Lucky (21 page)

“It’s not what you think.” Callie got to her feet, her heels wobbling beneath her. “You know how Tinsley is—she’s just making noise.”

Easy didn’t seem to have heard a word she said. “Nice.” He handed her the phone, shaking his head as if to shake all the lies from his ears.

“Easy!” Callie’s eyes stung with hot tears. “You can’t just leave me like this.”

But apparently he could.

Email Inbox

From:
[email protected]

To:
[email protected]

Date:
Wednesday, October 16, 2:49 P.M.

Subject:
RE: Meow!

Dear Marx the Cat—

Looks like you’ve gotten your wish, I’m going to be home later tonight. I’ll explain everything once I get there. Tell Vanessa she can stay in my room, I’ll stay on the couch for now.

Love you guys, see you soon.

Jenny

Jenny hoisted her beat-up duffel onto her shoulder and walked toward the waiting yellow taxi. Just a short cab ride and a few hours on the train separated her from home, from her ramshackle but inviting apartment on the Upper West Side; her old room; her crazy, wonderful, gastronomically challenged father; and her beloved cat. Footsteps echoed behind her and her heart skipped a beat. She hoped it was Julian, or maybe Easy … but when she spun around, she saw Dean Marymount instead, his Waverly tie flying over his shoulder as he sprinted toward her. A faint cold fear crept up Jenny’s spine. What other punishment did Marymount want to inflict before she got in the cab and disappeared forever? Was he going to handcuff her or something?

Jenny took one last look at the campus behind him. She really did love Waverly, with its stately redbrick buildings, its rosy-faced students, its tradition. She loved living in a dorm, playing field hockey, going to parties in the woods. Kissing boys and hanging out with all her new friends. She was really going to miss it.

“Wait!” Marymount called out, an annoyed look on his face. He slowed to a jog and then stopped, resting his hands on his khaki-clad knees. His graying sandy hair was spread in strings across his growing bald spot.

Should she just tell him to get a toupee and make a break for it?

“Mrs. Miller just called,” he tried to explain, still breathing heavily. He straightened up and adjusted his tie.

Jenny screwed up her face, wondering what this was all about. Did the old lady want the chance to personally reprimand the arsonist? Would she be forced to clean up the wreckage, one charred piece of wood at a time? Would she be sent to jail? She hadn’t thought of that. Wasn’t she too young?

“She insists the whole thing was … an accident.” Mary-mount went on, pulling down on his sweater and collecting himself. “She claims one of her
cows
started the fire.” His cold blue eyes scanned Jenny carefully, as if waiting to pounce on the first betrayed emotion. But she was too stunned to move a muscle. “I don’t see how a cow could start a fire. However”—he squinted into the sun—”she says she’s sure it was one of her cows. What do you think about that?” He put his hands on his hips, waiting for her answer.

Jenny had a hard time processing what exactly it was Marymount was saying. She set her bag down on the gravelly driveway, rubbing her numbed shoulder. Did he really want her to answer that question? Cows starting fires? She didn’t even know what the hell he was talking about. But wait, was he trying to say she wasn’t expelled after all?

“Anyway, she said she didn’t want anyone at Waverly to be blamed,” Marymount continued, his voice full of suspicion. “Personally, I think she’s a crazy old woman who has lived alone for too long, but …” He scratched his head, and some of the carefully placed strings of hair shifted, revealing his shiny bald head.

The cabdriver honked his horn impatiently and Marymount glanced toward the waiting car.

“If a Waverly student did start the fire, they’d have to be expelled,” Marymount said, his eyes settling again on Jenny’s round face. “No way around it. Do you agree?”

“But it was the cows,” Jenny answered slowly, starting to get the impression that while Marymount didn’t believe Mrs. Miller’s story, he wasn’t convinced Jenny was guilty, either. “Right?”

Marymount nodded slowly, rubbing his sweaty forehead with his left hand, his gold wedding band glinting in the bright sun. “Yes, right.” He rolled his eyes. “So … it looks like I’m going to have to decline your, ahem,
confession
.”

Jenny looked back toward campus, at the perfect green lawns and perfectly lush trees, at the perfect piles of leaves. Behind her, the cabdriver revved his engine. It took her a second to convince herself that Marymount wasn’t kidding, that it wasn’t some cruel joke. Her heart began to race.

“You’d better get to class, Ms. Humphrey.” Marymount stared her down, tapping a finger against the silver watch on his wrist.

Jenny just stared back at him, pressing her lips together. She couldn’t wait to see the look on everyone’s face when they saw her back in Dumbarton, back in her old room. Back in her classes. She’d be back in the dining hall for dinner. Tonight was her favorite—make-your-own-pita-pizza night. And tomorrow, Jenny would stride across Waverly’s green campus and a hundred Owls would whisper her name.

She was
back
.

Instant Message Inbox

HeathFerro:
Old lady Miller saves the day! Someone buy that bat a beer!

JulianMcCafferty:
What are you talking about, Ferro?

HeathFerro:
U didn’t hear? She told Marymount her
COWS
set the fire—no expulsions necessary.

JulianMcCafferty:
Wait, so Jenny’s staying?

HeathFerro:
Why, were U already planning your reunion w/ Tinsley?

Instant Message Inbox

SageFrancis:
OMG
, Celine was at the bank just now and old lady Miller was depositing a
FAT
check. Told the clerk she’s going to build a guesthouse where the barn was.

BrandonBuchanan:
Huh. Insurance kicked in?

SageFrancis:
Insurance doesn’t cut checks that quickly.

BrandonBuchanan:
You think someone bribed her to save Jenny?

SageFrancis:
Exactly, Sherlock. Who do you think it was? My guess is someone rich and male… .

BrandonBuchanan:
I’d like to thank him. Jenny’s too sweet to get expelled.

SageFrancis:
Watch out, you’re making me jealous.

BrandonBuchanan:
That’s the idea.

Instant Message Inbox

TinsleyCarmichael:
Fucking cows?!

CallieVernon:
Whatever. That’s the least of my problems.

TinsleyCarmichael:
Y?

CallieVernon:
EZ found out what we did. I think it’s over.

TinsleyCarmichael:
Shit. I’m sorry.

CallieVernon:
You should be.

TinsleyCarmichael:
What’s that mean?

CallieVernon:
It means I’m too upset to talk to you right now.

Instant Message Inbox

BrettMesserschmidt:
Is it for real? Are you back?

JennyHumphrey:
I guess so! So weird. An hour ago, I was expelled. Now I’m back.

BrettMesserschmidt:
Well,
I’M
thrilled … and so are a ton of other people.

JennyHumphrey:
I can think of a few who aren’t.

BrettMesserschmidt:
Fuck ’em. You heard about Mrs. Miller, right? She was totally bribed by someone to say the cows did it.

JennyHumphrey:
What R U talking about? Bribed?

BrettMesserschmidt:
Someone
REALLY
didn’t want you to go. Enough to
PAY
for you to stay.

JennyHumphrey:
That’s crazy… .

BrettMesserschmidt:
Welcome back, babe. Now it’s time to figure out who your secret admirer is! And don’t worry, Inspector M is on the case.

JennyHumphrey:
Oooh, I’ve always wanted a secret admirer… .

First job:
Waitress at restaurant with roaches.

Worst job:
Waitress at restaurant with roaches.

Favorite place:
Primrose Hill in London.

Favorite
NYC
hotspot:
My patio, where I planted all these flowering trees and bamboo. I like to have friends over and hang out back there until the mosquitoes drive us indoors.

Guilty pleasure:
American Idol
.

Best friend’s first name:
Pony Boy (my nearly hairless cat).

Good luck charm:
Diamond earrings.

When you were a little girl, you thought you would grow up to be a…?
Writer, always. I wanted to be a ballet dancer too, and a horse back rider, but writing won out in the end.

All-time favorite American Idol:
Kelly. I’m a huge fan.

Favorite designer:
I don’t just have one favorite designer. I have more like twenty. I like Diane von Furstenberg and Marc Jacobs and Theory and Issa and Celine. But I buy a lot of clothes at Target. I just bought this amazing little black dress there by Patrick Robinson, one of those visiting designers that did a line just for Target. It fits so perfectly and it was only $27.99.

Favorite jeans:
My favorite jeans are Joes Jeans and Imitation of Christ.

Favorite movie:
It’s a Wonderful Life
(I cry every time).

Biggest fashion blunder:
White duck feather jacket.

Next vacation destination:
I’m going to Rio de Janeiro soon with my husband. I’m very excited-I’ve always wanted to go to Brazil! You won’t catch me in one of those string thong bikini things though. Hello?!

French fry dip:
Stupid question: ketchup.

Astrological sign:
Cancer.

Lucky color:
Don’t have one. I’m fickle that way.

Midnight snack:
Sleep.

Celebrity crush:
Madonna (she takes herself so seriously!).

Favorite book:
The Great Gatsby.

Item you can’t live without:
Fresh air? Not really, I’m very low maintainance. But I like my watered-down grapefruit juice first thing in the morning, followed by two cups of very strong milky coffee.