*****
Jael didn’t have time to speak with Brianna during lunch because she had to meet with Ms. Carter about catching up on the homework she’d missed when she was absent. She stood by the front doors after school hoping to catch her before she left for the day. Shadow sauntered by and casually slipped her a folded piece of paper before pushing through the doors into the sunshine. She looked around to see if anyone had noticed.
Brianna was suddenly at her elbow. “Hey, what’s up?”
“Nothing. Just waiting for you.” She smiled, but her face felt all plastic like. She lowered her voice and spoke close to Brianna’s ear. “Did you hear the wild story going around about Lyle and his misfit friends?”
She nodded. “Shadow is taking the blame for everything. I can’t believe they put out such bald-faced lies and everyone believes them. Shad couldn’t care less about basketball. He only joined the team because coach talked him into it.”
“How do you know that? I thought you barely knew Shadow.”
She shrugged. “I hear things.”
Brianna had obviously been interested in the guy much longer than she’d guessed. Jael gave her a quick hug. “I better go. My mom is probably already sitting out there. Call me later, okay?” She waved and went out the door.
Shadow was on his bike, apparently waiting for her to exit the school. He gestured with his eyes for her to come close. Jael moved close to his parked bike and stared out at the parking lot as though she were watching for her ride.
She heard him laugh softly. “You’d make a terrible spy.”
“What do you want?” She asked between gritted teeth.
“Meet me down the road from your house after dark. We need to talk,” he said to her back. Then he turned the key and started his bike. The pipes chugged loudly before he pulled off the sidewalk and zoomed out of the parking lot.
Jael saw her mom sitting in the parked Suburban across the way. She dodged cars and hurried over to get in. “Hey, Mom.”
“Who was that boy talking to you?” she asked as soon as Jael climbed into the truck.
“What boy?” She pulled the seatbelt across and clicked it into place.
“The boy you were pretending not to be interested in.” She continued to stare at Jael, unmoving. “Is there something you’d like to tell me?” she asked.
Jael shook her head, her face screwed up in that, what are you talking about, look. “I don’t know what you mean.”
Her mom pursed her lips and slowly shook her head. “If that’s the way you want to play it.” She started the engine and pulled into the flow of cars leaving school. “But if you want to talk about anything, you know I’m here.”
“Sure Mom.” She rolled her eyes. That would never happen.
Chapter 18
A place to call home