Chapter 34
THEN
Billy was found in the bushes at the bottom of the concrete stairs that led to the beach parking lot. He was semi-conscious when the group of swimmers found him—talking, but not making much sense. He didn’t remember what happened. He didn’t know his last name.
Someone called an ambulance and he was taken to Alfred Hospital. There, we were told, he was put into an induced coma with a suspected brain injury. While this meant no one had any answers, it didn’t stop everyone from pointing the finger at me.
“She was in love with him. She tried to kiss him and he rejected her. Big mistake, Billy.”
“Apparently people saw her push him from the top of the stairs.”
“Mad Mabel strikes again.”
I was used to being an outcast, but this was different. Rather than being someone to ignore, or disdain, now I was someone to be reviled. Someone, perhaps, even to fear.
I don’t know what I would have done without Daphne. She was by my side all day that first day back after Billy was found. Anytime anyone made a comment she practically leapt out of her skin in her desperation to defend me.
“Were you there, Eileen? Then how do you know what happened?”
“You seem very sure of yourself, Rosalie. Got something to hide?”
No one paid her any attention, but it was nice, having someone on my side for once.
After school, we went to the library. Obviously, we had no desire to hang out at the beach anymore, and we didn’t fancy wandering the streets, so it seemed like a good option.
Ness was organizing books on the book cart as we walked in, and she waved at us. We waved back and then I guided Daphne to the back corner where the beanbags were. This was where I liked to sit.
“Will we borrow books?” Daphne said. “Or stay and read for a bit?”
“Actually,” I said, “I want to show you something. My favorite book.” I found it on the shelf easily, having borrowed it so many times before. “It’s Anne of Green Gables. Do you know it?”
“Do I know it?” Daphne exclaimed, loud enough that a woman turned around and shushed us. “Corsets I do. Redheaded orphan girl is adopted and goes to live in a whimsical Canadian town? Then falls in love with that dreamy boy Gilbert Blythe? Marvelous book.”
“Isn’t it? But the best part is Anne finding her bosom friend …”
“Diana Barry!” Daphne exclaimed.
A cranky librarian popped her head around the corner and glared at us. We waved our apologies.
“So you’ve read it?” I said. “I was going to recommend it to you.”
“I’ll read it again,” Daphne said, taking the book out of my hands. Then she frowned. “Remind me, didn’t Anne and Diana have a little ceremony? Where they declared to always be friends.”
I nodded. I knew the scene by heart.
Daphne reached for my hands. “Shall we do it?”
I tried to act nonchalant. But my heart was racing. “All right.”
“Do you know what Anne and Diana said?”
I pretended to think about it before I nodded, but of course I knew exactly what they said. I knew it verbatim. Truth be told, I probably could have recited any part of the book verbatim, but this part, I definitely could.
“Ready?” I said.
Daphne nodded.
“I solemnly swear to be faithful to my bosom friend, Daphne Barton, as long as the sun and moon shall endure,” I said, staring into her clear eyes. “Now you say it and put my name in.”
“I solemnly swear to be faithful to my bosom friend, Mabel Waller, as long as the sun and moon shall endure.”
I was embarrassed by the tears that appeared in my eyes, until I saw the tears in Daphne’s. She laughed at our silliness, which started people shushing from across the room, which only made her laugh louder. I snorted. She farted. Then Daphne threw her arms around my neck.
There was a lot of stuff going on, and in many ways, my life had never been worse. And yet, when I look back, there’s no question that it was the happiest moment of my life.