Wake Not the Dead

CHAPTER 10: DIRK'S COMPLEX

CHAPTER 10 DIRK’S COMPLEX   

    Hammering notes pierced my skull. I rolled over smiling as I turned off my alarm. No nightmares about dark creatures or decaying monsters. The first normal night in weeks. I was relieved and slightly disappointed. I really needed to talk to my mom and get some bells. I guess I’d have to wait until tonight.

    “Finally,” I said.

    The book sat benignly on my desk.

    Remembering the burning ink, I glared at it hoping to burn holes.

    “You win first round book,” I said. “Finish with you later.”

     I stumbled into the shower. Any residual creepiness from yesterday washed down the drain. Time to conquer high school. Coming out, I heard my phone ringing. Clutching onto the towel, I raced to get it barely missing the call. Glancing at the display I saw four missed calls all from Gemma. This early in the morning there were only two things could get Gemma out of bed. Curling her hair and gossip. The phone vibrated. I flicked it open.

    Gemma’s voice screeched over the line.

    “What happened?” she asked.

    Gossip it was. Was it about Shady Acres? How could news about that traveled so quickly?

    My wet hair dripped onto the carpet and goosebumps formed on my legs.

    “Seriously, Lexi. Why do you not tell me these things.”

    She gave an exasperated sigh.  

    “Uh, what things?” I felt doubly exposed knowing that not only was I wearing a towel, but apparently Gemma, and therefore more people, knew something gossip-worthy about myself.

    “You and Dirk, helllooo” she said.       

 

    “Me and Dirk, what,” I said, making it into a demand.

    Gemma sensed she was pushing me beyond the limits of human patience.

    “Yesterday, you weren’t at lunch,” she rattled in rapid fire. “Nothing interesting was happening so I left the cafeteria to go to the bleachers. You know, it’s quieter. On my way, I was walking behind Staci “with an ‘I’” Collins. She was talking a couple of her drones and was saying that Amanda, who had talked to Amber, who was in the office yesterday, said she saw you and Dirk leave school together.”

    Gemma paused dramatically, letting her statement hang, and I savored at least being able to give her something new.

    “We did,” I confirmed.

    Instead of gasping in surprise, Gemma finished her sentence.

    “…and that Dirk was just paying attention to you so he could…ahem…I believe ‘hit it and quit it’ were the exact words she used.”

    “What?” I dropped the towel in shock then quickly picked it up, wrapping it tightly around me.  A small puddle had formed where I was standing.

    Gemma continued quickly.

    “They turned a corner and headed back to the cafeteria,” she said. “They sat down at their table and I couldn’t just follow them. I’m so sorry, Lexi.”

    Was she sorry about Staci or about Dirk? Was Dirk really just stringing me along? He had cancelled our study date but then had made it up with a vengeance by spending the entire day with me. Yesterday had seemed so real. He was so genuine. He’d told me stories about himself. Personal stories he wouldn’t tell to someone if he didn’t really care. Right?