Jenni James: Pride and Popularity

Sheez. “All right.” I got up off the couch and walked through the kitchen.

“Are you there yet?”

“Hang on.” I chuckled as I began to jog down the hallway. “Okay, I’m here. Cass?” I knocked on the door and waited. Taylor’s impatient sigh caused me to worry a bit.

“Knock again,” he demanded after a couple of seconds.

“Okay, okay.” I knocked. “Cassidy? Hey, can you open up?”

“She’s not there, is she?”

“Taylor, will you stop. You’re beginning to scare me.” I tried the handle. It was locked.

“Sorry, I’m just—”

I began to pound on the door. “Cass? Cassidy! Are you asleep? Open the door!” I waited a few more seconds. Nothing. My hand shook as I placed the phone to my other ear. “Taylor, I don’t think she’s there—”

“Get in that room now! I don’t care if you have to break the door down. Get in there. Make sure she’s gone.”

Frantically, I stood on tiptoe and began to search for the small screwdriver we had above the door. “What happens if she’s gone? What does it mean?”

“Don’t worry, I’m coming over right now.”

“Don’t you dare hang up, Taylor.”

I heard the engine of his sports car roar to life. “Chloe Hart, wanting to stay on the phone with me—imagine that.”

“Very funny.” I went to my bedroom door and searched above it. “I found the key.”

“Is she there?”

“Hang on.” My hands were having the hardest time just trying to get the screwdriver in the door handle. She better be in there. I swear if she isn’t, I’ll— The door unlocked. In an instant, I flung the door open and walked into the room. It was empty. Creepily, eerily, empty.

“Chloe?”

I took a breath to calm my nerves before I answered, “She’s gone, Taylor.”

“Ah, I knew it. Look, I’m about five minutes from your house. I want you to look all around outside, okay? You’re sure you talked to her a few minutes ago?”

“Yeah, I’m positive.”

“Okay, good. She may still be close by.”

I dashed out the back door and ran around to the side of house to Cassidy’s bedroom window. It was shut, but I noticed the side gate was open.

“Do you see anything?” Taylor’s loud voice in my ear caused me to jump. I had forgotten I was still holding the phone.

“Not out back. I’m going through to the front right now. So are you going to tell me what you saw on Facebook, or what?”

“Or what.”

“For crying out loud, you better tell me, Taylor. I have a right to know what your cousin is planning to do to my sister.” I rushed to the driveway and looked around. Where is she?

“Look, all I saw was that he was planning on meeting some girl somewhere. Most of it was in code on their comments back and forth. I only realized it may be your sister when I saw your profile on her top friends list.”

I ran to the end of the street and looked toward my friends’ houses. “Holy cow, Taylor. She’s fifteen. If he lays one finger on her, I’ll—”

“He won’t. I promise you that much. And if he does—”

“I don’t see her anywhere. I’ve looked down both sides of the street and nothing. What do I do?” I asked him frantically.

“Hang on. I’ll be there in less than two minutes.”

I brushed the curls off my face and looked across to the park. “Cassidy!” She was sitting on one of the swings. I started to run across the street and shrieked at the loud, blaring horn of a car. “Ahh!” It careened out of the way, missing me by inches.

Taylor’s voice in my ear only confused me more. “Do you see her, Chloe? What’s going on? Are you all right? What happened?”

I was so scared, I couldn’t answer. With my heart in my throat, I hesitantly looked both ways and walked the rest of the way up to the sidewalk. I glanced back just in time to see Cassidy stand up and look behind her toward the baseball field. My shoes squished in the soft sand as I saw what had caught her attention. “No!” I gasped. I could just make out Blake’s blond hair as he came across the grassy field about fifty yards from me.

“Chloe, what—?”

I didn’t even answer Taylor as I lowered the phone and ran straight toward Blake. He is not taking my sister anywhere. Mr. Blake Wilder has messed with the wrong redhead! All at once everything I had ever felt toward Blake and the ruined relationship I had with Taylor and every other disgusted and mean and scared feeling I had held back, hit me with full force. All I fully remember was a bright flash of red light temporarily blinding me and then oomph! I collided into his tall form. “You stay away from her!”

Blake stumbled and we landed with a thud on the soft grass. “W–what?” he gasped.

“Chloe!” Cassidy’s shocked cry ricocheted in my ears as she ran up to us.

I jumped to my knees and pointed my finger in his face. “If you so much as touch my sister, you will pay.” He crawled away from me on his backside and hands. I had never seen anyone look so genuinely terrified before. It was almost humorous, and he would’ve gained a bit of mercy from me, but in confusion he lurched into Cassidy’s legs. I freaked. “GET AWAY FROM HER NOW!”

I don’t know what my face looked like as I sprung up and grabbed Blake’s collar, jerking him with me, but he was certainly petrified. “Get up!” I screamed at him while he scrabbled to his feet.

“I—I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” was all he could mutter.

“You will be sorry, you little—!”

“Chloe!”

It was Taylor. He had parked at an angle in the middle of the road and left his car door wide open. As he approached us at a run, I went from raving mad to giddy with joy. “Finally.” I smiled as Taylor seized Blake’s arms. I was so thankful I would’ve kissed him if I wasn’t holding Blake.

“It’s okay, Chloe, I’ve got him now.” I hadn’t realized how much larger Taylor was until I saw the two cousins side by side. He gently eased my fingers’vise-like grip on Blake. “What’s wrong, Blake? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” Taylor shook his head. “Didn’t anyone ever tell you rule number one? Don’t mess with a redhead.”

I glared at Blake. “Or her family.”

“Chloe, do me a favor and pull Blake’s keys out of his jacket pocket. He isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.”

My eyes bored into Blake’s as I jammed my hands into his jacket pocket. One dimple appeared, and Blake no longer looked afraid. In fact, he looked downright happy that I was this close to him. I thought I was going to hurl.

Blake’s eyes smoldered as he smiled at me. “You eighteen yet?”

Taylor lost it. He jerked Blake back from me just as my hands closed around the keys. “You talk to her again and I’ll kill you,” he growled. “Then I’ll let Chloe have what’s left.”

The fear was back.

I went to hand the keys to Taylor, but he shook his head. “I’ll come by later tonight with my dad. I’m sure your parents are going to want to talk to him anyway. One of us will drive this pervert’s truck home then.”

“Okay.”

“Come on, Blake, let’s make a trip to the hotel. Dad’s there at the moment, and I think he’d like to see you.” Taylor jerked on Blake’s arms and headed back toward his car. Wisely, Blake remained silent.

And then it hit me. Cassidy. I spun around and saw her standing there, her eyes huge. I took a step toward her and she flinched. “What’s going on, Chloe? I’ve never seen you so mad before.”

“Are you okay?”

She shakily walked up to me and asked, “Is—is Blake in trouble?”

“Come here.” I put my arm around her. “Cass, are you gonna tell me where he said you were going to go?”