Chapter 2: To protect a liar.
Caleb frowned to himself as he left the resteraunt. Normally he would stay there for hours on end, but now he wanted--needed, really--to use the cold night air to clear his head. 'I know she's upset with me.' He thought, recalling the look on Will's face. 'But should I really sacrifice my happiness for hers? No! I'm not even sure why she's mad at me!' Caleb kicked a rock and looked up around him for the first time since he began his walk. 'Hm, I'm right near Irma's house. I wonder if she knows why Will's mad at me.' He thought.
With a deep, weary sigh, he walked over to her yard and threw a small pebble at a window. "Irma!" He shouted to her window. "Irma!"
Soon the curtains parted and Irma's head appeared in the window. She slid it open and leaned as far out as she could. "Caleb! What are you doing? This is my parents' room!" She called.
Caleb frowned. "Can you come down for a minute?" He called back.
Irma looked behind her, then back at him. "Well...okay. Give me a minute to grab my jacket." She said, then shut the window and vanished. Soon Irma herself appeared, in a baggy jacket and pajama pants. "What's up?" She asked.
Caleb sank down on the wet grass. "Why is Will mad at me?" He asked.
Irma shrugged. "I just know she's mad at you." She said, her face clearly showing that she was lying. "But Hay Lin knows. Go ask her." She added, shivering.
Caleb looked at Irma and arched an eyebrow. "Your pocket's moving." He said blankly. "Do you have a mouse in it?"
Irma reached in her pocket. "My pocket is...? Oh. My cell phone." She commented, pulling it out. "Hello?" She added.
Caleb faintly heard Will say, "Hey, Irma. Mind if I vent to you? Everyone else hung up on me."
Irma looked at Caleb, then back at her phone. "If its about what we talk about earlier, then no, not now. I'll have to call you back." She said.
Caleb reached for the phone eagerly. "So you do know why she's mad at me!" He whispered. "Come on, let me hear!"
Will was sighing when Irma hit the speaker phone button. "C'mon, I just need to talk. Please?" She begged.
Irma shot Caleb an annoyed look. "Okay, Will. Vent away. Where are you?" She added.
"The mall. It's closing in a few minutes, though, so I'll have to go elsewhere." Will replied. "Can you believe what he's doing? Doesn't he know by now?" She blurted. "I like him so much and he doesn't care!"
Caleb looked at Irma and mouth the word "Who?".
Irma turned her back to him. "Um, Will, why don't you sleep over here tonight? My dad's trying to listen in." She said.
Will was quiet; you could tell that she was thinking it over. "Okay." Will finally said. "Thanks."
Irma nodded and smiled. "Glad to help you through this! See you in a few." She said, hanging up.
Caleb looked at Irma. "Help her? But I want to help her too!" He objected.
Irma sighed as she walked away. "Trust me, Caleb. The thing you can do to help protect Will now is to not help her."
Caleb looked down at his hands, then suddenly looked up as Irma walked into her house. "She likes me, doesn't she?" He called to the house. No one answered, and Caleb walked out of Irma's yard and down the road, more confused and upset than before.