Chapter #30Keith Fucks It Up by: imaj   Kim isn’t usually in the habit of attending the Friday lunchtime cheerleading practice session, but you decide to make an exception today. It’s an open session, so the gym bleachers have a mix of staring losers (just because you used to be one of them doesn’t make the any less losers now that you aren’t one of them anymore) and sophomore wannabes. As council president, you’re expected to be friends with everyone so you sit yourself next to Paul Davis. He falls into the former category, although if Kim’s memories are a guide, he only has eyes for Yumi Saito.
You bide your time with polite small talk about the History class you share, so you aren’t watching the cheerleaders when you hear the sickening crack, followed by the piercing cry of a girl in deep, deep distress. You look up, and what you see fills you with genuine horror.
Lying on the floor, her leg twisted at a sickening angle is Eva Garner. Her sister, Jessica, is already at her side, holding her hand. Eva screams in pain, Jessica struggles to hold back tears of her own. The rest of the team stand in stunned silence.
Almost all of them, everybody else’s attention is firmly fixed on Eva, but you spot Michelle staring straight at you. She shrugs her shoulders, then slips out the gym unnoticed as the rest of the squad try to find Coach Tesla.
You make your excuses and sneak out after her.
*****
“I fucked up,” says Michelle quietly as you walk along. The words are Keith’s but the voice and tone are Michelle’s. You can hardly blame Keith for hiding in her personality given his mistake. “I must have put it on the wrong sneaker.”
“That was meant to be Chelsea,” you say coolly, struggling to keep your anger in check. “We can hardly pull the same trick off again on her now.”
“Poor Eva,” says Michelle, not really listening to you. “That looked like the kind of break she’d never get over. She didn’t deserve that.”
You are about to tell Michelle to pull herself together when Chelsea rounds the corner in front of you. She looks visibly shaken from what’s just happened, but you can also practically see her thinking over how to turn the situation to her advantage.
“I didn’t know you two were friends,” she says guardedly, her eyes narrowing.
“Kim was just telling me how she was thinking of getting a get well card for Eva signed by all of the seniors,” says Michelle on the spur of the moment.
“That’s a great idea,” smiles Chelsea, sheathing her claws as she latches on to the opportunity. “We should take it out to the hospital, like tonight. Let Eva know that we’re all thinking of her.”
It actually is a good idea, and you’re surprised that Keith has come up with it. Chelsea wants to show her compassionate side, no doubt after you do most of the work getting signatures. There would be no harm in it, especially since she’s just rid herself of a potential rival in the team, probably for good. And it means you could get Chelsea alone long enough to copy her to your mask.
“I could give you a lift over tonight Kim,” beams Chelsea, laying it on thick. “When can I pick you up?”
“Actually,” you reply, the beginnings of a new plan already forming in your mind. “I have a couple of errands to run first. I can come round your house at seven and we can go then.”
“Super,” says Chelsea insincerely. “I’ll see you then.”
She bounds off, not realising how much she has played into your hands.
*****
Kim has built up an understanding of the way Chelsea’s mind works. That’s why when you arrive at her house at twenty to seven, things play out exactly as you expect them.
“You must be Kim,” says Chelsea’s mother as she opens the door. “Gosh, darn it if Chelsea isn’t ready yet.”
“I’m sorry Mrs Cooper,” you apologise. “I finished my errands earlier than I thought.”
“Aw, don’t you worry hon,” smiles the older woman. “Why don’t you go wait in Chelsea’s room while she’s finishing up in the little girls room.”
A small part of your mind that remains resolutely Will Prescott is amazed that Chelsea will spend an hour getting ready to visit a friend in hospital. The Kim part of your mind is merely pleased that things are going to plan.
Spending time alone in Chelsea’s room is, of course, exactly what you want. You place your new hex sigil (your first ‘errand’) under the mattress of her bed. You’re particularly pleased with this one. It’s tethered to another sigil back in Blackwell’s house and can be used to make Chelsea feel ill for a day. So ill, in fact, that she wouldn’t be able to go to school.
You also take the time to carefully remove some of Chelsea’s older clothes from the back of her wardrobe. Just a couple of outfits that she will not miss. If one Chelsea can’t go to school because she’s sick, well that leaves for space for another Chelsea to attend instead. You place the outfits in your bag, taking care not to disturb the small pouch of knockout powder ( your second ‘errand’) with minutes to spare.
Chelsea finally surfaces. She’s annoyed at your earliness of course but she sticks to being icily polite as she drives the pair of you to the hospital. That’s something you are quite willing to suffer to pull this off.
*****
Eva already has a visitor when you arrive. Her sister Jessica has clearly been there for some time, she’s still in her cheerleader uniform. It’s also clear that she’s been crying – her eyes are red and puffy, her make up smeared where she’s wiped away the tears. You give her a sisterly hug as you and Chelsea enter the private room Eva’s been allocated.
“How is she doing,” you ask nodding towards the slumbering Eva.
“They’re keeping her sedated,” replies Jessica, her voice cracking. “The doctors say she’ll not be able to do cheerleading again.”
“Oh god,” says Chelsea. She even sounds sincere. “I’m so sorry.”
“We want Eva,” you begin, handing her a card and some flowers. “We want you and Eva to know everyone in the school is thinking of you.”
“Thanks,” sniffles Jessica.
“I’m totally here for you,” says Chelsea. “I feel so guilty. I keep wondering if I hadn’t loaned Eva my old sneakers, she wouldn’t have slipped.”
“It wasn’t your fault Chelsea,” you say, struggling to keep the shock off your face.
“I know,” she replies as Jessica stifles a sob. “Hey, I need to use the toilet. Is there like one around here?”
Jessica indicates outside the room. You and her sit in silence for a moment as Chelsea leaves the room.
“Bitch,” says Jessica, quietly but clearly.
“What,” you ask, not quite sure of what you heard.
“Look at her,” continues Jessica. “All sad and oh-how-terrible-it-all-is. She doesn’t mean a word of it. I bet the flowers were your idea Kim.”
You nod in confirmation.
“Eva was one of the best on the squad, better than her. All Chelsea cares about is that another rival’s not a threat anymore.”
Well, that is interesting. Your original plan was to knock out Chelsea on the journey home and copy her face to your mask. If Jessica really feels this way, perhaps a better plan would be to bring her into your confidence.
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