The Dream Stalker

21) "Did I Stutter?"

"Everything is going as perfectly as planned," Greta declared proudly, clutching her clipboard to her chest.

I nodded my head, looking around the crowded parking lot of Edman High. It was as if everyone in town had descended upon the school for the fair.

There were booths set up all over the place; most were run by local vendors, while others featuring carnival-inspired games were overseen by a combination of students and teachers. Several large tents had been set up with space warmers for people to use to rest and eat. Some of the workers were still working on the sound system atop the stage that had been set up in the center of the fair, but it was otherwise ready to go for the talent show later in the day.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," McKenzie said waving his hand dismissively. "You were in charge of organizing this and on that front, I'd say: Mission accomplished. Now let the teachers handle things from here and let's go have some fun!"

Greta bit her bottom lip. "I don't know..."

"Did you learn nothing from your nightmares, Greta?" McKenzie asked. "All work and no play makes Greta a crazy, crazy girl."

"I really wish you'd be more careful of what you say in public," I said warningly, not that McKenzie was listening.

"Maybe you're right," Greta said, visibly torn over this. "What do you think, Boone?" Greta turned to the fourth member of our team, who had his back turned to us, his head darting in every direction, clearly agitated by all the people.

Hearing his name, Boone turned to consider Greta for a moment. "I'm hungry." He said, before returning to scanning the crowds for...whatever it was he was looking for.

"See! Even Boone thinks you need to kick back," McKenzie said grinning ear-to-ear.

I wasn't sure how he took what little Boone had said as him full-heartedly agreeing with him, but I was just glad that McKenzie was back in such high spirits. After the disaster that was the capture the flag game, I had been sure he'd be down in the dumps for at least the next month. I had even been worried that McKenzie might refuse to speak to me, something that if things were normal I might be happy about, but seeing as things were anything but normal, that was not an option.

Thankfully, though, McKenzie fully accepted my reason for getting distracted during the game. Mostly because it involved a cute girl. I might have had to smudge some details and exaggerate a bit, but it was all for the greater good. Though, I was now growing increasingly concerned about the mischievous smiles and winks that McKenzie kept throwing my way.

With that excuse absolving me of any blame, McKenzie had instead shifted his ire onto the rest of our teammates, who McKenzie claimed only lasted a few minutes into the game because they hadn't followed his well-thought-out game plan. Hearing that also made me feel slightly better, because even if I had been able to guard the flag longer, I wasn't a firm believer in McKenzie and Boone's chances to win the game by themselves.

"Okay, okay," Greta said, after listening to McKenzie's pathetic pleas for several minutes. "But I'm supposed to be judging the talent show, so I need to be back in..." Greta checked her watch. "One hour and twenty-five minutes."

McKenzie put his hands behind his head and beamed happily. "Then we better get going. Lead the way, Aaron!"

The timing for McKenzie's order could not have come at a worse time. Just as I made a move to turn around, I bumped right into Italia Galloway. Caught completely off-guard, she bounced off me and would've fallen to the ground if not for my quick instincts to grab ahold of her flaying hands to steady her.