Parallel Visions (8 page)

“
All right, ”
she says.
“
Lorna, will you go with her?
”

“
I can go myself, ”
I say. But Mrs.
Pacelli insists.

Lorna and I walk through the halls together. I cough a few times to keep up appearances, but not very hard. I don ’
t want to trigger a real attack.

When we get close to the nurse ’
s office, I turn to Lorna.
“
I can take it from here.
”

“
Oh, but look—the nurse isn ’
t in!
”
Lorna says.
“
I better take you to the office.
”

Shit.
“
It ’
s just down the hall. Really, Lorna, I ’
m okay.
”

“
It ’
s no bother, ”
Lorna says and smiles.

I know she
’
s just being nice, but I want to scream. I check my watch. Two fifteen. I should be leaving right now .

Lorna walks me into the office. Mrs. Wang looks at me and picks up the phone.
“
Another attack?
”

“
Don ’
t call my mom; I ’
m getting better!
”
I plead.

Mrs. Wang shakes her head.
“
No can do. You know the rules.
”

Right. That my mom enforced. How am I going to get out of this one?

“
I hope you feel better, ”
Lorna says, and leaves.

I sit in one of the waiting chairs, my mind racing. I have to get to Jenna. Maybe I should duck out to the bathroom. I cough half-heartedly.

The principal calls Mrs. Wang into her office. I wait until the door closes, then rush out into the hall, my heart pounding so hard I really am having trouble breathing. I push through the heavy doors and down the steps. A hand grips me.

Gil.
“
Where were you?
”

“
Asthma story didn ’
t work so well.
”
I check my watch. Two-thirty! Only fifteen minutes before it will be too late!
“
Come on!
”
I gasp, and start running again. I speed dial Jenna but she doesn ’
t pick up.

Gil runs beside me.
“
Is it far?
”

“
Maybe ten minutes.
”
My breath rasps in my throat. I cut across the road, dashing between cars who honk at me, and onto the other side.

Gil grabs my hand, slowing me.
“
Cab!
”
he yells, waving his other hand, and the cab screeches to a halt in front of us. We scramble in and I give Jenna ’
s address.

“
Please hurry!
”
I say. I can ’
t stop checking my watch, swearing silently at all the traffic. But I know we ’
re faster in the cab than on foot.

The cab driver pulls up outside Jenna ’
s apartment building.

“
Go!
”
Gil says, opening his wallet.
“
I ’
ll meet you inside.
”

Only five minutes to go.
“
Her apartment is number six-oh-five!
”
I stumble out of the cab, run into the building, and slap the elevator button.
“
Come on, come on!
”
I say. The doors open .

I rush in and ride it up to the sixth floor, my tongue sticking to the roof of my mouth. I race down the hall to Jenna ’
s apartment. I can hear Mason yelling, then a thud. Don ’
t let me be too late!

I pound on the apartment door.
“
Jenna!
”
I shout.
“
Jenna, it ’
s Kate!
”

A dog starts yipping in one of the apartments. Down the hall, an old woman opens her door and pokes her head out to stare at me, her grey hair in curlers.

It
’
s too quiet in Jenna ’
s apartment. What if I ’
m too late?
Please don ’
t let me be too late.
I pound on the door again.
“
Jenna!
”

There
’
s silence, and then I hear footsteps. Jenna opens the door, her face pale.
“
Katie? What are you doing here?
”

Relief fills me.
“
Jenna, ”
I say, and wrap my arms around her tight. I feel her heart pounding hard against my chest, like she ’
s been running. Or maybe it ’
s my heart.

“
Katie?
”
Jenna says again.
“
Shouldn ’
t you be in school?
”

I don
’
t know what to say to that. I only thought about getting here in time .

The floor creaks and Mason appears behind Jenna, his shirt half open, his face flushed.
“
Kate—you really need to call first, ”
he says, smiling awkwardly.

Oh god. Did I catch them doing it?
But that can ’
t be right. Unless my visions are wrong.

I stare at Jenna. Her neck is reddened right where I “
saw ”
Mason jam her against the wall.

“
What do you want, Kate?
”
Mason asks impatiently.

Gil comes running down the hall and skids to a stop next to me, panting.

“
Who ’
s this?
”
Mason asks.
“
Did Jenna know you were both coming?
”
He puts a hand on her back.

I don
’
t want to make it worse.
“
No, I—”
I can ’
t think fast enough. I scramble in my bag and pull out the origami butterfly I made in class.
“
I brought a peace offering, ”
I say, handing it to Jenna.

Jenna takes it, looking bemused.

“
You guys still coming for dinner?
”

“
Yes, ”
Jenna says.

“
That ’
s why you came here? To make sure we were still coming to dinner?
”
Mason asks, his eyes narrowing.
“
You could have called, you know.
”

I grab Gil
’
s arm.
“
Well, I wanted you to meet someone, ”
I say to Jenna, “
My boyfriend. Gil.
”

Jenna
’
s eyes brighten.
“
You have a boyfriend? You didn ’
t tell me! Glad to meet you, Gil. I ’
m Kate ’
s sister.
”
And she puts out her hand.

“
Glad to meet you, too, ”
Gil says politely.

“
Sisters.
”
Mason shakes his head and smiles.

“
Thank you for playing along back there, ”
I tell Gil as we walk down the street.
“
I didn ’
t know what to say.
”

“
It seemed to do the trick, ”
Gil says, half smiling.
“
And we made it on time.
”

“
Yeah, this time. But how do I know if I stopped it for good? How do I keep it from happening again? What if I don ’
t get a vision next time she needs help?
”

Gil looks at me sharply.
“
What are you saying?
”

“
I don ’
t know—except that she has to get out of there.
”

“
Yeah, ”
Gil says.
“
If she doesn ’
t, it ’
ll probably happen again.
”

That
’
s what I ’
m afraid of.

And what about Inez? Will talking to her, letting her know we care, be enough?

I pull out my cell. Nine messages, all from Mom. I call her.

“
Mom, I ’
m okay, ”
I say fast.

“
Where have you been? I ’
ve been frantic!
”

“
I ’
m so sorry. I was worried about Jenna; I wanted to make sure she was coming to dinner.
”

“
But the office said—”

“
It was a mistake. I ’
m okay. I ’
m not even wheezing.
”

Mom
’
s silent for a moment, and I know she ’
s listening to make sure.

“
I ’
m just going to a friend ’
s place for a bit, but I ’
ll be home soon. I promise—I ’
m good!
”

“
A friend?
”
Mom says, sounding surprised.
“
All right. Be home in time for dinner, ”
she says quietly, and hangs up.

I stare at my cell. I can ’
t believe I got off that easy.

“
Your mom yell at you?
”
Gil says sympathetically.

“
No. I can ’
t believe it.
”

“
Maybe she was just relieved that you ’
re all right.
”

“
Maybe.
”

We walk again in silence. Gil tenses the farther away we get from Jenna ’
s place.

“
You okay?
”
I say, wondering if it really was a good thing to trust Gil.

“
I ’
m fine, ”
Gil says, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

But he doesn
’
t look fine. He must be worried about Inez. But he still came with me to help Jenna. A warm feeling fills me.

We walk down streets I don ’
t recognize, Gil leading the way.

“
This is our place, ”
Gil says, motioning toward a tall, faded apartment building. We climb up the stairs together to the third floor. Gil holds open the apartment door, the scent of a rich stew wafting out.
“
Nana, I ’
m home! And I brought Kate.
”

I follow him into a bright, cramped living room, the walls a sunlight yellow. Plump orange sofas line two walls, taking up most of the space, and plants sit atop almost every surface.

A woman with a deeply lined face, her grey hair tied back, rushes into the room, drying her hands on the apron she wears over her long brown dress. She reaches for both my hands and closes her eyes. I don ’
t know what to do, but then she opens her eyes again and smiles.

“
Welcome, ”
she says.
“
You are welcome here.
”