The Stillburrow Crush (20 page)

Strong whiffs of alcohol escaped from his room, choking me.

"Let me in," I said.

I tried to push my way inside, but the rest of his body was blocking the door. He snarled at me. "Cut it out. I'm not dressed"

I gave him a get-real look. "I'm not blind, Marty. I can see your shirt and jeans through the crack in the door." I put my weight against the wood. "I need to talk to you."

He didn't budge. "So talk."

I glanced toward the living room where his roommate was playing video games. Marty caught my meaning but only shrugged.

"Fine," I said. I crossed my arms over my chest and glared. "Egghead just suspended me for a week, thanks to you."

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Marty glared at me for a moment. We had a small stare-off. We'd had hundreds of stare-offs over the years and we usually used them to determine if the other person was lying or not. I knew the routine so I gazed back, giving him my serious face.

When Marty was satisfied I spoke the truth, he squeezed his eyes shut and hissed out a curse. Then he stepped back and let me in.

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"Why'd he suspend you?" Marty said, when he closed the door behind us

I felt like I'd been shut inside a dumpster. The stench of alcohol and other rotten things about knocked me over. It was chilly and damp and dark. Too cave-like for my comfort.

Marty had even thrown blankets over the windows to keep out the light.

"Why aren't you at work?" I strode to the windows, tripping over shoes and pizza boxes and who knew what else on the floor as I went.

I yanked the sheets off, and daylight poured into the room.

Marty groaned and winced. "I liked them where they were," he said through clenched teeth.

I spun around to face him. He'd sat down on the edge of his unmade bed and was lifting his hand to shade his eyes.

"Did you get fired?"

Empty beer cans littered the floor between us. Dirty laundry was piled in various mounds around the room. Marty fell back on the mattress and stared up at the ceiling.

"Leave me alone," he said, closing his eyes.

I came to stare down at him. "Did they fire you?"

"Yes!" he yelled.

"Why?"

He spit out a contemptuous laugh. "Why do you think, brat? How much brainpower does it take to come up with that 187

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answer? Abby's mom is John Getty's little sister. And John was my boss. Why would he keep me around after all this?"

I sat down beside him. "Is she pregnant or not?"

Marty opened his eyes and they once again focused on the ceiling. His jaw moved and his Adam's apple slid up and then down as he swallowed.

"I guess not," he finally said.

I lay down then, next to him, and stared up at the ceiling as well. "So it's over between you two, huh?"

Marty gave another short laugh when he said, "Yeah."

"You're just going to stay in your room and get drunk, then?"

"It's the best plan I've thought up yet."

"I wouldn't take the sissy's way out if I were you," I said, propping my knees up and resting the soles of my shoes on his mattress.

Marty turned his head to glare at me. "Well, you're not me. Now get off my bed."

I didn't move except to let my knees sway back and forth.

"What happened?"

Marty sighed. "Nothing. Why'd you get suspended?"

"Because Egghead thought I told everyone in school his daughter was pregnant." Because it'd been a few hours since that actual event occurred, I was able to speak of it clearly, almost as if I was proud of the fact.

Marty's eyes narrowed on me. "Did you?"

I slugged him in the arm. "No, you idiot. I did not. Why would I spread something like that? Even though I did think it 188

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was true until Egghead called me into his office and very distinctly clarified the facts of the situation."

Marty sat up so quickly he about had me rolling off the side of the bed because of the sudden shift in weight on the mattress. He stared down at me, shocked. "He
told
you?"

I frowned. "Told me what?"

Marty instantly looked away. "Nothing."

I sat up then too. "What?"

Marty shook his head. "Never mind." He glanced at me.

"Why didn't you just tell him you didn't start the rumors?"

My jaw dropped. "I did! The man wouldn't listen to a word I said. Let me tell you, he was mad!"

"So?" Marty set his feet on the floor and stared at the wall in front of him.

"So," I repeated. I frowned as I watched Marty hold his stomach and start to rock back and forth. Then I shook my head and tried to continue with my story. "So he was mad enough to charge at me."

"He what?" Marty looked at me sharply.

"He told me to get out of his office, but I was trying to explain my innocence." I shrugged. "I guess he got sick of it because he started around his desk like he was going to hurt me."

"That son of a..." Marty surged to his feet and started toward the door, swaying as he went.

I ran after him and grabbed his arm. I had to dig my feet into the floor to stop him. "Where do you think you're going?"

"I'm going to kill him."

"Marty!"

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His hand was on the doorknob and he yanked it open. I kicked the door shut with my foot and jumped in front of it, blocking his path. My brother had murder in his eyes. I'd never seen him like this before. It scared me.

"Stop it," I said. "What's wrong with you?"

"What's wrong with me?" He pointed a finger at his chest and stared at me like he couldn't believe I didn't understand.

"That man took away the only girl I ever cared about. He got me fired from my job. He killed my baby. And now he's threatening my sister. How much more do you expect me to take?"

I gasped. The news knocked the breath out of me. If I hadn't been leaning against the door, I would have had to grab it for support. Suddenly, I felt lightheaded. I guess Marty was dizzy too, because he wilted right there onto the floor in front of me and cradled his face in his hands.

I moved my hand over my stomach where my guts were twisting into knots. "What are you talking about, Marty?"

His speech was muffled in his hands as he moaned the words but I heard him clearly. "She was pregnant," he said. "I swear to God she was pregnant."

My knees gave out then. I knelt down in front of him and touched his shoulder. "You're not saying what I think you're saying, are you?"

He looked up at me and his eyes were rimmed in red. He sniffed. "I saw the two lines on the test. I...saw...them." He took my hands and squeezed. "There was a baby, Carrie. Two lines meant she was pregnant."

I shook my head.

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But Marty nodded. "I went to her house right after I told Mom and Dad. She said her dad wanted to take her to a doctor in Paulbrook the next morning, to make sure it was true. But we'd already taken one of those home pregnancy things. We already knew she was pregnant."

He blew out a shaky breath. "I said OK, though, and I left her alone. I saw her and her dad leave the next morning when they drove by the house. It was nighttime before they got back." He swallowed and for a moment he couldn't talk.

I couldn't believe him. It just wasn't something that happened to someone from Stillburrow. I mean, Mr. and Mrs.

Eggrow dedicated their lives to children. Why would they...I shook my head. It wasn't possible.

Marty wiped at his eyes. "When I went to see her that night, she said there wasn't a baby after all and we should call things off." He rocked back and forth, staring at something on the wall. "About as soon as I got home, John called. He told me not to bother coming into work the next morning."

My brother winced as if he was going through the whole experience all over again. His shoulders shook and I did the only thing I could think to do. I hugged him. He buried his face in my shoulder and let loose. His sobs racked through both of us.

"I loved her," he said. "I really did. I thought we were going to get married and buy a house across from the park. I thought we were going to have a family. And I could start up my own business. Just like Dad."

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And Abby would've been perfectly miserable, just like Mom. She'd pretend she had this perfect life and this happy little family, when all she wanted was something better.

"They didn't even ask me," he said.

I shook my head. "Maybe there never was a baby."

"There
was
."

"There wasn't," I snapped. "Marty look at me." I waited until he lifted his head. He puffed out a breath and then set his jaw. "It was all a mistake," I told him. "That first test was a dud. There was never a baby."

He wouldn't say it. He swallowed again and looked like he was about to burst. I grasped his hand. "Say it, please. It doesn't matter what really happened. If you're right, then it's already too late. There's nothing you can do about it. And if you're wrong, then you're lying about her, and Principal Eggrow will accuse you of defamation too, except you won't get a suspension but jail time. So tell me there never was a baby. You have to believe this, OK?"

Marty rested his cheek against the wall and closed his eyes. "There was never a baby," he whispered. A tear trickled down his cheek and it was the last that fell. He opened his eyes and sat up, letting out a shaky breath. "I must've been mistaken."

That's when I wanted to cry. I got to my feet, unable to watch him. "Come on," I said, and briefly glanced down at him.

"Where?"

"Home," I said.

He shook his head.

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And I nodded mine. "Mom will get a ton of food stuffed down you, and you can get some rest. You need to tell them there's no baby, anyway."

"I will," he said. "Just not yet. Can't go home yet. I'm not even sober."

I held my hand down to him, offering to help him to his feet. "Then come to the kitchen. It can't be healthy to stay in this room. Someone should put a caution sign on the door.

Beware of Contamination. I'll fix you something to eat."

I smiled suddenly, thinking of Luke and the snack he'd shown me how to make. "I've got the perfect thing to feed you."

Finally, Marty let me help him to his feet. When we were both standing, he looked down at me. "Don't tell anyone what I said before. OK?"

I shook my head. "I won't."

Marty was quiet for a moment and then he said, "Let's get something to eat. What're you making?"

I grinned, trying to put some cheer into the mood. "It's really good," I said, opening his door. "Luke gave me the recipe."

Marty pulled up short and I glanced back. I did a double take when I saw the horror on his face and stopped myself.

"What is it?"

He grabbed my arm roughly and jerked me back inside the room. "You need to stay away from him, Carrie." I rolled my eyes and he yanked on my arm again. "I'm serious."

I shook free of his grip. "I can tell," I shot back and examined my arm for fingerprint marks.

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"What do you think you're doing with that type of guy?"

I paused and carefully asked, "And what type is that?" But before he could answer, I went on, "Luke isn't the type you think he is. Besides, there's nothing going on between us." I shrugged. "Not technically, anyway."

"Not technically?" Marty shook his head. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I don't know," I said, suddenly wondering myself what it meant. So far, we'd kissed twice. No, make that three times, since the kiss at school only hours ago. We'd discussed dating, yet only ended up fighting. We'd gone on two car rides alone into the country. And then there was that whole scene at school where he'd defended me to the principal.

Technically, I had no idea what that made us.

I glanced up at Marty. "Just don't worry about it, OK?"

That's when Marty shook me. "Haven't you learned anything from what just happened to me? I'm begging you, stay away from him, Carrie. Those type of people are bad news"

I had this impulsive urge to defend Luke. Marty was unjustly classifying him—just as I'd done. But now I knew Luke better and I was completely gone for him.

Still, I wasn't sure if there was anything there to stay away from. So I only nodded.

Marty hugged me briefly, tightly. "Thank you," he said. "I know you're not going to listen to me, but thanks for trying to make me feel better."

Then he pushed me away and said he was starving.

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Austin followed us into the kitchen when he saw us pass, and it just so happened they had all the supplies for Luke's after-school special. I had to make a bowlful for each guy.

Just as I was putting the supplies away, two more boys rushed inside the house. E.T. was followed by his twelve-year-old brother, Trevor.

"There you are," E.T. said, when he saw me. "We've been looking for you all over town." Winded, he plopped down in a chair next to Austin.

"Why?" I said, stuffing the ice cream back into the freezer.

E.T.'s eyes were bright. "Haven't you heard yet?"

"We even heard about it in the junior high," Trevor said, opening the freezer to take the ice cream back out. When he turned back, he blurted, "Did Luke Carter really kiss you right there in the hallway?"

E.T. shoved him toward the table and spun around to tell me
his
news. "Mr. Eggrow dropped your suspension."

"What?" I leaned against the counter, facing everyone.

"Why? What happened?"

"Luke went around, asking everyone where they'd heard the rumor. And he found out who started it." E.T.'s eyes gleamed. He loved knowing something that no one else knew.