Cracker Jack

The phone rang on our homeroom teacher's desk. She plucked it swiftly from the cradle and pressed it to her ear while the class chatted amongst themselves. The teacher's face darkened as she listened, then she looked up suddenly. My stomach knotted as I saw who she was looking at.

"Jack," I whispered.

"Hmm?" He asked, looking over at me with a half-smile on his pale lips.

I didn't respond, I simply stared forward at the teacher. Jack followed my gaze and his eyes tightened.

"Mr. Mercer," she called out as she hung up the phone. "You are to pack up your things and go to the office. I don't think you'll be back before this class is over."

"What's he being called to the office for?" I didn't think before I spoke.

Her eyes flickered to me in irritation. "I don't recall giving you permission to speak, Miss Grove."

"I don't recall asking for permission," I retorted. "What's the deal with Jack?"

"Hayley," Jack hissed. "It's fine."

I shot him a dark look to silence him. "No, it's not."

"Miss Grove, if you continue to disrupt my class, you're going to be getting better acquainted with the principal."

I snorted. "Oh, please. Jim and I are on a first name basis."

She pointed to the doorway. "Both of you, to the office. Now. I don't have time to deal with this right now."

Jack shot me a puzzled look as we both gathered up our books and began to head out of the classroom. I didn't acknowledge him until we were about halfway to the office and he spoke to me.

"You're pretty much a genius when it comes to getting into trouble."

I adjusted my books under my arm. "I believe 'mastermind' is the proper term."

"Why is it such a big deal that I got called to the office?"

I still refused to look at him. "I have a bad feeling about it, that's all. The whole locker situation got me today."

"It's alright, Hayley. Nothing's going to happen."

I wished that I could believe him. There was an anxiety gnawing at the lining of my stomach. Surely, I was about to get an ulcer over this. Jack sounded so certain that everything was going to be okay. I knew better than that. When it came to me, nothing ever worked out. I should have just ignored the letter from Kevin. Then none of this would have ever happened.

We rounded the last corner before the main office, and I felt my books tumble out of my grip and onto the floor. My first instinct was to run. Unable to think clearly, I verbalized the command to Jack.

"Run."

"What?"

"Cops. Run. Go, Jack!"

Instead of listening to me, he strode forward. Toward the police. He had never ignored me like that before. He was walking faster than I could get my mind to work. He was walking right into his demise.

"Jack, what are you doing?" I hissed. "Stop!"

He paused and looked back at me over his shoulder. "I'm not afraid, Hayley. I'll be fine."

"But I'm scared. Don't do this to me. Don't go in there."

For the first time, I saw uncertainty flicker across his eyes. I felt a bit guilty for using myself as an excuse, but I knew that it was the only way that he was going to listen. He watched me carefully.

"Why should you be scared?"

I felt my terror building in my chest, but I forced it back so that I could speak rationally. "Nothing good will come of this if you go in there, Jack. Either you're going to juvie, or, at the very least, Evelyn will find out. I can't let you get into any more trouble over this. It was all my fault. I can't lose you over my own stupidity. Let me do this. Please."

He seemed torn. He looked from me to the large windows in the other room and back again. His jaw set, and he appeared to be suddenly determined. He walked quickly back to me, and I felt instantly relieved. He dropped his books on the floor next to mine, then reached out and held me by my shoulders.

"Whatever happens in there, it's fine. I've been to hell and back in this life, and I can handle it. This isn't your fault. I'm stupid, too. So save it, because I'm not letting you take the fall."

My mouth was hanging open. I couldn't believe that he was saying this. He wasn't going to let me help; he was going to go in there and see what happened. Whether I liked it or not.

He released me, flashed me a sure grin, then spun around and walked purposefully into the office. Unable to stop myself, I followed. I kept my eyes on his unkempt hair, hoping that he would rethink his decision and turn back around. He didn't.

"Jack Mercer?" A uniformed officer stepped forward at Jack's entrance.

"Yeah?" Jack tossed his head casually.

"We're going to take you downtown for questioning. We have reason to believe that you were involved in a recent case of grand theft auto."

"No," I pushed my way past Jack and stood between him and the policeman.

The officer raised his eyebrows. "Excuse me?"

"Jack didn't do it, I-"

"Fine," Jack interrupted, nudging me sharply in the ribs. "Take me downtown. Let's get this over with. When do I get my phone call?"

I gaped up at him. "Jack, what are you doing? You know that you didn't do this! Don't take the fall for something that wasn't even you." I could hear the pleading in my own voice. "What harm could it possibly do to add one more strike to my-"

"Hayley, stop," he commanded, his eyes flashing dangerously. "You're not the guilty one. Adding this to your record won't do any good."

I fumbled with my words, trying to find a way to argue. I knew that Jack wasn't going to listen, so I turned my attention to the police officer. "Jack didn't do it. I did."

To my surprise, the officer gave me a patronizing smile. "I know you're trying to help your friend, but eyewitnesses mentioned a male driver fitting Jack's description. You go back to class and find some nicer kids to play with, okay?"

My jaw dropped. Fury filtered through my bloodstream and I started to shake. "Are you fucking kidding me? I'm the one with the criminal record here, not Jack. He's innocent. I'm the felon. Why the hell wouldn't you believe that I'm capable of this?"

"Hayley, shut the hell up!" Jack grabbed my wrist and pulled me back.

The officer appeared confused. "Little girl, you need to let the policemen do their jobs, okay? Go on back to class."

"No. You've got to believe me; I did it. Take me and leave Jack alone."

"Hayley," Jack was almost growling at me now. "I did it, okay? I know you don't want to believe it, but I'm not as innocent as you seem to think. You've got to let me take responsibility for my actions."

"Stop it, Jack. You're being unreasonable."

"Go to Evelyn's. She'll bring you with her when she comes to get me."

"Jack, you promised. You can't leave."

I watched as his mouth twisted. He had no argument for me, and I knew it. I didn't know how to convince him that he was being stupid. So I had said the only thing that I was certain would shake him up.

"Hayley-"

"Alright, Mercer, let's go," the officer interrupted.

He got out his handcuffs, but the school secretary jumped in. She stood up behind her desk, where she had been seated the entire time. I hadn't even noticed her until she spoke. "There's really no need for that, is there? He's a child. And it would be nice if the entire student body didn't witness one of their own leaving in handcuffs."

The officer turned and nodded at her. "Of course, ma'am."

"Jack, don't go," I begged.

His eyes were cloudy and distant. "Find Bobby. He'll know what to do."

I managed to hold myself together until they left the room. Jack walked in front of the two police officers; the one who had done all the talking was careful not to let him get too far ahead. As they ushered him into the backseat of the squad car, I noticed that my eyesight had gone blurry. I sniffed loudly and turned my back on the scene.

"Go back to class, dear," the secretary told me calmly.

I stared at her dumbly for a moment while my unshed tears receded. Without a word, I walked away and gathered up the books that Jack and I had dropped earlier. I had no intentions of going back to class. I had a mission now.

I had to find Bobby.