Hold Me Now

Chapter 30: Quiet

It's been three days. Three days since he last saw his girlfriend. Three days since she's been at school. Ava hasn't taken his call or tried to see him. They were supposed to meet Tuesday afternoon. When he knocked on the door, at her house, Ms. Linda answered. "Johnny, Ava isn't feeling well. I'm sorry." He asked if he could see her, but she said no. Which is understandable, because if she's got the flu he doesn't want it. He had that once and thought he was going to die. A shudder ran through him at the memory.

But this, this is not like her. Something is going on. Something other than being sick. The last time she was like this the nasty rumor about her virginity had started. It only makes him wonder if something like that happened again. If it did, whoever's doing this is going to answer to him and it's not going to be pretty. This time he's playing to win. He doesn't care if it's a girl either. Chicks... Sure they may have tiny hollow bones and crap, but some chicks need to be treated like a dude. His mom taught him never to hurt a lady, but some chicks aren't ladies. Especially the mean ones. 

At the beginning of lunch, he saw Rachel and stopped her. "Hey, can I speak with you?" She nodded and they walked into a vacated classroom. He put his books on the teacher's desk, leaned on it, and crossed his arms. "I haven't spoken to Ava in three days. I'm going out of my mind here. Do you know what's wrong? The story is she's sick, but I don't think she's really sick."

Rachel let out a huge sigh and pushed the sleeves, of her rainbow knit sweater, up. Does she tell him the truth and run the risk of stirring up his temper? Or does she not and go with the story Ava's telling. Seeing Johnny's concern, for her friend, sealed the direction she's taking this conversation.

Closing her eyes, she collected her thoughts. When they opened, she told him "OK look, what I'm going to tell you is only for the benefit of my sweet friend. I really need you to not fly off the handle here." She saw him nod to continue. "Tuesday when we had finished golfing we were walking back through the club, to exit. On our way out, we had to pass through the heated pool area. Well, we overheard some gossipy girls." She saw his face turn hard.

Oh, dear. She can tell he's getting wound up tight and ready to strike. It may or may not be a good thing. "What the girls said was just mean and terrible. They were making fun of her, but not just making fun. They were talking about her past anorexia problem." 

Turning around he faced the chalkboard and put both his arms on the teacher's desk for support. Hearing that made his teeth on edge and his muscles tense. He set his jaw. Now he's good and angry and really wants to know "Who? Who did that?" 

Rachel told him. "Dawn found out. Joy and Misty started it and they told the cheerleaders. I guess the whole school knows now. And Ava feels like crap. She's embarrassed, sad, and just plain hurt. I know she may say she doesn't want to see you, but I feel certain she does. I just think she feels ashamed and doesn't want you to worry." She doesn't know if it's a good thing she named names or not. She and Dawn gave Joy and Misty, and all the cheerleaders, a piece of their mind the other day. Part of her hopes he'll tell them off too.

When he heard the names Joy and Misty his temper went through the roof. Of all the "Bullshit! How can those two make fun of something serious?" But right now they'll have to wait. His girl is hurting and he needs to help her if she'll let him. He took the tape dispenser on the desk, turned around, and threw it across the room. "I need to go." Picking up his books, he started to walk out of the room. But he turned back and said "Thanks. You're a good friend to her. Just so you know, Bobby's favorite color is blue. He always stops at the Tasty Shack, on the way home every Friday. He orders a shake and some fries and sits in the last booth." Then he left.