Being Neighborly

Chapter 47

"Nicole, I'm serious I can't go tomorrow," I try to convince my best friend that I there is no way I can go to the carnival. I can hear her let out a big sigh over speaker phone and can tell she's not buying it.

"You were perfectly fine at lunch," she says. "Well I could tell something was up, but you know what I mean. You're not sick so tell me the real reason why you're trying to ditch us."

I look over at Tristan in the driver seat. He had found me in the hallway when I didn't show up to class. I showed him the note, and without explaining he seemed to already know who it was from. He helped me get a nurse's pass and offered to drive me home early to deal with the situation and ensure that Carter wouldn't visit the school again.

He shrugs his shoulders, indicating that I have no reason to keep Carter's arrival into town a secret. Tristan's right, which I hate.

"It's Carter," I tell Nicole. "I found a note he had written in my locker. He's here, he came to town. And he's planning on seeing me tomorrow."

"At the carnival," Nicole whispers, barely audible over the car's engine.

"At the carnival," I confirm. "That's why I don't think it's a good idea for me to be there. Whatever he wants it just involves me, but I don't doubt he would be willing to go through the rest of you if you're in the way. He isn't the same Carter I knew back in California."

"Okay, we'll all stay in and have a movie night or something," my friend suggests.

"This is exactly what I didn't want to happen," I groan. "I don't want you guys to sacrifice your night just because I can't be there. If I stay home, the rest of you can still go to the carnival. You all deserve to do that."

"Leila, it's not that you can't go," Tristan speaks up. "Oh, Nicole you're on speaker by the way."

"Wow thanks for the update." I can practically see her rolling her eyes. "Dude I knew that already, your car is obnoxiously loud."

"As I was saying," he continues. "You can go, but you're not letting yourself. I know you don't think it's safe, but you'll have me. And if you still don't think that's enough insurance, then you'll have to deal with the whole group just hanging at your house tomorrow night."

"I don't want you guys to miss out on the carnival," I say.

"Then it's settled," Nicole exclaims through the phone. "We're all going and we'll keep you safe."

"It's not just me I'm worried about."

"I know you think Carter is super scary, but if he's actually the junkie you say he is then I don't think he would be physically or mentally strong enough to take on both Tristan and Nate. Plus I've been taking self defense classes. We'll be fine, and besides you don't even know for sure if Carter is going to show up."

"She has a point," Tristan says. "There's no reason for you to stay locked up inside because he may or may not show up to maybe or maybe not do something. Either way, you'll just be waiting to see what happens. Might as well wait in a public place with lots of witnesses around."

"Now Tristan has a good point," Nicole adds. "You, and all of us for the matter, are probably safer at the carnival than alone at night in your empty house. You aunt and uncle are volunteering tomorrow, right?"

"Okay, fine! We will go tomorrow," I conceded to their many reasonably good points.

"Awesome! Oh, I have to go. Mrs. Wimberly looks like she wants to throw my phone out the window. I'll talk to you guys later!" Nicole hangs up abruptly.

The rest of the car ride home is silent, but Tristan's ego inflating fills up the empty space. The stupid smirk, the one he gets when he knows he's just won, is permanently stuck on his stupid face.

"Before you say anything," he says after pulling up the curb between our houses. "Even though I am extremely elated that you have decided to not be lame and come out with us tomorrow, I won't let my guard down. I promise I'll keep you safe in the event that Carter does make an appearance. I pushed Nicole's argument of you not ditching because I don't think you need to keep making sacrifices. You were right earlier, when you said you wanted to just live a normal teenage life. I still don't think it's very plausible, but we can try. I'll try for you."

He leans over to give me a quick kiss before unlocking the door. When I get out and turn to close it, Tristan is already getting out of his side to walk me to the front of my house.

"See? Not letting my guard down."

"Shut up," I laugh a little. "And thank you." I hold his hand while we make the short walk from the parked car to the door.

I walk into the house, feeling a little bit better about to tomorrow. Until Aunt Clara comes around the corner with an envelope in her hand.

"Hi, honey," she smiles brightly. She's trying her best to cope with everything that happened yesterday; after Uncle Luke explained everything to her she was in shock, but I think she's just trying to return to some normalcy. "You got some mail!"

Oh no.