It doesn’t really matter what I wish because none of it happens. Caleb walks right by me, like we hadn’t had a conversation this weekend. I even smile, maybe inadvertently because who could not smile at Caleb Evans? Still, he walks by me, not even giving me the half broken grin.
Strike one.
Next, The LP doesn’t say a word to me all day. Nothing. No little digs in the hall, no laughs, no dirty looks. In fact, Stacy smiles at me twice during Mr. Henry’s sleep-inducing lecture.
Smiles and fake niceties are no bueno in the mean girl department. Believe me. I have experience where this is concerned.
Ring!
I jump a little when the bell rings. The scared or maybe smart girl inside me itches to run, but I don’t. I pick up my backpack and slowly make my way to the door with the kids who live normal lives. Inside, I’m wondering when it will come. When they’ll strike. As much as I don’t want to deal with it, I’m feeling a little inspired (or crazed) by my good weekend. Caleb’s advice plays again in my head, but this time I’m not taking it in regards to Mom, but my life in general. If I want things to change, if I want to make this last year a little less hellish, I have to make it happen.
This all sounds fine and dandy, but my heart is shaking like a leaf.
I slip out the door and hang a right. A slow right and not the frantic-run-for-my-life kind.
Nothing.
I walk. Hear The LP talk; see the crowd part while their highnesses walk through.
Nothing.
I make it all the way to the tree line before turning around. Still, nada. The optimist inside me starts to glow. Maybe things really are changing for me. Boys, jobs, and no attack of the killer mean girls. Of course, this is ignoring the fact that I’m invisible to Caleb at school, but still.
I let my hands brush against the bark of a tree as I stroll by. Caleb’s cabin comes into view. Closer and closer I walk toward it. Anticipation bubbles inside me. Will he come out to talk to me? Do the peak-out-the-window thing as I nonchalantly walk by when really I’m embarrassingly giddy?
Or, maybe I’ll blow him off this time. Hell, earlier today, I smiled at him and he completely ignored me. He deserves it.
His house looks dark. The windows and blinds are closed up. My eyes are glued there anyway, wondering if he’ll make an appearance.
“Hey, bitch. Took you long enough.”
My head snaps toward the voice. Parked in the middle of Caleb’s rough road is The LP.
Yep, my life still sucks.
What the hell am I going to do out here? Nerves are attacking me. Stacy has that evil glint in her eye and I’m aware they could definitely pull one of those perfect murders and bury my body out here. I’m sure they’d get away with it too. Silently, I hope my voice is steady. “What do you want?” I stop, leaving space between us.
Stacy huffs. “As if you have to ask? You see, I’m not trash like you, but girls like us, we’d never stoop to your level. Hence the whole woods thing. No one can see it here.” She pops her gum. “I’m done playing nice.”
“Playing nice?” I blurt. I would hate to see her mean side.
“Yeah.” Stacy moves in toward me and her clones follow. My feet practically lift from the ground to run, but I fight it. If I run today, I’ll have to keep running. Maybe I’ll have to keep running away, but not today. I’m pretty sure getting your butt kicked is some kind of teenage rite of passage anyway. Maybe if they see I’m done running from them, they’ll find some other misfit to torture.
Not likely, but still.
I stamp down the fear surging inside me at high tide.
“Aw, isn’t it cute? She’s got her fists balled up and she’s not running.” Stacy laughs and Heather joins in.
“I bet she thinks she’s a vampire too. Are you going to use your super strength on us?”
My anger multiplies like a disease. The vampire thing is getting old. “Screw you. You’re even sadder than I am. Do you sit and play dead when Stacy commands, too?”
If it’s possible for a person to actually combust, I’m sure Heather would right now. Her face is bright red like the blueberry girl from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
“You’re such a bitch!” Heather comes at me first, Stacy hanging behind, not even willing to get her hands dirty. Tiffany is right behind Heather.
My heart slam-dances. I’m pretty sure it might explode along with Heather’s head. I try not to, but flinch when Heather’s fist flies at me. Oh, God. I’m about to get beat up for the first time. But I dodge it. Some hidden strength that has lain dormant inside me for most of my life surges forward. I swing at her, but then Tiffany is grabbing my arms.
In case you didn’t know, three on one sucks. Tiffany holds me while the other two come at me looking like really bad cartoon characters. Then, I’m flinching. Not from a punch, but from a piercing, nails on chalkboard sound.
The LP turn and I look forward.
Caleb!
He holds a key against Stacy’s Mercedes, a long scratch now marring the side. “It’s pretty impossible to tell you how good that felt.” He’s in all black: pants, hoodie, hair. Everything but his smooth skin and green eyes. Caleb leans against the car, casual as can be. “Don’t think I won’t do it again.”
“You jerk. I’ll turn you in!”
Caleb shrugs. “And?”
He’s been in trouble before. I remember hearing about it and everyone in town knows about his dad. He’s been behind bars a couple times, mostly for drinking and driving.
“Want another scratch to match this one?” He smirks. It’s not the same as his broken smile, but I find myself returning it anyway.
Stacy frantically scrambles for her phone. “I’m calling the cops.”
“Go for it.” Caleb pushes off the car and crosses his arms. “There’s one thing you should know, though. My dad is a real paranoid-kind-of-guy. He’s always scared someone might try and sneak up on us out here. He even installed cameras. I’m sure I have a few nice shots of you guys trying to kick Abby’s ass. I’m pretty sure I’m out of the camera angle though.”
Tiffany’s arms magically drop away from me. Stacy and Tiffany both step away like they’re allergic to me.
“You said we wouldn’t get caught!” Tiffany cries.
Stacy looks pale, but still trying to act tough. “He’s lying.”
“Fuck you, Cavanaugh. I don’t give a shit if you believe me or not. Might be more fun if you don’t. Actually, it would be. I’d love to see you doing community service.”
Hate pulses off Stacy in waves. “Save your little vamp freak friend. See if I care.”
Caleb walks toward us. I’m still wondering the hell just happened. I go from my rite of passage fight to getting saved by Caleb. I try to step away from them, when I fly forward. Obviously Heather doesn’t care about getting caught as she shoves me in the back. My hands fly out, but one arms buckles and I hit the dirt, my head bouncing off something in the ground. Three years of anger fuels me, making me push to my feet and lunge.
Unfortunately, I don’t make it far. I’m dizzy. Head injuries are like that and suddenly the ground is flying at me. Caleb’s arms wrap around me, mid-fall. The LP run to Stacy’s car, mocking, before jumping inside and driving away.
And he smells good. I know now is not the time to think about that, but this is the first time I’ve been held by a boy. He’s a mixture of earth and guy. Now it’s him making me dizzy and not my head. I have the urge to curl into him and sigh. I know, I know, but I can’t help it.
“You okay?” Caleb’s voice is a little stiff.
“Um, yeah. I think I hit a rock or something, but I’m okay.” He feels so warm against me. The urge to nuzzle closer strikes.
“You sure? You’re bleeding and you keep sighing. Maybe you hit your head a little harder than you think.”
Oh. My. God. I really sighed? I try to jerk away, but another wave of dizziness stops me.
“Chill out. You’re going to fall again.” His hold on me tightens.
My eyes start to sting. I almost got in a fight with three girls, Caleb had to play Disney movie hero and come to my rescue, I fall and then start swooning like a nutcase. Can things get any worse?
Oh, and if I go home like this? Mom will freak. “Can I use your bathroom real quick? I’m…” Embarrassed, “...feeling a little woozy and need to clean up.” And maybe slip through your window before I make a bigger fool of myself.
This time, it’s Caleb who looks woozy. He bites his lip and I kind of want to nip it too. I am such a perv! What’s wrong with me? “It’s okay. You don’t have to let--”
“No, I... Shit.” He sighs. “I just can’t really risk getting in trouble right now.”
I don’t want him in any trouble over me. “Don’t worry about it. Thanks for...” I wave my hand, not even wanting to repeat the suckage that was this afternoon. Automatically, I start to pull away. Caleb’s grip stops me.
“No, it’s cool. Ignore me. You can come in.” The words sound almost painful for him. “Come on. Let’s get you inside.” Caleb keeps his arm tight around my waist and I take a step. I suck in a breath. “Did I hurt you?”
Stupid, overactive hormones. I look at the ground rather than him. “No.” Okay, maybe not the ground, but his hand on my waist. My head is starting to clear a little and it’s becoming more obvious that I’m in Caleb’s arms. Yeah, I know most girls my age have experienced this, but I’m the vampire girl, remember?
I look at him. Caleb’s jaw tightens. Most people probably wouldn’t notice it’s so slight, but I’m thinking this might not happen very often so I’m engraving every detail in my head. “I’m not trying to put the moves on you or anything. Just figured I’d help so you didn’t take a header into the ground again.” Hello distance. Caleb’s put the wall back up. Or he wants to make sure I know he doesn’t want me. I’m pretty sure I could develop a gambling problem because my money is on option two.