Mirror Image

Twenty-Two

The gymnasium was decorated in school colors, and the dance band was set up on the small stage at one end. The football game against Concord South High was tomorrow, and the pep rally was almost over. Zena watched as Percy and Terry stood in their loose fitting uniforms, waiting for Lacey to bounce into their arms. She hit her marks as she flipped through her tumbling run at the end of their big routine.

Cheers and whistles from the crowd in the bleachers erupted as her twin sailed into the air boosted by two sets of strong arms. The triple spin was almost unheard of, and her ponytail whipped out, as she completed her rotations dropping into the cradle the boys provided. Even her off center take off worked out, as they tracked her flight, adjusting to catch her, only to launch her into another front flip to her feet.

Lacey went on with two high split jumps of excitement and pumped her fists as she landed in front of the assembled students and alumni.

Out of the corner of her eye, Zena spotted a slender man, his hat pulled down to hide his face. His body slouched against the wall on the top tier of the pull out stands, she felt her skin crawl down her spine as she spun into the first moves of the dance routine. The school marching band moved between her and the audience and by the time she looked again, he was gone.

Who the heck was he? She could still feel the daggers from his sullen expression. At the point of the dance formation she led the group through their moves, her knees, and shoulders in perfect rhythm with the amped up version of the school song. A modern variation with a heavy beat, the driving melody was perfect for the moves she and Sally had put together. At the last minute, they changed it from a solo to a duet, and the crowd howled their approval.

The football coach climbed onto the stage, hauling himself up from the gym floor. Tapping the microphone, the dance band had left in its stand, he discovered it was live and waited for the last of the applause to peter out.

"I'd like to introduce you to the fine young men who will battle Concord South tomorrow afternoon."

Piercing whistles and a cacophony of blasts from the horn section of the marching band raised the roof. Everyone was into the mood set by the cheer squad. The team ran across to an open section reserved for them, each member stopping to do a bow or some sort of footwork in the center. Ending with a nod to the alumni, who clapped their approval, with one enterprising Marine in full dress uniform, emitting a piercing whistle as each team member took off toward their seats.

Introductions completed, the coach tapped the mic one more time and said, "I don't have to tell you to have a great time tonight. The dance starts in two hours, and we expect everyone to head home for a good rest before tomorrow's game. Don't stay out too late, and don't drive if you've indulged. Yeah, I know, there might be no drinking on school property, but I remember." His smile softened the blow of his warning.

"See you tomorrow! Let's hear it for New Hampton High!"

When the chants of Hampton finally died, the crowd began to disperse. Alumni members of the football team stopped to chat with the boys on this year's varsity squad. Zena made her way toward her father, and Lacey's parents where they sat on the bottom bench.

"Dad, put me down." Zee pushed away from his shoulders while he swung her around. Her protest fell on deaf ears.

"I'm so proud of you. When your mother told me you were doing well, I sort of went, yeah. I watched you in the middle of groups in recitals, and you blended right in. Today, you and your friend, Sally? I think that's who you told me she was, you knocked it out of the park. Great job!"

"Thanks, Dad." Zee pressed her face against his shoulder as he eased her down into a hug. The words meant more than she would admit, and she needed a minute to stop the happy tears threatening to wreck her makeup.

"Here comes Lacey, will you join us at Mario's? Pizza for everyone. Terry's parents and Percy's mother are joining us. We'll take our Tahoe over," James Pemberton invited.

"Let us change." Lacey tugged her father aside. "Zee has her car back we'll meet you there. Have you heard anything about Theodore yet?"

"We're pretty sure he's at large. We tracked his movements to a hospital, where he was taken after he was injured in a fight. They let him go to the bathroom, and no one knows what happened, but he disappeared. The guard who was waiting for him was out cold on the floor."

"Shit, now what?" Zee asked. She edged over to follow them, hoping to hear the answer to Lace's question.

"We keep on living our lives. We can't let him scare us out of doing what makes us happy. Especially you and Zee. Your senior year is just starting. And with a pretty impressive bang, I have to say. Way to ace the tumbling, Tiger."

"I know, isn't she great? We'll change and meet you at Mario's. I hope Anya isn't there. Doesn't her mother work there?" Zee asked.

"If she is, we'll deal with it. I've never met her mother, and I'd like to." Deanne Pemberton said as she caught up with them beside the locker room doors.

"Hey, did any of you notice the guy sitting at the top of the stands right by the back doors?" Zena asked.

"Never looked over that way," Deanne answered looking at the two men standing with her.

Both of them shook their heads.

"Zee, who do you think you saw?" Matt Henderson stopped his daughter as she pulled the locker room door open.

"Just a creepy guy. Skinny, with this hat that blocked most of his face. He was there one second and gone the next time I had a chance to look. He made my skin crawl." Zee explained.

"I saw him too," Lacey confirmed. "Really creepy, like you said. Like, when I spotted him, he didn't want me to see him. And he was gone the next second. I saw him drop over the side of the bleachers and leave."

"Get changed, we'll meet you at Mario's. I don't think he was anything to worry about." Matt Henderson met James' eyes with a slight jerk of his head.

Right, nothing to worry about, and dear old Uncle Theodore isn't in prison where he belonged. Every weird strange face is going to bother me now. Who is that guy? And what is Dad worried about? I know that look. So is Uncle James. I'll bet Lace is thinking the same thing.