P. Hoover - Solstice

Most of the answers are funny, even expected, such as my climbing buildings or breaking down walls. There’s an enormous sense of release descending on our Social Sciences class, and I look over at Shayne and grin. He reaches out across the aisle, takes my hand, and squeezes it.

The white board is just about full when Mr. Kaiser says, “How about one more thing?”

“I’d like to bring people back from the dead.”

It’s Hannah, Randy’s girlfriend. I still remember her face at the funeral—frozen into a state of repressed sorrow.

Silence falls on the class faster than a flash flood in a dry creek bed. I have no idea what to say, and I’m pretty sure no one else does either. Shayne’s still holding my hand, but lets it go and turns around to face her.

“Why?”

It’s a simple question but an unexpected one all the same. I can’t believe he’s asked it.

“Why what?” Hannah’s staring at him, and I know their eyes are locked.

“Why would you want to bring someone back?”

Hannah lets out a gasp of exasperation, and, for a second, I think she’s going to get up and come punch Shayne. The silence in the class is so solid, I can hear the mercury in the thermometer rising.

Hannah breaks the silence. “I think that’s pretty obvious.”

But Shayne keeps at it. “What if Randy is at peace? Why would you want to bring him back?”

Hannah jumps to her feet. “How could he be at peace? He’s left his family here with that monster of a father. He’s left me here.” She glares at Shayne, and I think she’s trying to evaporate him with her eyes. “Did you know I’m pregnant?”

When she says it, I realize my heart is pounding in my chest, and I’ve forgotten to breathe. I don’t want to move. Don’t want to draw any attention to myself.

“Yes.” Shayne’s so calm it’s like a violent contradiction to the rage and sadness pouring off her.

I’m staring at Hannah, watching her face. It’s red, but her eyes are dry—just like at the funeral. And she’s carrying Randy Conner’s baby.

“Yes what?” she demands.

“Yes, I knew.” And whether Hannah, Mr. Kaiser, or anyone else in the class believes Shayne, I do. “But why would you want to bring him back?”

I can’t believe he’s pressing her. I almost open my mouth at this point and tell him to stop, but my mouth feels pinned shut.

Hannah doesn’t speak. Her mouth’s opening, but nothing’s coming out.

“What if you knew he was happy? Why would you bring him back here?”

Hannah stands there looking at Shayne. Her eyes grow lighter, and soon tears pour down her face. They flow like the River Acheron, full of sorrow, and I know this is the first time she’s cried since Randy died. Her hands move to her stomach as she cries, and I think about the baby. It’ll grow up without a father. Just like me. But its father will be dead, unlike mine. And its father will not abuse it like Randy’s.

“Because I miss him.” Hannah manages to get the words out between her tears, and within moments, someone gets up and helps her out of the room.

I’m staring at the place where she was, watching the door swing closed. And when I look at Shayne, he’s staring forward, twirling the stylus on his hand. I want to say something to him, but he’s not looking at me, and if he knows I’m trying to get his attention, he’s ignoring me. So I turn forward and see Mr. Kaiser erasing the white board. With the purple dry erase marker, he writes GHC: WHAT YOU CAN DO at the top of the board, underlines it three times, and we get on with lecture.

Shayne waits for me after school. I think he’s left, but when I get to my locker at the end of the day, he’s there holding it open already.

“I don’t know if you helped Hannah or made things worse.” I’ve been going over it in my head since class let out. On the one hand, Hannah finally released her sorrow. On the other hand, she did it in front of the entire class.

“I think I helped.”

My mind’s been telling me the same thing, but I want to hear Shayne say it. “You’re always so sure of yourself,” I say.

Shayne gives a small shrug like he’s trying to not act cocky. “Not always.”

“Lots of the time.”

“Yeah, lots of the time,” he says.

“I can’t believe Hannah’s pregnant,” I say. “I had no clue.”

“Only she and Randy knew,” Shayne says. “Randy told me when he crossed.”

It’s just one more piece of his memory for Randy to leave behind in the River Lethe.

Shayne shuts my locker and takes my hand. “Can I walk you home?”

“Of course.” Chloe’s skipping, so I can’t take the shuttle with her. I have to wonder if she’s with Reese until I catch his scent in the air.

A wave of darkness covers Shayne’s face. “Why won’t he stay away from you?”

I lift my head and see Reese across the corridor. When our eyes meet, he winks at me.

Shayne’s hand tightens like a clamp on mine, and he takes a step in Reese’s direction.

Reese’s eyebrows arch like he’s surprised Shayne would challenge him. I wonder if Shayne will start a fight right here in the middle of school with so many people around. If so, Reese must be up for it because, in five quick strides, he stands directly in front of us.

Reese glances at Shayne and then reaches over and brushes my cheek, sending a flurry of goose bumps down my neck. I’d be lying if I said revulsion was the sole cause of those goose bumps because all I can focus on is his scent. I scoot backward to get out of his reach.

“Have you missed me, Piper?” Reese asks.

I open my mouth to tell him I’m not interested in him, but words won’t come out. Shayne’s hand feels like it will snap the bones in my fingers in half. I wince, and he lets go though he stays close.

“You need to leave, Reese,” Shayne says under his breath.

I glance around; we’ve gathered more than a couple stares. Distance forms between our bizarre triangle and the observers who must not want to get caught in the middle.

Reese ignores Shayne and keeps his eyes focused on me. “I’ve missed you, Piper.” He steps forward again—or maybe I do—because his hand moves to my lips, and involuntarily I shudder. “Are you busy tonight?” he asks.

Reese isn’t even looking at Shayne, but I glance at Shayne out of my peripheral vision. His face doesn’t move, but he’s turned so I can see his eyes and the red in them like fireworks.

“Yes, she has plans.” Shayne’s words catch me. I’ve started to drift. To succumb to Reese’s smell; it’s clouding every bit of judgment in my mind. “Now leave, Reese.”

Reese laughs. “Leave? Piper doesn’t want me to.”

My lips part even before I can stop them. I remember the kiss Reese and I shared; god, it was fantastic. The memories and his aroma pour through my whole body. I have to fight every urge to go to Reese; I force myself to take a step closer to Shayne and grab his arm, trying to root myself to him, away from Reese. Reese is screwing with my mind.

“Never. Touch. Piper. Again.” Each of Shayne’s words is staccato. Not to be misunderstood.

Reese turns to him and glares. “I don’t think you can stop me.” His thumb brushes across my lips, sending a chill through me.

In a flash, Shayne swats Reese’s hand away. It flies backward, making a sickening crunching sound like bone on bone. And then Shayne punches Reese right in the nose. The odor of blood is immediate and clears my head.

I hear the kids around us gasp which further helps erase the memories of Reese’s touch, and I force clarity into my mind.