“Now it`s time to catch our own arm candy!” Jackie giggled. Seeing that both girls were free from Aeron, their classmates converged upon them. Somehow through the chaos and chatter the girls were pulled off in two different directions. Both tried to pull out of the crowd, but were absorbed into the mass and dragged in opposite directions.
Darien appeared at Jackie’s side, girls hanging on him like a ripe fruit tree. He walked up and grabbed Jackie`s hand, towing her away as he shed the fawning girls like raindrops on a windshield. He towed her through the crowd, pinning her against the garden shed. “I feel a definite sense of déjà vu here, but I must say the fire breathing monster was a bit scarier,” she said flippantly.
“I`m probably talking about something pretty different. I`m sure your little boss wanted to scold you to finish your work or whatever. I just want you to get lost, and stop messing around with Alyss,” he rumbled. Looking thoughtful, he quietly added, “She obviously doesn`t know anything, so it wouldn’t do you any good to stick so close anyways.”
“You`re a hot one to talk,” she scoffed, flipping her hair to the side. “It`s obvious you had some kind of reasons for ‘joining the family,’” she air quoted each syllable.
“It was completely innocent,” he protested. “She just happened to see me, and just happened to decide to invite me to join her clan,” he added.
“That sure is a lot of ‘just happened’ you`re talking about there,” she retorted. “I think that may be why they allowed an expendable like you so far away from home base like this,” she sneered, “To do some reconnaissance on such a famous figure. Too bad for you she doesn`t remember a thing.”
“It wasn`t for any spying. Merely some personal interest. And, like I said, she invited me into the household, I didn`t push her for it,” he repeated smugly.
“Sure. I heard the story. You just happened to be sitting around with some pathetic kitty,” she scoffed. “Let me just say, I think that`s a pretty suspicious set up there.”
“I`ll do my job,” he growled, “and I`ll thank you to not but in,” he puffed. “I might be under someone else’s directions, but at least I`m still a free person accomplishing my job,” he added snidely. Ignoring her once more, he swanned off into the crowd, instantly enveloped in perfume and laughter once more.
Her indignant huff went unnoticed. “At least I haven`t dated half the population in my first week,” she muttered, turning away to chase after her friend`s earlier footsteps. The path led through winding boxwood and lavender and stone plaques stood as reminders of a distant past.
Two figures stood holding hands in the middle of the maze, murmuring in each other`s ears. Then the boy dived in, stealing a kiss, only a tinkle of laughter announcing to the world an audible keep out sign. Jackie determinedly ignored it, jogging headlong among them. She skillfully extracted her friend, dragging her away despite her friend`s protests and breathless promises of return.
“What on earth are you doing with a worm like that, anyways?” she brusquely demanded, ignoring the pleas for returning to the area.
Alyss stopped waving, setting herself up to quickly reassure her friend. “He`s not a worm, really, he`s kind of sweet! The things he does to take care of his family, it`s so tragically heroic,” she gushed. She continued to spin a tale of woe. Abusive father died young, leaving an overworked single mother without any money and an excess of mouths to feed. He was the eldest son, working hard to bring home leftover from the diner he worked at on the table and his wages into the mortgage. Despite it all, he still had lofty career dreams and tried his best in school, even though everything he was doing was just so hard.
Jackie listened to it all in silence, and laughed hysterically at the final tearful phrase. “He said he`s been doing all of that?” She giggled some more. “I guess this explains the ridiculous number of new girls who have been fawning over him,” she laughed again, though she quickly sobered. “Listen here honey, this guy has been spinning you a yarn. Yeah, the stuff about Warren’s dad and mom is true, but he doesn`t do anything to help the family out. That`s all his sister Marina, a year below us. You know he does pot, right?” Alyss muttered that the ever present smell could easily by from his parent`s smoke, though a hint of doubt colored the seemingly sure words. The girl ignored her feeble protest and leaned in closer, confidentially whispering, “He even deals the stuff.” Jackie spoke over the weak gasp, “He practically single handedly responsible for his little brother`s friends getting hooked on the stuff. They might be in Middle School now, but he got them started when they were sixth graders.”
Her friend stopped, as if pausing on the edge of an irrecoverable precipice. It was clear that the information she was about to share was potentially heartbreaking, but the other girl egged her to continue to spill and she obliged. “He`s in this gang, and I hear he`s known as the ‘Hammer’, because whenever they sack a place he likes to mess up the bystanders. And,” she hesitated, “He`s known for messing with nice girls.”
“So he’s a real ass,” Alyss said.
The other girl protested at the use of the word but was willing to be convinced to continue the tale. “Build them up, make them fall in love, and then he blows hot and cold, making her feel guilty for not being a good girl friend. He just likes screwing with people`s heads, Alyss.”
Alyssa was silent, face white in shock. “He`s that ghastly,” she asked, staring at her friend as a woman begs for a lifeline in stormy waters. It
