Not So Easy

  “I’m here for you, Em. Always and forever.” Max had to touch her, just a hand over hers.

  She blurted out a half-sob, half-laugh. “Max used to say that all the time. I can’t believe how much you two have in common. I wish you could’ve gotten to know each other better. You’d have been good friends.”

  Guilt snaked through Max. He doubted he would have given JD a chance. He was too wrapped up in his own world and his own selfish desires. Why had he never seen how much JD needed a friend? Or Izzy? But Em had. She was a far better person than he.

  “Sorry,” she said. “I’ve talked your ears off. And I’m sure my dad is pacing the floor. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  Max climbed out of her little red car. “Thanks for the ride. See ya.” He watched her car drive down the road until she rounded the corner. Em was back in his life, albeit only as a friend, but he’d take her any way he could get her, and a friend was better than no Emma at all.

  He called to check on Izzy, but no one answered. Being late, he hoped she was fast asleep. He crawled into bed, and despite the fact that his head throbbed with pain, he fell asleep with sweet thoughts of Em on his mind.

  Chapter 16

  The dream began at Izzy’s house. Max, as JD, sat on the barstool as she told him about her father, and her Crohns. A replay of what’d happened earlier that day.

  Then the scene changed. He was back at JD’s house, and instead of being JD, he was an onlooker, watching as JD curled up in the corner, blocking his head with his arms.

  “Where’s my pen, fat boy?” Tim kicked JD in the hip.

  “I’m really sorry, Tim. I promise I’ll find it tomorrow,” JD vowed in the soft, fragile voice Max remembered from school.

  “You said that yesterday.” Tim kicked him again, this time in the ribs. That one had to hurt badly. Max watched as Tim punched and hit JD over and over. Max’s outrage grew stronger with each blow.

  JD screamed out, begging Tim to stop, promising he’d find the pen. Max reached for JD, tried wrapping himself around him to block the assault, but he couldn’t. The blows just passed through him and landed on JD.

  Max shot upright in bed, sweat dripping down his forehead. He padded into the bathroom and splashed cold water on his face. Looking in the mirror, Max stepped back. His face glowed white in pure fear. “It’s just a dream, buddy. It’s just a dream.” But JD refused to calm down. He wanted to run away, get as far away from his house as possible. Max walked around to show JD everything was fine.

  It was early, four a.m., and JD’s heart rate still pounded like a snared rabbit’s. No matter how much Max tried to, he couldn’t get back to sleep.

  “Tell you what. I’ll search for the pen at school today. It has to be in the locker because if it were in your room, I’d have found it by now.” Even after Max’s promise, it took JD until five-thirty to calm down enough for Max to fall back asleep.

  “JD.” Max felt someone gently nudge him. “Come on, sleepy head. You’ll be late for the bus if you don’t hurry up.”

  Max pried his eyes open, still tired from JD’s panic attack earlier. He rolled over, tugging the sheet around his head.

  “Get up, fat boy,” bellowed Tim from the other room.

  “Tim, don’t talk to JD like that.” She rubbed Max’s arm. “He’s a little on edge today. Don’t listen to him. Tim’s waiting to hear if he got the job he applied for at Farmer Joe’s Tractor Supply. I hope he gets it. Maybe then we’ll be able to buy another car.” She stepped over to the window and pulled back the curtains. The sun’s bold rays fell across Max, making it impossible to sleep. Tugging back the sheet, he got up and took a shower, standing under the water as long as he dared. JD struggled to bring the dream back into focus. “Nope. You have enough on your plate without thinking about a pointless dream,” he said, getting dressed.

  With no time for breakfast, he grabbed his backpack, and since Mel already left for work, he shuffled out the door in silence. Tim lay sprawled out on the couch watching old Three Stooges reruns.

  “That certainly explains a lot,” he muttered, closing the screen door. He jogged to the corner for the bus, arriving as it started to pull away. Waving wildly at the driver, she stopped and Max ran and climbed in.

  No Izzy. He surveyed the bus, but didn’t see her. No open seats in the front meant he’d have to sit in the back. Max made his way slowly as feet and backpacks were shoved in his path. He stepped over them, though the temptation to stomp on the outstretched feet surged through him. Greg turned to a short, overweight kid who’d tried to kick Max but missed and said, “Real mature, Mitch. Leave JD alone.” He rolled his eyes and turned back to the girl sitting next to him.

  “That was nice of you, Greg. I wish more people would stand up for others.” Nancy Daybell, a tall, curly brown haired, totally hot babe looped her arm around Greg’s and settled her head on his shoulder. Max recognized her from JD’s third period Lit class. She’d moved to the area from Virginia about a month before the accident. Clearly Greg hoped to impress her by playing the role of the hero instead of his usual—the villain. Max didn’t care as long as he didn’t pick on JD.

  He sat and worried about Izzy, though he didn’t know why. She’d been sick and missed school before, yet he felt this time it was different. After PE, he asked to use the office phone to call her, but the school’s secretary, Ornery Ethel, as the student body called her, wouldn’t allow him.

  He stormed out of the office and went directly to journalism class, shoving the door open as he entered the room. Em, already there, turned and came to his side.

  “JD, what’s wrong? Did someone do something to you?” She gave him the once over, which Max found sweet. He liked the protective mother hen side of her.

  “No. It’s Izzy. She was really sick yesterday and I haven’t been able to get ahold of her. She’s not here today and when I tried to call her to find out if she’s okay, Ornery Ethel wouldn’t let me use the phone.” Max shoved his hand through his hair. Em smiled at his Max-like action. But he didn’t care at the moment, Izzy took all of his concentration right now.

  Em slipped her hand into her purse, and stealth-like handed Max her cell. “Don’t get caught. If I get caught using my phone during school hours again, my dad’s taking it away.”

  Max silently thanked her and told Mr. Roberts he needed to use the bathroom. He called Izzy’s house and a man answered.

  “Is Izzy there?”

  “JD, is that you?”

  Max knew it had to be her father. His voiced hardened, remembering yesterday. “Yes. Is Izzy there?”

  “Hello, JD. I haven’t seen you around much. How’ve you been doing since the accident?” he asked.

  “Fine.”

  “It’s a shame that entire family had to die. If you need a lawyer, let me know.” His oily voice ratcheted Max’s nerves.

  “Yeah, I’ll do that,” scumbag, child molester. “Can I speak to Izzy please?”

  “Sorry, JD. She had another one of her attacks last night just after I got home from my business trip. I had to take her to the hospital, the poor thing.”

  Max sucked in a lung full of air and swallowed the bile that crept up his throat. “Is she at Port Fare General?”

  “Yes, room 345.” Max hung up on him. He Googled the hospital for the number then called.

  “Izzy, It’s Ma— ah, JD. What happened?”

  “Hi, JD.” Her voice sounded incredibly weak. Max could barely hear her. “I can’t talk. I have to go downstairs for some tests.”

  “I’ll come by after school,” he promised. She hung up without answering him.

  He hurried back to class, handing Em her phone right in front of Mr. Roberts. His head was three miles away at the hospital, imagining the worst.

  “Tell me that’s not what I think it is?” Mr. Roberts frowned.

  “Please don’t report me, Mr. Roberts. I’ll put it away right now.” Emma clutched the phone to her chest as she begged.

  “Mr. Robert
s, it’s my fault. Izzy’s sick again. She’s in the hospital and I was worried. Em let me use her phone to call and check on her,” Max explained.

  “That poor girl never gets a break. Is she alright?” Mr. Roberts asked.

  “I hardly got to talk to her. She had to go for some tests. I’ll have to wait until after school to find out.” Frustrated, Max stuffed his hands into the front pockets of his jeans.

  “I’ll drive you there,” Em volunteered.

  “Thanks,” Max nodded.

  “Okay, let’s put the phone away and finish working on the edits.” He gave Max’s shoulder a squeeze. “I’m sure she’ll be fine.”

  Max knew Mr. Roberts wanted to be supportive, but he also knew the truth. Izzy was very ill, and if someone didn’t find a way to help her . . .

  He went through the motions, helping Em as best he could. By the time lunch period came, his stomach lay in knots and he couldn’t eat. Em invited him to sit with her again. He didn’t know if he could face everyone after yesterday with his worries about Izzy, but he decided to give it a shot. Maybe the drama would take his mind off his friend in the hospital.

  “Hi, JD. Over here,” Em signaled as he entered the cafeteria. He waved self-consciously. Too warm to eat outside, the usual group had migrated to a table inside the cafeteria. Max hated eating inside. The smells from the kitchen assaulted his nose as he footed toward Em’s table.

  Before he sat, Leo grabbed his tray, sneered, and stomped away. Lisa followed. The other six or seven kids at the table greeted him with varying degrees of acceptance, Jeff’s being the warmest.

  “Hey, JD.” He high-fived Max. “You coming to the game Friday?”

  “I hope so. What a great team this year. Your RBI is pretty impressive,” Max said.

  “You like baseball?” Jeff settled in next to Max.

  “No.” Max grinned. “I love baseball.” Soon he and Jeff were talking shop. They discussed coaching styles, the different batting order the team wanted to try for the big game, and the cheerleader’s decision to do the pyramid for the game.

  “I don’t think you should, Em. Too dangerous,” Jeff said.

  She frowned. “Thank you, daddy. I appreciate your support,” she snapped.

  Jeff reached over, placing his hand on hers. Max couldn’t peel his eyes away. “I’m sorry, Em. I just don’t want to see that pretty little head of yours splattered all over the field.”

  “I agree,” affirmed Max, adding to himself, and get your meat hooks off my girl.

  “You two are ridiculous. Thousands of cheerleaders do the pyramid every year and no one gets hurt.” She jerked her hand away and bit into her sandwich.

  “And how many do get hurt?” Jeff pressed.

  “I’m not discussing this with you,” she answered.

  “Because you know I’m right,” Jeff insisted.

  Em redirected the conversation. “JD, didn’t you bring any lunch?”

  “Not hungry. My stomach is bothering me a little.”

  Em leaned in close. “She’ll be alright. Don’t worry.” Max nodded. “I’ll meet you in the parking lot after classes. I might be a little late. I’ll be coming from cheerleading practice.”

  **

  Max knew Em would be more than a little late. With time to kill, he decided to straighten JD’s locker. He couldn’t believe all the junk he’d found. Old homework assignments, scratch paper left over from math class, scraps of wadded up blank paper, even candy bar wrappers. Max tossed the junk and organized the rest.

  In the back right corner, Max found a pen. He drew it out and read the printing on the side. Colonial Inn. Striving to make your life comfortable one night at a time.

  “This can’t be the pen. Tim didn’t even pay for the thing,” Max muttered incredulously. But it was. As relief filled JD, Max’s anger boiled over. He shoved the locker door shut so hard it reverberated back at him. He took both of his hands and slammed it again. JD got beat over a stolen pen? All the nightmares were for this? The whole thing sickened him.

  “Hey, JD. Sorry. I hurried as fast as I could.” Em still had her cheer outfit on. Max loved it, especially the short skirt. Em had the best legs and her cheer outfit showed them off very nicely. She had a weighted down backpack on her shoulder.

  “No problem. I take it you have a ton of homework tonight.” He stuffed the pen in his backpack, and took hers as they walked to her car. He paced himself just a little behind to stare at her legs.

  “Thanks, JD. Your mother would be proud.” She smiled. Max laughed silently, knowing his gawking would have earn him a smack from his mother if she knew. “And yes. It’s going to be a late night for me.”

  They ditched the backpacks in the trunk and climbed into the hot car, unrolling windows quickly for relief. “She’s at Port Fare General, right?” Em asked, buckling her seat belt. Max noticed a scrape on her right arm.

  “Yes. What happened?” He pointed to the scrape, frowning. He knew what happened. The stupid pyramid happened.

  “Fell. It’s nothing.” She turned out of the parking lot, passing Leo and Lisa as she did.

  “He still hates me,” Max said. “Lisa, too.”

  “Lisa only hates you because Leo does. I swear the girl doesn’t have an independent thought in her empty head,” Em said, an edge of bitterness in her voice.

  “You two aren’t friends?” Max asked, surprised at Em’s reaction to Lisa. They always seemed to get along great whenever he’d been around the two of them.

  “Nope. I can’t stand her. She had it bad for Max, and she flirted with him all the time. It used to drive me nuts.”

  “It did? Did you tell Max?”

  “No. Him and Lisa were friends long before I came along. I didn’t feel like I could diss on his friends,” she explained.

  “But he loved you. Don’t you think he’d understand?”

  “When we first started dating I didn’t want to say anything because I was afraid of coming across as a whiner. Then, after we fell in love, I didn’t want to say anything because I didn’t want to disappoint him.”

  “But if that is how you feel, you should have said something. I’ll bet he’d have understood.”

  “JD, when you fall in love, you’ll see. It’s like running. I hate running, but Max loved it, so I ran because he liked it.” At the next red light, she reached in the backseat and grabbed her water bottle, taking a long drink.

  “You hate running?” She nodded to his question. She hates running and Lisa, and she never told me? He wondered what else she didn’t like that she never told him about. “Then why do you run now?”

  “I feel close to Max when I do. Sometimes I even talk to him while running. Crazy, right?” She looked at him for what Max guessed was affirmation. Not that she was crazy, but that it was okay to talk to his memory.

  “I think that’s fine. He doesn’t answer back, does he?” Max teased.

  She laughed. “No. I wish.” She shrugged. “I miss him so much. It’s been nice spending the past couple days with you. I can talk about him without worrying that you’re judging me, and you have so many of his mannerisms, it makes me laugh.”

  She pulled into the parking lot at the hospital. Max wondered if Izzy would want him to stay for a while so he decided to bring his backpack with him just in case. They had to go to the sixth floor of the parking garage to find a spot to park.

  “She’s in room 345,” Max said as they got off the elevator. They turned left and walked down a long hallway lined with doors. Beeping monitors, chiming call bells, and patients groans floated in the air. Nurses raced up and down, answering the call lights.

  “There it is.” Em pointed to the room at the end of the hall. The door stood ajar. Max knocked softly.

  “Come in,” said a strong male voice.

  A chill shot up Max’s back. He and Emma entered the room. Izzy sat in the bed closest to the door. Another bed next to the window held a small, elderly woman. Her mouth hung open as she snored away.

>   Izzy’s face lit up. “JD, you never visit me here. Thanks for . . .” she stopped as Emma approached the bed.

  “Hi, Izzy. Um, sorry to hear you’re ill.” Emma smiled weakly, obviously uncomfortable being there. Max admired her courage.

  “What are you doing here?” Izzy asked rudely.

  “Now, Isabelle, is that any way to speak to guests?” Izzy’s dad stepped out from the corner of the room. The snake slithered his way out of his make-shift den over next to Em. What’d she have to wear that short skirt for anyway?

  “Oh.” Emma jumped back. “I didn’t see you there. You’re Izzy’s dad, right? You have the same eyes.”

  “Yes. Kevin Thurston, and you are?” He held out his hand and shook Em’s. Max cringed.

  “Emma McKay. I go to the same school as Izzy and JD.” She tugged her hand away. “How are you doing, Izzy? Oh, I already said that. Sorry.” She blushed.

  “Are you in pain?” Max stepped forward in an attempt to wedge himself between Em and the snake.

  “I’m fine.” Izzy’d shut down. Max knew she had no intention of speaking in front of Em, and maybe even her dad, he didn’t know for sure.

  Emma made several attempts to draw Izzy into a conversation, but Izzy lay in her bed, stoic, offering only short, abrupt answers. Her eyes, however, held tight to Max. She wanted to talk to him, alone. Which meant both Emma and the snake had to leave. The snake, he could care less about, but Em was another story.

  Max took a deep breath, “Em, thanks for bringing me by. I know you have a ton of homework, so you don’t have to stay.”

  “How will you get home?”

  “I only live ten minutes away. It will be today’s incentive to run,” he joked.

  “If you’re sure.” She nodded, relieved, if he read her face right—and Max knew he did because he knew each and every face she made. She turned back to Izzy. “I hope you feel better. I’ll see you at school.”

  “I have to go to, baby.” Kevin stepped over and kissed the top of her head. Max’s hands balled into fists.

  “Bye,” was all Izzy said to either of them.

  Max debated whether to walk Em to her car to protect her from the snake, but didn’t. If the creep did try anything with her, she’d set him straight. He gloated proudly at Em as they left.