She could feel the tension in his body. She didn’t know who at the table was more uncomfortable. They all were, but they’d all learn to cope. Hopefully. Around them people began talking again, but their little group became completely fixated on eating and avoiding eye contact with each other.
“Ginger, how’s your grandmother doing?” Mal finally asked, breaking the silence.
Ginger actually jumped when he spoke. “Fine, thanks,” she said, eyes still on the table.
“Is that new back cushion I recommended to her actually helping?” he asked.
Ginger looked up in surprise. “That was your idea?” she asked.
He nodded. “I knew her pain was getting worse so last time I dropped off a prescription for her I brought it for her to try out. Is it working?”
“Yes! Thank you so much for that. She’s been able to sit for longer periods of time without hurting too badly. She’s been raving about that thing. She even swears it has a heater in it and that it makes her back warm. We’ve tried telling her it’s not electric, but she insists that it gets warm when she uses it anyway.”
“Oh good. I was getting worried about her,” he said, a genuine smile lighting up his face.
Ginger gave him a smile back. It was just a small one, but it was there.
Opal actually felt herself begin to relax slightly. Maybe her crazy plan was going to work out after all.
“My cousin said you auditioned for the talent show with a magic act,” Annie said. “He said you were really amazing. How long have you been doing magic?”
“All my life it seems like,” Mal said. His voice was a little more tense than it had been a moment before. Opal also noticed that both Ginger and Hannah seemed to become even more fixated on their food. It was weird, but then again, weirdness would probably abound until everyone got used to the new normal.
There were a couple more questions interspersed with moments of tense silence. It was by no means a perfect lunch, but no one left the table so she considered it a victory.
When the warning bell sounded, though, everyone scattered faster than she would have thought possible. Even Mal took off and she let him. She sat for a moment by herself, forcing deep breaths in and out.
If she’d thought she’d gotten a lot of stares during her morning class they were as nothing compared to what she got the rest of the afternoon. It was with relief that she finally made it to study hall and retreated to the far back of the library again where she could be by herself.
She’d only been there ten minutes when she heard a step and looked up to see Mal rounding one of the bookcases.
“What are you doing here?” Opal asked.
“I came to say thank you. Thank you for yesterday at the police station and thank you for today at lunch. I know you felt bad about what happened yesterday and it took a lot of guts to put yourself out there and to try and redeem a small piece of my reputation like that. I didn’t expect it, but I am grateful.”
“You’re welcome.”
“And I appreciate your crazy stunt with trying to force your friends to talk to me.”
She shrugged. “It worked.”
He shook his head. “Well, it was novel, that’s for sure. And I did enjoy it. I let myself pretend for a few minutes that I was just like everyone else. So, thank you.”
He turned to go.
“Wait, that’s it?” she said, standing up.
“Yeah. I just wanted to catch you in private to say all that. Wasn’t sure when I’d have the chance again.”
“Aren’t you going to walk me home?” she asked.
“Oh, right,” he said with a grimace. “I guess we need to do that for a few days so people don’t realize you were just faking all that. Don’t worry. You can break up with me before homecoming. We’ll make sure this time it’s nice and public so there’s no misunderstandings. You can even hit me if you want. People should like that. It will probably make you a bit of a hero. Then we can all get back to our lives.”
“That’s it?”
“Unless you have a better plan,” he said. “I mean, you can dump me after school at the lockers, but then your friends will be mad because they’ll think you put them through that painful lunch for nothing. Plus, everyone will be suspicious of your motives earlier. In a week or so, though, everyone will totally believe that you just got sick of me.”
He was still hurting, she could tell.
“I’m sorry about yesterday, about freaking out, and everything.”
He shrugged. “It’s not every day you find out your boyfriend killed somebody when he was fourteen.”
“In the nurse’s office, I made Ginger tell me about it.”
He nodded slowly. “Well, she certainly had a front row seat.”
“I’m so sorry that happened to you.”
“Thanks.”
She heard footsteps and a moment later the librarian appeared, scowling. “I thought I saw you sneak back here,” she said to Mal.
He smiled at the woman. “Actually, I just sort of walked back here. I’m sorry you weren’t able to catch us doing something more scandalous, though. If you want to leave and come back in five minutes I’ll see what I can do.”
The woman glared daggers at him. She crossed her arms over her chest and it was clear she had no intention of leaving.
“I’ll see you later,” Mal said to Opal before walking past the woman. Fortunately the librarian followed him out instead of staying to lecture her.
The rest of the time she tried to do math homework, but couldn’t focus. She hadn’t gotten to finish her conversation with Mal and she was anxious for school to be out so she could. It seemed like it took forever but finally the bell rang and she bolted for her locker.
Mal had beaten her there and was waiting for her, a small smile on his face. His eyes were dark and brooding, though.
“Hey, Beautiful,” he greeted her.
“Hey yourself,” she answered.
She was all thumbs as she tried to get the books that she needed into her backpack and keep everything else in her locker. At last she was done and she slammed the locker closed.
“I’m ready,” she announced, a little breathlessly.
He reached out and took her hand and together they walked toward the front of the building. When she saw Mrs. Jennings watching them Opal leaned her head on Mal’s shoulder. The woman had no right to spread the terrible rumors she had the day before and Opal enjoyed watching her squirm now.
“See you Opal, Mal,” Annie said as she passed them.
“Later,” Mal called.
“See you tomorrow,” Opal said, pleased that Annie had addressed both of them. Another small victory.
They were halfway to Opal’s house when Mal let go of her hand.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“You don’t have to pretend anymore. No one left to see us out here.”
She bit her lip. “Can you ever forgive me?” she asked quietly.
“There’s nothing to forgive.”
She stopped and so did he. “Look me in the eyes and tell me that,” she said.
He turned and his eyes met hers. She didn’t see anger there or even pain. She just saw fear.
“I don’t blame you at all, but, if it makes you feel better, I forgive you,” he said.
“Thank you.”
They resumed walking in silence. When they were within sight of her house he spoke. “I know you have questions. Go ahead and ask.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
She took a deep breath. “Ginger said that after it was all over you started laughing.”
“I did. When I was younger I had the unfortunate habit of laughing when I was really scared. I’ve been trying to break myself of it. I was so afraid, so stressed, and then I realized I was also alive. Terror and euphoria all mixed together in my brain. I was in so much pain, but I couldn’t feel it at that moment. And, yes, I laughed. I laughed when it would have been better for ever
yone if I had cried.”
“Why didn’t you change schools?”
“You think my dad didn’t think of that? None of the other schools wanted to take me. As it was, the courts had to order our school to let me come back sophomore year since I’d broken no laws.”
She couldn’t help a small smile.
“What?” he asked.
“You told me they couldn’t legally stop you from attending. That was the truth.”
“Yes, it was.”
“Why me?” she asked.
“Excuse me?”
“I get why you talked to me on Saturday. I appreciate what you did to intervene for me with Seth on Monday. But, it was more than that. You kissed me. Why?”
“That’s easy. You’re smart, pretty, funny.”
“Two of those you haven’t really seen much of, but I’ll take the compliment,” she said.
He nodded. “When bad things happen...really bad things, it changes you. Most people don’t understand that unless they’ve been there. You were the first person who I thought had a chance of understanding. And for someone who’s been alone for so very long, that was incredibly attractive. I felt like we had a connection.”
They had reached her house.
“Look, I’m sorry for everything. I gotta get home.”
He turned and started walking.
“Pick me up in the morning?” she called after him.
He hesitated and then turned. “You don’t need to walk with me in the mornings. People won’t notice that as much. I’m trying to limit the amount of time you need to be spending with me. Again, sorry I got you into all this.”
He turned away and hurried up the street leaving her to stare at his retreating back.
I could have handled that a lot better, she thought, frustrated with herself.
With a sigh she went into the house. As soon as she had closed the door behind her she felt uncomfortable and she realized it was the first time she’d been alone in the house. Her aunt wasn’t due home for a couple of more hours.
She sat down at the kitchen table and tried to work on her homework. She had a hard time concentrating throughout as she replayed the conversation with Mal in her mind. There was so much more she should have said. She hadn’t even had a chance to talk to him about her aunt and the picture.
A sudden thought occurred to her and she got up and walked slowly through each room of the house, saving her aunt’s bedroom for last. She saw plenty of pictures of her aunt and her grandparents. There were even pictures of her and her father. She didn’t find a single picture of her mother anywhere, though.
By the time that her aunt made it home Opal had managed to finish her homework. They ate the leftover pizza in silence. Then Opal retreated to her room where she sat in the window seat and stared down the street.
She couldn’t even begin to fathom what Mal was going through and she just hoped that she hadn’t ruined any chance of actually having a real relationship with him. She felt like an idiot. Still, how could she not have reacted the way she did to finding out about his past?
She needed to straighten things out with him before it was too late. She kept staring and thinking until she couldn’t stand it anymore.
“What’s wrong?” Tanya asked as Opal made her way downstairs.
“I need to talk to Mal.”
“It can’t wait until tomorrow morning?”
“Actually, it can’t.”
“Oh, okay.”
Opal left the house and walked swiftly up the street. She found the doorbell and rang it.
Nearly a minute passed before the door opened. Mal stood there, staring at her. He stepped out onto the porch and closed the door behind him. “What’s wrong?” he asked, voice apprehensive.
“We need to talk,” she said.
He rolled his eyes. “Yes, because that worked out so well for us the last time.”
“You’re right.”
She stepped forward and kissed him. After a few moments she pulled back.
“What did you mean by that?” he asked.
She frowned. “I guess I didn’t make myself clear.”
She put her arms around his neck and kissed him again. When she ended the kiss she kept her arms around him.
“You are playing with fire,” he said, his voice sounding deeper.
“I’m not playing.”
“There are other things that you don’t know about me.”
“So, tell me. Or not.”
“I’ve been doing a lot of thinking. It’s too much, what I’d be asking of you. Being with me would put you in danger and I’m not sure I can do that.”
“You were right. I think it takes people like us to understand each other.”
He shook his head. “I couldn’t bear losing you again.”
He stepped back, breaking the hold she had on him. “You should go.”
Grief cut through her. She couldn’t blame him. How was he supposed to know she wouldn’t freak out again? She turned and walked slowly down the steps. At the bottom she turned.
“Just to be clear, this is you losing me again.”
“Opal, what do you want from me?” he asked, voice strangled.
“I want you to be my boyfriend, not for pretend or for a day, but my real, honest to goodness boyfriend. I want you to hang out with me, show me Salem, take me to the dance.”
“I can do all that without being your boyfriend.”
“Yes, but I also need you to kiss me every day, like you did in the library. Because I couldn’t be friends with you. I need so much more than that from you.”
“There are a lot of nice guys at school who would be happy to be your boyfriend.”
And just like that she knew what she had to say.
“I don’t want a nice guy. I want you.”
He moved so fast she couldn’t even see it. All she knew was that suddenly he was right there and his arms were around her tight.
“Are you sure?” he whispered.
Her blood was singing and electricity was crackling around them.
“I’m sure.”
He still hesitated.
“Mr. Grossman is in the hospital in a coma,” he said.
She blinked, wondering what that had to do with anything. A moment later the truth began to dawn on her. “Did you have something to do with that?”
“Yes.”
“Because of me?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I won’t let anyone hurt you. He is a bad man. I’ve always known that, but I never had a reason to do anything about it.”
She took a deep breath. “Okay.”
“Okay what?”
“Okay.”
“I’m trusting you with that secret.”
“You’ll just have to find a way to keep my lips sealed then,” she said, smirking at him.
“Believe me, that’s not going to be a problem.”
He kissed her and it was a soft kiss full of yearning.
“Walk you back?” he asked afterward.
She nodded. He kept an arm around her and they walked back down the street. When they got to her house he brushed her lips with a quick kiss.
“I’ll see you in the morning?” she asked.
“I’ll be here to take you to school,” he promised.
She walked up the stairs and waved as he headed back up the street. She opened the door, walked inside and then screamed in horror.
Her aunt was lying face down in the middle of the entryway, and she wasn’t moving.
10
Opal dropped on the floor next to Tanya and shook her shoulder. The other woman didn’t move. The front door flew open, and Opal fell backward, barely choking back another scream.
Mal was standing there, one hand raised as though ready to throw something. His eyes swept the room and then he dropped his hand and crouched down next to her.
“What happened?” he asked.
“I don’t know. She was in the kitch
en when I left. And I just opened the door and here she was.”
Mal put his fingers against Tanya’s throat and stared intently at her for a moment. “She’s alive. Call 911 and tell them to send an ambulance.”
Opal had left her phone upstairs. She ran into the kitchen and grabbed the receiver off the landline. She punched the numbers in.
“911, what’s your emergency?” a female voice said.
“My aunt, she just collapsed. I need an ambulance.”
“I’m dispatching an ambulance to your location right now. Do you know what caused her to collapse?”
“No, I walked in the house and found her on the floor. She was fine about ten minutes ago.”
“Does she have heart problems of any kind? Is she on any medication?”
“I don’t know.”
“That’s okay. The ambulance should be there shortly. Do you want me to stay on the line with you?”
“No.”
“Okay.”
Opal hung up and ran back into the entryway. “An ambulance is on its way.”
“Good,” Mal said, voice grim.
“What do you think happened to her?” she asked.
Mal didn’t answer for several seconds. “I can’t say what happened to her,” he finally answered slowly as though choosing his words carefully.
Before she could ask what he meant by that she heard the wail of a siren. She got up and stepped outside, lifting her arms in the air.
Moments later the ambulance was pulling up to the curb. Two men jumped out carrying duffel bags and raced up the stairs past her. She turned and saw Mal backing away from them to give them space to work.
“How long ago did this happen?” one of the men asked.
“Less than fifteen minutes I think,” Opal said.
Mal scooted around them and came outside to stand next to her.
“She’ll be okay,” he said.
“You don’t know that.”
He turned her to face him and looked into her eyes. “She’s alive and I promise you that what happened won’t kill her.”
“How do you know?” she asked, tears burning her eyes.
“I just know.”
She couldn’t lose her aunt. Tanya was the only family she had left. If she died Opal had no idea what she’d do.
Now You See Me Page 9
