Because I was already up, I decided not to heed expectation and go back to sleep for another couple of hours before I really did have to get up and head to school. I brought clothes to change into but I wasn't sure how comfortable Meghan was with me yet to see me in my skivvies, so I didn't do more than put on fresh socks to avoid the awkward potential of that scenario.
We packed everything away then descended the fort into the lot, Meghan pausing to reach up and yank a piece of particle board over the entrance. To keep any critters out, she explained, though I wondered how well it would do to keep any wandering people out.
The world was almost as quiet as it had been just hours before when I walked through that area in the dead of night. Without really thinking, I began to walk beside her, following her to wherever she needed to go to do whatever she needed to do before school.
Finally, she seemed to realize this and stopped. "What are you doing?"
I shrugged. "Following your lead."
"I have to go home to get ready for school."
"Okay, I'll go with you."
This idea seemed to unsettle her as her eyes widened slightly. "You can't."
"I'm not going to watch you change or anything. I'll wait outside if you want. I just figured we're going to the same place and there's no sense of me walking back to my house when I can just change at school." Plus, I wanted to delay going back to the apartment for as long as possible. I was still testing my theory to see just how much my mom didn't worry herself sick over me like she did Wade. I was all set to walk in nonchalantly my usual time later this afternoon. But if I was still feeling spiteful, maybe I'd even draw it out longer – make a real experiment out of it. I figured I'd see how my day went first.
"Okay, well, I'll see you there. I'm not sure how long I'll be." It wasn't hard to tell she just didn't want me to come with her.
I turned my head slightly as I looked at her with some suspicion. "If you're worried about me seeing where you live-" Really, not much could be worse than my place.
"No, it's not that," she cut me off, shaking her head as she lowered it, kicking at a loose stone. "I just… I don't want him to know about you."
I was confused. "Your stepdad? Why not? We're just friends, right? You're not allowed to have friends?" I used the word 'friends' tentatively. I liked Meghan as a friend, but after learning of the struggles she endured on a daily basis I found myself feeling protective of her in a more intimate way.
A crease developed in Meghan's brow. "I just never brought anyone home before. If he's there I'm not sure how he'll react. He gets easily defensive."
"Say I'm a pacifist." My tone was not friendly despite the joke. Even if I had a thing or two I wanted to say to the man, I didn't want to cause any trouble for Meghan's sake.
"I just don't want you to get hurt." Her grey eyes settled on mine. "Please, Ty."
I was tempted to argue, but I felt that pushing myself on her wouldn't be a wise decision. "Okay." If she didn't want me walking with her then I wouldn't. With her, that is. Call me stubborn, later I'd say just plain stupid, but I wasn't about to head to school when I didn't know for sure if Meghan was even going to keep her word and meet me there. If she ended up playing hooky then I sure as hell was going to tag along. She was the only reason I had any interest in school anymore and why I bothered to show up as much as I did that week even if I did skip out early a few days.
Meghan took off in the opposite direction from where I came from the night before, so I started to retrace my steps to make a show of parting ways. Everything looked different in the light, but easier to see where my path could again intersect hers. I hung back a while before turning down an alley that would bring me onto the street she'd gone down, coming out a decent block behind her. Luckily, there wasn't much further to go because if she were to turn around at any point on the street my only quick hiding spot would be between houses, and in this neighborhood I would almost certainly prefer her to catch me being a stalker.
I maintained my distance as Meghan turned down a walkway leading to a rundown doublewide. It fit right in with the neighborhood, except for the car parked outside of it. It was an old Caddy, probably seventies or so and, to be honest, looked very much like a Pimpmobile - shiny, sleek, black with tinted windows, a vinyl top, and whitewall tires. The car didn't at all match the house it accompanied. I watched as Meghan paused to look at it and seemed to hesitate before ascending the steps into the house.
That must be his. I realized, as I walked up for a closer look.
I remained on the public sidewalk, very aware of what trespassing onto someone's property would get me in those parts, but lingered between Meghan's and the neighboring house, trying to be discreet while also getting a fair layout of the property. Deciding I should probably take a walk around the block as not to look any more suspicious, I walked in front of the house, ready to cross the street when I heard the creak of a screen door. I made every effort not to turn and look, acting nonchalant and as if I was simply just passing by.
"Where do you think you're going in such a hurry?" The voice carried right to me, making me pause and look back. The guy looked almost like a greaser from The Outsiders about forty years into the future. An unlit cigarette hung from the corner of his mouth and he held the lighter in his hand.
Putting on my best confused face I glanced around as if wondering if he was talking to someone else. "Me?" I played dumb.
"Don't play games with me, kid. I saw you lurking out here." He looked about ready to grab me and drag me into the house for an interrogation. I wasn't completely confident that he wouldn't yet.
Quick thinker like I was, I nodded toward his Caddy. "I was just admiring your car. What is that, '73?"
His eyes didn't leave mine and if his expression could harden any more than it already was it did. It felt like he was looking right through me. I nearly glanced down to check that I was still a solid mass. "Beat it. Next time I catch you outside my house you'll be admiring the barrel of my rifle." It didn't sound like an empty threat.
I swallowed my smartass response about the make of weapon, throwing a last glance toward the car then the house. "Sure. Sorry." I took a slow step back, waiting to see if he was actually going to let me leave or wait until my back was turned before sticking a bullet in me. He seemed like the type of scum that didn't look a man in the face as he killed him.
"And you stay away from my girl, you hear?"
That last threat threw me. I wasn't sure if I hid my surprise well enough as I locked my jaw to keep from blurting out things I knew would get me into trouble. How he knew of my association with Meghan I didn't know and didn't find it an appropriate time to ask. So, I said nothing, merely turned around and forced one foot before the other, stiffly carrying myself away from the house and the poor excuse for a man that stood and watched me go to ensure I did.
The guilt settled in as soon as I could no longer feel those cold eyes against my skull. Meghan told me not to come with her, warned me about her step father and yet I didn't listen. Now I was even more afraid of what would happen to her when he went back into the house. I felt sick all over again and tempted to go back, just to make sure. But I worried that my return would agitate the problem. If I played the act of a clueless kid properly, with any luck, we'd be given a free pass. I had to hope we'd be granted such a mercy as I walked across town to school without stopping to wait even a safe distance for Meghan to catch up. I thought it was best not to play with fire that time. That was the first time I ever prayed to a higher being. I just wanted Meghan to show up at school that day in one piece; to know that she wasn't punished for my stupidity.
Just after the morning bell rang, I lingered in the empty halls to wait for Meghan to show up until a security guard came through to do a tardy sweep and I was ushered to my class. I never bothered to pay attention during my classes before, but that day I wouldn't have been able to even if I tried. My mind wandered to Meghan, tormenting me with what ifs and worry. I couldn't even talk to my friends without zoning out and losing track of the conversation.
"What is with you, man?" Tommy asked after our second class together.
"Huh?" It took a moment for me to register what he said.
"You've been totally out of it all morning. I mean, more so than usual."
I ran a hand through my hair, forcing my mind to properly focus. "I ran into Meghan's stepdad this morning."
Tommy's eyes widened. "Dude, are you kidding me? How?"
I hesitated, not wanting to sound like a creep, but wasn't sure how else to spin it. "I followed her home this morning and-"
"Wait… what do you mean you followed her home this morning? What were you doing last night?" His eyes widened as he drew his own suggestive conclusion. "Did you-?" Before he could finish asking what I knew he was thinking I shook my head.
"No, it wasn't like that." I sighed. "It's a long story that you don't need to know. The point is, I was just waiting outside when he came out guns blazing – almost literally."
Tommy rolled his eyes. "I told you, man. I told you to be careful before inviting yourself over. The guy's bad news."
"Yeah, I get it. Honestly, I didn't think he'd even be there." Assuming he was what Tommy told me he was, I figured he'd be working overnight in the city and wouldn't be home until well after Meghan and I would have been in school. From the way Meghan hesitated upon seeing his car in the driveway, she must have thought the same.
"So what happened?" Tom pressed.
I shook my head, recalling the unsettling conversation we had. "He warned me not to come around again, and to stay away from Meghan." I wondered how he even knew we'd been together. Aside from seeing each other in school, last night was the first time we came across each other and it was the dead of night.
I narrowed my eyes. "He called her his 'girl,' like she was his property or something." That still ignited my anger.
"So is she working for him or something?"
"No. No, she said he…" I stopped, unsure if I would be overstepping to tell Tommy what she confided in me the night before. I didn't want to lose that trust I finally started to gain. "No, she isn't." I concluded. "But I think he wants her to."
Tommy nodded absently. "I can see that."
The look I gave him was not friendly and he immediately held his hands defensively in front of him. "I'm just saying. She's kinda hot and has that air of mystery about her. Guys eat up that stuff."
I wasn't about to humor him by agreeing when I found the thought insulting, but I didn't want to start an argument either so I just let it go. "Anyway, I think I screwed up. She was supposed to meet me before first period but I haven't seen her yet."
Tommy simply shrugged and offered a rational explanation, one I also considered but didn't really believe. "Maybe she decided to skip."
"Maybe. But I don't think so." With all the trouble she was having making up her assignments and catching up as not to be held back, I wasn't convinced she would just skip for the hell of it. From what I gathered last night that wasn't the type of girl she was.
However, that was the type of guy I was and when Meghan didn't show up at our usual meeting place between classes, I lived up to my reputation and snuck out the back door.