The Book of Masks (Vol. 2)

Meetings in the Dark

Previously: "Time and Punishment" 

"I don't know what to tell you, Will," Jack says after you've fallen silent. "It's just high school shit."

"Not if this video gets out," you retort.

"Oh, come on," he sighs. "What's the worst that could happen?"

"My dad could find out!"

That gets his attention, and he gives you a long, steady look. But when he replies, it's only to say, "I'm sorry, but I don't have any idea who this 'Clover Mystery' person is, so I don't know how to help you."

"No, I get that," you assure him. "I'm sorry I bugged you. Maybe I just wanted to talk to someone. And you know a lot more people, I thought maybe you might, you know, have some idea who it was."

"Sorry, I don't. But if you want my advice, you should stop freaking out so hard."

You give him a dirty look, then wince. "Maybe you're right."

"Come on, let's get your mind off it," he says as he stands up. "We're gonna get a bunch of people together, have a study night, movie night."

But you demur, saying that you need to spend the evening at home. "You won't tell anyone about this, will you?" you ask.

"Of course not," he promises. "But I'll keep an eye out, ear to the ground. But you should to stay off line, stay offa social media." He pokes you in the shoulder. "Don't obsess, try to forget about it."

Damn, you think as you trudge out. I wish he hadn't mentioned social media. Now you will obsess about what people are saying online.

* * * * *

So you turn off your phone when you get home, which is enough to keep you from going online, and it also means that you're able to get your homework done a lot quicker than usual. When you turn your phone back on again, though, you cringe at the spate of texts that have come in.

A handful are from Jack, keeping you informed of who he's hanging out with, what they're doing, and trying to goad you into coming out to join them. You text back that you had your phone off and that it's too late for you to come out, but that you'll be up for doing something tomorrow. You also have a text from Caleb, asking if you've heard from "Clover Mystery" again, and to him you are (thank God!) able to report that you haven't.

The longest line of texts, though, are from Laura MacGregor, and you kick yourself at forgetting to find and talk to her at school today. You also feel like an asshole because she has been texting to ask what you're doing, and her string of communiques ends with the rather forlorn note, Guess I go look for someone els to bother. You hastily tap back a reply telling her that you had your phone off while doing school work, and asking if she wants to chat.

Twenty minutes pass, during which you decide that she took your silence personally and is mad at you. But then she replies, Good to here. Going to meet up w jack n guys . U come to? You glance at the clock and weigh your options carefully before again demurring. Gootta sta close to hme.

Wheres home?

Acheson. U know.

Lol forgot. Shld ride down meet at Shuler sometime.

Like that.

So what u doing now?

That sounds like an invitation, and even though it's dark outside, a bike ride down to the middle school to meet Laura would be a nice diversion. You tell her you'll meet her there in ten minutes.

But you've only pedaled halfway to the school when your phone chimes with another text: Laura regretfully informing you that she's been forbidden by her parents from riding her bike in the dark down to the school. You make a face and turn for home.

But you are only halfway there when another bike comes sailing out of the dark and almost t-bones you at an intersection. "Oh God, I'm so sorry!" the girl cries out as you both fall off your bikes. You grumble that it's alright, and are climbing back on your bike when the girl says, "Will?"

You do a double-take. It's Elle Moore. "I didn't know you live around here!" she squeaks when you greet her.

"Yeah, just a couple of blocks over. You live around here?"

"No, I'm back that way." She waves in the general direction of Saratoga Falls proper. "I think." She titters. "I went out riding and I think I got lost."

"You could check a map."

"That would be like cheating. So you're out riding your bike too?"

"I was riding out to meet Laura at the middle school."

"Oh." It's dark, but there's no missing the way Elle's face falls. "Well, I guess I'll see you at school tomorrow. Maybe." She starts to turn her bike around.

"Laura cancelled on me, though. I'll ride with you, though, try to get you back to civilization."

"Oh!" she gasps with what sounds like a mix of excitement and relief. "That'd be great! You're so sweet!"

"Where exactly do you live?" you ask as you turn your bike in parallel with hers.

"Just off Carver Road. Close to McKinley Elementary."

You think a moment. "Wow, you were way off." You wave in the direction she had indicated. "You go that way, you'll wind up at the army base."

"Oh my God!" Elle covers her laugh with her hand. "I'm sure glad I ran into you then!" You smile at her and remount your bike.

"So, I'm sorry I missed you out at the soccer meet last weekend," you tell her as you pedal slowly along the dark street, side by side.

"Oh, did you go?" she asks.

"No, something came up, and I couldn't."

Elle is silent for half a block, then she says, "I wasn't at the meet either. I didn't even know about it until I heard about it Monday. You mean that Eastman-Westside girls game?"

"Yeah. Lisa told me you were supposed to meet us out there."

"You and Lisa?" she says. "Yarborough? I didn't know you were, um—"

"She was going with Geoff Mansfield," you tell her a little stiffly, "and she asked me along, said we were going to meet you there."

"Oh. Well, not me. I was— I forget where I was, but no, I wasn't planning on going. Like I said, I didn't even know about it!"

"Huh. Well, maybe Lisa misunderstood. She did text me back to say we'd be meeting up with Laura instead."

"Oh. So you had fun with Laura?" Elle's tone is cool.

"I didn't go. I told you, something came up."

"What was it?"

"Oh, it doesn't matter," you stammer. "Something stupid for my dad."

"That's too bad. That we missed each other, I mean."

"We bumped into each other tonight."

"That's true."

You pedal a little ways in silence before Elle speaks again. There's a stammer in her voice as she asks, "So, what happened that you broke up with Lisa? If you don't mind me asking."

"You'd have to ask her," you grumble. "And then you can tell me."

"So she broke up with you?" Elle sounds shocked.

"I guess. Actually, she says— Well, I don't want to talk about it."

"I'm sorry," Elle says. "It's tough when someone breaks up with you. I should know."

"Who'd you break up with? I mean," you add, imitating her earlier disclaimer, "if you don't mind me asking."

"Oh, God, too many," she sighs. "I guess most of them weren't serious. Well, he wasn't serious."

"Who?"

"All of them," she groans. "I guess I shouldn't have been serious either. Were you serious about Lisa?"

"I don't know." You start squinting around in the dark, looking for a landmark you can you use to direct Elle back to her house. "We were just really casual."

"Maybe that's what it was?" Elle asks. "She thought you weren't serious, so she broke up with you because of that?"

"I don't think so."

"I shouldn't bug you about it," Elle says. "It sounds like it still kind of, you know, hurts? But I think I know where I am now." She slows to a stop and puts a foot down to balance herself. You stop too, and find yourself on a street corner that looks like every other street corner you've passed, with houses running up one street and down the other. "Thanks for riding back with me," she says, "and talking."

"Sure, I'm glad I ran into you. Or you almost ran into me."

You are turning your bike around when you notice that Elle hasn't moved. When you stop to look at her, she says, "Do you mean that? About being glad I— We ran into each other?"

"Well, sure."

She stares at you, but it's too dark to really make out her expression.

Then she gets off her bike and edges up to you. Your hands are still on your handlebars, so you've no way to block her as she takes your face between her hands and kisses you full on the mouth. You barely have the wit to swallow your surprised Mmghmph!

"Oh God, I shouldn't have done that," Elle gasps as she releases you and stumbles backward. "Listen, just pretend it didn't happen, okay? And don't come talk to me tomorrow. Please? Don't, I mean. Oh God, I need time to think about this."

She clambers onto her bike and wobbles off into the dark.

Next: "The Morning Fog" 

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"Table of Contents (Vol. 2)" 
"The Book of Masks (Vol. 2)"