Lucky Me
Chapter 036
I couldn't believe three things in my life.
One, that my mom's latest attempt to hurt me was destroyed.
Two, that Mrs. Jean and Scott wanted to adopt me.
Three, that I was caught in the grocery store with Bobby-the-idiot.
Now before anyone's mind ends up in the gutter (probably too late for some already) I didn't mean anything like that. And, what, you ask was the big deal about going to the grocery store with Bobby-Idiot (besides him singing the grocery list off at the top of his lungs?)? Was that for anyone who would dare to recall, a certain someone who thought Adrian was gay -worked at the only flippin' grocery store in Salem Center!
I bumped into him while he was stocking the bread and Mr. Jump-to-conclusions, jumped from one to another at lightening speeds.
"You're here to see me, aren't you Ker-ree."
"Stop inhaling the glue, you're delusional," I shot back. He made a face and then continued to bug me. He asked me to Homecoming, and I flatly told him no like nine million times, and just when I thought I had gotten it through his thick head, he smirked.
Little did I know what it was he was smirking about.
I felt a constant chill going up and down my spine the whole shopping trip, and when me and Mr. Drake met up at the cash register, the chill (I realized) wasn't coming from Ice-boy. So I about ran to the SUV Bobby-jerk insisted was the only vehicle he could drive to and from school. While we were loading up the vehicle (throwing all the bags into the back seat) a voice that made my skin crawl started to say things that made me want to hide.
"Well, isn't this interesting," Bobby-idiot and I both looked around the side of the vehicle to see him standing there. I felt my face go pale. "A student and a teacher, who are sharing the responsibility of grocery shopping? Loading it into one vehicle? Oh, this is going to make the school board happy."
"Mr. Yohalm, I didn't know you worked here." I know Bobby-JERK was the renowned Ice-boy, and man did he live up to it! I didn't think a single word he just said had an ounce of niceness or warmth in it.
The annoying creature, K'Yo' sauntered (he hasn't got anything compared to Mr. Remy's walk! Not that I was looking at it or anything…) over to the vehicle where Bobby-Jerk stood crossed armed and annoyed. I was about to pass out, there was no way that little-mean-monkey boy was going to let this slide.
"Oh, yeah, my parents own the place." He then looked at me and smirked. "I guess this means you are going to go to Homecoming with me."
"Why should I?" I squeaked.
"Because I can get the surveillance cameras, and I can just give the schools administration a copy. Just think what kind of questions would be raised about Mr. Drake's morality?"
What about your mortality you black-hearted toad! I could just fly him to the sky and drop him, but that went against the school's rule book.
"If that's the angle you're going from Kenney, then I suggest you talk to me and leave her out of this." Bobby-Idiot actually didn't try to joke his way out of this! Color me surprised!
"From you, Robert, I want a straight A in your Sat/ACT math course, without me having to do any homework, or take any tests. Basically a free ride." The air did get colder. Of this I was sure. And it's no big question as to who made it that way this time. "And you, Kerry, I want you to come to Homecoming with me, and then go to the real party afterwards."
I locked my jaw. This was not another complication I needed in my life! But what other choice did I have? Sure, I could have punch him into the middle of next week, but my luck would be that it'd also be on tape. Dang. I was caught!
"Fine."
"Fine?" Bobby-jerk about busted my eardrum after the whole K'Yo' incident as we were speeding back to the mansion.
"What else was I suppose to say?" I snapped. He might not have been thrilled I was going to Homecoming with the school's playboy, but I actually had to be the one with him! I'd sooner throw Kenney out a window, then to ever willingly go anywhere with him .Yeah, there was that short time when I actually sort of did like him, but that was quickly erased when he started to blackmail me into everything.
"No?"
"Easy for you to say, it's your fault!"
"My fault?" He slammed on the breaks, barely stopping in time for the red light. "How is this my fault?"
"You wanted to stop at the stupid store! You said it couldn't wait! And now look what you did!"
He glared at me, but then added dryly, "At least you're already in a rotten mood, check my bag, your last test paper is in there."
So, like a good, yet angry, robot, I did just that. Went to his little briefcase-cloth-type thingie and fished my test paper out, I saw Adrian's and I about wanted to burn it; he got a 87 on his. I looked at mine, and about made the jerk crash.
"I failed again?" He only smiled that really annoying 'ha-ha' smile that made me want to throw him out of the car. "So I'm going to all those dumb study sessions for no reason, aren't I?"
"Maybe I'm too much of a distraction for you."
I growled at him, and then an evil thought struck my mind, if they wanted me to become a great strategist, why not start at the home?
I smiled, as I handed Miss Reese a little note, "Here, this is for you." I said as sweetly as possible.
"What is it?" Miss Reese was a little on the nutsy side, and her crush was no secret, and if I had to go down for him, he was going to suffer right along with me.
"Just someone's phone number, Miss Reese, someone—who likes math."
Man, her face began to beam, "Really? He gave it to you for me?"
"Of course!" I wasn't much of an actress, but hey, it's only lying with emotions wasn't it? "He would never think of inviting anyone else to Homecoming." The class was still not in session, and in actuality we had five minutes before it started, so no one (not Chris or Adrian) could warn Mr. Drake of my little gift to Bobby-jerk's number one fan (if you didn't count himself).
"Homecoming?" Her smile was going to break her face in half, I swear it. "I knew he liked me!"
As I took my seat, I had a contented smile on my lips. Bobby-Jerk was going down. Next was Chris.
"Ooh!" D-M beamed bouncing around me with a goofy grin on her face and curls like springs going every which way off her head. She was in pink, and praise above that she did not get the two piece dress she wanted so badly.
I was stuffed into a black backless (because of the wings, duh) number. It was so tight that I didn't even have room to breathe in the stupid thing. It had this pointless missing part on the side that I just knew was going to cause trouble, but at least I could punch anyone who tried anything into Timbuktu thanks to Mr. Logan and his training tips.
Adrian was polite about the way D-M and I looked, and he didn't look to bad himself. In fact, he looked super nice. Then came Chris with the shoot-me-now expression plastered on his face. I couldn't get him a make shift date because D-M had already claimed him as hers for that night. Why she wanted to willingly be seen in public with this guy was so far beyond me.
Bobby-Jerk was next. I smirked at him, and he gave me the same drop-dead look he had given me since Miss Reese said she would go with him to the Homecoming to be a chaperone. Since he couldn't 'break her heart' he agreed to pick her up at her place though he said he had a stun gun in his pocket in case she got a little overly friendly.
Thankfully, I got to convince the jerky child (Kenney) that it would be okay if I came with my friends to the shindig. It had been two weeks since the evil critter caught me and my teacher shopping together and jumped to bad conclusions. Like I would ever do anything with X-boy.
"Kookie, before you go, take this." Scott handed me a cell phone, and I didn't make eye contact with him. I still was in—I don't know, denial or something about the whole Scott-and-Jean-wanting-to-adopt-me thing so I had avoided them at all costs for the past three weeks after Paul (Mr. Warren's lawyer) said that he was going to make it possible.
"Uh, thanks."
"And Kookie," Mrs. Jean this time, "Call if you need anything."
What about an excuse not to go?
We were going uphill.
I heard D-M and Adrian (with Nikki, of course) talking about Ashley McVaugh's party that was in the valley. So why the heck were we going uphill, Creepo? Homecoming had been what it always seemed to be. Another excuse to show off one's dress and date (I didn't show off either) and then go to someone's house whose parents weren't there and get too drunk to care. But (dumb me) went with K'Yo' to the party even though Adrian and Bobby-Jerk warned me not to.
I guess I should have listened.
"Where are we going?" I finally asked. K'Yo's family must have brought in a lot of money from that grocery store to afford a convertible like the one he was driving. He had the roof down which surprised me (I thought he'd be too concerned about his hair messing up) and it also made my wings less cramped in the tiny car. Mr. Warren had been helping me 'draw them in' but nothing spectacular yet.
"To the moon, Kerry, to the moon."
Oh, brother. "Uh-huh."
"Have you ever been to L. I. Peek?" K'Yo asked, trying to impress me with a charming smile that came off looking as if a snake should own it.
"No." I wasn't under contract to be nice to the guy, so there was no way I was going to be.
"It's a great place." And with that he made a quick turn and parked the car on this supposed peek as soon as I saw what it really was, I about gagged.
It was a make-out spot—how retro (how Daisy-Mae I sounded-save me).
"You are joking."
"Nope."
"Then you are the joke." I glared at him and crossed my arms over my chest. There was no way I was going to let this creep touch me, Bobby-Jerk could just get fired for all I cared at this point!
"I know you want me, Kerry. Every girl at school does." Oh! Help! Loosing air! Ego was smothering me! "So I decided to grant your wish, so stop playing hard to get." And he tried to reach over at me but I squeezed myself to the door. The more I refused, the harder he tried.
I was starting to get scared. Sure, it's one thing to say what you'll do in a situation, but it's another thing completely to be in that situation and having to do something. Kenney was coming on way strong, and all that fancy training flew out the door. I wanted to scream, but I was too scared that the boy would try to shove his tongue down my throat.
"Don't fight it."
Forget that! I was going to kill it! My hand found one of my high heels that I had left on the floor board (those things weren't comfortable), and found my ray of hope, "Get." I gripped the shoe, "Off." grabbed his shoulder, "Of." pushed him back, "Me!" And then…
"You witch!" He screamed after my high heel met the side of his head (the foot part, not the heel). He could call me all the names he wanted to, I was out of there! Climbing out of the vehicle, I staggered away, my wings not helping, they were just begging to be let free to fly, but Kenney was still watching and I knew it wouldn't be possible. "Get back here, girl!"
Oh sure, after what he pulled I was going to turn around and run into his arms, yeah right! Apparently a shoe to the head didn't spell it out for this moron, he followed me. Not only that, grabbed my arm. "Where do you think you're going?" He barked.
"I said to let go of me!" and then bam, I punched him. Not only just punched him, but my powers kicked in and the boy flew backwards and was out cold when I went to go check on him. I didn't feel guilty. Kenney deserved it. I knew what it would do to Bobby-Jerk, and then to me in turn, but too bad. It was a good thing the guy came after me, because I forgot my purse (I actually was forced into carrying one) with the cell phone the Summers couple insisted I take. I grabbed my purse, and then saw something shinning in the moonlight that made me smile.
Mr. Warren said that the Summers pack were all devious in their own ways, if there was any possibility of me taking Scott and Mrs. Jean up on their offer, there was always one way to start.
Mrs. Jean was fit to be tied when she picked me up. She was two steps away from erasing Kenney's memory and making him think he was a girl or something equally as weird. I didn't even say anything when she picked me up, but then again my mental shields weren't great according to every telepath who felt the need to tell me (which was everyone I'd met). And like any girl would have, I started crying about the whole mess.
"Why did you go out with an over sexed pervert like that anyway?"
Apparently she wasn't getting the whole story from the top of my mind. "I had to."
"You never have to."
"I did," I sighed really heavily, "I had to because that person back there saw me and Mr. Drake together."
"Together?" Mrs. Jean sounded like the news reporter was coming out in her.
"Shopping," I felt my cheeks heat up, "we were shopping together and Kenney caught us. Said he'd use it to get Bobby-Je-Mr. Drake fired and stuff."
"I see."
And that was all she said.
It was close to three in the morning, when I invaded the kitchen. Once I relaxed and freed myself from the black dress that I swore was two sizes too small, I wanted food. I had taken out all of my chocolate and candy a few weeks ago when Darcy was here. As I was scrounging around the kitchen for anything that looked remotely like it would have taste, I heard the kitchen door open and shut. There were only a few people who hadn't made it home since Homecoming (everyone but me) and since there were three separate vehicles taken, it was no surprise they arrived home separately.
"Hey," I muttered, from the corner I was digging through. "Have a good time?" I was being sarcastic, and I hoped he realized that.
"Uh, yeah, I guess."
It was dark, so it was hard for me to see him, but as he was leaving and the light hit him, I had a pretty good idea as to why he was late. Hair was messed up, clothes ruffled, and a guilty look.
All I could do was glare as he left, and wonder why in the world I felt jealous.
"Ya've got to not think about it so much, it's more like just a thing ya do." Where have I heard this before? Oh right, when I was learning to use my wings. And did it work then?
Nope, not really.
Was it going to work now?
Probably not.
I didn't even want to be training; I wanted to be throwing something at his head for being that way. Typical boy, first pretty face and he was all over her. What a Kenney.
"Are ya payin' attention?" Miss Guthrie asked, looking down her nose at me. I rolled my eyes and nodded.
She went off on how if I wasn't going to pay attention then there was no need for her to try to teach me something I didn't want to learn. So I had to play wanting student and insist that I did want to learn how to control my skin (which sounded like a bad case of acne than anything).
So Paige tried to tell me how easy it was to drop off one's skin, and then she got distracted again.
I smirked as she seemed to find a new interest.
"Hi, Mr. Warren." I smiled as Paige suddenly became quiet and shy. I must be spending way too much time with these people because as I was leaving (way before time), I echoed what my new teacher told me, "If you're not going to pay attention then there's no need for me to try and learn from you!"
And poof I was a gone Kookie.
It was Sunday and Paige's crush was confirmed on Mr. Warren (which I thought was hilarious) and Adrian told me, in passing, that he saw Kenney's car getting towed. Apparently K'Yo'-the-Kewl lost his keys.
I wondered why.
Please ignore my evil smile.
I had no idea how to handle Monday or if Bobby-Jerk still had a job. After Friday night, I could have cared less if he still had a job.
"Kerry! Phone for ya!" Miss Rogue believed in the shout-until-the-person-heard-you announcement system, which was no problem with me. But the phone? I guess I was about to find out about what Kenney was going to do.
When I picked it up in the hall, I about hung up when I heard who it was. There was only one person who screamed that I was her 'Ker-kitten!'
"G-Grandma?"
"Why on Earth are you calling me that? It's not like anyone believes I'm old enough to be a grandmother anyway," Yeah, right. "Grammy Arty is fine, Ker-kitten, you know that. It took a while to track you down! You should have told me you were moving!"
Why would I? My Dad's mom scared me. Some folks get the typical television grandparents, and I get an ex-solid gold dancer type grandmother.
"I must have forgotten!"
"Liar." She was very good at that too. "But I heard what Heather was doin' to you, baby, and I wanted to call and see how you were doing. Are you handling it okay?"
I was in the middle of the hall, talking on the phone, and because she's just that way Daisy-Mae was pretending to straighten the pictures. When she looked over in my direction and smiled, I glared at her and told her (mouthed) to beat it. She rolled her eyes and started to complain, but did it nonetheless.
I'd get this leader thing down sooner or later.
"I'm—better. I have—friends, I guess, who are taking care of me." I guess their friends, I had no clue what to call these people. Except two want me to call them 'mom' and 'dad' apparently (they hadn't said that, I was dramatizing, I did that sometimes).
"I heard Heather got her teeth kicked in by that fancy lawyer! I need to send him some of my Nurse pictures!"
"No!" I was the only girl who had a Grandmother that took 'bedroom' pictures for guys, and sent them out as postcards! "I'm sure there's something else you can do! How'd you find out about that anyway?"
"Darcy told me. Your mother still wants to see me crippled and wrinkled in an old foogie home, but ha-ha! Your sister loves me still! I heard you might be getting adopted instead; wanna tell me about the folks that want to take you in?"
I really didn't, so I made up the excuse that I would hunt one of them down later and let them talk to her—later. She wasn't didn't fall for that, she said now or she'd visit in under a week. Luckily, Adrian walked by at that time grumbling about Chris or something, and I got him to talk to the old lady while I went to hunt one of the Summers down.
The only one I found was Scott, I was really hoping to find Mrs. Jean, but I had to take who I could get. To get him to the phone required me doing something I rarely did. I made with the puppy eyes and pouting lip (it was more of my sister's trick than mine, I was more likely to hit the person into submission, but then again everyone here could kick my little feathered hinny every which way). This was an attack that Mr. Supreme-Summers wasn't ready for and quickly caved. You'd think with the parade of people constantly marching through those doors he'd have more of an immunity to simple girl tricks. Good for me, bad for him.
When we got back to the hall phone Adrian's face was priceless, he looked shocked and embarrassed at the same time. He was cute when he looked like that, but then again he was just a friend.
Handing the phone over to me, the first thing to pop out of my Grammy Arty's mouth was, "He doesn't sound cute enough to be your boyfriend."
"Grandma!" I then warned her I was handing her over to a person who had the ability to kick me out of the mansion and she said she'd behave.
I just hoped that was true.
As soon as Scott got the phone, I ran for cover. Maybe they wouldn't find me for a while and not have me packing because my eccentric Grandma decided to hunt me down.
They cornered me!
Right after school! I was told that I was being picked up, and wouldn't you know who did that? Scott and Mrs. Jean. They had the biggest (bridging on freakiest) smiles a person could have. I really didn't have a choice by the time I realized who came to pick me up (they had already spotted me). So I got into the little preset trap and waited for my sentence.
But I didn't get any. Just silence.
Silence with two adults was way worse than them talking your ear off. So I began the nervous fidgeting. That tipped them off that I was uneasy so the repetitive conversation began.
"How was your day?" and the typical school questions, I slipped back into my 'fine' answer mode. Bobby-Jerk wasn't here to trip me up with questions, so I thought it would be safe. Once all the questions ran out, I looked out the window and realized something I decided that I should share (as if they didn't know).
"This isn't the way back to the mansion." It was weird to think that the word mansion rolled so easily off my tongue, like it was no biggie. Sheesh, I was changing. Make it stop! Make it stop!
"Kenney didn't bother you did he?"
"No, didn't even bug me." Don't ask me why not, but with Mrs. Jean's short nod, I could guess why. She probably did something with his memories. I didn't know if I should feel awestruck and thankful, or leery of a woman who, with little trouble, was able to warp people's minds.
"Who's Kenney?" Scott asked, it was nice to know Mr. Boy-Scout-Scout-out-your-cookie's voice wasn't broken (when nervous, I slipped back into old habits).
"It's a female thing." The universal phrase that got all men to drop the conversation, one I didn't use much, but apparently Mrs. Jean did. But knowing how easily she manipulated both my Mom, I mean Heather, and Kenney, I didn't feel as comfortable around her anymore. I'd rather Mr. Starched-Sergeant-Shorts Summers than her. Now that was pretty bad.
"We're going shopping."
Oh man! Please take me now, right now, I couldn't do the mall thing again.
"Don't worry, I'm here, and I don't do the shopping thing well either." Scott tried to comfort, but I only got a feeling that I should be calling him Mr. Skin-flint Summers.
"It's nothing to do with clothes, either." Mrs. Jean added, at least that was a relief, "its furniture." Great, I won't die from clothes being too tight, I'll die from boredom.
"For who?"
"Some more new people, Jean-Paul needs bedroom things." Oh kay. That guy sorta gave me the creeps, like I was a bug to be squashed. And when he did talk to me, it's always so sarcastic it made Chris look like a mumbling old man. But more people? Oh joy, oh rapture, oh for the sheer love of room and space.
I leaned back and waited for the car ride to end, but the conversation picked up again.
"We struck a deal with Heather," Scott said, "We agreed to have Paul," Mr. Stuck-Up-Lawyer-Guy, "drop the abandonment charge, if she would allow us to adopt you."
"So your making my mom put me up for adoption?" Just to make sure the genius (ha-ha) understood correctly what she was being told.
"Exactly. If the abandonment charge was to go through, the state would take you."
Hm, let's think, either live in an orphanage or be in a house full of mutants? The house occasionally got blown up, and the mutants were normally running around fighting with other people who didn't see it their way. Let me think….
"We won't force you into anything, Kerry, but it's a very important option you need to be thinking about." AKA, do or die. Yipes, I was not meaning to be so negative, but with all the dangerous vibes, how could I not be?
"So that's what's going on in your life, huh?" he said, again leaning back on my bed. I was pacing my room, occasionally bumping into the walls with my wings (I know I know, I had them for so long now, but hey, I still forgot there was an extension of me most the time, I got mad in math class and they sprung out and punched to people sitting beside me, the other kids were freaked out because no one could see my wings).
"Yeah, isn't that what I just said?" I snapped. I still had a very vivid memory of how he came home after Homecoming. It wasn't like I was jealous or anything, nope, no way. He was a friend, and I was just not jealous.
"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the nest this morning," He pointed out.
"Better than waking up in some else's nest," I grumbled, and folded my arms. I didn't care, I was not jealous. I couldn't care less.
The bed made a noise, so I guessed he got up, "I have a sense that you're referring to something in particular."
"You'd really give Sherlock a run for his money, wouldn't you?" I wasn't being mean and rude because he did something with her. I really couldn't have cared less! Oh, wait, I already said that.
"Whoa! Put the temper away, if this is about Friday night, then if you must now, I got into a fight."
Oh right. A fight with what? His hormones? Sheesh, what a lame excuse, and if he felt like he had to explain anything to me, then he was wrong. I didn't want to know because I was not jealous. And just to prove I wasn't jealous I tacked on something stupid.
"And here I thought you actually had guts." I turned to give him one of my best 'ha-ha' looks, but he was a lot closer than I thought. I barely got to turn around when he was less than a foot from me, and backing me into a corner by coming closer.
And then he did something that most girls know was dangerous, he did that low-whisper thing that made a deep voice sound even deeper, and trust me, deep voices were a huge weakness with me.
"I think you're jealous, Kookie."
I hit the wall, right next to my door, and playing Mr. Cool Guy, he put one hand on the wall, trapping me as he leaned in closer. "Are you?" he asked in that same mind numbing deep whisper type thing. I could have scooped out my brain at this point and used it for jelly.
"Why w-would you say something l-like that?" Oh great, real suave, stutter like Porky Pig. Prove to him that he was affecting me. Sheesh, this was a genius here. But then again, when else had I been so close to a guy that I sort-of-in-a-small-way liked (but I wasn't jealous of his DATE!)?
Tracing my jaw line very slowly with his fingers tips, I felt butterflies spring into my stomach and do a line dance all through my insides. I shouldn't be this way! I was never a girl-girl, why was I letting a guy affect me so much?
"Because I think you like me, Kookie, even if you don't show it in front of anyone." He then leaned in further until his nose bumped mind gently, with the same hand he had on my face a second ago he placed it on my waist, and made me come closer to him.
Then he continued to tipped his head slighlty.
Oh.
My.
Feathers.
He was going to kiss me. And unlike Kenney (ick ick puke puke) I wanted it. And that scared me, even as I felt my own eyes start to slip shut.
He was so close, in a second—wow, just in a second-
"Whoa!"
Just in a second— Mr. Kurt was going to burst through my door like a mad cannibal wanting his diner and totally kill the mood.
"Sorry you two, I always seem to bumping into your personal time." No matter what apologies he gave, his big grin wasn't adding any authenticity to his words.
He moved away from me (duh), and stood there with his typical attitude.
"Any reason why you can barreling in here?" I asked, trying to keep my heart from pounding out of my ribcage.
"Actually, the Professor wanted to see you."
"Which you?" he asked, stretched and acted as if nothing had or was about to happen.
"You, you." He then nodded and left. Didn't say good-bye or anything. How ruse! You didn't do that to a girl and then just leave!
"Mr. Kurt, you have the worst possible timing." I sighed out, still trying to exterminate all the butterflies that had hatched in my stomach when he got so close and to doing that.
"I'm starting to realize this." He smiled, and then left humming some tune that sounded a lot like 'so-and-so-sitting-in-a-tree' but without the words I wasn't sure.
