I realized he was waiting for an answer, so I pulled my thoughts together and tried to ignore the current buzzing between us. “First, don’t do it again. And second, carry my books.” I gave him a small smile.
He licked his lips before pulling his bottom one between his teeth and looking at the ceiling like he was thinking. “Hmm, that’s a lot to ask.” He slipped the strap of my messenger bag off my shoulder and hefted it over his. “But for you, I think I can manage.”
The rest of the school day went by smoothly. It wasn’t until that evening that things got really interesting.
Chay had dinner at my house. Then he helped me catch up with my chemistry homework. I’d only missed two days of school, but it seemed like I had five days of work to do.
We sat at the kitchen table, hunched over our books, when I heard scurrying outside. I looked up and saw the nose of a hobgoblin pressed against the dining room window.
I sighed. “For the love of shitballs.”
“What?” Chay sat up in his chair. “I smell sulfur.”
“Because we have company.”
We watched the five hobgoblins run through the backyard like kids who’d forgotten to take their Ritalin. I recognized two of the five, Friendly and Scarface. The other three I’d never seen before, although it was hard to tell. They all looked alike.
“What are you doing here?” I yelled to Scarface. He stood in the middle of the yard staring at Chay and me, while the other four goblins ran around him, screeching in their high-pitched voices.
“We bring good tidings of great joy… oh wait, that’s a different story,” he said with a scowl. “We have a message. He said he’ll see you all soon. He’s looking forward to meeting you.”
Friendly ran over and tried to shimmy up Chay’s leg. He kicked him across the yard. The goblin squealed in delight as he sailed through the air, rolling head over heels.
“Who are you talking about? I’ve met Azazel. You and I keep having this same conversation. Either tell me something I don’t know or go to Hell.”
“I’m just reminding you. He’s here. You know, don’t you? You know who’s going to kill you. You just won’t admit it… it’s true. It’s him.”
“Get outta here.” I walked into the house and slammed the door behind me. The goblins disappeared one by one.
***
Saturday morning. I drummed my fingers on my nightstand, waiting for Chay to answer the phone. It was ten in the morning; I knew he was awake.
“Hi,” he said when he picked up.
“Hey, sleeping in?”
“No, I was just in the living room. Didn’t know the phone was ringing until my dad told me. What’s up?” Chay asked.
“Are you coming for breakfast this morning?”
“I can’t today. I have some chores to do this morning for my dad.”
“Oh. Okay.” Disappointment flooded me. Chay never missed a Saturday breakfast. “Um, Drew and Muriel asked us to go with them to the mall this afternoon. Wanna go?” I thought he’d say yes. We very rarely gave up a chance to spend time together.
“I can’t. Too much homework.”
He’s lying.
“I thought you were all set with homework?”
“I forgot something.” His voice sounded flat, distant.
I twisted my quilt around my finger. “Okay, I guess I’ll tell them another time.”
“Yeah. I gotta go. I’ll talk to you later.” He hung up before I could say anything more. I pulled the phone from my ear and stared at it.
No goodbye, no I love you, no nothing. What’s up with him?
I called Muriel to tell her Chay and I weren’t going to go with her and Drew to the mall. She insisted I go anyway.
“Who cares if he’s not coming? We still want you to,” she whined.
“Muriel, I’d feel like a third wheel.”
I don’t want to go and watch you two make ga-ga eyes at each other all day when I’m alone.
“You’re not. Come on… please.”
I finally gave in and told Muriel I would go. Sighing, I rolled out of bed to get ready. I wasn’t looking forward to going without Chay, and I was worried something was wrong with him. He seemed so distant.
“Where’s Chay?” Drew asked when he and Muriel picked me up an hour later.
I groaned. I felt so out of place with them on their date, even though Muriel insisted it wasn’t one. “Too much homework.”
“Huh,” was all Drew said as he pulled out of the driveway.
***
The mall was hopping that afternoon. Everyone had spring fever and wanted to get out of the house, but the Michigan weather made it nearly impossible to do much outside, unless you enjoyed shoveling snow.
The three of us shopped and laughed, had lunch at a real restaurant, not the food court, and ended up having a great time. But through it all, I waited. I waited for the inevitable stomach twisting, head-pounding, heart-racing signs that a vision was coming. I knew I was going to have one even before the sensation hit. In a crowd that big, there was bound to be something to set off a vision. I was immediately sorry I’d come with them. My vision would ruin their day even more than having a third wheel hanging around.
Drew and Muriel wanted to go into a bookstore. I sat down on a bench to wait for them.