Catalyst (The Best Days #1) (4 page)

“I se
e.”  Sheck tried to hide his amused grin, but wasn’t quick enough. 

Rory scowled at him
, hands on her hips.  “You think this is funny?” she pouted, looking defeated and irate all at once.

“Nah,” he replied kindly.  “I just think you’re a drama queen.” 

Rory threw herself back down on the bed dramatically and pouted like a two-year-old.  “I’m not a drama queen, I’m just passionate,” she grumbled childishly. 

She knew Sheck was right.  If there was one thing she could count on him for, it was to
be honest with her – even if the truth was something she didn’t want to hear.  “I just really want to go to the party and not have my socially awkward sister humiliate me,” she explained.  “It’s going to be like...the party of the year.”

Sheck looked unconvinced.  “Firs
t of all, Rebecca’s not the socially inept loser you make her out to be.  Second, I think your expectations are probably a bit high,” he cautioned.  “It will just be another dumb high school party, exactly like all the others.  Monica Cross will make out with half the football team, Jeremy Beal will drink too much and puke on Hilary Trudeau’s insanely overpriced shoes and the parents will probably come home early and ground Grace whatsherface until she’s thirty.” 

“Grace Myers,” Rory supplied helpfully.

“Oh, right.  What’s she like, anyway?”  Sheck wanted to know.

“Not sure,” Rory confessed
.  “I’ve only talked to her a few times.  She seems alright, I suppose.  Hilary seems to like her.”

A brief expression of annoyance passed over Sheck’s face.  “Let me guess,” he said, “
Hilary is suddenly Grace’s new best friend now that she has a chance to throw a party at Grace’s parents’ house.”

Rory studied her feet sheepishly.  “Yeah, I guess,” she admitted, embarrassed that Sheck
had hit the nail on the head.  Although he wasn’t someone who had enemies, she knew that he secretly wasn’t a fan of Hilary’s.

Sheck stifled a yawn.  “I’m not even sure I’ll g
o to the party,” he confessed, sounding bored with the whole idea.

Rory rolled her eyes.  “You’
re almost as nerdy as my sister,” she teased, even though it wasn’t true.  Somehow, despite his aversion to football, recent disinterest in parties and police officer father, Sheck still managed to have credibility with the cool kids.  She didn’t know how he did it. She paused and glanced at the clock.  “Hey.  It’s late.  Aren’t your parents going to be wondering where you are?”

Sheck shook his head.  “I doubt it.  They were having another one of their stupid arguments tonight.  I don’t even know what this one was about...probably just the usual pointless stuff.  I walked right past them and out the front door and I don’t t
hink they even noticed.  They were both too busy trying to ‘win’ the latest battle.” 

“Oh.”  Rory didn’t know what to say.  She loved Sheck’s parents but lately he’d been making the odd comment that suggested there might be trouble in paradise.  She hoped she was reading too much into it.
 

Sheck
paused and cleared his throat, looking a little embarrassed by how much he’d disclosed.  “Anyway,” he announced, “you’re right.   It’s late.  I should be getting home.  See you tomorrow.” 

Before Rory could respond, Sheck turned and
climbed back out the window.

The whir of a bicycle’s tires interrupted the soothing sound of gentle raindrops as Rory trudged down the street toward the high school.  The weather had suddenly turned cold and damp as though winter was refusing to give up the battle.  Rory just hoped it would warm up before Friday night – she’d heard Grace Myers’ parents had a fire pit in the backyard.

The bicycle came to a stop alongside her.  “Hey,” Rebecca said hesitantly
.  Her slender hands gripped the bike handles tightly, almost as though she was nervous.  “What are you doing here?”

Rory’s gaze was icy and her tone was colder still.  “What does it look like I’m doing?” she snapped.  “I’m walking to school.”

“I can see that,” Rebecca replied cautiously, looking as though she wasn’t sure if she should hang around or leave.  “I meant
why
are you walking?  Where’s Sheck?”

Rory shrugged and kicked at the dirt.  “No idea,” she mumbled.  “He wasn’t waiting outside like usual
this morning.  I went to his house and rang the bell and there was no answer.  His car wasn’t there, either.  I guess he must have forgotten to tell me he was going to school early.”  She looked at Rebecca curiously.  “What are you doing?  Why aren’t you taking the bus to school?”

Rebecca shrugged.  “I don’t really take the bus much anymore.  Besides, it’s spring.  It’s
getting nice out and I could use the exercise.” 

Rory eyed her sister suspiciously.  Unlike Rory, Rebecca h
ad the slim build of an athlete and seemed to stay trim without even trying.  She wasn’t one to worry about her figure.  Rory didn’t quite buy the explanation, but decided to let it go. 

“It’s not
that
nice out,” she grumbled, rubbing her bare arms vigorously to warm herself up. She was dressed as stylishly (and impractically) as ever.  She was wearing high heeled boots that weren’t one bit comfortable to walk in.  She was also wearing a denim skirt that didn’t even reach her knees and a thin, short sleeved t-shirt.  Goosebumps were visible on her exposed flesh and her teeth were chattering a little.

With a weary sigh, Rebecca climbed off her bike.  “Get on,” she ordered
, her blonde hair blowing in her eyes no matter how many times she shoved it aside. 

Unlike Rory, Rebecca’s
blonde hair was naturally wavy and fell in soft curls around her face.  People often mistook the sisters for twins.  It was true that they did look remarkably similar even if Rebecca’s figure was athletic and Rory’s was curvier.  Rebecca’s eyes were clear and green while Rory’s were the color of the ocean, sometimes stormy and other times calm.  But at a glance, there was a striking resemblance there.

Rory, who normally would have scoffed at how lame bike riding was, surprised them both by obliging.  Rebecca peeled off her
oversized sweatshirt and thrust it at Rory.  “Put it on,” she commanded. 

Rory did as she was told
, even though the sweatshirt was a no name brand that she’d normally refuse to be seen wearing, if only for fear of Hilary’s ridicule.  “Thanks,” she murmured, not meeting her sister’s gaze.  “I’m sorry for calling you a bitch.” 

“I’m sorry for telling Mom Grace’s p
arents will be out of town,” Rebecca replied.   “I know it’s important to you.  It’s because Carson is going to be there, isn’t it”

Rory shot a look at her sister.  When they’d been kids, Rory had always assumed they’d grow up to gossip about boys and swoon over crushes together.  That hadn’t happened.  As far as Rory knew, Rebecca wasn’t seeing anyone or even interested in anyone…but then Rebecca had to admit she didn’t know her sister all that well anymore.  “How did you know about that?” she asked.

“I saw the way you were looking at him during the last school assembly,” Rebecca stated matter-of-factly.  “Don’t worry,” she added when she saw the look of alarm on her sister’s face.  “It probably wasn’t that obvious to anyone else.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Rory tried to sound indifferent.  “I doubt he’s into me anyway.  I mean, why would he be?”

“Why wouldn’t he be?” Rebecca shot back.  “But whatever, you can do better.”

“I can do better than Carson?” Rory repeated incredulously.  Oh, her poor sister must be even more clueless than she thought.  She felt herself bristle a bit, annoyed that Rebecca had the nerve to criticize the guy of her dreams.  “What have you got against Carson?”

“Those guys on the football team are all the same,” Rebecca wrinkled her nose.  “There’s a reason they all date cheerleaders…they deserve one another.  They’re conceited, self-absorbed, self-serving people.”

“Not all of them,” Rory insisted even though she could kind of see what her sister was getting
at.  “Carson isn’t like that.”

“Do you know he’s different or are you just hoping he is?” Rebecca asked, always the rationale one.  She might always look preoccupied with her latest book obsession, but Rory suspected her sister paid a lot more attention than Rory gave her credit for.  She was perceptive as well…too much so, as far as Rory was concerned.

“I know he’s different,” Rory said defensively.  Not wanting to consider whether that was actually true, she quickly deflected.  “You’d know that if you ever took your nose out of your book long enough to talk to anyone at school, by the way…or go to parties.”  Maybe it was a low blow but Rory couldn’t help it.  Rebecca had touched a nerve.

“I don’t w
ant to go to the party,” Rebecca shrugged.  “I mean, I don’t know what I’m supposed to wear or say or do...” 

Rory looked over at her sister
and felt her temper mellow.  It suddenly dawned on her that Rebecca
did
want to go to the party – she was just scared and shy.  She felt a sudden stab of pity for her sister, as well as a pang of guilt over the way she’d been treating Rebecca. 

So what if socializing didn’t come easily to
her sister? 

Rory was an extrovert. 
She was just naturally good at handling herself in social situations.  Rebecca wasn’t.  When they’d started high school Rory should have helped her sister fit in instead of abandoning her.  It was no different than Rebecca helping Rory with her algebra homework.  Rebecca had made Rory flashcards and everything.  The least Rory could do was return the favour. 

Instead, Rory had been so insecure and afraid of rejection that she’d pretty much left Rebecca to fend for herself.
  She felt like a bad sister.  “I can lend you one of my outfits,” Rory offered, eager to make amends.  “I mean, I’m so fat that pretty soon I’ll have my own gravitational pull and you’re not, but we can probably something that will fit you.”

“You’re not fat.”

“Thanks.”

Silence fell over the sisters as they made their way to school, but it wasn’t the same awkward silence that had been plaguing them for so long.
Instead, it was a comfortable, familiar stillness.  It felt good.

* * * * *

Rory was annoyed.  After getting caught in the rain on the way to school, her hair had been a big frizzy blonde mess for the rest of the day.  Of course, Hilary had immediately noticed it and pointed it out to the other girls at lunch. 

And of course, Rory had come face to face with Carson in between classes.  He’d been nice about her atrocious appearance, at least, acting as though he didn’t
even notice she looked like a hot mess.  He’d chatted with her about something or other but Rory couldn’t even recall how she’s responded because the entire time she’d been mortified and planning her escape.

It was all Sheck’s fault.

Truth be told, Rory was more than annoyed: she was worried. 

Sheck was a l
ot like Rebecca in some ways.  He was dependable and considerate.  Sheck
always
drove Rory to school.  On the rare occasion that he couldn’t, he always made sure to give her plenty of notice.  It was so unlike him to just not show up. 

Adding to her concern was the fact that
Rory hadn’t seen him at school all day.  He hadn’t shown up to the biology class they had together and he wasn’t in the cafeteria at lunchtime either.  Rory was pretty sure he’d ditched school which, to be honest, was more her style than Sheck’s.  Something was definitely up.

“Pick up, you jerk,” Rory hissed as she tried Sheck’s cell for what seemed like the millionth time.  It went straight to voicemail, as it had been doing all day long. 
“Ugh!  Why aren’t you answering?”

After school, Rory caught
a ride home with Monica.  But instead of going inside her house, Rory immediately took off down the street to Sheck’s place.

The Jacksons lived in a neat, two-storey brick house.  It had a quaint wrap-around veranda and a tidy, picturesque garden full of red roses out front.  Rory had often thought that the house belonged in one of those boring old lady magazines that feature beautiful city lofts and pretty little cottages and the like.  While the Jackson home might be a little too “perfect” and “cookie-cutter” for Rory’s own personal taste, there was no denying that it was charming in every way.

Rory i
mmediately noticed that Sheck’s car was missing from the driveway.  Even so, she rang the bell, hoping that there was a good explanation for his absence. 

“Rory!  Hi!”  Sheck’s mother Val flung open th
e door.  She was wearing a stylish blue top and curve-hugging, straight-legged dark wash jeans.  Rory thought to herself for the millionth time that Sheck had the coolest parents.

Val was the editor of a popular
women’s blog and worked from home.  Rory had her suspicions that as a teenager, Val had probably had a bit of a wild streak.  That made it all the more ironic that she was now married to a law-abiding, stickler-for-the-rules police officer.

While Sheck’s dad Clive wasn’t quite as hip as his wife, he was a fun, dependable guy with a quick witted sense of humor.  He was a great storyteller and Rory loved listening to his comical anecdotes even though Sheck complained that he’d heard them all a million times before.

Val had confided to Rory that she and Clive had always wanted a daughter.  It was clear that they thought of the O’Neil girls as their own, opening their home and hearts to them.  Rory was especially close with Val, thinking of her as a second mother or maybe a cool older sister.

Even though they were about the same age as Rory’s parents, Val and Clive seemed m
uch younger and Val in particular, seemed a lot more fun.  Rory desperately hoped she’d be like Val when she was older.

“Hey Val, is Sheck home?”

Val looked puzzled, raising one perfectly plucked eyebrow and pursing her full lips.  “I thought he had to stay late at school for something today.  Band practice, I think he said…?” 

“Oh.  Yeah.  I must have fo
rgotten,” Rory replied carefully.  She knew very well that Sheck had dropped out of band several weeks earlier, claiming he preferred to just play his guitar on his own time…but she was reluctant to rat him out.  “Can you tell him I stopped by?”

“Of course I will.”  Val paused and then opened the door wider.  “Will you come in for a while?  I was just fixing a snack, if you’re hungry...” 

Rory suddenly realized that she was famished, having consumed nothing but celery, an apple and a diet soda that day.  Her algebra teacher had inexplicably and uncharacteristically stayed put behind his desk for the entire class, so she hadn’t been able to make her daily pilgrimage to the vending machine. 

“Sure,” she replied, stepping inside and dropping her backpack on the floor beside an old pair of Sheck’s sneakers.  “What are we having?”

* * * * *

Several minutes later, Rory found herself
walking toward the Jacksons’ living room with a plate heaped with crackers, cheese and olives in her hand.  She was surprised to find the sofa bed pulled out and made up.  Val followed her gaze and seemed flustered when she realized what Rory was looking at.

“Sheck’s dad has been sleeping there,” she explained, looking
like she wanted to cry.

“Oh,” Rory replied
, finding it a bit odd that Val was suddenly referring to Clive as Sheck’s Dad.  To Rory, he’d always just been Clive.  “I thought he was done working night shifts now.”

Val hesitated.  “He is,” she said slow
ly, choosing her words with care.  “Just between you and me, we’re, uh, going through a bit of a rough patch right now.”  Val closed her eyes briefly, her thick eyelashes stealthily concealing any telltale tears that might be threatening to make an appearance.

“Oh.”  Rory didn’t know what else to say, so she crammed some more crackers in her mouth
and chewed them for longer than she needed to, buying herself some time.  Sheck had mentioned that his parents were arguing a lot, but didn’t all married couples get on each others’ nerves and fight with each other from time to time? 

Sheck
hadn’t mentioned that his dad was sleeping on the couch.  Rory wondered how long that had been going on for, but couldn’t think of a polite way to ask.  And besides, she felt like it really wasn’t any of her business. 

“Does Sheck seem okay
to you?” Val asked anxiously, biting her lower lip.  “He’s out of the house so much that I rarely see him these days.  I guess he has a lot going on at school, what with all the extracurricular activities he’s taken up lately.  I just worry about him these days.”