baleful red
lights blinking as they triggered motion sensors.
The hum became a roar as they passed the room that
housed the generators and main boiler. Sam slowed, running her finger down the
tile as if lollygagging, though Ani knew better. Never frivolous before her
death, now Sam did nothing without a purpose. As they crossed in front of the
DO NOT ENTER sign over the double-doors, Sam spoke without moving her lips.
“You have to talk to Teah.”
Ani responded in kind. “About?”
“Bill. He wants to break in. Or bust her out.”
Ani snorted. “That’s retarded.” In her mind her
mom’s voice scolded her for the uncharitable word. “This place is locked down
harder than Guantanamo Bay. Literally.”
“She thinks he’s serious.”
Ani rolled her eyes. “Both of his brain cells will
figure out it can’t be done. Just give him time to process.”
Sam’s lips pressed into a thin line. “He’s not
thinking with his brain. Just talk to her, would you?”
Ani sighed. “Okay. I will.”
Only what am I supposed to say?
*
* *
The next morning Ani sidled past Joe’s seat on the
bus and plopped down next to Teah. When a shadow crossed her vision, she looked
up into Lydia’s timid smile.
“Ani? Umm...I usually sit there?”
Ani didn’t smile back. “I know. Do you mind if I
talk to Teah for a bit? Privately?”
“Um....” Lydia looked around the half-empty bus
with wide eyes, then settled on the seat next to Mike. “Okay. I’ll be over
there.”
As she moved off, Teah clacked helmets with Ani in
greeting, football-style. “What’s the special occasion?”
Ani didn’t say anything as Mr. Benson finished his
visual inspection of the bus, hopped off, and locked the door. The sound of the
lock catching brought to mind emergency fire drills in elementary school.
Well, if this bus catches on
fire, nobody’s getting out. Probably the idea.
As the bus started to roll Ani leaned in as close
as their helmets would allow. “What the hell is up with Bill?”
Teah’s eyes widened, searching for an escape
route. She schooled her face, too late, and said, “Nothing, why?”
“Rumor has it he’s getting some ideas. Some really
stupid ideas.”
“Like what?”
Ani knew Teah would play dumb, but she tried to
hide her annoyance. “Like breaking in to see you. Or breaking you out.”
Teah’s eyes drowned in guilt even as she scowled. “Who
told you that?”
Ani shook her head. “It doesn’t matter.”
“Probably Tiffany. That girl’s a bitch.”
Ani opened her mouth to defend Tiffany and
realized it didn’t matter. Tiffany was a bitch, but that was a distraction. “Who
told me doesn’t matter, and if Tiff knows, pretty soon everyone’s going to. Is
it true?”
“Someone’s just jealous that Bill and I are in
love, so they’re talking shit.” Teah’s defiant stare tried to hide the lie, but
her stiff expression betrayed her.
“It’s incredibly dangerous. There’s no way—”
“Bill’s smarter than you think! Nobody gives him
enough credit!”
Devon’s snort from the front of the bus told Ani
that Teah was speaking far louder than she should be.
Well, good. If she gives it
away herself, all the better.
Ani chewed her mouth guard in frustration. “Look,
I’m not insulting his intelligence. I just want to make sure he’s not going to
try something....”
“Stupid?”
Ani gave up on diplomacy. She rapped Teah’s helmet
with her knuckles to emphasize each word. “Yeah. Stupid, dumbass, moron, stupid.”
She dropped her hand but continued her rant. “If he tries to get in here, he
dies. You probably die, too. Then maybe the rest of us, if we’re stupid enough
to be anywhere near you stupid idiots when you do whatever stupid thing your
stupid minds have convinced you is a plan.”
Ani froze as Teah wrapped her in a hug and mumbled
into her ear. “It’s not fair. Everyone else gets to be with who they love.
Everyone. Everyone but me.” She
lights blinking as they triggered motion sensors.
The hum became a roar as they passed the room that
housed the generators and main boiler. Sam slowed, running her finger down the
tile as if lollygagging, though Ani knew better. Never frivolous before her
death, now Sam did nothing without a purpose. As they crossed in front of the
DO NOT ENTER sign over the double-doors, Sam spoke without moving her lips.
“You have to talk to Teah.”
Ani responded in kind. “About?”
“Bill. He wants to break in. Or bust her out.”
Ani snorted. “That’s retarded.” In her mind her
mom’s voice scolded her for the uncharitable word. “This place is locked down
harder than Guantanamo Bay. Literally.”
“She thinks he’s serious.”
Ani rolled her eyes. “Both of his brain cells will
figure out it can’t be done. Just give him time to process.”
Sam’s lips pressed into a thin line. “He’s not
thinking with his brain. Just talk to her, would you?”
Ani sighed. “Okay. I will.”
Only what am I supposed to say?
*
* *
The next morning Ani sidled past Joe’s seat on the
bus and plopped down next to Teah. When a shadow crossed her vision, she looked
up into Lydia’s timid smile.
“Ani? Umm...I usually sit there?”
Ani didn’t smile back. “I know. Do you mind if I
talk to Teah for a bit? Privately?”
“Um....” Lydia looked around the half-empty bus
with wide eyes, then settled on the seat next to Mike. “Okay. I’ll be over
there.”
As she moved off, Teah clacked helmets with Ani in
greeting, football-style. “What’s the special occasion?”
Ani didn’t say anything as Mr. Benson finished his
visual inspection of the bus, hopped off, and locked the door. The sound of the
lock catching brought to mind emergency fire drills in elementary school.
Well, if this bus catches on
fire, nobody’s getting out. Probably the idea.
As the bus started to roll Ani leaned in as close
as their helmets would allow. “What the hell is up with Bill?”
Teah’s eyes widened, searching for an escape
route. She schooled her face, too late, and said, “Nothing, why?”
“Rumor has it he’s getting some ideas. Some really
stupid ideas.”
“Like what?”
Ani knew Teah would play dumb, but she tried to
hide her annoyance. “Like breaking in to see you. Or breaking you out.”
Teah’s eyes drowned in guilt even as she scowled. “Who
told you that?”
Ani shook her head. “It doesn’t matter.”
“Probably Tiffany. That girl’s a bitch.”
Ani opened her mouth to defend Tiffany and
realized it didn’t matter. Tiffany was a bitch, but that was a distraction. “Who
told me doesn’t matter, and if Tiff knows, pretty soon everyone’s going to. Is
it true?”
“Someone’s just jealous that Bill and I are in
love, so they’re talking shit.” Teah’s defiant stare tried to hide the lie, but
her stiff expression betrayed her.
“It’s incredibly dangerous. There’s no way—”
“Bill’s smarter than you think! Nobody gives him
enough credit!”
Devon’s snort from the front of the bus told Ani
that Teah was speaking far louder than she should be.
Well, good. If she gives it
away herself, all the better.
Ani chewed her mouth guard in frustration. “Look,
I’m not insulting his intelligence. I just want to make sure he’s not going to
try something....”
“Stupid?”
Ani gave up on diplomacy. She rapped Teah’s helmet
with her knuckles to emphasize each word. “Yeah. Stupid, dumbass, moron, stupid.”
She dropped her hand but continued her rant. “If he tries to get in here, he
dies. You probably die, too. Then maybe the rest of us, if we’re stupid enough
to be anywhere near you stupid idiots when you do whatever stupid thing your
stupid minds have convinced you is a plan.”
Ani froze as Teah wrapped her in a hug and mumbled
into her ear. “It’s not fair. Everyone else gets to be with who they love.
Everyone. Everyone but me.” She
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