Then, like always, he started a conversation about college.
It was his main focus in life, funny shirts or not. He was a really good student, and other than taking the occasional break for tacos or to play Dungeons and Dragons, it was about all he really did. He was smart and committed, because his family didn't have enough money to send him to a really nice college. His mother had driven that home for him starting in the second grade and had never let up, so it really wasn't his fault.
"So, I was thinking I'd put Northwestern as my safety school. It's a lot harder to get into Yale than it looks like on paper. What are you guys doing?" He said it naturally, and if you knew him, it was clear that he wasn't using it as an opportunity to brag or anything, but most of the people with them weren't seniors, which meant they had no freaking clue what he was really talking about. That or they didn't want to waste a pleasant day on something that wouldn't happen for over a year.
In Becky's case it was simpler than that. She either paid for school, or she wasn't going.
She tried to make it sound cute, like she just wasn't as driven as he was. It was a simple truth, but it took some actual skill to sell the idea.
"Freemont Community?" Two words. Ones that a lot of their classmates would be uttering in about seven months when reality set in, but the look on his face was so unbelieving that it hurt to look at. It was like he felt betrayed by her or something. Becky had no illusions that they'd get to be together forever or anything, but it was like Mitch was writing her off as useless already.
Again.
Keeley shrugged, her face considering rather than looking mean.
"You know, I bet you could get a Coretechs scholarship if you applied Becky. Well, at least if you worked there. I happen to know a few people that can get you in, and it pays at least as much as your current job. Some of the scholarships are good. Full ride." She made it sound like it was a real possibility.
Which Becky didn't really trust. After all, why would a large company do anything for her? Corporations were all evil and run by psychopaths. At least they were on television. Could it really be that different in real life? She'd need to be related to someone, or at least have friends in high places, which she just didn't.
Darla nodded.
"I can see if there are any openings. I have a part time job there, and, you know, I can't
promise
anything, but I can ask my grandma. It might not help, but there
are
a few that go unused most of the time. People just don't have that many kids in the right age range. So, Drama, that would be in the arts section... yeah. We can call and see about it when we get back." There was a shrug, one that could mean anything, so Becky decided not to get her hopes up too high. It was a long shot. The kind of thing that no one really got a chance at. Not outside of fiction.
"That would be really cool. Even if she says no." It would. Darla didn't have any real reason to even be nice to her, but she always was. They all were. The whole group of cheerleaders and their good looking friends. It was hard to trust, but there was a track record now. One that went back months. If it was a trick, they had better acting skills than she did by far. It was hard to make things like that stick, after that much time.
She was given a sandwich that was basically a small salad hidden between two pieces of bread, cut in half diagonally. It wasn't what everyone else had, except Hally, who winked at her about it. Like they were the same. Or at least in the same boat, diet wise. It wasn't really true, because Hally needed to work on about five cheerleader pounds, which were a different beast altogether than her art girl ones. The idea, and shared misery, were good however and she winked back, as if it were a secret.
The boys all had huge things, but the other girls just had regular sandwiches. There were some chips too, but she skipped out on them. She didn't need greasy fingers. It wasn't like they could wash their hands out in the woods after all.
Mitch grinned after a bit and leaned in to her.
"There you go! That's incredible. A full ride scholarship would be perfect. Not as good as already having one, but I think it's worth going for. If Darla Gibson is going to ask her grandmother about it personally, that won't hurt at all." He didn't try to high five her in front of everyone, but that was the general feeling of the moment.
It was nice, having him seem positive about her. It would be nicer if he managed to keep it up for a while, but instead he just ate and then patted her on the back, after they listened to everyone talk about nothing very interesting for a few minutes. Darla was pushing them to hurry, trying not to be obvious about it. She really didn't want to be stuck out after dark however. It was kind of obvious.
Quince stared at her for a bit, fighting a smirk.
"Is it the demons in these woods that you're worried about? I can see that. A ripe young thing like yourself would be a tasty dessert for that kind of thing. Hmmm... Yummy cheerleader." He tried to make it sound sinister, but it didn't work for him, coming out like he was talking around the idea of oral sex instead. Which was gross.
Except for the part where she didn't really mind the idea, herself. Not as long as she got to shower first. That thought surprised her, coming out of nowhere. Mitch was right there, but making eyes at Keeley again, who was being a decent friend and pretending to not notice. In fact, if anything, she was paying most of her attention to Cory. The boy kept grinning at all of them, as if he got the secrets of everything they did, but he didn't say much. Eve stayed close to him though, watching where he looked. She smiled too, for some reason.
The head cheerleader grumped a little at Quince, but didn't seem upset.
"Demons? Hardly my big fear right now. Broken ankles are. If I have to carry you out of here on my back it's going to be a pain." Then, as if in charge or something, she clapped. "All right, don't make me beg! Let's get back on the trail."
The rest of the round trip, another five miles, was done fast, and she was pretty sure her feet were bleeding well before the end of it. No one but Quince and Darla were talking much, and Gary just interjected the occasional witty comment. Or at least he tried.
"We should be there in time." She called that out herself, panting a bit. It was getting dark already, meaning that they hadn't made very good time, but she really did think that they were coming around the last bend. She wasn't right, but no one made fun of her.
Luckily the dirt path was pretty well defined, so they didn't have to try and stop for the night when it got too dark to see.
Darla just snickered.
"Well... Here we go then. Notice how I'm not saying that thing that would be rude and annoying, but that everyone expects me to?"
Eve cleared her throat, sounding for all the world like a ninety year old librarian.
"You mean, that you told us so?"
"Why yes, I believe I
do
! I wish I'd brought a flashlight. That was a bit of an oversight. I mean, I have a snakebite kit, even if it's too cold for reptiles, but not even a glow stick. Stupid. I guess that means that we should do this kind of thing more often, so that I don't mess up like that. I personally blame Keeley. She never wants to do anything, but talk about her feelings."
That got a chuckle, since it wasn't really true. If anything the other girl was closed mouthed about herself. Becky felt nearly like the chatty one that way. Well, her and Hally.
Who broke out a small flashlight, and moved to the front.
"It was in Keeley's kitchen drawer."
Cory actually clapped and pulled Eve up to be by their clever new leader, holding her hand. It was probably just so they wouldn't be separated in the dark. She was a bit nervous, but tried to do the same with Mitch. He just took it and nodded.
"Good idea. Thanks Hally. That was brilliant, thinking ahead like that."
Then they all walked, their combined noise thunderous in the dark. It was a lot of crackling underfoot, and a bit of strained breathing. A thrill of fear ran down her spine, and Becky looked around, not seeing anything outside of the small round of light at Hally's feet.
The woods could have had anything in them. Wolves, or bears, rabid squirrels. Anything. It didn't, she was sure, based on wishful thinking, but that didn't really make her feel any better. To top it off, Quince started talking about ghosts. That and demons.
"Back in ancient Sumer, before most of human history, all of the gods were a part of nature. An, the god of the Earth, Enki, the god of fresh water, and Inanna, the goddess of war. So, you get the idea, it was pretty primitive stuff. It didn't explain the things in the dark though, so demons were invented. Or maybe discovered. Ghosts were known too. Way back then. Things that don't exist don't last that long in human memory, so that means something. There are things like that all around us, all the time. Demons, they don't have to be giants with horns and pitchforks. They could be anything. Or
anyone
.
I
could be one, and you might never know it. Or any of us could. I don't know if Gary was kidding about what he saw, but I've seen things that no one would believe, in places very much like this. On the edge of the world, in places where nature gives way to what man had built." He went silent, as something crashed off in the distance, making a thump, like something striking a tree. It got Becky to squeak and grab Mitch's hand more tightly. She had leather gloves on, and he didn't have anything, but he didn't let go, or complain.
Then Quince laughed.
"Sorry, I threw a rock. It's not an actual attack. I shouldn't scare you all." He didn't sound sorry. It was more... Smug than that.
The others all laughed, but it was a nervous sounding thing. Well, Mitch didn't, but Becky could tell he'd been startled, and was hiding it. Quietly, instead of behind false humor. Some people did that, didn't they? It made him seem kind of brave really. He hadn't screamed like a little baby, which had been her go to move, as if that would have helped anything at all if it had been a wild animal or a killer with an ax. Of course, it wasn't either of those things, and they all kept walking as Darla scoffed a bit.
She sounded sarcastic and a bit mean for once as she went after the guy. Good looking football player or not.
"Really, what the heck was that? First you make up stuff about summer and then try to scare us all half to death? Lame, Quince. Totally and completely dumb."
The boy just walked for a long time, but finally spoke, saying only one word.
"
Sumer
."
That one got a laugh too. Mainly from Mitch, but Cory had to stifle his own mirth, it seemed. At least she thought that was what was going on up front, by the light. Luckily it didn't become a big thing, since they got back to the parking lot about then, the whole thing different in the dark.
As they all jogged over to the cream colored van, Mitch pulled on her arm, keeping her from dashing off with the rest, not that they were moving fast.
"Um, I didn't know you were in so tight with Keeley... Do you think you could find out what she thinks of me?" It was said with an innocent air to it, but the words hurt a bit. It was like he just didn't even see her as a woman at all. They'd known each other for years, but
she
got nothing. Keeley showed up less than six months before, and suddenly it was
all
about her. She didn't growl at him, but wanted to. Why couldn't he see her? Was she really that bad?
"I... We're not in the third grade, so no. If you want her that bad, talk to her." It sounded nastier than she'd intended it to, sharp and prickly, which really should have been a sign to him, but he just shook his head. At least that's what she thought he was doing. It wasn't like she could see him or anything, as dark as it was. It wasn't late, but other than the light from Hally's flashlight, there was nothing but the stars overhead and the glow from the city, which was about ten miles away.
"Whatever. I guess you're right. I just don't want to be the one taking the risks. I will. Don't worry about it. I've got this one. Thanks." It didn't sound like he really meant it. In fact it seemed a bit like he was pissed with her.
In that way the whole day was no doubt a ringing success, hadn't it? Well, at least Keeley would be able to get a date with him. Maybe it was time for her to get out of the way, and not interfere? If he couldn't be happy with her, Mitch might as well at least be
happy
. Wasn't it wrong for her to want to get in the way of that?
That both felt right,
and
like she was being a moron. It was as if she was missing something. Some part of the scene that had to be added for it to make sense. It might just be that she needed to make herself more attractive, that or get rid of the competition, but it wasn't Keeley's fault that she was perfect.
She wasn't though, was she?
No, she had that secret, about her anorexia that Becky could exploit. If she were evil enough. The question then, really, had to be a simple one.
Was she?
Becky didn't think so, but she was running out of options. She didn't want to betray her friend, but she didn't want to lose her only chance at the guy she liked forever either. School was almost over, and she'd run out of time. In a few months they'd part ways forever.