The Book of Masks (Abridged)

People Who Aren't There

YOU DROP THE PHONE. You're still too freaked out by the day's events.

* * * * *

Monday comes, and you've mostly forgiven Caleb for Thursday, but decide to go find Keith instead. He yelps and spins around when you tap him on the shoulder, then sags when he sees it's you. "Jesus, don't do that," he gasps. "I thought you were--"

"What did you do to him," you ask. "If Javits goes after you today, it'll be, like, five days straight." Keith's b'te noir typically makes it only a weekly session with his victim.

"I didn't do anything," he whines. "What did you do to the Molester?"

"He does that to everyone," you say, and look nervously over your shoulder. "You've got something special with Javits."

"And it'll be our fourth anniversary next month," he says glumly. "I still remember our first time."

"Speaking of Javits, me and Carson saw him--"

"Don't tell him anything about that," Carson says as he materializes behind you. "Don't tell anyone, and stay away from Jenny."

"Jenny?" Keith says in surprise and turns toward you. "I thought it was you and Lisa who were--"

Carson puts a finger in your face and talks over Tilley. "Yumi got in trouble with certain people because she told Jenny about what certain other people had seen. Normally I couldn't give a shit. But I don't want us to get in trouble with certain other other people because we told certain other other other people about something we saw, because those other other people will track it back through those other other other people--"

"Alright, I get it," you say, even though you're pretty certain you don't.

"Get what?" Keith cries. "A headache? 'Cos that's all I got from--"

"Good," Carson snarls at him. He turns back to you. "It sounds like they're denying everything."

"Who's denying what?" you ask in bewilderment.

"You know who, and about what. I got to talking to Kim Walsh last period--"

"Oh?" you ask sarcastically. "After you told me not to say anything to certain other people--"

"No, before I told you. Obviously. And that's how come I'm telling you now. Because her and me got to talking about what we did this weekend--" He gives you a meaningful look. "And she denies that she was playing tennis."

"Playing tennis?" Keith asks cautiously, taking advantage your perplexed silence. "Is that a code word for--"

"Shut up," you and Carson say in unison. "You asked her if she played tennis this weekend?" you ask Carson.

"I more or less wound up alluding to it," he says. "She says she hasn't played tennis since school started, because she works on weekends."

"But we saw her," you say. "She knows we saw her."

"Was she naked?" Keith asks. "Because I heard that Kendra Saunders--"

"Stop giving us last week's weather report," Carson yells, and shoves him. "Go away!"

"You're not making any sense," you say. "So we saw her--"

Carson raises a warning finger. "Who did we see her with?" he asks. "Who did you say it was weird seeing those two together?"

"Ohhhhh!" you say. Seth and Kendra. "I get it. Now."

"Finally," he snorts.

"So, was she, like, trying to warn you not to talk about ... those two being together?"

"Well, no. She was just, all, Oh, yeah," he says in a faint singsong. "I haven't been able to play since school started. And I'm, like, You didn't play on Saturday? No, I have to work on Saturdays. Oh, hi Marcos. Did you talk to-- Whatever."

"So what the fuck are you getting so excited about?"

"Oh, so now I'm the one who's getting all excited, when it was you who was shitting himself on Saturday?"

"So I was right!" you triumphantly exclaim. "It was a weird scene!"

"No, it was a dangerous scene! Use your fucking head. It wouldn't mean anything except that Kim and them are all going to deny that it happened. And that means it's not something we should be telling people about!"

You stare at him. "It's all above my pay grade," you say. "Yours too. But I won't say anything if you won't."

"It doesn't matter if you guys say anything," Keith grumbles. "The CIA couldn't figure out what you're talking about."

* * * * *

Okay, so you were right that it was weird for Seth and Kendra to be together. And apparently Kim realized afterwards that it was weird, which is why she is preemptively denying that she was playing tennis on Saturday. Because, obviously, if she wasn't playing tennis with Seth and Kendra and Dane on Saturday, then no one could say that they saw Seth and Kendra together without Cindy while in the company of Kim and Dane.

Oh. Dane. Of course. You stop in the middle of the hall and sag a little with relief. That must be why he was so edgy on Saturday. Because he knew you and Carson were seeing something that shouldn't be seen. The pieces now fit together, and they form a much nicer picture.

But you can't still can't shake the memory of Dane's frozen, menacing expression.

* * * * *

"How'd you do on that paper for Walberg?" you ask Lisa without any kind of preamble. Classes have let out, and you've rushed to catch her at her locker, which happens to be next to Walberg's own room.

She gives you a look. "I don't know, Will. You know he didn't give them back this morning."

"I mean, how do you think you did? How hard was it for you to write?"

"She did fine, Prescott." A hand jerks you backward, and Geoff Mansfield steps past to get between you and her. "We worked on them together. Didn't we?" He kisses the top of her head.

"I'm sure you did fine, Will," Lisa says, ignoring your sour expression. "You're much better at those things than you think you are."

"Well, do you think we could get together after he gives them back?"

"We're going to a concert on Wednesday," Mansfield says.

"No one's playing at the convention center!" you snort.

"University," he says impatiently. "Mozart."

"We'll talk later, Will," Lisa says, and squeezes your arm. Then she closes her locker and goes off with Geoff.

You turn with a muttered curse, then take a surprised step backwards. Dane is standing in the doorway of Walberg's room. "Check it out," he says, and hops lightly out into the hall. "Now I'm in trouble." He hops back over the threshold. "Now I'm safe." Back into the hall. "Trouble." Back inside. "Safe. Trouble. Safe. Trouble. Safe. Trouble. Safe." He giggles. "Talk to me till walrus-butt gets back, Will. I'm bored."

You cautiously follow him into the classroom. "What about?"

"Well, you and Lisa are a topic. What happened to you two? You looked good together."

You start: Dane had noticed you and Lisa? "What do you mean?"

"Oh, fuck me, Will, don't be coy." He sucks lasciviously on his teeth. "You know what I mean."

"I guess it was just a summertime thing."

"So what's Mansfield, her wintertime wear?" He makes a face. "Fuck, man, her and Mansfield? Opposites should attract. You should be with her."

"Lisa's gorgeous," you grumble, "so what are you saying about me?"

"Oh, I don't mean that. Besides, Lisa doesn't do anything for me. You don't either, but for different reasons." He suddenly sits up, as though hit by a sudden thought. "You know who does do it for me? Amanda!" His eyes light up, and he groans.

"Amanda Ferguson?"

"She's a dissi-- Dissipull-- She's got whips and handcuffs, man, and I'm a naughty, naughty boy!"

You reflect on the image: Yeah, Amanda Ferguson doesn't take shit from people. "Too bad she's seeing Ricky Golia."

"Oh, Ricky," he snorts. "Yeah, I guess they're opposites, but she's got nothin' for him but a strap-on dildo."

"You like playing matchmaker, Dane?"

"Oh, I just see things," he shrugs. "I talk to the girls-- I love talkin' to the girls. Don't you love talkin' to the girls?"

"Well, yeah. You're fun too, though. I'm sorry you didn't call me last weekend. Or the weekend before, I guess it was."

He blinks slowly. "Don't tease me, man, did I fuck something up?"

"I guess you don't remember. You said you'd forget."

"Yeah, I don't lie about things like that." He pats his jacket pocket like he did ten or twelve days ago.

You think carefully before going further, then decide to risk it. "I almost ran into you on Saturday, though. Right?"

Again, he blinks slowly, and his mouth pulls down in a huge frown, and his eyes roll in their sockets. "I won't lie there either, Will. I was a slow-cookin' potato all weekend. Whadja see me doin'?"

He certainly wasn't stoned on Saturday, so you take that as a hint. "I didn't see anything, Dane. Or anyone."

"No?" His voice squeaks. "Nice. Thanks."

"You're welcome."

If you expect him to wink or to otherwise acknowledge your promise to keep quiet about Seth and Kendra, you're disappointed, for he just stares glassily at you. His expression doesn't change until just before you feel a strong hand on your shoulder.

"You need something, Mr. Prescott?" Walberg growls as he spins you around. "No? Then out." He jabs you in the shoulder.

"He thinks you're a buzz kill!" Dane chortles.

"And you," Walberg says, turning on him. "Up straight, feet on the floor, eyes ahead. Now."

Dane bites on his smile before slowly complying. He's still grinning to himself as Walberg shuts the door in your face.