Chapter XI

For the second time that day, Jay Brooks was taken by surprise at the sight of Lilly Harper at the side of one of the members of the Magic Club. The first time was during fifth period when, after the bell had rung, all four members of the club rushed to her table to begin talking with her. It was such an odd scene that he wound up simply staring in shock rather than approaching her to congratulate her on her test score like he had initially planned to. Then, she had walked out with them and he had been left by himself. Flash forward to the present and he was having deja vu as he watched Lilly and Vinny Mickelson walking side-by-side as they headed in the direction of the library.

What the hell is going on? he asked himself. Since when was she so cozy with those idiots?

He recalled a few weeks back when she had asked about them, and he had assumed that meant she didn’t know them. Yet now, here they were, interacting as if Lilly were actually a member of their club.

Are they actually friends? I mean, I didn’t think so but, then again, Harper doesn’t exactly tell me anything. In fact, she hardly talks at all. So why on earth would somebody as opposed to socializing be hanging around them?

“Jay?” came a voice from beside him. “Are you okay?”

He quickly turned to look to his left where Alice was standing, looking past him to where he had been staring only a moment earlier. Her brow furrowed in confusion, no doubt at the receding backs of Lilly and Vinny.

“Weird, isn’t it?” he grunted, returning his attention to his open locker before him. “Did you know she was friends with Mickelson?”

Alice shook her head. “I mean, it didn’t seem like they were all that close. But then again, he did pull her out of class last week. You remember? Maybe whatever he wanted sparked a friendship or something.”

“With Harper?” Jay scoffed. “As if. If you and I know anything about that girl, it’s that she doesn’t like people. Mickelson should be somebody that she avoids like the plague, not walks to the library with!”

Alice chuckled softly. “Jealous, Jay?”

“No,” he snapped, instantly cringing at how sharp his words were. Alice didn’t seem particularly bothered by it but that didn’t mean he wasn’t furious at himself for letting his emotions take over and snapping at the girl.

At the end of the day, she was partially right, after all. Ever since he met her, he had been trying to become friends with Lilly Harper and she just continued to show no interest in being around him. She constantly made excuses to not give him her number and she always attempted to get out of interacting with them. So, seeing her suddenly acting all close with the Magic Club did make him feel a bit worthless. If she was so quick to hang out with them but pushed back on him all the time, did that mean there was something wrong with him? Was he just repulsive enough that she wanted nothing to do with him?

“Look, I just think it’s kinda weird, okay,” he said after a moment, softing his tone. “Especially after she started acting so off that afternoon after club rush.”

Alice nodded. “I mean, you’re not wrong. It is kinda strange, but it’s not like it’s our business. I keep telling you that Lilly doesn’t want anything to do with us so maybe it’s time to just accept that fact and move on. We’re clearly bothering her.”

“No, I don’t want to do that,” he grumbled.

Alice sighed in exasperation. “Why not? I don’t understand why you’re so persistent with this girl. Why do you want to befriend her so much when she clearly doesn’t want to be friends? I know as a fact you don’t have a crush on her so what’s the real reason? Why won’t you just be honest, Jay?”

Jay grimaced. There was a reason why he was so insistent on trying to be friends with Lilly but he knew there was no way he could ever tell Alice what that reason was. Regardless of how long they had been friends, this was something he simply had to keep to himself. However, that didn’t mean he was only being nice to Lilly because of ulterior motivation. The truth of the matter was that he thought there was a certain charm to her and when he told the girl that he would be there for her, he genuinely meant it. Even after she started acting like a maniac after club rush, he still wasn’t put off by her. He might have been confused and surprised by her sudden change of personality but not put off.

“It’s really nothing big,” he lied. “I just want to be friends with her.”

Alice scoffed in clear irritation. “Jay...I’ve known you since we were barely old enough to walk...so I obviously know you well enough to know when you’re lying to me.”

He shrugged as nonchalantly as he could, trying not to show on his face that he was uncomfortable by her words. “I don’t know what to tell you, Alice.”

“Whatever.” She shook her head. “Since we don’t have practice today, I took an earlier shift at Ralph’s Diner so I gotta go. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Yeah, you, too,” he replied softly.

He stared after her as she turned and made her way down the hall, leaving him standing by himself in front of his still open locker. He sighed, knowing she was pissed at him but also knowing that he had no way around that. She was far too observant to be lied to for long, especially when he was acting as weird as he was.

But this is for your own good, Alice, he thought. You might not realize it now but...you will eventually.

Grabbing his history book and sliding it into his backpack, he then shut the door to his locker, slung the backpack over his shoulder and began heading not toward the staircase but in the direction of the library. He knew he should just leave the situation alone, but he also knew that if he didn’t figure out what was going on between Lilly and the Magic Club soon then he was most definitely gonna regret it. So, hoping that Lilly and Vinny actually went to the library, Jay made his way down the third floor corridor and toward its open double doors. When he went inside, he glanced around the room for any sign of the two and was once again completely surprised to see Lilly sitting at a table across from not Vinny Mickelson but Bradley Fischer.

What the…? Why the hell is she talking to that piece of shit?

He quickly moved away and ducked behind one of the bookshelves before Lilly noticed him. It was then that he noticed a second surprising detail—Vinny was behind the same bookshelf, his brow furrowed in confusion as he clearly listened to the conversation between Lilly and Brad. Occasionally, the blonde boy would poke his head around the corner, which only confirmed Jay’s suspicions that he was listening.

What is going on with these three?

Deciding that he couldn’t leave before he got an answer, Jay decided to move away from Vinny but made sure to keep his ears open to the conversation on the other side of the shelf.

***

“Y-your tutor?” Lilly repeated, stunned.

Brad nodded firmly, his cheeks a soft red hue, as if he was embarrassed to be asking the favor in the first place. “Yeah. You made it clear to everybody in class today that you know what you're doing. Nobody else got even close to your score so...I figured that meant that if anybody could help me then it would be you.”

She could hardly believe what she was hearing. Over the course of her time in school, she had always been one with average grades. She did well in class but it was always high “B”, low “A” type of scores. There was always somebody better than her and that had never been a problem. So she was already thrown off guard by the fact that she did so much better than the rest of her class on the test so having Brad coming to her of all people was just the final straw to throw her mind into complete and total disarray.

What the heck am I supposed to do? she internally wondered. I don’t have the time to tutor somebody and I especially don’t want to be around somebody like him! After the way I’ve seen him treat Eric and Vinny, as well as what Jay said about him, I know he’s bad news. But if I don’t do it...is he going to start telling his friends about what happened? He’s got enough sway in the student body that I doubt he would even need proof to convince everybody that I’m a weirdo.

“And don’t worry,” Brad continued. “I’m not asking you to do it for free. I’ll pay you a hundred bucks if you tutor me until this damned retake test. That way it’ll be worth your while.”

He’s..gonna pay me?

Once again, she found herself quickly trying to understand the situation. She had expected him to jump right to blackmail so she hadn’t even considered the possibility that she could make money off of it.

I can’t even fathom what Vinny’s thinking right now. I wish I could ask him what to do. Damn. Maybe I should test the waters a bit, she decided, wanting to get a better idea of how much freedom she had in the choice.

“Well, I’m flattered that you would ask me to tutor you,” she began, “but I’m on the cross country team so I won’t have any time after school.”

Brad shrugged. “Yeah, obviously. I wouldn’t either. I’m on the football team, remember. The Homecoming Game is this weekend so we’ll be busy practicing like hell after school all week. It’s another reason I need a tutor.”

Oh, that’s right. He’s on the football team. And I didn’t even realize Homecoming was this week.

“So then...what were you thinking?” she asked nervously.

He glanced away, seeming to stare in the direction of the doorway with a scowl before looking back at her. “I was thinking we could meet before school and/or during lunch. I thought I’d leave it up to you depending on when you had time.”

“Ah,” she muttered, still confused by how pleasant and accommodating he was being.

Maybe I can actually turn him down and get away free, she thought.

However, he must’ve sensed that she was getting ready to turn him down because he spoke again, this time with a soft pleading tone to his voice.

“Look, Harper,” he said. “I can’t fail this retake. If you were curious, I got a twenty-five percent on this test. I didn’t just bomb. I nuked the fuckin’ thing and the sad thing is that this isn’t even uncommon for me.” The boy grimaced. “Every year, I barely pass my classes and last year, I did so poorly that I was almost removed from the team. I can’t let that happen this year. Football is my life and if I don’t get to play, I could lose my shot at a scholarship and my only chance at getting into a good college. I can’t start on a fuckin’ ‘F’ so please...if you need more money I’ll pay more money. I just really need your help!”

Lilly listened silently, taking in everything he said and the genuine tone in which he said them. He wasn’t lying or being manipulative. She was certain of that fact. He meant every word he had spoken to her. The boy not only wanted to not risk getting kicked from the team but he wanted to start the year hitting the ground running. She realized she understood him a little better than she thought. She knew that if she were going to be kicked from the cross country team then she would do everything in her power to avoid that outcome.

So why isn’t he blackmailing me, yet? If he’s so desperate then shouldn’t he be forcing me into it?

When she didn’t immediately respond, Brad sighed, as if he believed he had failed in his bid to get her to help.

“Could you at least think about it?” he asked. “Then you can let me know during first period tomorrow.”

With that, he slowly got to his feet, clearly intending to leave. She stared after him in shock, having been certain that he would resort to blackmail. The fact that he was ready to leave meant that he must not have planned to do so.

But...does that really mean all that was genuine?

She clenched her teeth, knowing that she would quickly regret being so impulsive but also not wanting to ignore the boy’s request after everything he said.

“One hundred will be fine,” she said finally. “And we can meet whenever is best for you.”

He looked over his shoulder in surprise. “W-wait, you’re seriously gonna do it?”

She nodded. “Yeah, I’ll help. Though I can’t promise that I’ll be a good tutor. I’ve admittedly never done something like this before.”

“That’s fine,” he quickly replied. “Anything helps. I’m a terrible studier so even just having somebody guiding me through the work will be great. Thanks, Harper! I appreciate it! You think we can meet in the library tomorrow before school?”

“Sure. That works.”

He grinned. “Awesome! You won’t regret it, I promise you!”

Oh, I’m already regretting it. Now I’ll have to get up frickin early tomorrow. Damn it.”

“Well, I’ve gotta get running, but I’ll see you in the morning,” he said before turning and making his way toward the doors.

“Yeah, see you in the morning,” she mumbled.

She watched him go with a sigh, realizing that she had just gotten herself into a long week ahead. The girl waited for a moment and, only a few seconds after Brad had left, Vinny walked out from behind the closest bookshelf and took the seat Brad had been in moments earlier, a look of incredulity on his face.

“I can’t believe you actually agreed to that,” he said.

She scowled. “Yeah, me, too, Vinny.”

The boy chuckled, running his fingers through his hair as he seemed to contemplate the situation. “So you’re actually going to tutor the oaf? Good luck with that. The dude has bricks for brains and I’m pretty sure bricks can’t understand calculus.”

“Look, I know it’s stupid but….I don’t know, he just seemed so despertae. Everybody makes him out to be an asshole, and I’ve already seen him act like one so...I guess I was just kinda surprised that he sounded so...serious. I don’t know..I guess I just would have felt guilty if I left him hanging out to dry.”

Vinny shook his head. “Why? There’s no reason to? He would have it coming? I know as a fact that jackass would have beaten Eric and I up if we ever gave him the opportunity to do so.”

“I know,” she admitted, recalling the day she first swapped with Eric when she had seen Brad shove the boy into a locker. She knew he was somebody best avoided so even she couldn't be certain why she wanted to help him. Vinny was right and she knew it.

“Well,” he said after a moment. “I guess you’re kinda like Eric in that way, though.”

She frowned. “What? How so?”

“Well, he wouldn’t ever look away from somebody asking for help...or even somebody who needed it but wasn’t asking.” Vinny chuckled, his stare distant as if suddenly reflecting on something long past. “I know that if Brad went to Eric for help, he would've helped regardless of what that oaf has done. It’s just who he is and...I guess that’s who you are, too.”

Lilly shook her head. Really? He thinks I’m like that? He clearly doesn’t realize who I am then. I don’t like interacting with people. Their problems aren’t mine. If I can avoid them, I will. This..is just a special circumstance. I mean...there’s still no guarantee that Brad won’t try to blackmail me. Yeah, this is just the safest bet.

Having reasoned everything out in her mind, she kept it to herself, not wanting to have to explain it all to Vinny, who seemed to still be reflecting on something she couldn’t begin to guess at.

“Well,” she began, getting to her feet. “Thanks for coming with me, Vinny. I think I’ll head home now. I’m kinda tired.”

Her words seemed to snap her back to the present as he looked up at her and smiled. “Ah, not coming to club today? But I guess that’s fine. Get your rest, Lilly.”

She nodded. “Yeah, thanks.”

With that, she bid him goodbye and made her way from the library, all the while considering her interaction with Brad and trying to come up with some way to approach the situation.

***

Vinny Mickelson leaned back in his seat, watching Lilly leave the library with a smile on his face. Up until that point, he hadn’t known fully what to think of her. He liked her enough but there was an obvious distance between her and the club, like she didn’t want to get close to any of them. Naturally, when he first met her, there had been a part of him that didn’t want her getting involved with them. Much like during the club rush, he hadn’t believed anybody else could fit into the dynamic that the MOAIT had created over the many years of their friendship. That seemed even more likely given Lilly’s distant personality. However, after seeing the way she handled Brad, he was no longer certain of that.

She’s a lot more like Eric than I realized, he thought. And perhaps even more than she’s willing to admit.

He smirked, deciding he should hurry up and get back to the club before the others started screwing around with The Switch without him. Yet, before he could do that, he knew he still had one more job to accomplish. He glanced over to see a certain boy from his grade making his way toward the doors. Vinny couldn’t help but to chuckle.

“Hey, Brooks,” he called out. “Come over here, buddy.”

Jay seemed to stiffen up before looking back over his shoulder in Vinny’s direction. The blonde boy reached his hand up and motioned for him to come over with his pointer finger. Jay looked like he considered leaving before conceding to Vinny and making his way toward the table.

“The hell do you want, Mickelson?” he grumbled, taking the seat that Lilly had vacated.

Vinny shrugged. “Well you see, my friend, there was only supposed to be one person eavesdropping on Lilly and yet, much to my surprise, there were two. Care to explain why that was?”

The other boy’s eyes widened in surprise before his features instantly morphed into one of irritation. “Well, who says I was eavesdropping on anything? Can’t a guy come to a public library without being accused of something?” Jay then snorted. “And you seem pretty quick to just admit you were listening in on her.”

“Well, I had permission,” he said simply. “And you did not. Therefore, I don’t have to worry about hiding the fact that I was listening in. It was by Miss Lilly Harper’s request.”

Jay narrowed his eyes in clear suspicion. “Oh really? You’re telling me that Harper asked you to be a creep? And why on earth would she ask you of all people to do that?”

“Why?” Vinny laughed as if the answer to his question was obvious. “Because she was in a bit of a pickle and so, she asked me to listen in so I could give her advice. And of course, I accepted as what kind of man would I be if I refused to help a friend?”

“A friend, huh?” Jay looked away for a moment, seeming to fall into contemplation. “And since when were you two friends? I didn’t realize you even knew each other.”

The blonde boy eyed Jay curiously. While he didn’t have any problems with being honest about why he was eavesdropping on Lilly and Brad, he obviously couldn’t tell Jay the story behind how their friendship began. So instead, he merely smiled.

“Oh, it’s a long story,” he said. “But suffice to say, it ended with dear Lilly becoming more or less an honorary member of the club.”

The boy exhaled softly, shaking his head as if wanting to get away from Vinny as fast as possible. “An honorary member? Yeah, sure. Whatever.”

“Look, if you still don’t believe me, I can give Lilly a call and have her tell you herself,” he offered, reaching into his pocket to produce his phone so he could wave it in front of Jay. However, he was surprised to see the boy jolt up in apparent surprise as he stared back, wide-eyed.

“Y-you...have her number?” he asked sharply.

Vinny frowned, confused by his reaction, but still opted to reply honestly. “Of course. Like I said, we are friends. And, last I checked, friends tend to have each other’s phone numbers, correct?”

In truth, the only reason he had her number was because Eric had insisted that she get every member’s number so that she could have an easy way to get in contact with them should she have anything to offer relating to ideas about the gem. Lilly had seemed reluctant but obliged regardless.

Jay’s surprise slowly shifted as he seemed to once again look like he was deep in his own thoughts. Vinny noticed that he looked almost sad for a moment before the expression vanished, replaced by his earlier irritated one.

“No, don’t bother,” he growled. “It’s fine. Now anyway, I have to get going.”

He slowly got to his feet but Vinny was quick to jump up as well.

“Not so fast, my impatient friend,” he said quickly. “I explained why I was eavesdropping but you have yet to give me your excuse.”

Jay scoffed. “I already told you, Mickelson! I wasn’t eavesdropping. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

With that, the boy turned and stormed out of the room. Despite wanting to know what was going on, Vinny decided to remain behind and not give pursuit. He knew that if Jay didn’t want to tell him then he wouldn’t. Any more insistence would be met with more anger and he knew that angering the boy wouldn’t achieve anything. Sighing, Vinny plopped back down into the chair and glanced around at the other tables. He realized that the library was fairly empty and found himself grateful that there were only a few people who could have overheard his conversation with Jay Brooks.

Oh well. I guess I shouldn’t worry about it. I know he and Lilly are friends so maybe he was just worried about her when he saw her with Brad Fischer.

That answer seemed most logical to him and so, for the time being, he was satisfied with it. So, deciding that he would just keep an eye on Jay, Vinny got back up and headed out so he could finally make his way back towards the club.

***

So she gave Mickelson her number, huh?

As Jay walked, he felt a pit forming in his stomach. He didn’t know why it bothered him so much. It was as Alice said earlier—Lilly didn’t seem to want to be friends with him and had been pushing him away since they first met. Yet he had figured that was just her personality and it would simply take him some time before she warmed up to him. So to learn that she had already given it to Vinny was a blow to the gut for him.

If she’s so quick to give a weirdo like him her number then what’s wrong with me? Am I really that pathetic in her eyes that she would put a member of the fucking Magic Club over me?

He sighed, rounding a corner of the hallway and continuing down the next corridor. He knew he shouldn’t let it bother him and yet it just kept nagging at him. Combined with her weird attraction to the Magic Club in recent days and he couldn’t help but wonder if something was up. He knew he should really just take Alice’s advice and leave her alone but he was still holding out hope that Lilly could play the role he wanted—no, needed her to play. So, he decided that he would give it a little more time and see if he could get to the bottom of the mystery.

This weird relationship she has with them started right after club rush when she went insane. Could it possibly have something to do with that?

He racked his brain, trying to remember what exactly went down before she started flipping out. He remembered Eric Reiner getting pushed into a locker by Brad Fischer and then Lilly went over to help him up. When he and Alice approached, Eric realized he was missing something and began looking for it. It was a little orange stone that Lilly found on the ground. Then…

Jay furrowed his brow, coming to a stop in the relatively empty hallway.

Then she handed it to him and...that moment she did, that’s when she started acting odd. Could it be...that the stone had something to do with it?

He shook his head, knowing that it was a stupid idea. He knew there was no way a simple rock could cause a reaction like the one Lilly had that afternoon. It was most likely just a coincidence that she started acting strange right after touching it. However, he couldn't help but to keep considering it. The fact remained that Lilly suddenly began acting completely out of character—almost like she was trying to mimic Eric Reiner—and it happened right after she touched the stone.

I know it’s dumb to conisder but…

He frowned.

...maybe I should give that stone a look.