His Dark Words

13 | Standing Still

For the love of all that is holy let me never piss off Vanessa Valerie Bachman-Price again. If I had known what she would do to me I would've stayed out on that lonely coastline for at least another month. 

I think that would've made my grandparents happy to be honest. I may not look anything like my Dad but that doesn't stop me from being their only other link back through time to their memory of him as a teenager. It made me think of what the Book-Boy said about remembering people wrong. They think of him as this happy, perfect kid that just changed overnight into something else. 

It couldn't have happened like that, it just couldn't have. 

Grandma Martha said they come up each month to visit him. He'll see them, I guess. She said they'll come see Mom and me after. I wonder how that will go. Maybe Mom will pull a Vanessa and really make them squirm.

I guess it has something to do with Vanessa's Dad being a lawyer. She has a list of terms typed out and ready for me as soon as I step off the bus Monday morning. It's silly things, like carrying her backpack, getting her favorite candy all week and re-organizing her closet.

"And you have to forget about that Book-Boy." She says, confronting me with a look of genuine concern, "really, Harlow it's for your own good, that one."

I want to argue, to tell her that she's wrong, but maybe she's right. It's like being given permission to drop it. After seeing my grandparents and watching hours of home movies I started something... It's nothing much at the moment, I just took a few of the movies home and started to play around with them. Maybe I can piece something together for my Dad from it? Something that can make him remember those heart-leaping moments of joy or something like it. I don't think home movies of my Dad would mean anything to Book-Boy and how am I supposed to help him too if I don't know who he is? So, I just nod to Vanessa's request. 

"For now." I tell myself. "Save one person at a time, save the world."

But part of me feels like the Book-Boy isn't even a real person anymore, maybe this is all some elaborate drawn out hoax that stopped being funny a long time ago.

"Besides, Prom is coming up and now I'm dating Derrick I get to go!" Vanessa explodes with unrestrained excitement. "He asked me at the party on Friday, isn't this too perfect?!"

"Depends on what tasks you need your humble slave to perform." I raise my eyebrows.

"Watch it! You're still on probation you know! Actually, I'm the one that's doing you the favor in this case. I'm going to get you invited to Prom too, I've decided it."

I roll my eyes. "It doesn't work that way Vanessa and anyway it doesn't matter. I can just help you get ready then go hang out with Alex."

"Oh... So, I guess that means you don't know..." Vanessa's ultra-glossy, dress code-defying frosted pink lips pucker into a perfect 'O'.

"Know what?"

"Alex is dating a senior too!" Her eyes goggle.

My jaw could've bounced off the floor, Vanessa is suitably satisfied by my reaction.

"I know! I was just as surprised as you!"

"How is it that both of you went from our happily single little trio to being Prom-going plus ones?! When did all this happen and how did I manage to miss it?!" I gape.

"Well, it was a very important party." Vanessa's eyes side away, I can tell she wants to rub it in my face that I not only embarrassed myself at said party but also missed the most monumental night of the year so far, but she mercifully restrains herself. "He got stupid, crazy drunk after you left." She explains in a hushed voice, leaning over both our lunches on one of the long tables in the dining hall.