Chapter Two:
I started to become anxious when the opening night came closer and closer. I had to tell someone what was going on, but I knew I'd feel terrible about getting Will in trouble. He didn't know who I was anyway, so what was the trouble? Sometimes I would convince myself that it was the right thing to tell Jamie, but when I started to walk over to where she was standing I'd change my mind and turn around. It was like this all rehearsal (without the props) until I decided to ask Jamie what she would do if she was in a situation like mine. I was careful to give it away. I tried to make it sound like what I was talking about had nothing to do with the missing props.
"Well," she said thoughtfully. "It must be in the Lord's plan. He must want this person to do something about it."
My heart sank. Just by looking at Jamie I could tell she knew what I was talking about and she knew that I would have to be the one to do something about the lost props. She must know everything, I thought.
"What if the person really likes this other person and doesn't want to hurt them? What if the person really wants the other person to notice them and like them?"
She shrugged. "What if when the person fulfills the Lord's plan the other person will notice her?" she gave me a smile as I looked puzzled. "And like her?" Jamie left me to think about what she said, and I did, but I still wasn't sure about what I was supposed to do. I couldn't picture the situation turning into what Jamie said. If Will ever found out that I was the one who turned him in, he'd probably kill me.
When everyone started heading home, Jamie came over to me and I was still biting my nails over the situation. I thought she was going to say something else to me, but all she did was smile and pass. I sighed in relief, but it wasn't the kind of relief I needed.
On my way home I noticed that some people were in the graveyard, but it wasn't Will and his friends. I assumed that it was a few people working on the play who heard about the props being in the graveyard. They didn't see me, though, and I was happy for it. I found myself wondering where Will and his friends had put the props on my way home, which was, by the way, the only time I really liked to think about personal things. My mind usually wandered while my feet took me where I needed to go.
By the time I got home my mother almost had dinner ready. She smiled at me as I came through the door, and when she noticed I had to force a smile she asked, "Did you have a bad day?"
"No." I said without looking up.
"Any news about the missing props?"
I was planning to lie to her every time she asked me, but today I had to ask for help. It had been a few days since the props were stolen, and they might have been damaged all ready. All this time I had wanted to find a way to get them back without getting Will into trouble, and I figured maybe my mother could help. "Kind of," I said with a sigh. "I know someone who saw the group who took the props, but she's not sure if she should turn them in or not." There, I thought. That was good.
"Well, isn't it a bit much to know all along who has them but not say anything?" she asked, and I nodded.
"Oh yes. It is. She thinks that she might ruin the chance she ever has with that person, though, if she does turn him in." My mother luckily didn't realize that I was talking about myself.
"I see," she said with a smile and a nod. "Well, I think your friend should just follow her heart. If she thinks the person is worth carrying that awful knowledge around all day, then maybe she shouldn't turn him in. Though I don't think whoever this person is worth it."
I considered what my mother said, and I knew she was right. Will was not worth all this trouble. Did I really have a chance with him anyway? I knew if I didn't tell anyone, I'd probably regret it.
"Thanks," I said, smiling at her. "I'm sure my friend will like that advice."
"Anytime." she said.
After dinner I followed my mother's advice and headed over to Jamie's house. I was in a better mood then, and I even found myself smiling on the way there. I was finally going to let this all out, and it would no longer be my problem. The idea of Will finding out who squealed on him had vanished from my mind- at least for the rest of the night.
"Jamie!" I said when she opened the door. She seemed surprised to see me stop by her house again, but then she smile.
"Hello, Maria," she said. "Come on in."
This time I did step into her house. I was too eager to look around and notice anything about it, though. "I have something to tell you."
For the next few minutes I told Jamie about how I knew who had taken the props all a long but I was nervous about turning them in. When she asked me why, I had a feeling that she knew why, which suddenly made me feel nervous. How did she know? Knowing that she somehow knew something, I decided to tell her why.
"I..." I tried to start my confession but it wouldn't come out of my mouth. I had never told anyone about Will, and I guessed that's why it was so hard. "Well, I have... sort of... maybe..." I looked up and, to my relief, Jamie was being patient. "I really like Will-"
"Are you friends?" she interrupted me. I knew she wanted to know everything I had to say.
"Well... not really... He doesn't even know who I am..."
Jamie looked a little confused, and I wondered if I said something wrong. "Do you know a lot about him?"
"Well... yeah. He hangs around at the same diner I go to, but I stay out of his way." I tried to explain. She finally nodded her head in understanding.
"So you've never talked to him before?" I shook my head, but she surprised me by smiling. She sat down on her couch and patted the seat next to her. "You can sit down."
"If you really like him," she continued after I sat down. "Then maybe you should talk to him."
"I... I can't do that!"
"Why?" I knew that she couldn't possibly know hoe bad Will was, but I was a little mad at her. I mean, he HAD stolen the play props, hadn't he?
"He's... he's so mean and... horrible." I finally said, resting my chin in my hands.
"I'll pray for him, then," Jamie said with a smile. "And for you."
"What would you be praying for?" I asked, hoping it wasn't a stupid question. She only smiled at me and said, "For him to do something good."
I sat there, silent for a moment. It was a few moments before Jamie said, "It never hurts to just say 'Hi,' Maria."
"I know... I'm just..." I didn't finish my sentence, but Jamie didn't seem to need the ending.
"I'll pray for you then, too."
I was about to leave a few minutes later, but before I walked out the door I turned around and asked Jamie, "Will Will get in a lot of trouble?"
"He needs to face the consequences," Jamie said quietly. "But don't worry."
That night, before I went to bed, I tried what Jamie said she was going to do. I prayed that something would happen that would make Will realize what he was doing was wrong. I didn't pray that we would end up together, because I thought it would be too soon for that, and at the moment I wasn't entirely sure if I wanted to be together with him anyway. I did like him, but after my talk with Jamie I realized that I probably didn't know as much as I thought I did about him.
The next day I was out at Cecil's Diner with my friend, Patricia, and that's when I finally realized that Will was furious at whoever had ruined his prank. He came storming into the diner, and the moment I saw him opening the door, I started to feel sick to my stomach, and it wasn't because I had been planning that I was going to say hi to him sometime soon. I felt sick because I was afraid he'd find out I was guilty.
"All right," he said to the crowd of us, who had suddenly gone quiet. "Who did it?" News traveled fast in our neighborhood, so most of the teens there knew what he was talking about. "Come on," he said as he circled the room, looking at everyone's faces. "No one likes a party pooper, do they?" Several people nodded in agreement- only the ones who enjoyed Will's pranks and the ones too scared to disagree. Will's head finally turned to where I was sitting, and for the first time in his life, he stared at me.
I must have gulped first, then I probably started to shake, and then I probably blushed. I lowered my eyes, but I still saw him suddenly lean back, and his face changed in his realization. He continued to stare at me curiously, and I wondered why he hadn't yelled at me yet. Instead, he turned to look at one of his friends, and then he nodded towards the door. "Let's spilt."
The whole room waited to sigh in relief until after he left. No one seemed to think it was strange that he had just suddenly decided to leave, so I decided not to. I wondered why he was looking at me so funny, but I decided to forget about it, since the only reason I could think of was he realized it must have been me and he was going to wait until I was alone to teach me a lesson. That's what he always said to people at school when he was under the eyes of teachers. I guess I deserved it- I hadn't done anything to stop him.
"That was odd." Patricia said.
"I know... he just... split." I said, taking a sip of my drink.
"No, I mean, the way he stared at you for such a long time. I wonder why..."
I hadn't told her that I turned him in, and I wasn't about to just then.