April Fools (16 page)

"Belinda, please!" Hildy grabbed her from behind, and Behnda swung to face her. Belinda was so furious that she spat out her words.

'Where's Frank now?"

"Don't go over there -- don't tell him I told

you -- it's not worth it, Belinda, it was just a joke --" She whimpered as Belinda grabbed her and shook her hard.

'Where is he?"

"I -- I don't know -- the gym pool, he's practicing at the pool -- we didn't mean it, Belinda -- you've got to believe that -- we'd never have hurt you --"

Belinda burst through the doors, leaving Hildy crying in the middle of the corridor. She realized she'd left her umbrella, but she didn't care -- she welcomed the rain falling all around her, heavier now than it had been before, closing her in from the rest of the world. She raced dehberately through puddles, soaking her feet and clothes, and with every dogged step her mind laughed at her. Friends, it said, and as she went faster it laughed even more -- friends -- friends -- friends --

"I don't have any friends," Belinda told herself angrily, and she wiped at her face, wiping away rain -- only rain -- and not a single tear. She could hear Hildy running behind her, trying to keep up, but she didn't slow down, and she wouldn't stop.

The school was a good distance away, but Belinda wanted to go on foot -- she relished the determination building up inside her with every block, the hate and anger and the painful scorch of betrayal -- they felt good somehow, and justified, and she fed them with memories of all that she and Hildy and Frank had shared, and they dug deeper and hurt even more. She was surprised when she saw the gym in front of her, a bleak shadow through the

rain -- she couldn't remember having gotten there, and as she tugged open the doors she seemed to be standing off watching herself.

"Frank."

It wasn't a call exactly, certainly not a question. The room was dark, but she saw the lights on in the pool and knew without a doubt that he was there. She walked closer, her heart like a rock in the pit of her stomach, her hands clenched and trembling at her sides.

"I know you're here, Frank. Come on out."

And yet, somewhere far in the back of her mind she thought it was strange that he didn't answer . . . that some snide remark didn't stop her at the edge of the pool . . . that some hurtful joke didn't challenge her as she searched through the dim light for his leering face.

"Come on out. King of Fools -- the joke's over."

And she waited for his laugh to echo from the tiled walls ... to ripple across the quiet, shadowy water. ...

It was shadowy, she reahzed uneasily. Standing at the water's edge, she saw murky shapes oozing across the uneasy surface . . . playing sly tricks with her eyes . . . luring them to the far end where a deep, deep shadow lay, and lay so very still. . . .

One deep shadow . . .

Deeper and blacker than the rest. . .

Shapeless and bobbing in the cloudy, dark water . . .

'Trankr

She felt an icy shock as she dived in -- heard her

own quick gasp of horror and the faraway panic of Hildy^s scream. . . .

And then the world went silent. . . .

Frank . . .

Silent as a tomb, far, far, from the living.

Oh, God . . . Frank . . .

Silent as the thing that floated and twisted limply in her arms.

"Stop it, Hildy -- stop itr

Belinda pulled herself weakly to the side of the pool, Hildas hysterical sobs echoing over and over, strangely hollow in the huge, shadowy emptiness. Behnda lay her head down on the cool, rough surface, but her body was trembling so violently she could hardly hold herself up out of the water.

"Stop it, Hildy! It's not Frank. It's only his jacket."

The crying checked itself. . . gurgled down to a low moan. Belinda peered up at her with blazing eyes.

"You planned this, too, didn't you? That I'd come over here looking for him? Very convincing -- maybe you should take up acting --"

"Screw you, Belinda!" Hildy's foot stomped, missing Belinda's hand by inches, causing her to jerk back in surprise. "Screw you! Do I look like I'm actingV

Belinda stared at her, studying the crumpled face, the long streaks of ruined makeup, the quivering chin. "Well, what do you expect me to think after what you -- ?"

"I thought that was him!" Hildy cried. "I thought Frank was dead --"

"Ssh, Hildy, okay, okay -- don't fall apart on

me --"

"But I bet you're disappointed, aren't you, Belinda? That Frank's not dead? Come on, admit it -- just 'cause you can't take a joke --"

"Come on, Hildy, you know better than that --"

"Is it 'cause you're still jealous?" Hildy's voice was getting louder, ricocheting off the walls, slapping at Behnda's pride. "Just because Frank loves me and not you?"

In spite of her numbness, Belinda felt anger surge through her, her cheeks burning hot. "It has nothing to do with that."

"Right, I really believe you! You^re just jealous! Because Frank picked me! He told me how you threw yourself at him and --"

"I never threw myself at him!" Belinda burst out indignantly. "Don't you see this is just another trick of his -- to make himself look wonderful?"

"He is wonderful!" Hildy was crying again, her face livid. "He's handsome -- he's popular -- he has a great sense of humor --"

"A great sense of humor," Belinda echoed bitterly. "I can see how much he made you laugh just now -- " She threw Frank's wet jacket at Hildy's feet. "Very entertaining."

In the flickering shadows, Hildy's cat-eyes glis---

tened, filled with hate. "I'd like to hurt you, Belinda -- really hurt you."

Stunned, Belinda stared back, her heart hammering in her throat, choking back sudden tears. "Oh, Hildy . . . you don't really mean that --"

In answer, Hildy spun around and started for the door. She almost had it open when Belinda's voice stopped her.

"Wait -- Hildy -- please. Let's not fight hke this, we've been friends too long. Just listen to me --" Belinda hoisted herself up out of the pool, collapsing onto the side in a soggy heap. "This jacket -- if Frank wasn't trying to play a joke on me -- or us -- then . . . what if something really happened to him? What if he really was here -- practicing, like you said -- and the person who's been after me found him and --"

Hildy stiffened, but she didn't turn around. "You just don't give up, do you?" Furiously she swung open the door, crashing it back against the wall. "I'm going to Frank's right now, and we're going to have a wonderful weekend together -- without you." And as Belinda stared openmouthed, Hildy paused in the doorway, her head a silvery silhouette. "We're not friends anymore."

"Hildy!" Belinda scrambled up, pushing back her wet hair with trembling fingers. "It could happen -- to any of us -- I could be next -- or you --"

"I don't want to be your friend, Belinda," Hildy said quietly.

Before she even realized what she was doing,

Belinda picked up the wad of jacket and flung it as hard as she could, splattering Hildy from head to toe. "And since when were you ever my friend, Hildy? Since when?"

The door closed, leaving Belinda in thick silence. Across the tiles, shadows rippled like hundreds of restless snakes, and the lights in the pool dimmed and flickered beneath the water. She covered her face with her hands, too exhausted to cry, and then slowly she started for home.

Mrs. Swanson was at the kitchen table reading a magazine when Belinda dragged through the door. She surveyed her bedraggled daughter in surprise, then looked out the window at the rainy afternoon.

"You must've gotten caught in a downpour! Why didn't you take an umbrella?"

"I left it at the mall." Belinda paused beside the counter, hanging her head, trying not to cry. She thought of Cobbs and how good his tea would taste right about now. . . .

"BeUnda?"

She jumped as her mother came up beside her and laid a cool hand across her forehead.

"Fm okay. Mom."

"Get out of those wet things before you catch cold."

"I'm really okay."

"Hmmm . . . I'm not so sure." She waited until Belinda reappeared in her robe, then wrapped her daughter's fingers around a mug of coffee as they sat down at the table.

"Belinda?" Her mother waited, studying the drawn look on Belinda's face.

"Well. . . Hildy and I sort of had a fight." "Why did I figure something like that?" Mrs. Swanson gave a knowing smile. "Look, honey . . . I don't know what went on between you two, and it's none of my business unless you want it to be. But it's very normal for people to say things they don't really mean when they're upset. You and Hildy have been friends for a long time. I hope you can look past the hurt and be patient. She ivill realize -- eventually -- how much your friendship means."

Belinda felt an ironic smile forming on her lips. Friendship. She'd come to know quite a lot about Hildy's idea of friendship lately. Oh, Mom, if you only knew. . . .

"Better?" Mrs. Swanson pressed her thumbs against Belinda's forehead, a firm yet gentle pressure as she smoothed the worry lines away. "I'm going to call the hospital and take a couple extra hours off -- and you're going to lie down. And then, after you've rested, I'll beat your socks off at Scrabble, what do you say?"

"I say you're dreaming."

"Get out of here."

Smiling, Belinda went to her room and stretched out across her bed. She closed her eyes and tried to empty her mind, but all she could think about was what Hildy had said at the pool . . . the look of fury on her face . . . the confession she'd made

at the mall . . . Frank's jacket floating . . . floating. .. .

And then, like a bad dream, she remembered telling her whole awful story last night... and how there had been that noise in the hallway . . . like somebody listening . . . only nobody had been there. . . .

"Hildy," Belinda mumbled drowsily. Vm tired of looking out for you anyway . . . you're on your own, and thafs fine with me.

She plunged into sleep and tossed on half-formed dreams. She heard the rain streaming into her unconscious . . . and it became a muffled underwater roar . . . and suddenly she was Frank, sinking lifelessly to the bottom of a deep, dark pool.

'Trankr

She sat up with a start. Her door was closed and the room was pitch dark. She felt stiff and sore . .. surprised to find a blanket over her. Mom must have come in and covered her up . . . how long had she been asleep?

The chime of the doorbell echoed down the hallway. She heard voices in the living room, and when a tap sounded on the bedroom door, she remembered that Noel was coming by. A moment later he stood selfconsciously in the doorway, while Belinda blinked against the light.

"Hi -- uh . . . your mom said to come on back, but I can wait out here --"

"No, come in. Just don't look at me, I'm a mess." She made a face at herself in the mirror as Noel sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Are you okay?" His voice sounded tight . . . worried. "I mean, your mom's still here. . . ."He trailed off, studying her with anxious eyes.

"She's just going to work a little late today -- in fact, she's probably leaving any minute." Belinda winced as she tried to brush the tangles from her hair. "Guess I slept too long to beat her at Scrabble."

"She said you've been asleep for hours."

"I guess I was. Not that I slept all that great." She paused, her brush in midair. "I had this nightmare about Frank. That something awful had happened to him . . . that he was dead."

Noel looked startled. "Dead?"

"But I know where it came from." Belinda sighed. "This afternoon I found Frank's jacket floating in the swimming pool where he always practices -- it looked like a dead body. I thought he was just playing another joke, but ... I don't know." She took an angry swipe at her hair. "Hildy and I had a fight afterward and she went off in a huff to find Frank, and I was mad at both of them. I -- Noel?"

His eyes lifted guiltily, meeting her refiection. "I'm sorry, Belinda -- what?"

"Are you hstening to a thing I've said?"

"I'm sorry . . . it's my stepfather." Noel looked uncomfortable as Belinda turned to face him. "The hospital called this evening. . . they don't think he'll live through the night. I... kind of feel like I should be there."

"Oh, Noel, I'm so sorry." Belinda shut her eyes,

forcing away the images of death that kept crowding in. "Does Adam know?"

"Cobbs said he'd tell him after I left just now. Fm . . . not very good at that sort of thing. Not that Adam will be especially upset," he added grimly.

Belinda remembered the phone conversation she'd overheard. ". . . the waiting . . . we've waited long enough." She shivered and reached out for his arm. "And what about your mother?"

"I just can't figure it out." Noel shook his head. "I still haven't heard from her. You'd think with Fred so bad, she'd at least --"

"You . . . don't think something's happened to her?" Belinda said suddenly. She felt him stiffen. The look he gave her was uneasy.

"But wouldn't we have heard something? I mean, if something's wrong, you'd think we'd hear something, wouldn't you?"

"I'm sure nothing's wrong," Belinda said quickly. "I don't know why I said that."

"I do. You were thinking about Adam again.

About the talk you and I had last night." Noel rose

slowly from the bed and took her into his arms.

"But Adam couldn't have done anything to Mom --

Adam's been here the whole time she's been gone."

"I know. I know you're right. So what do you think we should do? Go to the police?"

"And tell them what? My mother's suddenly missing? And I just happen to have an evil stepbrother?" His mouth moved in a half smile. *We

don't have any kind of proof, Belinda; there's nothing to tell the pohce."

She clung to him for a moment, and then as she heard footsteps in the hall, she reluctantly pulled away.

'That's Mom -- I'd better tell her goodbye." "And I'd better get home, find out what's going

on."

"Oh -- do you think you could just give me a ride on the way?"