“Just doing laps?” Lo asks, and I nod my head.
“At half time we can switch with Matt and Erika and watch from the stands,” Jason adds.
I see many familiar faces from around town and try to smile and wave at everyone. I want our presence known so that our targets feel safe. Matt was right, the crowd here is insane and our school is nowhere near financially able to supply security. My adrenaline builds in my veins and heightens my concentration. The whole game passes by in a blur and, thankfully, nothing happens. Every target is accounted for and at home before we pile back in the SUV and head out.
I glance once at my watch and realize it’s already getting close to eleven. Matt drops Lo off first and then Erika. When he pulls into my driveway, he kills the headlights for me.
“Are you still coming over tomorrow?” Jason asks, his hand clamped around mine.
“I wouldn’t miss it,” I tell him and move to kiss him quickly before one of my parents comes to the front door. Before I can pull back, Jason’s fingers tangle in my hair while he kisses me deep, confident and with way too much tongue with our audience.
When he pulls away, I’m breathless, and my brain is mush. Jason smirks, proud of himself, while Matt cackles from the front seat, muttering something about crazy kids.
I somehow manage to get out of the SUV and walk to my front door. Dad must have taken pity on me and left it unlocked so I could get in. I lock it behind me and head over to the keypad to reset the alarm. Everything is quiet, except for the slight snoring I can hear coming from my parents’ room. Mom left the kitchen light on for me too and a small tendril of guilt wraps around my gut.
I carefully take the stairs one at a time, trying not to make any noise. The spare room’s door is shut and I’m guessing our new guest is sleeping. Since I’m not aware of his story, I’m hoping any noise I make doesn’t trigger him.
I slip into my room and quickly get into my pajamas before sliding under the covers. My body instantly melts into the mattress while my mind buzzes with nervous energy. I can’t wait for tomorrow, while at the same time, I’m scared shitless. It’s time to tell Jason how I feel and hope that he doesn’t run in the opposite direction.
I’m startled awake some time later when I hear a bump against the wall across from me. Laying in the dark, I wait and it happens over and over again. Curious, I get up and tiptoe out my door and over to the spare room.
“No,” I can hear being said over and over, the voice deep and afraid. I peek my head in and, sure enough, he’s tangled in his bed sheet, his leg hitting the wall while it looks like he’s fighting someone.
Carefully, I slowly walk over to the bed and lay my hand on his arm. “You’re safe,” I repeat over and over, until his frown eases and the wrinkle on his forehead is gone. I’m about to back away when his eyes fly open, pinning me with a stare.
“Sorry,” I blurt out. “I’m Kelly. I heard you and just wanted to check to see if you’re okay.”
His throat bobs a couple times before he nods his head, his eyes flicking to the clock that reads quarter after two. His hands come up and rub down his face. For the first time I notice he’s shirtless and wearing basketball shorts. His face is longer and his jaw is square, sharp, with a classical aristocratic look. His hair is light and short, cropped close on the sides and longer on top. It’s fashionable and not at all my type. “I’m Calvin,” he says, testing out his new name.
“Nice to meet you,” I respond and smile. “I’ll talk to you more in the morning, okay?”
He nods again in response. Our eyes hold and I faintly see the remaining ghosts that are haunting him. The orbs clear when he blinks again. “Night.”
I sneak back out and head to my room. When I slide under the covers, I decide to make it my mission tomorrow to make sure Calvin has a good day. We need to find a way to keep him busy so that his brain doesn’t have the time to wander and think about his past. My job is to help move him forward, so he can be successful in his future. Part of that will be leaving everything in his past behind.
Kelly
Every morning, when the sun touches under my blinds, a stream of light hits my pillow. It’s the only way I know I’ve been sleeping long enough. I slide out of bed and grab my towel off the back of my door to go shower, before remembering our guest. I run a hand down my face then grab my robe and slip it on. It’s been awhile since we’ve taken in a target, let alone someone my age. I hope it won’t be weird for him that we’re sharing a bathroom.
The hallway is quiet when I step out of my room, and Calvin’s door is still shut. I can smell bacon and eggs being cooked downstairs and my stomach grumbles. I tiptoe down the hallway, trying not to be too loud. I can hear my parents talking in low voices and the page turning on my dad’s newspaper.
I slip into the bathroom and lock the door. A flock of butterflies make themselves present in my stomach the entire time I shower, shave, and exfoliate. It’s as if my body knows what I’m planning and it’s become hypersensitive. It wants to look perfect and smell incredible while also having perfectly smooth and straight hair. I spend longer than my usual ten minutes on my makeup, making sure each eyelash is perfectly curved and as black as Jason’s hair. My eyes take in my reflection and a tinge of pink brushes my cheeks. I hope Jason likes what he sees and that later, once everyone leaves his party, I can finally talk to him about how I’ve been feeling.
On my way back to my room, I notice Calvin’s door is open and can hear my mom chattering away downstairs. I grimace, feeling bad for the poor guy. I change quickly into my favorite pair of flared jeans and a cable knit sweater - it’s dark blue and does crazy things to my hazel-colored eyes and I know Jason likes it.
The minute my feet hit the kitchen floor, my mom is a flurry of words and motion. She ushers me to sit, introduces me to Calvin, who I pretend I’m meeting for the first time, then begins shoveling food onto our plates and pours me some juice. My mouth slips open, watching her, while my eyes slide to my dad who is covering a laugh behind his paper. She moves from the stove to the table and back again, over and over, until a buffet of food is on the table. I look up and make eye contact with Calvin. His mouth twitches into a smile and I smile back. God love her, but my mother is a little over the top.
“Calvin,” my mom croons, “is there anything else you’d like?”
“No, Mrs. Morrison.” He shakes his head. “This looks great.”
“Who do you think is going to eat all of this?” my dad finally says, sighing while placing his paper down.
“You both will,” my mom says before sitting. “He’s a teenage boy. And you eat enough at one meal to last a whole day.”
“I think we’re good mom,” I tell her, before loading a pancake and some fruit onto my plate.
“Calvin, please call me Charlotte,” my mom adds, before pouring syrup all over the four cakes she’s loaded on his plate.
I see his eyes go wide, but he nods anyway. I have to cover my laugh with a cough, which only makes the grape I just put in my mouth slide down the wrong pipe and before I know it, I’m actually hacking.
“Whoa,” Calvin says from next to me, before hitting my back gently.