The Realms [Watty 2017 Shortlist]

Sharing Secrets - Part 7

"She was at home?"

"Yeah, she was there. I saw her; I talked to her. That's what I'm saying." His voice is tinged with frustration but I ignore it.

I shift on the park bench so that I can face him. "What'd she look like?"

"Well, she had red spots on her face. I think she really does have chickenpox like her father said."

"That's not what her father said to me, though. Her father just said she was sick."

"Well, chickenpox is sick. I think you're blowing this out of proportion. She said she'd be back at school tomorrow if all the sores were gone."

"Did they look real?" I ask.

"Did what look real?"

"The sores," I say.

"I don't know. It's not like I asked to touch them." He pauses for a fraction of a second, and his eyes bore into me. "What's actually going on here, Hannah? You asked me to go, I went, and now I feel like I'm part of the Spanish Inquisition or some terrorist organization. She was sick, and now she's better. She's not avoiding you."

"Did you tell her that I sent you?" I ask.

"I just said you were worried. She asked if we were hanging out now. I said a bit, you know? I didn't really know how to answer that one. I guess I should have recorded the conversation on my phone."

"Well, thanks," I say, my shoulders slumping.

"Why do I feel like I was actually no help at all?" He reaches over and raises my chin so I am forced to meet his eyes. "I really wish you'd just let me take off my shirt." Although he is attempting a joke, his eyes are searching mine.

I try to pull myself out of my worry spiral and manage a small smile. Something about this whole thing doesn't feel right. "I think I just wish I'd seen her myself," I say.

"You could go over there," he suggests.

"No...no. I mean, I've tried to call and text her and all that stuff. If she wanted to talk to me right now, she'd write back or something - anything."

"I can imagine watching your best friend almost die was a little traumatic. We didn't even know each other and look what it's done to us."

"Yeah, I guess I should have realized that other things might change." I put my hand on his knee and meet his gaze. "Listen, I'm really grateful that you went over there for me. It does make me feel better to know someone saw her, and I hope that it made her feel better to know that I cared enough to ask you."

He glances at his watch and sighs. "I have to get going. I have a ton of homework tonight, and I actually have to write tests and assignments."

"I hear a concussion does wonders to reduce your workload," I say, teasing him.

He laughs. "Yeah, I've actually had one before, but none of them have been self-inflicted."

"I can relate. If only you were better at catching..." I say.

He shakes his head, leans in to give me a kiss on the cheek, and I involuntarily breathe in his scent. God, he smells amazing. "I'll see you tomorrow," he says.

Once he's disappeared around the corner and headed back to his car, I look down at my phone. I'm walking out of the park when I see I've missed a call. I check my voicemail as I walk and feel my good mood vanish. It's Maizie, and she doesn't exactly sound like nothing is wrong. I play the message again to see whether the unease in my stomach is warranted.

"Hannah, it's Maizie. I need you to meet me at the water tower. We need to talk. It's 7:20 now and I'm leaving my house. I'll wait for you until 8."

I look down at my watch and realize I have twenty minutes to make it to Ryan's house before Maizie leaves. I scan the park for someone I know who might be able to offer me a ride, but there is no one in sight. As a last resort, I dial my mom's number with a sigh. I'm not sure how I can explain why I'm going to Ryan's house at 7:40 pm on a school night, but it won't be the first lie I've told this week.

#

The moon is in hiding and I have to use my phone as a flashlight. I endured a rather tense car ride with my mother, who did not understand why I'm starting my English project that is due tomorrow so late at night with Ryan. I think she suspects that I might actually be dating him. I, on the other hand, have no idea what we're doing. He's so light and carefree here that it's hard to reconcile the Ryans I know.

"Maizie?" I call softly while trying to make my way closer to the tower. "Maizie!"

"Here. Over here."

Her voice is flat which only increases my anxiety and unease. "What are we doing out here?"

"I just thought it was a fitting place to meet," she says.

I still can't see her, but I'm hearing her voice clearly. She's definitely not the same person she was a few weeks ago, and the steely tone is not lost on me. 

"I see," I say. "What did you want to talk to me about? I'm assuming we aren't exchanging BFF necklaces?"

She laughs but it sounds hollow to my ears. "I just wish you'd left it all alone, you know? It's been hard for me, but I'm sure things are just like you wanted. No apologies, right?"

I feel my hackles rise, and I almost growl at her. "Maizie, what's this all about? This cloak and dagger crap is a little unnerving."

"That's saying something coming from someone who jumped off a water tower on a whim," she says.

"I wouldn't call it a whim," I say, angry, defensive.

"No, I suppose you wouldn't," she says. 

Finally, her face comes into view. I don't see any of the tell-tale red marks Ryan mentioned earlier.

"I'm happy to see you recovered so quickly from the chicken pox."

She shrugs and looks away. "I think I might hate you." She shakes her head. "Which actually makes me feel sad, too because you're probably the only person in this entire realm who knows even a fraction of what I'm feeling right now."

Realm. 

"So...I guess you've remembered some things."

Her laugh is bitter to my ears. "Some things? Try everything."

How are you liking the chapters? Too long? Too short? What about the characters? What does Maizie remember? Why has she been banished?