CHAPTER 3
MOLLY
Lucky’s whiskers tickled my neck as he dug his flat, pug face into me to wake me up. In case that didn’t work, he snorted loudly, the puff of air going straight up my nose.
“Okay, I’m awake,” I murmured, putting my arm around him and pulling him in close. I buried my nose into the rolls of fat on the back of his neck, inhaling his earthy scent. He was soft and squishy and he snuggled into me readily for a minute before jumping up and turning around, his big round dark eyes staring at me.
“Outside, got it,” I said, pulling myself from the warmth of my covers. Pulling my robe over my pajamas proved to be impossible with the cast on my left arm, so I just draped it over my shoulders, shoved my feet in my fuzzy slippers, and walked over to the large glass door next to my bed that led to the balcony that looked out over our backyard.
I opened the door and Lucky burst through it clumsily, his comical trot picking up until he reached his favorite flower pot. He lifted a leg and did his business, then quickly ran back inside.
He hated the snow and it was everywhere right now, covering the balcony and every foot of ground below that, all the way until the grass reached the forested area that formed the border between our estate and my best friend, Benji’s.
Just past that, the snowy peaks of Mt. Hood towered high in the distance.
I followed Lucky back inside and laughed when I saw he’d already climbed the little dog stairs that led back up to my bed and jumped back under the covers. Staring longingly at the warm bed, I wished I could do the same thing. Usually, I was excited to get out of here, to go to school, to forget everything for a little while.
But today, I wasn’t looking forward to it at all, because I knew the day would be full of questions I didn’t want to answer. With this huge, hard cast, I couldn’t even pretend nothing had happened. I couldn’t cover it up like I did the bruises, so I’d be forced to deal with it.
I had my story all worked out, though.
Dad helped me with it. Well, he’d made it all up himself, actually.
I’d simply taken a fall on the ice outside. On the front stairs, specifically, as I’d come home from school yesterday and headed to the front door. At least this time, there wasn’t a lot of details I had to remember. It could get complicated sometimes.
“Everyone’s going to want to sign your cast, Molly,” Dad said in the car last night, as we were heading home from Dr. Nelson’s office.
“Yeah,” I mumbled. “I guess so.”
“You should have Benji draw one of those little cartoons on there that he likes so much.”
“Sure,” I replied, looking out the window, knowing that once more I was going to have to lie to my best friend. I didn’t mind lying to the other kids so much, but Benji deserved better than that. He was the best friend I’d ever had so far. Seemed to me that lying wasn’t something one should do to their best friend, but I knew what would happen if I told him the truth. If Benji told anyone else, I’d get in so much trouble.
If my other arm got broken, I’d never be able to get dressed.
I struggled through it this morning as best as possible, and before Maria, our housekeeper and my nanny, knocked on my door, I was already putting my shoes on.
“I thought you might need some help, bonita,” she said. Maria’s great. She’s been a part of my life since before I can remember, and I love her like she’s my own family. She might as well be.
“I got it,” I said.
“You hungry? Breakfast is on the table,” she said. “I made your favorite.”
“Chocolate chip pancakes?”
“You bet,” she said. “We have to hurry, though. Don’t want you to be late for school. Jasper’s warming up the car.”
Jasper’s my family’s chauffeur. He drives me to school every morning, even though I could easily walk. It’s not like the town is that big, but Daddy would never allow it. He says we have to keep up appearances. The town expects certain things from the Green’s. I don’t know why, but he says it comforts the townsfolk when they see the limo going down the street, that it tells them the economy is stable, whatever that means.
I just go along with him, because I know what will happen if I don’t.
When we get downstairs, after leaving an already snoozing Lucky safe and warm in my bed, the table is set for one and the pancakes are waiting for me, along with scrambled eggs and a big glass of orange juice. Maria gets the extra pulp kind, just for me, even though Daddy hates it.
I’m happy to see just one plate at the table this morning.
“Your father already left.”
Sometimes, I think Maria knows what I’m thinking. I don’t mind though. It’s nice having someone to talk to, even when I don’t have to actually speak.
“Your Mother is still sleeping.”
I nod and dig into the pancakes first, savoring the first bite slowly, before picking up the pace. I don’t want to be late for school either, because that would mean a visit to Principal Chanterbury’s office and the last thing I want to do was have to lie to her about my arm. That woman was capable of giving you ‘the look’ — a mixture of a raised eyebrow and a half-turned up lip — and making the truth spill out of a student’s mouth like warm molasses.
I just wanted to get to school, get through my classes and get back home, away from all those prying eyes and endless questions. Lucky didn’t ask questions. I didn’t have to lie to Lucky.
Once again, Benji popped into my head. Sure, I’d lie to him — again. And I’d ignore the look in his eyes that told me he knew what really happened. He never pressed me on anything, but after so many times, I could tell he knew.
I was grateful to him for that. For keeping quiet.
I guess that’s why he’s my best friend. Because he just lets me be me and doesn’t try to change things that neither one of us can change right now.
The drive to school was as silent as always. Jasper’s window was rolled up like it usually was, so I sat in the back seat of the limo, the tiny town rolling by as soon as we passed through the front gates.
We drove through the town square, a snow-filled park that’s only one block long and one block wide, surrounded by various shops across the street and Jenny’s diner on the corner. The tall, white steeple of the Greenville Baptist Church towers over the park, a big ancient bell housed inside of it. Despite the snow, the sidewalks were bustling with people. Some were going to the shops or the diner. Other’s were opening the shops themselves, shoveling last night’s snowfall from their doorways.
When we reached The Greenville School, Jasper jumped out and ran around to open my door for me.
“Miss Green, have a wonderful day at school,” he said, flashing me a smile.
“Thanks, Jasper,” I said, walking through the wide, iron gates of the only school in town, housing all of us students, all the way from kindergarten and up to the twelfth grade. The grade school was separated from the older classes by a large playground in the middle. Out back was a large football field that served as a baseball or soccer field, too, depending upon the time of year.
As soon as I walked through the gate, I felt eyes fall on me and my cast. I lifted my chin, ignoring them, as I walked to class. I ignored the murmurs that seemed to trail behind me, doing my best to pretend that they weren’t talking about me, that nothing was out of the ordinary.
For me, it wasn’t.
For them, it was something new to talk about.
Let them talk, I thought. It’s only rumors.
In just a few hours, I’d be back home with Lucky and then I could pretend I wasn’t, once again, the talk of Greenville. In the meantime, I’d find Benji and allow him to deflect things for me.
He was standing outside our homeroom, just as I knew he’d be.
“Hey,” he said.
“Hey,” I replied. “Thanks for waiting for me last night. Todd’s Mom told me you were there.”
“My Dad made me come home after a few hours. I’m sorry I couldn’t stay till you got out.”
“That’s okay.”
“How’s your arm?”
“It’s fine,” I shrugged, pulling it close to me.
Benji looked at me kinda funny.
“What?” I asked.
“Nothing,” he said, shaking his head. “I just worry about you.”
“I’m fine.”
“How did it happen this time?” he whispered, looking around to make sure nobody was close-by.
“Just a fall, Benji. I don’t want to talk about it.”
He nodded solemnly and he didn’t ask again all day. That’s how I knew he knew I was lying. That’s how I always knew, by his silence.
“Let’s go to class,” I said.
“Sure,” he replied. “I’ll stay close by today. Just in case…”
“Just in case what?”
“In case you need me.”
“What would I need you for?”
“I don’t know….to carry your books? Your lunch?” He shrugged. “Anything at all.”
“You’re a good friend, Benji.”
“I know,” he said, smiling arrogantly. “But you deserve it.”
“Everyone deserves a friend like you,” I said, walking into our classroom and sitting down. Our teacher, Mr. Bridges, looked up and glanced my way, but he looked away just as quickly.
I was grateful for that.
Everyone was learning it was easier to pretend…