Cursed (5 page)

Hannah swam to the edge. “I think I’m done.” She hauled herself out of the pool and a panicked Sasha pushed her back in.

“Just one more.” She wasted so much time warming Hannah up she never got to her target. Hannah fell back into the water and hung on to the edge. Sasha saw Evan and targeted where he’d be by the time Hannah swam over. She threw the coin with perfect precision.

“That’s so far,” Hannah pouted. She dunked under the water and slowly swam away. Sasha watched her sister glide out to the planned collision point. Evan cut through the water doing front crawl like a machine. He breathed on one side, the opposite side from where Hannah was swimming which meant he wouldn’t see the crash. Yet it didn’t work as she planned.

Evan was too fast and Hannah was too slow and they didn’t meet. Evan passed over the coin before Hannah arrived. Her sister got into Evan’s lane after he’d departed; she searched for the coin, dove a few times and then returned to where Sasha was standing.

“I couldn’t find it,” she panted. “You threw it too far. I was too tired to search.”

Her sister lifted herself out of the pool and sat on the edge leaning against Sasha’s pants. “You couldn’t find it? It’s not that deep over there.”

Hannah got to her feet and took a towel off the chair. “Those lane guys make waves. I had a hard time keeping my head above water.”

Upset that she’d tortured her sister just so she could see Evan again, Sasha wrapped her arms around Hannah and squeezed. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

Hannah rested her head on Sasha’s shoulder. If Sasha didn’t know any better, she’d think Hannah was trying to get her wet.

“Is this yours?” a deep male voice said from behind her. Sasha turned around, her little sister still in her arms, to see who was talking.

Evan was in the water with his hand on the edge as an anchor.

“Evan,” she exclaimed surprised because she genuinely was, just for a different reason. Hannah broke the embrace and reached down for the coin.

“Thank you,” Hannah said. “I didn’t want to bother you while you were swimming but my sister threw it into your lane. I think she might have even done it on purpose.”

“Hannah,” snapped Sasha busted. She flushed with embarrassment and glared at her sister. She was never taking her anywhere again.

Evan burst out laughing and seemed entertained by the accusation. “It’s alright,” he said.

“If she had done it on purpose,” Jenna said. “You can’t blame her. You are someone I’d like to meet.”

Evan laughed again although a bit uncertain as if afraid Jenna would devour him. Sasha felt grateful to Jenna for easing Sasha’s embarrassment. Her comment was equally as embarrassing as Hannah’s

“Ok, enough crazy shit,” Sasha intervened. “Go change Hannah. We gotta go.”

Jenna shuffled to the change room with Hannah and left the two of them alone. Sasha crouched down, one knee in the sopping mess of pool water. She didn’t feel it considering Hannah had made the rest of her damp too.

“How are you?” She asked him. She was worried about how he was processing last night.

“Not bad,” he said. “I wanted to see how you were but I realized I didn’t have your number.”

Sasha smiled. “I’ll leave it for you at the Second Cup.”

“Good,” he said.

There was a moment of silence. Sasha felt awkward and didn’t know what to say. She’d arranged this and yet was at a loss for words.

“Did you see the police?” Evan asked.

“Yes,” she said. “Didn’t help much. They were wearing masks.”

“That’s what I said. Seemed like a waste of time. Don’t get me wrong, I do hope they catch the guys.”

Sasha nodded. “I get it,” she said.

Evan turned away and watched the other swimmers. “I need to finish before going to work,” he said motioning with his head toward the water.

Sasha jumped to her feet. “Absolutely.”

“See you later,” he said. “Make sure you leave your number at the café.”

Then he pushed off from the wall into a front crawl stroke and swam smoothly away.

Sasha battled two emotions raging in her head. She was thrilled that he wanted her number and yet disappointed because she would have liked to talk to him longer. Next time, she told herself and slipped out of the pool.

CHAPTER FOUR

To get her mother off her back, Sasha found a restaurant for her birthday dinner. It was a small Italian hole in the wall that she was sure her mother would hate but it made great lasagna.

She texted a few people she knew and was tempted to post on Facebook an all-person invite but she didn’t think her mother would appreciate having to feed 30 people.

Jenna was the first one to respond.

Probably free,
Jenna’s text message said.

Great let me know,
Sasha responded.

A few other friends quickly replied with affirmative answers. Cady was last to answer.

No can do. Got plans,
she said.

It’s my b-day,
Sasha pleaded.

Will try and cancel. No guarantee,
Cady responded.

Sasha wasn’t surprised that Cady couldn’t make the party. She’d already told her she was busy but Sasha thought maybe she would have changed her plans. That’s what Sasha would do for Cady.

Willow Bean came home as Sasha received a flurry of text messages. She was fiddling with her phone when her mother flounced into the kitchen and dropped her purse on the table.

Sasha could feel her mother watching her as she texted messages to her friends.

“Does no one talk on the phone anymore?” Willow Bean asked.

“No,” Sasha said.

“What kind of life is that?” Willow Bean said.

Sasha ignored her mother and kept sending messages to her friends. She sent a text message to her mother telling her how many friends were coming and the location she’d chosen for the party.

Willow Bean’s phone beeped. She picked up her purse and dug the phone out of an exterior pocket. She checked the screen and then gawked in disbelief at her daughter.

“Did you just send me a text?”

“Yes. Now don’t bother me about the party anymore,” and Sasha left the room.

She needed to decide whether she was going to ask Evan to the party. She ran into Hannah in the family room slouched in front of the television watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer reruns.

Sasha flopped on the couch beside her little sister.

“Who started the romance? Buffy or Angel?” she asked her sister, a Buffy expert.

“Both,” Hannah said. Sasha was skeptical.

“Angel was always around but it’s not like she wasn’t interested,” she said.

“So you think it was mutual then?”

Hannah nodded vigorously. “Why do you ask?”

Sasha ignored the question. “How do you know, for sure, if someone is interested?”

Hannah shrugged “When guys like girls they pull the girl’s hair.”

“Who told you that?”

“That’s what Tyler does to Megan. She told her mom and she said the boy was just trying to get her attention.”

Sasha sighed. She had no idea how to figure out whether Evan was interested in her or just being polite because of their shared trauma. He hadn’t tried to pull her hair. He’d said he wanted her number but didn’t propose a date. It felt like he was into her at the pool and last night. After they’d run into the convenience store he didn’t have to hold her hand for such a long time. She suspected he was interested but didn’t know positively.

Sasha tested her theory on Sunday afternoon. The glass door to the Second Cup was boarded up but a poster declared the café open. Sasha pushed open the door unsure if Evan was working. She didn’t have his phone number and hoped he’d be there.

She didn’t see him. At the counter was a black man in his 20s. He was ringing up a drink order and shouted to someone out of view.

Sasha scanned the robust crowd that occupied every table. Her favorite chair by the fireplace was occupied. Sasha walked up to the counter still wearing her leather coat, her knapsack slung over her shoulder. She decided she’d get a drink and wait a bit to see if Evan showed up.

Teebow, who was always friendly, was behind the counter. He smiled brilliantly at Sasha blinding her with his pearly white teeth.

“I’ll be with you in a moment,” he said and turned away. The beautiful gold edged antique mirror that hung over the sink behind the counter was gone. Sasha stared at the huge hole in the back wall as a memory from Friday flashed in her head. She saw the mirror burst into hundreds of pieces after a bullet shattered the surface. The police must have dug the slug out of the wall because the hole in the drywall was the size of a fist.

Teebow puttered behind the counter adding milk and fruit to a blender. An older woman with salt and pepper frizzy hair waited impatiently beside Sasha. She tapped her foot and kept checking her watch.

“How much longer?” The woman said to Teebow.

“One more second,” he said giving her a smile over his shoulder.

When Teebow turned on the blender the noise of the café faded. Sasha couldn’t even hear voices over the grinding noise. It ended as quickly as it started and Teebow poured the foamy drink into a plastic cup, sealed the lid and jammed a straw into the opening. He handed the irritated woman her drink with a smile.

Sasha wouldn’t have been able to do that. She didn’t like demanding people. Maybe that’s why she and her mother clashed so often. Sasha shook her head to get rid of the thought. She didn’t want to think about her mother.

“What about you?” Teebow said. “What’s your pleasure?”

He smiled although not as widely as before.

“Latté with cinnamon please,” she said pulling her change purse out of the front pocket of her knapsack.

“Full fat, skim, fat free or almond milk?” he asked

Sasha shrugged. She couldn’t remember if someone had asked her that before. “Full fat I guess. Almond?”

“It’s new for those who are lactose intolerant,” he said.

Teebow nodded and moved over to the cappuccino machine. As he frothed the milk Sasha heard the office door close and glanced up to see Evan. He was adjusting his waist apron and didn’t see her.

“Hey bro, can you ring this up?” Teebow said.

Evan looked up and saw Sasha standing at the register. He gave her a smile that touched his eyes and made them sparkle. Sasha’s heart warmed at the reception. Maybe she hadn’t been wrong.

“Hey good to see you,” he said taking up his post behind the register.

“You too,” she said feeling tongue tied.

“You two know each other?” Teebow asked.

Evan faced Teebow and motioned toward Sasha. “This is the girl from Friday night,” he said.

Teebow’s mouth dropped open and his face softened with concern. He stopped working, walked around the counter and stood in front of Sasha.

“Well come here girl and let me give you a big hug,” he said wrapping his arms around her and lifting her off her feet. Her arms were pressed to her sides and she couldn’t move. He hugged her so tightly she exhaled dramatically.

Seeing her distress Evan intervened. “Easy Teebow,” he said. “She’s a girl, not one of your buddies.”

Teebow let Sasha go. She stumbled once she was two-footed and Teebow held her arm to balance her.

“Sorry,” he said a red flush appearing on his bronze face. “I take it a bit far. I’m just so glad you’re alright.”

He squeezed her arm, a soft smile on his lips. “Drinks for life,” he said. “I wish there was more I could do.”

Startled Sasha shook her head. “I can’t accept drinks for life. That’s too much.”

“I own the place, I can do what I want,” he said returning behind the counter. “I can’t have my customers getting robbed. Nobody would come back.”

Sasha shook her head. She appreciated the gesture but thought it excessive especially considering the robbers didn’t actually steal from her or the store.

She waved around the store. “Doesn’t look like it’s hurt business,” she said. “I can’t even find a seat.”

“Yeah, my peeps are loyal,” he said turning to Evan. “Ask those folks by the fireplace to move. That’s her favorite spot.”

Sasha couldn’t hide her surprise. “How did you know?”

Teebow winked at her. “I pay attention.”

Evan rearranged some tables to make room for the couple then asked them to vacate their seats. They obliged after Teebow offered them free drinks.

“Teebow, if you keep giving away the merchandise you won’t make any money,” Sasha said.

Teebow grinned confidently. “Don’t worry bout me. Go sit. Evan will bring your drink.”

Sasha sat down in the seat vacated for her and pulled her knapsack on her lap. She didn’t know that Teebow owned the café but it made sense. She saw him practically every time she came.

She pulled a novel out of her bag and sat back into the cracked leather cushions. When Evan put her drink on the coffee table in front of her she wanted to say something clever. Anything to spark a conversation, get him to stay.