Unlocked (3 page)

Holden stared to the side of Jake, like there was another person, an invisible person, standing beside him. Holden’s eyes caught the light and he blinked a few times. Those ridiculously blue eyes. They searched the empty walls and rows of lockers —but never their faces —as if he couldn’t understand a word they were saying. Or he didn’t want to understand. He flapped his arms again and nodded a few quick times. Then he set his backpack on the floor in front of him, unzipped it, and pulled out a thick stack of flash cards. He sorted through them, his fingers moving fast, careful not to drop a single one. He must’ve found what he was looking for, because he pulled out a card and handed it to Jake.

“What’s this?” Jake scowled as he took it.

“Too early for Valentine’s Day, right Jake, man?” Sam and a few of the guys snickered.

“Shut up.” Jake glared at his friend. “You’re not funny.”

Jake looked at the laminated card. It had the photo of a classroom on it. In the top corner was a small picture of a clock. Beneath were the words “Class Time.”

“Flash cards?” Jake flicked it back at Holden, and it fluttered to the ground. “Use your words, idiot.”

Holden didn’t look at them, and he didn’t look at the flash card on the ground. His expression tensed, and he set his full stack of cards on his open backpack. Then he made an awkward lunge for the card on the floor. As he did, Rudy gave Holden’s backpack a solid kick. The stack of cards scattered everywhere.

“There.” Rudy cussed at Holden and gave him another shove, harder than anything Sam or Jake had done. “Try words next time.”

Holden tried to grab the cards as they scattered, but he missed and lost his balance. He landed with a thud, sprawled out across the linoleum floor. Quickly he scrambled to his hands and knees, breathing hard, his eyes darting about at nothing in particular. Then, with a frantic intensity, he began collecting his flash cards. The crowd in the hallway had thinned out, kids making their way to class. The ones who saw Holden struggling didn’t stop to help.

Jake felt a flicker of remorse. Never mind what the kid looked like or how strong he was. Holden wasn’t fighting back. They’d taken it far enough. “Come on.” He slapped Rudy on the shoulder. “Let’s go. Coach wants us on time this year.”

A murmur of snickers and agreements came from the boys, and they sidestepped Holden and his flash cards. As they did, a skinny kid walked their way. He gave the football players a look, then he called out to Harris, still crawling around on the floor. “Hey … I’ll help you.”

The skinny kid stayed to his side of the hallway as he passed Jake and the guys. Then he set his own backpack down and started picking up cards off the floor.

“What’s this?” Sam stopped in his tracks and turned, his arms crossed. “Another guy from the short bus?” He spat the words at the kid.

The guy had stringy jet-black hair, tight straight-leg jeans, and a threadbare backpack. Another loser. The kid ignored Sam and kept gathering the cards.

“Hey, goth.” Jake laughed. “You’re too late. I’m pretty sure Holden already has a boyfriend.”

Again the kid ignored the comment as he finished helping Holden. Jake waved his hand in their direction. “Forget ’em.” Jake led the way. “We gotta get to class. It’s a big day, boys.”

They’d waited four years for this, the privilege to strut their stuff on the Fulton campus. Jake was about to sign a scholarship offer with one of the big Southeastern Conference colleges, and he was dating the prettiest girl on campus.

Ella Reynolds.

He’d met Ella at the pool over summer. They were both lifeguards, and from the first day Jake kept one eye on the screaming kids and the other on Ella. Through the hottest days of July and August, their friendship grew. Jake had seen her around Fulton, but they never really connected until the pool. He played sweet all summer—sometimes even thought he might be turning soft. She brought that out in him. Good girl, Ella. But he was too young for good girls.

Especially now … his senior year.

Jake planned to hook up with lots of hot girls—especially the freshmen. Over summer—when he wasn’t stealing kisses from Ella—he and Sam and Rudy and the guys talked constantly about the fall. This was their year, the season they’d been waiting for.

He punched Sam in the arm as they walked out of the building. “Win every game, take every title …”

“Get any girl we want.” Sam finished his thought, and both of them cracked up laughing.

Everyone on campus was going to know who they were. Even the freaks like Holden Harris and the skinny goth kid, whatever his name. Because that’s how it worked.

And this year they owned the school.

H
OLDEN COULD HEAR THE MUSIC
. B
EAUTIFUL AND FULL AND
sweeping through the hallways of Fulton High. Rich horns and melodic strings. A fluttering of the ivories from every key known to man. Scintillating highs and mesmerizing lows that filled his senses and carried him along, reminding him that everything was okay. Music that sang to him of Jesus and goodness and love and joy. Peace and kindness. Church music. Music that told him the truth: no matter what, he was okay. Yes, Holden could hear the music.

He just wasn’t sure anyone else could hear it.

Because why would his cards be all across the floor if everyone else could hear the same song?

Holden let the question slide. He collected his special cards and sorted through them until he was sure they were all there. All seventy-three. He looked at the friend helping him. He was saying something, but the words were lost in the music. Holden sorted through the cards again, searching. It was here … it had to be. He had all seventy-three. Forty-six from the friend across from him and twenty-seven from all around his feet. Seventy-three.

Holden sorted, and the music played on. There it was! A picture of a smiling boy with his hand raised. The words on the card said “Thank you.” Holden flashed it to the friend, but he didn’t hand it to him.

Last time he’d handed over a card, they’d ended up scattered across the floor.

“What’s that?” His friend looked at the card and smiled. “Oh. No big deal.” He looked over his shoulder at the football players walking out of the building. “Stay away from those jerks.”

Holden blinked and looked back at the big guys. Mixed in the music were other words, church words. He was three years old and Sunday school was in session and Holden was there again and the teacher was talking.
No, Tommy, don’t call anyone a jerk. These are your classmates and this is Sunday school. We don’t use that word … it’s not nice. We need to pray for our friends, not call them names.

The big guys were jerks? They were almost at the end of the hallway. Walking to the music. Teacher said to pray for people, not call them names. And that’s what the sign on the wall at the church said. Pray on all occasions. Holden nodded, intense, convinced. Okay, then. He would pray. Right now before another minute ran off the clock.
Dear God, be with the guys at the end of the hall. They don’t want to be jerks. Thank You, Jesus. I know You love me. Your friend, Holden Harris.

He prayed for a few seconds, and then his new friend held out his hand.

But Holden didn’t take it. The walls were closing in a little and there was too much noise, too many words. The music was very loud now. He mixed the “Thank you” card back into the deck and looked for another. One more. Harder and harder he looked. There! He pulled it out and held it up to his friend. It showed two guys giving a high five. Beneath it were the words that he wanted his friend to hear.

“You’re my friend?” The guy smiled. “That’s what you want to tell me?”

Holden looked out the window. This was the pretty part of the song. He swayed a little, dancing to the music. “Anyway, I’m Michael Schwartz.”

Michael Schwartz. Maybe Michael could hear the music. Maybe. Holden shuffled through his cards and then looked out the window again. He slipped the cards into his backpack and zipped it up. The music was softer again. A little more swaying
and another look out the window. His mom lived out that way. But he didn’t get to find her until 3:10. After 3:10 he would climb back on the bus and the bus driver would take him home. On the other side of the window.

“Well, okay then. Gotta get to class.” Michael waved. “See you around.”

Holden watched him go. He would pray for Michael, too, because Teacher said to pray for friends. Michael was his friend. But he wouldn’t pray right now because the clock on the wall said 9:05. And 9:05 meant Trigonometry. Trigonometry was when he could relax the most because numbers were like music. They filled his senses and reminded him of the truth. Everything was going to be okay.

He looked at the wide, open hallway and he remembered the big guys. The ones they weren’t supposed to call
jerks.
Something was wrong with them. Something he didn’t have a card for, not even with seventy-three cards. A sharp noise screeched through the music. What if the boys kicked his cards again or what if they kicked him? The screeching grew louder. Screeching and … and …

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The drums crashed and slammed through his head, pounding him, pushing him, hurting him. Hurting his ears. Holden covered the sides of his face, but nothing helped, nothing stopped the drums.

BOOM! CRASH! BOOM!

No! Stop the drums!
Holden shouted the words, but it sounded like screaming in the music. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Please, God …
Jesus loves me, this I know …
please
… for the Bible tells me so …

Holden breathed faster and faster and his eyes closed very tight.
No, not the drums! BOOM! BOOM!
Holden dropped down and lay flat on his stomach. The school floor was cool against his shirt. Quick … very quick, he placed his hands palm down, his
toes against the floor, his body stiff and flat like a board, and his daddy’s voice came strong through the music.

“That’s right, Holden, just like that. That’s a push-up, except when you’re older you’ll keep your back straight. Very good … like the big boys. If you can do that at three years old, you can do anything. Absolutely anything, Holden. Push-ups will make you big and strong like me, buddy. Thatta boy. Keep doing that and no one will mess with you ever … “

Holden heard the words again and again and they sang out against the drumbeat. Up, down, up, down, up, down.
Keep your back straight
…
push-ups will make you big and strong like me, buddy
…
No one will mess with you ever
… Up, down, up, down. Up and hold, down and hold, up and hold, down and hold. Up, down, up, down.

He breathed harder and harder, but now his breathing was the good kind. The drums were quieter now.
Boom … boom … boom …

Twenty-two push-ups, twenty-three, twenty-four …

The drums stopped at twenty-eight push-ups. Twenty-eight. Four sevens. Fourteen twos. Holden popped back up, and the music returned to strings and winds. A couple girls walked by and laughed at him. Maybe they couldn’t hear the song.

Holden grabbed his backpack and easily slung it over his shoulders. Trigonometry was at the other end of the hall and he needed to get there. While he walked, he prayed for Michael.
Thank You, God, for Michael. Jesus loves him, this I know … for the Bible tells me so … Michael helped me with my cards. And Jesus loves the girls who were laughing, because they are weak but He is strong. I know You love me. Your friend, Holden
.

As he walked into the classroom he could hear God answering him and he smiled. Because God told him exactly what he already thought.

Michael could hear the music.

E
LLA
R
EYNOLDS CARRIED HER CHICKEN
C
AESAR SALAD AND
diet Coke to a table at the center of Fulton’s outdoor lunch area. Four days into the school year and still the place was packed, the laughter and voices of a thousand teens louder than usual.

“Ella! Come sit by me!” The shout came from a guy in her Algebra II class. His grin was big and goofy and he was sitting with a group of brainy kids.

“Maybe next time.” She tossed him a flirty look and waved. “Right.” She muttered the last word under breath, her smile intact.

“Hey, baby, over here!” Jake Collins jumped up onto the table and waved at her. He wore jeans and his football jersey, same as the other players. Jake was a big guy with a square face and a strong chin. At first she hadn’t thought he was that cute, but over summer at the pool she got to know the real him. He was kind and thoughtful and romantic, more so than he’d ever show the kids at Fulton.

That was okay. Here he was charming and confident and bigger than life. Especially today. It was Friday and tonight was the first game of the football season. The local papers figured the Eagles to win it all this year, and the buzz across campus was beyond exciting.

“Can’t.” Ella grinned and gave a helpless shrug. She raised her voice loud enough so he could hear her. “It’s game day. Just the guys, remember?”

He groaned and sank a little. A couple of his teammates —Sam and Ryan —pulled at his jersey and tugged him back down
to his place around the table with them. He looked over his shoulder and winked at her. His eyes told her they might not have lunch together, but they’d hang out after the game.

Ella felt the sparkle in her eyes as she moved a few tables down and sat with a group of cheerleaders and dance team girls. They squealed her name as she set her tray down, and LaShante, her closest friend, jumped up, ran around the table, and threw her arms around Ella’s neck. “You did it! I knew you could do it!”

“You know?”

“Of course I know!” LaShante let out a super-happy mock scream. “You’re the lead, Ella! I mean, it’s
Beauty and the Beast
and you’re Belle!” She screamed again and gave Ella another quick hug. “You’re perfect for it, girl.”

“It’s the biggest play we’ve ever done, right?”

“I know. It’s crazy. A hundred girls must’ve tried out for that part.” LaShante took Ella’s hand and led her back to the table. The two sat next to each other, and the other girls leaned in. LaShante lowered her voice so only the group of them could hear her. “This is your
year,
girl. Jake Collins
and
the lead in the school musical!”