As exciting as the satellite glitch was, I had more
important things to worry about…like the weird looks my mother gave me
whenever my eyes met hers that day. And what was the deal with
Casey’s father? I knew it had something to do with the picture
Casey showed me in his loft. Mom and Dad were close friends of
Casey’s parents, but for some reason, they were acting like they barely
knew them.
Curt came into my room and gave me a hard time about
hanging around with Casey. “I’m telling you this for your own
good. Stay away from that guy!”
“Why is everybody so paranoid about him?”
“He’s nothing but trouble. What do you see in
him, anyway?”
“What do you see in his girlfriend?”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“Leave me alone, Curt. I can hang out with
anyone I want to.”
“Mom and Dad would kill you if they knew about his
reputation.”
“I suppose you’re going to tell them.”
“I might. That guy’s nothing but a drug
addict. The whole school knows about it. Don’t screw up
your life.”
For a moment, I felt the urge to tell Curt about
that photograph, but thought better of it. I just turned away
from him and went back to reading my magazine. He finally left my
room. A few seconds later, there was a knock on my door.
“Crystal, it’s Mom. I’m going to the
mall. I want you to come with me.”
Uh-oh. Time for the big talk. I slowly
got up and grabbed my hooded sweatshirt. For a second I thought
about wearing my leather jacket, but decided against it.
“Coming, Mom.”
* *
* * *
As we drove to the mall, Mom said, “I don’t like
this change that’s come over you. What’s going on?”
“Nothing. I just made a few new friends,
that’s all.”
“I knew it was a mistake to send you back home.”
“I’m a teenager, Mom. I can’t stay a little
kid forever.”
“Well, you’re moving way too fast. Spending
the night with a boy…”
“Nothing happened. He was a perfect gentleman.”
“Casey Winslow? A perfect gentleman?”
“I thought you didn’t know him.”
“People talk about him around town. Don’t you
think he’s a little old for you? He’s Curt’s age.”
“I don’t care about that. I like him. I
like hanging around with him. I don’t care what you have against
him and his family.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I saw how weird you and Dad got when Uncle Warren
mentioned Casey’s father this morning. What’s that all about?”
“We barely knew him,” Mom said.
“So you did know him! What happened between
you?”
“Nothing!”
“What’s so terrible that you can’t even tell your
own daughter about?”
“I’m the one asking the questions here, young lady.”
“I met Casey’s mother last night,” I informed
her. “She looked at me weird when I mentioned who my parents
were.”
“I don’t know what to tell you about that.”
“And Casey showed me a photograph that looked a lot
like you and Dad hanging out with his mother and father when you guys
were young. You were at a beach.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. That
could have been anybody.”
“I could get the photo and show you if you want.”
“That won’t be necessary. Let’s just forget
this, okay?”
“Forget about Casey, you mean?”
“I told you, you’re too young for him.”
“It’s not like we’re having sex or anything.”
“Well if you did, I could have him arrested.”
“You would, wouldn’t you?”
“Just try me.”
“Okay, I will!”
“No, don’t try me! You know what I mean!”
“You know, I’m not even sure if Casey feels the same
way I do. He’s still messed up on Sylvia…the girl Curt stole from
him.”
“I just don’t want you to get hurt, Crystal. I
made the mistake of getting involved with the wrong guy when I was
young. He broke my heart. I just don’t want the same thing
happening to you.”
I looked right at Mom. “You mean there was somebody
besides Dad?”
“Never mind about that.”
“Come on, Mom. I’ve told you what’s going on
with me. When are you going to tell me what’s going on with you?”
“This talk is over.”
We pulled into the parking lot of the mall.
Mom parked the car and reached into her purse, handing me twenty bucks.
“What’s this for?”
“Buy yourself some Star
Wars toys.” she said.
“Star Wars
toys? Are you serious?”
* *
* * *
I ended up spending the money on some new posters
for my room. I was putting them up later that afternoon when
Casey Winslow called. I went out to the living room to take the
call. He said there was a party at Allan Matthew’s house and we
were invited. “A. J.’s getting the van,” he said.
“What’s the occasion?” I asked.
“His folks went on a trip to Bermuda and their plane
is missing. He insists on celebrating.”
“Cool. What time are you picking me up?”
“Half an hour,” he said, and then hung up.
“That’s great, Casey! It’s good to talk to
you! How have you been? Me, I’m just fine. How’s
everybody? Good. Well, it’s been nice talking to you
again. Call me up and hang up again without saying goodbye again
some time!”
Curt laughed at me from the couch. “What did
you expect? Casey barely walks upright, you expect him to have
manners?”
“Shut up, Curt.”
“You’re stupid for hanging around with that
guy. He’s going to give you a reputation that will attract flies.”
“You might be right. Look how Sylvia’s doing
now.”
“Funny.”
“Just leave me alone already. We’re just
friends.”
“Let me tell you something about Casey
Winslow. He’s possessed by the devil. Did he ever mention
that to you between bong hits?”
“I’m sure!”
“Seriously. Did you ever hear about that car
accident of his? The one where everybody else in the car got
killed and he walked away without a scratch?”
“Sylvia said something about that. What about
it?”
“Have a seat,” he said. I sat down on the
couch next to him.
“What happened?”
“They were coming back from some kind of devil
worshipping coven. It’s the honest truth. They hit a
tractor trailer that was backing into a driveway and the top of the car
got sheared off. Everybody but Casey got decapitated!”
“Right. Like I’m supposed to believe you.”
“Harris’ father was one of the firemen who got him
out. They found a box with stolen church candles and a chalice
inside and all kinds of stuff they use in the satanic rituals. It
was weird! Casey blacked out everything, but the police believe
he was probably initiated into their little cult that very night.
And do you know how they do that? They drink human blood!”
“You’re making this all up. I don’t believe a
word of it.”
“It’s a fact. You can even call up Harris’ dad
and ask him. They even found the place where all of this stuff
took place near the river just outside of town. It had a great
big pentagram drawn on the ground.”
“You’re so full of it, Curt.”
“It’s true!”
“If you’re just making this up…”
“It really happened! And do you want to hear
the kicker? The license plate on the tractor trailer had three
sixes in it. That’s the number of the Beast!”
“So Casey Winslow is the Antichrist? Now I see
why you don’t do drugs. You don’t need them!”
“Don’t say you weren’t warned,” Curt said.
“Grow up!”
I knew better than to take Curt’s story
seriously. He would say anything to keep me away from
Casey. I had enough of his ranting and raving, so I went back to
my room.
“What an idiot,” I grumbled to myself.
“He expects me to believe all that?”
I put Casey’s leather jacket on and looked at myself
in the mirror, doing my best to forget what Curt said. Then it
occurred to me that Casey might have been wearing this very same jacket
on the night of his initiation…that is, if he really was initiated.
A moment later, I dug through my drawer and found
the silver crucifix my parents gave me on my First Communion. It
matched the chrome studs on the leather jacket, so I wore
it.
