Traveler by L.E. DeLano (book suggestions .txt) 📕

myself staring at the alarm clock, lying in bed, with my hands still clenched into fists.

26

The Enchanted Pirate

I’m still glowering as I sit in history listening to Mr. Draper drone on about the Gadsden Purchase and Manifest Destiny, and I’m writing stray thoughts down in my journal, looking across the room at Finn when I can and trying not to zone out too much.

“St. Clair.”

I look over at Ben, who just whispered my name.

He points down at his phone, and I very carefully pull mine out, half hiding it under my journal.

I make sure the ringer is off and check my texts.

I see his jaw tighten as he reads my message.

He pockets his phone and I slide mine out from under my journal and put it away. I look over at him, but he’s looking at Mr. Draper and not at me. He’s probably just making sure I’m okay after my near-death experience. Whatever it is, I’m just glad to be communicated with. He hasn’t said two words to me in the two days since Finn showed up at school.

Ben says nothing to me for the rest of class, even when he and I are assigned to the same four-person group for a project. When the bell rings, he lingers as I gather up my notebook and my backpack.

“Can I walk you to class?” he asks. “I promise not to make fun of your hair.”

I look up with a begrudging smile, glad to have him talking to me again. “Sure.”

“We can both walk you to class,” Finn suggests, coming up behind him. He’s not going to let me out of his sight, and the look on his face tells me he’s definitely not going to let me out of sight with Ben.

And Ben has had enough. He rounds on Finn. “We’re trying to have a conversation here.”

“So have it,” Finn says. “I’ll wait.”

“A private conversation,” Ben stresses. “That means you can find something else to do.”

“Finn…” I start to ease my way into the conversation, but the testosterone pushes me back out again.

“I’ve got a pretty boring life,” Finn retorts. “I don’t really have anything else to do.”

Ben steps forward, getting in Finn’s face. “I’m fixing to give you something to do.”

“Ben!”

“Who the hell does he think he is?” Ben demands, gesturing at Finn. “And since when did you decide he’s your babysitter?”

“I didn’t see you by her side last week much,” Finn says.

“Because she’d have to make room for me on the couch next to you!” Ben throws back.

Mr. Draper has finally figured out that there’s about to be blood splashed on his classroom walls, and he hurries over to remind us that it’s time to get to our next class. We step out into the hallway, and I turn to Ben.

“Let’s finish this conversation at lunch,” I tell him, giving Finn a look. “Alone.”

Finn does not like the sound of that. “Jessa—”

“Lunch, Ben,” I reiterate, and he gives me a stiff nod before he stalks off.

Finn glowers as we walk toward our next class. “Are you sure that’s wise?”

“He’s not a threat. He’s my friend, Finn. And you’re only a text message away,” I remind him.

“So what am I supposed to do for lunch?” he gripes.

“You’ll survive.” I push past him and he follows me into the classroom.

“Finn!” Ms. Eversor comes up behind us and puts her hand on his back, making her bracelets jangle noisily. “I must tell you how I loved your story! It was inspired! To have yourself as a fat, ugly pirate disguised by a magician’s spell—so creative!”

My lips twitch. “That was your backstory? An ugly pirate?”

He shrugs, but Ms. Eversor isn’t done singing his charms. “Yes, it was! Just as yours was, Jessa, though your pirate was much more dashing. Finn’s story had such a good plot device,” she bubbles. “His pirate’s spell was discovered when he got too close to the girl he was trying to woo and she smelled him!” She claps her hands together with pleasure, as she heads up to the front of the room to start class.

“The odor shattered the illusion and broke the spell,” Finn supplies.

I give him a look. “An ugly, malodorous pirate? Really?”

“And fat,” he adds. “Really morbidly obese. I thought about giving him a clubbed foot, but decided it was a bit of a stretch.”

“A bit,” I deadpan. I slide into my seat and he takes his place next to me.

We spend the next half hour working with Chloe Merrick to craft a group poem, utilizing words that begin with the first eight letters of the alphabet. I hate assignments like this, since the structure is so confining, but I think we do a pretty good job of it. We finish early and we’re just sort of talking when Chloe turns toward Finn.

“Hey,” she says. “Did I hear you say you have nothing to do for lunch?” She gives him a megawatt smile, and I find myself sitting up in my chair from my former slouched position.

“As a matter of fact, I don’t,” he says, and his eyes shift to me briefly before he gives her his full attention.

“Well, I’m, like, in the drama club and we’re supposed to do this show tonight?” It’s not a question, but the way she talks, it sounds like it. “It’s a really boring show,” she goes on. “About some stupid judge here in town and a big trial or something. The lady from the historical society wrote it. Anyway, we haven’t finished painting the set and we could really use a hand.”

“Sure,” he says. “Where do I go?”

“I’ll walk you there.” She leans in, putting her hand on his arm.

We don’t say another word to each other until the bell rings, and as he follows Chloe out the door, he turns back to me.

“Maybe she has a thing for enchanted pirates,” he says.

I press my lips together and glare at him. “Maybe she hasn’t noticed your smell yet.”

27

Tug-of-War

I find Ben waiting