by Nicole Thorn
I shot her a look.
“Oh!” she said, turning to me with an excited gleam in her eyes. “I have an idea.”
“That makes me nervous.”
“It should,” she whispered. “But bear with me, baby cakes. Your parents still have you on lockdown, and I bet I can get you out of it.” Before I could interrupt, she held her hand in the air. “Let me get it out before you say no, I ignore you, and we do it anyway. They’re all upset because they think you’ve lost your mind. I bet they’d get real happy if they knew you had a friend, and I am more than happy to put on my good girl face and make your parents think you found a really good egg to set you straight. They see me, think you’re getting better, and then we can go get a malt or something.”
That didn’t sound like the worst idea I ever heard, but that didn’t mean it would have worked. It sounded a little too convenient that I would happen to make a friend, right around when my parents said something had to give. Though I did actually make two. I might as well give it a shot.
“If you wanna try,” I said. “We can. Don’t get offended if they send you right home.”
My friend smiled. “Let me work my magic, then you can apologize for doubting me.”
“Think fast!” someone screamed, and I did not think fast.
I turned my head to the sound as something fast and orange flew at me and Cathy. We had maybe two seconds before it would have broken my nose, so we both dodged as fast as we could. Cathy went left while I went right, and of course, I stumbled.
I yelled when my ankle rolled, and I landed on my hands. The ball bounced against the back wall, and made its way right back to us. As it reached Cathy and I, it slowed. Ever so faintly, it tapped my side.
Fuck you, ball.
“You okay?” Cathy groaned, getting up while I turned around. She kicked the ball out of the way, and bent down to me.
I sat up, examining my ankle as our teacher hurried over. “Dammit,” I sighed. “That’s gonna hurt like a bitch all day.”
Mrs. Conner leaned over me, squinting her old lady eyes at my reddening skin. “Oh, that doesn’t look good. Do you want to go to the nur—”
The bell rang, and the students started rushing out of the gym like it had been filled with killer bees. They were nice enough to not stomp on me and Cathy, so I guess I should have been happy about that. My friend stayed by my side.
“You can go,” I told her. “You don’t have to be late for class.”
She scoffed in my face. “First off, I am offended that you think I would pick class over you. Second, I’m a TA next, and my teacher doesn’t use me at all. I can stick around.”
“No,” our teacher said. “You should go. You’re not needed.”
Cathy’s eyebrows shot to the moon as her hip cocked out, preparing for battle. “Well, is that for you to decide?” she said, deceptively calm.
“Yes, it is.”
“Oh, okay then. How about I go ahead and help my friend out, and you can suck my—”
“Hey!” I said, clapping once to get Cathy’s attention. “I’m okay, and tired of sitting on the floor. I’ll catch up with you after class. We’ll meet by your car.”
Cathy turned to our glaring teacher. “You win this round. Goodbye, my love,” she said to me, walking, and holding her hand over her heart. “I already miss your face.”
Smiling, I said, “I’ll see you in an hour.”
“And I’ll think of you in the shower!”
Mrs. Conner huffed in disgust as Cathy closed the gym door. “I am required to ask you if you need to go to the nurse. You can probably get sent home early.”
I waved my hand at her, trying to get on my feet. She didn’t help me up, but it looked like she almost wanted to. Once I got steady, I tested my foot. The screaming pain wouldn’t stop me from finishing out the day.
“I think I’ll be fine,” I said. “Don’t suppose I could get a pass for my next class.”
She pulled a notepad from her pocket, scribbled out something quick, and then let me hobble off to the locker room all on my own. The stairs proved to be real fun trying to go down, but I learned that my hopping skills had stuck around from my days on the playground. Everyone had already finished changing, and got to class before I even had the chance to catch up.
When I got to my locker, I had to hold my leg up like the world’s saddest looking pirate. With a few twists, my locker opened, and I grabbed my clothes. Since I wasn’t all that excited to rush off to my study hour, I took my time changing.
I squeaked when I had to catch myself on the locker door, trying to pull my shorts off. I angrily threw them in the locker once I got them around my feet, and I turned to get my sweater and jeans.
A wild gasp came out of me when I realized another person stood in the room. Not only another person, but Tammy. And not only standing in the room, but leaning against the wall, and facing me. Not a soul but us in the locker room, and she had plenty of room to be anywhere else. That might have been the point.
“Um, hi,” I said. She stayed silent. “Do you need something?”
The girl stared at me, arms crossed and not saying a word. She hadn’t showed up to class today, and I had assumed she’d stayed home again. Tammy had not, in fact, stayed home.
“Tammy?” I asked, crossing my arms to cover my almost bare chest. Not a great time to be in nothing more than my underwear. “What are you doing here?”
She didn’t glare at me, and I sensed no hostility in her expression. That made it worse, because I didn’t know what to do with a dead eyed stare. I understood if she was angry with me, since I had called her out on the stealing, and I broke her car a whole lot. I could have also understood if she wanted to kick my ass, or school me in front of everyone else, or if she wanted to threaten me. I waited for one or all of those things, and got none.
“Are you okay?” I tried. “Are you looking for Mrs. Conner?”
Tammy pushed off of the wall, keeping her eyes on me as I squirmed. I said her name one more time, and got ignored. She walked toward the door, and didn’t break the stare for even a moment. When she slipped out the door, I realized I hadn’t been breathing.
***
“Freak,” Cathy said, making the last turn to my house. “She didn’t say a word?”
“Not a single one.”
“Did she look pissed?”
“No.”
Cathy waited a beat, and took a concerned look at me. “Obviously she’s unhappy about the picture thing, but wouldn’t she be more mad at me or Jamie? We’re the ones that thrashed her. You just called her out.”
I shrugged. “You didn’t bust her car to hell.”
“No, but you’re getting that fixed. How much longer until it’s out of the shop?”
It only took me a second to remember. “Mom said that it was finished yesterday, and everything looked fine. Tammy didn’t have to pay for anything.”
Cathy parked alongside my driveway, and turned off her car. “Okay, I wouldn’t freak out then. She’s a bitch who wanted to scare you. Nothing more than that. I’m sure I’ll have a death threat written in blood waiting for me in my locker at home. Bully for all.”
I smiled, and got out of the car. Cathy put my arm around her shoulder, and helped me limp into the house. The kids had gotten back already, and were in the middle of running around in a circle, screaming about killer plants.
“Clover!” Orny shouted, stopping short of bumping into Tuney. “You have a person!”
Our sister stared down the new girl, judging quietly. “When did you get a friend, Clover?”
Cathy cocked her head at the nine-year-old, but didn’t get as hostile as I would have thought. “We met at school, hon. Are your mommy and daddy home?”
“In the kitchen,” my brother said, and then he started running in that direction, screaming their names.
Tuney advanced on us, smirking as she put her hands behind her back. “Clover never brings anyone over but Peter. He stopped coming ove
r. Are you gonna stop coming over too?”
I felt my chest stinging, and Cathy sensed the problem. “Never,” she told my sister. “Never ever. You wanna know why?”
Tuney nodded.
“Because I’m nice, and Peter is a coc—”
“All right,” I said as she got to a word my sister didn’t need to learn. “Little kid,” I reminded Cathy.
She rolled her eyes, and then made her voice sugar sweet. “I like your sister a lot,” she said. “So I would never abandon her.”
“Peter said he loved her.”
I bit my lip, and Cathy sighed. “Peter isn’t all that great, kiddo. He’s very selfish, and actually a giant baby who cares more about his own feelings than anyone else’s. I’m super awesome, and your sister always gives me her leftover food at lunch, so she’s stuck with me.” Cathy patted my back. “It is what it is.”
Tuney smiled. “Then I’m glad you’re here.” She turned, and took off in the same direction my brother had been.
Cathy turned to me, laughing. “Little tornados.”
“Tell me about it. That was Tuney, or Petunia, and my brother is Orny.”
Cathy smirked, and scratched her temple. “Wow, your parents really go balls to the wall with names, huh?”
“My kids will be named something from the top hundred choices in the twenty first century.”
“Boring,” she whispered.
My parents entered the room at the same time, both with similar expressions of disbelief and confusion. Then they saw Cathy, and I couldn’t figure out what they thought. Probably wondering how much I paid her to show up.
“Hello,” my mother said. “I’m Mrs. Walsh. This is Mr. Walsh.”
Cathy shook both of their hands, smiling like she wasn’t part crazy. “I’m Cathy, and I’m in love with your daughter.” My parents’ eyes went wide, and then my friend laughed. “Nah, just kidding. We’re in a couple classes together. I wanted to come meet you guys. I like to make sure all my friends’ parents like me. It’s an ego thing.”
My mom smiled nicely, but I couldn’t tell if she forced it. She stood awkwardly with Dad, probably not knowing what to say. “Nice to meet you, Cathy. We didn’t know Clover had a friend.”
The look my parents got for that comment, was not a kind one, but neither noticed. “Well, she does. Me and a sweetie named Poe. We’ve taken her under our wings and plan on taking the world over together.”
Dad nodded. “I see. Did our daughter happen to tell you that she’s grounded at the moment, and can’t have friends over?”
Really, Dad?
Cathy didn’t let her smile fade. “I had to help her home, since she got hurt in gym. I didn’t mean to get her in trouble or anything. Actually, I don’t suppose you would let me take her out to dinner tonight?”
“Sorry,” my mom said, shutting her the fuck down. “If we let her go early, then she’ll never learn.”
“Like a puppy?” Cathy asked.
Dad raised an eyebrow. “Like a girl who smashed a car, and broke the window of another. Sorry, but you have to wait a little while if you want to spend time with her.”
News to me, but I wanted to know the answer.
“How long?”
“We haven’t decided yet,” Mom said. “Maybe another week or so if she stays out of trouble.”
And there it was, locked in my house until the day I died. Ceilings and a lumpy bed for me. Most likely, they would forget to let me off my grounding, distracted with something else. Not that I had things I could have done now or anything…
“Moooom,” Orny called out, dashing back into the room. He nudged his way between me and our parents, and tugged on her shirt. “I want something to eat.”
“Can you wait a minute?”
He groaned. “Mom! I’m hungry.”
She looked back up at me as Orny tried getting Dad’s attention. “I have things to do, girls.”
“Orny!” Dad scolded when he started jumping up and down. “We’re talking to your sister right now.”
“But I want cereal!” he said. “Tuney is getting a grilled cheese, and I’m going to starve!”
“I think our time is up, Cathy,” Dad said, and shot a look to my brother.
“I see,” Cathy said. “Would you mind if I helped Clover to her room? Ya know, so she doesn’t fall and die?”
“MOM!” Orny screamed, getting ignored.
Mom cleared her throat. “Sure, but don’t stay too long.”
The girl nodded, and then saluted. “Not a problem. So nice to meet you both. I sure hope we see each other again soon.”
We managed to get away before Tuney showed up to add to the screaming, and even closing the door didn’t really muffle it. Cathy sat me on the bed, and then leaned against my dresser, scooping up a wood carving that she turned in her hands.
“Your family,” she started.
“I know.”
“Your parents didn’t even ask if you were okay.”
I shrugged it off, starting to take my shoes off. “It’s not that big of a deal. They would assume I’d tell them if I was really hurt.”
“Not the point,” she muttered, trading the little horse for a house.
It didn’t bother me any, because I knew they were busy with other things. The kids never went a day without being an utter handful, and they didn’t have time to check up on every ouchie I got.
“Sorry I couldn’t get you off grounding,” Cathy said. “I was sure they would have gone for it. They didn’t seem to care that you’re all popular now. Bummer.”
“It’s okay. I probably have about a week or two before they let me off. We can get something to eat then.”
She smiled widely, and I knew I was in trouble before she even spoke. “You telling me you wouldn’t sneak out again? That had to have been fun for you. And hey, if you hadn’t, you would be short a Cathy in your life. How sad for you.”
I returned her smile. “I’m glad, trust me. If I have a good reason, I don’t see why not to slip out again. It’s not like they would notice.”
“No,” she said sharply. “They wouldn’t.”
Cathy set the carving down and headed back to the door. My human time was up, and that meant I had a day of staring at the ceiling to deal with. Poe hadn’t been talkative today, and I felt like I needed to leave him alone. If my parents thought about it, they would have probably taken my phone away, not wanting me to talk to anyone. With every step Cathy took to the door, the sadness and worry grew even more. I did not want to be alone, and I had to hide how short it made my breathing.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Cathy said, opening the door and letting the sound of my siblings roll back in. “You gonna be okay?”
“I’m always okay,” I lied.
Chapter Nine: I Should Have Stayed in Bed
I kept an eye out for Tammy at school, but only saw a glimpse of her in the first few hours. She hadn’t tried to kill me, and I took it as a good sign. Cathy had probably been right about her only wanting to freak me out. It had worked, so that made us even.
Like a dork, I was excited to get to lunch, because I had friends to meet. I saw Poe sitting alone again, and I smiled when I saw his shirt. All it said was Moo, but it looked adorable as I rushed over to him, through the hall.
“Hi,” I said with a smile.
Poe returned it upon seeing me. “Afternoon, Clover. How’s your day been?”
“Not so bad. Yours?”
“Pretty good,” he lied.
I hadn’t missed the look on his face before I’d showed up. He had the same expression as he did yesterday, and the day before. Melancholy, and nothing like the boy who’d dragged me to a party, happy to be there.
“Did…did you do anything interesting?” I asked.
“I went to class,” he said, flatly. “I did my work, went to the next class, and repeated.”
So, I needed to keep my mouth shut, because I didn’t want to aggravate him any more than he might have been. A thr
ee day long mood sounded like trouble to me.
It only took two minutes of silence before Poe put his hand on my thigh, and jostled me. “I’m making you a scarf by the way,” he said. “Blue and green. You like those colors?”
“You’re making me a scarf?”
“Well yeah. I could claim you, and show off my sick talents all at the same time.”
I laughed. “As long as you get something out of it.”
Poe put his tray between us, reminding me that I had forgotten to get my lunch in my race over here. After assuring me he wasn’t all that hungry, I cut his burger in half, and we shared it. I managed to get a couple smiles out of him too, which relaxed me for the time being.
“Any trouble from the ex since last he showed up?” Poe asked me before taking a bite of his food. “He seemed…unhappy when I saw him.”
“He was,” I said. “I think it bugged him that I’d made a couple friends.”
Poe waggled his eyebrows. “The offer to pee on his car is still good. I’ll march out there right now, and whip it out for all to see.”
I put my hand on his shoulder. “Thanks, but you should save that for a special occasion. Like graduation.”
Poe sighed. “You’re so right. I’ll be naked under my robe. It’ll be awesome.”
“I agree. I’ll wear your scarf, and be the getaway driver when the security people find out you’re naked.”
“You’re a sweetheart.”
Cathy finally showed up, sitting across from us and making herself at home, starting in on a long rant about her math teacher, and how he had a real issue with licking his lips.
“I swear…” she started. “He does it in the middle of sentences. Even if you lose the creep factor of it all, it still takes up so much time. All I want to do is leave, and I have to wait for Licks-A-Lot to finish moistening himself.”
Poe tugged on my shirt. “Is this a good enough reason to pee on a car?” he whispered.
“No.”
He frowned.
Poe decided to dig his homework out and get to it, despite the company. I looked over his shoulder at the math problems, not envying him and the rest of this lunch period.
