Dodgeball

Chapter 24: The guitar is most definitely NOT an instrument for losers!

Mickey and I don't dare say a word as Dr. Fronk watches us walk back in the direction of the caf. As soon as we round the corner to the entry foyer, Mickey turns to me and puts his finger to his lips in a Shhh, but this time I'm okay with it. He takes off his boots and creeps over to the science hall again; then motions for me to come. When I get there, I see that Dr. Fronk is gone. I mean gone gone. Like he's vanished. We didn't hear him enter his classroom - or any other classroom for that matter - and we wouldn't have heard him walk down the hall, since he wasn't wearing any shoes. It makes me feel like he could be hiding somewhere, and that gives me the creeps.

"We need to talk," Mickey whispers. "Follow me."

Mickey doesn't lead me back down the science hall, and instead enters the front office. There's a door behind the nurse's station, one I'd always assumed was a storage closet, and he opens it. If I thought the foyer was dark, this is a whole new level of blackness. It is outer space dark. Mickey pulls one of our flashlights out of the waist of his pants.

"Don't worry," he says - and TAKES MY HAND!

I could not have imagined how the simple experience of feeling his cool palm against my very warm one could inspire a sense of... invincibility. Like we're in this together no matter what. I look up from our entwined fingers and see Mickey is focused, pulling me along. I realize I should be focused, too, and leave the confines of my private thoughts (and let's face it - desires) to reengage, take note of our surroundings.

The hallway is long, and paneled in old, dark wood. No windows; hence why it's so dark. There's not even a moonbeam in here. At the end of it, there's a pair of grand doors engraved with art deco railroad imagery. Mickey opens them and light spills into the hallway. It's only moonlight, but compared to the foyer, it's like a floodlight. Mickey retrieves the other flashlight from his waist and turns them both on - standing them up and placing them on a shallow ledge near a big picture window. His shortcut has taken us to the conservatory, which is so smart because not only is it on the far side of the school, it's been practically sound-proofed so that classes aren't disturbed during Music & Orchestra.

Mickey picks up a guitar and sits down. He bites the inside of his cheek, like he does when he's contemplating a problem in class, and starts to play, sort of absently. It takes me aback, because he plays a song that is just so delicate and pretty - and I think I've heard it before, but I can't place it. I'm taken in and I don't realize that I'm staring until Mickey looks down and stops playing.

"Sorry," he says. "It helps me think."

"No, don't stop," I tell him. "I mean, it's nice. And it helps me think, too. What is it?"

Mickey's fingers strum so lightly, it's like he's hardly touching the strings.

"It's called "Allison." By Elvis Costello. You know him?"

I shrug. "Love Me Tender?"

Mickey laughs, but not like he's laughing at me.

"Not that Elvis," he says. "What?"

I shake my head.

"No, really. What?"

I can't help smiling at him despite everything that's going on. Despite the fact that Dr. Fronk could be lurking somewhere in the hallway. Despite Justin.

"I thought you were only into punk and heavy metal. That's what your t-shirts say anyway - when they're not being ironic, or featuring quotes from Zombie Apocalypse Now."

"I love ZAN."

"Me, too," I whisper.

"You lucky if they just eat you. You get the sickness and you rot to your bones while you still walkin' - losin' your body and mind one step at a time."