Safe Landing

  Tammy’s head drooped forward as she shuffled off the court.

  “That was a good try,” I said sounding like a complete knucklehead after the horrid put-down the girl had just experienced. It was all I could think of to say. Actually, I had a lot of things to say, but they would be directed at the pig standing in the court with that hideous smirk plastered on his big, red face. I pushed my teeth further into my tongue and resumed my spot on the court.

  “Hey, there’s a line, asshole,” Hank sneered as he glared at the other team.

  My gaze shot through the net. Seth was rotating in on the other side. “They gave me line cuts.” The words came out through gritted teeth. Seth looked pissed as hell. His mouth was pulled tight, and he was wearing dark sunglasses. This new, serious look was very hot. The guy really didn’t have an ugly expression.

  Seth took a position at the net. The serve flew across and came down directly between a nervous looking girl to my right and me. I think her name was Angie. She had been playing well till now. But after the verbal beating Tammy received, Angie had apparently lost her nerve. She didn’t move toward the ball. I lunged sideways and managed to pop it in the air high enough for Hank to have time to shove the rest of our teammates out of the way before pummeling it over to the other side.

  Seth was the target but he was ready. He returned it before any of us had time to react. Of course, everyone else on our side was so terrified by Hank, they didn’t want to get near the ball for fear that he would fling them into the sand or embarrass them in front of the entire junior class. And it had to have been nearly the entire junior class now circling the court. Gina had pushed herself to the front of the crowd to cheer Seth on.

  The other team scored two points, or more accurately, Seth scored two points. I expected flames to shoot out of Hank’s oversized nostrils when the second point ball landed soundly in the sand three inches from where Hank’s fist landed after he dove across the sand. He jumped up. His face was beet red but not just from the sun. “You fucking morons! Do I have to play this game by myself?”

  That was all Angie needed to here. She scurried out of the game looking resigned to never play volleyball again.

  “Good riddance, you loser,” Hank shouted after her. He scowled at the rest of the group but avoided making eye contact with me. “Anyone of the rest of you pussies want to leave?” We all stood our ground, but it was safe to say that team morale was at an all time low.

  I peeked across the way. Sunglasses made it hard to know where a person was looking, but I had this strange feeling Seth was watching me the whole time. Seth had been sending the ball over at the speed of light, so I was relieved the next return came from someone else on his team. I returned it and we won back the serve.

  After several more rounds, it became obvious that the rest of us were just filler because the game had become a match between Seth and Hank. The more points each team scored, the more competitive things got, and the harder the ball came whizzing back. One girl on Seth’s side got nailed on the cheek and left the game in tears with a bag of ice on her face. The lines for rotating in had disappeared. No one wanted to join in the blood match.

  Gina scowled at me every time I saved one or lobbed one over. She screamed and jumped up and down every time Seth scored. He seemed more embarrassed than fortified by her cheering.

  I was the only person on our team getting high-fives from Hank. And every time Hank made contact with my hand, Seth seemed to smack the ball a little harder.

  On the next rotation, I landed face to face with Seth at the net. There was a scowl on his face that I decided was not his best look, but since all his other looks were way past dreamy, he was allowed this less than dreamy one.

  “Looks like you made a new friend,” he said.

  “Not a friend, just playing some volleyball is all.” I didn’t know what else to say since I couldn’t explain what I was doing chumming up with the jerk.

  “Just playing volleyball, huh? I think the entire male half of the junior class is going to be having wet dreams tonight about a blue bikini.”

  His words slapped me and I bit back tears. I stared at him hard and swallowed to find my tongue. I found it but my usual biting sarcasm had been flattened by his ugly remark. “Bastard. So much for thinking you were different.”

  “Yah, well, maybe I was wrong about you too.” He moved back to the serve line, and the guy who was supposed to serve replaced him at the net.

  Seth had some nerve after the way he’d used me in front of everyone. Now I really wanted to win this too. It dawned on me just how badly the kiss had hurt my feelings.

  Seth served the ball. It shot straight at me like a bullet. It flew low and fast. I dove for it, sliding across the rough, hot sand with my hands clamped in front of me. I volleyed it straight up and Hank whipped it over for a point.

  “I don’t know about anyone else but my new favorite color is blue.” Hank smiled down at me and offered me a hand up, which I took. But his chivalry went too far when he reached his hand toward my chest to brush away the sand.

  My hand shot up to stop him. “I’ve got it. Thanks.” My plan was working. I seemed to be winning over Hank. At the same time, I was making an enemy of Seth. The whole thing made me want to puke.

  The game was tied. Things had gotten so intense, only four players remained on each side. The red-haired guy who Hank had cleverly been referring to as “Red” all game left after three of his knuckles had been jammed. Another guy on Seth’s side left doubled over in pain when the ball nailed him in the groin. I was half-expecting and half-hoping the adults would put an end to the match. My arms were red and swollen, but the pain was nothing compared to the ache in my stomach I felt every time Seth looked at me. When he was up to serve again, I dug my feet into the sand in case the ball flew my way.

  Before he let loose on the ball, Gina held up her hand to stop the game. She sashayed in with her bony hips and walked up to Seth. She threw her arms around his neck and gave him a long kiss. “For luck.” She walked back out.

  Seth looked stunned for a minute then his fist plowed into the ball. It landed out of the court. So much for Gina’s lucky kiss. The one good thing about it though was it attracted the attention of the adult chaperones. It didn’t matter if kids were leaving the game with swollen faces, jammed knuckles, and possibly sterile for life, but a girl shoving her tongue down some guy’s throat, now that was cause for alarm.

  The game ended with Seth’s team one point ahead, which made Hank’s face even bigger and redder. If it were possible for him to look any less attractive to me, he’d managed it with this game. But I kept a stupid smile frozen on my face as if I enjoyed his company.

  Julie met me with a can of soda and a hot dog. “You sure can play well.”

  I sipped the warm soda. “It was a little too competitive for my taste.”

  “I’ll say,” Julie laughed. “You could cut the tension out there with a knife. Hank and Seth sure look ready to clobber each other again. I guess the four day suspension didn’t cool their tempers too much. And what the heck was Gina doing?”

  I bit into the hot dog. It was cold and drenched in mustard. “Apparently Gina did not feel like she was getting enough attention out on the sidelines.”

  I peered over the top of my can as I took another sip. Seth was sitting in the sand next to Gina. I certainly did a fine job of pushing those two lovers back together.

  “Nice playing, Brazil.” Hank was behind me now pouring a bag of crushed potato chips onto his hot dog.

  I squeezed out a grin. “Thanks. You too.” I knew this was a big opportunity to flirt with him, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Besides, I was tired and my arms were sore.

  “Some of us are going to take a swim after lunch. You interested?’ He shoved the hot dog into his mouth. The broken chips cascaded into the sand alerting several nearby gulls.

  “Maybe later.” Another forced smile and I returned to my cold hot dog.

  Patien
ce was another virtue Hank lacked. I was returning to my towel when the beast swept me up and carried me down to the water. When he’d decided we were on intimate enough terms to allow him to carry me, I’m not sure. I protested and kicked the whole way to the ocean. He just laughed like a Neanderthal dragging his woman by her hair to the cave.

  I left scratch marks in his shoulders but this didn’t stop him. Next thing I knew, he dropped me into the water. It was arctic cold.

  I jumped to my feet. “Shit, that’s freezing! Why’d you do that?”

  “Just wanted to see what that suit looked like wet.” He was such an ass. I had to grit my teeth against the cold and the bitchy tirade that wanted to explode from my mouth.

  A fake giggle spurted from the side of my mouth. I stomped out of the water trying not to look pissed but I was seething.

  Julie’s mouth hung open as I marched toward my towel, swept it up, and headed to the showers behind the restrooms. The shower water felt like icy pins against my skin, and I was shivering from head to toe. It was late spring and the sun was beating down hard, but the ocean and the water in the shower pipes had not thawed from the winter cold. I closed my eyes to wash the sand from my hair and wondered how I was going to go through with this.

  “That was sweet.” A deep voice startled me, and I sucked in some disgusting shower water and started coughing. Seth was leaning against the retaining wall in front of the shower. His black hair had dried in long, salty waves, and his silver earrings gave him a sexy pirate quality. “Now, do want to tell me what you’re doing flirting with that asshole?”

  I turned off the water. My skin prickled with the cold. One visible shiver ran through me. Seth plucked my towel off the wall and walked toward me. Our faces were so close, I could have counted his long lashes. He reached around behind me and pulled my towel over my shoulders. I pinched it together at my chest. He stepped back and was staring down at me through those same thick lashes.

  “I’m not really flirting with him. I mean, I am, but it’s not what you think. And why do I have to explain myself to you? Where’s your girlfriend?” I twisted back to make sure Gina wasn’t descending upon us like always. I turned back to him. He was awfully damn cute when he was sulking. “She must have turned off her Seth radar.”

  “Funny. Gina and I are over. She just doesn’t know it yet.”

  “Right.” I bent down and dried my legs with the dry corners of my towel. I straightened and glared at him. “That kiss in the hallway. What the hell was that about?”

  “If you have to ask then I guess I’m a shitty kisser.”

  “The kiss was fine. Your timing sucked.” I could feel heat rising in my face. At least that part of me was warm.

  “I wasn’t trying to make Gina jealous, if that’s what you thought.”

  “What else was I supposed to think? You nailed Hank because he was flirting with her.”

  “I nailed him because I hate his guts. And now you seem to be cozying up to him.”

  I scrubbed the towel through my hair and wondered if I looked like a drowned rat. Seth had walked out of the water like a wet Greek god. “I can’t tell you why I’m talking to Hank. You wouldn’t believe me anyhow. I just need to get invited to his house.”

  One dark, smooth eyebrow lifted. He stared at my face a minute, and for a second, it seemed he contemplated kissing me again. Or maybe that was just me being hopeful. “Well, you have fun with that then.” He walked away.

  Some days are tough to put a rating on and this was one of them. I hardly had to be nice to Hank and he invited me to a small party at his house later that night, although, I still had no idea how to search his closet without looking like a nutcase. He must have thought I was too new in town to realize that he was a pig. Other girls were not exactly flocking around him, even though he was technically an O.K. looking guy. But his personality sucked. I don’t know when I’d ever met anyone with less charm than that oaf.

  The invite should have raised the day’s rating high. But the tense interactions with Seth sent the day’s rating onto a rollercoaster ride. The kiss just may have been a real kiss, but now that I was hanging out with his worst enemy, Seth was sure never to kiss me again. That prospect sucked.

  Chapter 14

  Between an entire day in the sun, the dip in icy water, and the intense volleyball game, everything hurt, even the top of my head where I forgot to put sun block on my part. I showered and fell into bed to read but conked out in minutes. I probably would have slept straight through the evening if Sebastian hadn’t hovered over me tickling my nose with the tail of my stuffed rabbit.

  I scooted up and rested back against the cool wall behind my bed. “I hate when you watch me sleep. It goes way beyond creepy.”

  “Really. Emily used to think it very romantic.”

  “Yes, but you were flesh and blood then. Not vapor. And why does it always smell like almond when you pop in? Did you eat a lot of marzipan when you were alive?”

  “I hated marzipan. But when the headaches started, I remember the constant bitter taste of almond in my mouth.”

  “That’s bizarre. I’ve never heard of a disease with almond aftertaste.”

  “I think it had to do with the exotic tea my uncle would force me to drink. He insisted it would help my headaches. But they only grew worse.”

  “He forced you to drink funny tasting tea and you got even sicker?” I glanced at the clock on my nightstand, pushed off the bed, and rummaged through my closet for a dress to wear to Hank’s. “Sebastian, did you ever consider that your uncle may have been trying to kill you?”

  My white-striped sundress with the halter top coasted out of my closet. “This one,” Sebastian said. “My uncle was a wretched man, no doubt. After he became mayor, he made many enemies, including Emily’s father. But a murderer? It seems unfathomable.”

  “But he beat you.” Then I looked away from him figuring that I’d probably embarrassed him. “I’m sorry. It was a rumor I’d heard.”

  He floated to his favorite perch on the window and stared down. “It’s true. As I said, he was truly a wretched man.”

  A change in subject was in order. “You’ll never guess where I’m going tonight.”

  “Out with the long haired boy? The one who picked you up the other night?”

  I shook my head. “Nope. I’m going to the Warner’s house.”

  With a blink, he was sitting on my desk. “You did it?” Then his expression darkened. “I thought you said he was terrible. Don’t do anything risky, Brazil. I could not live with my…”

  My eyes opened wide, and we both laughed.

  “You know what I mean. If this boy is not honorable, then don’t put yourself in danger.”

  I picked up some fake diamond studs from my dresser and put them in my ears. “He is definitely not honorable, but I’m not a fool. I can take care of myself.”

  My jewelry box lid opened and a pair of silver hoops floated out. “Wear these.”

  I glared at him for a minute, reluctantly pulled out the studs, and put in the hoops. “I’m living with a ghost who is a freakin’ fashion critic. I think I have an idea for a new reality show. Dead Guy Makeover.”

  I grabbed my hooded sweatshirt off the back of my chair, and Sebastian rolled his eyes. “Why do I bother?”

  “Hey, if I find the diary, I can’t exactly hide in under a sundress.” I pulled on the sweatshirt. “Besides, my shoulders are burned and it’s making me cold.

  He nodded and his expression darkened. His image wavered with the change in emotion. “I don’t know now, Brazil. What if she hadn’t loved me at all? Maybe it’s best I don’t know.”

  I pushed my sleeves back and held out my forearms. Bruises had formed on both.

  “My God, did that Warner brute do that to you?” Icy wind shot around the room and several papers flew off my desk.

  “Relax. It was only a game of volleyball. Hank did not cause the bruises. Well, at least technically he didn’t.”

  T
he atmosphere in my room stabilized again. Sebastian floated closer to look at my arms. His image blurred as he neared. “What was the ball made of? Iron?”

  I smiled. “About halfway through the game, it felt like it. But the pain was worth it. It got me invited to the Warner’s house.”

  “Brazil, dinner,” Mom called.

  “I hope it’s not hot dogs.” I checked my hair in the mirror and turned back to Sebastian. “Wish me luck.” My ghostly roommate looked concerned. “Don’t worry, I know how to take care of myself.” I stopped at the doorway and looked back. Sebastian was sitting on my desk staring down at his own letters. He had that same sulky look I’d seen on Seth today. Sebastian pulled if off pretty well too. “And Sebastian--”

  His face turned up.

  “--if she didn’t love you, then she was a fool.” I walked out with his image still sitting on my desk.

  “Eat something before you go.” Mom dug the keys from her purse and placed them on the table.

  Tyler and Raymond were devouring the pan of nachos on the table.

  “You should have seen the game.” A string of melted cheese hung from Tyler’s chin.

  I handed him a napkin. “Did you win?”

  Raymond shrugged. “Of course. Now that we’re on the team. I’m catcher.”

  “Really?” I put a small scoop of nachos on my plate. “I’m surprised that bloated head of yours fits in the catcher’s mask.

  “Yes, guys, a little humility please. Zilly, is that all you’re going to eat?”

  “I had a bunch of junk at the party today, Mom. I feel like a fat cow.”

  Mom rolled her eyes. “Is your dad still coming tomorrow?”

  I nodded and gulped ice water. “He hasn’t cancelled yet.”

  “Remind him he needs to pay for the insurance on a car too.”

  “You remind him. It’s not like you speak different languages.”

  Mom sat down and served herself. “Will there be parents at this party?”