“Who is Jesse Henson?” Luke asks, totally missing the point.
“Just a girl in my math class next year,” I say, annoyed. “She’ll sit next to me. She’s chatty.”
“So, what, you want to find out who Mrs. Rice tutors now so you can tell that kid about her husband?” Luke asks, finally seeing the light.
I nod once.
“But won’t the person just tell Mrs. Rice it was you who told?” Luke asks, confused.
“Not if I’m smart,” I say.
“I see,” he says, and I wonder whether he means it. Luke strums his hands on the steering wheel like he’s bored.
Nothing is happening at the Rice house, and I’m growing less and less excited about my mission by the second.
Sighing, I change the subject.
“What do you think of hypnotism?” I ask.
“Honestly, I don’t think about it,” Luke says, looking at me now with his soft blue eyes.
“Well, do for a minute. Do you think that I could be hypnotized to remember more?”
“More what? Past or future?”
“Either one,” I say, but I don’t really mean it. Remembering the future feels normal to me. The one past memory in my brain is like a splinter. It doesn’t belong.
“Maybe a hypnotist could jog your memory about me,” Luke mutters, looking back to the street.
“Maybe,” I say, focusing again on the house behind me. “Wouldn’t it be nice to date someone who remembers you every morning?”
“Sure,” Luke says. “Then again, maybe you’d get bored with me.”
“No way,” I reply. “So, what do you think?”
“I think it’s up to you,” Luke answers. His noncommittal comment bugs me. I glance his way to roll my eyes at him, and then I look back at the house.
Still nothing.
“I want whatever you want, as far as your brain is concerned. I love you no matter what,” Luke says, and when I turn to face him, our eyes lock.
I wonder whether my heart keeps time even when my head doesn’t. Maybe that’s why I feel so much for Luke right now, even though I technically just met him this morning in study hall.
Something catches my eye and ruins the moment. A white car zips past us, and I can only assume that it’s being driven by someone who can’t see the future dangers of reckless driving.
It turns without slowing into the driveway in front of the white house with the black shutters: 1553 Mountain Street.
The Messenger has arrived.
I wait excitedly as the person turns off the car, gets organized, and opens the door. Forgoing the mirror, I turn in my seat to get a better look just as long blonde hair appears from the car.
I focus and then groan.
The Messenger is Carley Lynch, making things a touch more complicated. Originally, I was just going to “encourage” the Messenger to stumble upon Jamie and Mr. Rice. Now, with Carley involved, I need to modify the plan.
Carley Lynch would never take a suggestion from me.
“What are you going to do?” Luke asks an hour later, tossing a small decorative pillow up in the air and catching it over and over again. I want to grab the pillow and throw it out the window.
“I don’t know,” I say, remembering plenty of instances when Carley will make her feelings known, ranging from times she’ll merely scowl at me to those special occasions when she’ll bitingly comment on my clothes, walk, or general existence.
“Can’t you just remember what you’ll do and do that?” Luke presses, still tossing the stupid pillow.
“Luke!” I shout at him. “Do you think I’d be worrying about this if I remembered how to solve it? My memories of Jamie and Mr. Rice end much later, and very badly. What I’m trying to do now is change all that. I’m flying blind here, buddy. Perhaps you could help me out a little instead of playing catch with that stupid pillow.”
Just then, Luke’s most recent toss lands in his hands, and instead of releasing it again, he sets the pillow aside.
“Sorry,” he says, sitting up and looking right at me. “Come sit down.”
“I don’t want to,” I say, like a mad little girl. But somehow, Luke’s sweet eyes and gentle smile sand off my rough edges. Soon enough, I’m lounging with him on my bed, brainstorming the path that will lead to the premature demise of Jamie’s affair.
We’re still on my bed when my mom knocks once and comes into my room at 9:45. She’s home late, and, frankly, I’d forgotten about her. I’d forgotten about dinner and time and everything else.
“Oh, Luke!” Mom says. She looks at him splayed out on top of the covers.
“We’re hatching a plan,” I explain when she shoots a warning glance my way. It’s not much of an explanation, but it’s all I’ve got.
“That’s nice, but why don’t you continue this tomorrow? It’s getting late,” she says.
“What time is it?” Luke asks, leaning over so that he can see the clock on the nightstand.
“Almost ten,” Mom answers.
Quickly, Luke scoots to the edge of the bed and throws on his shoes.
“I gotta go,” he says. “My mom’s going to freak.”
Luke stands and then squats down in front of me and kisses me on the lips right in front of my mom.
Gutsy. I like it.
Then he throws on his jacket, waves good-bye to both of us, and hurries out of the room. I hear him bound down the stairs and out the door, closing it with a slam behind him.
“Sorry,” I say to my mom when we’re alone. “I didn’t realize how late it got.”
“It’s okay, sweetie,” she says, smoothing my hair. “Luke is a good guy.”
“Yeah, I really like him,” I say. “I think I love him.”
I wonder whether my mom is going to give me a lecture on young love and chastity and all that humiliating stuff, but she doesn’t. Instead, she surprises me by saying simply, “I know you do.”
After a hug, she leaves me alone in my room feeling happy about the day and wishing that I could hold on to it forever.
Instead, I get to work. Without Luke’s hotness to distract me, and with the help of my notes, I brainstorm. In the end, it’s crystal clear: I’ll make the gossip superhighway work for me.
With the unwitting assistance of Gabby Stein, future valedictorian Christopher Osborne, Alex Morgan, and, ultimately, Carley Lynch, I’ll save Jamie.
That is, if all the dominoes fall as they should.
39
Following detailed instructions from this morning’s note, I shove the folded paper into Gabby Stein’s locker seconds before students start arriving to dress down for gym. Without being too obvious about it, I watch Gabby find the note, read it, and blush.
In that moment, I know that domino number one will fall: Gabby will go to the Driver’s Ed. room at lunch looking for Christopher. Unless there is some uncontrollable coincidence, he obviously won’t be there. But I know from notes that Jamie and Mr. Rice will be.
That’s gossip too rich for Gabby to keep to herself.
Five periods later, I arrive early to Brit. Lit., anxiously awaiting the arrival of Gabby and my next domino, the evil Alex Morgan.
Gabby shows first, and I know by looking at her that she saw them. She’s practically bursting with her newfound secret. I try to hide my excitement as Gabby furiously whispers to Alex the second she arrives. Then, before the bell—before Ms. Jenkins can remind her about the “no texting in class” rule—Alex types and sends a message on her cell phone that I can only hope is meant for Carley.