Lamia's Dream

Chapter 3

“And no one thought to call the police?” Jack asked.

“No, some kids at the party were drinking.  Valerie’s friends didn’t want the police involved either.”

“Weird.”

“Yeah, I guess,” I said in agreement. 

No cops meant no interrogation.  By the time we had arrived at the house that night, I was done with answering questions.  From everybody .  Plus, I didn’t want the story going too far beyond the people who had actually been there. 

“So, has she called you yet?” Jack asked.

“No, I doubt she has my number.  And I didn’t think about getting hers- you know, to check on her- until after Malik and I left.”

Sadly, my weekend had gone without any contact with Valerie.  Except in an odd dream.  I was in my room, playing video games and could sense someone watching me from my closet.  Something inside told me it was Valerie but, when I went to the closet, there was no one there.  I woke up soon afterward.

Back in reality, I picked up a carton of fries and placed it beside my imitation-chicken fingers. 

“Hey, put those back,” Jack said.

“What are you talking about?”

He raised his voice.  “No, chicken fingers for this hero.  He deserves a Chicken Deluxe.  With an Ice Cream Sandwich.”

I laughed nervously and looked at the other students in the line.  Most of them were oblivious to what he was referring to.  Jack dropped the specially packaged chicken sandwich on my tray.

I made it through my first few classes like normal:  barely a blip on the radar of the other twelve hundred students.  And that’s how I wanted it.  Sometimes, I toyed with the idea of being popular.  But, obscurity with my best buds was better for me.  Popularity brought drama and fake friends, as exemplified by Malik’s ever changing circle. 

 “Hey, I heard something about that in first period.  Who’s the lucky girl you saved?” asked Melissa Hart.  She was in my second period class.  She was ahead of us in line, with a girl from my Chemistry class.  Both were unquestionably cute.

“Um…” 

“Valerie Wingfield,” Jack answered.

“Oh, I love Valerie.  She’s so fun.”  Melissa exchanged her money with the cafeteria lady at the register.  “Didn’t you have a crush on her last year?”

“Yeah, you could say that…”

“I bet fending off some creep will get you on her good side,” Melissa’s friend said. 

“And if saving her life isn’t enough for her, then at least know you’ve scored points with every other girl in school,” Melissa said, smiling earnestly.

“Later Miles,” her friend said as they made their way to their seats.

“Oh, tear, that’s my boy.”  Jack wiped a pretend drop from his face.

“That’s enough outta you,” I said.

I punched in my student ID number.  The cashier gave me the price, but Jack stepped in. 

“I got this.  A hero should never pay when I’m around,” Jack said chivalrously. 

“You’re so kind,” I replied.

Jack paid for mine and I waited for him to pay for his.  

We meandered our way through the overcrowded cafeteria.  A few heads looked in my direction.  That was a change, as I rarely received even the most cursory of glances.