The Whisper Seekers

Boy Crazy

I try to shove all thoughts of Liam out of my mind as I march straight into class. I spot the girl who was talking with Ian in the hallway sitting at her desk. She's already scribbling in her notebook when I walk in. We have assigned seats, so I can't move closer, but I still keep an eye on her from across the room.

She catches me staring and I immediately look away, feigning interest in my own notebook.

Since I'm determined to push Liam's weird, frustrating behavior from my head, I focus on her instead. She is focused almost all period writing sentences in French in her notebook, and I notice she is much better at it than I am. It's not until the last few minutes of class that something catches my attention. 

I'll have to hurry when I take Ian to the store so I can come back and finish my history report. I'll have to finish it then since I won't have time to do it tonight. We need to figure out how we'll meet up after we are done with the first classroom, before the school gets locked down. We also need a way out to avoid the safety officer. No one can know it's us.

After the first classroom? And they are doing all this anonymously? Maybe they aren't going to hurt anyone, just scare them. 

I can't stay mad at Liam, not when I have to tell him what I just heard. My mind spins with panic as I try to think of anything we can do to stop this. Maybe we can write a letter? An anonymous warning. Something. Even if we don't have names or dates or proof, someone has to know. We have to stop this from happening.

But before anything, Liam and I need to get on the same page. We can't keep playing out this love/hate drama when something bigger is coming. We need to focus.

As soon as class ends, I rush to the commons, scanning every face for his. Nothing. I text him. I call him. No answer. Where is he?

I sprint to the parking lot, hoping I'll catch him there and I do, but just barely. I spot his car pulling out of the lot, already halfway down the drive. I grab my phone and call again, but this time it goes straight to voicemail.

What is going on?

"Ellie!" I hear my name and flip around to see Lily and Harper walking with Derek and Mike. "Come to lunch with us! We are going to that new pizza place!" Harper tells me and I realize it will look weird if I don't go, so I follow them to Derek's Jeep. Derek still hasn't said a word to me and I'm not going to be the first one to say anything.

"Did you see where Liam went for lunch?" Harper asks as we leave the parking lot. She must have noticed his missing car. 

"I don't know," I answer and for once it's the truth.

◆◆◆

After lunch, we sit at our table, completely stuffed with pizza talking about our weekend plans. Harper wants Liam to make up their date, but Derek refuses to do a double date now. He's finally warmed back up to me and has tried to grab my hand all through lunch. I keep pulling it away and it's making him even more determined.

"How about we take out my dad's boat?" Derek suggests to the group, "I could see if Brandon will take us out?" Brandon is Derek's older brother, who is the complete opposite of Derek. Brandon barely passed high school and got kicked out of college for not showing up to any of his classes. He parties all the time and hangs out with the sketchiest group of people I have ever seen.

"Is that even a good idea? Will Brandon even be sober enough to drive a boat?" I ask. Derek pulls out his phone and a few seconds later, he is making plans with Brandon for tomorrow. It doesn't take much begging and he agrees to meet us at Derek's house at noon the following morning. He hangs up after finalizing the plan and looks at us.

"Okay, it's all set. I'll tell Aaron about it tonight after the game. Oh and Harper, NO inviting Liam." He tells her sharply, which causes Harper to immediately become defensive.

"What? Why not? Don't be stupid, Derek."

"It's my boat and I say who can come on it," Derek immaturely replies. Harper throws the last of her pizza down and I am surprised that she doesn't flip the table.

"Fine, then I'm not going. Have fun without me." She looks at Lily and me, wanting us to defend her. Now I don't want to go.

"Um, I made plans this weekend with my mom and I let her down last weekend, so you can count me out," I say to the table. I would rather see Liam and sort things out than be with Derek on a boat.

"Can I invite Adam?" Lily chimes in, and Derek shrugs in response. Lily immediately grabs my hand and starts begging. "Please, Ellie! I really want to hang out with him, and this is the perfect opportunity. Please, please!"

I roll my eyes, just as Derek slaps his hand down on the table. "Why wouldn't you go? I'm sure your mom would understand. I'll even call her myself."

I hold my hands up, palms out. "Okay, okay. I guess I'll be there." No way am I letting Derek get my mom involved. Now I just have to figure out how I'm going to tell Liam I'll be with Derek all day. Not that he seems to care anymore.

When we get back to school, I notice Liam's car is still missing. I don't bother texting him because at this point, he needs to text me. I still check my phone every twenty seconds during trig, but I don't know why I bother since the screen is still blank with no messages.

After class, I rush to the parking lot, but there's still no sign of Liam. I head to my car, relieved that tonight's football game is away, which means no cheering, and no pretending with Derek.

I sit behind the wheel, debating whether to drive to Liam's and confront him about his weird disappearing act, or just head home, drown in Ben & Jerry's, and numb myself with cringy romantic comedies.

At the last second, I turn left out of the lot and take the short drive home. I've never chased after a boy before, and today won't be the day I start.