فصل چهاردهم

Chapter Fourteen

A Change of Plans

I walked to the front office about as enthusiastically as a man on his way to the electric chair— and with about as much hope. I was ticking like mad—blinking and gulping. As I stood in the waiting room, the school secretary, Mrs.

Hancock, walked out of Mr. Dallstrom’s office. She greeted me with a smile. “Hello, Michael,” she said. “Mr. Dallstrom will be right with you.” I swallowed. I was afraid that was the reason they were calling me. I had no idea why Dallstrom wanted to see me—I hadn’t been shoved in a locker for days.

A moment later he came to his door. He was smiling, which looked frighteningly out of place, like lipstick on a pig.

“Michael, come in.”

“Yes, sir.” I followed him inside his office. He sat back in his chair and smiled again.

“Have a seat,” he said, gesturing to the chair in front of his desk.

“How’s school going?”

I looked at him, wondering if some alien being had taken over his body. I slowly sat down. “It’s fine.” “Great. I just wanted to tell you that your detention has been canceled. I’m sorry about that little misunderstanding. And Jack and his cohorts will be doing their time. I guarantee they won’t be bothering you anymore.” “Oh.” It was all I could think to say. “Thank you.” He stood and walked around his desk to me, putting his hand on my shoulder. “Michael, we’re proud that you’re a member of our student body.” Now I was certain I was being punked. “You are?” “Absolutely we are.” Dallstrom leaned back against his desk. “Michael, I have some terrific news. Two of Meridian’s pupils have been awarded the prestigious C. J. Hatch Scholarship to the acclaimed Elgen Academy in Pasadena, California. And you are one of them.” He stuck out his hand. “Congratulations.” I gulped. How had they found both of us? I timidly offered my hand. When I could speak I asked, “Why me?” “Why not you?” Dallstrom said. “Elgen Academy selects their elite student body using a closely guarded process that involves scholarship, citizenship, and character. I am told that this is the first time in the academy’s illustrious history that two students have been invited to the academy from the same city—let alone the same school. We are very proud indeed.” “I don’t know what to say.”

“Say hurray!” he said. “This is the chance of a lifetime! The academy’s board will be contacting your parents directly and extending the offer. I’m certain that they’ll be as proud and excited as we are.” “It’s just my mom,” I said. I was suddenly very afraid for her.

“And, Michael, the best part is that your good fortune is shared by the entire student body of Meridian High. If you and the other student accept this remarkable offer, our school will be given a two-hundred-thousand-dollar grant to use however we best see fit.

We could restock our library, refinish the basketball court floor, pro-cure new music stands, buy new wrestling mats, and still have plenty to go around.” He leaned forward. “This is the biggest thing ever to happen to Meridian High. Your picture will hang proudly on our Hall of Fame.” “What if I can’t go,” I said.

His expression fell. “And pass up this incredible, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?” He leaned forward, looking at me with an expression that was oddly both friendly and threatening. “I’m sure we can count on you to do the right thing.” I swallowed. “Yes, sir.”

“I better let you get back to class. Don’t want to stand in the way of our greatest student. Do you need a tardy slip?” “Uh, no. I don’t think the bell’s rung yet.” “Right you are. You can go. Have a great day.” I walked out of his office more terrified than I had gone in.

Ostin and Taylor were waiting for me outside fifth-period biology.

Taylor didn’t look like she felt well.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

She had a hand on her right temple. “I’m just upset.” “What happened?” Ostin asked. “Why did they call you down to the office?” I was still processing everything, and I didn’t want to upset Taylor any more than she already was. “I’ll tell you later.” Ostin’s brow furrowed. “Did you get in trouble?” “I’ll tell you later,” I repeated.

“Let’s just go to class,” Taylor said. “I need to get my mind off of this.” “Good idea,” I said.

Taylor didn’t say much during biology. Actually she didn’t say anything. She looked like it was all she could do to not go running out. More than anything I wanted to reach over and hold her hand. I didn’t blame her for being afraid. I was afraid. Actually, I was terrified. I had no idea who those people were and what they would do.

I met Taylor in the hallway after class. “Are you all right?” She nodded but said nothing. Ostin walked up. He looked as nervous as we were.

“You remember the plan?” I asked Taylor.

She nodded again.

“Okay,” I said. “We’ll pick you up at five.” “I’ll meet you at the front of the school.” “Are your parents home?” I asked.

“They don’t get home today until after five. Why?” “Just in case my mother needs to talk to them.” “I hope not.” She sighed. “I’ll see you later.” “See you.”

She turned and walked off to the gymnasium.

Ostin and I walked in the opposite direction out of the school.

We hadn’t even left the schoolyard when I said to him, “I don’t feel right about this. Maybe we should stay with her.” “That would seem weird.”

“So?”

“If she’d wanted us to stay she would have asked.” “Yeah,” I said. “You’re probably right.” “So what did Dallstrom want?”

“I’ve been offered a scholarship to Elgen Academy.” Ostin blanched. “Oh no.”

“It gets worse. They’ve bribed Dallstrom. They’ve offered the school two hundred thousand dollars if Taylor and I go.” “You’ll have to change schools—Dallstrom will make your life miserable if you don’t go.” “I know.”

“When are you going to tell your mom about all this?” “I’m more worried about what to tell her. What if she wants me to go?” “This is bad,” Ostin said, shaking his head. “Really bad.” We walked the rest of the way home in silence.

My mother got home from work a few minutes later than she planned—around a quarter of five. She called as she opened the door, “Michael, Ostin, you guys ready?”

“We’re over here, Mom.” We were sitting in front of the television watching the Discovery Channel. It was Shark Week.

“When is Taylor done?”

“She has cheerleading until five.”

“It’s almost five now,” she said. “We better hurry.” Mom, Ostin, and I climbed into the Toyota and drove over to the school. My mom pulled up to the school’s front steps and put the car in park.

“Where are we meeting her?” my mom asked.

“She said she’d be in front,” I said.

“Maybe they’re running late,” Ostin said. “Or she went back inside.” My mother said, “You two run in and see what’s up.” I opened my door. “C’mon, Ostin.”

We ran up the stairs into the school’s main lobby but Taylor wasn’t there. We walked down to the gym. Inside, groups of cheerleaders were practicing stunts. I looked around but I couldn’t see Taylor. “Where is she, Ostin? Use your Tay-dar.” “She’s not here,” he said.

“She has to be.”

“She’s not.”

Mrs. Shaw, the cheerleader advisor, was on the other side of the gym. I walked over to her. “Excuse me, Mrs. Shaw. Do you know where Taylor Ridley is?” She looked up from her clipboard. “Taylor said she wasn’t feeling well, so she left early.” “She walked home?”

“I don’t know. She might have called her parents.” “Thank you,” I said.

Ostin and I walked out of the gym.

“That doesn’t make any sense,” Ostin said. “Why didn’t she call?” Just then I spotted Taylor’s friend Maddie. She was wearing gym clothes and walking down the hall texting. I called out to her. “Maddie!” She looked up and smiled. “Hi Michael. How are you?” “Fine. Have you seen Taylor? It’s really important that I find her.” “She left practice early. She had a really bad headache.” “Did you see her leave?”

“Yeah.”

“How was she acting?”

“Well, she was upset because of her headache.” “Was she alone?”

She looked at me with an idiotic grin. “I’m not telling on her.” “This isn’t a thing,” I said. I looked at her phone. “Look, will you call her? Please.” “She never answers her phone. I’ll text her.” “Great. Just ask her where she is.”

“Sure.” She thumb-typed a message. Less than a minute passed before her phone buzzed. “She’s at home.” I felt some relief. “Tell her I’m here to get her and ask if I should come over.” She began typing. Her phone buzzed again. “She says she’s sorry she forgot to call. She’s not feeling well and will have to pass on tonight, but happy birthday.” She looked at me. “I didn’t know it was your birthday. Happy birthday.” “Thanks.” I turned to Ostin. “At least she’s okay,” I said.

We walked back to the car and climbed in. My mom looked confused. “Where’s Taylor?” “She went home early,” I said. “She had a headache.” She looked as disappointed as I felt. “That’s too bad. Maybe next time.”