Chapter Fifteen
We just got done with dinner when there's a knock on the door. Dad opens it and Wallace walks in. According to Ronnie, his mom has been going through it with her tenant. The last time I saw Wallace he was ready for a fight.
" Hello, Mr. Mars. Think I could crash on your couch tonight? My house is getting exterminated and we have to be out of the house for the night. " Wallace asks quickly.
He looks alright but I can tell it's forced.
" Of course. Are you hungry? We just finished supper. " Dad tells him.
Wallace nods. " Thanks, yeah. "
Veronica looks at him worriedly. " What happened? "
He shrugs it off. " Nothing. "
She looks at dad. " Did you ever get over to talk to Mrs. Fennel? "
" Yeah. I went over there. Wallace's mom had a plan and I didn't want to overstep. " Dad tells us hesitantly.
I chuckle. " Overstepping is your main form of transportation. "
It looks like a light bulb goes off in dad's head. " You know, I have to go back to the office and grab some stuff. " He says funnily before leaving.
Wallace shakes his head at dad's behavior before looking at us as we wash the dishes. " My mom thinks I'm staying at Norman's house. "
" Who's Norman? " I ask.
" Norman is my imaginary, straight-A, eagle-scout, [does air quotes] mamas boy, friend. " Wallace informs me.
Veronica laughs. " He sounds boring for an imaginary friend. "
He grins at her. " Mom seems to like him. "
" I guess she'd freak out if she knew you were staying at a girl's house, huh? " He gives her a weird look. " What? Not the flashing thing again? "
What? " Flashing? Veronica? "
She ignores me.
Wallace sighs. " Let's just say the old biddies over at the Kane Software rumor mill are filling her head with a lot of garbage. "
I can't help but chuckle. " Not a big fan of the Mars family, huh? "
" I know. It's whack, " He says sadly.
Veronica nods. " I get it. It's fine. Want some popcorn? "
" Yeah, thanks. " He says nodding.
Veronica puts the popcorn in the microwave, looking a little sad. I hope things get better. He seems like a real friend to her and that's exactly what she needs.
Once the dishes are done I lotion my hands and grab my bag. " See you, two kids, later. " I tell them before heading out for work.
I hate these four-hour shifts. They really only have me go through skids of clothing. The most mind-numbing work ever. I almost wish I was back at my other job in Australia... Almost.
I'm going through a particularly disgusting bag of towels when my phone begins buzzing. Looking at the clock I see that I have ten minutes left.
Pressing the talk button on my phone I answer sleepily. " Hello? "
Someone sounds tired.
Eli says on the other end.
I sigh and stretch. " That's because I am, " I say faking enthusiasm.
Did you eat?
" Yeah. Dad had a mandatory family meal tonight. " I say as I clean up my workstation.
Okay... Did you have dessert?
I smile. " Are you offering me your hot caramel? "
As much as I'd love to eat hot caramel out of your navel I don't think the sheriff would like that very much. You're gonna have to settle for a crappy diner desert.
How romantic. " Do you take all your women to said crappy diner? "
I hear him smirk on the other end. " Only the virgins. "
" Okay, I'm done with this conversation. I'll be done in five. " I say before hanging up.
Once I wash my hands all the way up to my arms, I text Ronnie.
Going for dessert with Eli, please cover for me.
She texts me back right away.
Dad's still gone. Make it quick.
I nod to myself and get my stuff together and clock out. " See you tomorrow Tiff. " I call out.
" Yeah, four o'clock right? " She calls back.
" Yeah see you then. "
I walk out into the night and hear Tiff lock the door behind me. Of course, Mr medium height, dark, and sexy is waiting for me in the parking lot. I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him. He has no problems with deepening it.
He pulls back after a few seconds. " Follow me. " He says before getting on his bike.
I get in my car and start to follow him to the seedy underbelly of Neptune. When he said crappy diner, he meant crappy diner. We pull into the parking lot and he comes around and opens my door.
" Stay close to me. " He says taking my hand and leading me inside.
Once we're seated I take a good look around. There's nothing but tattooed people all around. This must be where they all come to eat after a night full of troublemaking.
An older lady comes up to our table with a notepad. " What can I do for ya Eli? What's with the freckle face? "
I look at the woman like she just grew another head. I don't have freckles. He grabs my hand and squeezes it before I can say anything to her.
" This is Tori, Mara, she's mine. " He says with authority. " We'll have two peanut butter pies with hot fudge on top. "
The woman takes a good look at me and shrugs. " Whatever you say, engaƱar. "
When she leaves I glare at him. " Freckles? What kind of place is this Eli? "
" It's my kind of place. Mara knows who you are. Your dad put her husband away. " He says trying to make it better.
I roll my eyes. " And that's my fault? "
" No, but that doesn't mean she's going to be all cuddly with you either. She has heard some things about you and Veronica. " He says slowly.
Now I was mad. " She works in a diner and her husband obviously got sent away for something he did. She has no room to judge. "
He sighs hard. " I just wanted to spend some time with you and get some pie. "
Part of me feels bad. He's trying to be a good boyfriend. " Fine. I'll drop it... For now. "
He smiles a real smile at me and leans over to peck my lips. " There's my woman. "
On Monday I'm in the computer lab with Veronica and Mac, the brain or Neptune High. She has finally figured out who posted the fake purity texts for her and Meg Manning. Yeah, it has been a real shit show at school the last couple of days.
I am sooo glad I didn't take one and no one tried to do it for me. That would have been horrendous and would no doubt end with Eli kicking someone's ass.
A noise from the computer brings me out of my thoughts. There is a message on the screen from " Froggy " asking " where'd u go? "
" Someone wants to chat with whoever's pretending to be you. "
" They think I'm still whoever was on my account. "
" But the bell's rung. They'd know that whoever it is would have left for their next class. "
" Unless they're not at school. " She says typing back. " Can you get a password for me? " She says as she types. The computer dings again. " Another one? " She says and I know she knows who it is. " We have all the information we need. "
We both hurry out of the computer lab with Mac right behind us.
" We do? Wait, Veronica. Who is Froggy, do we know? Who's Froggy? "
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Later that night Ronnie and I drive up to Inspiration Rock Quarry. How I got roped into this is beyond me. Eli's working tonight so I guess I have nothing better to do besides homework. And who wants to do that instead of espionage.
We find Remy DeMouy, our school's IT guy, and Kimmy Abrams doing unspeakable things in his car. We take all kinds of pictures with the flash on so that they both know they're busted. After we have all the evidence we need we head back home.
" I'm gonna nail her to the wall. " Veronica says when we're behind the walls of her room.
I really want to be a part of this. No one messes with my sister and gets away with it. " Just give me a camera and I'll make sure you get the confession you need. "
The next morning in the hallway I put the camera in my locker and turn it on. I wait for at least ten minutes until I see Kimmy. We make eye contact and she immediately looks the other way. Whistling in a high key she looks back to me and I beckon her over with my finger. She doesn't want to, but she does.
" Hey, Kimmy, check this out. Veronica and I followed our IT guy around last night. Guess where he ended up? " I ask before showing her a few printouts.
Kimmy's face almost turns green. " Oh my god. "
" I heard the purity test website is gonna start posting pictures to illustrate the questions. Wouldn't these be perfect? " I ask flicking through the pics.
She's definitely freaking out inwardly and outward. " Look. Number 23, have you ever touched it? Well, I guess you have. This here's a stellar example of number 78 and this one, whoa, I think Veronica's score went down just looking at that. Although it would be hard to score below a 14, wouldn't it Kimmy? "
She at least has the sense to look scared. " Why are you doing this? "
I glare at her. " Because you messed with the wrong person. You don't even know my sister and you posted that test for her. "
" No, I didn't. " She pleads her innocence.
Right. " Stop lying. I know you got her password from Renny. You know, he's 23, you're seventeen. I don't think they allow conjugal visits in prison. "
" Please, it wasn't me. " She insists and this time I believe her.
And here's the money shot. " Then who was it? "
" It was Pam. Pam posted the test for Veronica. She hates her because Duncan is still hung up on her. I only posted Meg's, I swear. " She says and I'm doing backflips on the inside.
I mentally check myself before asking, " why would you do that? "
" She gets everything I want. Everything. The lead in the musical, cheerleader, the anchor job. " Such a jealous bitch.
I beam at her before saying, " thanks, Kimmy ". Opening my locker I take out the video camera.
" What did you- Oh, god. " She says looking even more green than before.
I love how they squirm when they're busted. Going to leave, I forget that I have another question. " So, your boyfriend was the one running the purity test website, right? "
" No! " She denies it quickly.
I shake my head. " Kimmy, why do you insist on pissing me off? You and Pam aren't smart enough to pull that off. "
" Seriously! He didn't even know why I wanted the passwords. I don't think he even knows the purity test exists. " She says with a chuckle.
Well, I almost have all of the info. As I'm leaving she calls out, " wait, what are you gonna do with that tape? "
Not your business you lowly bitch. I hurry down to the newsroom and sneak the DVD in with Meg's news stuff. She turns around and I'm already five feet away. She smiles and waves and I do the same. There's no need in being my usual cold self to the only 09'er that is nice to Ronnie.
Watching those two get their just desserts is sweet. Pam goes off on Kimmy and calls her a Meg wannabe. ( hilarious since she clearly wishes she was my sister ) Kimmy runs out crying and just like that, Ronnie and Meg's reputations are secure once again. Okay, maybe not Ronnie's but at least I got to clear her of the purity test.
