Part 23 (1/2)
But then-suddenly-Ty is beeping his car horn out front.
”Have to drive to school with Ty Hendrix!” Ricky says, and is out the door, backpack in hand.
”Take this,” Donna says, and then hands me a twenty.
”I don't need your money,” I say as I put on my backpack.
”You have to eat lunch, Amber. Please.”
I take the bill, shove it in my front pocket, and then give Donna a kiss on the cheek. ”You're a good woman,” I say, and then I'm out the door.
Ty is just about to pull away when I yell, ”Wait!”
He smiles all surprised when he sees me running toward his Volvo station wagon.
I'm shocked to see his beard.
It's already three inches long.
He looks like frickin' Rip Van Winkle.
”You comin' to school today?” Ty asks as I climb into the backseat.
”Yep,” I say.
”Cool,” he says, and then turns up the radio before pulling away.
P!nk's ”G.o.d Is a DJ” is playing.
I sorta dig that song, which Ty knows, so I sing along-yelling out the curse words that the radio station bleeps out.
Ricky counts to himself-who knows what he is counting?
Bearded Ty keeps on looking in the rearview mirror, watching me sing-so much that I worry we might crash, but I only smile at him and sing louder.
P!nk kicks b.u.t.t. Period. She's another one of my women heroes. She doesn't need a man to take care of her-no way.
We park two blocks from the school.
”Going to play Halo 3 with Mr. Jonathan Franks!” Ricky says, and then we follow him toward the The Franks Lair.
”It's good to have you back in school,” Ty says.
”Are you going to shave now?” I ask.
”Not until you agree to go to Friendly's with us.”
”Why?”
”Because I made a vow,” Ty says. ”Respect the sanct.i.ty of the friends.h.i.+p beard.”
When we knock on Franks' outside door, Jared kicks it open and I see ten or so boys playing Halo 3. Chad, Jared, Lex Pinkston, some other meathead football players, a few guys whose names I don't know, and Franks.
”Amber?” Franks says, and then everyone turns and looks at me.
The Halo 3 game stops.
”I'm back,” I say.
”Welcome,” Franks says, and then walks over to shake my hand like I'm the president or something.
Everyone looks really nervous-I can feel the tension in the room.
No one knows what to say, because my mom was murdered.
Everyone is looking at me.
”Listen,” I say, ”I know you are all probably freaked out by what happened to my mom, but it's not contagious. Right?”
No one laughs at that one.
Blank faces all over the room.
”Listen. I don't want to talk about my mom. Cool?”
”Cool,” Chad says from Das Boot.
Everyone else looks like they think I have the plague or something.
”Listen, to top it all off-and this is no bullc.r.a.p story-my dog might have cancer. He had to have an operation last night, which I can't afford. Now I know a dog is not a person or anything, but I went ahead and said I'd pay for it all, and I'm broke. So I need to raise-like-two or three grand. I don't even know if BBB made it or not-I find out later today-but I have to pay regardless, and I'm a.s.suming he did, because he's a fighter.”
”BBB has cancer?” Jared says, and sounds truly concerned.
”d.a.m.n,” Chad says.
”I'm so sorry,” Ty says.
”So I'm thinking of setting up a variety show and selling tickets to raise money to pay for my dog's operation. I can get Prince Tony to give us the auditorium, no sweat,” I say. ”I just need to find some acts. Who's with me?”
”You want us to perform?” Jared asks.
”Yeah, or find performers,” I say.
”I'll give you money,” Lex Pinkston says. ”I have some in the bank. It's yours.”
”No. I don't want anyone to give me money. I want to raise it for myself. I'm not a charity case.”
”What's a variety show?” one of the football players asks.
”How will we find acts?”