The Game

Chapter Three

I was right. Hallie was more than satisfied with my progress made with Will that morning. But, she reminded me that she was keeping her plan  on the back burner in case I turned out to be a total failure in winning him over with my charm. Some support she is. I suppose some of her decision to halt her plans also had to do with the invitation in my locker. Turns out that she also found one in hers. We assumed the Tell no one portion didn't apply to each other since we both got one.

"Who do you think sent it?" Hallie asked after last period, chewing on the end of her pencil. It was a habit reserved for when she was deep in thought. And a habit that made me nervous want to borrow a pencil from her. Gross.

"I don't know," I said, probably for the fifteenth time.

"Have you been especially nice to anyone? Talked to anyone you don't normally talk to?" she puzzled. "Wait, scratch that, you're nice to everyone. And I haven't been nice to anyone new."

"It's not a bad thing to be nice Hal," I pointed out.

"Whatever, that doesn't help us," she said, waving her hand dismissively.

"Think about Hal. What kid our age that kind of money?"

"Wait a minute! Maybe it was Will!" she exclaimed excitedly. Honestly, I'm surprised it took her so long to jump to this conclusion. I'm not surprised that she didn't listen to a word I'm just said. When she was on a roll with something she tended to tune everything else around her out.

"I don't think so. I got books from my locker in between classes, and he was with me for all of third period in the library," I explained. "And, again, where would he get that kind of money? I mean, I've heard his family is rich; but, that doesn't mean they would just give him that money to do whatever with. Does it really matter who sent it?"

"Leila, it's $20,000 and the Monroe Mansion. That's quite the chunk of change and the most haunted place in this part of the States. Of course it matters!" She was way more excited about this than I was.

"I think it's kind of creepy. I mean, why not hand write it? That would be more personal. It's like they didn't want to be found out," I speculated as we walked toward the parking lot. The letter had been typed, but I suppose that wasn't super out of the ordinary. It is the age technology, after all. But it was the font they used that was creepy. It was in big, blocky letters like the kind you see on messages left by serial killers. Creepy indeed.

"You're such a spoil sport. It's not creepy. It's exciting, but whatever. We can talk more about it later and whether or not we're going," she said as she opened her car door. "Do you want me to hang around for the game?"

"Nah, it's the first home game. We will probably be too busy for me to take a break and you'll just get bored," I pointed out.

"Or, in other words, you want uninterrupted time with Romeo," she laughed.

"Whatever," I said, rolling my eyes at her. "I'll text you when I'm done with my civic duty, okay?"

"Sure thing," Hallie replied. "You really want to go to Jeremy's house after the game?"

"Sure! Will said it would be a calm get together. It might be fun," I said. Honestly, I was having second thoughts about it. What if it wasn't really like Will described? Hallie looked at me doubtfully but didn't say more. Did she know something about the party that I didn't?

"Okay, see ya after the game girl. And I want details!" she said as she shut the car door. I waved at her as she drove away. I had the sudden feeling that I was being watched. You know, that feeling where the hair on the back of your neck stands on end and you get that twisty feeling in the pit of your stomach? I scanned my surroundings but couldn't see anyone. It was probably just the breeze. Fall was definitely starting to settle in. I shook it off and headed back in the school to work on homework until the game.