Chapter 230: Detention Redux
I was a total idiot. So wrapped up in the O'Dane family tree I failed to consider the trap I headed for as I exited the library and down the hall to History.
Late.
She waited for me, right outside the door, a vulture hovering around a not quite dead carcass, lurking for the chance to feed. My death knell tolled the moment I looked up and into her glittering black eyes.
They were full of triumph and more than a little smugness. Ms. Spaft didn't speak, just handed me the slip of pink paper before spinning on her heel and striding away.
I considered crumpling it up and firing it at the back of her head, but I knew my demon would be tempted to add some power behind it and I would have no way to explain why she was suddenly unconscious from the blow of a paper ball.
Stomping my way to class, I also considered skipping detention. But by the time History was wrapping up I knew I couldn't do it. Spaft would make my life even more miserable. I'd just have to do my time, take my punishment and meet Liam later.
As luck would have it, I ran into Alison in the hall and remembered she shared last period with him. "I need a huge favor."
Her blue eyes winked at me. "Anything for my bestie."
"I need you to tell Liam I'm going to be late after school and I'll call him." Was that a flicker of something in her face? I thought we'd dealt with the whole jealousy thing. And after a brief instant the look was gone. Good, we had. "Thanks, Al."
She flipped her ponytail at me with a smirk and kept going. Now all I had to do was survive detention so I could save the world. Okay, maybe it wasn't that dramatic.
Then again, maybe it was.
Dear Ms. Spaft:
You suck and I hate your freaking guts. Your shoes are ugly and the mole on your left cheek looks like a molding raisin has somehow crawled out from under your skin. I hope you fall down and break something you value very much, and that it hurts so badly you suffer endless torment.
I had to. This was the only way I could survive writing another apology letter. For every incarnation I penned, I wrote one of the opposite. By the time she finally accepted my letter, I was the last one left in detention, as though my early release the first time was a mistake she would never repeat.
When I delivered my last attempt, she crossed her arms over her thin chest. "I worry you have as yet to learn this lesson, Miss Hayle."
She had no idea how close she was to going missing and no one ever finding her body. No. Idea.
"Yes, ma'am," I said.
"I suppose this will have to do for now." She tapped one spidery index finger on the page I'd handed her. "But bear in mind you and I have a great deal of work to do this year. A great deal. Discipline and proper behavior must be your first priority." Ms. Spaft tsked. "And chasing the same boy, no less. Shameful, Miss Hayle. Have some respect for yourself."
Fireworks exploded behind my eyes as my demon went nuclear. Shaylee dove forward and smothered her as quickly as she could, but I'm sure from the tightening around Ms. Spaft's eyes she saw the flicker of rebellion I was unable to contain.
"Yes, ma'am," I said. Eat dirt and choke on it.
She let me go. It was the smartest thing she'd ever done.
I ran right home, dialing Liam's number as I went. No answer. I tried him again at home, then his email. Texted. Nothing.
Okay then. But I was tired of being ignored and wired up from being treated like a criminal by Ms. Spaft so there was no way Liam was getting away with this.
A quick internet check gave me his address. I was behind the wheel and driving over to his house before I could think about what I was doing. The small yellow bungalow looked tidy if older, the beetle in the driveway telling me I had the right place. Several sharp knocks on the front door did the trick, but it wasn't Liam who greeted me. Instead, a short, thin woman with perfect makeup and really awesome hair pulled open the inside door and fixed me with a hard stare.
She didn't even bother to open the screen. "Yes?"
"Hi," I said, "I'm Syd, a friend of Liam's. Is he home?"
Her made-up face didn't warm even a little. What was her problem? It's not like I was selling something. "He has homework."
She was starting to close the door when Liam appeared. "Hi, Syd." His mother backed off a bit, but stood there with her arms over her chest, scowling at me while he met my eyes through the mesh. "I waited for you, but you didn't show."
Um, what? But Alison... that was just great. Just freaking great.
"I had detention." And winced when his mom's face tightened further. Sheesh, Syd, just ruin any chance you have of winning the woman over.
"I can't go now." His gaze flickered sideways, toward his mother. "Maybe tomorrow."
I wanted to hop up and down like a kid throwing a temper tantrum. "It's really important, Liam. Really."
"Thanks for dropping by." His mother grabbed the door from his hands and slammed it shut in my face.
I was half way back to my car, fuming and steaming at the woman's rudeness when my phone buzzed. A glance at it made my temperature rise even further.
Jnyz?
Alison was so dead.
I stormed into the diner, caught sight of her at our booth. She started to wave with her cheerful smile, but sagged back as I stomped my way to her.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Oh so harsh, but I was this close to blowing a gasket and sending the entire town of Wilding Springs into the next county.
"What?" She wouldn't look at me. I wasn't the only bad liar I knew.
"Don't ask me what." The words barely made it past my clenched teeth. I felt Shaylee try to soothe me, the touch of worry she felt as Alison's face crumpled, but I just couldn't. She had to understand. "I really needed Liam's help and you blew it for me. Because you're jealous and pathetic and an idiot."
Alison's cheeks flushed and she glared at me then, her own anger rising. "So I forgot, so what?"
I wanted very much to shake her and shake her until she just smartened the hell up.
"The world doesn't revolve around you, Al, just so you know." I backed off a step. "You need to figure your crap out or we're done."
I turned away from her then, marched out, despite knowing I'd very likely crushed what little remained of who she had been.
***
