“Okay.” I stared after him, then tried to shake off his bad mood. “I’m sorry.”

  “For what?” Aunt Cathy hugged me quickly. “Honey, don’t live your mom’s life all over again. It’s not your fault Jason’s upset. He has choices. He’s responsible for his actions and what he says and does.”

  “Weird,” I said before I could stop myself. “How do you get all these words of wisdom, Aunt Cathy?”

  “Because I’m smart?” Aunt Cathy tried to tease. “Honey, I’ve been in counseling for years. I’ve got to come to terms with losing my daughter when her dad didn’t bring her back from a visit. Otherwise, if and when I see her again, I’ll ruin whatever relationship we have.”

  “Any luck yet?” Mayor Phillips asked. “I worry my divorce wrecked Jason’s life, but I sure have a hard time reaching my son.” He shrugged. “Never mind us old boogers, Sarah. Do you need a ride home?”

  “No. I’m staying at Rita’s tonight. It’s only six blocks from the school. We can walk.”

  “Get her and we’ll give you a ride,” Mayor Phillips said. “Then your aunt and I can go to the town café and commiserate with each other over pie and coffee.”

  I looked at the clock as Rita and I rushed into her house a few minutes later. Jason would be here at ten. I had less than an hour to get ready. I hurried to shower and dress.

  At ten-fifteen, Jason wasn’t there. And he knew the party ended at midnight. Where was he?

  Rita dried her hair and yelled from the bathroom. “Is he here yet?”

  “No.” I headed for the phone and called his mom’s house. No answer. She was probably out with her new boyfriend. Jason must be on his way.

  “What do you think?” Rita hurried from the bathroom. She wore a short black skirt and topped it with a tight red crop-top that flaunted her new belly ring. Black fishnet stockings and knee-high black boots finished her outfit. “Will Dave notice?”

  “He’s dumb as a rock if he doesn’t.” I’d opted for a high-collared, sleeveless sapphire blue dress that made my eyes look the same color. I wore black hose and new three-inch black spike heels. I looked good, too.

  “Now, where is Jason?” Rita demanded. “It’s ten thirty. The dance at the academy ends at eleven. We’ll never get a ride to the party if we aren’t there and it’d take us almost a half-hour to walk to the school.”

  It hit me then. Jason wasn’t coming. He hadn’t wanted me to go to Abbie’s party. This was his way of stopping me. I didn’t drive, and neither did Rita. We hadn’t even taken Drivers’ Ed yet. Abbie lived up at Lake Mary, and it was too far to walk at this hour. Warren and Vonnie were out on a real date. Aunt Cathy was with the Mayor. Grandma would be in bed. She had to be in the barn by five in the morning. I was screwed, big-time.

  Tears welled in my eyes. I bit my lip. “Maybe he thinks I’m at home.” I hurried to the phone. Bruce answered on the third ring. “Hi,” I said. “It’s Sarah. Is Jason there?”

  “No. We haven’t seen him. Why? Aren’t you supposed to be at a party? Weren’t you and Jason going together?”

  Tears slid down my cheeks, faster and faster. “He didn’t come get us. We don’t have a ride. We can’t go.”

  “Yes, you are. This is your first Senior Varsity party. When he came in to get your grandaunt’s car an alignment, her husband told me how important tonight is. I’ll get Priscilla out of bed, and we’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”

  “What? Why, Bruce?”

  “I told you why,” Bruce said impatiently. “Now, go wash your face and do whatever it is that girls do so they don’t look like raccoons. We’re on our way.”

  I sniffled. “That sounds more like you.” I sniffled. “Thanks, Bruce.”

  After I hung up, Rita stared at me. “What did your evil stepfather say?”

  “He’s not being evil tonight.” I grabbed a paper towel off the roll and wiped my nose. “He’s coming to take us to the party.”

  Rita heaved a sigh. “I’ll bet this means we have to move the sleepover at B.J.’s to your house tomorrow night and be nice to him and your bratty stepsister.”

  It was late when we arrived at Abbie’s, but at least we hadn’t totally missed the party. Before I got out of the car, Bruce said, “Guys make mistakes, Sarah. Don’t be in a hurry to break up with Jason. Let him explain what he was thinking. Okay?”

  “Nobody is ever mean to me,” Priscilla said from the back seat. “If they are, I show them the road. Friends aren’t supposed to hurt each other.”

  “I’m with you, nina.” Rita opened her door. “Come on, Sarah.”

  “Yeah. Okay.” I followed her. “Thanks again, Bruce. See ya tomorrow.”

  “Call if you need a ride home,” Bruce said.

  “We should be all right,” Rita told him. “My dad’s Spanish club usually breaks up around midnight and he’s back from Seattle by one. If we can’t catch a ride home with one of the other cheerleaders, we’ll call him, and we’ll stay here until he arrives. If he’s running late, we’ll let you know. No worries.”

  We headed for the split-level house. Bruce waited until Abbie let us in the front door before he drove away. I looked after his car. Everybody gave me words of wisdom. Dave said to dump Jason because he meant what he did. Aunt Cathy advised me not to make excuses for Jason like Mom did for Bruce. Priscilla claimed Jason acted mean. Bruce preached forgiveness.

  Maybe I really had entered the Twilight Zone.

  Abbie took my coat, actually Jason’s letterman’s jacket, and led us to her room, putting our jackets on her double bed. “I’m glad your headache’s better, Sarah.”

  “What headache?” Rita asked. “She wasn’t sick. We just had to wait for a ride.”

  “What?” Abbie stared at Rita, then turned to me. “Jason showed up, half drunk. He told us you were home with a migraine.”

  My hands knotted into fists. “He ditched us.” My voice still sounded scratchy. “And he lied after the game. He said he’d come get us. He didn’t. Bruce brought us.”

  “Your stepdad from hell?” Abbie’s eyes narrowed. “What’s that about?”

  “I don’t know. I think he’s trying to be nice.” I shrugged. “It won’t last long, but it was way decent of him.”

  “Yeah, it was.” Abbie frowned. “So what do you want to do with Jason?”

  “I don’t know. I’ll think of something.” I grinned. “Right now, I’m going to enjoy what remains of your party.”

  “All right!” Abbie led the way to the downstairs where everyone else was.

  Shock filled Jason’s face when I entered. I cut him dead. I danced with whichever of the football players asked. I ate a bunch of junk food and drank sodas, not even bothering to worry that Jason hated it when I binged on high calorie food. I laughed at Timber when he whined about the chocolate chip cookie shortages in Stewart Falls. I’d think about Jason later when it didn’t hurt so bad to have him treat me like dirt. When he finally came over to me, I smelled beer on his breath.

  “We need to talk,” Jason said.

  “I don’t think so.” I walked over to get another soda. He followed me. Nobody could hear us because of the music. “I’m done with you.”

  It was his turn to look as if he’d been punched. “Sarah, you don’t mean that.”

  “Yes, I do.” I opened the Coke and took a sip. I wasn’t positive if I meant it or not, but I sure as sugar wouldn’t tell him that. “You’ve hurt me for the last time. We’re finished.”

  “You can’t mean that.” Jason reached out to touch my hair and I stepped away.

  Maybe I wasn’t a hundred percent sure. I wouldn’t share that with him. Let Jason worry. He deserved it after trying to stop me from getting to the party.

  Jason came after me and I backed away again. Before it got too obviously intense between us, B.J. was there. She hooked her arm in mine. “Come talk to me and Dallas. We haven’t seen you all night, and we need your advice about Gabe’s birthday.”

  “Okay.” I escaped across the room with her. “Thanks.”

  “No problem.” She tossed her bright red hair. “When I tell you that somebody is a wanna-be, that doesn’t mean you go out with him, Sarah Flynn. It means you avoid the loser like he’s lower than pond scum. Okay?”

  I nodded. Normally, I’d have defended Jason because he could be so sweet. But tonight he’d been a jerk, and she was right. He was really low. “Okay, B.J. Whatever you say.”

  NINETEEN

  I stayed with B.J. and Dallas for the next half-hour. It was getting easier to avoid Jason. Right now, his latest stunt pissed me off to the max, and I couldn’t think of an excuse for his behavior. Maybe we’d do better apart than together. And I didn’t want to argue with B.J. She and Vonnie were the best friends I’d ever had.

  When I told them about Bruce bringing Rita and me to the party, they agreed to come to the house the next night. A big sleepover would pay everybody back for having me stay at their houses, and if Bruce blew it, then I’d be free to visit my friends.

  Timber came over to us a little later. “Sarah, it’s nearly midnight. Do you and Rita need a ride?”

  Jason suddenly showed up, and I smelled the booze even before he said, “I’ll take them.”

  “No way.” I smiled up at Timber. “Will you take us? Jason’s been drinking, and I promised my dad and Aunt Cathy never to ride with anyone who has.”

  “No problem,” Timber said. “I’ll get your coat.”

  “I don’t have one here,” I said, giving Jason a steady look. “Not anymore.”

  Jason glared at me. Then, he stomped away.

  “It’s cold out,” Timber said, walking beside me toward Abbie. “I’ll get her to loan you one of her jackets.”

  “Great.” We headed toward the stairs. I wanted to sing, dance and scream. I’m free. I’m free. I’m free!

  I could date whomever I wanted. I wasn’t tied down by Jason anymore. And I wasn’t going to let any guy think he owned me. Never again! I waved to Rita, and she came to join us, leaving Luis by the stereo. “It’s time to go. Timber said he’d take us to your place. Okay?”

  “Great. Then, I don’t have to call my dad,” Rita said. “Thanks, Timber.”

  “No problem,” Timber repeated.

  Abbie met us on the stairs. “Are you two going already? You just got here.”

  “I know,” I said. “But we have the competition tomorrow. I promised Mom we’d be at Rita’s by midnight and I don’t want to push it. She’d never extend my curfew after that.”

  “Okay. I’ll get your coat.” Abbie turned around to climb the stairs to the main part of the house with us.

  “It’s not my coat anymore,” I told her. “Give it back to Jason, will you?”

  Abbie stopped dead. “Sarah, no! You can’t break up with him the week before Homecoming. It looks so petty. It’s like you don’t want to be with him because he’s a loser.”

  “That’s a good way to say it,” I said.

  She glowered down at me. “I meant because the team’s on a losing streak, and he’s the captain. It’s major un-cool.”

  “Tough,” I said. “And don’t say I’m doing it since he stood me up and lied about me when he got here.”

  “I’m sure Sarah has other reasons for her decision,” Timber rumbled in his deep voice. “If you’re afraid to give Jason his coat, I will when I get back.”

  “Afraid?” Abbie squawked incoherently for a moment. “I didn’t say I was scared of him. I’ll do it. I just don’t like the timing.”

  “Oh, I’m sure he asked for it.” Timber urged me up the stairs. Rita followed us. “I’m loaning Sarah your jacket for a little bit. I’ll bring it back with me. Okay?”

  “Fine.” Abbie started down the stairs to the party. “And I want to talk to you when you get back, Timber Watkins.”

  “All right, Abbie-Normal.”

  I giggled at the by-play between them and called, “Thanks, Abbie.”

  She waved at me and I knew we were cool. A trickle of dread crept through me when I saw Jason’s scowl. Then I reminded myself that we were over and there was nothing else he could do to me.

  Timber waited until we reached Rita’s and she went into her dad’s house. Then he asked, “Are you going to tell me anything else about why you dumped Jason?”

  I thought about it. I could tell him what had been going on since school started. I honestly wasn’t clumsy, but did I want to share how I really twisted my ankle, sprained my wrist, hurt my head, fell down the field-house stairs last week, and finally why I could barely talk tonight? Then, I’d be able to visit Timber in jail. Since he’d let Warren know what happened, I’d see my brother there, too.

  “What’s wrong?” Timber switched off the engine. “Too tough a question?”

  “No. I wanted to think about it,” I said. “It’s personal.”

  “It stopped being personal when you involved me and Abbie.” Timber looked out the windshield at the yard. “You might want to wait a while to tell me. I can live with that. Sooner or later, you will want to talk about it, Sarah.”

  “Oh, really? Why is that? Because you’re big enough and strong enough to make me?”

  That shut him up. I felt him watching me from the corner of his eye.

  After a few minutes, Timber finally spoke. His deep voice was soft, almost too soft. “I’m not a bully, Sarah. I used to fight a lot. I’ve never hit a girl or a kid or pushed anybody around who wasn’t looking for trouble. Most of the guys I fought with in bars were older, bigger and meaner than I was so I got my butt kicked a few times.”

  “I know.” I choked up.

  “You’ve got to share pain. Otherwise, it eats away your soul. It did mine. I used to drown the troubles I had with my dad in booze. They swam better than I ever knew they could. Things didn’t get better until I stopped drinking.”

  “I’ve never seen you with so much as a beer,” I whispered.

  “You won’t. It’s as close to hell as I want to get. Whenever I need a drink so bad, I’d kill to have one, I go to a meeting. It stops the pain for a while.”

  “You’re an...” I couldn’t say it. I didn’t want to hurt him.

  “An alcoholic.” Timber laughed, but it wasn’t a happy sound. “I’m a seventeen-year-old guy with his life ahead of him who doesn’t dare touch a drop of liquor. I’ll never be able to drink alcohol again. Sometimes, life just sucks, Sarah.”

  It had taken hours of after-school practice to perfect our routine for the competition. We were a small squad in comparison to those from other schools and there was a lot of what my dad would have called, hurry up and wait time. We had to be there bright and early. No fingernail polish or jewelry, but our makeup was a lot heavier than usual. I was glad about that. None of the bruises on my throat would show. I didn’t have time to think about what Timber told me last night, or was it early this morning?

  I really didn’t have time to think at all while I sat in the gym at Jefferson High. I was too busy watching the squads from the other local schools do their thing. Our arch-rivals from Saint Patrick’s came out in green and white, flashing their pom-pom, ripple-line routine and received loads of applause. They were incredible, but Abbie told us not to worry about competing with them. They had a bigger squad than we did, so we competed in a different division.

  They had huge cheer flash cards, showing the words that the audience needed to shout back. I decided we could make those for next time. Warren would design them on the computer and all we’d have to do was have them printed down at the stationary shop. Saint Pat’s squad went from their cheer into a series of leaps and partner stunts, all twenty-four cheerleaders in step. We only had three flyers—me, Kim-Su and Darcy. They had six. And they were amazing. I knew how hard it was when I went up in a pyramid and I wasn’t even trying to stay in sync with five other girls.

  Marcie leaned over to whisper not to worry. We’d capitalize on having fewer members and go for quality instead of quantity. It really surprised me when I saw kids from our school filling up one section of the stands. Their parents followed them. I saw Ringo and his mom. Terry and Gabe accompanied my mom’s Aunt Liz and her husband, Uncle Ted. Of course, my mom wasn’t there, and neither was Bruce or Priscilla. I hadn’t expected such a big turn-out from Stewart Falls, but Jenny told me that it was normal for our competitions. People wanted to see us win too. I looked for Jason, but I didn’t see him. That hurt. I was always rooting for him. Why wasn’t he here for me? Warren, Timber and Vonnie showed up with her brothers and they waved at me.

  Finally, it was our turn. Marcie led the cheer that got all of the Highlanders yelling, “Go. Fight. Win!”

  Time for a smooth transition to the dance formation. Rita and Kaitlyn did round-off back handsprings across the blue mat while our music filled the gym. Abbie and Ms. Olson had chosen the old rock classic, Louie Louie since it was a song we used all the time at games. We used part of each of our dances and then added in different baskets and tosses. And today, it all worked in the fastest three minutes of my life.

  We didn’t take home the trophy this time, but Abbie was still pleased with us. On the way back to the academy, she said that we’d do better at the next competition in two weeks. Taking third was a great start for a squad that had so many new members.

  B.J. got Grandaunt Aunt Liz to drop us at Horse Heaven. We needed to finish planning Gabe’s birthday party. We didn’t just talk about the arrangements, we also rode our horses. The whole time we were there, I finally thought about Timber. Was he right? Should I talk to someone? Who?

  Not my family. They were so busy telling me to talk, they didn’t take the time to listen. Who would? I dug into the pocket of my jeans and pulled out the card Dave had given me again. If I called his mom, she’d probably see me.

  Who would pay for it? Doctors were expensive and Bruce already pitched a fit about what Warren and I cost. Sure, Bruce was being nicer to me. But I didn’t expect that to last. Mom was trying to make more time for me. Sooner or later, it’d cause trouble at Book City and she loved the place more than anybody in our family, especially me. No contest there.