The lights dimmed as the movie started, and there was rustling as everyone got situated in their seats. I wasn’t particularly excited to see this flick. I mean, I was always happy to watch attractive movie stars display their muscles in the name of action, but now it only made me think of Aiden. And that time when I stabbed him.
“I was wondering,” Chris whispered, his breath reeking of Junior Mints. “Are you still coming to my party next weekend after this? I want you to.”
There was a fluttering in my stomach. Sure, this movie could possibly already be considered a date, but now Chris was asking me on a second date. And although I was flattered, I was also scared senseless! I wasn’t even sure that I liked Chris.
“Um…”
“We’ll all be there, Chris,” Leona said for me, leaning over in her seat to look down the aisle at us. “Thanks for asking.”
“I have the perfect costume,” Izzie cooed, clapping.
“Great,” Chris said, glancing between us. Then he leaned back in his seat and placed his arm around me, kneading my shoulder with his fingers. I thought about moving, but I didn’t want to be rude. Instead I picked up a handful of over-buttered popcorn and shoved it into my mouth.
“Oh.” Kira jumped from next to me, startling me.
I looked over as she fished her cell phone out of her purse and glanced at the number. She bit her lip, bending forward in her seat. “It’s Mary,” she whispered.
“Do you want me to talk to her?” I asked. Because I had a few choice words for her.
Kira looked over her shoulder at me, as if surprised that I’d ask. “No. I’ll handle it.” She clicked the phone on and said, “Hold on,” into the phone as she got up. “I’ll be right back,” she whispered to Joel, patting his leg as she stood up.
He nodded, still staring ahead, obviously riveted by the scene in the movie where the hero gets the girl. In bed.
“I have to go to the bathroom,” Chris murmured, standing up. “I’ll be right back?” I wasn’t sure why he asked it as a question. Like I was going to say no?
“I’ll come with,” Leona called, getting up to scoot past me, following Kira and Chris down the movie aisle.
“Now?” I watched as the three left, illuminating the room with the hallway light. I heard a small squeak and looked over at Izzie. She was shifting uncomfortably in her seat like a five-year-old. “Seriously?” I asked.
“Uh- huh.” I shook my head, pulling my legs up in the seat so that she could squeeze past me. Were they ditching me on purpose, or was it a coincidence that Izzie’s and Leona’s bladder filled at the exact moment that Mary Rudick called? Hm.
Once they were gone, I glanced over at Joel. He was sitting a seat away, biting his nails as he watched the movie, his legs spread out in front of him like he was lounging on a couch.
He looked sideways at me once and then did a double take. “Hey,” he said, and smiled. It was a little dark, but I did notice the way his hazel eyes sparkled with the reflection of the movie screen.
Joel turned in the seat and crossed his legs, facing me. “Interesting company. Are your friends playing matchmaker?”
My smiled faded. “Yep. Awesome, right?”
“Not really.”
I laughed. At least someone agreed with me.
“Chris’s nice, though,” he said, glancing at the screen as someone got shot. “A little bland if you ask me, but nice.”
“I didn’t ask,” I responded.
“Very good, Crimson. I see you’re working on your sarcasm.”
I laughed and we both turned back to the movie, immersed in a long scene involving backward car chases and exploding gas stations. Eventually Joel exhaled loudly and I looked over at him.
“Man,” he said, shifting in his seat and glancing at the door. “Did they forget about us or what?”
“Probably got sidetracked by the bright lights and candy boxes.”
Joel looked at me, his mouth hanging open. He apparently hadn’t expected that zinger, but he looked amused.
“Sorry.” I shook my head. “I’m going overboard. I’m just not really feeling super-upbeat today.”
“If it makes you feel better, despite this cool exterior, I’m suffering from some severe social anxiety disorder right now.” He paused and then leaned over to whisper, “But I promise that if anyone asks, I’ll tell them you were peppy beyond comprehension.”
Aw. That was awful sweet of him. “Thanks.”
“No problem.” Joel rested the back of his head against the seat, watching me. “Oh,” he said, holding up his finger. “Speaking of candy…”
Joel reached into his pocket and pulled out a box of gummy bears. “Just for you,” he said, shaking the box temptingly before tearing into it.
“You’ve been keeping gummies in your pocket this whole time?” I asked.
He widened his eyes like it was a stupid question. “Of course.”
I shook my head and turned back to the screen. After a second, he nudged my arm. “Here,” he said, holding out the box. I put out my palm and he poured a few in. But then he paused and reached down to pinch some out. “Sorry,” he said, popping them into his mouth before I could yank my hand away. “I get to keep all the red ones.”
I giggled just as Kira appeared at the end of the aisle. “Hey!” She looked between Joel and me huddled together, fighting over the gummy bears.
Joel straightened in his seat and I shoved the handful of bears into my mouth, making my teeth stick together so I wouldn’t have to talk. Besides, I might have been a little ticked at being cut out of the Smitten Kittens’ loop. Again.
When Kira got down the aisle and sat next to me, she lowered her head in my direction. “Izzie’s having a mini-meltdown in the bathroom,” she whispered.
“What?” I mumbled through a mouth full of bears.
“It’s okay; Leona’s there.” She looked down the aisle. “Where’s Chris?”
“Bathroom.” Actually it’d been a while, but I didn’t want to really consider it.
Kira crinkled her nose, then took the box of gummy bears out of Joel’s hand and poured a bunch into her hand. “It’s fine,” she said to me between bears. “You can ride with me—and after I drop Joel off, we’ll set up the…you know.”
She was so covert.
I nodded, wondering what had gone on outside the movie doors. All I knew was that Kira was here and Izzie was crying in the bathroom being comforted by Leona, of all people.
Just then the door opened and Chris came in, holding a package of gummy bears and beaming at me. I heard Joel snicker from down the aisle. As Chris sat down, he offered them to me.
“Want some?” he asked.
I turned and smiled politely at him. “No, thanks. I’m full.” I felt Kira look at me, but by the time I glanced over, she was snuggled next to Joel with her head on his shoulder.
There was a small pang in my back, but I thought it away and tried to focus on the movie. I was tired of being insignificant. I wanted some power back. Or at least, whatever power I was willing to take.
(CODE PINK) SOS INTER-KITTEN COMMUNICATION
Dear Smitten Kittens,
This is a reminder that we are on high alert. You should not, in any way, try to contact the copy-Kitten without SOS approval. Even for emotional support.
Any Kitten found to be consorting with the enemy will face suspension.
If you have any questions, please use the Code Pink hotline at 555-0101. Do NOT make any communications on the SOS database or e-mail lines.
Keep smiling,
Leona ☺
CHAPTER THRITEEN
THE NEXT NIGHT THE SMITTEN KITTENS AND I
were parked in the back lot of the school, working on a lead. The evening was getting dark, but the moon was full, giving us just enough light to see without night vision.
“Pass the Cheez Doodles,” Leona called to me from the backseat.
“Watch the upholstery,” Kira snapped at her as I passed along the bag. Kira had finally gotten her first car this summer after her mom won a disability settlement with the state. She was stoked.
Izzie sniffled from the backseat. My eyes weakened as I looked back at her. Since the movies, she’d been inconsolable. Apparently while we were there, Sam had returned all of her stuff to her grandparents’ house, including the mixed CD she’d made him. Worse than that, he wouldn’t take her calls or e-mails. “Hey,” I said. “You hanging in there?”
“I guess,” she murmured, staring out the back window. Poor thing hadn’t even had the strength to fix her hair today. It hung lifelessly under her black cap.
I glanced at Leona as she crunched on a Cheez Doodle, looking very sympathetic. “It’s going to be fine,” she said, reaching over the crackly bag to offer some snacks to Izzie. “Sam’s not seeing anyone else. He just needed a break.” Leona darted her eyes to mine, and I knew she didn’t believe it either.
“Pom-poms up,” Kira said, ducking down in the front seat. We all did the same, which was followed by a series of little patters—the sound of Cheez Doodles dumping on the floor mats. Kira growled next to me.
Leona had intercepted a Knockoff communication of a cheater request against Calvin Murdock. We’d been following him all night, including here, at his football practice. Until now, there had been no sign of a copy-Kitten. Obviously she was in over her head.
I peeked over the dash to see a girl walking in the distance, laughing and talking into her phone. I bent down and grabbed a pair of binoculars, then straightened and focused in on her face.
“No way,” I whispered.
“Who is it?” Kira said, looking sideways at me from behind her steering wheel. I dropped the binoculars and stared at her.
“It’s Chloe Ferril.” My heart was racing.
“Ew, so not in the mood to deal with her negativity,” Kira said, scrunching her nose.
“Told you,” Leona said, licking the orange cheese off her fingers.
“She’s not the copy-Kitten.” Kira snorted, glancing into the backseat.
“No? Then what is she doing here? Looking for the skank convention? Because I’m pretty sure they hold that over at your house.”
Kira snarled and reached back, as if to grab Leona’s black tank, but I held her back. “Ladies!” I whisper-yelled. “This is not the time, and it’s certainly not the place!” The escalation of in-squad violence was alarming. They definitely needed my leadership.
Izzie started crying into her hands and we all turned to look at her. “I hate when you guys fight,” she mumbled. “It makes me think of Sam.”
Leona rolled her eyes and leaned back into the seat and patted Izzie’s leg. “I’m sorry, Iz,” she said. “We’re done.”
We were quiet for a few minutes, staring out the windshield until the sound of Leona’s crunching began to fill the car again. Kira looked sideways at me.
“Is Leona right?” she whispered. “Do you really think Chloe’s the copy-Kitten?”
“Hm…” I took out the camera with the extra-zoom lens and pushed in to focus. Chloe (not surprisingly) was dressed in a black, cleavage-busting goth dress with tons of makeup. She was still talking on her phone and—actually—stumbling like she might be intoxicated.
“Don’t think so,” I said. “She looks drunk.”
Just then Chloe rolled her ankle and fell onto a parked car, laughing as she pushed off the hood and looked around, pointing her finger at someone in the driver’s seat of the car.
“Classy,” Leona said from the backseat, sitting up.
“Can we just go?” Izzie asked in a low voice. “I want to drive by Sam’s. Kira, you promised on the way home we would.”
I shot a glance at Kira. She shouldn’t be condoning this sort of behavior.
“Tessa,” Leona called from the back. “Can you please get a handle on this? Kira is a worse influence on Izzie than…well, me.”
Kira gave Leona a dirty look in the rearview mirror, then she glared at me. “Don’t start, Tessa,” she said. “I’ve been busting my tail trying to weather this flood.”
“It’s storm.”
“Yeah,” Kira replied. “A shit storm.”
I stared back at her; her blonde hair (although still shiny) was starting to look worn. Her normally well-lined eyes looked naked from neglect. She was right. She had been working hard.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “I should have been here for you sooner.”
At this, the tight lines around Kira’s mouth loosened, and she smiled. “I’m just glad you’re here now. And I can’t wait until you’re back on the squad. I want things to go back to normal.”
“This is sweet and all,” Leona said, leaning up between the seats and pointing out the windshield. “But we just missed something big.”
Both Kira and I turned to follow Leona’s chewed-off fingernail, which pointed toward the parked car. Just then the driver got out. She was talking to Chloe, and when I lifted my camera, I gasped when I saw her.
“Chicken of the Sea,” I murmured.
“Who is it?” Kira demanded, yanking the camera away from my face.
“It’s Mary.” I looked back at Leona.
Leona shook her head, twisting her face. “What the frig is she doing here? Last night she told us she was giving up on her anti-Tessa campaign and going back to Washington State.”
“No,” I said. “That’s where Aiden goes to school. Mary goes to college in California.”
“Not anymore,” Kira said offhandedly. “She transferred to Washington at the beginning of the year.” She lowered the camera and looked at me. “She didn’t tell you?”
“What? No. When did she—”
“Hey,” Izzie said, motioning toward the parking lot. “What kind of car does Aiden drive?”
“Jetta,” I answered, still staring at Kira.
“Oh.” Izzie clapped, sounding excited. “Then he’s here!”
I snapped my head toward the parking lot. And I saw it. It was definitely Aiden’s white Jetta passing by us. It slowed to a stop, just as Mary looked toward it and waved.
She said something to Christian’s sister and turned on her dark heels. I picked up the binoculars to watch. Her thick brown hair bounced off her shoulders, and her red dress fit her athletic frame perfectly. She crossed to Aiden’s car and leaned in the passenger window, talking to him. She laughed, glancing around the parking lot once. And then she got in.