Trouble With Liberty (6 page)

Considering I hadn't seen him once since he'd been suspended, I shouldn't have been surprised. It's just that it felt wrong. Everyone else in town was in the community center, having a good time, and he was hidden away in his little house, all alone.

The sound of rhythmic clapping drew my attention to the dance floor. While Marty Mezner and the Hoedown Cowboys rocked the hall with the “Beer Barrel Polka,” a bunch of people stood in a big circle keeping the beat. I caught a glimpse of dancers beyond them and squeezed through to the front of the crowd for a better look.

It was Liberty and her dad! And they had the floor all to themselves. Round and round they
whirled, so close to the crowd that I could feel the breeze that followed them. They were both grinning, and every once in a while — when Mr. Hayes would put them into a particularly fast spin — Liberty would throw back her head, sending peals of laughter rippling into the air with the music.

Cody was standing on the other side of the circle, almost directly across from me. Beside him was Mrs. Hayes. She was clapping along with everyone else, but the furrow between her eyebrows said she wasn't enjoying the show. In fact, she slipped out of the circle and walked back to her table before the music ended.

When the song was over, the crowd applauded, and Liberty and her dad bowed. Then the band announced it was taking a break, someone turned on a CD player, and Faith Hill started singing a slow, romantic song. Liberty put her arms out to her dad again, but Cody appeared and claimed the dance instead. Mr. Hayes smiled and patted him on the back and then returned to his seat.

I spotted Ryan holding up the wall by the punch bowl, so I headed over to keep him company. We gabbed for a bit, but soon he headed for
the exit to walk off his three helpings of supper.

So I turned back to the dance floor. It was another slow song, and this time Liberty's parents were dancing together. As they floated by, Mr. Hayes whispered something in Mrs. Hayes' ear, and suddenly it was like there was a spotlight shining on her. Her whole face lit up, and when she smiled, she looked really, really pretty.

I peered around for my brother and Liberty. I didn't see Cody, but Liberty was waltzing with Jason Kaufmann. I was surprised. For one thing, I thought slow dances were reserved for Cody. For another thing, Jason is in college — he only comes home on weekends — so I didn't see how he and Liberty even knew each other. And for a third thing, the two of them were dancing awfully close. Somehow I didn't think Cody would appreciate that.

“Can I call you next time I'm home for the weekend?” I heard Jason ask when he walked Liberty off the floor at the end of the song.

“If you like,” Liberty smiled.

I frowned. I was pretty sure Cody wouldn't appreciate that either.

A few minutes later Cody walked in from the parking lot with some of his friends. Judging from the smile on his face, he had no clue what had been going on while he'd been gone.

I considered telling him, but that would make me look like I was trying to stir up trouble —
which I wasn't!
After all, what I'd overheard might have been perfectly innocent. And even if it wasn't, it was only my word against Liberty's. So why would Cody want to believe me?

Suddenly reality smacked me right between the eyes, and I knew exactly why Ryan had kept quiet about what he'd seen in the band room. It didn't matter whether you were telling the truth or not if no one believed you. I shuddered. Was that how Mr. Henderson felt too?

The next thing I knew there was another slow song, and Cody and Liberty were wrapped around each other on the dance floor. I breathed a sigh of relief. I'd obviously been suspicious for nothing. Thank goodness I'd kept my mouth shut.

Wrong!

The very next afternoon I saw Liberty riding in Jason Kaufmann's car, and when I got home, Cody told me Liberty had broken up with him.

I couldn't believe it!

Neither could Cody. Apparently Liberty hadn't even given him a reason. All she'd said was she didn't want to go out with him anymore. Cody was crushed. Oh, he tried to hide it, but I know my brother. And even though there are times when I want to mash his face into a cow pie, I couldn't help feeling sorry for him.

Not because he was going to die of a broken
heart. I mean, couples break up all the time, and he and Liberty hadn't been going out that long. But the way Liberty had dumped him was heartless. Cody's pride had taken a real kicking. And considering how he'd stuck up for her through the whole molestation thing, it really ticked me off.

I couldn't help thinking about the way Liberty had dissed Ryan on the plane. Was that how it was with Cody too? Had Liberty dumped him because a college guy suddenly caught her interest? I didn't know the answer, but I intended to find out.

Unfortunately, that was easier said than done.

The next morning I waited in my usual spot outside the main doors of the school. But when Liberty got off the bus, she didn't head over. Instead, she walked off with some grade eleven girls. I admit I was surprised, but it didn't bother me. After all, I couldn't really ask her about Cody with a bunch of other people listening in.

So I waited for her at her locker. Good plan, except Liberty never showed. We had only one class together that morning, so I made up my mind to talk with her then. That didn't work out either. Even though we always sat together, the
chairs on either side of her were taken by the time I got there.

When she walked right past me at lunchtime and sat at another table, the light finally went on. Liberty was avoiding me. It looked like Cody wasn't the only one who'd been dumped.

All afternoon I thought about that — which is probably why I couldn't get any formulas to balance in chemistry and why I let in four goals during a soccer game in phys ed. And though being snubbed by Liberty shocked and embarrassed me, those feelings soon changed to anger. The more I thought about things, the angrier I got.

Liberty had used me. She'd used me to get to Cody, and she'd used me to get in with the other kids at school. And now that she didn't need me anymore, she was tossing me away like an empty candy bar wrapper. By the time the last bell rang I was so mad it was a wonder steam wasn't pouring out of my ears. If I'd passed Liberty in the hall at that moment I would probably have punched her in the nose.

I made a quick trip to my locker and then poked my head into the office to let Mom know I'd be taking the bus home.

As I climbed aboard, I could see Liberty at the back with her new grade eleven friends. I took a seat near the front beside Sarah Shaw. When the bus stopped at the end of Liberty's driveway, I didn't even watch her leave. A quarter mile down the road, I got off with Sarah. Since my stop was another two miles away, Sarah was more than a little surprised. But I crossed my fingers behind my back and explained that I'd left something at Liberty's that I needed right away. I didn't tell her it was my self-respect.

With my eyes fixed blindly on the rolling purple hills ahead, and my mind focused on what I was going to say, I began the trek back to Liberty's house. I played out the different ways the conversation might go. At first, all I could see was me biting Liberty's head off. That was the least she deserved! But the closer I got to her house, the less angry I got, and the more reasonable the conversations taking place in my head became.

I'd explain how hurt Cody and I were, and Liberty would apologize. She might even cry. She'd admit she'd made a mistake dumping Cody, and she'd beg me to help her get him back. Then she'd confess how embarrassed she was, and that was why she'd avoided me all day.

I sighed and raked my hand through a tall clump of golden horsetails at the side of the road.
Yeah, right
!

At the bottom of Liberty's driveway I stopped. I wasn't chickening out or anything. I just needed a minute to get my engines totally revved — kind of like an airplane that sits at the end of the runway for a second before barreling ahead for takeoff.

Mrs. Hayes was frowning as she answered the door. For a second it looked like she wasn't going to let me in. But then her frown dissolved and she pointed to the staircase behind her.

“Liberty's in her room,” she said. “Go on up.”

Liberty didn't hear me coming. It was a good minute before she noticed me standing in the doorway. She was sprawled across her bed, talking on the phone. Her eyes were sparkling and there was laughter in her voice. She looked so
much like the Liberty I was used to that I almost forgot why I'd come. But then she saw me, and her expression became hard as stone.

“I'll have to call you back,” she told the person on the other end of the phone. She pushed herself up to a sitting position and glared at me. “How did you get in here?” Then she bellowed into the hallway behind me. “Mother!” And again. “Mother!”

“Save your breath,” I said. “I'm not staying.”

“What do you want?” Liberty snarled. “And make it fast. I have things to do.” As if to prove her point, she got to her feet and stalked across the room to her dresser.

“That's a nice way to talk to your
best friend
.”

Liberty didn't even have the decency to look embarrassed. She just shot me a pitying glance and began rummaging through a drawer.

“You wish,” she muttered.

“Actually, I don't,” I said.

That caught her attention, and the smug look on her face slipped. But only for a second.

“What do you want?” she demanded again.

“I want to know why you broke up with Cody.”

Liberty stopped rummaging and regarded me with amusement. Then she stuck her bottom lip out in an exaggerated pout. “Why? Did Cody get his little feelings hurt? Is he crying? Did he send you over here to beg me to take him back?”

It was all I could do not to pounce on Liberty and scratch her eyes out. I still don't know how I managed to keep my cool. But I did. “Answer my question,” I said.

Liberty let out an enormous sigh. “I would have thought it was obvious. Cody is a little boy. And I'm looking for a man.”

I felt my eyebrows jump, but the rest of me stayed perfectly still.

“Like Jason Kaufmann?” I said snidely. “Is that your idea of a man —
this week
?”

A smile played at the corners of Liberty's mouth. “Maybe.” She shrugged. “As soon as I find out, I'll let you know.” Then she turned back to her dresser.

“Or are you looking for someone more like Mr. Henderson?”

I don't even remember thinking those words, never mind saying them out loud! But I must have, because Liberty grabbed the edge of the drawer so tightly her knuckles went white.

“You don't know what you're talking about,” she snapped, but she didn't sound quite as confident as she had before.

“Well, you see, that's the thing,” I said in a buttery voice. “I
do
know.” I watched Liberty's back stiffen. “Because Ryan told me. And
he
knows because he saw you. He was in the band room that morning — in one of the practice booths. He saw you unbutton your blouse, and he saw you throw yourself at Mr. Henderson. He also saw Mr. Henderson reject you.” That last part wasn't completely true, but Liberty didn't know that.

She spun around. Judging from the horrified expression on her face, I'd guessed right.

I didn't even try to hide my pleasure. In fact, I couldn't resist rubbing a little salt into the wound. “I guess Mr. Henderson isn't interested in little girls.”

I expected a smart comeback like,
It's his loss!
But for once, Liberty was speechless. I knew I had the answers I'd come for.

So I turned around — and walked right into Mrs. Hayes. I mumbled an apology, but she didn't hear me. She didn't see me either. It was like I wasn't even there. Her eyes were totally glued on Liberty. And they were flashing fire. It's a wonder
the whole room didn't burst into flame.

For once, I was glad I wasn't Liberty.

Cody picked me up about a mile from home.

“So, did you rearrange her face?” he asked as I slid onto the seat beside him.

“Whose face?”

“Liberty's. You were just at her house, weren't you?”

“How do you know?” I said, unable to keep the amazement out of my voice.

He grinned. “Easy. I'm smart.”

“Since when?”

His grin got bigger. “Since I dumped Liberty.”

I just about choked. “Excuse me. I hate to burst your bubble, but she's the one who broke up with you — remember?”

Cody shrugged. “She must've found out I was going to dump her and beat me to it so she wouldn't look bad.”

I rolled my eyes. “Right, Romeo. And why would
you
dump
her
?”

He shrugged again. “I didn't like the competition.”

“You mean Jason Kaufmann?”

“I mean her dad.”

“Say what?”

“Mr. Hayes. When Liberty and I were together, that's all she talked about. It was like she was using me to make him jealous or something. And when it didn't work, she dumped me. It's kind of sick, don't you think?”

“Yeah,” I mumbled. “Sick and sad.”

That night I called Ryan. After I told him what had happened at Liberty's house, we decided Mr. Henderson had been a victim long enough. It was time to set the record straight.

When my mom heard the story, she immediately phoned Mr. Garvey. Suddenly Ryan and I had an early morning appointment at the office. All night I tossed and turned, thinking about it. I knew Ryan and I were doing the right thing, but that didn't stop me from worrying. After all, we were crossing Liberty, and look what had happened to Mr. Henderson when he'd tried it.

By the next morning I was a wreck. I thought my stomach was as knotted up as it could get, but when the office door swung open and Liberty's mom walked in, it snarled up a little bit more.