The Book of Masks (Vol. 4)

The Renewal

Previously: "The Westside Book Club" 

[Text by rugal.]

You're feeling awkward as you put the truck in gear and start pulling out of the parking lot. As you look left then right for any traffic you catch a glimpse of Kim looking absentmindedly out of the window. What's she thinking about, you wonder? She couldn't possibly be thinking about asking you... no, of course not. That's obviously not in the cards because you've never really talked with her. Not for a while anyway. You'd have considered her a friend in middle school and into early high school but by some point in the tenth grade she'd started to focus on the more ambitious path culminating her being elected senior class president just a few weeks ago.

Your interactions gradually became less and less throughout the rest of high school and while it sucked at first you'd accepted that. You're just glad that Kim's ambitions manifest themselves benignly and not in the manner that they do for, say, Chelsea Cooper.

"So, you wanted to talk?" you ask as you turn out onto the road.

"Right," she says as she turns back to look at you. "I just wanted to know if you're feeling alright."

"Alright how?" you ask in confusion.

"About, well, you know," she answers rather obliquely. "It's just... I don't really want you to feel bitter or angry towards her or Geoff."

Geoff?" you respond in confusion before it sinks in. "Wait, is this about Lisa? How do you even know about that?"

"As senior class president I need to know these things," she states rather proudly, "or rather I make it a point to need to know these things. I can't really do much for the senior class if I don't know what's going on in it right?"

Of course she'd know about Lisa and your situation. She's part of the student council with a lot of the other AP types, especially that jackass Mansfield; plus she's naturally nosy anyway. But you can't fault her for knowing or wanting to know like she'd said so you let it blow past you and try to swallow any negative words regarding Mansfield.

Still, though, you do sigh a bit. "It does kind of suck," you tell her, "and it hurts but I'll get over it. I just need a little bit of time probably." As you turn onto your street, again it's a short distance between your home and the community center (almost right across the street), you steal another glance at her. "I'm surprised you're worried about me."

"Well I'm worried about any of the seniors," she tells you, "but even ignoring that we're friends so I don't want to see you too down in the dumps."

"Friends? Kim, we've barely talked in like two years," you say and quickly you're mentally kicking yourself. "Um, sorry if that came out pissy. I didn't mean it like that."

"No, it's fine," Kim says as she goes back to looking out of the window. "That's mostly my fault; I let stuff get in the way but now that things hopefully aren't going to be as hectic..."

"Are you saying that you want to start hanging out again?"

"It'd be nice. Don't get me wrong I like putting in the work and doing what I can to help everyone and the school but it gets exhausting," she admits. "I do kind of miss being able to spend time with you and Caleb after school like we did."

"It'd be nice," you say as you pull up into the driveway of your home. "I'm actually glad you agreed to hang out. I guess this book gives us a good excuse." You put the truck in park, kill the engine and give her an appreciative look.

"I just wish I didn't need an excuse, I'm sorry. Tell Caleb I said that too," she says and you can note the hint of shame in her voice. "I guess I always felt so awkward about it though."

You brush off her concerns. "Well, just forget about it okay?" you tell her as you exit the truck. Suddenly you're feeling a lot more bashful though. "So, uh, I'll probably be in and out but if you want to come in instead of sitting out here..."

* * * * *

"Hey mom, you home?" you call out as you enter the house.

"I'm in the kitchen," she answers, "did you need something?"

"Yeah, does dad have a car buffer around here anywhere?"

"A car buffer? Why in heavens name would you ever need--" she stops herself as she rounds the corner and sees you and, you can tell from her gaze, Kim. You can tell from the way she's looking that she can't quite place her which is understandable considering it's been quite a while since Kim's been around. Any confusion is confirmed by what she says. "Oh, hello! You're a friend of Will's?"

"Mom, it's Kim," you tell her. "Remember Kim?"

"Kim? Oh my, yes! Kim, it's nice to see you," she exclaims.

"Hi Mrs. Prescott," Kim says a little nervously. "It's been a while."

"Forever and a day," your mom beams. "Have a seat! Do you need anything to drink?"

"I'm alright, ma'am, thank you though," she answers. "Actually Will's helping me and some friends with an art project that requires some polishing."

"Right, we just stopped by because I figured dad probably has a buffer we could use," you tell her. "We'll be in and out."

"Well, if he has one then it's probably somewhere in the garage," she says as she heads over to the garage door. "Here, I'll help you find it." To Kim she turns and says, "Have a seat if you want. It'll only take a minute."

You follow your mom into the garage where the two of you look among your dad's tools to see if there's anything you can use. "I think this is it," she states as she spots a box with a picture of a buffer. You grab it and open it and are relieved to see it in there.

"Thanks," you tell her.

"It's nice to see Kim again, it's been so long," she sighs. "How long has it been? I honestly can't remember."

"Maybe the summer between ninth and tenth grade?" you shrug. "We drifted apart not long after."

"You two got along so well," she says as she leans against a shelf. "She was always so pleasant. It was really nice having her around."

"Well, things happen I guess," you reply not really sure of what to say. "We just had different paths we took. I don't think I told you that she's student council president did I?"

"Really?" she responds though it's not actually a question. "I can't say I'm shocked, she always seemed very bright." She then gives you a very motherly smile. "You know, she'd really be a good influence on you."

"What's that supposed to mean?" you ask.

Your mom, however, merely chuckles and brushes it off. "Oh it's nothing dear, don't worry about it," she says as she turns towards the door. "Just thinking that it would be quite nice to see her more regularly, that's all."

Before you leave to head back to the others you make a quick stop in your room to get any of the leftover material just in case you need it; all part of the art project you tell your mom.

* * * * *

"I think my mom wants us to go out," you say as you pull back into the parking lot of the community center.

Kim just lets out a giant, surprised laugh. "Oh my god, what?" she asks in shock. "What makes you say that?"

"She was laying it on really thick when she was helping me find the buffer," you tell her as you hop out of the truck and lock the doors. "Saying that it was nice to see you again and that you'd be a good influence on me and that it'd be nice if you were around more regularly."

"Oh jeez, I'm sorry Will if I'd known my presence would've led to something like that..."

You dismiss her concern. "It's fine, it's more funny than anything that's all. Just a mom being a mom I guess," you state as the two of you begin walking towards the portion of the old school and the basement. "Besides the two of us? I just don't see it."

"Why's that?" asks Kim.

"Well it's just that, uh, I'm kind of on the lower end of things socially. Like I think it'd cause Kelsey and Amanda and them to look down their nose," you say as you dredge up memories of the disapproving glowers they'd give to you when you and Lisa had started talking in May. "That and you just don't seem like you've got the time for anything like that."

"Don't sell yourself so short, Will. You got Lisa to go out with you right?" she says in an attempt to boost your confidence. "But you're right on that second part. I guess I've been so tied up in all of this throughout high school that I haven't even really thought about dating."

* * * * *

"So somebody has to put that on?" asks Josie skeptically. "I don't really see how that would let the book know you solved the puzzle."

"As best as I can figure that's what it says," states Kim; you're thankful that her Latin is far better than your own. "Something about 'absorbing the form' of whatever face it's laid on?"

"God, that is spooky," Josie shudders.

"It's supposed to be," Fairfax says calmly. "It wouldn't be as fun of a puzzle, I suppose, without a little character to go with it."

His idea of using a buffer worked wonders, and now only forty-five minutes later you have finished something that would have taken you forever, leaving you thankful that you'd asked Mike about him.

"So who puts it on?" you ask.

Everyone looks at each other. "It's your book," Mike says to you.

"Maybe we should draw straws," Fairfax suggests.

Josie gives him a look. "Or maybe the guy who says we should draw straws should try it out," she says.

Next: "The Test Dummy" 

*
"Table of Contents (Vol. 4)" 
"The Book of Masks (Vol. 4)"