RED HOOD

Eleven

The downstairs bell rang.

"I'll get it," I called to my grandparents, walking down the stairs to get the door. I opened the door to find my two friends. Ella held two slushies in her hands, while Gage sucked at his desperately trying to get the last of it.

"Are you ready for tomorrow? It's your first day at Wimberley High." Ella extended the second slushie cup. "Cherry's your flavor, right?"

"Thanks," I said, reaching for the cup. "Not really. I haven't been feeling all that great, but—"

"What classes are you taking?" Gage yelped, seeing the class schedule in my hand. Reaching to snatch it, our hands intercepted, knocking the cherry slushie from my grip. Crashing to the ground, it sprayed red syrupy ice across the wooden floor and up the wall.

Before either of us had a chance to react, Ella hissed, "What is wrong with you, you idiot?"

My eyes shot to hers immediately. She was seething at Gage. "Easy, Ella," I said, "It was just a slushie."

"Chill, seriously." Gage spoke quietly, taken back by her vicious reaction. "Look, I'm sorry. It's no big deal."

"It is a big deal," she growled. Then she seemed to catch herself. "I mean, look at this mess. It's everywhere."

"Sweetheart, it's nothing," Nana said, having arrived from the living room. "Let me just grab some paper towels and some cleaner."

"I'll help you, Nana," Gage said, going with her. He looked back to add, "Geez, Ella, you on your period or something?"

"Gage Tucker!" Nana called from the kitchen. "That is none of your business."

"Are you okay?" I asked. I took her hand. "You're shaking."

As her eyes locked with mine, I caught flashes, images almost, but in shadow. They came so fast, and vanished just as quickly. I shook my head. What was that?

"I'm—I'm fine," she stuttered. "I just—I wanted to do something nice for you." Tears appeared in her eyes.

"It's the thought that counts, right?"

She smiled weakly, "You're right. It's just a slushie." She laughed nervously. "I'm sorry. Gage is right, I couldn't be more moody. I'm just so stressed over an exam I have tomorrow. If I don't make an A, my mom is going to kill me. It's making me a complete head case."

Nana and Gage re-entered the foyer, and Gage got down to start sopping up the mess. "Nana, let me get this. I'm the klutz here."

I bent down, helping Gage while Nana rubbed Ella's arm. "It's fine, dear. Nothing a little cleaner can't take care of."

"I know. Thanks." She smiled, but her eyes betrayed her. She was still upset. Something was bothering her. Taking in the scene, I paused. The red syrup dripped down the white wall of the staircase at a crawl. Images of my mom, of finding her, pale and still, and splashes of red across the bathroom tile played through my head, as though I were reliving the memory in vivid IMAX 3-D. I shuttered.

"Kate?" Gage asked, being eye level with me. "You okay?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine."

Gage tossed the red-soaked paper towels into a garbage bag. "Man, what is with you girls?" Gage sprayed the cleaner on the wall, wiping away my memory. The air returned to my lungs as a citrus scent penetrated my nose. We finished cleaning up the mess, and went upstairs.