Dark Calling (5 page)

“Yes, Coach,” the class says in unison. 

“All right.  I want to see who’s in shape.  Run laps till you think you’ve ran enough.”  She blows her whistle. 

Keely smiles.  This is exactly what she was hoping for.  She paces herself, moving fast enough to get her heart pounding, but not so fast that she’ll be winded in a few minutes.  Her form is perfect.  Her feet
hit the floor just right.  Heel, toe.  Her back is straight.  Her knees bent.  Her pony tail swings back and forth across her back from shoulder blade to shoulder blade.

She is still smiling as Nick, who had been in front of her, slowly falls back until he is pacing her.  “You look better,” he says without actually looking at her.

The smile turns into a tight lipped line.  “I
am.”  She pumps her legs faster
attempting to move away from him.  He keeps up.  His hands fisted, moving back and forth at his chest.

“That’s good.”  He gazes at her as they run.  She secretly hopes he trips since he thinks he is the only person who doesn’
t need to watch where he’s
going. 

“So, you have a fear of spiders?”  He smiles, apparently finding this funny.  Keely is annoyed, though she isn’t sure why.

“No
.”  She speeds up again.  So does Nick.  She slows dramatically, hoping to be rid of him.  He slows as well.

“You could have fooled me.  If you’re not afraid of spiders, then why did you th
row your book in History?”  He’
s smirking at her
now
.

“You know, I have never understood that saying.  Obviously I
did
fool you.”

“Not really.  I am curious why you put on the show though.”

Keely slows more.  She is looking at him intently.  Something is off about him.  Foreign.  She doesn’t know if it’s good or bad.  Like with Bryon, she knew something was not completely
normal
with him, but it turned out
o.k.  With Nick, she just isn’t sure.  “Why?”

“Why?” 

Keely nods.

“I find it intriguing that a girl who doesn’t seem to be afraid of any
thing wo
uld pretend as if she were
in front of the e
ntire class.  Seems like there’d be
a
pretty
fascinating
reason.”  He stares at her as if he is on to something.  As if he already knows what she isn’t saying.

“Why do
you
think?”

He’s quiet.  She glances at him.  His eyes are still on her.  “I think you’re a very interesting person.”

She nods.  “Because I throw books.”

“Because you have secrets.”

Keely slows again.  She is nearly walking.  “Not secrets.  Just none of your business,” she snaps. 

Nick raises his eyebrows.  “No offense, but you’re in better shape than I would have thought.”  He tilts his head towards the bleachers.  Over half the class is there panting heav
il
y.

“Why?  Because I’m an emo freak?  Because freaks like me are lazy druggies?”  She gl
ares venomously at him.  That’s it.  She knows she doesn’t like him.

Nick shakes his h
ead.  “That’s not what I meant.”

“You know how last year
you were a preppy jock?  Well, before I came to this schoo
l, I was a preppy cheerleader. 
Not everybody are
how they seem.”  Keely pushes herself forward, running faster.  She ignores Nick as he comes up beside her.  He doesn
’t say anything, quietly jogging with her.

Coach has to stop
Nick
and Keely
.  They’
re the only ones still runni
ng.  She pats them on the backs
and sends everyone to change.  Before they split off, Nick taps Keely’s arm roughly.  “You’re right.  Not everyone is how they seem.  Maybe you shouldn’t be so judgmental.”

Keel
y turns on him
riding on a burst of anger.  “You wouldn’t say that to me if you had even the slightest idea what I’
ve been through, you
self righteous asshole!”  She
w
h
irls around and starts heading for the locker room.  Nick moves in front of the door ju
st as she reaches for the handle.

“All I meant is that you, of all people, shouldn’t jump to conclusions.  I didn’t mean anything negative about what I said.  I was actually complementing you.  I’m sorry if I upset you.” 

Keely is exasperated.  “How was that a comple
ment?  You even said no offense
which means you expected me to be offended.”

“I
just meant…”
  He shakes his head.  “Never
mind.  You’ve already made up your mind, right? 
You’ve decided I’m an asshole.  S
o that’
s it.  No matter what I say or do, it doesn’t really matter because you
’ve
labeled me unsafe.  Just like you do with every guy.”  He shakes his head again and stalks off.

Keely is trembling
.  Her
hands fisted at her sides,
nails dig
ging
into her palms.  How could he possibly know that?  Nobody knows that about her except for Dr.
Evans.
 

Feeling a panic attack coming on, Keely rips the door open and runs inside the locker room.  A girl gives her a dirty look as she nearly slams into her.  She makes her way to her locker and chan
ges.  P
ulls her hair from the band. 
T
akes several deep breaths and begins to feel normal again. 
If she wasn’t so distracted, she may have found it curious that she ran longer than the rest of her class.  Or that, even though she ran longer, she hadn’t even broke
n
a sweat.
 

Keely pushes her gym clothes into the tiny locker and heads to lunch. 
She finds Bryon lounging at their table from la
s
t year, sitting backwards in his
chair
.  Dana is talking excitedly and he seems to be ignoring her.  Beside him, his friends Dustin and Lila are laughing over a notebook.

Dustin looks up as Keely approaches.  “Hey Keely.  You are looking especially beautiful today.” 

Bryon turns around. 
Looks at Keely with a giant question mark over his head.  She smiles reassuringly before patting Dust
in’s head
.  “Oh, Dusty.  What do you want?”

“I’m hurt.  How can you possibly think that I want something?”

“Hmm.  Because I know you.”

“I wanna carpool
to Pandora Friday
.  But you are beautiful.”  He smiles, his cheeks pushing his thick black glasses up.
  The idea of riding alone with two guys makes her throat close up.  She thinks of what Nick said just minutes ago.  Her fear turns into anger. 

“
Sure. 
No problem.”

Dustin smiles again. 
“Thanks Keel.” 
Lila leans over and kisses his cheek.  Her long, blond and pink streaked hair dra
ping around them
.  Reminds Keely once again what a
cute couple they make even though
they seem so different.  Dustin is all dark dork,
and Lila is sparkly sleek
.  The punk and the pixie. 
Somehow it works. 

Dana whistles and Keely follows her ga
ze.  Nick is strolling across the cafeteria in their direction.  “I asked him to sit with us.  I hope that’s o.k.
,
” Dana says eying Keely’s
scowl.  Keely drops herself into the chair at the end of the table by Bryon. 

“You don’t have to ask my permission.  You can sit with whomever you like, Dana.”  Dana smiles uncomfortably. 

Keely can’t help but fume.  Nick Wallace wanted nothing to do with any of them last year.  Now he changes his clothes and wants to jump into her very small circle of friends.  And friends is pushing it.  She has only hung out with them in groups because they are Bryon’s fri
ends.  Bryon’s
the only one who ever calls or texts her.
  But this is hardly the point.  The point is…  Well, there is a point.  She just can’t seem to think of it right now.  She can’t think because Nick is getting closer.  Why can’t he just leave her alone?

“Hey, lighten up.  You know that saying, if looks could kill?
”  Bryon nudges her arm.  “I think somebody sh
ould be chalking an outline around Nick right now.”

Keely sighs.

“Seriously.  Did he kill your cat or something?” Lila asks jokingly.

“Yeah, why
don’t you like him?” Dustin adds
.

Keely sits forward
resting her arms on the table.  “It’s not that I don’t like him.  I just—I don’t know.”  She turns to Bryon as Nick approaches the table.  “I’m getting something to eat.  You coming?”
 

Bryon nods and follows her toward the line.  “What’s on the menu for today?” He grabs a tray.  “
I cannot even begin to explain how much I missed unidentifiable meat.  I mean, I feel like I’m living dangerously.”  He fake
s a shiver
. 

Keely laughs.  “That’s why I stick with the salad bar.  I don’t eat anything here that may have once walked.”
 

“No way.  It’s just not the same if my lunch didn’t once have a face.”  He takes a paper plate that is filled with greasy brown clumps.  He lifts it to his nose and sniffs.  “Mmm.  Exhibit A.”  He slides his tray down the line.  “Ooh, and exhibit B,” he
says and grabs another plate.  T
his time the clumps are a color somewhere between
green and gray. 
Greey
. 

“Gross.”  Keely crinkles her nose.

“Now see, that right there makes it worth it.”  He flashes one of his heart fluttering smiles.

“What?  To sicken me?”  She takes a bowl of mixed fruit.

“No.  That cute scrunchy nose thing you do.” 

Keely looks away, suddenly very interested in salad.  “Oh.”

“Calm down
Kiem
.  You know I like you too much to hit on you.  That does not mean I can’t admire you.”
 

“Yes,
I think that’s exactly what i
t means.  Besides, this friendship works precisely because you don’t flirt with me.  Don’t mess it up.”  She’s smiling, but they both know she’s serious.
  Their eyes lock momentarily
. 

Bryon nods, understanding.
  “True story.”

Four:

Keely has always thought study hall was pointless.  Nobody actually studies.  They should get rid of the desks and fill the room with cots, because study hall is a teenager’s nap time.  She pushes her back pa
ck under a desk and sits.  P
ulls her bag to her so that it’s in
between her feet and
crosses her arms in
front of her on the desk.  R
ests her forehead against them.  The bell s
ounds.  There is the sound of sc
uffling feet as kids hurry to find a
seat.  Papers shuffling.  Chairs shifting.
  Hushed whispers.  Silence.

Keely hear
s only the sound of her deep stea
dy breaths.  Forgets she’s sitting at a desk as she turns to her side.  The bed is comfortable.  The sheets smell as if they have just been washed.  They are the softest she’s ever felt.  She inhales, filling her senses with the luxuriousness of her surrou
ndings.  S
nuggles the blanket to her.  The room is warm in a way that is perfect for sleeping.  She lay like that
for a long time before opening
her eyes.  It’s dark.  A thin strip of light shows from under the door.  A door that isn’t hers.  She sits
up
gazing around the room.  She’
s in a larg
e four post bed with a canopy.  There’s a design of a blossoming tree woven into the heavy quilt. 
The bed is made from a thick dark woo
d Keely has never seen before.
She stretches her fingers out.  Caresses the smoothness of the
wooden
post.  She can
just make out the swirls in the grain.  The stand next to the bed is made from the same wood.  Upon it sits an antique
pink
hurricane lamp.  There i
s a m
atching dresser and vanity
.
   

Keely
tugs the blanket away from her and slides her legs from the bed.  Her feet meet a plush carpet, sink in pleasantly.
  A long
open back
nightgown slips
down her legs, tickles her ankles.
  It’s a snowy white and made of silk.  She would never wear something like this.  Her usual pajamas consist of flannel bottoms and a tank top.  Maybe a hoodie if it’s cold.