When I came in the door it was obvious that I had interrupted a conversation between my parents, that they stopped as soon as I appeared. Trying to act as if nothing was amiss, Mom started talking about how good it was to have them rescued. Dad chimed in with what luck it was that Jake and Jeremy found them. Nothing was said about Michelle and Jeremy leaving and I went off to bed, hoping sleep would wash away all the trouble I have brought to this town.
Early the next morning, the police officer arrived to speak to me. I told him I had already been informed of the successful rescue. All he really wanted to know from me was what happened leading up to the police being told where Rachel and Dave were. He didn’t seem to know anything about what happened at the school, because he didn’t mention it. I told him a hunch hit Jake as we were out riding around, of where she may have gone. We went to the mine, I stayed in the truck as Jake and Jeremy went inside. Then Kyle and Amanda showed up, Amanda stayed in the truck with me and Kyle went to find the guys. I gathered from the way he was looking at me that he had not heard that two other students had been there, but he didn’t say that. I said when the guys came out, Jake went straight to Rachel’s house to talk to the police. Jeremy and I stayed in the truck waiting. That satisfied his report and he left.
I got me a banana and a yogurt cup for brunch and had just finished when the door bell chimed. I opened the door to Nicole impatiently waiting. I started to go out on the porch so we could speak outside, but she stepped past me into the house. How rude! “There used to be a family that lived here with a son our age. That would have been in the fifth grade. He was hot! They moved away half way through sixth grade though. His name was Denver. An old man lived here after that until he died, then a substitute teacher was here, but it has sat empty for at least a year. Where is your room?” I shit you not, she started climbing the stairs like she owned the place. I followed after her. She went directly into my room, like she had known all along which was mine. “This was Denver’s room too. I half expected it to be dreary and a bit spooky in your room, but I like your paintings.” Who does she think she is? “Where is Jeremy?” Does she already know and fishing for me to tell her what happened? I told her that he and his mother moved back home. I gave no further information. “Hmm. Well that is for the best. Jeremy would just bring you down and his mother is a real scudso.” I wanted to knock her teeth out for thinking she could just look down on everyone. “Did you hear about the rescue last night?” I told her Jake came and told me all about it. “Did he tell you he and Butch were fighting?” I admitted that he did. “Did he tell you why?” I made sure she got it through her thick skull that it was none of my business and I didn’t want to know. “Suit yourself, but what you don’t know can hurt you.” I had about all of Nicole I could stand.
“Come on let’s get out of here. I don’t want to waste such a beautiful day inside. I think we should go for a walk.” Mostly I just wanted her away from my personal possessions. I felt like her presence was putting a film of arrogance and cruelty, that wouldn’t wash off, on everything. How can someone so beautiful be so repulsive? Reluctantly, she left my room and started to make her way to peep into the other rooms, but my mother helped me out when she saw us.
Yelling up the stairs, Mom caught Nicole’s attention. I seen the tiny glimmer of amusement in Nicole’s eyes. “How nice, I get to meet your mother.” Nicole glided down the steps with the poise of a princess. “Mrs. Treskybec, such a pleasure to meet you. I am Nicole Satruel, Charleigh’s friend from school.” My mother is a pure delight from time to time, she responded with ’strange Charley has never mentioned you.’ Obviously, it rattled Nicole’s self confidence. It must be entirely foreign to her to think someone could meet her and not have the need to tell the world about the most beautiful girl they have ever met. I told Mom we were going to go out for a walk and started for the door gesturing for Nicole to follow.
4 BEST NOT TO KNOW
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