Burning Down the House

by Allie Gail

  Eventually Dana and Mrs. Landry left to prepare for the halftime presentation. I stayed behind with the men, stargazing at number forty-two while Dad and Chief Landry debated whether the Terrapins were going to have a promising year, and Tyler wandered off to the concession area with money solicited from his dad. He still hadn’t returned at the end of second quarter when the announcer’s voice snapped me out of my daydreaming.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time now to introduce this year’s royal court. Please welcome our homecoming queen nominees and their escorts. Representing the senior class is Staci Sheridan. She is being escorted tonight by senior Colin Hayes…”

  Staci’s gown was surprisingly less revealing than I would have pictured, considering her flair for exhibitionism. It was an eye-catching lemon yellow and for once, the huge bazoombas were tucked away. Two other girls were introduced before Dana, and when she and Trent walked out on the field we made a big show of cheering and hooting. Following her was a girl named Shelly who was in my physics class and who I occasionally compared homework with. And last to be introduced, cutting a striking figure in a forest green dress that set off her coppery red hair, was Jordan Cox. Gliding across the turf on Riley’s arm, I couldn’t help but compare her to the scrawny misfit from ninth grade. Back then she was all freckles, stringy russet hair and layers of black clothes paired with combat boots. Amazing the difference a few years could make.

  I swallowed my disappointment when last year’s queen placed the crown on Jordan. Even knowing that Dana wouldn’t care all that much. She was on cloud nine just to be there with Trent. But I’d almost rather have seen Slutty Staci crowned queen after what Jordan had done.

  “Folks, let’s have a big round of applause for our Hillcrest High School homecoming queen, Jordan Cox! Congratulations to the queen and to all the members of this year’s court.”

  Our school doesn’t crown a king like a lot of other schools do, but I’d be willing to bet that if we did Riley would’ve snagged that title. The starting quarterback and the future valedictorian - they were every faculty’s wet dream. A high school cliché, the stuff cheesy eighties movies were made of.

  It was a relief to me when the whole thing was over. Rob’s prediction of a blowout turned out to be accurate - the final score ended up being 51-7 in our favor, but it wasn’t all due to golden boy Murphy. The rights to two of those touchdowns belonged exclusively to the running back with the hazel eyes.

  My physics notes were spread out across the coffee table in front of me late Saturday afternoon, and I was sitting on the floor finishing up the last few problems while Rob and my dad lazed about watching sports on ESPN. Football to them was a lot like a sale at Bath and Body Works to me. Enough could never be enough.

  Over in his recliner, Dad glanced up at the mantel clock with the reminder, “Don’t you have an appointment at Kyra’s in a few minutes?”

  And the dreaded interrogation had begun. Without looking up from my paper, I casually told him, “I cancelled it.”

  “You did? Why’d you cancel it?”

  My fingers tightened around the pen I was holding. “I changed my mind about going out with Riley tonight.”

  I didn’t have to look up to feel both pairs of eyes on me. For one blessed moment everything was quiet, but then my dad cleared his throat and said uncertainly, “Well, would you like to share with me what changed your mind?”

  “I think it had something to do with the fact that he decided to take someone else instead.” Gathering my papers together in a neat stack, I stuck them in my textbook and closed it. When I finally did turn my head in his direction, the look on his face was a combination of surprise and budding anger.

  “Come again?”

  “It’s no big thing…”

  “When did he decide this?”

  “Um. Yesterday.”

  “Yesterday!”

  “I told you, it doesn’t matter. He and his girlfriend are getting back together so it would just be weird for him to take me anyway.”

  “Well, I would think the damn boy could show a little more consideration than to spring this on you the day before!”

  “Dad, really - I don’t care. It’s not…”

  “It’s not a problem because she’s agreed to go with me instead. With your permission, sir.”

  What? Baffled, I turned my head to see Rob still sprawled out on the sofa directly behind me, his eyes challenging me to refute him. There was the slightest hint of a smile there and I wondered what was going through his mind. And why he was volunteering for something I knew very well held no interest for him. But I couldn’t bring myself to say a word.

  “I see.” Placated, my father turned his attention back to ESPN. The amusement in his voice was clearly discernable. “Well. All right then.”

  Dear God, he looked scrumptious.

  Beside me in the Prius, dressed in a white dress shirt underneath a charcoal gray suit, the enigma that was Rob sat drumming his fingers on the steering wheel and nodding his head lightly to the beat of Linkin Park’s Burn It Down. The irony didn’t escape me.

  I was still trying to figure out what we were even doing on this impromptu date. Sitting here in the purple dress I’d meant to return, with hair and makeup I spent an hour on and perfectly manicured hands folded across my lap…all to go stand around in the event room of the school’s field house with someone who’d already pointed out that these functions were a waste of time. Even so, just being next to him tonight, alone together while driving through the clear dark night, was intoxicating. Every once in a while I caught a faint whiff of his cologne and something about it made me want to climb over there, straddle his lap and slide my tongue down his throat. I actually began to lose myself in calculating how well my body would fit between him and the steering wheel.

  Reaching to turn the radio’s volume down, he glanced over at me a couple of times before finally saying with a hesitant smile, “I’m sorry I didn’t have time to get you any flowers.”

  I couldn’t believe something like that would even cross his mind. It was so incredibly sweet, especially coming from him. “That’s okay. I think corsages are basically reserved for prom anyway.”

  “I should probably go ahead and tell you I don’t dance either.”

  I had to stifle a laugh. “We don’t have to dance. I really think the whole thing is just an excuse to get all dressed up so we’ll have some nice shots for the yearbook. Um…and sorry about my dad, by the way.” He’d insisted on taking our picture in front of the fireplace before we left. So awkward.

  “Can’t fault him that. I think it’s his way of trying to make up for lost time. You have no idea how excited he was that you were coming back to live with him.”

  “He was?”

  “Mm-hm.”

  “So is that why you’re doing this then? For my dad?”

  He turned on the blinker and waited to pull into the school’s parking lot before answering. When he did, his words were slow and deliberate. “I’m doing this because I don’t want you to let that cocksucker Riley get the better of you. He doesn’t get to win this one, Sara. You are going to be hands down the most beautiful girl there tonight and I expect to see you walk in there and own that place. Show that chump just what it is he missed out on.”

  Hearing him call me beautiful sent a delicious tingle through me, travelling all the way down to my glitter painted toenails. “You have some kinda personal vendetta against him or something?”

  “No. I just happen to think what he did to you was pretty low.”

  “So you’re here because you feel sorry for me?”

  Rolling his eyes, he stepped out of the car and came around to open my door. “I’m here because I want to be here. Stop being so suspicious.”

  “Okay…sorry.” I took his proffered hand and let him help me out of the car, and as we slowly walked toward the field house I admitted, “You clean up pretty good yourself.”

  “Thanks…I even complied with the ‘no un
derwear’ ordinance.”

  I giggled, sure that he was joking. “Um…okay, that’s a little more than I needed to know.”

  “I think they’re doing spot checks later on,” he teased, ushering me into the field house. I could already hear the throbbing beat of dance music, a techno remix of One Night In Bangkok. We showed our student ID’s to a teacher stationed at the event room’s entrance, then went on inside. Even through the mass of gyrating bodies and flashing strobe lights, I quickly spotted Trent doing a pretty impressive job of hardstyle shuffling while a small audience laughed at his antics.

  “Come on.” Rob caught hold of my hand and we zigzagged through the crowd until reaching Dana, who squealed and threw her arms around my neck when she saw us.

  “Oh my gosh, I didn’t think you were coming!” Her eyes flickered to Rob, but although they registered surprise she didn’t make a big thing of it. “You look gorgeous! I’m so glad you guys decided to come. Let’s go sit down for a minute. Trent!” Waving to get his attention, she motioned for him to follow as we tried to find a table that had enough empty chairs for the four of us.

  “Check it out.” Trent nudged Rob and pointed out into the crowd, where Staci had her back arched and was grinding her ass up against Colin’s crotch in some kind of frantic mating dance. He definitely didn’t seem to mind.

  “Mr. Weston already had to tell them one time to tone it down,” Dana shared with us. “They’re gonna wind up getting thrown outta here.”

  “Hell, they don’t care. They’ll just go do their twerking and daggering in private.” Trent grinned and draped an arm around Dana’s shoulder.

  “I wish they would - nobody wants to watch them screw in public. Hey, does Riley know you’re here yet?”

  “I don’t know. I haven’t seen him.”

  “He and Jordan were already arguing when they got here. I don’t know what’s going on with them.”

  “Karma.” With a wink at me, Rob pulled off his coat and tossed it over the back of his chair.

  “You look nice tonight,” Dana told him. “Did Sara have to twist your arm to get you to come?”

  “Not exactly.”

  “What did she twist?” Trent teased.

  Dana slapped his arm. “Trent, don’t be a pig. Oh my gosh - look over there at Doug trying to dance! He’s so funny…”

  “He looks like a damn walrus on crack.”

  “Oh, you’re one to talk!”

  After a few more minutes of playful bantering between them, Trent focused his attention on talking football with Rob so Dana and I put our heads together to whisper.

  “Spill it, girl! What’s going on?” she wanted to know.

  “I don’t know, we just kinda decided to come together.”

  “Well, who asked who?”

  “He did.”

  “I knew it, I knew it, he likes you!”

  “He does not - I think he just felt bad for me.”

  “Sara, other than football the guy lives like a freakin’ hermit. You can’t make me believe he got all dressed up and crawled out of his cave just because he felt sorry for you!”

  “Well…”

  “I don’t even think the guy’s dated anyone since the tenth grade.”

  “Who’d he go out with in tenth grade?” I asked curiously.

  “I’m pretty sure he and Jordan had a thing for a little while.”

  “They did?” Perfect - her again. That name sure seemed to be turning up an awful lot lately. Right now, that bit of information was the last thing in the world I wanted to know.

  “I could be wrong. I mean, it was tenth grade - who can remember? Anyway, it’s not like they could have been serious or anything.”

  “Okay, whatever.” I knew Dana was just trying to make me feel better, but I really didn’t want to hear any more about it.

  Suddenly she sprang to her feet, squealing, “Oh my God - it’s my song! Come on, we have to dance.” Grabbing Trent’s arm, she dragged him back out into the crowd for a slow dance to The Only Exception.

  The wild, frenzied energy of the room was instantly sedated by the softer music. For a moment I watched the two of them swaying in their tight embrace, then I let my eyes wander back to Rob, who in turn was watching me.

  With a slow smile, he stood and offered his hand.

  “I thought you said you couldn’t dance.” I let my fingers interlace with his, reveling in their warmth.

  “I said didn’t…not couldn’t.” Guiding me out to the middle of the floor, he slipped his arms around my waist to pull me close. I found it hard to breathe, hard to organize any thoughts. My own hands found their way to his shoulders and I rested my cheek against his solid chest. I never knew two separate and individual pieces could fit so perfectly together. Closing my eyes, I trusted him to guide my movements.

  Near the middle of the song I opened them to find Jordan staring at us over Riley’s shoulder. She quickly averted her gaze when she saw me looking at her. As if anything either of those two did mattered to me. Let her stare. I couldn’t have cared less. With my own eyes once again shut, I could easily convince myself that Rob and I were the only two people in the room.

  “See…I told you, didn’t I?” he murmured against my temple.

  “Told me what?”

  “That you’d be the most beautiful girl here.”

  I lifted my head to smile up at him. “Rob Kensington…are you flirting with me?”

  “I’m only stating a fact.” One of his hands lightly caressed my back, and I felt a thrill of excitement.

  “All right…I have to know. Why the sudden change of heart?”

  “Change of heart?”

  “Admit it. You’ve never liked me. So why are you being nice to me now?”

  There was no mistaking the guilty look in his eyes. Even so, I waited for him to deny what I knew to be a fact. Amazingly enough, he didn’t. “It was nothing you did, Sara. And I don’t feel that way anymore.”

  “But I don’t understand why you did in the first place. I mean, we barely knew one another.”

  “We’ll talk about it later. Okay?”

  “Later, when?”

  “Just later. Now isn’t the time.”

  “When is the time?”

  “You don’t give up easily, do you?”

  “Not when it’s something I really want.”

  I could feel his arms tighten around me, and from just above my head I heard him mumble something. I couldn’t be sure, but it sounded like, “God, I’m in trouble.”

  10

  At Rob’s suggestion we went for a drive after leaving the dance, and somehow ended up parked at an overlook near the top of Haystack Mountain. The lights from the city below twinkled in the darkness, and hemlock branches from the trees flanking the car bowed gently in the dusky breeze. I wondered if it really was the view he brought me here for.

  I hoped not.

  Rob was busy connecting his iPhone to the audio system, and once he found the song he wanted he lowered the windows and said, “Let’s get out.”

  I followed him around to the front of the car, where he stood gazing out at the sparkling valley below. Even though it was only mid-October, the night was cold and the cashmere cardigan I had on over my dress wasn’t helping much. I crossed my arms in front me, trying not to shiver.

  “You cold?” he asked without turning his head.

  “A little.”

  “Wanna get back in the car?”

  “No, I’m okay.”

  Slipping out of his sport coat, he reached around me to drape it over my shoulders. I slid my arms into the sleeves and pulled it close, hugging his warmth to me. I could faintly smell the scent of his cologne lingering on the collar. From behind us drifted a piano melody so heartwrenchingly sad it set butterflies free in my stomach. One of the songs from his goth days, probably. The vocalist’s deep, rich baritone had to be the most beautiful voice ever put to music.

  I looked up at Rob, saw the chilly breeze ruffle the ends of
his dark hair. He was still gazing at the distant lights in the darkness, and I couldn’t even begin to guess what it was that he saw down there.

  “Will you tell me now?” I gently prompted him.

  “What is it you’d like to know?”

  “Why you couldn’t stand me back in junior high.”

  His eyes shifted to me, then back to the valley. “Do you remember when our families used to still get together once in a while and do stuff? Back when we were like, maybe five or six.”

  “Vaguely.” That was before my mother’s subtle complaints drove a wedge between the men. The snobbish side of her sniffed out a better class of friends than Buck and Rita Kensington. Personally though, I never really saw the issue with them. They’d always seemed perfectly nice to me.

  “That was back before things started changing. But only for me - nothing changed for you. I guess at the time I didn’t understand that. Why it all went straight to hell for me and no one else.” Inhaling deeply, he sighed before shoving his hands in the pockets of his slacks. “It wasn’t that I didn’t like you, Sara. It was that I wanted what you had, what I’d lost. I envied you. Simple as that.”

  “And what was it that you lost?”

  “Everything. You name it - he took it.”

  “Who? Your father?”

  “Yes. My father.” The word sounded like poison on his tongue. “My loving, devoted father…who hated me with every breath in his body. Who made a point of proving to me every single day just how much. He turned my life into a nightmare. And nobody ever had a clue.”

  The night seemed to grow colder with his chilling confession. I guess I’d already suspected there was something wrong there, from the bitter way he’d spoken about his father before. But the reality of it was still difficult to hear, and unfortunately there were no words of comfort I could offer him. Because it was too late for that. Obviously everyone had failed him during the time he’d needed help the most.

  “I wanted what you had,” he repeated softly. “I wanted your father instead of mine. Someone who didn’t put on a disguise for the rest of the world and then turn into a completely different person behind closed doors. A place I wasn’t afraid to go home to at night.” He looked down at me then, but the eyes that should have held sadness and regret were merely hollow and empty. “That’s why I never liked you. I wanted your life. From where I stood, you had everything.”