I went to my last two classes, though I didn’t learn a thing. My body had gone numb again. I missed that feeling and I was itching for another three hour run. My body ached for it.
Becky chatted to me after school. I had no idea what she said, but I nodded my head at random moments and she kept chatting away. When I looked for my keys in my bag, I cursed and hit my head against my locker.
“What?”
I mumbled, “Mason drove me today.”
“He did?” She straightened from a locker. “Oh, right. That makes sense, why he was here…wait…is he coming back to give you a ride home?”
Then my phone beeped and I pulled it out. He had sent me four text messages and the last one read, ‘two practices tonight, then with mom and Logan. Can you get a ride home? Need me to send someone?’
I cursed again. “Can I get a ride home with you?”
Becky’s eyes got wide and her lips clamped together. A strange gurgle escaped her lips.
“What does that mean?”
She whispered, “Adam gave me a ride.” She jumped back and pressed a hand to her mouth. “I’m sorry.”
“No, that’s fine. I’ll think of something.”
She edged closer a step. “He can’t come and get you?”
I shook my head. My throat was so closed up, had been all day. “No, they have two practices tonight and their mom’s in town.” And that meant I wouldn’t see either of them all week…probably… I swallowed over a lump.
“Hey, I bet Adam would give you a ride!” Her head bounced up and down. “Yeah, yeah. I bet he would. I think he feels real bad. He called me last night and said that he wanted to make things better with you. He wanted all three of us to be friends again.”
“He did?”
“Uh, yeah. I mean, why would he make that up if he didn’t mean it?” Her grin turned sloppy and a glaze drifted over her eyes.
Oh boy. I recognized that look.
She sighed dreamily, “Wouldn’t it be wonderful if all three of us hung out again? And then maybe he’d realize he needed me in his life?”
I gave her a blank stare. “What do you mean? You are in his life; he gave you a ride to school.”
“Yeah, I know.” Her eyes drifted downwards and she bit the corner of her lip. “I was just meaning that if us three were better friends. It felt like we were going to be before, but then he got all weird and mad at you. It changed when he found out about the Kades, now that I think about it.”
“Becky.”
She turned to me. Her eyes clicked into focus. “Uh?”
“What’s going on with you?”
Her eyeballs went from side to side. “What do you mean?”
“You’re weird, weirder than normal.” Then it clicked in place. “What have people been saying about me?”
As soon as I said that, she sucked in her breath dramatically and scooted away from me.
“Becky.” I clamped onto her arm so she couldn’t go any further. “What’s going on?”
She patted her chest and it rose higher and higher. It looked like she was hyperventilating or having a panic attack. I hoped not, I needed answers.
“Becky!”
“Okay, okay.” She dragged me down the hallway and into the empty theatre. It was dark where we were, but the lights were bright on the stage where a group of people stood in a small circle. I didn’t care what they were doing up there.
