Candid (True Images Series) (7 page)

I’d seen Caleb bully people, smart off to teachers, and treat girls like they were created for his personal amusement, but I had to hand it to him - he was undeniably photogenic.

Marisol’s cousin, Luis, was using his Latin charm and football jersey to impress one of the cheerleaders until she was called over to join her squad mates. An impromptu performance began as they ran through some of their cheers.

I rolled my eyes, but snapped a few pictures. They had seen me arrive with my camera, I was sure of it. As I watched them through my lens, I noticed that Katie wasn’t with them. It wasn’t an official “practice,” but few cheerleaders passed up the opportunity to show off.

Looking around, I spotted her sitting on a bench in the shade of a tree with a textbook on her lap. She looked fresh and cool, and her glossy brunette curls framed her face as she bent over her book.

Quietly, so I wouldn’t distract her, I slipped around to her other side to take her picture. Unlike my casual shooting before, I now switched my camera from automatic to manual. I wanted to get this one right.

After a few moments of concentration, I knew how I wanted my settings and adjusted them accordingly. The first picture I took was focused close on her face, and though I couldn’t see her eyes, I caught the slight tug between her eyebrows that showed her concentration. In the even light of the shade, her complexion appeared flawless. Her long, dark lashes, delicate features, and natural beauty complemented the sweetness of her expression.

Zooming out, a flash of burgundy and gold behind her caught my attention. Driven by instinct, I took another picture. Playing it back a moment later, I was thrilled with the ironic contrast of my photo.

The subject was a naturally beautiful and serious cheerleader, and in the soft focused background the other, more superficial, cheerleaders were caught in exaggerated poses that were way too seductive to be a part of the routine their coach had choreographed.

It was priceless and I almost laughed out loud. I’d gotten the next picture for my blog.

“There you are,” someone said behind me.

It startled me so much that I would have dropped my camera if I hadn’t had the strap around my neck. I didn’t need to look to know it was Lee, but I was surprised. He’d never approached me outside of class before, and definitely not in front of his friends. Reminding myself to play it cool around him, I said, “Yep, here I am. What’s up?”

“I just wondered how it was going. Did you get any good pictures?”

I couldn’t fight the smile that pulled at my mouth and finally gave into it. “I sure did.”

“Cool. Hey, I was wondering if you wanted to go to the pep rally with me.”

I nodded my head and tried to find something to say besides, “Oh
my gosh
, yes! That would be the most awesome thing that’s ever happened to me.” It was running through my head, but of course I couldn’t say that. My dilemma was solved when someone else joined us.

It was Jordan, looking amazing in her short cheer uniform. She was standing right next to me, but I wasn’t under any delusion that I was the one she wanted to talk to. I was right.

“Hey, Lee.
I was waiting for you. Where have you been?”

One of his eyebrows dipped slightly like he was puzzled. “I was eating lunch in the cafeteria, like I do every day.”

“Well you took longer than usual. I was afraid that you wouldn’t get here in time to walk me to the gym.”

From Lee’s expression, I could see that these plans were new to him. As I waited anxiously to hear what his reply would be, I knew that no matter what he said, it would turn out bad for me.

When he answered, his voice was light but firm, “Sorry Jordan, but I was just asking Sienna to go with me. We can both walk with you if you’d like.”

Jordan’s eyes sparked with anger as she looked over at me. Her anger was all the more terrifying because of the wide smile she directed at me. “That’s all right. I’ll find my way somehow. So, Sienna, have you told him yet?”

“Told him what?”

“You know, that you aren’t allowed to date?” Turning back to Lee she continued, “I thought you should be warned - in case you are actually into the stringy hair and worn out clothes thing Sienna has going on. You see, her mom has this crazy idea that because she got knocked up in high school, Sienna will too. So, she’s not allowed to date until after she graduates. And the funny thing is
,
Sienna actually goes along with it.”

I glanced at Lee and saw that his eyebrows were drawn together in a puzzled furrow over the bridge of his nose, but beyond that, I couldn’t tell how he was taking this. Jordan’s expression was easier to read. She was enjoying this immensely.

“How do you know about that?” I asked, my words coming out clipped and angry. It wasn’t like I told many people.

Jordan’s voice remained bright, like poisoned sunshine. “Your mom was talking about it at church. Everybody thought she was crazy to be so strict. I
mean,
most kids would just get rebellious and sneak around anyway. Not perfect little Sienna though.”

Normally, I didn’t handle conflict well, but if anyone started trashing my mom, I got mad enough to get over it. “She’s not crazy. She knows the consequences and wants to protect me from them. I don’t
mind
because I’m not taking any chances with my future. It’s my decision too.”

“Your loss.
There are other ways to not get pregnant besides abstinence, you know.”

My hands were shaking I was so mad. It was humiliating to be having this conversation in front of Lee. I squeezed my hands shut to keep them still, then had to concentrate on not aiming one of them at her sneering mouth. “I’m sure you could tell me all about them,” I replied, my boldness scaring the living daylights out of me.

“Too bad nobody told your mom,” she returned, not even flinching. She turned to leave, but turned back to add, “By the way, I didn’t see that picture you took of me and Brittany in the school paper. I wonder how that mistake could have been made.”

“I have nothing to do with what pictures are chosen for the paper. I just take them and turn them over to the editors.”

“Oh, but I’m sure you could talk Mr. Greeley into anything if you really wanted to. I mean, he’s dating your mom so he’d probably do whatever you asked to get on your good side.” Jordan must have seen the confused shock on my face because she continued, “Wait, didn’t you know? That’s pretty funny. I thought everyone knew about your mom and Mr. Greeley. I wonder why she hasn’t told
you?
”

Shock spread through me like ice water. My mom was dating Mr. Greeley? “You’re lying,” I accused, desperately hoping it was true.

 “Am I? Why don’t you ask your mom?” Her moment of triumph complete, she turned and walked away, her ponytail swaying in rhythm with her hips. If I had disliked her before, I pretty much hated her now.

Next to me, Lee let out a long, low whistle. “Wow. I don’t know how you kept from hitting her. Are you ok?”

Answer him,
I told myself. But I had no words right then. The bell rang, and everyone headed to the gym. Automatically, I began walking with them. It didn’t even register that Lee was walking with me until he took my arm and pulled me to a gentle stop. I glanced down at his hand on my arm and was glad he was staying with me, but I was still reeling from what Jordan had said.

“Hey, why don’t we skip this thing and go talk somewhere? You’re as white as a sheet.”

We were close to the door now, and the mass of students concentrated and closed in around us. Someone’s backpack, heavy with textbooks, knocked into me and threw me off balance. Lee reached out to steady me and pulled me closer to him, shielding me from being jostled again. I looked up at his face and saw concern in his eyes.

A distant part of my brain registered that this was an interesting development when combined with the fact that he’d wanted to go to the pep rally with me, but I didn’t have room in my brain for that puzzle right now. I shook my head and managed to say, “We can’t. They monitor the halls pretty heavy during these things.”

He nodded and followed me into the gym. Wishing I had a dark hole to climb into, I followed behind Lee as he climbed up the bleachers and threaded his way through people till we were at the top. I was grateful to feel the cool cinder block wall behind me. I felt less exposed this way, even if I was in a room with hundreds of people. Everyone was talking and laughing, making my silence seem more pronounced.

Sitting close to Lee, I appreciated the comfort I felt with him, but I noticed that his attention was somewhere else. Following the direction of his eyes, I saw that he was looking at a group of teachers standing near the doorway on the other side of the gym. His eyebrows were drawn together in concentration and I realized that he was looking at Mr. Greeley, who stood draped over his crutches as he talked to another teacher.

“You don’t think it’s true, do you?” I asked, finally needing to sort out the disturbing idea that Jordan had planted in my head.

For an answer, Lee shrugged and slightly shook his head. He was quiet for a while. Then the cheerleaders came out onto the floor and started a cheer where the student body was supposed to participate. My school spirit was practically zero right then, but watching Jordan smiling and cheering like she didn’t have a care in the world sure put me in the fighting spirit. What I wouldn’t have given for a poisoned dart gun right then.

“What do you think?” Lee finally asked.

I gave up trying to slay Jordan with my glare, and said, “I don’t know. I mean, my mom never dates, and Mr. Greeley isn’t her type anyway.”

Lee hesitated, obviously sorting out his words. “If she never dates, how do you know what her type is?
”

That gave me a pause. “I guess I don’t. What if they got married? How weird would that be?”

“Weird, maybe, but he’d probably make a pretty cool stepfather. It does make things more complicated though.”

“What do you mean?”

“First, can I ask you something? Do you really not want to date,
or
do you just not want to, um, round the bases like your mom is worried about?”

It took me a second to figure out what he was talking about. When I finally did, I replied, “I wouldn’t mind dating, if the guy was fine with not getting past first base.” I think Lee was using the analogy so I wouldn’t be embarrassed, but I felt my face flush anyway.

He grinned at me, finding me funny I’m sure, and said, “That makes me a perfect candidate.”

“Really?”

His expression grew serious and he said firmly, “Really. I was going to ask if you wanted to go out this weekend, but it wouldn’t do any good, huh?”

I shook my head, really bummed.

“Would you have said yes, if you could have?”

He looked nervous waiting to hear my answer, which was just bizarre. What girl would ever turn him down? I should probably play it cool, but we’d already been too honest about other things to hold back now. “Definitely,” I told him.

He seemed to relax when he heard my answer, and said, “Well, I haven’t had much time to think about it, but I was hoping that if we couldn’t actually go on dates, maybe we could try just, you know, being a couple at school. But if Mr. Greeley saw us together, and told your mom, you’d probably get in trouble, huh?”

His voice was casual, like it wasn’t the most earth-shattering thing he could have said to me right then. I tried to process it, wondering if he could mean anything other than what it sounded like. How was it possible to feel so excited and so miserable at the same time? “It’s worse than you think.”

“Why?”

“Have you met the art teacher?”

“No,” he answered, clearly confused. “I don’t take art.”

“Her name is Ms. Whitfield.”

“Whitfield?
Please tell me it’s not your mom.”

“I wish I could.”

“Well…shoot.” It was the closest I’d ever heard him come to cursing. He slumped back against the wall and stared out at the pep rally with me. Everyone was cheering as Coach Hatfield introduced the starters for that night. It all seemed to be happening at a distance from us.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault,” he said. He stared up at the high ceiling and shook his head. “Wouldn’t you know I’d have a thing for a girl I can’t
date.
”

“You have a thing for me?” Sometimes I just need things spelled out.

“No, Sienna, I just took journalism and yearbook for the fun of it.” His sarcasm was odd mix of frustration and teasing.

“Huh.”

“Don’t tell me you couldn’t tell I liked you. Haven’t you noticed that I haven’t left last hour early for practice even once? That needs to change, but not if that’s the only time I get to spend with you.”

I thought for a moment, examining the conflict between what I wanted and what my mom expected.

“My mom doesn’t want me to have a steady boyfriend, but that doesn’t mean we can’t be
really
good friends. I’m allowed to hang out with friends you know. Besides, my mom doesn’t usually go anywhere at school but the art room and the teachers’ lounge.”

“What about Mr. Greeley?”

“I still can’t believe he’s dating my mom. Maybe it’s not even an issue.”

“Maybe,” he agreed. But he didn’t look too sure.

Chapter 5

After all that drama, journalism was rough and I was furious with Jordan for it. Mr. Greeley’s classroom had always been my refuge at school, a place I could relax. Now, I felt on edge and suspicious.

 When Mr. Greeley put some lip balm on, I wondered if he was keeping his lips supple for kissing my mom. When he walked by and I smelled his cologne, I tried to remember if I’d ever smelled it on him before. Then I noticed that he was combing his hair a little different than he used to.

My suspicions were driving me crazy, but when I began to imagine them making out after a date, I felt like hurling. Trying to will the feeling away, I put my head down on my desk and let Mr. Greeley’s lecture on how to write a caption roll over me. I thought of everything I could think of to control my imagination, and I soon found that thinking about Lee was the only thing that did the trick.