AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Okay, listen. I’m sorry,” she said, shaking her head. “I didn’t mean to accuse you. That wasn’t why I called.”
“But you did accuse me.” His tone dissolved into a patronizing drone. “And why else would you call? Certainly not to chat, I hope.”
Well, this had all gone straight to hell in a fat, flaming rocket.
“You know,” he said, plowing on, sounding more venomous by the second, “despite what everyone has always told you, the world does not revolve around you.”
“Look,” she growled, “I said I was sorry! You don’t have to be a jerk about it.”
“I’m only telling you what nobody else will.”
“Yeah?” she said, her voice rising. If he wanted to pull out the artillery, that was just fine with her, she had her own guns. Bring it. “Why don’t you speak for yourself?” she hissed. “I mean, what screams ‘cry for attention’ more than walking around looking like the grim reaper and scribbling creepy, tortured messages into some book?”
“Please,” she heard him scoff through a thin scratch of phone fuzz—he was probably using a cordless handset, she realized, and it made her wonder if he even owned a cell. “I don’t have to explain myself to you, of all people. Aside from the fact that you wouldn’t get it, you—”
“Hey,” she cut in. She’d had enough of his more-competent-than-thou condescending crap. If anyone went around thinking themselves superior, it was him. “Just because I live in the sunlight, enjoy being blond, and wear a cheerleading uniform, that doesn’t mean I’m stupid. I’m so sick of that.”
“Just because I wear black and keep a private journal, that doesn’t mean I’m going to blow up the school. Or terrorize mindless cheerleaders, for that matter.”
“You’re so mean.”
“Like you care.”
“What if I do?”
Isobel immediately covered her mouth with one hand; she could feel her cheeks growing hot beneath her palm. Where had that come from?
“You don’t,” he assured her. “You care about your fluffy pink ego.”
“That’s not true,” she said, walking to plop back down on the corner of her bed, frowning at the hem of her fluffy pink robe. She shut her eyes and ground her fingers into her forehead.
When had this gone all screwy? Hadn’t they been fine in the attic? What about the ice cream shop? Didn’t that count for something? “I didn’t know how else to tell you, is all.”
“Tell me what?”
“About the park.” She sighed, raking a hand through her damp hair. “Just—never mind. I’m sorry, okay? I didn’t really think it was you. I just didn’t want you to think I was crazy or something.”
“By telling me that someone chased you through the park and that I should confess? Crazy? No. Experiencing visions of grandeur? It’s possible.”
“I just thought it might be your idea of a joke or something. I couldn’t see them, whoever it was,” she said, her voice going small and weak, her conviction having since curled under like a withering plant.
“Well, as rousing as that sounds,” he said, “I was still at the bookshop an hour after you left. I should also let you know, by the way, that I pawned my invisibility cloak last week. You might want to check with the shop to see if someone bought it.”
“I just,” she began softly, “I just needed to tell somebody.”
The line went quiet again. She heard a crackle of movement. His voice lowered as he said, “Are you sure you didn’t just imagine it? I mean, you were reading right before you left.”
Did he think she was in kindergarten? “I know the difference between a story and reality. Besides, I heard voices, and the gate rattling behind me after I got out of the park.”
“And aside from the obvious choice that is me, you can’t think of anyone else?” His tone dripped sarcasm, and she didn’t have to guess to know who he meant.
“He wouldn’t,” she said.
“I can see there’s a lot you assume he wouldn’t do.”
To this, she remained silent.
“You didn’t see who it was at all?” he asked.
