Broken (15 page)

“Ah, the wedge,” I said.

“Wedge?” Cece asked.

“Yes, ma'am. Sierra took it from the library last year, the day after we found this place,” I said.

“The bathroom?” Cece asked.

“While it doesn't win any points for glam, it is the only private place in the school we don't have to share,” I said.

“Even if you know of an empty classroom during lunch?” Cece asked.

Sierra shoved the dirty, marked-up wedge underneath the door. It was seriously the last thing you'd think she'd pull out of her bag. “Empty classrooms don't work. Others will eventually find out,” Sierra said.

“Case in point, junior year we found an old Chem lab that was allegedly unused for the semester, according to our connect in the main office,” I said.

“It was false. We hung there twice before space-intruding punks took over. That's when we went on a hunt and my sister found this place,” Sierra said.

“Did Frenchy ever bring Cara here?” I asked. My stomach was starting to turn.

“No. I made her swear not to. But speaking of the devil, Frenchy said she went to her house!” Sierra said.

“Where is it?” I asked.

“In SoHo?” Sierra said.

“Really? I thought she lived up on 67th,” I said.

“Her father does. Cara lives with her governess by herself in SoHo. Her father owns three apartments in a hotel downtown,” Sierra said.

“No wonder Dimitri is in love with her. He's dying for an apartment downtown,” I said. I noticed Cece loop her hands around her purse. “Don't go. You always leave early,” I said.

“That's fine, Mimi,” Sierra said.

I sighed. She hadn't called me that since last year. I guess it was Battle of the Side Names today. Sierra looked at her watch.

“Oh, I'm not leaving,” Cece said as she stood up and closed the window.

“Good idea. Eavesdropping could be taking place,” Sierra said.

“Relax, Sierra!” I said.

“Come sit, Cece, there's more,” Sierra said.

“Oh, no!” Cece texted me.

“It turns out Frenchy read some of Cara's diary. She was kicked out of her Dad's house because she put bleach in her stepmother's shampoo and some got into her eyes when she poured it on her head in the shower. Her stepmother was rushed to the hospital to have her eyes flushed out!” Sierra said.

“What!” I said.

“Will you be mad if I go?” Cece texted.

“Why?” I texted.

“I don't like the subject,” Cece texted.

“Okay,” I texted.

“There's more. Her mother left three years ago. Her father had a private detective find her. She's been hiding out in Tibet!” Sierra said.

“Could be worse. At least she knows her mother still alive,” I said.

“I have to be all the way in the basement,” Cece said.

“Sierra, don't tell anyone else this,” I said. I could tell Cece was worried. And after this, I was starting to wonder if I should be too.

“I know. How serious is that shampoo thing? Now if I get on her bad side, she might slip me something,” Sierra said.

“Don't talk like that,” Cece said.

“Let's go,” I said.

“Swear you won't tell a soul,” Sierra said.

“Believe me, we won't!” I said.

“I won't. I promise. You promise us too!” Cece said.

“I promise I will not tell a soul,” Sierra said.

“What's with Sierra today?” Cece texted.

“I don't know. I'm with you. Let's avoid this topic,” I texted. It was weird being an intermediary between these two.

“Any update on your secret lover from sleepaway camp?” Sierra asked. Great! Sierra was in one of those moods. Everyone was going to symbolize some kiddy theme. I wondered who I'd be.

“Strawberry Shortcake has not had any contact with sleepaway camp boy,” I said.

“Wow! I have a feeling he will turn up. Maybe soon,” Sierra said.

“Really?” I asked.

“Trust me. I did my Ouija board yesterday. A lot's going to be changing,” Sierra said. Geez. I had played Ouija once with Sierra. I thought we could talk to my mom. Ten minutes in, I was way too creeped out to even ask for her. Meanwhile, Sierra wanted to know everything from her Chemistry final grade to when she was going to get married.

“Lisa has a psychic she sees,” I said.

“We should go,” Sierra said.

“I'm going to stop at my locker,” Cece said.

“Bye,” Sierra said.

“Thinking of going together again to conservation?” I asked.

“I can,” Cece said.

“Good,” I said.

“We could all go to the psychic,” Sierra said.

“I don't believe in psychics,” Cece said.

“Okay, Mary Poppins,” Sierra said.

“Strawberry Shortcake doesn't want to go either. I don't want to know my future. I can barely get over the past,” I said.

“Are you sure about that?” Sierra asked.

“We'll see.”

I hugged Sierra and Cece. And just like that, lunch was over.

The next day, something weird happened. I checked my cell phone. I had two missed calls from Cece. This was the first time she had ever called me. Sierra and Frenchy were already accustomed to my style: no phone calls—text or in person. It had slipped my mind to even acquaint Cece with my ideas on the telephone. “What's up?” I texted Cece.

“Can you talk for a minute?” she texted.

“Stop by my house.”

“I can't now. With mom at doc's office,” she texted.

“Come by after.”

“Okay, like 7?” she texted.

“Seven.”

I knew this had to have something to do with Bradley. Only a boy could wield such power in our lives. I was guilty of it myself. I had to admit, though, it was like a guilty pleasure: escaping from my world into a place where every word, smile, touch, and look meant something special. Love was the great mystery of my life.

Cece arrived, dressed in a raincoat and the sweetest rain boots on this side of the Park.

“Seriously, where did you get those sick rain boots? I mean, I'm so tired of everyone and their logo rain boots. As if! These are just fun.” A stunning pearl white with a thin hint of mint-green argyle stitched across the bottom where the boot meets the sole, and on the back were Cece's initials!

“Milan, stop! Your closet is like five times cooler than mine. These boots simply can't have you floored.”

“You're under-selling your style. But I'm sure Bradley doesn't think so.”

“Shhh! Milan.”

“I'm sorry.” I guess I wasn't allowed to say his name. “No one's here. Dimitri and you-know-who left like half an hour ago.”

“I don't know how you live like this?”

I exhaled. “Lots of deep breathing.”

We walked to my room. I locked the door behind me. “Did you want anything to eat?”

“No, ate with my mom at the Food Hall.”

“I kind of like that place. Although I don't like any of the shops in the basement at the Plaza.”

“We're just not the target demographic, that's all. One of the sales ladies looked to be my grandmother's age. She freaked me out when she shoved this eye shadow in my face. All I can remember are her fingers jutting toward me and her saying, ‘Why don't you try this?'” Cece puckered her lips to imitate the woman.

“That does look kind of scary!” I laughed.

“So, Bradley called me back. It was a little awkward. He was like, ‘You called me, so …' and then he was silent.” She shrugged. This was the most animated I had ever seen Cece. “I was like, I don't expect you to feel the same. I know I said I loved you a long time ago. But I still mean it. It would be cool if we could be friends. Then he said he had to go.”

“So he just hung up?”

“Pretty much. I never heard back from him. Then—” she paused. I was on the edge of my seat. “I saw him in the hallway on my way out. I was headed toward the east exit. You know you pass his locker if you go down the east hallway. I said ‘hey' as I walked by him. He grabbed my arm.”

“What!” This was definitely a breaking point!

“My heart was thumping so loud, my entire chest cavity was vibrating,” Cece said. I laughed. “Then he spoke to me! He was like, ‘Hey, do you want to get something to eat?' I was in shock. I opened my mouth, but no words came out.”

“Oh, gosh!”

“It gets worse! He was like, ‘Maybe we can stop some place on your way home, if you have time.' I still couldn't speak. Then he was like, ‘You have plans?' ‘No,' I said.”

“Good, at least you spoke up when it counted.”

“Don't give me a high five yet. Right then, Henrietta stormed up the hallway.”

“Oh, no!”

“‘Where the hell have you been?' is how she greeted him. ‘I told you to wait for me by Chem,' she was screaming. He just rolled his eyes. Honestly, I was a little scared. ‘I texted you two times,' she said. He was like, ‘I got them, I replied, am busy.' ‘What?' she said in this hissing type of way. Then she threw her cell phone at him. He jumped back, and it hit his locker.”

“Okay, I would be scared too,” I said.

“Then she was like, ‘And what are you even doing talking to her? I know this is not the reason you're busy.' He was like, ‘Why?' Then she laughed.”

“Ewu!”

“I know, it was really sarcastic. Then Bradley was like, ‘I thought you got it.' She was like, ‘Excuse me? Why are you speaking to me like this? And why is she still here?' At that point, I was even asking myself that question. I just walked away slowly. I heard him say, ‘Look, I told you last night I'm done.' She was like, ‘Are you kidding me?'”

“Oh, that is messed up, Cece.” I started to wonder why Cece wanted to be with that guy.

“‘I'm tired of you telling me what to do,' he said. And something like, ‘I can't pretend. I'm sick of you. You just don't stop talking.' Then I heard a loud slap. I turned around and I saw him clutching his face. It sounded really hard. ‘Deuces!' he yelled.”

“Did you drive home with him?” I asked.

“No. I was with my mom. Around 6, he texted me, apologizing. He said he was sorry for that. He tried to deal with it last night. ‘I hope you still want to talk to me.' Can you believe he put that down?”

“Yes.”

“What do you think I should do?”

I didn't reply.

By now, we had made our way to the window seat. The moon was out in full force.

“It's a full moon. Crazy things happen on these days,” I said. Cece smiled. “I believe in love … you know. Maybe it can be worked out,” I said.

I crossed my fingers. I wasn't sure. But I could see the stress on Cece's face. I knew if it were Noel, regardless of what happened, I would try. In love, you have to try.

I walked across 57th Street, past the Park. Then I headed up Columbus. The sun was beaming. I had on an oversize floppy straw hat, dark, Jackie O sunglasses, and my uniform. I had stopped home briefly before heading out to my doctor's appointment.
When I arrived home, things were most unusual. Not only had Cara beat me to the apartment after school, but our seeing each other was less than a friendly encounter and more of a curious, maybe even suspicious, run-in.

Daddy's office was at the front of the house. Usually I came in, placed my keys on the welcome table, and then put my books and my handbag in the front closet. Both my parents used to keep their coats and accessories in that closet when I was a girl. About a year after the accident, Daddy vacated it. Since then, my stuff had found residence there—at least, my outerwear and school necessities did.

I came in, did my usual, and closed up shop. I passed Daddy's office on my way to the kitchen. I grabbed my flavored water. Strawberry mango was my favorite. I reached for an apple and made a mad dash for my room. It was on the way to my room that the idea of walking to my doctor's office occurred to me. My watch read a quarter past three. There was no time to change. I grabbed the hat, the glasses, and scurried.

When I was walking to the front door, I noticed Daddy's office door was slightly ajar. I knew Daddy would never be home that early. Earlier, the door had been completely open. So why was it sort of closed now? I took a few steps toward the door. In the window reflection, I saw Cara standing behind his desk!

I swung the door open. She jumped back. A first! “What are you doing in here?”

“Oh. Hah. Uh, I was just getting some copy paper for Dimitri, sweetie.” She had a few papers in her hand. “This is probably not enough.” She turned around and grabbed some paper off the printer and mixed them all together.

“Oh, wait!” I grabbed the papers out of her hand. I checked the bottom sheets. They were blank. “I'm expecting a fax.” I handed the papers back to her.

“You should get an inbox for any official business,” she winked. She walked to the door. “I'm sure they'll turn up.” She smiled. I walked past her.

“I bet you they will,” I said.

“Will you be back later?”

“Of course.” I do live here, I thought. What was her excuse? “Until then, sunshine.” I gave her two double kisses and left. I couldn't let her know I was beginning to hate her guts.

There was just something about her. I spent the entire 20-minute walk trying to figure out what she wanted in Daddy' office. I arrived at the doctor's office. My stomach was fired up again. The six-year-old next to me was watching
Mickey's Playhouse
on his iPad. I remember when Mickey Mouse wasn't in 3D. What happened to old-school Mickey, like the Mickey with the magician's hat? Or the
Prince and the Pauper
Mickey?

I had to ask Sierra what she thought about Cara being in my Dad's office. Part of me hesitated. But did I have a choice? When I took out my phone, I noticed she had texted me. “Hey, do you follow Henrietta?”