More Than Meets The Eye

The Mystery

Two girls sat side by side in the lunchroom, whispering furtively. "I still don't see her anywhere," Myra said, her voice shaking. Picking at her lunch, Yolande said nothing. Her eyes were fixed on Keith, who was on the phone at the other end of the room. "I wonder if I should give it to him," she muttered. Myra stopped chewing and stared. "Give what to whom?" Yolande leaned forward and reached into her pocket. "Kerry's number," she replied. "Yeah ...I'm going to give it to him."

Scanning the room, Myra caught sight of Keith, standing akimbo near the door. His friends were talking to him, but he wasn't paying them any mind. "I don't think you should do it," the girl warned. "Kerine is going to kill you." "Well, let's she if she does," Yolande said. "Something is telling me I should give it to him." Myra grabbed Yolande's wrist. "Listen," she began. "I'm sure Kerry has a reason for the rule." Shaking her off, the other girl scowled. "She's a big girl, Mimi. She needs to deal with life the way it is and stop running from confrontation."

Defeated, Myra sank back into her chair and watched her friend walk away. She turned her attention to Keith, who hadn't noticed anything. A prickly sensation crept through her fingers, and then her toes. She shifted back and forth.

Meanwhile, Yolande struggled to make her way through the lunchroom traffic. "Keith!" she exclaimed, smiling broadly. The boy broke his gaze from the clock on the wall. His face darkened. "What do you want, Yolande?" Pressing a few buttons, the girl blew the dust off its face and handed Keith the phone. "Kerry's number," she explained. "If you've got a pen, write it down." Startled, he took it ...slowly, wondering if it was a joke. "Oh ..uh, well ...my phone is a StarWalk as well," he mused, trying not to smile. "I'll just beam the number from yours to mine." Yolande's eyes lit up. "You can do that?" she asked. "Why, yes!" said Keith. "I'll show you."

As the two huddled closer, Myra watched from a distance. An ice cold chill came over her eyes and she got a funny feeling in the pit of her stomach. Getting up, she shouldered her bag and walked out. Just then, Kerine walked in. Her face looked tired and she walked as though her bag  matched her own weight. Catching sight of her, Yolande took the phone back from Keith. "Looks like she's finally here," she whispered. "You'd better go," he urged. "I don't want her to get...oh, Yolande, look." Glancing over her shoulder, she gasped. "Oh! What's wrong with ..." "Yola, go talk to her, please," the boy pleaded. "Just go." Puzzled, Yolande looked up at him. There was terror in his eyes. "Keith?" "I'll explain later, chica," he said, slipping towards the door. "Whatever you do, don't leave her alone until she gets home to her mother! And...thanks, for the number."

As Keith disappeared, Yolande made her way to Kerine's table. "Kerry, are you okay?" The girl said nothing, but merely continued chewing. Sitting down next to her, Yolande touched her forehead. "You're very warm," she observed. "Where'd you go, babe?" "To the principal's office," Kerine replied, flatly, "and girl, to be frank with you, " she continued. "I don't want to talk about it." "I think you should," Yolande replied, "'cause you look awful." Kerine rolled her eyes. "Don't I always?" "No!" the other girl snapped. "Not that way. You know I didn't mean beauty. I meant that you look worn out and upset. Now what happened? You know I ain't gonna shut up until you tell me."

Kerine dropped her fork and stared her friend in the eye. "I don't understand it," she said. "That guy who chitchatted me this morning ...he's got a picture of my parents." "Of your ...wait, of your parents? Both of them?" "Yes," Kerine nodded, "At least, it looks like them. And he claims that ...that..." Kerine's voice trailed off as she thought.

Yolande leaned closer and took her friend's hand. "He claims ...what?" "Well, he claims that the man and woman in the picture is his father and mother," Kerine whispered. Yolande's jaw dropped a meter. "You've got to be joking." Kerine shook her head. "I've never been more serious," she replied. "And you know what's really bothering me?" "No," said Yolande. "You tell me."