Unconventional Scars (10 page)

“I hadn’t planned on it,” Anna retorted.
Why do you care?

The bell rang then, ending any further conversation. He walked with her to fourth period in silence. Later that day in French, she asked Josh why Alex didn’t want to attend the bonfire. He didn’t know.

****

When Phil returned home Thursday evening, he found Anna helping Marie fold laundry that was piled on the couch. He dropped his briefcase by the door and was nearly bowled over by the girl, who dashed over to throw her arms around his neck and proclaimed to have missed him. She
definitely
didn’t look any worse for wear after her three days home alone. Which was a monumental relief, since he had to return to
Philadelphia
next Tuesday.

Marie had prepared a pot of homemade soup for dinner, and there was a fresh loaf of Italian bread to go with it. Anna had already eaten, but she stayed in the kitchen with him anyway while he
hungrily devoured his food
, chattering happily about the A+ she got on her
history
assignment, the deer she’d spotted in the back yard the morning before, and some party she’d been invited to. Her enthusiastic exuberance warmed him even more than the soup.

When Anna tried to give him back the
credit card
, saying she hadn’t needed
it
, he told her
it was hers
to keep. He had never discussed an allowance with her, figuring he could just provide cash when needed. Set schedules were Lisa’s thing, not his. Taking things as they came was his preference. He supposed it was ironic for someone with such a complacent personality to have a career where he had to be extensively organized. Why analyze it, though? As far as he was concerned, when life was good, you didn’t rock the boat.

****

Anna was waiting in the front porch swing when Karen and
Dalton
pulled into the driveway Friday night. She
had selected for the evening
a lacy white tank top, long black gypsy skirt
complete
with fringe and rhinestones, and black sneakers, and was satisfied with the effect. Even if the weather got cool, she figured the dancing and the bonfire would keep her warm. Hopping excitedly into the back seat of
Dalton
’s
car
, she and Karen
each surveyed the other’s
choice of outfit. Karen looked amazing in a
daring
red minidress. She also wore sneakers, but hers were red to match her dress.

The Graveyard, as it turned out, was at the top of a small mountain.
Dalton
followed a paved road that dead-ended
at
a wide trail which snaked further up the mountain and into the dark woods. Lines of vehicles were already parked on either side of the road, and
Dalton
pulled in behind a
huge
Hummer
. Turning
t
o face Anna, he asked, “Will you hand me that lantern and those flashlights please?”

Anna handed him the items from the floorboard of the car. She hadn’t stopped to
consider
that it would be pitch dark in the woods. The idea of traipsing up the spooky trail in the black of night was thrilling.

Karen was already out of the car, bouncing with eagerness
and
ready to go. Already they could faintly hear the bass of music coming from somewhere in the darkness.
Dalton
handed each of the girls a flashlight and switched on his own lantern. “Chill out,
spazoid
,” he
teased
Karen. “The night is young.” From the trunk of his car, he pulled out a small cooler and then said, “All right ladies, let’s go. Watch your step
,
though. Some chick sprained her ankle on this trail last time. I don’t feel like having to carry either one of you back down to the car.”

Other people were arriving at the same time, so they weren’t the only ones on the trail. Nevertheless, it was deliciously creepy. The hazy light
from
the flashlights illuminat
ed
the trees surrounding them
, providing an eerie atmosphere
. The path went uphill, but it wasn’t terribly steep so Anna had no problem keeping up with
Dalton
and Karen, who made it perfectly clear that if she walked into a spider’s web she was going to scream. Nobody doubted she would.

The trail ended in a huge level clearing in the middle of the woods. Anna was entranced by the sight. Paper lanterns were strung from trees surrounding the circle of the clearing
and t
hey gave off a pale glow, creating a romantic effect. Scattered about the very edges were at least two dozen coolers that obviously belonged to various partygoers. At one side, out of the way, a table had been set up and bottles of liquor, juice, punch, soda and other items covered it. A couple of
seniors she recognized
stood there mixing drinks with battery powered mixers. In the dead center of the clearing was the area for the bonfire,
piled high with wood that
hadn’t yet been lit.

There were probably a hundred people there already, mingling and laughing and some even dancing already. There were quite a few people she
knew
from school
.
Karen leaned close so Anna could hear her over the
loud
blar
e of Korn’s
Another Brick in the Wall
and
said loudly, “I don’t think Josh and Erica are coming until later. They were going out to dinner first.”

Dalton
left to put his cooler with the others. Something suddenly occurred to Anna, and she put her head near Karen’s
again
.
“Hey, what do we do if we have to go to the bathroom?”

Karen giggled. “You take a flashlight and go
way
out in the woods. I stuck some
tissue
in
Dalton
’s pocket if you need any.”

Anna laughed. “
Are you
serious
?
All this drinking going on and no bathroom?
Gross.”

“I know. Only bad part.”

“So . . . w
ait a second -
how are they powering the sound system, with no electricity?”

Karen shrugged. “I dunno, generator someplace
,
I guess. By the way, if you decide you want any, we brought some wine coolers and beer.”

“How’d you get that?”

“Dalton’s brother bought it for him. He’s
,
like, twenty-two or something. He’ll probably
be here later
.”

“
Oh.
Thanks, but I probably won’t have any.” Anna didn’t relish the idea of having to pee in the woods where any one of a hundred might walk up on her at any time
and catch her
with her pants around her ankles. Besides, she thought beer
tasted
nasty
.

Dalton
rejoined them, grabb
ing
Karen around the waist and
spinning her around
, causing her to shriek. “Let’s dance, baby doll,” he yelled over the music.

“Come on!” Karen shouted to Anna, and so she followed them into the crowd and joined the dancing.

****

Watching a sitcom rerun on TV with his mother, Alex couldn’t concentrate. He stared blankly at the program while his mind wandered off on its own volition. Creed had driven off with Jennifer in her
car
over an hour ago, with the lame excuse that they were taking her
vehicle
because his truck was low on gas. He wondered what their mom would do if she knew Creed was more than likely getting drunk as a sailor on leave right now. Man, he really didn’t want to have to cover for him again. Last time Creed came home from one of these
things
, Alex spent a nauseating hour trying to clean puke off the bathroom floor before their mom woke up. Not an experience he cared to repeat.

Not that he was really worried about his brother - he was just trying to avoid thinking about the real issue here, the
nagging
thoughts that bothered him and wouldn’t go away. Like, what was Anna doing right now? He should have gone. He should be there right now, hanging out with his friends and having fun like any normal human being. It was just too risky to be in the midst of a large group of intoxicated people. Things could so easily get out of hand. He knew from experience.

Like
that
night
two years ago.
He couldn’t live through that again.
No way.
There’d been days afterward that he honestly thought he was going to die. For a while he’d wanted to.

Is she drinking? I should have asked Josh to keep an eye on her, make sure nobody takes advantage of her. Too many horny
-
ass guys there, liquored up and looking to score. She’s a
good-looking
girl. Will probably get hit on all night long. What if someone slips something in her drink? Okay, let’s not overreact here. That’s not going to happen. I wonder how she’s getting home. She better have more sense than to get in the car with somebody that’s hammered. Didn’t she ride there with
Dalton
? How’s she getting home in one piece if he’s not sober?

Oh, hell. Stop procrastinating. You already know what you’re about to do. You knew all along.

“Mom, I need to go out for a while. Can I borrow Creed’s keys?”

Charlotte
glanced up from the television. “Sure, honey. You’ll have to put some gas in the tank, though. I think he said it was on empty.”

“No problem.” Standing, he stretched and went to take a
quick s
hower.

8

Anna was having fun. Josh and Erica finally arrived somewhere around nine-thirty, when the party was in full swing. The bonfire was just being lit, and the air was charged with the frantic energy of a hundred and fifty rowdy people. Dancing made her throat dry, and she headed over to the table where she spotted Sebastian Westbrook pouring red punch into a plastic cup.

“Can I have some of that?”

Sebastian smiled broadly. “One drink for the lady, coming right up. I’ll fix you the house specialty.”

“Actually
,
just some punch is fine. With ice.”

“Punch and ice it is.” He pulled a plastic cup from a package and began adding ice.
“Are you enjoying this little soir
é
e?”

“I am.”

“So who did you come with?”

“Karen and her boyfriend.” An acrid, vaguely familiar smell wafted through the night breeze. Marijuana. She’d smelled it before on her mother. Someone was lighting up nearby.

“No date?”

“Afraid not. I like to keep my options open.” Anna grinned.

“A girl after my own heart! I knew we were destined for each other.”

“You’re so full of it.”

“You love that about me,” he smirked, handing her the cup. “Enjoy.”

“Thanks.” Anna
took a huge swallow
and wrinkled her nose. “
Uck!
What
d
id you put in this?”

“
Rum. Lots of it.
”

“You’re incorrigible
, you know that?
” Actually the drink wasn’t too bad, once you got used to the
after
taste. Thirsty, she gulped some more.

Sebastian watched her with interest. “Why don’t you let me give you a ride home later tonight?”

“I have a ride. Thanks.”

“I could give you much better ride.”

She laughed into her cup, almost spilling some of the drink on herself. “Why do I get the feeling you aren’t referring to transportation?”

“Always so suspicious
!
I’d get you safely home. Trust me.”

“Trust
you
? There isn’t enough rum in the world
!
”

“All right then,
L
ittle
M
iss
K
illjoy, at least come dance with me.”

“That I can do.”
And t
ossing the empty cup into a trash can, she followed him back into the throng of people.

****

It was eleven
o’clock
, and Anna was seated on the ground with her back resting against a tree, watching the hypnotic flames from the bonfire changing colors, from orange to red to blue. In spite of attempts by several of the
boys
to keep it burning, it was slowly, sleepily dying down, much like Anna. The two drinks she’d had
earlier had
instilled
a
soothing
,
mellow
feeling
. Most of the songs played now were slow ones, and she could see Karen and
Dalton
clutching each other
in the distance, still dancing
. Though she couldn’t see them from where she was, she knew Josh and Erica were somewhere in the crowd
too
,
as well
as Creed with his girlfriend Jennifer, a petite brunette with a pixie haircut.