Junior's Luck

Junior's Luck-Chapter 17

The line Kelsey had drawn disappeared beneath his busy eraser. He glanced at the clock. In a few minutes, Monday's class would end. That's when he planned to ask Mr. Warren for permission to visit Clyde again.

Kelsey approached his teacher after the clatter of exiting students poured out into the hall.

"Mr. Warren?"

The old man picked his teeth with the tip of his pencil while checking over some papers on his desk. He looked up.

"Ah, Kelsey. How is the project coming?"

"A little slow right now, Mr. Warren."

"You've got to step it up. Stephenson's nearly one project ahead of you."

"Yes, sir. I wonder if I..."

"A strange lad, that Stephenson,"the teacher interrupted. "All the talent in the world. Only uses half of it. No direction. Always acting up. He has no direction at all. You see? Damned waste. Oh, sorry; please excuse my language."

"Mr. Warren?" Kelsey had more important things to do than listen to his teacher extol the talent of Mike Stephenson. "May I visit your father again? I don't want him to think I don't like him."

Mr. Warren brightened up. His smile revealed a mouth full of stained teeth and receding gums. "I'm glad you said that, Kelsey. My father will be happy for you to drop by. But I can't take you today. How about tomorrow?"

"Okay, Mr. Warren. Thank you."

Clyde was the only person to whom Kelsey could reveal the situation he and Junior had discovered at Hartley mansion. If he told his parents what had happened, he'd get into trouble. Mr. Warren wouldn't do anything to help. The police wouldn't take the story seriously, and Hartley probably controlled them, anyway. Who could he trust at the fort? That left Mr. Warren's father. He understood the Hartley family. The stolen rockets and Hartley's involvement with terrorists would make sense to him. Kelsey needed the old man to help him devise a plan to catch Hartley and the others, especially the wild Frenchman.

The halls were empty of students by the time Kelsey arrived at his locker. He took the long way through the main hall to avoid Olivia. She had become a nuisance.

Over the weekend, she phoned twice while Kelsey was out collecting cans with his dad. His mother commented that it was shameful for a girl to call a boy. She said she hoped Kelsey didn't associate with girls like her. Kelsey explained that Olivia was Junior's girlfriend and probably wanted to know how Junior was doing, although he was sure that was not her motive for calling. He didn't call her back.

Kelsey needed to tell Olivia they could never be more than friends. He had kissed her and held her close, closer than any other girl, but he wanted Arlene, not her. How could he confess his feelings without hurting her?

What if, instead of being hurt, Olivia reacted with anger and told Junior about the kiss? The news would devastate Junior, and Kelsey would lose his friendship. It wouldn't matter that the kiss didn't mean that much to Kelsey, or that Olivia actually kissed him first. Junior wouldn't believe it, but he might. He always said Kelsey was naïve about dealing with girls. But that wasn't the point; Kelsey shouldn't have been with her‌.

He had tried to be a good friend to Junior by looking after his girl. And they did go to check on Junior together. That sounded innocent enough, but it didn't change what happened with Olivia.

So, out of embarrassment and fear, Kelsey avoided Olivia, hoping she would become interested in someone else, or at least lose interest in him.

Kelsey was sorting out these things in his mind when he heard a familiar voice call his name. Down the hall came Arlene, clutching her books to her chest and wearing a satisfied smile.