The Low Notes (31 page)

Nina looked at him exasperatedly and nodded, leaning back against the wall. He smiled again and stepped slightly closer.

“
I’ve been trying to ask you for a while now but I never seem to catch you in a good mood,” he said.

His hand reached out to her for an instant but he redirected it quickly and scratched at the back of his neck instead.

“
It’s quite the trend when I’m around you,” she snipped. Todd didn’t notice the dig however and continued.

“
Alright, I’m just gonna say it. Will you go to prom with me?”

Before she could think, a laugh escaped Nina’s lips and with that Todd’s face crumpled.

“
Oh Todd, I’m sorry. I’m going with James. We’ve had it planned for a while so…”

“
It’s fine. I’ll see you there I guess,” he muttered, his eyes locked on the floor, his cheeks red.

Nina almost felt bad for him. She noticed how torn up he’d seemed lately but it didn’t change the fact she could barely stand him. As she watched him bolt away from her, defeated, she shook her head at the strange moment before heading to Kevin’s room.

Nina poked her head into B100 and grinned when she saw Kevin straightening desks. She waltzed inside and closed the door and the noise caused him to glance up.

“
Well hello,” he beamed.

Nina rushed up to him and stole a quick kiss.

“
What’s that for?” Kevin asked, still smiling widely at her.

Nina shrugged her shoulders and pulled her bottom lip between her teeth. She didn’t want to tell him it was because she was trying to get in as many kisses as she could before she left. She didn’t want to bring it up again.

“
I’m glad you’re here. I have something for you,” Kevin walked to his desk and opened the lower drawer.

Nina watched carefully as he pulled his hand back out from the drawer with what seemed like nothing. He opened his hand to her and Nina drew in a sharp breath looking down at the bracelet that sat in Kevin’s palm. It was a beautiful weave of yellow and rose gold with tiny flower details along it. It looked old but it was so completely her style. Kevin latched it around her wrist and she continued to gaze at it.

“
I found this at the cabin on our last day. It was my mother’s and I want you to have it. I can’t give you a corsage tomorrow like I want to but this you can have forever,” he whispered.

Nina’s eyes flashed up to meet his when he said that final word.

“
I did something today and you can tell me I‘m an idiot for it if you want,” Kevin was stumbling over his words and laughing nervously.

She was waiting patiently for whatever his confession could be but then he glanced past her at the door. Nina turned to see what he’d stopped to stare at. James was standing in the doorway looking annoyed.

“
Nina, come on. I’ve got to get home and Nick can’t give me a ride,” James said plainly.

Kevin cleared his throat and straightened up and away from Nina. “Well, I’ll get back to you with that, uh, letter of recommendation,” he forced a quick cover.

James snorted. “Man you’ve got that act down. Don’t worry Casanova, it’s just me out here.”

“
James!” Nina nearly screamed. Kevin’s face had gone blank and he shot glances back and forth between James and Nina.

“
He
knows
?”

Nina felt her throat tightening as Kevin’s eyes zeroed in on her. She heard James sigh from the doorway and she looked over at him as he hung his head in shame.

“
I told him months ago, over Christmas when things were bad,” she said.

“
So that somehow made it okay for you to tell him when things got better?” Kevin raised his voice and whipped his head back to glare at James.

“
Kevin, he...he just knew. He figured it out.”

She saw his hands clench into fists and she stepped to him to put her hand on his arm. Kevin pulled away from her violently and Nina flinched.

“
Jesus, I can’t believe how stupid I am. I don’t know what I was thinking, you’re just a kid,” he growled.

Nina heard James gasp from the doorway. Her heart was stung by his words but she wouldn’t let James see.

“
James, get out of here.”

“
Why, Nina? He probably already knows everything we could possibly have to talk about. Let him stay,” Kevin’s voice was angry and growing louder with each heated word. James left without a sound and Nina was thankful for that.

“
Can you please calm down so we can talk about this?” Nina tried to keep a steady tone but the quiver in her voice was overpowering.

“
Don’t you think I’ve wanted to tell someone?
Anyone?
Do you know how many times I’ve almost slipped in front of Jeff? It’s been just as hard on me as it has been on you only you’ve had James to confide in this whole time and I’ve had no one. How is that fair? You lied to me, Nina.
Again
,” he yelled.

Nina’s chin trembled as she held back tears. She wanted to scream back at him that she hadn’t had James. That James had forbidden her from speaking his name in conversation. She had no one as well. To her, James knowing and not caring was worse than him not knowing at all.

“
You should go,” he whispered.

Nina felt her heart lurch and she flashed back to the day she’d walked into the very same room months before. He had the same look on his face now as he had then. Nina’s fear was filling her up overwhelmingly fast.

“
What about us?” she asked in a voice quiet and shaking.

Kevin turned his eyes directly to her, his lips in a tight line. Nina watched in pain as he shook his head slowly and shrugged his shoulders. He said nothing. His face was cold and emotionless as he glared at her. Nina felt her eyes welling up when she flinched at the sound of another voice in the room suddenly.

“
Oh Mr. Reed, I didn’t realize you were with a student,” Principal Andrews said as he stepped into the room nonchalantly. Kevin turned to him then looked back at Nina. A chill ran through her as his look was even icier.

Nina cleared her throat. “No it’s fine Principal Andrews. I was just going.”

The tall, pudgy man smiled at her and walked further into the room having no idea what he'd just walked in on. Nina took one final look at Kevin and forced herself to march out the door.

****

Kevin willed himself to unclench his fists and let his anger subside for the moment. He waited for his boss to say something, fearing if he spoke first he might scream.

“
How are things ,Kevin?” Principal Andrews asked, taking a leisurely seat atop one of the many beige desks.

His brow scrunched together in three perfect lines. “Uh, fine.”

“
Of course I’m asking because I’m wondering if there’s something wrong. You’ve seemed to be quite a perfect fit here at Wexley. Taking over for Mrs. Oliver seemed to be a breeze for you. You’re test scores are great, there’ve been little to no discipline problems in your classes and your students really seem to love you.”

Kevin nearly winced at his words.
If you only knew
, he thought.

“
So with all that being said, I was rather shocked to find your letter of resignation on my desk this afternoon,” he folded his hands in his lap and gave Kevin a concerned, almost patronizing look.

“
Yeah, I just...it’s time for me to do something else. I wasn’t planning on staying this long but I need to move on,” Kevin stumbled over his words, his mind still with Nina.

“
Well, you have to do what’s best for you. You’ve been a great addition to our staff.” Principal Andrews stood up and absently looked around the room before slowly heading out the door.

With his mind reeling Kevin started again. “Look, if it’s alright with you, I’ve already written the final. A substitute could give it. I’d kind of just like to pack my stuff up now and be done,” he blurted.

Principal Andrews squinted at Kevin and stayed silent for a moment. He slowly nodded after examining Kevin’s face.

“
Sure. If that’s what you really want to do.”

He thought about it for a split second. He might be making a huge mistake. He and Nina may not make it through this fight, let alone wind up happily ever after like he’d planned. He breathed deep and let his heart decide. Kevin lowered his eyes to the floor.

“
It is.”

Chapter Sixty-Seven

Nina’s legs were shaking and her mind was blank. It felt like her head was filled with a blinding white light. She was nearly to the doors when she glanced at a table set up that had most likely seen quite a bit of traffic that day. Covered in a black cloth and sprinkled with glittering confetti, it looked out of place in the starkly lit hall of the high school. Nina let her eyes roam over the sign taped to the front of the table.
A Night to Remember
was painted in big cursive silver letters on a black poster board. She shut her eyes and breathed in for a moment then she heard a voice.

“
What happened?” James’s voice was soft. She opened her eyes to see him standing at the doors that led to the parking lot.

“
I don’t know yet.”

“
I’m so sorry Nina. I thought he knew you told me,” James walked toward her but Nina stepped back and turned her face from her friend.

“
He‘s gonna hate me just like before.”

James tried again, getting close enough to touch her shoulder. “He never hated you. If he hated you then things wouldn’t have worked out.”

Nina’s eyes flared up and pierced through James. “You don’t know anything about us,” she shouted.

“
I’m sorry. I don’t know what else to say,” James breathed.

“
There’s nothing to say. The love of my life thinks I’m a liar and a child. It’s over,” she started to choke on her words and she pushed past James, heading to her car.

James followed quickly behind her. Nina slowly slid into the driver’s seat. James waited outside the passenger side, hesitating as if he wasn't sure she'd be kind enough to still drive him home. As he let out a slow and patient breath, his door was unlocked and Nina was waiting for him to get in. They drove in silence to James’s home.

She pulled into his driveway and was ready for him to finally be gone when he turned to her carefully.

“
Do you really think he’s the love of your life?” he asked in a whisper.

Nina's eyes tightened on him before she spoke. “If I thought you really cared, I’d tell you. And if you really knew me, you wouldn’t have to ask.”

Chapter Sixty-Eight

Nina’s gaze hadn’t left the mirror for minutes. She stared at herself for a long time, her eyes lacking the sparkle that a girl should have on her prom night. Fidgeting with the beaded halter strap of her dress, putting it perfectly in place, she started to feel a stinging sensation in her eyes. She blew air up from her mouth in effort to dry her eyes before tears had the chance to fall. Then there was a soft knock on the door.

“
Come in.”

James walked in holding a clear plastic box with a white orchid inside. His eyes swept up her slowly from her peep-toe heels, red lacquered nails showing through, to the shining champagne silk dress that hung in loose folds down her legs and clung tight to her hips, on up to the sweetheart neck and the sparkly halter strap. Her hair was pulled up in a twist, a jeweled comb placed in one side, shimmering gold next to her black strands. James took her hand and gently kissed the back of it. Nina didn’t have the strength to pull away from him even when she saw his eyes lingering on the bracelet she’d yet to take off.

“
Why are you here?” she asked.

“
Because we made a deal in the eighth grade that we’d go to senior prom together no matter what.”

She rolled her eyes at him, “I’m not sure our eighth grade selves could have realized the amount of shit that might be going down at the time.”

He pulled her closer to him and she looked at him with sad eyes. It wasn’t how she’d pictured it. Though James looked great in his black tux, a smaller matching orchid pinned to his lapel, she couldn’t get into the prom spirit. The uncertainty of Kevin’s next move was torturing her mind. She didn’t even know if she wanted to go.

But as her best friend stood before her giving her an incredibly sincere look, she wanted nothing more than to be a teenager again.

“
I screwed up. I don't know what I would've done if when I came out to you you’d said 'that's fine, just don't ever talk to me about it'. I'm such an asshole.” His words were rushing out of him and Nina felt the tears coming back. She tried to shake her head and stop him but she couldn't.

“
I'll spend the rest of our lives making it up to you. But for tonight, let’s just go and dance and make fun of the people we don’t like. The rest can wait for one night,” James said.

She took another glance at herself in the mirror and let James place the corsage on her wrist gingerly. He leaned in close and kissed her cheek. With his face against hers, she felt a shiver run through her. James hugged her tight and she found the will to stifle her tears.