“Jackson and Roberts, need I remind you that this is a PDA-free campus?”
We jumped apart, feeling as guilty as we looked. “No, Mr. Rodriguez,” I said, feeling a red-hot blush start at the top of my head and work its way down to my toes.
“Didn’t think so.” Mr. Rodriguez smiled.
“So does this mean you forgive me?” Chay asked.
“What?” I was still reeling from his kiss.
“You kissed me back. Is that a sign of forgiveness?”
“Are you going to stop acting like a horse’s ass?”
His lips twitched, trying to hide his grin. “Yeah, I think I can manage that.”
“Then there’s nothing to forgive. We’re good.” I bent down to pick up my book bag. He snatched the strap before I could. I’d almost forgotten the cardinal rule—Chay carried the books.
We walked to the lockers to stow our stuff for lunch. “So, how’d the dentist go?”
“I need to floss more… Milayna? What’s wrong?”
I’d frozen in mid-stride. My eyes darted from side to side, but they weren’t focused on the lockers lining the hall or the people walking past. They saw other images. Blood. Gore. Me.
A bloodied hand. A bejeweled knife. A beloved face contorted in fury and loathing.
“Milayna?” Chay shook me gently.
“What?” I blinked the vision away and looked at him.
“You zoned out. Were you having a vision?” He framed my face with his hands.
“No. No, I was just trying to remember if I’d finished the rough draft of our term paper due in English class.” I wasn’t sure why I lied. It just didn’t feel right telling him I was having visions that he was the one going to kill me.
***
“We should all go to the basketball game tomorrow night.” Jen tore the breading off her corn dog. Drew snatched it from her tray and popped it in his mouth. Muriel made a sound of disgust.
“What? It’s the best part,” he said around a mouthful of soggy corndog breading.
“It’s all school cafeteria food. That makes it all gross.” Muriel shook her head. Drew leaned over to kiss her, and she held her hands up and tried to dodge him, giggling.
Jen looked at me and rolled her eyes. “I thought it’d get better when they got together and all the unrequited love drama was over. But I think it’s worse now. They’re almost as disgusting as the school’s corndogs.”
“I can’t believe you want us to go to the game, Jen. Don’t you remember what happened the last time we all went to a game together?” I asked.
“Yeah, but that was football. This is basketball,” Jen clarified like I was dense.
“And that makes a difference because…?”
“I dunno.” She shrugged, dipping her naked corndog in mustard. “Sounded like a good argument.”
“Basketball isn’t really my thing anymore. It rates right up there with football.” I tossed my uneaten corndog on my tray and pushed it toward Drew.
Those things are vile. I’m not even sure they’re real meat. And if they are, what kind of meat are they?
“Ice skating,” Chay murmured.
“Really? You’re gonna use the ice skating card already? You only get to use it once, you know?”
“I know.”
I shrugged. “Okay.”
“Great!” Jen crowed. “Let’s meet at the concession stand before the game.”
“Is everyone invited?”
Jen looked at Xavier. “Yes. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have asked in front of you.” She grinned.
Chay groaned. “What?” he said when I elbowed him in the ribs. “Does she have a thing for him too?”
“Too?” I asked.
He sighed. “All the girls in school, except you and maybe Muriel, are drooling over him,” Chay whispered. “Does Jen have a thing for him too?”
“Yeah, a little bit.” I nodded.
“Figures.”
“Is that the green-eyed monster I see rearing its ugly head, Chay?”
“No,” he huffed. I smiled.
***
That night, the hobgoblin duo showed up. They stood outside the dining room window; their bulbous noses pressed against the glass, watching us eat dinner.
Scarface knocked on the window. I looked over. Friendly gave me a happy wave. Scarface scowled.
“Ignore them,” my father said, not looking toward the window.
“He’s here for you, Milayna,” Scarface yelled.
“He’s here, he’s here, he’s here,” Friendly chanted and danced around the backyard.
“It won’t be long now, Milayna. Your time is near.”
I flipped him the bird and kept eating.
10
Basketball
“Will your Uncle Stewart be at the game tonight?” I asked Chay when he picked me up.
“Yep.”
“Are you helping?”
“I’m helping set-up.”
“Okay. I’ll help, too.” I smiled at the thought of getting one of his famous milkshakes.
“Hey, Milayna, how are you, darlin’?” Uncle asked when he saw Chay and me walk up to the concession booth.
“I’m doing great other than the whole someone-trying-to-kill-me thing.” I smiled. “I’m here to help. What do you need done?”
“Why ain’t that sweet of ya? You always come to help out.”
“Well, you give me free shakes. I’d be a fool not to.”