I got to Algebra class at the same time as yesterday. Bledbaum was there bright and early this time though. These new teachers never know what the hell they're doing. I bet that "value" assignment was nothing more than an excuse for having no lesson plan.
"Hey."
I looked up. Sophia.
"Hi," I think my voice cracked a little, I hoped she didn't notice.
"I am so pissed off. I had to take the bus today."
"Oh, that's too bad." Damn, I tried to think of something to say, something other than 'I like your shirt'.
"My dad took my car away because I got too many speeding tickets. Completely not my fault, the damn cops have nothing better to do than harass teenagers. I don't know how I'm going to get home either, because of this stupid class. I hate Algebra, I hate being here. Why did we have to get stuck with this dickhead teacher? He doesn't even teach anything. We're probably going to have to sit around a campfire today."
"Yeah," I simply said.
The teacher stood up from his desk. "All right, class. Let's get started on the road to Algebra today," he said enthusiastically.
Damn, you pin-headed prick, sit back down, I want to talk to her some more.
"Now Algebra is really just arithmetic with letters. Some of the vocabulary may be confusing to you, but by the context of it you'll..."
I drowned out his squeaky voice with my own thoughts, like everybody else had done by then. I glanced quickly at Sophia, just to remind myself of what she looked like, then turned back. She was so beautiful. I don't know what it was that made me so attracted to her. Her rebellious nature, her raw beauty, maybe it was just the way she talked to me. She truly had a unique look about her, not like I've seen on any other girl. It was like there was this indescribable magic surrounding her that made me desire her.
About an hour later, Bledbaum dismissed us. Sophia picked up her books angrily, "Now I have to wait until my dad gets home for him to come get me." I just watched her pick up her books, kind of wishing that I could do something to help. "Do you have a car?" she asked.
"Yeah," I said.
"Would you mind taking me home?"
"Sure."
"It's no problem?"
"Nope."
"OK, let's go."
We exited the school and went out to the parking lot. I was so glad I could help her with her problem and make her a little happier. I unlocked the door of my truck and we both got in.
"Where am I going?" I said.
"Actually, we're going to a place to meet my friends."
"Oh, OK." Strange that she'd change plans so suddenly, and I didn't see why she'd lie to me, but either way I didn't have a problem with it, I guess. "Where is it?"
"We go to an abandoned church. Do you know where the Dairy Queen is?"
"Yeah."
"It's just across from there, it looks like a temple."
"I know where that is." I started the car and drove out onto the main road. "Do you meet there everyday?"
"Yeah, pretty much."
As I drove, I thought over where I was going. She's a goth girl and she's meeting friends in abandoned church - I hope they don't think they're vampires or some Satan-worshipping cult. Some people think they're better than others by praying to the devil. Mindless, little Marilyn Manson-wannabes.
It wasn't a long drive. I went past the Dairy Queen and as I pulled up to the disintegrating church parking lot, I looked up. This thing was like something out of the dark ages. The sullen, morose building grew into tall spires pointing to the blue sky. Its stained glass windows were broken. The whole place was built with mortar and bricks lightly coated in grime. It might as well have been holding together with spit and chewing gum.
"You can come in if you want," she said.
Oh, yes. Tip of the hand to fate. Of course, I said, "Sure." Very good sign, including me in with her friends.
We walked in together. There was a big "CONDEMNED BY ORDER OF BUILDING COMMISSION" sign on the front doors, but we went in anyway. The sign's probably been there since she started coming here.
The chapel was huge, as most chapels are. And it was as dark inside as it was outside. Light streamed down from the broken windows, but did little to lighten the atmosphere. A mighty Jesus crucifixion cross was placed on the back wall, and almost all the benches were broken or flipped over.
"Hey, what the hell took you so damn long?" a voice from the back said.
There was a guy coming toward us wearing a black Korn T-shirt and a hemp necklace. He had spiked black hair and he looked pretty pissed off.
"And who the hell is this guy?" he continued. "When did we start bringing anybody off the street?"
"Settle down, Jo! This is Caleb - my friend from school."
"Uh-huh, so what's he doing here?"
"He drove me here, and he's going to be coming for at least a week because my dad took my car away, so get used to him."
"Uh, lemme think for a minute - NO!" he said acidly and rapidly.
"Well, you're going to have to get used to it."
"Why the hell should I trust him? I should toss him out right now."
"And you know damn well what's going to happen to you if you try to do that," she threatened.
"No, you know damn well what's going to happen if any of this gets out. That's why this is not open season here."
I was confused about why they wanted to keep it so secret. I was getting a little suspicious, but I kept my mouth shut because it wasn't my fight.
"We don't need another person. I know we can get it with just th-"
"You know perfectly well that we do."
"Yeah, the hell we do."
"Yeah, let's just see what Quentin thinks."
"All right, fine." He went to the front pews to get Quentin.
Sophia whispered to me, "That's Josiah, he's always like that. But Quentin'll like you, don't worry." We went to the front pews and I saw this guy dozing tranquilly, his face covered by a tan hat, a Dairy Queen blizzard was behind his head.
"Hey, Quentin. Hey, wake up, dickhead!" Josiah kicked him in the leg and Quentin jumped with a start.
"What? What, what?!" he looked around startled. "Oh, sorry, I was having a dream I was playing Trivial Pursuit with Jesus. He was winning."
Josiah rolled his eyes. "Whatever, listen, do you think we need another one in...?"
Quentin raised his hat and took a look at me. "Oh, is this the new guy?"
"This is Caleb, he drove Sophia here."
"Did he?" The guy got up and shook my hand. "Hi, Caleb. My name's Quentin, but some people call me QT because of Quentin Tarantino. You seen any of his movies?"
"Uh, I saw Pulp Fiction."
"That was a good movie. Did you see From Dusk 'til Dawn?"
"Quentin, what the hell does this have to do with anything?" Jo asked.
"I was just wondering, since none of you likes Tarantino."
"Cause he's a hyperactive, living-with-his-mom-in-the-basement loser. Kinda like you."
Quentin just ignored the insult.
"All right, so what do you think?" Sophia queried.
"I say we take a vote," Quentin remarked.
"This ain't no democracy, Quentin," Jo answered.
"It's not a dictatorship either, Jo," Sophia retorted.
"Well, I'm not letting him in just cause want him. I don't even know the guy, neither does Quentin."
"He's got a point."
"Look," Sophia sighed, tired of this whole argument. "It's not like he's in yet," she said quieter, "Let's just give him a trial run, all right? Would that make you happy? Then you can decide."
Jo approached me and looked me up and down. "I don't know what she sees in you," he muttered.
"Maybe it's my cologne."
Quentin started giggling uncontrollably. I don't know why, I didn't think it wasn't that funny.
"Shut up!" Jo yelled. Quentin quieted down.
"All right, you just got until Sophia gets her car back. Then I'll decide if you get to be let in. And don't think I'll be easy on you either. Understand?"
This was sounding less like a group of friends and more like a membership club, and a pretty exclusive one at that. This guy already seems to want to see me dead, and he's known me for five minutes. The other has a strange obsession over Quentin Tarantino and dreams about playing board games with religious figures. Any other sane person would have left this church ten seconds after they saw it.
But Sophia was here - this was part of her life and I wanted to be a part of it too, even if it meant I had to deal with Psycho and his brother Sicko.
"Understood," I said.