TUESDAY AFTERNOON

When I finally came to, I was lying on one of the beds in the school’s infirmary where I saw my mom looking relieved, her face wet with tears. “Oh, sweetheart!” she exclaimed, giving me a giant hug. “I was so worried about you, Xavier!”

“Mom, I’m, fine,” I grunted, feeling grateful for her concern. “ I was just pushed down by some jerks and I didn’t see Carli’s SUV. And I was feeling lightheaded, that’s all.”

Speaking of which, Carli was laying on the cot next to mine, her parents looking furious as Hardict and Jackson was coming towards us. “Zay, I am totally sorry,” she said, looking distraught. “I really didn’t see you and-“

“Xavier, are you okay,” Principal Jackson said, approaching my cot. He turned to Carli with a heated glare, “You and I are going to talk, Miss Eubanks. And Mr. Sadler will join as well.”

“I’m fine, Principal Jackson,” I assured him, putting on my “good sport” façade. “Just a little shaken up, that’s all.”

“My son’s been known to miss a few meals,” Mom said, glancing at me worriedly as I saw Rakeem being frog-marched into the room with two police officers in tow. “It was always like that since he was in middle school.”

“Well, Alex and JR are getting him something to eat,” VP Hardict said, joining us as she handed me a bottle of water. “Mr. Chambliss, his English Lit teacher, told me that he had held Xavier from lunch because he wanted your son to do a speech. If he had known what was happening, he wouldn’t have allowed it to happen.”

“He also left his wallet and lunch card at home,” Mom said. “I’m just glad my son is all right.”

“Xavier man-“ Rakeem shouted from Hardict’s office but was cut off from a glare by one of the three policemen who was with him alongside his equally furious parents who looked too regal to be angry.

“Not another word, Mr. Sadler,” Principal Jackson said sternly. “Ackerman will hear about this. You’re lucky if the Reeves won’t sue your family!” He smiled at me. “You’re cleared for classes tomorrow and Thursday. Ms. Riley will stop by your house to drop off your homework.”

“Xavier, I really am sorry!” Carli blurted out before her father, a towering man, shut the curtain separating her and myself.

At that moment, Alex and JR waltzed in, a bag of food from Casa del Rosa in tow. “And we’ve come bearing food for our weary friend,” JR said, granting me a smile of relief. “You’ve given us a scare, dude. The girls were freaking out when they heard.”

“I’m fine, really,” I assured everyone as I accepted the large cup of Dr. Pepper that came with an order of chicken fajitas and a large order of nachos that was complete with all the trimmings. “I don’t think I’ll be able to finish it all.”

“That’s too bad, because we’ve been commissioned to make sure that you finish it all,” Alex said.

“I’ll share some of it with you,” Mom said. She turned her attention to Alex and JR. “I can’t thank you enough for saving my son’s life. I can’t even imagine what would have happen if you didn’t.”

“Think nothing of it, Mrs. Reeves,” Alex said, calming her down instantly. “Just make sure Zay stops to eat a good meal.”

She nodded. “I’ll do that.” She stood up from the chair she sat on. “Excuse me, boys, I need to call my husband and let him know what’s going on.” She grabbed her cell phone and headed out into the office’s waiting area.

“So are you sure you’re going to be all right, man?” JR asked me as I began eating my fajitas. “You do look a bit malnourished, even for a healthy guy like you.”

“Don’t worry, I’m good,” I reassured them, “but I do have one question.”

“Fire away,” Alex beckoned me.

It’s now or never, I told myself as I took a deep breath and plunged right in. “What do you guys see in me that interests you,” I asked. “I’m just saying that, like I told Zach and Ava, I’m just the new kid and high school can be rough for people of my character, especially when anything is allowed. I just want to be faceless in the crowd.”

The two guys gave each other knowing smiles. “Let’s just say that you’re the type that we need around here,” JR said. “You got that aura that keeps us grounded and you’re real easy on the eyes, like Clarissa said.”

“Besides, you’re a pure vessel that needs the right kind of ingredients for success,” Alex added. “It’s too bad that you won’t be in school tomorrow or Thursday.”

“Oh, I’m sure you all will survive without me for a couple of days,” I said as my mom came in with Dad following suit. “I’ll be back in the hallways before you even know it.”

“It still won’t be the same without you, though,” JR pouted. “But we’ll learn to try.”

The next several minutes were spent with them and my family just having chit chat while sharing a meal of my food and more from Casa del Rosa Dad brought with him. Too soon, it was time to go. “Thanks for saving my life,” I said gratefully as my parents ushered me out the door as we were planning to stop by the hospital to make sure I was doing fine.

“No problem,” Alex said, smiling brightly at me. “Take care of yourself.”

“I will.”

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 10TH, 2015

The next two days were spent in recovery, Mom making sure I eat full meals while taking a two-day sabbatical from her job at the tax office she worked at downtown and I finishing up the homework and quizzes Amber brought over on Wednesday. Now, it was Thursday afternoon and I was in the living room sketching a beach scene when the doorbell rang.

“I’ll get it,” I hollered out, even though Mom was out doing some shopping. Swinging the door open, I saw the relieved faces of Jadalyn, Madison, and Brad. “I missed you guys so much,” I said. “Where’s Amber and Trent?”

“Football for Trent and cheerleading for Amber,” Maddie said, “but I want to hear more about you. What happened this past Tuesday?”

“The whole school’s been talking about it,” Brad added excitedly, “but now, you’re the hot topic in all the schools in the Tri-County area from Porter South and Carter Memorial to West Hancock Academy to Johnson Christian Academy. Even in Pomona, you’re the latest buzz. Dude, you’re a minor celebrity!”

“We’ll, I’m not too sure on where to even start,” I said. “It’s been crazy and so surreal, I think I must be dreaming.”

Maddie held up to black bags laden with chips, snack cakes, and bottled drinks, her face set with determination. “We got plenty of time until your parents come home,” she said. “Try us.”

I rolled my eyes playfully, but let them in, escorting everyone to the living room I was camped out in. After everyone was settled in, I immediately launched into a recap into what had went down that Tuesday, not wanting to leave a single detail out of the story. What really piqued their interest was how Ms. Shelley said that I should start hanging out with the Bellevue kids. “It’s like she and nearly all of the teachers want to play teacher matchmaker and make sure that I gain ‘success’ I don’t even know about,” I had finished. “Why these people are so gung-ho about those kids, I’ll never know.”

“I’m betting they’re a part of some strange cult,” Brad said. “Did you get a chance to speak to Carli or Rakeem.”

I shook my head. “I couldn’t get a hold onto them,” I said. “ I wasn’t even upset at them, just spooked. They couldn’t have known I was pushed, even though they were high.”

“Oh, they only got a week of detention and they have to do cafeteria duty for two weeks,” Jadalyn said. “And you know your parents didn’t decide to press charges, so they’re in good graces. Still, you might want to call one of them.”

“Given,” I said. “So what now?”

“We investigate,” Maddie said, her eyes glowing with mischief. “They want you for some strange reason and it’s time we get the scoop.”

“What?! No way!” I said, straightening up in surprise. “My folks will have my hide if I spy on those kids. Who knows what will happen if anything goes wrong.”

“This could be our only chance, though,” Jadalyn said. “Don’t you want to know their story?”

“He’s right,” Brad added. “Zay is still the new kid in town and he’s way too close to them but he still doesn’t know these guys. He has to remain the blank slate everyone wants him to be. No trouble on his records, no scandals, nothing. But I better go home because it’s almost time for dinner.”

“Me too,” Maddie said, standing up to go as she helped me clean up the minor mess we made. “Wyndham said the first major Algebra test is tomorrow, so make sure you study during study hall. Plus there’s test in English Lit and History, so be prepared.”

“I will,” I assured her. “Do what you must, but keep a low profile, okay?”

“We’ll be discreet,” Jadalyn said.

“I’ll hold you to that.”

“We’ll hold ourselves to it,” Brad said, getting the vacuum.

After the clean-up, assuring a frantic Carli that I was fine and I forgave her (she was only permitted a five-minute phone call under her father’s supervision. She was grounded for three weeks and she had to help out with Hardict for four weeks with the cafeteria duty and detention), and dinner; I started thinking about the other three’s plan for their investigation. On the one hand, they could get into major trouble and suffer the same fate as Carli and Rakeem. But on the other hand, it looked like that they had a detailed plan that go off without a hitch. Personally, I believed in waiting to ask what was going on. Curiosity kills the cat, they say. But if they can get all the details they needed, all the power goes to them.

Another night completed and with my stuff all ready for school, I was off to bed, perchance to dream.