Part 2 (1/2)
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about me at all. I dumped Doug later that eve ning (morning, really) after he touched my b.o.o.b one too many times without my blessing.
When Leo pa.s.sed by me at my locker, I caught a hint of his green eyes. I couldn't tell if they were looking at me. Then he walked com- pletely out of sight, and I sagged a little at my inappropriate hope.
What had I hoped for anyway? Thinking about Leo and horror movies was wrong at a time when I was supposed to be consoling or a.s.sisting or mourning my best friend who may or may not have cancer.
The footsteps that should have been getting fainter became louder again. And then Leo reappeared, looking at me with that intense, serious look he always had. As many scary movies as I watched, Leo's gaze made my heart beat harder than any of them. He must have been at least six foot three, maybe four. At fi ve two, I was pet.i.te but not dainty, at least I liked to think. Still, it helped his imposing pres- ence. He stuck his left hand into his jacket pocket and with two fi n- gers pulled out a cigarette. ”Smoke?” he asked, and I almost looked around me to see who he was talking to. Since it had never been me.
My brain Jell- O, all I managed to say was, ”No. I don't smoke.”
He shrugged, tucked the cigarette behind his ear, and walked away. For good that time.
If things were diff erent, would I have thought more clearly to accept his off er? Not that I smoked. Or liked when other people smoked.
Or normally ditched cla.s.s.
I wasn't going to allow myself to think any further about Leo.
Not until I could get to Becca. Wherever or however she was.
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15.
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CHAPTER.
4.
After school I caught Jenna in the hall. She wasn't easy to fi nd, with her dwindling size and her always abuzz social persona.
I discovered her in a locker section one over from mine, regaling with woe what I a.s.sumed was Becca's story- my story to hear, and certainly not hers to tell. When she saw me, she actually let out a ”Ssshhh!” to the gathered crowd, and the people sea- parted to allow me by. ”Jenna.” I glanced around at the group she had ama.s.sed, mostly drama club folk who I only knew from visits to Becca back- stage. Freshman year I joined stage crew, but when I learned about the long hours required I quit. I already had my time- sucker of hor- ror movies, whether it was watching or attempting to write my own.
Spending my weeknights in the catwalk with a bunch of people dressed in all black versus splayed across my bed watching Basket Case was a no- brainer.
-1- I never knocked Becca for her acting aspirations, nor did she 0- knock me for my fi lmmaking dreams. It actually worked out perfectly,
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seeing as I always had an actress for my movies and she then had experience for her college applications. Or her resume. Sometimes Becca spoke grandiosely about her dream to skip college altogether and make it straight to Hollywood, do not pa.s.s go, do not even wait tables until her big break. Becca strictly believed in becoming famous instantly, and I never for a moment doubted she could manage it.
If she made it that long.
”Can we talk away from your mob scene, please?” I looked directly at Jenna, not wanting to inadvertently make eye contact with any of her gang. Looks of pity weren't helpful. I needed facts, of which I had approximately none. She excused her entourage with a fl ick of her wrist. It made me smile. Two years ago and six jean sizes, Jenna was the chubby girl who only landed the supporting cast roles of mother, grandmother, or, once, uncle. Here she was, thirty pounds lighter, lead- ing a group of undercla.s.smen around like baby pull toys.
When we were relatively alone, aside from the people whose actual lockers were housed in that section, Jenna placed her hand on my shoulder and a.s.sured me, ”Anything you need, Alex, I'm here for you.”
Gag. ”What I don't need is this bulls.h.i.+t pity party you're throw- ing me. I need details, Jenna. What do you actually know?”
She straightened herself up, a little insulted, but still the Keeper of Information. Then she transitioned into gossip mode, complete with hand held next to her mouth as if she were hiding the news from those only on one side of her. Drama divas. ”My mom takes pilates with Becca's mom, and she told her that at the beginning of the sum- mer Becca started to get sick. Like, sick all the time. They thought it was all sorts of things, like a pulled muscle and the fl u and asthma, and fi nally she was in so much pain and they ended up in the hospital, --1 draining fl uid from her chest.”
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