At about 2:00, Rae put a towel in a bag and headed downstairs. "Mom?" she whispered to her mom, sleeping on the couch. She grabbed a napkin from the kitchen and wrote the words:
Mom, went on a walk. Rae.
She put the napkin on the table and noiselessly walked out the front door, heading to the lake. She took a deep breath and soaked in the beautiful fall day: blue, cloudless sky, luckily it was still warm. All of the past days' events seemed clear out of Rae's mind as she walked down the street, humming or whistling as she pleased.
She pushed back the leaves in front of the path on the way to the lake and squinted as the clear blue water reflected the sunlight. She practically ran to the water; kicking off her flip flops, she threw herself into the water, sighing. Wading about knee-deep into the water, she shivered a little and adjusted her usual Saturday attire of basketball shorts and a tank top. She felt free, away from all the troubles of boys and friends and school. She walked around the water for a few minutes, watching the tiny fish swim around her. Once her fingers started to prune she called it a day and dried off with the towel she pulled from the bag.
Shoving the now wet towel back in the bag, Rae put on her purple flip flops and turned to the path leading back to civilization.
3:17 was the time when she got back and on her screen flashed:
New Message
From: Lash
She smiled as Lash's picture appeared as well.
Hang tonight? 7:30?
Just like Lash: short, sweet, and to the point. Rae responded, accepting the invitation. She looked at the table where she had left the note for her mother and found another note there:
Went to store, should be back by four. Love, Mom.
Rae went upstairs and turned on the water in the shower to warm it up. She threw her shorts in the hamper in the corner, discarded the rest of her clothing and stepped into the warm shower. She washed her hair, careful around her sore head. She stepped out of the shower, feeling refreshed, and put on a clean pair of shorts and a t-shirt.
For absolutely no reason at all, Rae was in such a good mood. She cleaned up the kitchen and her room and, as promised, at 4:00, her mom walked in the door with bags of groceries. She noticed her daughter's good mood and laughed.
"What?" Rae asked, putting some milk in the fridge.
"Why are you so happy?" she handed Rae some cereal. She told her mother of her walk to the lake and her plans with Lash tonight. "I don't want you staying out too late tonight, hun," she said, shaking her head. "You're still hurt."
"Come on Margaret," Rae laughed, "you're starting to sound like my mom."
Rae finished helping her mom put the groceries away and went upstairs to get ready for her 'date.' She braided her still-wet hair and put on her favorite pair of jeans. "Want me to drive you?" her mom asked when she walked down the stairs at 7:00.
"Nah," Rae said. Her mom gave her a skeptical glance. "I'll be fine." Another disapproving look came across her mother's face. "Really, I feel fine."
"If you say so," Rae smiled and kissed her mother goodbye. "Be home by 11:00!" she called after her, earning a thumbs-up in return.
It only took about 10 minutes to walk to Lash's from her house so Rae walked a little slower; turning onto his street ten minutes early anyway. Approaching his house, Rae saw other cars parked out front and sighed. They're all here, she thought. Disappointed that she wasn't going to be spending time alone with her boyfriend, she walked slower still as she approached the house. She was almost to the front steps when she heard voices inside.
"You got her eatin' out of the palm of your hand, man," Rae heard Speed say and the rest laughed. She stood silently on the porch, listening to the four seniors' "private" conversation. She heard Lash a little uneasily, he sounded uncomfortable.
Gwen laughed. "Since those sidekicks are so protective of their little friend Stronghold," she spat his name. "Little Rae is all the help we need, now that Warren's out of the picture." The group shared a quiet laugh again.
"You sure she doesn't know?" Multiple Penny's asked.
Lash laughed more surely this time. "She doesn't suspect a thing."
Rae had half a mind to storm inside and kick all their asses, and she almost did. But she decided to play it a little cooler. She quietly walked down the steps and then walked up again, making sure they heard her footsteps. As soon as she did this, the talking ceased. Rae knocked on the door and put a pleasant look on her face.
"Hey, Babe," Lash said as he opened the door and kissed her quick on the lips.
"Hey," she smiled despite what she had just heard. "How's your arm?" he had taken the bandages off so the burned flesh was exposed . . . and disgusting.
He shrugged. "It's okay," he put his arm up and started examining the burn.
Rae grimaced, "you should cover that up . . . it's disgusting." She laughed and hit him playfully on his good arm.
They rejoined the rest in the living room and the fun began. They chatted endlessly for awhile, mostly about homecoming and who they were going to take.
"You know, Rae," Gwen started, staring down the little freshman. "I really don't have anyone to go with, but I was thinking," she paused. Rae looked around, everyone was staring at her. "You think you could introduce me to Will Stronghold?"
Rae's stomach turned—this was her chance. She cleared her throat. "Why?"
"Why what?" Gwen asked.
"Why do you want to take Will?"
"What do you mean?" Gwen asked disbelievingly. "Why not Will?"
"He's just a dorky sidekick," Rae said, trying to get her attention off of Will. "He doesn't even have powers." Rae added nonchalantly.
"So what? That doesn't matter." Gwen said, angry that Rae was arguing with her: no one argued with her.
"Why the sudden interest in the freshman with no powers?" Rae stood up. "Do you only want him 'cause you can't have him? 'Cause all his friends won't let you near him?"
"What are you talking about?"
"You wonder why his 'sidekick' friends won't let you near him when it should be clear: they hate you. All of you."
"Where is this coming from?" Gwen yelled. Lash and Speed tried to separate the two but they just pulled away.
"Is that the only reason you kept me around? So you could get to Will?" Rae was yelling at Lash now. "And now that Warren's 'out of the picture' you think I'll fall for these lies now?" Rae started for the door.
Lash grabbed her arm. "Whoa, Rae, where are you getting this?" he asked, even though he already knew.
"Don't even lie," she shook her head. "I heard you talking." She walked out the door and Lash followed her, stopping her from leaving.
"Is that the only reason you ever started talking to me?" the tears were welling up in her eyes. He didn't answer. "You only wanted me around so you could get to Will?" Nothing but silence. She turned to leave and Lash didn't stop her this time; she walked home, letting the tears fall.
