6 MEANWHILE . . .
I was glad that the meeting went so well, then Jake and Marcy accompanied me to my house afterward. I told them both about seeing Nicole and Sathra together in the restroom. Jake has more faith than I do that Sathra is true to the games afoot. He didn’t say why, but I definitely got the impression Sathra has an old score to settle with Nicole that he is aware exists. Marcy was full of nervousness about it though, claiming she believes Sathra is out to sabotage the party, because she heard her tell Nicole as much. I guess we will have to wait and see, time tells all.
Jake only stayed for half an hour before heading home to do his chores. He didn’t want to be found at my house against orders and anger his father even more over the situation. Marcy couldn’t wait to tell me her made up secret once he was out of earshot. “I partnered up with Hope and my scandal is ’I was adopted and found my real parents, but they are in both in prison for smuggling drugs.” I must say I was impressed with Marcy’s imagination, but would that be believed? I didn’t tell her my doubts, but it got me wondering what it could actually be that Nicole is holding over her head. I could hardly fathom Marcy could have some deep dark secret, she is too naïve and innocent.
Marcy scooted out the door to go home shortly before my Mother returned from her job at the dentist’s office. By the look on Mom’s face, it was not a good day for her. I offered to make supper so she could rest and she jumped at the chance to lie down and take a nap. I began in on the preparations for spaghetti trying to dodge my wandering mind from landing on that stall door and the consequent visions, Marcy’s shady history or even Mom’s dour mood. However, I was not succeeding. When Dad came whistling through the door raving on the aroma of dinner permeating the house, I rushed to meet him. Dad in a great mood is such a high for me, I couldn’t resist asking what had him so chipper. “I met a man today that is a true inspiration, good clear down to the soles of his feet and I sold him the truck of his dreams, literally. He told me he had a dream when he was a teenager of driving a car with a red dashboard and although he could not see the face of the woman in the passenger seat, he just knew he was inlove with her. The man told me he had been married twice already and neither had been the one. He had been searching for that dashboard for years and although all of his vehicles have had a red dash, none ever were a perfect match until the truck he bought today, he claims. You should have seen this guy, I would guesstimate him to be around 45 to 50 years old, but the twinkle in his eye sitting behind the wheel told me he is still a teenager at heart. I sure hope the magic works for him.” My dad, you gotta love him, he sees the good in everything and truly wants the best for everyone. He is an ole softy when it comes to a love story too. I told Dad that Mom was lying down resting and he aimed himself to find her and I set the table for supper.
Mom and Dad emerged from their room about ten minutes later ready for supper. Mom seemed to have lost her glum and dour mood from earlier and as soon as we were seated Dad began asking me what I would like to do for my birthday coming up this Friday. Typically, my birthday was spent with my parents. We would go out to eat at a restaurant of my choosing and see a movie of my choosing too. Then we would come home to cake and icecream. However, this year would be different. I told them that I had planned a party with my classmates. Mom seemed a tad disappointed initially, then went into full tirade. She claimed that I simply couldn’t have the party, but she was at near hysteria over it. My dad was truly trying to calm her, explaining that having a party with peers is what any teenager would want. However, Mom flashed Dad a scowl of pure fury that conveyed her dire need for his cooperation in her denying me this party. Horray for Dad, he he stood his ground and continued to state his case in my favor. I interjected telling them it would be at Jake’s farm so I wouldn’t be far from home and all the invitations have already been given and accepted, to cancel now would be a huge let down to almost the entire sophomore class. Mom threw up her hands and left the table on the verge of tears. She muttered as she headed toward her room for solitude. “I tired to talk sense into you both, but remember I told you this was not a good idea.” Dad stayed at the table with me, assuring me he would talk to her later once she has calmed down.
After we had finished our meal, Dad came into the kitchen to help me clean up. While we were putting the dishes into the dishwasher, he started fishing for more information. It was obvious he was setting down ground rules and preparing me for “it”, without actually saying ’it’ outright. “Your mother is just worried because she knows the kinds of things that go on at a teenage party and it is especially hard for a mother to admit her baby girl is growing up and will soon be in a position she will have to make decisions on her own to what is right and/ or good for herself. Boys can be very persistant driven by their hormones pressuring a girl into . . .” There he paused for a moment to drive home his thought or to collect his courage to continue. “ . . .things she may not be ready to do. Alcohol is usually a staple at a teenage party and even if you have no plan for it to be there, it is no guarantee it will not be brought along by your guests. Drinking impairs your judgement, and don’t think it wont happen to you, because it will. I know peer pressure is intense, but for me promise you will avoid it and if the other kids are drinking stay out of any fights. Please don’t let anyone drive home that has been drinking, call me and I will take them home, consider me the taxi service for the night. Teenagers, in general, have a lot of changes going on inside them and are confused to what is the best way to deal with them. They are stuck between childhood and being an adult and that is a major conflict. I need you to know if you find yourself overwhelmed by how big of a change this party is to what you were expecting, don’t hesitate to come home. Trust me, the party will go on without you and still be the biggest bash of the year. Parties are notorious for fights, make ups and break ups, rumors and gossip and even drugs, I trust you are smart enough to know to stay away from drugs.” I reassured him that drugs hold no interest for me. “Good. Now promise me you will come home if anything doesn’t set well with you on how the party is going. You may find that you are taking in way too much at once, finding it difficult to focus on having a good time and enjoying your guests. Charliegh, you are growing up at the speed of light and sometimes it is too much too fast. Don’t let it carry you away into oblivion. If you need me I am just a phone call away. Now I see the need for cell phones. I believe that is what I will get you for your birthday.” Dad was visibly shaken by all the possibilities of what could go wrong, yet he was still allowing me to have the party. I could not contain my enthusiasm at having my own cell phone either. I know it is a silly reason, but at least I will have one constant in my life.
I started to walk out of the kitchen to go do some studying and be ready for when Jake arrives, but Dad grabbed hold of me into a big bear hug. “You are strong and I know you can handle anything that comes at you, just always remember to think before you act. People will disappoint you, but everyone has a past and may be living a life you cant even begin to understand. Leave them better than you found them.” I couldn’t stop the tears that formed in the corners of my eyes and began to stream down my cheeks. It hit me hard in that moment that I may have only gotten a small nibble of ‘it’ and what awaits me might bring me to my knees. My dad is scared and that is an emotion I have never known him to have before today. If Dad is afraid of ‘it’, then surely I am not as prepared as I suppose myself to be.
Jake was at my window at a quarter after nine again. He was excited over how well the meeting went and couldn’t wait for me to see the spot for the party he has been setting up. He told his dad he was going to have a few of the guys over for a bon fire Friday night and his dad gave his blessing. Jake eased my concerns when I mentioned it would be more than a few guys, stating that his dad would be too sloshed to know or even remember the difference. I told Jake that my mom doesn’t want me to have a party, but my dad is letting me. This was sure going to be a party to go down in the history books as the best prank ever, I just hope the joke isn’t on me.
Jake forced himself to leave by midnight again, I had dozed off in his arms so he had to wake me to get going. We kissed goodnight and then he was gone out of sight. Getting back to sleep was near impossible with the party plans rushing through my mind, then the visions from the bathroom and of course memories of Jake kept my brain buzzing.
WEDNESDAY
The next day at school went exactly as planned. Within earshot of Nicole, Rachel ‘accidentally’ let it slip while speaking to Misty that she heard I was going to show everyone how to divine information on someone at my party. Then later in the day, Candy was telling Brad that I had said I was focusing my sights on gaining dirt on Nicole and would make sure everyone at the party knew Nicole just a little bit better, when Nicole was nearby. Carter, the most brazen of the bunch walked right up to Nicole and told her to watch her back, rumor was I was going to give everyone shady information about her at my party. I heard in geography from Marcy that Nicole questioned her about it and Marcy stood firm and with feigned betrayal acted as if she knew nothing of it and upset because I had promised her that she would be the only person I would tell. In biology, Nicole seemed as if she were deeply preoccupied and troubled, Even her groupies were avoiding her ill humor. In French class, the fab five were elated reenacting Nicole’s responses to what she was told or happened to overhear. According to Carter, the expresssion of pure horror on Nicole’s face at the thought of the entire class knowing any dirt on her was priceless. Misty said it was hilarious to see Nicole in her peripherial vision inching ever closer to her and Rachel’s conversation to hear better and eavesdrop on the whole thing. Brad imitated Nicole’s temper tantrum kicking her locker door after hearing I planned to air her dirty laundry for all to see.
Enjoying every second of the plan coming together, I went on to remind the five of them they have to gain Nicole’s trust and make her believe they are all against me. Brad was the spokes person for the group telling me the plan they came up with to do just that. “Tomorrow we are all going to approach Nicole and tell her all we know and act as if we are outraged by it. We will make sure she knows we want nothing to do with being at your party and we all hate you for how you have ruined our lives. Rachel heard from Sathra that Nicole is more determined to wreck your party now and Sathra said she wants nothing to do with it, enter us. We will at first lead her to believe we are not interested, then let her talk us into it.” Jeremy broke in to say, that Shane told him Nicole has been asking everyone if they know anything about what I plan to do at the party and the unanimous answer is have a bon fire and probably drinking, but no one has mentioned a séance or given her any clue to the prank. She is still in the dark to it being a joke on her.
On the bus, Jake told me more or less the same thing Jeremy had told me. Marcy said Nicole approached her again, but Marcy told her she hadn’t had time to question me about it yet. I told Marcy to tell Nicole it is just rumors flying, that I still only intend to show her in private. When Nicole entered the bus there was an obvious attempt made to act as if nothing was going on behind the scenes, however, I don’t think Nicole noticed.
Mom seemed less irate about me having a party when she came home, but I didn’t push that button either. Dad was full of eagerness to present me with his gift a couple days early. Mom didn’t know what it was, but I was fairly sure I did. When I peeled away the wrapping, there it was on the front of the box, but the picture did nothing to represent the actual phone. As I lifted it from its compartment, I was in pure awe. It was a metallic red, my favorite color, and oh how it shined. Dad reached for the instructions and began reading as I hurriedly grabbed up the charger and plugged it into the wall outlet. Mom was asking Dad if he was sure we could afford it, mentioning the ongoing bill that comes with it. Dad rather blatantly informed Mom he couldn’t afford the stress that would come with me not having it. I was delighted all the more when Mom acquiesced to seeing the importance to my having a means to keep in touch with them. Once it was ready, Dad baby stepped me through the basics of setting it up and using it. His first order of business was putting the home phone number, the number for the car lot and the dentist office in the contacts. Again he punctuated, that I could call those numbers anytime for any reason.
When Jake arrived right on time, I couldn’t contain my excitement in showing him my new toy. I also pointed out that I have his number listed in my phone too. After I had shown him all the bells and whistles it possessed, he told me he has something he needs to tell me. By the tone in his voice, it wasn’t good. “Butch’s Barbie told Nicole that she cant wait to learn how to dig up dirt on someone else at your party. Apparently, Barbie misunderstood the instructions, because Butch told me she was mad at herself when he told her she wasn’t supposed to let on that she knew anything. However, perhaps a saving grace, Barbie told Nicole, Rachel told her.” It was against the original plan, but I didn’t see how any harm was done in the grand scheme. However, Jake wasn’t done explaining, because that wasn’t all he heard. “After I talked to Butch, Shane called. He said that from what Heather told him, Nicole might know that the whole thing is a hoax. Drake and Alex were in the hallway trying to out do each other in coming up with a personal scandal and they didn’t know Nicole was just around the corner with Sathra. Sathra told Heather she tried to sway Nicole into thinking it was just the guys being stupid, but she isn’t convinced Nicole bought it. Nicole isn’t too bright, but she knows a thing or two about being deceitful and ruthless. I will keep my ear to the ground and find out what I can, but she may be figuring out that she is targeted to play the fool.” Now that was definitely bad for the plan, if she puts one and two together. However, I was banking on Nicole’s vanity to keep her from believing the entire class would turn against her.
Jake was out the window and gone, then I was left to wrestle with my mind on how to cover the tracks in the snow that led Nicole to second guess what was happening around her. I didn’t last long until I was in a dead sleep and dreaming. Or rather in the throes of a nightmare. The images from the bathroom were intertwining into the night of the party. All of my guests were appalled at the arrival of Nicole carrying a sign that read, ‘til death do we part’ in blood. As she passed through the sea of people coming toward me, each person she walked by fell to the ground dead and bleeding out their eyes. I tried to hide from her beneath the hay wagon, but she found me. She reached out to grab my arm and I woke in a sweat and breathing hard in fear. I had to rush to the light switch to illuminate my room hoping to calm myself into believing it was merely a bad dream.
Tossing and turning trying desperately to erase the scenes from my mind, I think I finally gave in to sleep once more of pure exhaustion in fighting it. When I woke to see I had overslept, I threw back the covers to dart around getting ready, not wanting to miss the bus. When I was in the bathroom brushing my teeth my mom yelled up the stairs asking what I was doing up already? Confused, I took a second look at my alarm clock to see it wasn’t 6:30 as I had mistakenly thought, but 5:30. Glad that I wasn’t late, but a bit upset that my day got off to such a strange start. That is never a good omen. I told Mom my mistake and she said she would do that sometimes when she was in school too. I finished getting ready and could smell bacon and eggs cooking. Mom must have decided since we were all up we might as well enjoy the extra time together.
Downstairs, Dad was dressed and flipping through yesterday’s paper telling Mom about an article he had read. It was about a man in a town close to where we had lived before moving here. He went to prison for being a pedophile. This world is so sick and twisted. I devoured my eggs and toast and relished my strips of bacon, as they discussed the downfall of humanity. Like I said a bad omen.
THURSDAY
On the bus, Nicole stopped and glared at me before going to her seat. Granted she didn’t say anything, but her eyes boring into me told me she may be on to something. After we disembarked, I caught up to Jeremy to give him a message to pass on to Rachel as soon as possible. “Make sure Rachel knows and tells the others that Nicole may possibly know there is a plot to deceive her. Also tell her, more than before Nicole has to believe they are on her side.” I hadn’t come up with a plan B, but I was hoping the five of them could brainstorm and hatch a brilliant recovery.
Always have faith in the minds of your fellow conspirators, before lunch I had heard through the rumor mill a juicy piece of gossip that wouldn’t have came to me if not for the fact that I was in on it of sorts. “Did you know that Rachel, Carter, Brad, Misty and Candy are in cahoots with Nicole to ruin your party? They are out to destroy you. Rumor has it they are gonna learn from you how to know a persons innermost dark secrets and then they are going to turn the tables on you.” You should have seen Jeremy’s face telling me that, he was beaming with sheer pride. At first I thought it was in Rachel, but it turns out it was his idea they went with to deter Nicole from thinking she was a target of ridicule. However, they had to drag Jake into it, claiming I have already told him how to do it, but it is something that takes time to hone into being information you can call to you at anytime under any circumstances and he couldn’t do it on his first try. That is why the full moon is critical for helping a first timer do it. Jeremy was with the five of them when they approached Nicole and he told her himself that Jake confided in him that he was scared to even try it, but then upset he failed. Jeremy convinced Nicole it was in his best interest for no one to learn how to gather information too and wants in on the plan to sabotage the party. Jeremy informed me that Jake knows they used him to stress the point to Nicole, so he needs to have a clue what the magic words are or whatever.
In shop class, Jake told me as much too. I told him that he doesn’t need to know anything, if Nicole asks then just tell her if she wants to know so bad to ask me herself. I knew there was no way she would do that. With Nicole feeling she has gained a posse to round up the bad guys with her and believing it is now in the works to tell everyone how to conjure knowledge of someone else, I felt fairly certain that she had forgotten all about the guys in the hallways. Better yet, she would be in attendance.
French class was interesting as usual, the five and Jeremy were in high spirits rehashing for me how Nicole fell into their trap and didn’t even know what hit her.
When I got my first look at Marcy on the bus all the air left my bubble of contentment. I sat and she told me all about Nicole’s insistence that she join the gang that is out to destroy me, since she doesn’t need Marcy spying for her anymore. I asked her what she wanted to do, switch to the other side or stay? I made sure she understood it was all the same in the big picture. I believe it was her fear of Nicole that made the decision for her, but she opted to go to the dark side. I got up and moved to a seat a few benches back so I would be in front of Sathra and caddy corner from Nicole. Wouldn’t this prove interesting? Jake gratefully sat with me taking the aisle seat to be a buffer between Nicole and I.
I gave a quick explanation to Jake for not sitting with Marcy, but it was cut short by Nicole’s head popping up over the front seat. Nicole stopped briefly to say something to Marcy, then stopped again to rest her eyes on me, gloating she had won over my friend from me with her smug smirk. My how much fun it is going to be to see that face wiped clean of any arrogance, even if for just a few seconds before it turned to rage. Nicole said nothing to anyone the entire ride to her house, not even Sathra.
Marcy came to my house around four o’clock full of apologies, but I reminded her again it was all in the plan. I told her she would have to meet up with Jeremy and the others to formulate the way it was to go down the night of the party and all she really has to do is keep Nicole believing she is on her side of this equation. Marcy was a bundle of nerves when she left, but I knew she would do fine.
Mom came home in another foul mood and let me know she intended to order pizza for supper, so not to bother making something, then she went to lie down. The jitters, she’s got ‘em. Funny, she hasn’t made any friends in this town that I know of any way. In all the other places, she would have girlfriends over almost every night laughing and giggling over the craziest stuff. Dad too for that matter. I wonder why they are not making friends here, when oddly enough I am?
After Dad got home, Mom emerged from her room bright and chipper to order pizza. It was a very rare occasion that we ordered out, but I wasn’t complaining. Huddled in the living room watching T.V. on the couch, stuffing our faces with slice after slice of steaming hot cheese and pepperoni pizza while laughing at the shenanigans on the sitcoms. After pizza, they surprised me with a birthday cake and ice cream. Dad had picked it up on his way home and somehow smuggled it into the house without my knowing. Dad said since I had plans with my friends tomorrow night, they decided tonight would be the family celebration. Mom got me a beautiful silver necklace with a red rose made of rubies and diamond dew drops on it framed with a circle of opal daisies and inscribed on the underside was ’To thine own self be true’. I blew out my candles and made a wish. Although they say it is bad luck to tell your wish, I don’t think it would hurt if I tell you. I wished that we never leave this town and I can have Jake with me forever. It was a good night and a wonderful birthday party at home.
Jake came and I gave him a more in depth reason for my not sitting with Marcy, I also told him how bad she feels about it. I showed him my new necklace and told him about the surprise cake and ice cream for an early birthday. Jake had no news to share with me, which no news is good news here lately. So we spent our time together wrapped in each other’s arms telling stories about our past birthdays. I hated for him to have to go, but I knew I would be seeing him again soon. It is ridiculous how much I simply adore that guy and cant imagine my life without him.
FRIDAY, MY BIRTHDAY!
On the bus the next day, Jake surprised me with a birthday gift. It was a small box that he hadn’t wrapped, so I recognized it as a ring box instantly. I slowly lifted the lid on its hinges to view the most beautiful ring. He told me it wasn’t much and didn’t cost a whole lot, but he thought it was pretty, like me. It was pretty. It was in the shape of a horseshoe with red and pink stones alternated to form it. He told me it was for luck in everything I do. I gave him a great big hug and put it on immediately and it fit perfectly. I was the luckiest girl in the world.
The rest of the students were making a wild ruckus until Nicole joined us, then it all settled to a mere murmur. Nicole was more animated and talking to Sathra about homecoming and the dress she just ‘has to have’.
My morning classes flew by and several people came up to me to express their eagerness for tonight’s party. In shop class, I finished my desk well ahead of the other students and I helped Jake work on his the remainder of the period.
At lunch, I sat with Jake and his crew, since I was supposed to not be friends with Marcy anymore. Nicole seemed to have a keen interest in watching me with the eyes of a hawk. However, I just blocked her out and enjoyed the company I was in. Amanda, who was always full of giggles, was telling me of an absolutely hilarious situation when they were all kids and Jake got covered in mud and started crying. Apparently, they had a swimming hole and had a rope to swing out into the water, but it broke on Jake, because as Amanda told it ‘Jake was a real chunk when he was younger‘. The rope broke and he slid clear down the bank and had a major mud wedgie at the bottom. He stood up and thought he had crapped his pants and they were all laughing so hard at him for pooping his pants, he started crying. I don’t know if I was laughing so hard at the story or at Amanda’s imitation of Jake, but I was laughing so hard I feared I may pee my pants.
After lunch we parted ways and I stopped at my locker to collect books I would need for my afternoon classes, Jeremy approached me after scanning for any sign of Nicole, to tell me they would all be at the party by 9:30ish tonight. Then he started to turn away, but came back to face me. “I just wanted to let you know that I am glad I got to meet you and I hope you have the best birthday ever.” For a moment I thought he may kiss me, but instead he patted my arm then left.
I was off to Geography . . . 12:03PM.