Justice for All (The Outcast Book #1) Page 21

  She presses her face to the window as the cab pulls away. Even once we’re down the block she keeps looking back. I finally grab her by the shoulder to pull her back. “Get a grip, would you?”

  “I can’t help it. We’re in love.”

  “Love? You’ve seen this guy twice.”

  “So? You’ve only seen Colin twice.”

  “Four times,” I say. “And we’ve talked on the phone.”

  “Whatever. Why are you being so cynical about this? I thought you were my friend.”

  “I am your friend. I don’t want you getting hurt is all. How much do you really know about this guy?”

  “He’s seventeen. He’s a senior at John Adams High School. He’s really good at Magic too.”

  “Magic? Like card tricks?”

  “No, silly. Magic the Gathering. That’s what we were playing. He was so awesome. He totally obliterated all the other guys. But you wouldn’t understand.”

  “I really wouldn’t. The store owner really likes your comic book. He says you draw like a professional.”

  “Really? He said that?”

  “Yeah. He showed it to me and I told him you drew it. He couldn’t believe it was someone your age. It’s that good.”

  “Oh my God! That is so awesome! Once we get back to St. Martha’s I have to make another issue. I just wish I could think of something.”

  “I can think of one thing you could do.”

  “Those guys on campus?” She shudders at this. “I don’t want to think about them.”

  “Dr. Tyrell would probably say it’s a good idea. Cathartic or something.”

  “I don’t care. I don’t want to relive that. Not now.”

  “OK, fine. It was just an idea.”

  “A bad idea,” she says and then pouts.

  “Sorry.”

  Melanie hardly says a word to me on the way back to the motel or even in the elevator. We creep down the hallway and then slip into our room. Jessica isn’t in there and she hasn’t left a note, so for the moment it seems like we got away with it.

  I go into the bathroom to put on a pair of shorts for bed. When I get out, Melanie is already in bed, her back turned from me. I shake my head and then turn out the light.

  ***

  Melanie is still mad at me as we eat our continental breakfast the next morning. Jessica must sense something is wrong. “Rough night?” she asks.

  “We had a little argument,” I say.

  “She started it,” Melanie says.

  “God, I’m sorry,” I say. “Can’t you let it go already?”

  Melanie shrugs and then takes a bite of blueberry muffin. As I eat some yogurt I think of a way to make her happy with me again. When Melanie has gone to get some more orange juice I ask Jessica if we can go clothes shopping again. “It really cheered her up,” I say.

  “So did seeing that boy.”

  “He might not even be there again.”

  Jessica thinks it over and then nods. “Fine. We can go back there. Just a half-hour. We still got lots of stuff to do.”

  “OK.”

  I don’t tell Melanie before we get to the store. She looks up at the sign and then asks, “What are we doing here?”

  “I thought it’d cheer you up. Come on.”

  I lead her inside and then ask for Nora. She isn’t all that happy to see us again, especially when I ask her to fetch the jacket. “You actually going to buy it?” she asks.

  “Yes. I promise.”

  “Fine. Wait here.”

  Melanie waits until Nora has gone to ask, “How are you going to pay for it?”

  “With this.” I hold up Jessica’s Visa card. “I swiped it while she was showering.”

  “Isn’t she going to be really mad?”

  “Let her be. The guy at the comic book store said this would totally work. I mean not as good as like a suit of armor, but better than a sweatshirt.”

  “Are you serious?”

  “Totally.”

  Nora comes back with the jacket and I try it on to make sure she brought the same one. Then I hand her Jessica’s credit card to ring us up. That puts a little spring in her step and for a moment at least wipes the sneer off her face. I wear the jacket out, making sure to throw the tag away so Jessica can’t see it.

  She of course notices my new jacket. “How much was that?”

  “Not much. It was on sale.”

  She studies me for a moment and then shrugs. “It looks nice. I don’t think they’ll let you wear it at school, though.”

  “It’ll be for when I get back home.”

  “It looks really awesome,” Melanie says. She’s a lot happier with me now than she was at breakfast. She gets even happier when we go to Boston Common so she can meet up with Taylor again. I lie down on the grass with my new jacket off and my shirt tied to expose my stomach. Jessica lies down next to me, though she stays fully clothed.

  “How much did that jacket really cost?”

  “Are you going to make me take it back?”

  “That depends.”

  “It was three hundred.”

  “Dollars?”

  “What else?”

  “Robin—”

  “What? It made Melanie happy. And Colin is going to think it’s really cute.”

  “Is that why you did it?”

  “Of course.”

  “You’re getting too devious. What happened to my little sister selling Girl Scout cookies?”

  “She grew up.” I roll up the jacket to use as a pillow that’s not much more comfortable than a rock and then close my eyes. I’m not sure how much time goes by before Jessica wakes me up.

  “Come on, sleepyhead. We’ve got to go.”

  “I’m coming,” I grumble. I’ve barely got to my feet before Melanie grabs my arm. She starts jumping up and down with excitement. “What’s with you?”

  “I told Taylor about the comic book and he thinks it’s awesome. He asked me if he could help. Can you believe it?”

  “It’s amazing.”

  “I know! You think we could use the room? I mean, if you don’t mind hanging out with your sister for a little bit?”

  “Yeah, sure. No problem.”

  Melanie kisses me on the cheek as she simultaneously crushes me in a hug. “You’re the best!”

  “I know.”

  Chapter 24

  As I figured, it’s almost impossible to get Melanie to board the bus for Evettsville. Taylor came out to see her off; she gives him a lengthy kiss on the lips as the driver and the rest of the passengers begin to grumble. I have to drag her away from him with both hands. “I’ll call you when I get back! I promise!” she shouts.

  She presses herself to the window to wave to him as the bus finally gets underway. I lean over to wave to Jessica. Our goodbye was a lot more sedate. She gave me the usual about staying out of trouble and then hugged me. “You take care of yourself.”

  “You too.”

  “I’ll be up there in June to pick you up.”

  “I can’t wait.”

  Then I got on the bus until I had to fetch Melanie. She starts to sob as Boston fades behind us. I let her lean against me, her tears running down my leather jacket. “It’s not fair. We’re a perfect couple. We like all the same things, you know?”

  “I know, honey. It’ll be all right. You can call him tonight.”

  “It’s not the same! You know that.”

  I do know that; talking to Colin on the phone is a lot different than seeing him in person. There’s not much else either of us can do, though, not until we’re old enough to live on our own. Until then we’re at the mercy of our parents—or legal guardian in my case.

  I’m glad when Melanie falls asleep, though less glad that her head is in my lap. I’m sure her next session with Dr. Tyrell is going to be really interesting; she’ll probably chew his ear off the whole time about how awesome Taylor is. The doctor will be lucky to get a word in edge-wise.

  It’s late afternoon when we
finally get back to Evettsville. Sister Matilda is there to greet us. “My goodness. What happened?” she asks.

  “I met the perfect man and now he’s gone!” Melanie wails. I pass her off to Sister Matilda, trailing them with the suitcases. Melanie sits in the front seat of the station wagon to continue telling Sister Matilda about all the things she and Taylor did in Boston. “I wish I could stay there.”

  “Well, they say absence makes the heart grow fonder,” Sister Matilda says.

  “Is that in the Bible?”

  “No. I think it was Shakespeare.”

  “Oh. That guy. He’s good too. Do you really think that’s true?”

  “I don’t know, sweetheart. I don’t have much experience with that myself.”

  “Oh, right. Sorry.”

  “What about you, Rose? How was Boston?”

  “It was fun.”

  “Did you meet anyone?”

  “No.”

  “She has a boyfriend, remember?”

  “Yes, of course.”

  “She can still see hers. I mean he doesn’t live like three hundred miles away.”

  “If it’s truly meant to be then God will find a way for you to be together,” Sister Matilda says.

  “Why did God have to split us up in the first place? Why couldn’t he have let me stay in Boston? Or let Taylor come here?”

  “There’s no sense questioning his infinite wisdom.”

  “That’s what you guys always say. What a copout.”

  “Melanie—”

  “Whatever.”

  Sister Matilda shakes her head. This isn’t the kind of thing nuns are prepared to handle, even a younger one like Sister Matilda. It won’t get any easier I’m sure, which is why when we do get back to our room, I try to distract her.

  “Why don’t we work on your comic book? I don’t know a lot, but—”

  “Taylor and I already have a script for the first three issues. It’s going to be awesome.”

  “Three issues? Wow.” I thought when they were in the motel room they were making out, not actually writing the comic.

  “Taylor is super-smart about this stuff. He has like a whole basement full of comics. Most of them are from his dad and grandpa, but he has a bunch too. Anyway, all I have to do now is draw it.”

  “Oh. Is there anything I can do?”

  “Not really.”

  “OK.”

  “Well, actually there was something we talked about. After I get the issues drawn, we were thinking of making a video to promote it. Like on YouTube and stuff.”

  “What sort of video?”

  “Like the Outcast beating people up and stuff. You know, like what you did on the train? And those jerks on campus. Since you’re like the real life Outcast, I thought maybe you could be the star. You wouldn’t have to actually beat anyone up. We could find a couple of people and pretend, you know?”

  “That’s a really…interesting idea.” I want to tell her it sounds idiotic, but I don’t want to hurt her feelings. “Do we have a video camera or anything?”

  “We can get one. Maybe you could ask Colin for help. He probably has some friends he could ask.”

  “Sure. I’ll ask him.”

  “And we’ve got to fix up your costume. I mean the jacket is awesome for a start, but you need some pants to go with it. And a mask. A wig would be good too.”

  “A wig?”

  “Yeah. No offense, but your hair isn’t really right for this. It should be like it used to be, you know?”

  “I get it,” I say, running a hand through my boring brown hair. She does have a point that it wouldn’t be very intimidating or sexy. “That seems like a pretty long shopping list. Especially since we can’t leave campus.”

  “I know. We’ll figure something out. You can get started on that if you want. I’m going to work on the new issue.”

  “Sure. No problem.” I drop onto my bed and then sigh. What have I gotten myself into now?

  ***

  It’s only two weeks later that I’m standing in a pasture, hoping I don’t step in any cow pies with these new boots. I can barely walk in the things, let alone kick anyone. They’re black leather boots that go up to my knees with stiletto heels that are not suited to walking around in the country.

  The boots are on loan from the sister of one of Colin’s friends. The pasture belongs to that same friend’s father. The black leather skirt came from Mrs. Maxwell’s shop, as did the black pageboy wig that’s starting to itch. Colin got the black mask from the general store’s toy department; the rubber band keeps shifting to make the mask crooked.

  Another of Colin’s friends had a video camera we’re able to use on the condition that he gets to shoot the video. He imagines himself to be the next JJ Abrams or something. I don’t feel like a starlet at all in my awkward superhero costume, in this pasture. But it does give me a chance to hang out with Colin again.

  He’s dressed up in a white tank top and jeans with a fake scar on his right cheek. He narrows his eyes and growls, which only makes me giggle. “You’re supposed to be scared,” he says.

  “You’re not playing a werewolf,” I say. “Save the growling and just try to look mean.”

  “OK, fine.” Under his breath he says, “Diva.”

  “I heard that. I am not a diva!” I shout, stamping one foot and nearly toppling myself. Colin rushes to grab my arm.

  “Maybe you should get some different shoes.”

  “Melanie thinks these are perfect.”

  “They’d be more perfect if you could walk in them.”

  “I know. Don’t say anything. You’ll hurt her feelings.”

  “I’ll say something if you break your neck.”

  I almost topple again as I lean up to kiss his cheek. “My hero.”

  “OK, everyone, places!” Melanie shouts.

  “That’s my line,” the friend with the camera says.

  Colin kisses me on the forehead. “Try to be gentle.” He scampers away to go stand next to his other friend, the one who loaned me the boots.

  I resettle the mask and wig and then take a deep breath. “Ready? Action!” Melanie shouts. She gets a dirty look from the guy with the camera.

  I take a couple of steps without falling on my face. I look to my right and then my left as if I’m searching for something. I stop as I hear Melanie shout, “Get off me! Let me go!”

  The camera turns to Colin and his friend, Melanie held between them in a dress with the bodice torn. She was reluctant to do anything similar to what happened on campus with the convicts, but as I figured, Dr. Tyrell thought it would be therapeutic. He encouraged her to let out some of her feelings by reenacting the incident, which is probably why she’s screaming and crying so convincingly.

  The camera turns back to me as I awkwardly step over a cow pie to confront Melanie’s attackers. I lower my voice to try to sound menacing as I say, “You two picked the wrong night for this. Let her go.”

  Colin turns to me, holding up a knife that is real. “What you going to do about it, kid?”

  “This.” I lunge forward, grabbing Colin’s wrist in large part to stay on my feet. He cries out in pain and then drops the knife. I flip him backwards and he falls to the ground a lot easier than he would in real life.

  The other guy, I chop the knife out of his hand and then kick him in the midsection, though my foot stops about two inches from him. He lets go of Melanie as he collapses to the ground. I grab the front of his shirt to lift him up. “Who are you?” he asks.

  “I’m the Outcast,” I growl and then punch him in the face, my hand getting as close as my foot did to his midsection.

  Melanie almost knocks me over when she throws herself against me. “Thank you so much! How can I ever repay you?”

  “I don’t do this to be rewarded. Just go home and live your life.”

  Melanie nods and then takes off running. “Cut!” the guy with the camera shouts.

  I swipe the wig and mask off and then mop my fac
e with the wig. “Well, that was fun.”

  “You were awesome!” Melanie says. She picks me up to give me a hug. My feet actually come out of the boots, so when she sets me down I’m barefoot on the cool ground. Colin’s friend grabs the boots to keep them safe while Colin brings my real shoes like a faithful dog.

  “You were great,” he says. “Totally badass.”

  “Thanks. Are we going to need another take or anything?”

  “This should be fine,” Melanie says without consulting the guy with the camera. “We have to get back anyway.”

  “Yeah, I guess.”

  Colin’s friends stay to clean up a little while he takes me and Melanie home. “You really were great,” he says. “You should be an actress.”

  “I don’t think so. I think this is pretty much it for my film career.”

  “Unless we get a million hits or something,” Melanie says.

  “We’ll be lucky to get a hundred.”

  “Ye of little faith,” Melanie says.

  “Once it’s posted, I’m going to tell everyone I know,” Colin says.

  “Thanks.” I snuggle close to Colin in the front seat of the pickup. It’s after midnight now and I really just want to go to sleep. I am glad I got to spend some more time with Colin, even if it was for something pretty stupid.

  He stops the pickup not far from the walls of the school. We’ll have to cut through the forest and then climb over the wall using the same tree as the first time I escaped. Melanie gets out first to let me have a couple of minutes alone with Colin. We spent most of that time kissing. I finally have to pull back to say, “I’ll see you in a week for the prom.”

  “You’re sure you can go?”

  “I’m going to get it fixed with Sister Mary Francis,” I lie.

  “I can’t wait.”

  “Neither can I.” I give him a shorter kiss and then climb out of the truck. I wave to Colin before I disappear into the woods.

  Melanie is waiting by the tree already. She gives me a boost to help me onto a branch. I steady myself and then offer a hand to help her up. We have to be quick to scamper across the branch so it doesn’t snap under our weight. I drop over the wall, landing in a crouch. Melanie’s landing is a little less graceful, but she doesn’t hurt herself.