“Are you ready to see yourself?” she asked, grinning from ear to ear.
“Maybe,” I said, still unsure about the clingy, sexy dress.
She moved out from in front of the mirror, and I saw a different person. It wasn’t me.
“You look gorgeous.”
My face looked flawless, and my hair looked professionally done. I could only stare, my heart still pounding as I thought of the possibilities with Alex.
She pushed past me and called me to come put my shoes on. In a daze, I followed her voice, sat on the bed and put the shoes on. Heels again. Yikes. Someone knocked on the door, and Marybeth ran to it. It was Rick—still in his regular clothes.
He stared at me, eyes wide and mouth slightly open.
“You look stunning! But, I…uh…thought you weren’t going to go. I figured I’d….”
Marybeth looked at me and then back to Rick.
I didn’t know what to say. “Well, I was going to stay and then, uh, um.”
“What she’s trying to say is,” Marybeth said. “She got a package about half an hour ago with that dress in it. So, now she’s going.”
“Oh! Uh, who sent it?” Rick asked.
Uncomfortable seconds ticked by before Marybeth said, “Uh, Alex.”
I clenched my teeth and looked at my shoes. I didn’t want him to see my undeniable happiness. I knew it would hurt him. It was so hard to conceal my complete excitement at having a boy buy me clothes and invite me to a gala.
“Hmmpf, smart man,” Rick said. “Guess I need to hurry now. See ya the
re.” He rushed from the room, leaving the door to slam shut. I felt bad. I’m sure he had been thinking he would stay behind with me. Normally, I would have been swept off my feet, but today was different. Today I was Cinderella and Alex was my Prince.
“Oh, Marybeth,” I said. “Is this really real? You’ve made me into someone I’m not.”
“It’s you. You just didn’t know how beautiful you could be. Oh, one last thing.” She reached into a see-through bag from the bathroom, pulled out a glass bottle and sprayed me with it. Now, I even smelled good.
“Let’s not make Alex wait any longer,” Marybeth said, pushing me out the door, terrorist plots forgotten.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
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