Cracker Jack

Normally, I merely survived each school day. Now I found that I was actually looking forward to going there. Not only did nobody act like a snob toward me, they didn't talk to me at all anymore. They were too frightened of Jack to come anywhere near us. I felt like I should have been more concerned about it, but I really found myself enjoying my outcast status.

Now I didn't have to pretend to ignore the dark looks and the mocking whispers. It was easy to forget about them when I had someone to talk to.

Jack and I still hadn't continued our conversation from his bedroom. We both seemed to want to avoid divulging any more of our secrets. So we kept our discussions focused on what was happening day by day as opposed to our pasts. We walked to and from school together, which only fueled Bobby's constant comments about us.

"Are you coming over for dinner tonight?" Jack asked suddenly as we stood outside between classes, having a cigarette.

I hadn't been back to the Mercer house since that first night, except for the few times that I'd stood outside and talked to Jack.

"I doubt it. Mom was supposed to be over there today having coffee with Evelyn. I really don't want to hear how that went."

"You don't think that your mom would say anything bad about you to Evelyn, do you? And even if she did, do you think Evelyn would believe her?"

I shook my head. "No, she won't say anything bad about me. She'll pretend that we're the happiest family since the fucking Brady Bunch. She doesn't like to face the reality of what we actually are."

Jack started laughing hysterically. "The Brady Bunch? Which one are you?"

I gave him a confused stare. "I don't know. I've never actually watched that show. I wasn't actually making a comparison there, you know."

"I know. It was funny, though. You should joke around more often. It works for you."

"I wasn't trying to make a joke. But whatever. I'll take the compliment."

He dropped the remnants of his cigarette onto the sidewalk and stepped on it to extinguish the tendril of smoke that was still pouring out. "I guess we should get to class."

I snorted. "You should, maybe. I really have no interest in going to Phys Ed today. What's the point in running like a mindless drone and throwing rubber balls at one another? Or, as it usually goes, getting singled out by the other team? I get hit on purpose so that I can get out of the game earlier."

"Seriously? I'm kind of excited for it. I get to be violent without getting in trouble."

I arched a skeptical eyebrow. "You like to get violent?"

"When people deserve it. Don't you?"

"Of course, but I just didn't think that you were the violent type. I told you before, you don't seem like the kind of kid that Evelyn usually takes in."

He shrugged, turning back toward the school building. "There's a lot that you don't know about me Hayley. Are you coming?"

I groaned loudly as I discarded my cigarette. "Do I have to?"

"I'll make sure we're on the same team. I'll save you."

"You're signing up for more than you bargained for." Despite my hesitation, Jack grabbed me by the wrist and pulled me inside the building.

"Don't be so dramatic, Hayley. It's only dodgeball."

I skipped Phys Ed more than I actually attended it. I wasn't good at any sports they taught there. My brother used to play hockey with me, and I actually enjoyed it. Unfortunately, they don't play hockey in school. Yet they allow the students to throw balls at each other as hard as they can. I didn't understand how the curriculum was chosen. It just didn't make any sense.

I felt awkward as I left the change room. This was Detroit in the wintertime; it was just plain wrong to be wearing shorts. I spotted Jack immediately. It was hard to miss him, since he towered over everyone else. He looked just as ridiculous in shorts as I felt. Yet he still had a dangerous air about him. No wonder he was standing about ten feet from everyone else. The group probably migrated away from him when he came into the room.

I smirked at him as I walked up. "Looking good, Mercer."

"I'm going to guess that I look about as good as you, Grove."

"You only wish. Not everyone can pull off pasty white legs like I can." I looked down and saw just how true my statement was. My legs were so pale that I was sure they would glow in the dark. I didn't really care, though. Being tan wasn't a priority for me.

When the teacher left his office and entered the room, I gave Jack a concerned look. I didn't know how he would guarantee that we would be on the same team. Maybe he'd been lying, and he was really just waiting to whip a dodgeball at me as hard as he could.

"Go back into the changeroom," Jack muttered under his breath, so low that only I could hear. "Stay for about two minutes. When you come out, just act like you're already on my team."

I gave him a quick nod, then rushed back inside the changeroom, pretending that I'd forgotten something. I amused myself by reading the graffiti that decorated the walls. When I was sure that I'd waited long enough, I left the room and returned to the gymnasium. I scanned the room and soon found Jack. I hurried over to where he stood alone.

"You promise that you've got my back?" I checked.

He laughed. "Promise."

I could see a few jocks on the other team talking in a close huddle. They were constantly throwing glances our way. I shuddered.

"Against the walls!" The teacher yelled suddenly. The game was about to start.

I leaned casually against the back wall with Jack, trying to calm the stupid fear that was blocking off my throat. I was a common target in these games, simply because it was the one time where people could aim their blows at me without consequence. If they got me out, I couldn't fight back.

A whistle blew, and suddenly everyone took off toward the center of the room. I hung back, feeling like I had the best chance of survival if there was a crowd of people between me and the firing squad. I hadn't noticed that Jack was still by my side until he spoke.

"That guy, right there. He's the one that deserves it."

Curious, I followed his line of vision. There was a very muscular boy who was picking on anyone within a twenty-foot radius. His teammates were all cheering him on. I felt like I should have known his name, but I was drawing a total blank. I never really took the time to learn most people's names.

I stayed where I was when Jack started moving forward. I watched with interest as he waited for the right moment, then caught a ball that had been thrown with a horrific amount of velocity. A small, confident smirk alighted his mouth as he took his aim and threw the ball back at the opposing team. The jock deflected the ball expertly, and suddenly everyone seemed to be focused on the war between the two of them.

The rest of the game nearly stopped altogether as we watched. Jack seemed to be mocking the jock with his quick, fluid movements. There was a snarl on both of their expressions as they stared one another down. I was too distracted by the pair of them to notice when someone threw a ball my way. My head smacked into the cement wall behind me as the ball made contact with my face. I was pretty sure that the hit didn't count, since a person's head was off-limits. Regardless, I swore loudly because of the sudden pain that tore through me.

My vulgar mouth caught everyone's attention, and I cradled my head in my hands as I headed toward the bench. I didn't care that it didn't count; I needed to sit down. I heard something obscene fly from Jack's mouth, and it was closely followed by the strange sound of rubber slapping against flesh. I looked over just in time to see the ball hit the ground. Jack had won the battle. Now that he'd finished his mission, he let the next ball hit him in the leg. He was grinning when he sat next to me on the bench.

"You okay?"

I nodded. "I'm fine. Nice job out there."

"I let you down."

"No, you didn't. You took that guy down a peg. It was worth it."

"But I broke a promise," he argued.

"But you let me see that dangerous side of you. I like it."