Fallen Crest High(5)

"Analise," he murmured in her ear. "I have friends who've invited us out for drinks tonight."

She gave him a bright smile and whirled around, her hands raised in a clap.

"Oh, that'd be wonderful. I'm excited to meet some of your friends."

"Mitchell and Malaya Smith. He owns Smith Telephones, the local company."

As they turned a corner, I heard my mother ask in a breathless voice, "Do you think Malaya would be interested in meeting for tea one afternoon? I'd love to meet some of the other ladies."

I snorted to myself, like my mother would be welcomed among that club. Then my phone vibrated in my pocket. Lydia wanted to go to a party that night.

Jessica sent me another text not long after. Then Jeff sent me one an hour later with an apology for his behavior.

I ignored them all and slid down the wall in my room. It was covered with boxes, a bed that five people could've slept in, and two couches on the far side. I had my own apartment. Maybe I wouldn't have to see anybody any longer.

Here's hoping.

I ventured out once during that night. My stomach had started to cramp so I figured I needed something to calm it down. As I tried to find my way to the kitchen a large television boomed from inside some room. The local news was on and I heard the news anchor report on a local car bombing incident.

"Two cars were on fire outside a gas station in the town of Fallen Crest. Each of them was owned by two teenage boys who attend Roussou High School. This incident is believed to be one of many in a long list of vandalisms between two schools, Fallen Crest Public School and Roussou High School. Their football teams are arch enemies. An upcoming game is scheduled between the two and officials fear this is only the beginning of what seems to be an ongoing rivalry between the two schools. Sidney?"

Logan stood up from a couch and turned off the television. As he turned, he saw me in the hallway. I skirted ahead, but not before I noticed another head on the couch beside him. When I found the hallway for the kitchen, I glanced back. Mason and Logan both walked the opposite way, dressed in low riding jeans and tee shirts.

That was my only human interaction for the rest of the night; even Mousteff was gone. When Sunday dawned bright and early, I rolled over and checked my phone. Lydia and Jessica had called throughout the night. Jeff tried a few times, but he stopped texting at five that morning. My phone rang again and I saw it was nine in the morning. I figured Jessica and Lydia never went home if they were still trying so I turned it off, then yawned as I sat up.

I headed home that afternoon to make sure we'd gotten everything we'd need, or my mom would need. I knew she'd send me back and forth for any little item and it would've been the end of the world until she'd gotten it. Not that I would've minded, but her timing was never at decent hours.

When I had checked the upstairs and entered the kitchen, I heard the front door open.

"Dad?"

He paused in the doorway. He wore his coach's jacket for the football team, red and black. "Hey, honey…"

I gestured around. "I'm just making sure we didn't forget anything."

He grimaced. "You mean if Analise forgot anything."

"Yeah…"

He winced again and I bit my lip.

"Uh, dad…You weren't around this weekend."

"Yeah." He ran a hand over his face. "Your mother thought that would be for the best, if I cleared out. She didn't want any awkward run-ins."

"Oh."

His smile was painful. "Do you like your new home?"