Provex City by Michael Pierce

Author:Michael Pierce [Pierce, Michael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: ParousiaSix Press
Published: 2012-03-05T06:00:00+00:00

11

Oliver and the Savage

There wasn’t as much talk circulating the school as I would have thought, but maybe the gossip was out of everyone’s system already. Monday was Halloween and a sick day for me. Mom and Richard knew what happened, I’m sure, but they played along. Like Desiree had said, sometimes it seemed better not to ask so no one’s feelings got hurt. I needed the sick day because I wasn’t yet ready to face everyone at school. I wasn’t yet ready to face Anna, not knowing where we stood after our awkward relationship development at Desiree’s party. Maybe she didn’t want to know either. We had barely spoken since the party.

When I returned to school on Tuesday, there were a few curious glances and some mild snickering, but not the massive media attention I had anticipated. To the outside world, not much had changed. But to me, things were profoundly different and I was nervous to find out how much.

“It must have been nice to have a long weekend,” Sara said as we sat around the art table, working on our latest creations.

“Yeah, well, what can you do? When you’re sick, you’re sick,” I said, gliding the pastel chalk across the paper and blending the colors with my finger. I was working on a drawing of a cloaked Death based on an image I found online, one with his sickle and sickly green horse.

“Where were you when the police showed up?” Blaine asked.

“You were there?”

“Yeah, I showed up a little late.”

“Wow, I guess there’s a lot I don’t remember. I don’t remember the police showing up at all. I remember being upstairs at some point, and then I remember throwing up outside and walking home with my brother.”

“Who’s your brother?” Krystal asked.

“Jeremy. I think he was dressed as a robber or something.”

“That’s your brother?” Sara asked rhetorically and turned to Krystal. “He’s the one going out with Leslie Meurs.”

“I had no idea,” Krystal said. “You two are so different. I wouldn’t have pegged you as brothers.”

“Well, my family is an odd cast of characters,” I said.

Desiree was sitting next to me, unusually quiet. She was working on a watercolor painting of a potted plant blooming with colorful flowers and an old-fashioned watering can.

“Desiree was telling us yesterday that you and that girl Anna are a couple now,” Sara said.

“Yeah, she’s cute,” Blaine said. “Quite the life of the party.”

“Really? That’s what Desiree told you?” I asked, turning to Desiree, who was pretending to be hard at work. “What do you know that I don’t?”

“More than you because I was sober the whole time.”

“Hey, that was only because she...” I stopped myself, figuring the rest of that sentence wasn’t appropriate for mixed company.

“Oh, like you didn’t know.”

“I didn’t. Are you mad at me or something?”

“No, why would I be mad at you?”

“I don’t know, but you seem mad.”

“Yeah, you do seem mad,” Andy said, coming out from the sidelines to stir the pot.

Desiree shot him a murderous glance. “Well, I’m not.

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