Part 11 (1/2)
”Do you think it's a threat?”
Kimmie's mud-slathered face goes blank, like she doesn't know what to say.
”Some guy called me tonight, too,” I tell her. ”He said he's watching me. He said he's everywhere I am.”
”Wait-what?”
”It's true.” Hearing myself say this all out loud makes me feel even more freaked out.
”Did he say he left something outside your window?”
I shake my head.
”Okay, so slow down. There's no need to a.s.sume that whoever pranked you today is the same person who left this stuff outside your window.”
”Why wouldn't wouldn't I a.s.sume it? Have you forgotten about the photograph in my mailbox?” I a.s.sume it? Have you forgotten about the photograph in my mailbox?”
”A joke,” she reminds me. ”For all you know, this could be two different people-a jokester and an admirer.”
”Or a psycho and a psycho-er.”
Kimmie laughs. ”That totally sounds like something I would say.”
”Kimmie, somebody's following me. He said his phone call was to warn me.”
”About what?”
”To be a good girl.” My voice is shaky. ”For all I know, he's been inside my bedroom.”
”Okay, let's not get all paranoid. We'll call Wes. We'll find out if he's behind any of this. Are you sure the guy who called didn't sound even a little little like him? The boy's got more voices than I've got vintage handbags.” like him? The boy's got more voices than I've got vintage handbags.”
”Wait,” I say, letting out a breath. ”It gets weirder. Ben said I was in danger.”
”And why am I only hearing about this now?”
I tell her everything-how he showed up at my house tonight, and how he finally admitted to pus.h.i.+ng me out of the way in the parking lot behind the school, and how he said I was in danger.
”Um, h.e.l.lo, so there's there's your answer.” She pretends to knock at my head. ”Creepy boy who watches you from afar, then shows up at your house shortly before he calls you . . .” your answer.” She pretends to knock at my head. ”Creepy boy who watches you from afar, then shows up at your house shortly before he calls you . . .”
”Yes, but if he's the one who's doing all this, why would he warn me I'm in danger? Why would he show up at my house on the same day I get a bizarre phone call and a mysterious gift left in the flower box outside my window?”
”I don't know. Maybe to keep you guessing-so you don't suspect him.”
”He said that at first he didn't want to believe I was in danger-but now, after today, he's sure of it.”
”So, what happened between your date and when he showed up at your house?”
”Or, maybe the better question is what happened on on my date. I mean, things were going perfectly fine until I kissed him.” my date. I mean, things were going perfectly fine until I kissed him.”
”What does kissing him have to do with you being in danger? Does he have a killer case of herpes or something?”
”He said he wanted to help me,” I continue. ”He gave me his phone number and said I could call him.”
”And did you?”
I shake my head. ”I was tempted to, but then, I don't know. I called you instead.”
”Wise choice.” Kimmie pulls the towel from her hair and fingers the jet black layers. ”This is probably just some scheme he's got going to get close to you.”
”But then why pull away when I kiss him?”
”Cold sores?”
”I'm serious.”
”So am I,” she says. ”Ever have one? They're a b.i.t.c.h.”
”Maybe I should call him.”
”Him as in Ben? No way.”
”What happened to innocent until proven guilty?” I ask.
”That was Wes's T-s.h.i.+rt. Mine says, 'Killers suck and they belong behind bars, not dating my best friend.'”
”I thought you didn't believe the rumors.”
Before she can respond, there's a knock on her door.
”Who is it?” Kimmie shouts.
No one answers.
She rolls her eyes and gets up to open it.
It's Nate. He falls into the room with a thud, having been leaning up against the door, listening in on our every word.
”You're such a lame little loser!” Kimmie shouts, ripping the notepad from his clutches. She tears the pages out and flushes them down the toilet in the bathroom across the hall. ”Kiss it good-bye, Encyclopedia Brown!”
Nate lets out a scream, gaining the attention of Kimmie's parents, her older sister, and her grandmother, who lives in the downstairs apartment. Even the dog starts barking at all the commotion.
Definitely my cue to leave.
24.