Code Name

VI

At school on Monday, there's an obvious undertone from everyone. People's shoulders seem a bit tenser. Their eyes shift around just a bit quicker. Their steps appear to hint at a tad of hesitation.

I see Tracy and Trent in the hall talking against the crimson red lockers. Tracy spots me and walks a few steps to give me a small hug.

"Hey, Daniel," she says over my shoulder. "What's up?"

"I don't know. Is it always like this after the informational meeting?"

Trent steps forward. "You just passed by the ones who are nervous. It's a strange mixture of fear and excitement to know ninety-three percent of the school's seniors are hunting you as the other classes watch it like a sporting event. You shouldn't let it get to you."

"Gee, thanks," I say as his statement only cause more uncertainty.

Tracy rolls her eyes as her smile is unwavering. "Ignore him. Think of it as your chance to meet interesting people in the process. Smoke Ridge is full of them."

"I thought it was called Concrete City," I say while trying to not let the lump in my throat affect my tone.

"That's the city name," Trent says to once again explain. "Everyone calls the community Concrete City. However, the school's name is Smoke Ridge High School. Not much you can do about it."

A bell rings above us as some students head to class while others head to lunch. "Do you have first or second lunch, Daniel?"

"First," I say as the halls become a bit more cluttered.

"Do you sit with anyone?"

I pause for a second. "I'm usually by myself. Since most seats are taken, I sit beside the stairwell by the black pyramid."

"The pyramid?" she questions. I slowly nod. "That's where we sit! For the past several weeks you've been only several feet from us!" she beams. "Come on," she says while grabbing my hand and beginning to walk. "You're sitting with us. No friend of Tracy Newman is sitting alone."

We soon exit the halls and follow along the railing of the top floor. I look down and realize how cluttered the courtyard looks from up here. In the center is an amphitheatre consisting of three cement rows surrounding on higher platform that acts as a stage. A sidewalk behind the stage goes to the upper-right to show a giant ramada that towers as high as the cafeteria and gym's building behind it. On top is a triangular light in a metal bowl to give the appearance of an Olympic-type flame.

The cafeteria building is surrounded by the auditorium to my right and the classrooms to my left. The auditorium is forted behind large steps with four cement squares spanning across the auditoriums length. The classrooms are barricaded behind a pathway with pillars lined up on either side. A steel bar connects each pillar to the one across from it. Tracy, Trent, and I walk down a large stairwell to get to ground level. I see the usual crook by the last few steps that I used to claim as my own. However, I move on.

We go around the stairwell and see the black pyramid. Well, it isn't much of a pyramid. It's just one giant, black square that goes around the stairwell that's about three feet tall. On top is a slight smaller, but nonetheless big, black square. The sides have writing etched in the side. It consists of records, years, people, awards, and quotes. I look up and see Becca with her hands next to Nate's head.

"There," she says as we approach. Tracy and Trent sit beside Nate as I sit beside Becca. I look over to see Becca holding a makeup brush and Nate's face more colorful and defined than I remember. "Now you're a pretty little lady once again."

"Shut up," he laughs.

She turns to see me confused as usual. "When Nate gets too roughed up by Wess, I do my best to cover up any bruises or cuts from his little tussles. In return, I get a buck." She turns back to Nate who already has a dollar out to hand to her.

"Hey, did you guys hear what happened this weekend?" Nate says.

Trent raises his hand. "You let your ass get kicked again."

We all share a laugh. "True, but that's not it." He pauses for a second. "Several teams got eliminated in like a minute. Apparently, some girl thought her friend slept with a guy she liked at the peace party. She wasn't wrong. Their friends got involved and they were all whipped out afterwards."

"Damn," Tracy says in awe.

"That's not all. Mike and Josh already have over a hundred dollars in bets. The next closest is Wess with roughly seventy buck. People say Mike is almost guaranteed to win since he has..." He stops when he sees the saddened expression on Becca's face. "Sorry, Bec," he mumbles.

"It's okay. There's what people think and what will happen. Hopefully, for us, it's the later."

"There you go," Tracy says. "All you can do is hope for the best."

Becca then turns to me. "Oh, Danny-boy, I know it's kinda sudden but could you give me a ride. My... ugh... mom is having car trouble." This is the first time I've seen Becca struggle with her words.

"Yeah, I can do that. What happened with your mom's car?"

"Her..." she pauses once again to give us a few seconds of silence. "Her tire blew out and she... drove into a ditch. She's okay. It's nothing big. It'll just be in the shop for a few days."

"Sure, I can do that."

A few seconds later, Becca looks up and something about her eyes changes. I can't see what but it's clearly different. Tracy, Trent, and Nate are stuck in their own conversation. I trace her gaze and see that it is fixed on a guy across the school heading to the cafeteria. It's Josh.

"I gotta go," she says while swiftly standing up, grabbing her bag, and stepping off the pyramid. "I'll see you after school, Daniel."

She walks off without another word. The fact that she said my actual name doesn't ease me at all. "Is she okay?" I ask Tracy since she seems to be Becca's closest friend.

"That's Bec for ya; forever the mysterious delight."