Freak Girl

Chapter Thirteen

Ok this is a little shorter than normal but still a bridge to what is coming. let me know what you think???

Chapter Thirteen 3/23/12

The noise of excited students as they rushed past to get to the gym had my head buzzing with how to approach Reese. Who goes up to a guy of the opposite team and tries to get him to sneak away and make out? This was insane, I watched the last of the buses leave and wanted to take my chances and run off.

Only the call from Wade kept me from doing that, he sounded so happy like he was really having a good time. So when the bus carrying the other team pulled up I nervously looked over my shoulder to see Betty standing by the corner of the entrance to the gym watching.

The door to the bus opened to  let out the team of lanky guys all wearing their school colored uniforms. Closing my eyes before looking for the one called Reese Callister, Jennifer described him as being the tallest and hottest one of them all. Dark hair with brown eyes and the best mouth for kiss . . .that was when she stopped realizing we had been starring at her. 

I wondered if Jimmy knew how she felt about Reese. Good topic to bring out later. Reese would also being holding the basketball, he was after all captain.

So I went in search of Reese and found him flirting with a girl on their cheerleading squad.

Great this was going to be a slam dunk, not! What if that pretty girl with short blond hair was his girlfriend?

So I used the oldest trick I knew and faked tripping into him. I pushed him slightly off balance.

“Oh my gosh I’m so sorry!” I pretended to be embarrassed.

Reese turned toward me and began to smile an answer when it froze on his face and I for my part lost my breath only to stare up at not Reese Callister but Alex Zander my dead best friend!

Time stopped as we stood starring at each other when he breathlessly said, “Ali?!”

The cheerleader was forgotten and so was everyone else. This boy may have dyed his hair dark from the golden blond I knew and had it cut differently but one can’t change the facial structure without drastic surgery.

“Alex!” I couldn’t help myself I flung myself at him excitedly.

The last year vanished in an instant and all I could do was hold onto him.

“ Ali cat?” he said near my ear holding me. When he said that endearment reality cruelly slapped me.

I went stiff and pushed away from him, confusion rocked me blind.

“This isn’t happening, I mean I saw you . . . I saw you die!” I pointed at him backing away from him as if he was a stranger. I pivoted and suddenly I was walking so fast with my mind  freaking out.

“Ali wait!” he yelled after me.

“Hey Reese the game man!” another of his team mate informed him.

Spinning around I yelled, “You were in that car when it blew up!” real tears I never knew I was shedding ran down my red blotched cheeks.

“I can explain. Give me a chance Ali please!” he ran after me. I though backed away not understanding any of this only feeling like a fool who had been played. Never in a million years did I ever think Alex would have done this to me!

“Do you know how long I cried? How much I’ve missed you Alex?” my voice cracked and I ran away as he screamed out my name.

I didn’t get very far when Jennifer was coming at me like a bull at a rodeo. Only before she could say a word or stop me I turned around and cold cocked her in the face with all the anger I had toward Alex. You never mess with the clown when he’s pissed off!!!

She never saw it coming and dropped like a rock to the ground. Betty stood there with awe in her expression as I breathlessly told Jennifer to go straight to hell and if she even attempted to touch one hair on my brothers head she would wake up smoother than a  newborn’s butt. 

I ran to my bike but Alex followed me there and stopping me confronted me.

“Ali stop just listen a sec,” his brown eyes watched me anxiously.

I gave him my best pissed off expression but stood there silent.

“I couldn’t tell anyone not even you. I f they knew we’ve met even now they’ll pull me from school Ali!” he pleaded.

“What the heck are you talking about Alex? Who is they?” I frowned. He stepped in closer.

“My dad Ali was into some pretty nasty things. I can’t  say what exactly. But then the threatening notes started coming and freaked out my mom so my dad made some sort of deal with the government.” Alex looked around as if checking to see if some one was listening.

“Like witness protection?” I whispered still feeling hurt.

“Yes. I’m sorry Ali it had to look real.” he looked it too. “Can you forgive me?”

I stood there starring at my best friend taking in his brown eyes and how they begged me to understand his point of view. Then something in me snapped how everything that I had been through without him in the last year came tumbling in on me and I whispered hoarsely.

“No Alex I can’t. You really hurt me!”

i grabbed the handle bars with numb hands and without looking at him I got on it but before I could ride away though he said the strangest thing.

“Ali don’t let them know you know me. Or they will come for you!”

I rode away tears running down my cold cheeks.      

Pain and confusion twisted my stomach into knots because in that moment I really hated myself for not being able to forgive.

What the hell was going on in this town that had everyone so scared?!