After making sure the front door was secure, she went out the back and threw the bag of flowers in the trunk. She slid in the driver’s side and wiped her eyes. A thin haze fogged them, and she wiped them again. Tonight she needed to go to sleep earlier.
Sloan pulled the note the delivery man had given her out of her pocket and put it in her backpack for safe keeping. Maybe she’d show Ray, maybe not. If she couldn’t get the police involved, would it be a good idea to get Ray involved? And did she really not want to tell the police?
She had a lot of thinking to do, a lot of praying to do. She wished more than anything she knew the right thing to do. If she told the cops and whoever it was went after her mom, she’d never forgive herself. If she didn’t tell and whoever it was came after her, well, she might not live through it.
She pushed the button to start the Charger and backed out of the drive. Her head felt a little funny. Springtime in Tennessee. Lots of fun for the allergies.
She pulled into the parking lot with plenty of time to spare. After she pulled into her spot, she laid her head on the steering wheel and just sat there. What was she going to do?
Well, first of all, she was going to pull herself together. There was no need to sit there and snivel. She had to deal with this thing head-on. Head-on and alone or head-on with her friends was the question.
She grabbed her backpack and got out of the car. Walking past groups of students who didn’t pay her any attention actually made her feel better. A few months ago, she couldn’t walk anywhere without stares and snickers, both in front and behind her back. Now, most people just ignored her and her big scar. She appreciated it.
Finally, she made it to her locker and hesitated. There’d been four flowers in there last night. And a note from Mr. ICU, for lack of a better name. They’d still be there. She’d have to deal with it. If she’d have been smart, she would have just thrown them away like she planned on doing the ones sent to her house. Okay, she’d hang around a few minutes after school and wait for most people to clear out. Then she’d take the roses and put them in the car with the other ones. She could throw them all away at the same time. Hopefully, no one would see them in her locker. People would ask, and she didn’t want to answer. Didn’t even know exactly how to answer.
“Hey, Sloan.” Darcy bounded up next to her. Good gracious, this wasn’t going to become an everyday habit, was it?
“Hey.” She held her hand on the lock, refusing to open it with Darcy standing there. She’d forgiven her, but she still didn’t trust her.
“Everything okay?”
“Fine.” Why?
“Do you need any more pills? I have some.”
“No!” She put her hand on Darcy’s to stop her from getting the bottle out of her bag. “No,” she said more softly. “No, thank you. I don’t need them. But thanks.”
Darcy eyeballed her. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Perfect. Just I don’t think I need them. Took some regular pain pills this morning. Feel right as rain.”
Darcy raised a brow. “Do people still say weird things like that in this century?”
That was Darcy being Darcy. “Don’t know.” Don’t care.
“Hmm…” Darcy stepped back and eyed Sloan from the tip of her hair to the toes of her shoes. “You just look tired. Pale.”
Of course she’d notice. “Just sleepy. I’ll be happy when summer gets here.”
“Me too! I’m going to Panama City for vacation. You?”
Um… “No. No. I’ve got a job this summer. Got to get some extra money for college.”
“My daddy’s paying my way. He’s even throwing in an extra few grand because I’ve had such a rough year.”
Darcy. Had. Such. A. Rough. Year.
Sloan wanted to choke her.
And then she felt bad about it.
Darcy had had a rough patch. Boyd had beaten her up and threatened to kill her if she told anyone. So, yeah, she’d had it hard. But to get an extra few thousand dollars for college because of it just made Sloan more jealous of Darcy than she already had been. It would have been nice if someone would have paid for her college. Her father already said he wouldn’t. He paid for her car. Guess that meant his obligation to her was over. Besides, Tiffani was pregnant now. He had other priorities.
“Yeah. Rough patch. I get it.” When would Darcy go so she could get her books and go on her merry way?
“Sorry. I didn’t mean that you hadn’t…”
“I know what you meant. I’ll see you in Biology.” Hoping she’d get the hint.
“Why are you standing there with your hand on the locker but not opening it?” Darcy had gotten very perceptive. Oh good. Though, to be fair to her, Darcy had always been pretty smart.
“I’m… uh…” What was she doing? “I’m not wanting to be rude and throw a locker in your face.”
She laughed. “A few months ago you’d have loved to throw it in my face. Maybe even break my nose.”
“Well, you aren’t like you were then anymore. You are more, I don’t know, normal. Almost like the old you… the old you before you got so mean.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“As you should.” And you should go away.