Deceptive Cadence (7 page)

But he didn’t leave. He hung off me, asking questions and constantly touching me. Finally, I needed a break and told Geri I needed to use the bathroom. We hurried in and I breathed a sigh of relief. “This is so awkward.”

Geri scowled. “Seriously, why do all the guys like you?”

Her face showed a twinge of jealousy. It frightened me. I wasn’t ready to lose her again. “I don’t encourage it, if that’s what you mean.”

She huffed. “I know. It just sucks. I wish one of them would be interested in me for once.”

I tried to recall when she’d had her first boyfriend. Then it dawned on me—it wasn’t until after we stopped being friends.
That
terrified me. “I’m sure there’s someone who’s interested in you. After all, you’re way cuter than I am.”

She smirked. “Yeah, but you’re blonde, aren’t you? Guys prefer blondes.”

“Oh my gosh.”

She shrugged and folded her arms. “Whatever.”

I sighed. “Geri, you’ll always come first for me.”

Her expression softened and she met my gaze. “Yeah, you too, Cadence.”

I smiled and hugged her, relief washing over me when she hugged me back. “Come on, let’s get this over and done with.”

“Brian’s not bad, you know,” she said as we released our hug. “I doubt he’d be a jerk like Tyler and Justin.”

“I know. Brian’s a nice guy.” My breakup with Brian had been the least dramatic, but I crushed him. He’d leave me notes apologizing for not being a good enough boyfriend, begging me to take him back. The poor boy had been so smitten that when I moved onto my next boyfriend, he hid in the boys’ bathroom and cried. I had no desire to do that to him again. “That’s why I can’t date him. I don’t want to ruin him.”

Geri shook her head and twisted a curl around her finger. “Wow, Cadence. This Austin guy must really be special.”

I grinned like an idiot. “Yeah, he is.”

We headed out to the rink. Brian and Sean waited for us with food and drinks.

“Oh, geez,” Geri muttered.

I dug into my pocket. “We can’t let them pay for it.”

“Why not? Free food!”

“Because he’ll get the wrong idea.”

She grumbled and pulled out her money. We tried to hand the money to them. Sean took Geri’s without even batting an eye, while Brian flat out refused to take mine. “No, Cadence. Really, it’s on me.”

“No, I don’t want you to pay for me when I can pay for myself.”

He pushed my hand back. “I mean it. It’s fine.”

When he turned to walk toward the table, I shoved my cash into Geri’s pocket. She smirked and chuckled. “Thanks, Cay-Cay.”

We sat to eat and had a great time chatting together. But I couldn’t help noticing Brian shuffling closer and closer.

Sean sneered and nodded toward the entrance. “Look who’s out of the loon house.”

We glanced over to see Melanie and James walk in. I spun back around before they could see me.

“Why are they coming this way?” Brian asked.

I squeezed Geri’s knee. She looked me over and scowled.

“Hey, Cadence.”

I jumped at James’ voice in my ear. My head smacked against his and I yelped.

“Wow, that wasn’t the reaction I hoped for.”

“Hey, leave her alone,” Brian responded. He leaned closer to me and touched my head. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” But I didn’t want to be there any longer. I jumped up and hurried back onto the ice with Geri rushing to catch up.

“Cadence.” She grasped my elbow as we glided along. “What’s the deal with Melanie and James? They’re like creepy stalking you or something.” She gasped, then giggled. “Maybe they’re part of some weird cult where they don’t shower and they need a sacrifice.”

I raised my eyebrows. “Wow, that’s cruel.”

She giggled harder. “I know, right? But seriously, what’s their deal?”

“I dunno.” It was all new to me. I’d barely interacted with Melanie before, and never even looked sideways at James. I wondered what changed.

Sean and Brian glided up either side of us. Brian took my hand while Sean took Geri’s.

“Hey, Cadence,” Brian began. “You wanna race now?”

I didn’t. I knew he wanted to separate me from Geri, but racing was my thing. Just like in every other sport I played, I turned crazy when someone dangled competition in front of me. I couldn’t refuse a challenge. “You know I’m gonna kick your trash, right?”

He laughed, surprised. “My trash, huh?”

Again with the terms a few years in advance
. I grinned and covered. “Yeah! You’ll be so humiliated because a girl kicked your butt that you’ll jump in a dumpster to escape from the torment.”

He burst out laughing. “The things you come up with.” He tugged at my hand. “Come on, let me show you what real speed is.”

I glanced at Geri, and seeing her roll her eyes, I grinned and let her go. Brian took me up to the far end of the rink and we waited for a break in the small crowd going around and around.

“First one to that line on the hockey rink?” he asked.

I shook my head. “First one to the wall.”

“Ah, no. You’ll just crash right into it and hurt yourself.”

I laughed. “Yeah, but I’ll be the winner, won’t I?”

He turned to face me. “So, you’d rather win than avoid being in a wheelchair for several weeks?”

I leaned back as he advanced on me. “Always.”

I hit the wall and he grabbed my waist.

“What if I don’t let you?”

I didn’t like the way he looked at me. I’d seen it before; he had every intention of kissing me. I pressed my hand against his chest to discourage him. “Ah, Brian, there’s a break in the crowd. We should go now.”

He ran his fingers through my ponytail. “It can wait.”

I leaned back as he bent down closer to me. “Brian . . .”

Wham!
He fell on the ground. A yelp tore from my lips as I grabbed onto the railing to stop myself from falling on top of him. A hand grabbed my arm to stabilize me. I looked up to see James. He glared down at Brian and snarled, “Hey loser, she didn’t want you to kiss her! What are you, stupid or something?”

He bent over and grabbed Brian by the shirt. Brian tried to escape, but James was much stronger. “I’m gonna kick your scrawny―”

“Stop it!” I yelled.

James looked at me. “What?”

“I said stop it! You’re such a bully.”

“He was practically forcing himself on you!”

“Like
you
actually care.” I pulled his hand off Brian. “Come on, Brian. Let’s get back to the others.”

We turned away from James, but he followed. “You’re not even going to thank me for stopping him?”

“Just leave me alone.”

“You’re such a dog!”

“Coming from the likes of
you
!”

“Hey, you don’t even know me.”

I swiveled to face him. “No, but I know enough about you to know I don’t want anything to do with you.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“What do you know then, princess?”

“I know you hang out with that Robbie Cluff and act like total jackasses. I know you do pot, and drink, and have sex with Carla and her cronies.”

“Oh, you think that, do you?”

“Oh, I
know
that!”

“You are so wrong . . .”

“I know you scrape by in your classes barely enough to pass and move up each year, which is shocking considering you’re never actually
in
class.”

“Whatever.” He scowled and skated away.

Brian grabbed my hand. “Hey, are you okay?”

I pulled my hand away. “You did try to force yourself on me. He was right about that.”

His jaw fell. “Cadence, I didn’t mean to―”

“Brian, this isn’t going to work.” I skated away.

I found Geri and dragged her out as fast as I could. We hurried to pull off our skates. On our way to return them, James intercepted us. “Cadence, you’re going to talk to me.”

“Are you insane?” Geri hissed as we shoved past.

“I don’t have sex with those girls!” he yelled.

The people around us stared. Geri and I lifted our skates to cover our faces.

“I’m serious, Cadence! That’s Robbie’s thing,” he continued to yell after us.

I turned on him. “Would you shut up?”

“No. Not until you hear me out.”

I smirked as I dumped my skates on the counter. “Then you’ll be yelling for the rest of your life.”

Geri and I hurried out.

“When’s your dad coming to get us?” she asked.

“Not for another half hour.”

“See?
This
is why we need phones.”

I chuckled, knowing that in about five years, every kid our age would have a phone. We sat against the side of the building to wait. She shuffled and pulled my money out of the pocket of her jeans. “Here, I don’t need it. You’ve had a rough day. I guess it’s not that great having guys into you.”

I smiled and pushed her hand back. “No, really, keep it. I don’t wanna feel like I owe Brian any favors.”

“I saw what he did,” she said softly. “I tried to get over to you, but Sean kept me back. You were lucky James came along when he did. I can’t believe he would do that.”

“Who? Brian or James?”

She paused and tapped her chin thoughtfully. “Both, actually.”

“Cadence!” James burst out and fell to his knees in front of me. I pulled back in shock as he scrambled closer. “Just thank me.”

“You’re crazy!” I answered in a high voice.

“Fine, then let me kiss you.”

“How is
that
any more likely than me thanking you?” His breath smelled rank, like he’d just smoked a box of cigarettes.

“I keep saving you and you never thank me!”

“Get away from me!”

“But you’re so beautiful.”

My heart skipped and I paused. Not hot? Not cute? I looked into his eyes. “What?”

“You’re the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen.”

I held his gaze, completely stunned.

Geri smacked him across the face. “Get lost and leave my friend alone!”

My daze broke and I snapped back to reality. “Coming from a guy who’s probably high on something, that’s not very flattering.”

His eyebrows lowered in frustration. “I’m not high―”

“Hey!” We all jumped at my dad’s booming voice. He leaped out of the car, his gaze fixed on James. “You stay away from my daughter!”

James backed away as Dad towered over him.

“Cadence, Geri, get in the car.”

Geri and I scurried to the car as Dad stepped back to it, his fierce stare never leaving James.

“Did that boy try anything on you?” he snarled in the car.

“No, Dad,” I answered.

“What did he want?”

I hesitated to answer. No matter which angle I approached it, he would get angrier. But Dad took my hesitance the wrong way.

“If I see him near you again . . .” His hands clenched the steering wheel. “He looks like he’s on drugs or something. Cadence, you are not to hang out with people who use drugs!”

“Dad,” I groaned.

“We weren’t hanging out with him, Mr. Anderson,” Geri said. “He was trying to make Cadence thank him for stopping another guy from kissing her.”

I backhanded Geri.

“What!” Dad pulled the car over and turned to look at me. “Cadence Michelle Anderson―”

“He didn’t kiss me!”

“I should turn this car around right now and―”

“Dad!”

“Cadence, you’re not allowed to kiss a boy until you’ve graduated!”

“Oh my gosh!”

“Don’t give me that! I won’t have you turning into some drugged up, pregnant―”

“
Dad
!”

He clenched his jaw. He studied me, taking in every inch of my face. Slowly, his expression softened. “Cadence, I only want what’s best for you. I don’t want some boy to come along and ruin everything.”

“I know.”

He took a deep breath and rubbed his eyes. “Let’s get you home.”

He shifted the car into gear and we drove away. I glanced at Geri, who gave me an awkward look. She didn’t have a father in her life, so she didn’t know how to deal with my dad’s protective streak. She always felt uncomfortable when he went on his rants, and she never quite knew what to say or do around him. I squeezed her hand and smiled.

She smiled back and mouthed, “Sorry.”

I shrugged and leaned against her shoulder.

SIX

Several weeks into the third term, the weather remained freezing. Even the layers of my school blouse, cardigan, and sweater, with my black scarf and beanie, and thick, navy tights under my skirt didn’t seem to keep the cold away.

My teeth chattered as Geri and I huddled together under the small patch of sun peeking over the building. “I thought August was supposed to start warming up,” she said with a stutter.

“Me too.”

Brian walked over and wrapped his arms around us. I smiled gratefully up at him. After the ice-skating incident, he met up with me at school and apologized. We agreed to still be friends—just friends—and he didn’t seem upset about it. At least one of the guys I dated the last time accepted my rejection and continued to be my friend. I had always liked Brian the most, so I was pleased I hadn’t driven him away like the last time.

He shuddered. “It’s so cold!”

The bell rang, so we reluctantly let go and ran to our classes to try and warm ourselves. My classroom was colder than the air outside. I danced around on the spot beside Michael as he laughed at me.

“You’re such a girl.”

“Thanks, Captain Obvious.”

The roll was called and the twelfth grader stood to make the announcements. “This term’s disco will be on the eleventh of September.”

I tensed. September 11, 2001? I glanced down at Michael, feeling sick.

“Wow, that’s late this term,” he said.

I looked away and stared ahead at the announcer. September eleventh . . .

“Cadence? What’s wrong?”

I turned to Michael in a daze. “September eleventh! It’s the day before here, but still . . .”

“What are you talking about?”

“I should warn someone. Maybe I could . . .”

Everything froze around me. I gazed at Michael’s face in surprise as he stared up at me, completely confused. I glanced around the room and saw a ball hanging in the air and a seventh grader leaning back precariously on the two legs of his chair.

“Cadence.”

I turned and saw the man with the silver hair and beard standing by the door. He wore white jeans and a white dress shirt instead of scrubs. “Cadence, follow me.”

I trotted after him as we walked down the corridor.

“Do you remember the terms of your contract?”

I nodded. “It’s getting a little hazy, though, to be completely honest.”

“That’s not surprising. Your mind will start confusing events, and you’ll forget things here and there. You will soon be just like a teenager again, except it will feel strange because you will remember events from a previous life. But don’t be afraid. You’ll retain enough to know what you’re doing and how to make better choices.”

“I already feel like some of my other life was just a dream.”

He smiled. “Yes, the more you change here, the less real that timeline will become.”

I froze and caught my breath. “I don’t want to forget Austin and Melody. I don’t want them to be less real.”

He turned to face me, and covered my eyes. “They will always be vibrant and real to you because you hold them alive in your heart.”

As he pulled his hand away, I found myself in a white room, with a window overlooking New York City, and the Twin Towers. I gasped and stumbled back. “Why did you bring me here?”

“Why?” He gestured up at the towers. “In a few weeks, these buildings will fall and there is nothing you can do about it.” He plucked my contract out of the air and pointed to it. “You agreed that you wouldn’t alter
fixed points in time
, which means you can’t warn anyone about this.”

I let out a desperate gasp. “Why? Even if I could just save a few people―”

“No, Cadence. This must happen. You know what happens afterward. This event changes the course of history.”

I rubbed my eyes as tears burned in them. “But why? If you’re an angel, why don’t you stop them?”

He nodded thoughtfully as he stepped in front of me. “Mankind was given the right to choose by God himself. I have no right to take that away from any of them. When people make bad choices, they have to live with the consequences of their actions, not only in this life, but in the next as well. But, out of this horror, brave hearts will be ignited and selfless acts will inspire mankind.”

“Wait.” I shook my head. “By giving me a redo, aren’t you interfering with that?”

He smiled again. “Not entirely. This was planned for your life. Without the understanding you would build, you couldn’t do all that you needed to do now.”

I bit my lip and stared up at him. But I didn’t want to press for more information and confuse myself further. I had this chance, and I didn’t want to screw it up or lose it by asking too many questions.

He gestured toward a door behind me. I stepped over and pushed through. On the other side, I was shocked to find my classroom.

He stepped through behind me and shut the door. “Now, Cadence, you cannot tell anyone what is to come, or all of your hard work so far will be erased. I cannot stress enough that fixed points, no matter how horrible they may be, cannot be altered. Period. You must remember this because if you try, you will return to the future you left behind and lose this chance to change your life.”

I gazed around the room at all the faces I knew so well. In a few weeks, the room would be filled with dread, fear, and uncertainty. I looked up at the man. “I know that we might be clear across the world from it, but we felt it here. It was everywhere for weeks. You couldn’t escape it or think of anything else. I remember feeling like the world was coming to an end. I don’t want to have to feel that fear, and horror, and devastation again. I don’t think I could bear it.”

He stared deeply into my eyes and slowly nodded. “That can be done. You are not meant to feel that grief again. When the time comes, the weeks following will skip over for you. The events around you will be changed to fit this new timeline, but everything you felt and every reaction you had will be the same in this timeline as the other. No one will know the difference, not even you.”

I scanned the room, knowing each of the people had no idea what they soon faced, and selfishly felt relieved I didn’t have to live through it again. “Thank you. So, when will the time skip? How will I know?”

He smiled warmly. “You will know . . .”

He faded before my eyes as the room awakened around me.

“Cadence?”

I jumped and saw Michael gazing up at me. He tilted his head, his eyebrows furrowed.

“What?” I asked breathlessly.

“What’s so bad about the eleventh of September?”

I stared at him as I struggled to return to reality. “I have a geography assignment due that day. You know how much I hate geography.”

He laughed, noticeably relieved. “Cadence, Cadence, Cadence. You had me concerned for a moment. You looked like the world was ending.”

I sank into my chair and forced a smile. “Well, in my mind, it kinda comes close.”

That evening, I pulled my scrapbook out to look at Austin again. I found photos of him at approximately that moment, and flicked through some of him at a school camp where he had an absolute blast. I ran my finger over his dark hair and wished I could touch him again, and feel his warm body wrapped around me.

He seemed to be growing by that point too. He looked a little trimmer and an inch or so taller. I flicked over to my journal entries and found the picture of him holding Melody. My memories seemed to flood over me, things I had begun to forget.

I remembered that day at the park as she ran from him, squealing with delight. He laughed the whole time as she tried to hide, but she couldn’t stop giggling. When he caught her, he tossed her into the air, and turned to me.

“Mummy, come here!” he called.

I trotted over and raised my camera phone. “Say cheese.”

“Cheese!” they both said as I took the shot.

Once I lowered the camera, Austin tickled her. She laughed so hard I thought she might burst. He set her down and she bolted across the play area. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and sighed. “Life doesn’t get much better than this.”

I kissed his cheek. “It doesn’t, does it?”

He grinned and kissed me softly on the lips. “Cadence, I love you so much, did you know that?”

I giggled. “You’re such a sap.”

He raised his eyebrows, feigning offense. “Sap?” His grip around me tightened and he tickled me. “Take it back!”

“No!” I forced out between laughter.

“Take it back!”

“No!”

I nearly collapsed, laughing so hard. Melody rushed over, thinking I was distressed and wailed, “Mummy!”

Austin released me and plucked her up in his arms. “Mummy’s fine. Do you wanna go down the slide?”

Someone knocked on my door. I jumped and snapped the scrapbook shut as Mum walked in. I stared at her in horror as she walked over and sat on the bed in front of me. “What are you reading?”

“What?”

She gestured at my lap where my scrapbook rested in my crossed legs. “Is that a book for English?”

I looked down. The scrapbook had changed into a novel.

“Ah . . .” I lifted it up and looked at the cover. I recalled borrowing the title from the school library in my first timeline, but I’d neglected to borrow it this time. “No, this is something I picked out.”

She patted my leg. “I’m glad to see you’re still interested in reading, but it’s time for dinner.”

“Oh, okay.” I set the book aside. Glancing back at it as I stepped out the door, I saw it had returned to being the scrapbook.

I sat in geography so bored and so cold that my focus had vanished at least twenty minutes earlier. Shifting on the plastic chair, I tried to warm my hands under my thighs. I was glad I decided to wear tights, and had brought my coat to wear over my cardigan. I pulled my scarf tighter around me as Geri pressed up against my shoulder.

“Cadence,” the teacher said, snapping me out of my daydream. “Can you open that window behind you?”

I jumped to my feet and pulled my chair over so I could reach the window latch. The weather outside was warmer than the classroom. Sometimes being at a public school really sucked because it lacked heating in half the classrooms, but knowing warmer air would flow in, I was happy to fulfill my teacher’s request.

As I stretched up, Robbie and his gaggle of morons walked across the quadrangle outside. I tried to ignore them as I jiggled and yanked at the window before it finally jolted open.

The noise from me struggling with the window attracted their attention. Robbie yelled out, “Hey, isn’t that the uptight little princess?”

I didn’t react, and climbed off my chair. As I straightened, one said, “Her name’s Cadence, right?”

“Isn’t that a musical term?” Robbie sneered.
Well, at least his brains aren’t totally fried
.

“Cadence!”

Out of reflex, I looked up. James moved toward the window with a smirk on his face. “Hey, hot stuff. Why don’t you come out here and join us? I’ll let you suck on my―”

“James Gordon!” the teacher bellowed over my shoulder. “And of course, Robbie Cluff. Where are you boys supposed to be?”