Page 10 of Check the Halls
She beams at me. I thought she was pretty before, but that smile? Absolutely beautiful.
“Okay.” Her laugh is so musical that it just became my favourite song. “We can be friends.”
“And friends tell one another why they’re hiding from dead playwrights.”
Maddy runs her fingers through her hair and groans. “My English teacher, Mr. Dowling, is forcing us to act out scenes from Romeo and Juliet with a partner. Which is stupid in the first place because it’s English class, not drama. Regardless, he put me with Jeff Reid and gave us Act 1 Scene 5.”
I wait for her to continue, and when she doesn’t, I ask, “And?”
“That’s the balcony scene.”
“And?”
Her eyes spark with anger. “And I just never thought that my first kiss would be in front of thirty people with a guy who’s bullied me since junior high.”
My entire body stiffens as an embarrassed Maddy buries her face in her hands. Clearly, Mr. Dowling needs to be fired and Jeff Reid needs to die. I just need to decide which to make happen first.
When I don’t say anything, she peeks out at me from between her fingers. “Do you think I’m overreacting? Because I’m told I do that. Personally, I think I’m just reacting.”
What? “Hell no. He can’t make you do that.”
She shrugs. “According to him, he can. I tried to talk to him after class yesterday. I told him I’d write a paper, give a book report, or act out any other scene that doesn’t involve kissing. But he reiterated that class participation is thirty percent of my grade. Maybe I am overreacting, I just… I just know that Jeff’s going to be gross about it. He’ll never let me live this down.”
It’s amazing how two minutes ago I didn’t know Jeff Reid existed and now I’m trying to figure out how to dispose of his body. It doesn’t help that I’m new in townand not familiar with the local forest areas yet. What I am certain of is this prick will not be her first kiss.
NOW
“Whose ass do I have to kick?”
The words are out of my mouth the second my sister accepts the call.
“Hello, elder brother,” Beth answers cheerfully. “How is your day going?”
It was going fine until my baby sister texted me a picture of what looked like her driver’s side door with a large dent in it. A thumbs down emoji immediately followed.
“Are you okay?” I say, grabbing my jacket from the back of a kitchen chair. I got home an hour ago from a brutal day of physicals and fit tests. Our medical team is making sure we’re all in top condition for our upcoming pre-season games, but thanks to my strict off-season training regime, I’m in the best shape of my life.
“I’m fine, really. I wasn’t in the car when it happened.” She sounds far away and I assume she’s driving with me on speaker phone. “I noticed the dent when I got to the parking lot because…well, how could I not?”
“Did whoever hit you leave a note?”
“Nope.” She puts emphasis on the “p,” making a popping sound.
“This happened at work? Do you remember who was parked next to you this morning? Don’t you have security cameras at school?” It’s Tuesday, so Beth must be just leaving Stittsville Elementary for the day.
“Of course,” she answers, solemnly. “CSI techs are analyzing the footage right now.”
“Beth.”
“Police are combing the area as we speak. The bastards won’t get far.”
“Beth.”
“Ben, relax.” Her laugh is easy and unbothered. “People hit and run in parking lots all the time. I texted you to vent, not because I needed you to swear vengeance and solve the case.”
“I can’t help it, Bug.” I use the nickname I gave her when we were kids. Her eyes are the same shade of brown as mine but much bigger. I used to tease her that they took up half of her face like an insect. “I hate that this happened to you.” It doesn’t matter that my baby sister is approaching her late twenties. I’m always going to want to fix her problems for her.
“I know you do. But I’m fine. And after a trip to the dealership, the car will be fine, too.”
