The Book of Masks (Vol. 1)

Welcome Freshman

Previously: "When a Body Meets a Body" 

(Written by rugal b.)

You have lots of time to wait, and lots of opportunities to second-guess yourself while you do. Over the next two hours nearly half a dozen cars and trucks go in and out of the complex. You squint at the cabins as they come out. But unless your ... double or whoever is sneaking out inside someone's trunk or down in the floorboards, he doesn't make his escape during your watch.

Meanwhile, you slowly recover from your earlier illness. You feel grungy and achy all over, but not actually sick.

* * * * *

Along about ten-thirty you get a phone call from Carlos. "Yeah, I knew you'd be answering Keith's phone," he says. "Mike told me." (About an hour before you'd gotten a text from Hollister: you'd replied by telling him it was you and that you had Tilley's cell with you.) "Uh, did you try getting into the complex a couple of hours ago?" Carlos asks now.

"Yeah. There's a guy in there, and I think he has my phone. That's how come I had to borrow Keith's."

"Uh huh," Carlos says. "Yeah, Dolores called and said some crazy kid was trying to get in. But what's this about someone out there having your phone.?"

As coherently as you can, without mentioning the crazy part of it, you tell him about the text that Keith got, and how you tracked the holder of your phone down to the Top Shelf Storage Unit. "I think he's in the climate unit," you add. You hold your breath as Carlos says nothing. "Maybe I should have called you earlier, told you about it."

"No, that's okay," he says. "I was asleep, probably wouldn't have been thinking clearly. I had kind of a late night of it too. Heard you were at the Warehouse. How was it?"

"It was great, but if you could come out here soon, maybe we could get into the climate unit to see if that guy—"

"Wait, are you out there right now?"

"That's right. I've been watching the entrance. Was gonna follow the cocksucker when he came out."

"Oh. Well, maybe we should go in and get them. I'll call Mike. Between the three of us, we can probably beat the ass of— Um, do you know who it is?"

"Nuh-uh."

"You didn't get a look at him?"

"Well ... Kind of. He came out of the unit, but when he saw me he ran back inside." You're glad you don't have to say more.

"Well, I think the three of us can take whoever it is. Where are you now?"

"The laundromat across the street."

That provokes a very long silence. "Are you sure the guy is still there? He could have left."

"I told you, I've been watching."

"But if you don't know what he looks like—"

"No, I got a good enough look at him to know he wasn't driving any of the cars that came out again."

"Well, if you think so," Carlos says in a grumpy tone of voice. "I'll try to get Mike, and get out to see you as soon as we can. Later."

Though he sounds like he's trying to be helpful, you find yourself wishing that your quarry would try leaving, so that you could just follow him and catch him and kick his ass without having to involve anyone else.

* * * * *

No luck on that score, and you're quite bored and cross when the noon hour finally creeps into view and you've not heard from anyone. Several times you come close to calling Carlos and just asking him to give you the code that will get you into the facility, but you keep changing your mind. Finally, though, a subcompact rolls into the laundromat parking lot and stops next to you. Carlos gets out, and chucks his chin at you.

"Mike's following, will be here in a few minutes. How about you hop into my car, and we'll make the jump across the street."

Whatever. Carlos unlocks the passenger-side door, and you transfer into his car.

"You know," you start to say, "I was thinking I should've just gotten you to give me the—"

You've just time to see a shadowy figure rise up in the back seat before an arm goes around your neck, and something dark goes over your face.

* * * * *

It's the sun shining on your face that wakens you. You're aware of a golden haze, and the warmth on one cheek. With a slight groan you raise your head and blink your eyes open.

Someone is talking, and the words clarify as you pull down a deep breath: "—so it's not like you're missing anything. You know?" There follows a slurping sound, as of someone sucking down the last of a cola through a straw.

You sit up and look around. You're sitting in the passenger seat of a car, and you're parked facing a busy street. You glance over, and see the Carl's Jr. marquee looming nearby.

"Come on, Eva," the other voice murmurs. You look over. Jessica Garner is seated behind the wheel, jamming the straw of her drink up and down. She frowns at the street. She looks a lot healthier than a girl should look after drinking and dancing to all hours at the Warehouse. You yourself feel a lot more disordered. Your skirt is riding up high on your thighs, and your brassiere feels like—

Hang on. Skirt? Brassiere?

Well yeah, of course. Your mom had started laundry in the morning and by the time you left it wasn't done so you'd only had an older bra that really doesn't fit well anymore since your boobs have gotten a little bigger. In fact once your home and laundry's finished it'll be a good idea to toss this thing out.

And the skirt? It's a nice floral print thing that you'd gotten back at the start of August with some of your birthday money. You've worn it a few times and it feels great and looks cute so when you'd gotten that call then of course you were going to wear it. The dark skirt contrasts nicely with the light, long-sleeved denim top you'd chosen out too. And all the makeup and attempts to style your hair that you'd done and then you...

And then you face planted right there in the restaurant. Right in front of... you look at Jessica and suddenly there's a pit in your stomach as you pull yourself up from your half-slumped position. The passenger in the other seat must have heard you because she turns back to look at you and oh god it's Eva. Yeah, it was both of them you'd been with and then...

"You okay back there?" she asks with a smile and a friendly tone. You try to say something but only a squeak comes out so the only thing you can do is nod. "That's good," she says with a sigh of relief. "We were kind of worried there."

"Sleeping beauty's up I take it?" asks Jessica.

Eva turns back to look at her sister in the driver's seat. "She's up," she says before turning back to you. "Are you sick or anything?" she asks and you can only shake your head. "Maybe you just didn't get enough sleep then," she continues as she turns back to face the front. "I remember this time in tenth grade when Jessica--"

"Wait what are you... oh god, you better not say anything about that!"

"Mrs. Potato Face," says a very amused Eva who bursts into giggles.

"I'm gonna kill you when we get home," she says sourly. "That way there's no witnesses."

But Eva continues to laugh and giggle and Jessica continues to grumble and against your better judgment you find yourself beginning to giggle too though immediately you clam up. You just had to do that didn't you? You've disrespected her and completely blown any chance you may have had. Wonderful, just great. You want to fall into a hole now. But if you've pissed off Jessica then she doesn't say anything outside of continuing to grumble at her sister. But still, you've blown it. You just know you have.

That's why you're surprised when you're dropped off back at your house.

"You really impressed us," Eva says with a positive expression.

"We'll get together some time soon after school and you can show us some things," adds Jessica. "If it looks good we'll put in a good word to Coach for you."

"And believe me our word carries a lot of weight so you'd be as good as in," Eva says. She gives you a thumbs up and then waves goodbye as the minivan drives off.

* * * * *

You toss your bag onto the floor and plop down on your bed face first. You feel hot and your heart's racing. You thought you'd ruined it for sure but Eva and Jessica seemed to like you and that causes your head to swim. It might take until junior year but you start to wonder if you might be a lock for the cheerleading squad then.

But wait, why do you care about being a cheerleader?

Well that's easy. You've been doing gymnastics since you were little and you started dancing last year too. Plus Gwen, that is your sister, was head cheerleader for Westside when she'd graduated a few years back and you want to carry on the legacy.

Wait, sister? Since when did you have a sister?

Since always of course. She's a fair bit older than you, being as she's a junior at Keyserling and you're just a freshman at Westside, but you've always been close to her and you've looked up to her a lot. Cait, she'd said to you when you told her on your birthday that you'd wanted to be on the squad, you'll get there. You're way better than I was.

That had made you feel good. And when Taylor had told you a little while ago that Eva had called her asking for your number so she and her sister could talk to you because they're getting a feel for people to recommend Coach Tesla keep an eye on your stomach was filled with butterflies that wouldn't go away. You've seen Yumi Saito and Gloria Rea, other cheerleaders, at after school gymnastics and you've admired how poised and cool they are.

And now that could be you, you gush. If, no, when you make it maybe you'll even be able to get head cheerleader your senior year. Caitlyn Smart: Head Cheerleader has a great ring to it. However, there's just one problem you suddenly realize.

Why in the hell are you Caitlyn Smart?

That's all for now.

*
"Table of Contents (Vol. 1)" 
"The Book of Masks (Vol. 1)"