Courtney woke up and stared at the ceiling. Morning light broke through the curtains. The outside porch lamp seemed abnormally bright, and it bugged her eyes, worsened the dull thud in the back of her brain. She felt like she was hungover. Like she’d drunk a two-litre of coolers. Her mouth was dry. She needed water.
She got up, shuffled into the kitchen and poured herself a glass of water from the Brita jug. Outside, the sky was dark grey, and it matched her mood. Thoughts of Raine filled her head, as they had all night long.
Had Raine done it?
Had she had sex with Que?
The thought made Courtney frown. She wanted Raine to be happy, and she hoped her first time was perfect, but she also felt alone all of a sudden, as if Raine losing her virginity had somehow set them further apart. Raine hadn’t called her since yesterday, and it felt like there was a gap developing between them already.
It worried her.
She sat down at the breakfast nook and tried to convince herself that nothing was wrong. It was just her — like it always was. She stared out the window at the Japanese Plum tree in the back yard. All the branches were bare. Everything felt so mixed up, not only in her head but in her heart. She sat there, drinking water and thinking of Raine and Que and Bobby Ryan, and then of Dad. So many strange emotions. When her thoughts turned back to Mom, she made herself get moving.
She showered and got dressed. Then ignoring a slew of missed calls from schoolfriends, she called Raine’s cell.
Got nothing. She then remembered Raine was using the new iPhone Que had lent her. She called that number, too.
Got nothing but an automated message service.
Courtney cursed. She left a message, then snagged some money from the top of Dad’s dresser and headed out the front door. Starbucks was only two blocks away and she wanted an Americano and something loafy. She’d barely gotten two steps down the walkway when she saw the police car out front. A hunky cop in uniform stepped out, marched towards her. He was young, about twenty-five, and hot. Short brown hair, dark blue eyes, and a dreamy smile.
‘Back inside, Courtney,’ he said.
She blinked. ‘What?’
‘Gunman from the shooting’s still out there.’
She thought it over, nodded. ‘I know — but I’ve got nothing to do with that.’
‘Your father’s orders.’
She felt her cheeks blush. ‘I’m almost sixteen, I can do what I want.’
His face tightened. ‘Come on, kid, you’re putting me in a bad situation here.’
Kid?
She felt her warm cheeks grow hotter. Knew they were red; knew she was blushing bad. So she spun away from him, scampered back up the steps and went inside and slammed the front door behind her. For a second she just stood there in the darkness and felt the humiliation wash over her. She walked through the house to the back door, saw another marked cruiser out back, and saw the cop inside on his cell phone. The guy hung up, then looked at the house, as if he’d been warned she might come that way.
It was so totally embarrassing. She grabbed the portable phone from the kitchen, called Dad, waited. It was picked up after three rings.
‘Morning, Pumpkin.’
‘What the hell is going on?’
He made a surprised sound. ‘What-’
‘You got cops outside the house, front and back — they won’t let me leave.’
‘It’s for your own protection.’
‘I don’t need any protection. I’m supposed to meet Raine and Bobby today.’
‘You can see them when we find this guy.’
‘Well, how long will that be?’
‘A while.’
‘But the Britney concert’s tonight.’
He cleared his throat, made a sound like he was thinking. ‘There’s no way you’re going to any concert. Not with this whack-job still out there somewhere.’
‘But you didn’t let me go the last time she came!’
‘Oops, I did it again.’
‘That’s not funny.’
‘It’s a concert, Courtney. Nothing more.’ He spoke impatiently to someone in the background. ‘Look, I’m at work here and I need you safe. I need you home.’
‘But the Parade of Lost Souls is also-’
‘I’ll make it up to you later.’
‘But Dad ‘You’re not going and that’s final.’
‘It’s not FAIR!’ She slammed the receiver back on the cradle and let out a scream. She picked it back up, called Raine again, and still got no answer. After the voice greeting, she left a long message about what a jerk Dad was, then hung up the phone and looked back outside. The cop was still there, focusing on the house. Really watching it. Like she was a prisoner or something. A friggin’ prisoner.
She ran back to her room, looked at her Little Red Riding Hood costume, thought of the Parade of Lost Souls, and how Bobby Ryan was going to be there, and how Melissa Jones was going to be there, in her skimpy hot Catwoman costume with her big boobs hanging out everywhere — and there was no way she was going to let Bobby be alone with slutty Melissa at the Parade of Lost Souls.
No way ever.
And that meant only one thing. She was going to get out of here.
She just had to find a way.