~
The next day at school he watched her, intrigued. There was something so completely different about her; it was like seeing a unicorn wandering the halls. At first glance she seemed shy and timid, but he realized that she was really just doing her best to disappear. She moved through the crowds fluidly, like a cat stalking through the jungle, in stark contrast to the other girls who bounced and strutted, trying to get his attention.
Her choice of clothes was odd. He was used to provocative displays of bare skin and cleavage, but she wore oversized shabby-looking things, dwarfing her slender frame in earth tones. He could see how hard she worked to blend into the background, keeping her head down and her nose buried in a book. He could also see how pretty she was underneath her camouflage.
Fascinated, he became acutely aware of her presence, and when she passed by him he grabbed the girl next to him, just to show her he could. The girl he embraced noticed his gaze following the new girl, and took him by the chin, turning it to kiss him.
She could turn his face but not his eyes.
As for Cal, all she saw was a strutting, arrogant peacock of a boy. She went out of her way to avoid him, alarmed by the way his eyes sought her out in the crowds. He was the high school Casanova, and she wasn’t interested in becoming one of his conquests. She didn’t need any more trouble in her life–even if it came in an undeniably attractive package.
She struggled to find her way, clinging to her new routine to keep from drowning in her sorrow. She wandered the streets at night, wraithlike, and kept to herself at school. She faded into the background, her head down and her golden mane of hair tucked away in a braid.
She soon discovered that the trick to being left alone in public was to look like you were completely engrossed in something. She avoided eye contact and kept her body language closed off. She also broadcasted the very best back-off blue color she could muster, and it seemed to work.
On everyone but Cal.
He sought her out, leaning over to murmur into her ear, “Calista, right?”
“No,” she said, darting into the nearest girl’s restroom to wait him out.
He pulled up alongside her on her way home from school. “Calpurnia?”
“No.” She trudged along, shifting her heavy bag from shoulder to shoulder.
“I like Cali better than Cal … you know, for a girl. How about I call you Cali?” he said, trying to strike up a conversation.
“Suit yourself,” she replied, continuing to walk away.
“Do you want a ride home?”
“No.” She wondered why he wouldn’t just go away.
He wondered why she wasn’t interested in him. “Are you afraid?” he taunted her.
“I happen to value my life,” she retorted.
He laughed, “You are afraid.”
“And you’re too stupid to wear a helmet.”
He was taken aback. “It wouldn’t matter anyway.”
She cast him a withering glance. “That’s not what the statistics say.”
“Well, I like to be free,” he said defiantly.
“To do what? Donate your organs?” she snapped. She rushed away, eager to get home and take a nap before her aunt had to leave for work. Phil still couldn’t find a job, and he’d started drinking heavily. Too much beer made him dangerous.
She left the house after dark that night, striking out for the night woods. She could hear a raucous party going on in front of Cal’s house; music was playing loud, and the smell of wood smoke and something cooking on a grill made her stomach growl. There were at least seven or eight big, heavy motorcycles parked diagonally in front, and she crossed the street, going out of her way to skirt the house.
She heard a bark, and looked up to see a dark shadow come flying across the street at her. She gasped in horror to see Rufus illuminated by the headlights of an oncoming car; the dog narrowly missed getting flattened.
“Oh, Rufus! What are you doing running loose?” she cried, crouching down to greet the happy dog. He wagged his whole body, whimpering like she was a long-lost friend he hadn’t seen in years. He lunged for her face, slathering her with sloppy dog kisses and knocking her over into a weedy patch.
“Hey! Get back here!” A man’s figure came racing up the dark driveway to retrieve the dog. When he saw Cal and Rufus on the ground he ran across the street to them, exclaiming, “Oh my God!”
He grabbed Rufus by the collar, roughly jerking him away from Cal. He looked like he was about to hit him, yelling, “Bad dog! No! Bad boy!”
“It’s okay! It’s okay!” she cried, scrambling to her feet. “He was only being friendly!”
He looked surprised, watching as she brushed herself off. She recognized Cal’s brother from the bus station. Another good looking ne’er-do-well, she thought.
“Are you all right?” he asked incredulously.
“I’m fine,” she said, picking burrs from her sweatshirt. “But Rufus nearly got run over!”
“How do you know my dog?” he asked suspiciously.
Rufus slipped out of his grasp and rushed back over to Cal, nuzzling her hand and whimpering.
“Calm down,” she told him, pointing to the ground. “Sit.” He plopped down at her feet, and when she bent to scratch him behind the ears he rolled over on his back submissively.
“He’s a good dog,” she said, “You should take better care of him.” She turned to go, walking off into the darkness.
Jarod returned to the ring of people sitting around a fire pit, dragging a dog struggling to go back the way they came from. He found the end of a nylon rope and tied it to Rufus’ collar. “Man, that was weird.”
“Did Rufus put the hurt on someone?” one of his friends asked.
“No, there was this girl … She, like, totally had him … like … hypnotized or something.” Everyone around the fire broke into laughter, thinking he was making a joke.
Cal’s head snapped up. “Was she blonde?”
“Yeah, like with a long braid,” Jarod replied, watching with surprise as his little brother bolted up, nearly knocking over a girl that was perched on his lap.
“Hey!” the girl cried indignantly, smoothing her hair as he raced off into the street.
Cal heard footsteps coming up behind her fast and she wheeled around, hand on her knife. Her eyes were wide with fear; she was relieved to see it was only Calvin trotting towards her.
“Where you headed?” he asked, breathing hard.
“Nowhere,” she replied.
“You shouldn’t be out here all alone. This isn’t the best neighborhood.”
“I’m fine,” she said.
She didn’t look fine to him. She looked vulnerable, fragile, and more alone than anyone he’d ever seen before. He had an irrational urge to take her into his arms and hold her close. He’d probably get stabbed if he tried, he thought.
“Listen. My brother got back today, and we’re having a party to celebrate.” He ran his hand through his shaggy hair. “Wanna come over and have a beer or something?”
“No thanks.” She shook her head, wondering why everyone kept offering her beer. She would have had a harder time turning down something to eat. “Goodbye.”
She turned away to walk briskly off into the dark, without looking back. Cal stood watching her go, her long braid swinging gently as she made her way down the deserted street. He had a sudden impulse to follow her, to stay by her side; to take her hand and make sure she got home okay.
Don’t be an idiot, he told himself. She doesn’t even like you.
He walked back to the party slowly, and spent the rest of the night worrying about her.
~
Chapter Five
RUFUS