The Princes of Tangleforest (9 page)

Wednesday Morning:
Tanner wore the borrowed black slacks and white shirt from Mr. Webster’s closet to school. He was used to wearing baggy jeans, so the pants weren’t that big of a deal. The shirt, on the other hand, felt stiff, and it itched around his neck.

He already missed his skateboard but supposed it didn’t really matter at the moment because his ankle still hurt. Just walking, he had to nurse it the entire way to school. At least it wasn’t broken, and he didn’t have to tell his mom about it.

By the time he made it to his seat in his first period class, he had a full limp. While he was examining his ankle, two pair of feet appeared. He followed them up. Zachary and one of the twins, Sean, stared down at him.

“Looking sharp,” Zachary said.

“Yeah, like a razor,” Sean said.

“Guys,” Tanner sat up and mentally patted himself on the back.
And Julia said they were smart.
They had bought what he had sold them without even asking the price.

“So I see you had a little falling out with Jules yesterday,” Zachary said.

Tanner kept a straight face as he said, “She can be bitchy.”

“Bee-otch!” Sean said and laughed at himself.

Zachary joined him with a high pitched giggle. “Ain’t that the truth.”

Tanner cringed, and thought how hanging out with them was going to be torture.

Zachary gave a long exaggerated sigh. “In all seriousness, I usually don’t extend this courtesy, nevertheless, seeing as you are new and perhaps didn’t understand the rules of the school, and somehow got tangled up with Jules, I’m willing to give you a second chance. If you ask pretty please.”

“I don’t know. I don’t know if I really fit.”

“Like a glove.” Zachary adjusted his black rimmed glasses.

“It’s really cool,” Sean said. “What we do.”

“Would I be part of all that or only get to sit at the table with the big boys?”

“Oh no,” Zachary said. “We’ll show you the ropes. Show you how it’s done. I’ll be graduating this year and have actually been seeking a few recruits. We want our friends in the lower classes to have just as much respect next year as we get this year. We’re not doing this for the glamour but for the kids who get picked on everywhere.”

“So it’s for a good cause,” Tanner said.

“Of course,” Zachary said. “We’re not bullies.”

The bell rang for class. However, Zachary and Sean didn’t leave. Tanner waited for his teacher to say something to them; instead she sat at her desk reading paperwork. All the other students faced forward at their desks apparently waiting for class to begin.

Zachary continued talking, “We’re trying to make the world a better place. It’s getting rough for us out there. Look at you, conforming to fit into
their
world when you belong in ours.”

Tanner wanted to protest, but he only smiled. He did, however, want to end the conversation before Zachary got all choked up about his selflessness and started crying. “Fine. I’ll join… or whatever I’m supposed to do.”

“That’s boss,” Zachary said with a satisfied grin. “We’ll see you at the royal table.” He stuck his finger out like a gun and pointed it at Tanner. “Okay Mrs. Victoria, you can resume.”

As soon as the boys walked out, Mrs. “Victoria” Martin stood up and started talking. Tanner shook his head.

Wednesday Lunch:
Tanner about dropped his tray when he saw Julia sitting next to Zachary at The Prince’s lunch table. Not only was she not supposed to be there, but she looked so “normal.” She hadn’t fixed her hair up in any weird style and it appeared to be its natural color, and she even wore a conservative blue shirt. The word “pretty” actually popped in his head. Something he would never repeat to Julia. 

His legs kept walking toward the table, despite his confusion, and he sat down in the spot provided for him across from Zachary and Julia and next to Darla.

“Don’t be upset,” Zachary said. “I know you two had that little fight, but since we’re really all on the same side, I’m hoping we can all get along. Besides, how could I say no to Jules after all that begging?”

Julia rolled her eyes.

“She
just
rolled her eyes,” Darla said, her pigtails tied high with red ribbon. “See Zachary, for the smartest boy in school you can be really, really dumb sometimes. I can’t believe you’re letting her sit here. She’s up to something.”

“You’re jealous,” Julia said, “because he dumped you in like one second. As a matter of fact, that’s all you were to him in the first place, seconds.”

When Tanner glanced at Darla, he didn’t think her mouth would be able to get much wider. 

“Zachary!” she screeched. “Are you going to let her talk to me like that?”

 “Chill out ladies, there is enough of
The Zach
to go around.”

“I’m watching you,” Darla said to Julia through her teeth.

 Tanner had lost his appetite. He tried to ask Julia with his facial expressions: What the hell do you think you’re doing?

She ignored him.

“Everyone,” Zachary said in an announcement voice. “I think I’ll move the meeting up to tonight. We have a new recruit and an about-time returning one. He put his arm around Julia.

Tanner winced.

“As planned,” Zachary continued, “it’ll be at my house in the red media room. Jules, give Tanner directions later.”

“Sure, sweetie,” she said as she smiled at Darla.

Zachary looked at Tanner.  “Bring your nerve. That’s all I’m saying.”

Wednesday Afternoon:
Tanner waited for Julia outside the front doors of the school. When she walked out, he grabbed her by the arm. “What are you doing?”

“What?” she said. “Oh, the directions… sure.” She nodded her head to the right and walked. He followed. They went to the end of the sidewalk next to the street.

“What are you doing?” he whispered. “This isn’t a game to me. If I can’t find—”

“Relax,” she said and took a piece of paper out of her bag. “Look,” she whispered. “I’m tired of just watching them get away with this. I want to relearn what to do so I can maybe start converting these kids back one by one. If you’re willing to die for one person, perhaps I should stop sulking about my feelings being hurt and give these kids back their lives, and their own minds, even if they do have the minds of three-year-olds. So I’m in. Got it?”

He stared at her for a moment, her bright green eyes glistened with intensity, and he noticed her face was dotted with cute little freckles; he figured the reason he hadn’t noticed them before was because they had been hidden under makeup.

She said, “I know how to handle myself.”

“And Zachary, it seems.”

She smiled. “Yeah well, it was the only way I was going to get back in. I had to tell him how sorry I was.” Her hair blew softly in the wind. “And beg his forgiveness. And flirt just a little… it didn’t take much. Anyway, I’m in.”

“Fine,” he said. “Where does
The Zack
live?”

“Before I give you this,” she flapped the paper in his face, “I want to warn you that I think he’s planning something dangerous.”

“Dangerous? What? Two video games at once?”

“No, seriously. They like to test their limits. You know, on second thought maybe I should go on my own and refresh, and that way you won’t have to get mixed up in the whole mess.”

“No, I’m going.” He snatched the paper out of her hands. “Maybe
you
shouldn’t get involved again.”

“Right. Look, just don’t do anything stupid tonight. You don’t have to do anything they say.” She stared at him for a second longer before walking to where the bikes were parked.

Tanner exhaled and put his face up to the sky feeling the hot sun on his face. “Dangerous geeksters. Hmmm. This ought to be one interesting night.”

Chapter 15

Located in one of the newer parts of the neighborhood, Zachary’s house was almost identical to the two houses on either side of it; all three were large two story brick homes with tiny front lawns. The yard consisted of only grass and concrete, except for one lone garden gnome that had been painted completely red.

As he thought about it, Tanner actually seemed to like the idea of a tight-knit community. He just wished the one he lived in wasn’t so dang weird. He didn’t dwell on the strangeness for too long. He knew that if he slowed down and analyzed why he stood on that sidewalk at that particular house, he might decide to run in the opposite direction instead of walking up the path. 

Tanner rang the doorbell, wondering what he would encounter. He kind of hoped it would be like a college fraternity initiation of some sort, like the ones he had watched in movies where they all wore black hooded capes. The way Julia talked about the Princes one would think that they did some really scary stuff. He thought maybe he should brace himself for sacrifices and under-the-breath chanting. Yeah, right.
He’d amused himself so much that by the time someone actually opened the door, he was laughing out-loud. 

The pre-teen boy at the door said, “They’re upstairs, dork.” He walked away, leaving Tanner to shut the door.

“Great,” Tanner said. “Nerd by association.”

He actually started to feel a little anxious as he walked up the stairs, and then landed in a spacious, open room. A few feet in front of him a double doorway led to another room, its darkness broken by an occasional blast of light and accompanied by the sounds of
Star Wars
. To the left of the stairs were three closed doors, and to his right sat two round tables, some straight-backed chairs, and a bar that stretched across the back wall. Zachary, Sean, and Johnny sat at one of the two tables.  

“Howdy, Tanner,” Zachary said. “Grab a chair.”

As Tanner neared, he saw cards lined face-up on the table as well as little rocks and dice.

“You play Magic?” Zachary asked.

“No, but I’ve seen it played before.”

Zachary looked at the cards in his hand. “What about other card games? Red Dragon, Yu-Gi-Oh, Pokémon?”

“No,” Tanner said, a little disappointed that this big scary meeting consisted of geeks sitting around playing some geeky role-playing game. He should have figured.

“Is everyone present?” Zachary glanced around the room.

“They are now,” Julia said as she came up the steps.

Tanner had to look at her twice. Where her old style sent the clear message that she wasn’t to be messed with, her new fashion shouted, “I’m a girl!”  She even carried a huge, brown purse.

“Welcome back, Jules.” Zachary stood up. “I trust you know everyone. Read any good books lately?”

“What do you mean?”

“Just wondering if you had anything new to contribute since we last read together?”

She shook her head and gazed at Tanner with her eyebrows high and her eyes wide. She shrugged her shoulders. Tanner turned away, trying to hide his aggravation. Zachary was going to see her sarcasm if she didn’t cool it. 

“Is everyone ready to rock and roll?” Zachary said. “First thing on the menu tonight is to initiate Tanner and reinitiate Jules.

“What are you talking about, Zachary?” Julia said. “We never did anything like that before.”

“We do now,” Darla said as she walked out of the movie-room. She had her arms crossed and a smirk on her lips.

Tanner said, “I’m ready. Tell me what silly thing I have to wear or who I have to kiss.”

Zachary scratched his ear and smiled with his teeth slightly biting his bottom lip. “It’s a game.”

“Nope.” Julia shook her head. “We are not playing any games.”

“Jules,” Zachary said, “feel free to leave. The same goes for you, Tanner. If you don’t want to play a silly game with a bunch of nerds, you can leave. There’s the stairs that lead to the door.”

“Don’t let it hit you,” Sean said.

“I’m staying.” Tanner folded his arms across his chest.  “I’ll play.”

“Good man.” Zachary looked at Julia.

“Tanner,” Julia said. “You don’t understand—”

“I can handle myself.” He knew his tone sounded perfect for the “we’re not friends anymore” act. In all honesty, he meant it and sort of hoped she would go ahead and leave before she messed everything up.

“Fine.” She threw her arms up in the air.

“Now that
that
is settled,” Zachary said, “let the games begin. Oh, and one more thing. Jules, you’ll have to go into the red room with Darla.”

“No way! I’m not going anywhere.”

“Well, Tanner, I’m afraid we can’t proceed any further.”

“Julia…” Tanner pleaded with his eyes. And wondered why the hell she was doing this to him.

Julia stared at him for a second. Tanner watched her determination finally soften into quiet tears as she pressed her lips tightly together. She shook her head and walked into the other room. Darla followed, shutting the doors behind them.

“Now that we have the women out of our hair, we can have some fun. Clear the table, boys.”