CHAPTER 4
How I even managed to get up and get dressed this morning was beyond my comprehension. I guess my internal alarm clock was responsible. Every muscle in my body, including those that I didn’t know existed, made it painfully clear that they had been abused by the tremendous amount of strain that had been required of them the night before last, when I had foolishly tried to walk on the wild side, causing me to be sicker than I had ever been in my life. With every movement I felt the burning ache of the severely pulled muscles in my body. Today they hurt three times worse than they had yesterday, making me regret even more the decision to give in and drink for the first time.
I felt as if I had walked out in front of a speeding bus and been hit by it, along with being plowed by all the traffic behind the bus before rolling off into a gutter. I felt so achy that I didn’t care one bit about my appearance. I grabbed a t-shirt and a pair of comfortable jeans, my tennis shoes, a worn gray sweatshirt that was slightly over sized, pulled my hair back into a ponytail without applying one drop of makeup, and grabbed my cell phone and keys. I was glad I had left my bag and laptop in my car on Friday when I got home from school, because carrying it down two flights of stairs would not at all have been pleasant. Just with my body weight alone, my muscles screamed in pain with every step I took.
I headed for the kitchen where Lorenzo, our personal chef, was already busy making breakfast. It smelled terrific, but I was still too scared to eat anything solid. Knowing how sick I’d been, Lorenzo nodded his head and waved at me with a spatula rather than starting up a conversation like he usually did every morning. Though he knew I was sick from a hangover, he was keeping his distance as though I was contagious though it was clear the only thing I suffered from was chronic stupidity, so that was my first clue that he was more than upset with me. I really wanted to tell him that my stupidity wasn’t contagious, but I just kept my mouth shut and went about my business.
I pulled into a parking space in front of Spirits, killed the engine, and grabbed my laptop, thinking through what I planned to say in my paper about not being a classroom disturbance. This assignment just made me mad. It was completely pointless. Just because it made her happy to make me miserable, I would play her little game. I wondered what the chances were of us having a substitute or Ms. Greer forgetting she had assigned me the paper. Neither one seemed to offer odds in my favor, so I opened my laptop and started rambling through sentences that sounded so fake and corny even I was getting bored with what I was writing.
I had claimed my usual spot in the fluffy, leather chair in the corner without ordering anything. I feared coffee would mess up my plumbing beyond imagination after the crazy stunt in digestive pyrotechnics I’d put on most of the weekend. Seeing how I spent money here nearly every day, I didn’t see how using their Wi-Fi and chair for a day without making a purchase would hurt them too badly. Besides that, it was just now 6:00 a.m. People really didn’t start bustling in and out until around seven. By then I would be done with my pointless assignment and be on my way to turn it in and spend an hour of quality time under the wonderful teaching of the ancient Ms. Greer.
Concentrating on how to make my paper sound as if I’d actually taken my actions into consideration, I stared blankly at the computer screen. I wished the words would populate the screen by themselves if I stared at the computer long enough. After trying it for a few minutes, I decided I was not born with the gift of telepathy or anything else that could control the software on my computer with my mind.
Figuring she would only read a few paragraphs anyway, I just typed up a paper on generalized classroom distractions and called it quits. I opened my browser to see what kind of headlines were on my homepage today. Clicking on a few of the hyperlinks and reading the stories that were informative but less than entertaining, I decided I would check my e-mail instead.
I was typing my password in concentration when I got that feeling that someone was watching me. At first I ignored the feeling, convincing myself I was just paranoid. It was too early for anyone from school to be here on a Monday morning. Repositioning myself in the chair and sitting crisscross applesauce so that my laptop sat in my lap, I noticed why I was feeling someone’s eyes on me. Right across from me, in a chair just like mine with nothing but a coffee table between us, sat Avan.
His order pad was in his right hand as he played with the pen he was holding in his left, staring directly at me. I was caught a little off guard and gave a little jump, causing a smile to spread across Avan’s face.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.” His voice came out so smooth, as he was still beaming a smile.
“No, you’re fine.” Did I really just say that? I could feel my cheeks turning red. “Sorry, I just meant…never mind…it’s okay. I was just off in my own world.” Nice going, Mattie, real smooth!
“Don’t you normally have a medium drip every morning?”
“Yeah, I just didn’t feel so hot this morning, so I didn’t want to make it worse.” I tried to grin and make eye contact but started playing with the sleeve of my sweatshirt instead.
“So you’re Mattie Holland, right?” he asked, causing my heart to skip a beat as I looked up, meeting his gaze.
I couldn’t believe he actually knew my name! Avan Rork actually knew I, Mattie Holland, existed. He must have memorized it from the teachers taking attendance in the classes we shared together every day. I hoped I would not pass out from lack of oxygen since I was suddenly having a hard time remembering to breathe.
“Guilty as charged!” I answered, trying to add a little comic relief.
“Well, Mattie, do you know what I find odd?”
I just raised my eyebrows, curious at where he was going with this conversation.
“I find it odd that I have seen you multiple times every day for at least six months and you have never said anything to me other than what you wanted to order.”
As he finished the sentence, I opened my mouth to spout off a lame reason as to why but couldn’t come up with one, so I shut it instead, still gazing into his creamy, light-brown eyes that made my heart beat irregularly. He had known I existed since he transferred? My heart wanted to beat out of my chest I was so excited but I had to play this cool. There is nothing more that hot guys hate than girls who react immaturely and go gaga whenever they found out that they were interested. I had to remain calm.
“So, Mattie, I decided that today I would talk to you.”
“Okay, well, what would you like to talk about?” I asked, putting my laptop on the coffee table in front of me as I repositioned myself once again, sitting on one foot and letting the other dangle with the toe of my shoe touching the hardwood floor.
“I want to talk about you.”
“All right. What do you want to know?”
“Everything there is to know.”
This had to be a dream! I was not interesting enough for a guy like Avan Rork to want to know everything about me. I was never the last kid chosen in gym class or the loser without a lab partner, but Avan was different. Just hearing him talk, I could tell there was so much more to him than just his amazing looks.
“Okay, well, how do you suppose we go about that?” I let out a small laugh as I responded.
“I guess it would require you agreeing to spend a lot of time with me for starters.”
Spending time with Avan? I was so excited right now I could fly! Was he hinting around that he wanted to date me? Taking deep breaths, I had to find a way to respond and sound confident and cool without getting one of those idiotic, overdramatic smiles pasted across my face as my eyes glassed over.
“I suppose that can be arranged.” Yes, I had managed to keep it together. Maybe I was better at flirting than I thought I was.
“Good, I’ll start by driving you to school.” He winked at me and smiled.
“Drive me to school? Like today?” Once again I was caught off guard, not expecting it.
“Yes, and every day thereafter.”
“What about my car?”
“Leave it here. It’ll be safe in the parking lot. Besides, my coworkers are here all day. They’ll keep an eye on it.”
Let’s see, ride in my own car and turn down the hottest guy that I’d ever known who really seemed like he wanted to get to know me or go with this gorgeous guy and come get my car later. It was hardly even a choice at all.
“Okay, but if it gets stolen, you’re buying me another one!” I said jokingly.
“Deal! So I’m gonna run upstairs for a minute so I can get my jacket and my bag. We’ll leave in a half hour. Sound good?” he said, like he’d just won the lottery.
“I’ll be waiting.” I finally stopped fighting the cheesy grin that had stuck onto my face, hoping it wasn’t too obvious.
Those thirty minutes seemed like the longest thirty minutes of my life. I couldn’t help but wonder why Avan wanted to get to know me. If I had gotten butterflies in my stomach anticipating the date I’d gone on with Ian, then I could compare the feeling in my stomach now to a stampede of water buffalo. I was so nervous that I was still having difficulty breathing, and I couldn’t focus on anything but Avan.
I was going to be completely worthless today in class. I could sense it now. I would spend the entire day dreaming about the countless possibilities of how this could all turn out. I was going to have loads of homework tonight that would keep me up until all hours due to my wandering mind. It was at that moment I realized my appearance. I looked like a bum. Of all the days Avan could choose to start talking to me, it had to the day when I looked like a train wreck. Then my breath was completely taken away.
I looked up while placing my laptop back in my bag. Avan was coming down the stairs. His eyes looked radiant with a deepness I’d never seen before as he pushed a loose strand of his soft, brown hair from his face and flashed a smile that displayed his perfect white teeth, his dimple adding an extra bit of charm. For a moment I couldn’t help but think he looked like an angel descending from heaven. I was so overwhelmed looking at him that I had to look away.
Something about him seemed out of this world, like I was seeing a part of something most people only imagined. I diverted my attention to the door, hearing the bells jingle for no more than five seconds. Avan came over, picked up my bag, and asked if I was ready to head to school. I flashed him a smile, excited that I was getting to ride in his hot Mustang, almost forgetting to lock my car on the way out, as I was surprised to see Avan walk to the passenger side of his Mustang and open the door for me. After putting my bag into the back seat and sliding into the passenger side, he closed my door, walked around the back of the car, and slid into the driver’s seat.
The ride to school was better than normal as I admired the way Avan’s Mustang sounded when he revved the engine. It still had the new car smell when I inhaled, and there wasn’t a single piece of trash anywhere in sight. I was good about keeping my car neat and clean, but Avan’s car looked as though he had just driven it off of the lot this morning. I didn’t see any car fresheners or anything that would be creating the new car smell, so I had to believe he had just kept his car in tip-top shape since the day he bought it.
Avan had me so caught up in our conversation that for the first time in forever I did not even mind the red lights that we seemed to sit forever at. We hadn’t been discussing anything important, but I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had a conversation with anyone that had been so interested in what I thought and had to say. When I talked to Lena, the conversation revolved around her and her adventures for the most part, unless she was trying to get me to do something I was refusing to. It was refreshing to have a conversation that involved more than me smiling and nodding. It made me feel important that Avan actually appreciated my opinions without making any condescending remarks or telling me I was lame. I ended up spilling my guts about my embarrassing little incident in Ms. Greer’s class on Friday morning and how I’d gone home early in order to avoid that hallway talk about smashing Bradley’s nose, which caused him to go to the nurse’s office.
He laughed, sounding genuinely surprised at the fact I’d busted Bradley’s nose, then jokingly told me he’d probably had it coming from someone else and all I’d done was save somebody else the trouble, explaining that Bradley was a good guy but was always getting into some kind of mischievousness. He agreed that Ms. Greer was being a bit harsh with my pointless assignment, suggesting that she simply wanted to make an example out of me to deter others from ever trying anything.
We also talked about my horrible decision to go on a blind date on Saturday and how it ended with me getting drunk and thinking I was going to die of a hangover and a probable slight case of alcohol poisoning, which kept me in bed all day yesterday. He was glad to hear that I would never consider doing that again and seemed to be very skeptical of Ian, insisting that any guy who had at least one ounce of character would never have introduced his date to alcohol for the first time and definitely wouldn’t have even kissed her while she was drunk.
He kept himself under control but did not hold anything back as he voiced how he obviously did not think much of Lena, whom he said guys were stupid for wasting their time to ever be interested in. According to him, she was an offensively dressed, easy target for frustrated males who were only looking for someone to satisfy their sexual fantasies. He also made sure to note that neither he nor any of his friends would even give her the time of day, because just the sight of her made them sick. He was also angry with her for setting me up with someone like Ian in the first place, explaining that she put me in a potentially dangerous situation and was also incredibly put out with Ian, even though he didn’t know him aside from me telling him about our date. He kept saying how he couldn’t believe how some guys thought they could disrespect women without a trace of remorse.
He went as far as saying that Ian’s behavior was appalling, not only for introducing me to liquor, as he was sure he only did it to try and have his way with me, but because of the fact that he had given alcohol to someone my age. It felt like there was an underlying reason for what he was saying. He talked as if he were angry at himself for not being able to be there to protect me.
Seeing as how we really didn’t even know each other before now, I knew it was an impossibility that he could have known I was on a date with someone that would make me question my morals and end up making me need protection from my own bad judgment. Upon explaining it that way, Avan reassured me that it wasn’t myself I needed protection from but others who wanted me to change who I was in my heart.
Hearing those words come out of Avan’s mouth made me see him in a whole new light. Up until then, I had never even considered the idea that Ian might have been trying to manipulate me into giving him whatever he wanted physically. It really touched my heart that Avan was so old fashioned. Evidently, he was not aware that these days guys did just about anything in their power to get what they wanted from a girl. It made me wonder what his parents were like and how they’d managed to keep him so innocent while residing in such a messed-up state—not to mention world. I knew from listening how he felt that women should be treated respectfully, regarded as God’s creations, and not just as sex symbols; my mom would have really liked him, and my dad might not have even threatened him with a shotgun. I assured him I would not be going out with Ian again and that losing an entire day due to sickness from stupidity that someone else promoted was not my idea of a good time.
I almost wished something would come over him and make him ask if I wanted to skip school today, but I knew there was no chance of that happening as he pulled into the parking lot early enough to get a great parking spot right in front. He did not turn the car off immediately, since we still had time, letting it idle. I enjoyed sitting with the heater instead of starting straight for the entrance of the school, having to fight the cold to get to the door. Even though California was never considered cold to most of the people in the country, when those of us who lived here and were used to temperatures that allowed us to soak up sun on the beach dropped into the fifties, we considered it to be cold.
Unfortunately, I had forgotten to grab a jacket this morning in my hurry to get to Spirits to write my pointless assignment, so I was shivering through my sweatshirt, even with the heater blowing on me. Noticing my teeth chattering, Avan leaned toward the steering wheel to take off his black leather jacket and handed it to me to wear. I told him I would be fine once I got to class, but he insisted that I take it, not wanting me to be uncomfortable.
I couldn’t help but smile as I suddenly felt like a damsel in distress who was being saved by a generous, handsome, chivalrous prince who had ridden up on his royal steed out of nowhere. This was one of those feelings I could definitely get used to. It was ten minutes until the tardy bell, and the parking lot had filled to nearly maximum capacity when we decided we would leave the warm embrace of the heated car and head for our classes.
Avan came around to the passenger side of the car to open my door and hand me my bag from the back seat. I felt guilty knowing Avan had on less clothing than I did and yet I was wearing his leather jacket. As we made our way to the door, it didn’t even seem as if Avan was affected by the cold. If he was cold, he certainly didn’t show it. Maybe he didn’t want me to feel bad and give his jacket back.
As we were walking up to the entrance, I still wasn’t used to how considerate Avan was when I went to grab the door handle and he jogged ahead of me opening the door. I smiled again and thanked him. I was surprised again when he walked upstairs beside me all the way to class as he gave me tips to help survive Ms. Greer’s class this morning and told me he would see me third period.
Feeling light on my feet, I was wearing a smile on my face while singing a song in my heart as I dropped my paper on Ms. Greer’s desk on the way to my seat. I’d expected her to only read a couple of paragraphs to make sure I’d actually done the assignment, so I was a little shocked to see her put it into the trash can without reading one word. I guess Avan was right—all she wanted was to prove she was in charge and make an example out of me to warn others of what would come their way if they stepped out of line.
As Bradley walked in and took his seat, he smiled, giving me a nod. I supposed he saw my car at his workplace this morning and had more than likely been told by Avan that I would be his new carpool partner and maybe his new hangout buddy. Since Bradley was Avan’s best friend, I was fairly certain I would be getting to know him a lot better and be spending a lot of time with him as well. He seemed pretty cool, and Avan was sold on the fact that he was a great guy, so I didn’t really mind. Not to mention, as long as I was getting to spend time with Avan, I really did not care where we went or with whom else we hung out with. As I predicted, I didn’t hear a single word Ms. Greer was saying due to my drifting mind concentrating on thoughts of Avan, and I was thankful she didn’t call me out to answer any questions about the reading material.
I was still off in my own world as the bell rang and everyone started heading out of class, having put all their notebooks into their bags prior to the bell. Trying to hurry and get myself situated so I could leave, I noticed Bradley standing at the door.
“Something on your mind today?” I heard him ask as I made my way to the door.
“Not really. I guess I’m still tired from the weekend.” I certainly wasn’t going to admit that my lack of attention that caused me not to hear the bell was all because I was doting over his best friend.
“Nice jacket.” Bradley was smiling as he tapped me on the shoulder to let me know he recognized it.
“Yeah, it’s not mine.” I really wasn’t sure what he expected me to say.
“I know. I saw you pile up in Avan’s car at Spirits this morning. So, are you guys an item, or what?”
Were we an item? Was he trying to tell me that he knew something I wasn’t aware of? I felt a nervous feeling in my stomach. Avan was the hottest guy in school, who did not even acknowledge Lena Montgomery’s existence, other than sharing his opinion that he did not think she was much of a friend for putting me in a potentially dangerous situation and how the only thing she had an effect on was his gag reflex.
How could he possibly be interested in me? Sure, I didn’t consider myself a complete loser or anything and I always had somewhere to sit in the cafeteria but I wasn’t a homecoming queen candidate or anything. It also wasn’t a big secret that Avan and his friends were the only guys in town that Lena Montgomery hadn’t sunk her claws into. It was talked about in the hush-hush kind of way where people became quiet as she walked by them and the whispering commenced once she was just out of hearing distance.
Her beauty certainly didn’t hurt her, but it was true that her dad’s money and her reputation for being easy were what gave her the popularity status she maintained. I was only popular because I lived in her house and was seen as her sidekick. I was actually proud that people talked about how they didn’t see how Lena and I were even friends due to how opposite we are. Needless to say, if Avan was interested in me, it would surely kill Lena in the worst way.
I had never even thought it was possible for someone to be in favor of me instead of her. I almost feared how she would react once she found out Avan had driven me to and from school today after I saw her reaction when I had simply gotten a compliment at the store on Saturday. She was going to explode, and I really had no desire to be around when it happened, considering I would once again be the cause.
“Avan’s a great guy, but we’re just friends.” I smiled and reassured Bradley.
“Oh yeah? Well, that’s cool. So do you want to be an item?”
Geez, could Bradley be more forward? Way to put me on the spot. I felt my cheeks warming up, which was an obvious sign I was blushing. How was I supposed to come up with an answer to that question? I knew whatever I said he would report back to Avan, so I had to be careful with my wording. But seriously, what girl wouldn’t want to be an item with Avan Rork? Not to mention now that I knew more about who he was as a person and not just an image he was even more desirable, but I wasn’t about to tell that to Bradley.
“I guess that would be something I would have to decide if the option was presented, but I don’t like having expectations.” I was partially telling the truth. I really didn’t like to have expectations. From everything I had experienced, whenever I went into a situation with expectations, I usually ended up disappointed. What I would not admit aloud was how I wished the option would be presented.
“So you like playing it safe, huh? Ya know, sometimes it can be fun to step outside the box, jump in the deep water, and take a few risks every now and then.”
“To be honest, Bradley, I’m really not all that crazy about stepping outside the box. I’ve done it a few times and it never ended well, so I prefer to stay in the box away from any risks.”
With the answer I gave him he smiled wider than I had ever seen him smile, as if he had just found out his long lost love was still alive.
“Great answer, Mattie; I was just testing your responses. You are very correct in saying that Avan is a great guy. He’s my best friend—more like a brother. I have to protect him when I can. A lot of girls are just after him for his looks and his car. Like that Lena chick you hang out with. She comes into Spirits once in a while dressed like a hooker trying to get with Avan. She leans over the counter almost falling out of her shirt and all kinds of crazy crap.
“It drives her nuts that nobody up there wants anything to do with her. We all know she’s just rich trash. Avan doesn’t need anybody like that trying to take advantage of him, so I try to look out for him. I know he would do the same for me if the tables were turned. Sorry if I put you on the spot. I just had to make sure you weren’t like her.”
Wow, Bradley really was a good friend to Avan! Now it made sense why Avan had thought Lena was a horrible friend. After hearing Bradley’s motives for the conversation, I knew he would never do anything purposely to put Avan in a dangerous situation and he would do anything it took to protect him from whatever could possibly bring danger to him. I was now starting to see that Lena really wasn’t much of a friend. At least she wasn’t doing a very good job of acting like one.
“I like that you are there for him. Most people wouldn’t care to go out of their way to make sure a friend didn’t get hurt.”
“Well, I made him a promise a long time ago that I would protect him at any cost, and I can’t break a promise.”
“You’re a good friend, Bradley, and sorry about busting your nose on Friday,” I said as I walked into the door of my next class. Second period was much like first period with Ms. Greer. My mind was so distracted with the conversations I had with both Avan and Bradley that I couldn’t make myself concentrate on what the teacher was talking about to save my life. What stuck out most were the comments that they’d both made in regards to Lena. I knew all too well how misguided and morally corrupt Lena was.
I couldn’t explain why I called her my best friend when she never had my best interest in mind, but if I really had to narrow it down, it mostly stemmed from feeling obligated to a fault for her and her father taking me into their home and providing me with everything I needed. Looking at the chalkboard as my teacher was working out quadratic equations, I wished I were sitting in the passenger seat of Avan’s Mustang, sniffing in the scent of leather and newness instead of chalk dust.
I leaned down as I pulled the lapel of Avan’s jacket up to my face, noticing it smelled of his cologne. I closed my eyes and inhaled the captivating scent that made me melt. I opened my eyes to find I was still sitting in my desk in geometry with five minutes of class left. I put my things into my bag and waited impatiently, knowing I would get to be close to Avan again when the bell rang.
When I got to third period, I sat down in the same desk I always did, right in the center of the classroom. Sitting in front always made me feel a bit too nerdy, whereas sitting in the back made me feel like a slacker, so I decided I would settle somewhere between the two extremes. I took out a notebook that I kept all of my notes for third period in and laid it on my desk with a pen beside it, waiting for Avan to come in and sit down, wondering if he would say anything to me before attendance. I noticed my left shoe felt loose on my foot and upon further investigation, realized it had come untied.
I turned in my chair and bent down to tie my tennis shoe, loosing focus of all who came in the doorway. Glancing over to the row where Avan always sat, I noticed he still wasn’t here with only two minutes until the tardy bell would ring. When I leaned back up, I saw Avan had changed seats with the girl who normally sat in front of me as he turned around to face me. Being surprised by him again, I didn’t realize I had his name doodled all over the front of my notebook as he started to look down at my desk.
Suddenly realizing what he was about to see, I laid my arms across the desk.
The tardy bell rang, and our teacher was on a roll today, leaving no time for casual conversation. I didn’t even care that we weren’t getting to talk, since his action of switching seats to be close to me spoke more than any words could, and I was not the only one who noted it. The whole class was buzzing and trying unsuccessfully not to stare. I knew the rumor mill fired up, but for once, it did not bother me the slightest bit. When I was near Avan I felt calm and unshakable, like nothing could hurt me. I did not think about any of the conversations others would have about us, and I did not feel the need to stress over it.
I could not help but think about how nice it would be to actually have something more than a friendship with Avan and to really give people something to talk about, when I noticed he had his head turned to the side as if he were waiting for me to say something. With a smile on his face that made his dimple visible, I couldn’t help but notice how indescribably amazing he was in every way. I thought about how nice it would be to tell everyone he was my boyfriend and how they would react.
I thought about how great he would treat me and how wonderful of a person he was. I knew he was an honest and loyal person who would protect me from any threat that came my way. He really was everything a girl could dream of wanting. He was the perfect catch, and I just hoped that I might have a chance.
After third period, the rest of the day became quite a reality show. It was a widely known fact all around school that I had arrived at school this morning in Avan Rork’s hot Mustang, he had opened every door for me, I was wearing his signature black leather jacket, he had walked me to several classes, he had changed seats with people to sit next to me, and he had bought me lunch.
I could feel the eyes of everyone in the hallways burning holes through my skull as they stared so hard they forgot to blink. A small part of me wanted to tell them to take a picture so it would last longer, but I knew it would not help, so I just let them be. The one person I had not run into today was Lena. She normally texted to let me know she would be absent for whatever reason, but I had not heard one word from her today. I wondered if maybe she had already caught wind of the talk going around and left early with a temper tantrum, which would not surprise me the slightest bit. The school day was nearing its end, and I dreaded going home to face her.
The bell rang, excusing us as I headed for locker 247 on the second floor. Having no homework tonight was a miracle that meant I only had to worry about my laptop instead of carting around my huge backpack. Taking the books out of my bag and placing them into my locker, I saw a folded piece of paper in the bottom that resembled the one on my car a few days ago.
Folded into fourths, the white paper sat on the bottom shelf of my locker, waiting to be discovered. Picking it up, I examined the paper just like I had the last one to see if there was any indication of who might have left it there. Although my mind told me I knew better, I thought for a moment that just maybe Avan had tried to be cute and leave me a note in my locker, but that just didn’t feel right. Even before unfolding the paper and just holding it in my hand, it gave off a dark feeling in my direction.
Carefully unfolding the paper, I dreaded what I would find inside. Once again, it was the same type of paper. As I straightened it out, I found a single sentence whose letters had been typed onto the paper by a typewriter, leaving them indented on the paper in black ink. I could not help but catch my breath as I read the message someone had left me, sending a chill through my entire body.
They’re watching you!
Suddenly I was beginning to feel like this was more than just a badly planned practical joke. My gut told me this was real and that someone was trying to warn me. That was where my thoughts left me at a dead end. Who could this mystery vigilante be protecting me from? I did not have any enemies, unlike Lena, who created a new one every day by being her normal self and making everyone else feel like crap. I stayed to myself and avoided involvement with most people. Maybe that was it! What if one of Lena’s enemies had finally had enough and reached their breaking point? It made sense; if I thought about it, I could convince myself of this theory easily. Someone Lena had made mad somehow knew I lived with her.
Maybe they had planned on confronting her or even starting a fight with her. If they did not have a problem with me even though they hated Lena, they might be warning me so I could avoid getting caught up in a less-than-pleasant situation by being in the wrong place at the wrong time when they went for Lena. The more I thought about it, the more sense it made. I wondered if I should warn Lena that someone had it out for her.
The last time I did, though, she warned me to stay out of it and told me she could take care of herself. Of course, that was in gym class two years ago when I tried warning her that the person throwing the dodge ball said in the locker room that she was going to aim at Lena’s head. Sure enough, Lena ended up with a bloody nose and two black eyes. I had tried to warn her, but it had not made much of a difference then, just as it would not if I tried to warn her now. A small part of me knew she probably deserved whatever was coming her way.
After thinking it through, I decided that I would do the same thing with this little stalker note that I did with the other one. I was going to pretend as if I had never received it. I folded the note back up poking into my back pocket when Avan walked up and leaned against the locker next to mine.
“So this is where your locker is?”
“This is it!” I smiled as I answered, adoring how he still looked good even under fluorescent light bulbs that shined in abundance in the school.
“I guess I’ll know where to find you so I can walk you to class now, huh?”
“I guess you will.” I couldn’t help feeling flattered that he would want to walk me to class.
“Here, let me carry your bag,” he said taking it from my hand as I closed my locker.
“I can get it.” I wasn’t used to anyone being so mannerly.
“A pretty girl should never have to carry her own books or bag when there is a strapping young man around who is capable of doing it for her—unless it’s a purse, because I really can’t swing that way.” He laughed.
I could not help but giggle at the thought of him carrying my purse on his shoulder and strutting around looking like a cross-dresser. I was sure he failed to realize that the visual he had just given me made me laugh aloud as we walked down the hallway toward the staircase at the end.
“You seem a little distracted. Is everything okay?” Avan asked, looking at me as though he already knew I’d found the note.
“Yeah, I think somebody is mad at Lena. They left a note for her in my locker.”
“How do you know it’s for Lena? Did it specify that?’
“Not exactly, but I haven’t made anyone mad, and she does all the time. It has to be for her.” I hoped this was the case, even though in my mind I still questioned the situation.
“What did it say?” Avan seemed concerned.
“It said they are watching me,” I said as my mind drifted to thoughts of the first letter in my glove compartment.
“This isn’t the first one, is it?” Avan asked as if he already knew the answer.
“No.”
“I want you to be careful. As strange as it sounds, this may not be directed at Lena. You never know about what kinds of crazy and evil people are out there. You really could be in danger and being watched, Mattie.”
“How did you know about me getting a note before and what it said?” What seemed strange was that he had mentioned the first note with almost exact wording.
“Just a lucky guess,” Avan said as we reached the staircase. “I’ll race you to the car! The last one there is a rotten egg!”
After racing down the stairs and him letting me win, we ran across the parking lot, each trying not to be a rotten egg. Again, he let me win, leaving me completely out of breath. Making his way to the car about five paces behind me, he automatically came around to my side, opened the car door for me, lowered my bag onto the back seat, shut the door, and secured me inside before returning to the driver’s side and sliding behind the wheel. I was still amazed by all of the impressive gestures, finding it hard to believe the qualities still existed in any male under the age of sixty in this day and time. I was starting to like Avan even more with every second that passed.
Pulling up in front of Spirits, I realized I had not checked my cell phone since lunch; this was very unusual for me, since my phone was like an extension of my body most of the time. Being around Avan today had made me forget about it completely. It was kind of nice not to be so phone obsessed. I had forgotten what it was like to enjoy my day without looking at the screen every few minutes to check for texts, missed calls, or voicemail messages. Not that it would be a surprise who they were from anyway. Lena was the only one who ever really used my number, aside for the once-in-a-blue-moon call from Sharon needing an inconvenient favor or Damien calling to make sure all was well or Allen Hearsch calling to set up an appointment to go over financials.
I pulled the phone out of my purse to check to see if I had missed anything, a little curious as to why I still had not received a thing from Lena. It was inconceivable to think she would have forgotten her phone at the house this morning. She would not be able to survive without it.
Avan came around to my door, held it open, and handed me my bag. I turned and took a few steps toward my car when he asked if I was coming in. I told him I had better get home so I could get my homework knocked out, even though I had none. The reality was that if I did stay at Spirits I would end up staying until they closed, staring at him and ending up embarrassed. He smiled and told me he understood and he would see me in the morning, adding that he would pick me up at home.
I agreed, not thinking much about the fact that I had not given him my address. Being that I lived with Lena in the biggest house in Oceanview, I was aware that everyone knew where it was, so it never crossed my mind to hear that people knew where I lived. Watching him walk into work while I started my car and put it in reverse, I was a little taken back when the feeling hit me that I was already starting to miss him a little.
I pulled into the driveway, parking my car near the wrought iron fence. When I got out and got my bag walking to the doorway, it seemed a little heavier this afternoon, being that I had not carried it as much today. As I walked inside, I smelled something amazing that made my mouth water at the scent of seasonings that Lorenzo was using to make some culinary masterpiece for dinner, as usual. I loved anything Lorenzo made. I think he could probably cook garbage and make it taste out of this world. Passing up the staircase, I opted for the cushy living room downstairs, where I lay my bag down and propped my feet up to relax.
Daydreaming of Avan, I almost did not even hear Lorenzo tell me it was time to eat. I went to the bathroom, washed my hands, and grabbed for a hand towel when I noticed my reflection in the mirror. At that moment I noticed I was still wearing Avan’s jacket. I had completely forgotten to give it back to him before getting into my car at Spirits, and he must have been so concentrated on getting into work that he forgot to ask for it back. I took the jacket off and laid it by my bag on the couch before I walked to the dining room and slid into a chair across from Lorenzo at the enormous table.
Looking down at my plate, my mouth started watering to the point where you would have thought I had not eaten in three weeks. Lorenzo had made T-bone steaks seasoned with a blend of his own special concoction of spices, grilled veggies, loaded baked potatoes, and crème brulee for dessert, all topped with a refreshing glass of peach tea.
After dinner, I thanked Lorenzo for the amazing food by giving him a bear hug and a kiss on the cheek before telling him good night. I grabbed my things off the couch, along with Avan’s jacket, and headed up the stairs toward my room. Topping the stairs, I noticed that my bedroom door was ajar and a light in my room was on. Pushing the door open, I saw a pink sheet of paper weighted down with a small teddy bear by my lamp on the bedside table. On the outside, my name had been written in what I could tell was Lena’s handwriting. I picked up the little pink piece of paper which was folded in half setting the little teddy bear on my bed and unfolded it.
Mattie,
I’m so sorry I’m leaving you a note instead of calling, but I accidently dropped my phone in the toilet this morning and I have to go get a replacement. I’m going to work on Daddy’s movie set for two weeks. They need some extras for the movie, and it’s rumored I might even get a line! I’m so excited. I will get in touch as soon as I go get a new phone. I’m headed to the airport and will see you in a few weeks.
Lena
So Lena was with Damien—that was one mystery solved. I wondered if she might have been feeling threatened by whoever was leaving notes of caution for me and decided to skip town for a couple of weeks until things cooled down a little and blew over. If I had the option and knew someone wanted to use me as a punching bag, I would do it. I’d probably stay gone for a month. Either way, I was going to be free of Lena drama for an entire two weeks.
Sometimes getting a slight break from the usual was nice, so I was going to enjoy this one as much as I could, with Avan as much as possible. I slipped into my night clothes when I found the note in the pocket of my jeans that I’d forgotten I’d put there from my locker. I tucked it into my bag so I could put it in my glove compartment later. For now it was time to watch a movie and fall asleep.