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Authors: Bonnie R. Paulson
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TV. Popcorn permeated the air with its cloying buttery scent, so heavy I could taste it without ever taking a bite.
Twisting the rubber band around my wrist, I rested on the arm of the couch which reminded me of Sheldon and the last couple hours with vivid detail. Jumping up from my spot, I claimed the empty easy chair. “Yeah, sorry. Sometimes I get going and I can’t stop.”
I pretended to check my cell. “Oh, hey, Mom? Deegan just texted me and said the guys he was with left without him. His dad’s working or he wouldn’t have asked. Can we go pick him up from the movie theatres downtown?” I avoided Kari’s eyes. She’d know I was lying and I couldn’t guarantee she wouldn’t call me on it in front of my mom.
Mom laughed, coughing on the chocolate she’d just eaten. “Oh, that boy. Sure, come on. I wouldn’t mind picking up some stuff for cinnamon rolls for breakfast. Come on, boys, grab some shoes.”
My face flushed. I stood, rubbing my hands on my pants. “Awesome, thanks. Kari, you coming too?” If not, she’d probably go to bed. She stayed over so much, my dad had invested in a trundle bed for my room. It rolled from the closet. I’d set it up that morning before leaving for school.
That time seemed so long ago, like a memory I could revisit by looking at photos in a book.
She nodded, inspecting my face for the secrets of life. “Deegan, huh? Since when did he call you for help?”
I looked anywhere but at her face. “We’re friends. We run every day, remember?”
“Yeah! But you never said he texted you and stuff. Oh my gosh, Cassie, that’s awesome!” Come on Kari, not in front of my mom. She already knew about my obsessive crush and how I dreamed of being Mrs. Deegan Ford.
“Yeah, you’re right. I should’ve said something. I’m just a little embarrassed. I always talk about him. Don’t tell him, okay?” I unwound my ponytail and brushed my fingers through my locks.
Mom returned from around the corner by the closet, curiosity curling her eyebrows. “Cass, if Deegan’s at the theaters, who’d you run with?”
Oh crap. Number one rule with my mom regarding the running – never alone. She caught me.
“Oh. Right. I ran alone, Mom.” I couldn’t look her in the eye. More guilt. More shame.
“We’ll talk about this later. Come on.” She pressed her lips into a thin line.
I followed her to the SUV, silent. Wow, she wasn’t too happy with my running without a partner. How would she react if she found out I’d killed – twice?
~~~
The phone rang at precisely 12:01 am.
I rolled over, unable to sleep, listening to Kari’s soft breathing. Of course she could sleep. She wasn’t at her house being molested by her awful uncle.
My insomnia stemmed more from Deegan’s curious actions than the other thing that had happened. Even though Bobby hadn’t been planned, I’d talked myself into the justification of his death. How many other girls had he tried raping or successfully raped? How many boys had he bullied?
He had terrorized kids for as long as I could remember. I couldn’t help thinking everyone owed me because of the relief his absence created.
The phone rang two more times before my dad answered it. I didn’t have a phone in my room. Dad had given me a choice – own phone line or own cell phone. Easy choice.
He answered from their room, his voice muffled by the walls. A long pause and then he had a short sentence, a pause, and another one.
Calls late at night never surprised me. With Dad as the preacher of a large congregation, late night calls were almost the norm.
I shifted on the mattress, certain I’d imagined the whole evening, even the time with Deegan – particularly the time with Deegan. Hopefully I’d fall asleep soon. Saturdays in my house did not include sleeping in.
Dad hung up. A moment later, footsteps trudged down the hallway, pausing at my door.
What if it was the cops? Maybe someone had seen me. Seen Deegan and he’d mentioned
Twisting the rubber band around my wrist, I rested on the arm of the couch which reminded me of Sheldon and the last couple hours with vivid detail. Jumping up from my spot, I claimed the empty easy chair. “Yeah, sorry. Sometimes I get going and I can’t stop.”
I pretended to check my cell. “Oh, hey, Mom? Deegan just texted me and said the guys he was with left without him. His dad’s working or he wouldn’t have asked. Can we go pick him up from the movie theatres downtown?” I avoided Kari’s eyes. She’d know I was lying and I couldn’t guarantee she wouldn’t call me on it in front of my mom.
Mom laughed, coughing on the chocolate she’d just eaten. “Oh, that boy. Sure, come on. I wouldn’t mind picking up some stuff for cinnamon rolls for breakfast. Come on, boys, grab some shoes.”
My face flushed. I stood, rubbing my hands on my pants. “Awesome, thanks. Kari, you coming too?” If not, she’d probably go to bed. She stayed over so much, my dad had invested in a trundle bed for my room. It rolled from the closet. I’d set it up that morning before leaving for school.
That time seemed so long ago, like a memory I could revisit by looking at photos in a book.
She nodded, inspecting my face for the secrets of life. “Deegan, huh? Since when did he call you for help?”
I looked anywhere but at her face. “We’re friends. We run every day, remember?”
“Yeah! But you never said he texted you and stuff. Oh my gosh, Cassie, that’s awesome!” Come on Kari, not in front of my mom. She already knew about my obsessive crush and how I dreamed of being Mrs. Deegan Ford.
“Yeah, you’re right. I should’ve said something. I’m just a little embarrassed. I always talk about him. Don’t tell him, okay?” I unwound my ponytail and brushed my fingers through my locks.
Mom returned from around the corner by the closet, curiosity curling her eyebrows. “Cass, if Deegan’s at the theaters, who’d you run with?”
Oh crap. Number one rule with my mom regarding the running – never alone. She caught me.
“Oh. Right. I ran alone, Mom.” I couldn’t look her in the eye. More guilt. More shame.
“We’ll talk about this later. Come on.” She pressed her lips into a thin line.
I followed her to the SUV, silent. Wow, she wasn’t too happy with my running without a partner. How would she react if she found out I’d killed – twice?
~~~
The phone rang at precisely 12:01 am.
I rolled over, unable to sleep, listening to Kari’s soft breathing. Of course she could sleep. She wasn’t at her house being molested by her awful uncle.
My insomnia stemmed more from Deegan’s curious actions than the other thing that had happened. Even though Bobby hadn’t been planned, I’d talked myself into the justification of his death. How many other girls had he tried raping or successfully raped? How many boys had he bullied?
He had terrorized kids for as long as I could remember. I couldn’t help thinking everyone owed me because of the relief his absence created.
The phone rang two more times before my dad answered it. I didn’t have a phone in my room. Dad had given me a choice – own phone line or own cell phone. Easy choice.
He answered from their room, his voice muffled by the walls. A long pause and then he had a short sentence, a pause, and another one.
Calls late at night never surprised me. With Dad as the preacher of a large congregation, late night calls were almost the norm.
I shifted on the mattress, certain I’d imagined the whole evening, even the time with Deegan – particularly the time with Deegan. Hopefully I’d fall asleep soon. Saturdays in my house did not include sleeping in.
Dad hung up. A moment later, footsteps trudged down the hallway, pausing at my door.
What if it was the cops? Maybe someone had seen me. Seen Deegan and he’d mentioned
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