4 BEST NOT TO KNOW
She must not have ever considered I would find the courage to confront her. “What the hell are you doing spying on me? You scared the hell out of me. Now that I know it is you it makes even less sense. At least when I thought it was Marcy, I could chalk it up to jealousy. You have no right to be creeping around in the shadows. What is your motive?”
She threw her head back and straightened her shoulders, as if to assume an air of superiority. Oh how I wanted to knock her to the ground. “I was just curious about you. You are new here and we got off on the wrong foot. I figured I could find out what you are like, then we could be friends. I see you made fast work with Jake. Don’t think you are too special, he always clings to the new girls for a while. When I heard what happened with you and the kids in your French class, I knew you weren’t just some boring goody two shoes. I admit it scared me at first, but then I figured it would be even more to my advantage to have you as a friend.” She had that smug smirk that made me want to slap it away. I didn’t respond, because I was trying to contain my rage. To fill the silence that obviously made her uneasy, she continued with her explanation. “I don’t have anything to hide, I am an open book. Being this beautiful has its advantages, but it also has it downfalls. I can not do anything without an audience. I think that is why I so enjoyed being in the shadows as the one doing the watching. It is something I never get to do. I cant believe that Jake took Jeremy along on your date, how strange. That kid is such a loser. Why did he drop you off and rush away like that, did you have a fight?” The feigned innocence in her eyes and voice trying to lure me into her web was sickening.
Shock spread across my face at the realization that she must have been here in waiting the whole time we were gone. “You haven’t heard that Rachel was found in an old abandoned mine shaft with that guy? They are trapped in there. The fire fighters and National Guard have been summoned to rescue them. Jake and Jeremy went there too.” The look of utter horror on her face told me she hadn’t known and maybe she also knew the mystery around the mine that had Jake and Jeremy so shaken.
For a second, she looked as if the earth had caved in on her. She sucked in her breath, like inhaling rotten, stale air mixed with sulfur. “I have to go.” Her voice filled with fear. Practically running me over, she went speeding down the drive. Over her shoulder she yelled back to me. “I will come back tomorrow.” She said it like I should feel blessed to have her promised visit.
I entered the house to find Mom, Dad and Michelle pacing in anticipation for our arrival back safe at home. When I came in alone Michelle was beside herself with worry, then more so when I told her that Jake and Jeremy had gone to the mine. Somehow, they had heard that we had found Rachel and her lover trapped there. Mom was hovering over me and making no pains to hide that she was searching for clues, no doubt as to whether or not I had ’it’. Dad is the one who offered up the information that the police had come to the house to speak to me. While they were here they gave the news of Jake, Jeremy and I finding Rachel trapped. Also that the officer would return tomorrow to speak to me. I will have a full schedule tomorrow with all the promised visitors. However, it had been a long day and I excused myself to go to bed, to rest up for another tomorrow.
Shortly after I had gone to my room, there was a knock at my door. It was Michelle. She asked if she could come in to speak to me. Once inside and the door closed, she drilled her eyes into me. “I know you are the one behind all of this. My son doesn’t know what is good for him, but I will not stand back and watch as you lure him into some kind of cult.” I stifled a laugh, but quickly realized Michelle was no one to take lightly. “I don’t know what kind of voodoo you and your parents are conjuring, but I wont allow you to brainwash Jeremy into being a part of it. You put Rachel in that mine with your lies and accusations. This is a small town you cant hide here, everyone knows the evil you are spreading. Taking good kids and ruining their lives is not going to fly here. We take care of our own. You better watch your step and keep your mouth shut if you know what is good for you. That little prank you pulled in school wont go unpunished. Now that this has happened with Rachel, more eyes will be opened. Just remember, I warned you.” She stepped back without taking her eyes off of me. We heard the guys coming in the house downstairs, then she was out the door and gone.
Still reeling from the threats Michelle had made, I sat down on the bed to refocus my brain. What the hell did she think gave her the right to come into my home and threaten me? Soon Jake was speaking through my door. “They got them out, and they are alive! Both need medical attention, but nothing life threatening. However, Rachel may have lost the baby.” The weight of the world lifted off of my shoulders and a major sigh of relief escaped from my twisted and tormented soul. I didn’t have the guilt of killing someone on my conscience. I flew to the door and flung it open to let in the sunshine of happy news. Jake looked like he had been through hell and back, covered in mud, scrapes and cuts, but I didn’t care. I wrapped my arms around him and pulled him tight to me, expressing my great appreciation. I held on to my knight in shining armor as long as I could. He was trying to get me to stop, because of his being filthy. I finally had to relent to let him go.
He was smiling from ear to ear. “I guess the bearer of bad news gets killed, but the guy that brings good news gets a hero’s welcome. I didn’t do much. Jeremy was the true savior. You should have heard him talking to Rachel as the men were working to move the workings trapping her. He kept her calm, even when the men were scared they were going to make a wrong move. They got the guy out first and he was rushed off to the hospital, it was another hour before they got to Rachel. When we first heard her voice it was like a miracle. She was buried under so much debris, one beam was all that was keeping her from being crushed. First love must have a hold on a person forever, Rachel hasn’t so much as said ’hi’ to Jeremy for five years, but tonight you’d have thought none of that had ever happened.” I asked if Butch showed up there. “Yeah, that is how I got so dirty, fighting Butch. I knew when he heard, he would flip.” I asked why, but at that moment Jeremy came upstairs.
He looked like he had seen a ghost. I couldn’t help myself, I threw my arms around him and told him how proud I was of him. He blushed and gave an ’ahh shucks, it was nothing’ kind of shrug, but I knew that it had to be misery for him. “Mom says we are leaving to move back to our old house living with Doug again. She wants to be gone tonight.” After what she had said to me, a part of me was relieved, but seeing the disappointment in Jeremy’s face was gut wrenching. I felt responsible for that now too. His displeasure seemed to go beyond anything I could comprehend. I had done much more moving than he ever had and said goodbye to everyone I had ever known, yet he seemed like the world was coming to an end. Jeremy moped off to his room to collect his things.
I sent my attention back to Jake, I had more questions that were left unasked, because he said he had to go. I walked him to our spot. As we crossed the lawn, I debated whether to tell him about Nicole or not, and opted not. However, I did ask if she showed up at the mine. He rolled his eyes. “Yeah, and she was such a drama queen acting like Rachel was her best friend and this was happening to her. She and Barbie did manage to get Butch to leave though.” I asked about Butch again. “Some things are best not to know.” I nodded my understanding and dropped it. “Why did you ask if Nicole showed up?” I returned his reply saying, ’some things are best not to know’. “Touche! I will come over tomorrow if that is okay, but it will be late in the day, like four o’clock. I have chores I have to do, then I am sure dad will have extra stuff for me to do too.” I told him I will see him then. He started to step away, then came back to give me a quick kiss on the cheek. “See ya!” Then he was out of sight.
When I was comeing back to the house, Michelle and Jeremy were coming out. They had their arms full of their stuff and carrying it to Michelle’s car. I sat on the porch to watch. When they came back to make another trip I asked if they needed any help, but I was instantly told ‘no’ by Michelle. They made four trips total, then they backed out of the drive and were gone too. Out of curiosity, I checked out beside the garage to see if by chance Nicole felt the need to return tonight, but she hadn’t.
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.
I suggested we walk into town, because I didn’t want to be seen with Nicole by Jake. She agreed she would like to go to the diner and get a cone. It was a hot day, I told Nicole I would be right back, that I needed to get some money. She offered to pay for mine too, but no way was I going to be in debt to Nicole, not even 75 cents worth. As we walked, I recalled that Jake said that Nicole doesn’t go to the diner to avoid him, yet now we were going. When we entered, I seen Marcy was in one of the back booths with Darcy and Chris. Unfortunately, Nicole seen it too. She cast her scowl of disgust their way, then turned to me saying. “Freaks.”
I stood motionless for a moment as Nicole stepped up to the counter to put in her ice cream request. “Nicole.” She turned to face me. “I have nothing in common with you, and no way can we be friends. I insist you stay away from me and my house. How you treat people repulses me.” She formed a look on her face as if what I was saying was impossible. Could someone ever not want to be her friend? She was the most popular girl in school and just being seen with her was a gift in her mind. “I mean it, if I find you on my property again I will call the cops and have you arrested.” She laughed saying I was being ridiculous and so dramatic. “Stay away!” I pushed my way out the door into the bright glorious day, leaving Nicole in my dust. That was one goodbye I would never feel bad about for one second.
I was grateful she did not make any attempt to follow me. When I got home, I informed my mom that Nicole is not my friend and if she ever comes here to send her away, to call the police if she must. “Did you have a fight?” I told Mom that Nicole is just not my kind of person. She didn’t say so, but the look on my mother’s face told me she was happy with my decision. I wonder what Mom knows about Nicole, I may know soon enough, but some things are best not known. I was sure Nicole’s secrets fell under that category.
I went out to the back yard to help Dad, who was working on a garden. We had never had a garden before and I don’t think my Dad had ever had one growing up either. He gave me an uncertain grin as I approached. “Dirt, sunshine, seeds and water, how bad can I mess this up? I guess we will find out, forgive me if we end up with blue tomatoes and purple peppers, a farmer I am not.” Dad could always cheer me up, he always has a lackadaisical outlook on life. If it works, it works. If it doesn’t, oh well, I tried. Well, at least until the jitters start, then he feels like he has failed miserably. I told Dad about Nicole not being my friend and to send her away if she shows her face here again. He hadn’t met her, but he understood by my tone that I was serious. “Not a keeper, huh?” I assured him that she was someone to throw back and let someone else catch. After we had planted the seeds and gave them a good watering, we went inside. Mom offered to make us a late lunch of grilled cheese sandwiches. Yummy!
I hadn’t finished my sandwich, when the door bell rang. It was only 1:30, too early for Jake. Mom went to the door and soon ushered in Marcy. Mom offered to make her a grilled cheese too, but Marcy declined saying she just ate. She sat at the table with me as I ate, not saying anything. I could tell by the way she was fidgetting that she wanted to talk to me, but not in front of my parents. I asked her if she had heard about Rachel being found, she had and said the whole town is talking about it. When I was done with my lunch, Marcy gestured with her head that she would like to go outside.
I led the way, then sat on the edge of the porch and Marcy signaled that she wanted to go farther from the house. Boy, what she has to say must be top secret. Then I saw it, the bike she had lent me, then mysteriously disappeared was now in the driveway. “Do you wanna go for a ride?” At least she had the decency to be remorseful and the courtesy to ask, unlike Nicole. I paused for a moment to let the intensity of the moment sink in for Marcy, then said ‘yeah’. She was modestly thankful I had let our past be just that, the past. Once we were moving, she suggested we ride out toward Jake’s place. Was she hatching up some kind of retaliation or was she really wanting to be friends again? We sped along for a few minutes before she spoke. “Nicole was angry that you bailed on her like that. After you left, she came over to our table and made us swear not to breathe a word of it to anyone. She threatened if we did she would make our lives hell in school. Then she told me to deliver you a message.” Marcy slowed down then stopped, I followed her cue. “She said that you have no idea how horrible she can make your life. She said to let you know that her parents practically own this town. I am to tell you if you don’t want her as a friend, then you have just made an enemy. Charleigh, before she left she asked my uncle where your parents work. He told her. I don’t know what she can do, but she is right about her parents. They got into a dispute about a property line with a neighbor a few years ago. That neighbor had a supervisor’s job at the foundry, but Nicole’s dad got him fired and then had him turned in for insurance fraud. He lost everything.” The sincere worry in Marcy’s voice made me question whether I should tell my parents about the threats.
Marcy looked as if she were going to cry, for having to be the one to tell me such horrible news. “Well, we don’t have that much anyway. If we lost everything we own, we could have it all back within the month and it would be better than what we have now.” That was an exaggeration, but not much of one. “Heck, my dad is always saying, ‘I was looking for a job when I found this one.‘, he has never had any problem finding a job.” Marcy was upset I wasn’t taking it seriously. “It is my problem, not yours. Besides, Nicole isn’t worth getting all twisted in knots over.” Marcy looked as if she was going to say something, but stopped herself.
We peddled on, when we reached the far corner of Jake’s property, we turned around to go back. At the end of Jake’s lane, Kelly was pulling out in her car. We stopped to let her on to the road with no fear of hitting us. Then Kelly’s hand popped out of the driver’s window, waving us to her. We approached the side of the car to find out what she needed. Speaking to me, Kelly said. “Jake asked me to stop at your house on my way to the store to let you know he wouldn’t be over today, but he would come see you tomorrow.” What was it with people in this town, obviously having something more to say, but not saying it? By the way she was darting her eyes, I would say something bad had happened. Hoping to get her to tell me what the problem was, I asked if Jake was alright. “He will see you tomorrow, that is all he said.” Still there was a hint of something wrong. She asked us to move away from the vehicle so she could get onto her shopping.
Once she had gone far enough to be out of sight, I turned to Marcy and told her something isn’t right. She nodded her agreement, then saying ‘but what could it be?’ I didn’t want to get Jake in trouble again by showing up or I would have gone to see him right then. As it was, Marcy and I rode on to my house. Back home, Marcy and I went up to my room to hangout. I couldn’t shake the gnawing feeling that whatever was keeping Jake from visiting me today was something bad. Kelly seemed too nervous for it not to be. Marcy and I played cards on my bed and she told me more about Nicole in the diner. “She never comes there. I couldn’t believe my eyes when she came in the door with you. I actually couldn’t believe you were friends with her, but thought you just came there to rub it in my face to hurt me. Then when you dropped her, I couldn’t believe my ears. No one, I mean NO ONE, has ever stood up to Nicole, except maybe Jake. He even only does it in small ways. Darcy says everyone secretly hates Nicole, but they are afraid to tell her because they all act as if they like her to be considered better than everyone else. She is their ticket to popularity. Everyone thinks Chris and Darcy are lovers or something and they even feed into the rumors like it is some kind of game. They claim it is their way of not having to let anyone else into their private club, ‘the freaks club’. Since Darcy moved back here, she has changed a lot. Her mom died, so I think that is part of it. We used to be really close, but now she only really talks to Chris. She will spend time with me, like today, but never without Chris and not for very long. How did you know that stuff you said to Rachel, Brad and them? Do you really think Carter did something to his brother?” She looked a bit afraid of the answer.
I was going to tell her that I didn’t know what I was saying that it just came out. Even that I don’t know if it is all true or not, but then a thought hit me like a ton of bricks. I felt the heat rising to my face. “So you cant speak to me until today, huh? You take the bike away, then bring it back today. Nicole sent you with a message for me, could it be that you have switched your allegiance to be with the mighty Nicole? Did she send you here to do her dirty work? She didn’t get what she wanted before I sent her packing, so she sent you in her place. Then you can run back to her and tell her everything I said. Who the hell needs friends like you Marcy? You can leave and never come back too! And take your damned bike with you!” I was livid. Marcy was cowering at the end of the bed. “Come on I will show you the way out!” I ripped open my door and pointed her out. She slipped past me in fear of me hitting her or something. She about lost it on the steps, but regained her balance. “Hell, maybe Nicole got to Jake too, and that is why he cant show his face here! He feels too guilty! I am surrounded by enemies!” Marcy basically ran away from me to get on her bike and flee. My heart was racing a million miles an hour with my anger. I slammed the door shut and locked it, to keep this town of blood thirsty sharks out.
Mom came running from her bedroom to see what was the matter, at the door blasting like an explosion. Taking one look at me, she knew I was the cause of the noise that put the fright into her. “What happened?” I didn’t answer right away, because I needed a moment to keep myself from blaring out at her.
“Marcy is not welcome here either. She is in cahoots with Nicole, doing her dirty work.” Mom looked confused a moment, then asked if I was sure. “Strange that until today, she wanted nothing more to do with me. She was there when I told Nicole we were not friends and never would be. Nicole sent her to tell me that she would make my life hell, that I had just made an enemy. Yeah, I am sure.” Mom had a brief look of pleasure on her face, then it was replaced with sadness.
My emotionally and mentally disturbing day was taking its toll, I went upstairs to take a nap. I slept for two hours. It was about the time Jake should have been coming to see me. I was hating that I didn’t even have a phone number to call to ask him what the matter was. Curiosity is a horrible thing. I went downstairs, neither Mom nor Dad were in the living room or the kitchen. I figured they must be in their room. I walked down the hall to ask them if we happened to have a phone book. When I reached their door, I heard they were in the middle of another discussion. I have never been one to eavesdrop on them, but right away I realized I was the subject once again.
Mom sounded as if she were crying or just had been. “ . . .has it.” Dad was once again playing attorny for my defense. “Well, we knew that could possibly happen.” / “She is behind the problems at the school, I know it.” / “As I said before, if Charleigh said those things, then they are true. She cant be held accountable for all the world’s problems. Each individual is responsible for their own actions. I am sure that for Charleigh to have said those things, they were pushing her to fight back.” / “Daniel, we need to get out of this town. Michelle has already decided that we are satan worshipers, hell bent on spreading evil. She has made her threats. It wont be long until she has other townspeople convinced. We need to get out of here, for Charleigh’s sake.” / “Once this thing at the school settles down, it will all be forgotten. Kids are all the time saying horrible things to each other. No one is any the wiser that it wasn’t merely a case of rumors and gossip.” / “We are the wiser. Why hasn’t Charleigh came to us about the problems at school?” / “You know why, we had this discussion before too. She is a teenager, we are the last people she is going to tell her issues. Plus, she thinks she will get in trouble if she tells us. From what you are telling me about this Marcy situation, it sounds as if Charleigh used deductive reasoning to come to the conclusion she couldn’t trust Marcy. Maybe you are jumping to the wrong conclusion. I havent gotten a solid sense that she has our ability.” / “Daniel, I heard Jeremy tell Michelle that Charleigh made the accusations at school. You are being deliberately blind to what is happening right in front of you.” / “ Oh Yeah? Holly you are building this up to be a much bigger problem than it is. If our daughter doesn’t want to be friends with Nicole or Marcy, that is her right. We need to be normal parents as much as possible for our daughter’s sake.” / “I think we need to confront Charleigh with the knowledge of what is happening to her. Maybe she is afraid of what is going through her mind, I know I was.” / “I am not wanting to do that until WE are sure, it is something we need to discuss. I am not sure.” / “You are impossible!” I ducked out of the hall quickly, because I was afraid that Mom would be coming out. However, she didn’t.
I looked in Dad’s den for a phone book and found it. I looked up Timnal, but there were three listings. I had no clue what Jake’s father’s name was. I dialed the first listing for a Gregory and got the automated message for a disconnected number. The next was for a Harold, when the line was answered it was Jake’s voice. “Hello.” / “Jake? This is Charleigh. Are you okay?” / “Didn’t you get my message? Kelly said she would tell you I couldn’t make it over today.” / “Yes, she told me, but I am worried about you. What happened that you couldn’t come over?” / “I will see you tomorrow. I have to go.” Then the line was cut off, he hung up on me.
I was in a state of confusion, what is wrong with Jake? Was my earlier deduction correct? Had he turned on me too? I was preoccupied with the events of my crazy day all through supper, my parents didn’t have much to say to each other either. Dad asked if I was feeling alright, I told him I had a bad day and a bit of a headache. I excused myself to go to bed early, the tension between my parents had me questioning whether the jitters were in full swing.
Until Jake came to the house in the late afternoon, I spent my Sunday drawing the church, then painting it. I didn’t want to forget the stain glass windows and the effect they had on me. Considering it was drawn from memory, it was very good. I may never go back to Marcy’s church to verify the authenticity, but I was pleased with the finished product.
Jake was acting as if he had to hurry from the moment he stepped inside the house. I asked him what was the matter and he told me he couldn’t stay long. “My dad got a call from someone, I don’t know who, saying that you were bad news and the root of the gossip being spread at the school. He has forbidden me to come see you, but he goes to the nursing home to visit my grandfather on Sunday afternoons. He left me a long list of chores he wanted done by the time he got back or I would have been over sooner.” I told Jake that I had a hunch that it may have been Michelle to call his dad. “Other than Sunday to visit his dad and the Friday night poker game, my dad hardly ever leaves the farm.” I asked Jake why he doesn’t go to see his grandfather. “He has Alzheimer’s, he doesn’t know me and usually doesn’t know my dad either.”
I was angry that I wouldn’t be seeing Jake as much as I had been, but was also determined to make the best of the time we did have. I led him to the back patio, where Dad had set up a few lawn chairs and made a makeshift table. Before we sat, I showed him our dirt patch that we were hoping would soon be a garden with peppers and tomatos. I had been debating all day whether or not to include Jake in what was going on with Nicole and now Marcy, once we sat I informed him of Nicole having been spying on me and him. Then I told him that I confronted her and she said she only wanted to be friends. I was a bit embarrassed to admit that I half believed her. He gave out a chuckle when I told him how I abandoned her in the diner proclaiming we could never be friends. When I told him that Marcy came to the house to deliver a message to me from Nicole shortly afterward, it was written all over his face that his initial thought was not to trust Marcy as well. As I continued reciting Marcy’s line of questioning, he stopped me to say I did the right thing to put a wall between myself and anything Nicole may be concoting. He also made sure I understood that if Marcy is a part of it, then it is by matter of being bullied into it. When I mentioned Marcy’s attitude with me lately, he dismissed it as not in Marcy’s nature to seek revenge. Certainly she would act hurt and even ignore you, but Marcy wouldn’t hatch a scheme to harm anyone, he assured me that was simply fact.
After I had finished speaking, it was Jake’s turn to tell me his news. “Rachel is home and she did lose the baby, but other than that she is fine. Her mother is not sending her off to live with her father now, she will be in school tomorrow. That Dave guy is long gone, once he was released he scooted himself back to his home state, someplace north. I think the kidnapping charges were dropped, if he would just leave. Rachel has been calling Jeremy and they have been talking, I think they are going to get back together after all these years.” I was elated to hear Rachel was fine and even more so to hear Jeremy may have his first love back. “I stopped over to see Jeremy yesterday, he isn’t the same. Partly it is for the better, but it is also as if he dropped deeper into an abyss of despair too. If he is talking about Rachel it is like having my ole buddy back, but I think moving back into that place with Doug really has him feeling stuck in a rut.” Jake reached over to take my hand into his and looked me in the eyes to emphasize the importance of what he was about to say. “I have to go, but I am hoping that you feel the same way as I do about you, for me. Will you be my girl? I wont be able to see you as much as before because of my Dad, but that wont stop me from taking advantage of every chance I get.” I was speechless. My blushing face, elated smile and twinkling eyes gave me away though. I whispered ‘yes’ and he closed up the distance between us to give me a kiss on the lips. The kind that melts away all of the world’s troubles and leaves you warmed with the promise of happily ever after.
I floated on air as we passed through the house, then on to our spot where he left me to hurry home after another sweet kiss. It wasn’t quite dark, so I watched him as he sprinted down the dusty road. Then he spun to wave my way, before he was out of sight. Wow! I officially have a boyfriend! I dashed to the porch, then as an afterthought decided to check, just for curiosity sake, beside the garage. Again, I crept under the windows so as not to give my covert operation away. Honestly, I didn’t expect to find anyone there, so I was flabbergasted to pop around the corner to see Marcy sitting on her bike doing Nicole’s dirty work. Marcy was more taken aback than I was at being spotted. “What is she holding over you to get you to do this? Is she paying you? Do you like spying on me?” Marcy looked as if she may just breakdown into tears, so I let up on my demands. “What does she want to know? I will tell you so you can leave me alone.”
Marcy really did have tears in her eyes by the time I was done ranting. However, I was soon to discover it had very little to do with my yelling at her or even with the predicament she has herself in with Nicole. “Are you dating Jake now? How serious are the two of you? I seen him kiss you, so don’t tell me you are just friends.” I told her that Jake had just asked me to be his girlfriend and I said ’yes’. She had a strange kind of hate form on her face, maybe I had justified for her what she was doing by collaborating with Nicole. I half expected she would take off without any further discussion, but then she pulled herself together like all it took was a big deep breath. “Nicole wants you to tell her stuff on all the kids at school, so she can have them all under her thumb. She especially wants to know what you have on Jake. She doesn’t know you threw me out, she thinks I am still in your good books. However, I cant go back to her with nothing. She already has something on me, that just cant be told.” I gauged Marcy’s sincerity to be one hundred percent, whatever Nicole had on her must be a real doosy.
Right, wrong or indifferent, I am going to play Nicole’s game with Marcy’s help.