Chapter 35
Two days after Billy’s accident, Daphne and I were in the school bike shed. It was the end of the day, and it was the first time I’d ridden my Huffy Cruiser since my accident.
The bike shed had mostly emptied out. Daphne and I had stayed hidden in the school library like criminals until most of the kids had left. After managing to avoid confrontations all day, I was eager to finish the day that way.
I was bent over, unchaining my bike, when I heard footsteps approaching.
“Mabel?”
I stood straight.
Christos was leaning against the doorway. His tie was loose, his hands were tucked casually in the pockets of his navy school blazer. His hair, usually neatly slicked into place, had become ruffled during the day and a curl or two had sprung up by his ears.
“God, he’s dreamy,” Daphne whispered.
“Shhhhh!” I said, turning back to my bike.
I didn’t want to look at him. I didn’t want to look at the twins or Fred or anyone who’d seen what had gone down at the bonfire.
I felt like they’d seen me naked. But worse.
They knew about Kitty. They saw how I reacted to Billy’s question.
I was sure they all believed the worst about Billy’s accident.
“I’ve been looking for you all day,” he said.
I stood, holding my bike by the handles. Daphne held her bike the same way. I thought she might take her bike and wait outside, or at least move a short distance away to give the illusion of giving us privacy. But she didn’t budge.
“Why? More tall jokes?”
Christos smiled. “No. But if you have any, I’d listen.”
I rolled my eyes. “Sorry. Wouldn’t want to talk down to you.”
He laughed. “You’re funny, you know that? Not many girls are funny.”
“Hey!” Daphne cried.
“It’s true,” I said. “At least not a lot of the girls we know.”
“It’s nice,” Christos said. “Anyway, I was looking for you because I wanted to apologize.”
“Apologize?” Daphne cried. I gave her a look. “Sorry,” she said, “pretend I’m not here.”
“Why do you want to apologize?” I asked.
“I’d heard that your mother had passed away, but I had no idea about your sister. What Billy said was really low. I probably shouldn’t say that, given what happened to him, but it’s the truth.”
Daphne and I exchanged bewildered looks. Christos was apologizing to me? I wasn’t sure anyone had ever apologized to me before.
“Also, I’m sorry I didn’t step in when Billy kissed you. You clearly didn’t want him to. My mother taught me better than that.”
Daphne’s eyebrows had disappeared into her hairline.
“And, for what it’s worth, I’ve told everyone that you didn’t do anything to Billy. That said, if you did do something to him, I wouldn’t blame you. It would be a community service.”
I smiled.
He started unchaining his own bike.
“Anyway, I’m heading your way, want to ride home together?”
“Yes,” Daphne said, nudging me forward. “You do.”
I frowned at her.
“Don’t worry about me,” she said. “Go on! Off with you. Christos is waiting.”
I hesitated only a second. “All right,” I said. “Sure. Why not?”
For some reason or another, Christos and I never got on our bikes. Instead, we pushed them as we walked along. I was grateful that Christos seemed to be a talker. He kept conversation going easily—not with as much intensity as Daphne did, but in a comforting way that allowed me to relax.
“My whole family calls my uncle Beanstalk,” Christos was saying, guiding his bike casually with one hand, “because he’s tall. I thought it was a funny nickname. I definitely didn’t mean anything like Billy suggested.”
I had no idea what to say to that, so I just nodded.
“I think he likes you, for what it’s worth. Billy, I mean.”
“Nonsense. Are you crazy?”
“Nope.”
“Why would you say that?”
“Because he wanted to play spin the bottle the moment you came up at the beach. I’m sure you know that we hadn’t been playing that before you arrived.”
“Of course I knew.”
“Because you’re smart. Which is one of the things he likes about you. Billy, in case you hadn’t noticed, isn’t.”
I rolled my eyes, but I could feel the heat creeping up my neck. We continued walking along.
“I get it,” Christos said after a while. “I’m no genius, and I like the smart girls too. I think it’s an evolutionary thing, for our survival. If we’re not smart, we have to bag a smart girl.”
“I doubt he’ll be bagging anyone now,” I said.
He laughed. “Yes, I think you’re right.”
We walked a little farther in silence. Then, as we turned the corner, I asked: “Do they really believe I hurt Billy? And my mother? And my baby sister?”
Christos shrugged. “I have no idea what people believe. But I would guess they don’t care if you did or not.”
“Then why—”
“For whatever reason, you’re the common enemy. People need one. For bonding. And for keeping themselves out of the firing line. Also evolutionary, I think.” This time he didn’t laugh. “But very unfair.”
We’d reached the point where I needed to turn left to go to my place, and Christos needed to continue straight.
“You’re smarter than you think, Christos,” I said.
He smiled shyly. “If it makes a difference, Mabel, I don’t believe you killed anyone. You’re not a killer. It’s as obvious as the nose on your face.”
His brown eyes were so full of compassion, I had to look away.
“See you at school,” I said.
I started wheeling my bike toward my house. I’d only walked a few paces when he called out to me.
“Mabel?”
I turned around.
“If Billy survives, and you do decide to kill him? No one will hear it from me.”
He held up his hand in a Scout’s honor. And, despite all odds, I found myself chuckling the rest of the way home.