Undercover Justice (2 page)

It looked like a teenage boy’s dream hangout. My jaw dropped. I had no idea a room like this existed in the same boring high school that I had been attending for the last three and a half years.

I see what she meant about too much testosterone.

“Wow! I’m impressed. How many kids belong to the club?”

“There are ten of us right now. Not everyone is a regular though. Besides me there are four other guys and just recently one other girl, who try to be here for every meeting.”

Looking at a big blown up picture of what must be the club members, standing with Mayor Greenly, I recognized a kid in our social studies class.

“That’s Oliver Hendricks isn’t it?”

“Yes, Ollie has been in the club since he was a freshman. He is very smart for his age.”

“He’s like what… thirteen and a senior?”

“Actually, he is fifteen, he is just small for his age, so many people think he is younger than he is.”

“I hope he isn’t in my group for our social studies community project. I’ve heard he doesn’t let you do very much of it, because he wants it done exactly right and doesn’t trust anyone but himself to do that.”

“Yeah, that sounds like Ollie,” Charlotte said laughing.

Hearing the first bell ring, I said, “We better get to class before we’re late and have to go get a hall pass from the office.” The bell effectively drew my attention back to my presently throbbing face.

Putting the ice pack back in the freezer, I walked over to the long mirror on the wall by the sink. I was relieved to see that my eye was not totally black and swollen shut. I had a slightly puffy bump under my eye, with what I hoped, was the start and end of a black and blue crescent shaped bruise.

Coming over and peering at my eye, Charlotte said, “It could have been worse. It’s nothing a little make-up won’t hide,” she said reassuringly.

Groaning, I realized that this is one of those far and few between times that I wished I carried make-up with me. If I wear it at all, I put a little on before school. Of course now, I was going to have to go the whole day with a black eye. What was Tyler going to think? We have been talking during lunch and in between classes for a few months now. He really seemed to be into looking good and into girls who were put together. I kind of thought that seemed a bit shallow, but really, who was I to judge.

Following Charlotte down the hall towards class, I was struck by a case of nerves. Would Tyler still ask me to prom today like I got the feeling he was going to? Thoughts of prom and what dress I was going to wear consumed my thoughts all the way down the hall towards class.

Dropping into my seat with only seconds to spare, I tried to bring my thoughts back to the present, as the last bell rang.

I felt a finger poke my side. Kent. He sat right behind me most days. I knew he must be curious as to where I had been.

Turning around quickly, and showing him my eye, I whispered, “What do you think?”

“It’s not bad,” he whispered back. “Honest.”

This from a guy who didn’t tell me I had paint in my hair, when in eighth grade, a girl named Susie had accidentally dropped paint off her brush onto my head, as she was walking by my chair. He felt it would only embarrass me, so he assured me there was nothing there, when I asked.

“That was some hit you took today, Nora,” Ben, a friend of Kent’s, who had been in school with us for as long as I could remember, pointed out loud enough for everyone in the room to hear.

“Yeah! If only you hadn’t turned to look...” another football player said laughingly.

“Did something happen Nora?” a voice said from my left. I groaned. I knew that voice. Tyler.

“Wait till you see this, Tyler,” I heard Vanessa say quietly to him and then snicker.

Turning to face Tyler, I held my chin high, put on a big smile and said brightly, “I had a run in with a stray football. It’s nothing.”

“Oh! Why haven’t you covered it with make-up yet? You are going to cover it right?

Um... “Yes, of course. I just don’t have any with me. Don’t worry. It doesn’t even hurt anymore. I am sure it will be fine in a day to two.”

“Right,” he said distractedly, turning his attention back to Vanessa. Whatever he said must have been funny, because she leaned towards him and laughingly placed her hand on his arm and whispered something back.

I thought I heard Kent say something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like a bad word, just as our teacher, Ms. Morley started explaining the procedure for our field trip.

Ms. Morley was one of my favorite teachers. She was in her late forties, a petite lady with chin length black hair. She always dressed with exquisite taste. Her clothes were always of the latest fashions and of the best materials. As a girl who loved clothes herself, I felt that of all the teachers, I could relate to her the best.

“Now class, I want all of you to be on your best behavior. No fooling around. No wandering off. Each member of your group must contribute equally. Again I stress, no one is allowed to leave the building, or to interfere with the employees. Anyone who does so will be given a detention. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes Ms. Morley,” the class chimed.

Leave the building? Anyone dumb enough to do that deserves to be in detention. Please tell us our groups already. I have been in suspense since the field trip and group assignment was announced last week, I thought fidgeting in my chair.

“When we get to City Hall, I will hand out your assigned topics and group members.”

A knock sounded on the door. The principal poked his head in and announced that the bus was here, and it was ready for us. Then said somewhat excitedly, “Ms. Morley, the new student we are expecting will be here in a couple minutes. He got held up, but plans on joining the class today for the field trip.”

“Of course. Thank you, Principal Culver. We will start loading the bus and wait for him outside.”

Grabbing my stuff, I got up and followed everyone outside towards the bus. We have to wait for a new student? Why can’t he be on time like everyone else? Principal Culver seemed almost excited to have him. When has he ever been excited about a late student? It must be another wealthy family that is making a generous donation to the school. Principal Culver practically rolls out the red carpet for his biggest contributors. I should know. My family is one of the wealthiest families in our little town of Pine Hill, Michigan.

As we walked toward the bus, my friend Gabby Smith, walked up, “Do you think he’s cute? If he is, I hope he’s in my group.”

“Maybe you’ll get lucky and it will be yes to both,” I told her as we stood on the sidewalk waiting our turn to get on. I had no interest in the new guy. I was preoccupied with thoughts of Tyler and prom.

In the distance, a roar from a motorcycle rumbled loudly in the quiet morning air.

“Let’s hurry up and get good seats,” I heard Gabby say as she turned and headed up the stairs of the bus. Before I could follow, the loud roar of a motorcycle turning into the parking lot, made me stop and look toward it.

“This must be the new student,” Ms. Morley said, “We can all get on the bus now.”

Throwing a quick glance Gabby’s way, I saw her saying hello to the bus driver. Turning back I watched the rider park his motorcycle and climb off.

He shoulders were wide and his stance seemed cocky. I held my breath as he turned and pulled off his helmet and shook his head of dark hair. His hair was longer than most of the guys at school kept theirs, but fit somehow given that he was riding a motorcycle and dressed in jeans and a black t-shirt. Hooking his helmet over the handlebar, he grabbed a black backpack off the bike, turned and...shook an excited Principal Culver’s hand?

Did anyone else find that weird besides me? Principal Culver seems a little over excited to meet him.

“Everyone please find a seat on the bus. It is time to get going,” I heard Ms. Morley shout above the noise of the student’s chatter. I was too preoccupied watching the new student to pay attention.

Since when had the principal personally greeted a new student? And out in the parking lot? One who was late, mind you, and just getting off his motorcycle. Not that I was prejudice to those who ride motorcycles. It’s just unusual for high school students. Looking around, I was amazed to see no one else paying attention to the new arrival. They were all already on the bus.

Hearing Ms. Morley saying something again, I quickly ran up the bus steps. Everyone had already taken a seat. Glancing around, I found Gabby towards the back. I caught her eye and she shrugged apologetically. She was already sitting with Chris, a guy she just started seeing. Giving her a smile and a thumbs up, I looked for Kent. His seat was full also.

It looked like the only seat left was the one in the front. Of course, right behind the driver too.

Tyler! I forgot about him momentarily. Who was he sitting with? I am sure he probably saved me a seat next to him. Quickly scanning the bus, I found him in the very back seat next to a girl who usually sits in the front row in class. I can’t think of her name. She had an enormous smile on her face. Clearly she was excited over sitting next to Tyler. Tyler had an amused smile on his face. He was joking and talking with a group of his friends seated nearby. She must have taken advantage of the seat being open next to him. She must have seen her opportunity to get close to the most popular guy in school, and took it. Tyler must be so annoyed. He told me he hates when girls throw themselves at him. When he glanced my way, I gave him a little wave and headed toward him.

“Excuse me,” I said to the girl next to him, “I believe that he was saving me this seat. There is an open one in the front.” I didn’t want to be mean and hurt her feelings, so I gave her a friendly smile.

“Um…I was here first. You go sit up there,” she said in an annoyed voice.

I gave her a smile and raised my eyebrows at Tyler asking for his help. Shaking his head no he said, “I asked her to sit with me, Nora. Sorry,” he looked a bit sheepish and annoyed.

Annoyed at me? Was I reading him right? Couldn’t be. He was planning on asking me to the dance, right?

Doubts filled my head. What if I had imagined our soon to be relationship? What if it was all one-sided? Mortified, I turned around quickly and walked back to the front. I slumped down into the seat, my face on fire.

“Is this seat taken?” a deep baritone voice asked.

Oh no, not him. Before I even looked over and saw his blue jean covered legs standing next to my seat, I knew it was the new student.

Looking up into a pair of dark eyes, my heart started racing. He was quite possibly the best-looking guy I had ever seen. He had copper colored skin, wide shoulders, and a face like those I see on TV. Realizing he was waiting for an answer, I managed to shake my head no.

“Not who you were hoping to share your seat with, eh?” he said it with a smirk.

He had witnessed my whole exchange with Tyler! He evidently found it amusing. Great. Just what I needed, a new, good-looking guy, to witness one of my most embarrassing moments.

It looked like the next couple of weeks might not go as I had planned. An unexpected tiny glimmer of excitement settled in the bottom of my stomach and seemed to take root. Don’t ask me why.

Chapter 2

I can’t believe this is happening. Today was supposed to be a perfect day, and it had started out so great. Well, really it was only perfect until I got to school and was clobbered with a stray football.

Now I am sitting next to a guy who is doing funny things to the inside of my stomach. Even when I turn and look out the window, I can still feel his presence next to me. It is making my heart beat faster and my palms sweaty.

Did I mention that he is taking up most of the seat? There is only enough room for me to sit against the side of the bus, with my slim handbag between us. I was trying not to move, so that I didn’t bump into him.

Should I say something? Should I ask him to move over? He already thinks I’m funny. I guess I don’t have much to lose. That is, not if I wanted to put a little distance between us.

“Umm...excuse me, but would you mind scooting over a little?”

Turning towards me, his dark eyes traveled from my shoes to my head, until finally looking me straight in the eyes. I could hardly keep from fidgeting. His dark eyes had an intelligence that seemed to miss nothing. If not for his eyes, he looked like a delinquent trying to get through school so he could get on with his life. He fit the rough, troublemaker image to a tee.

Taking in my preppy outfit and newly acquired black eye, he raised his brow in silent question.

I could tell that my black eye didn’t fit into the neat little box in his mind that he wanted to fit me into.

“Got me figured out yet?” I asked smugly.

“Not yet babe, but I will,” he drawled with a promising smile.

I gulped. Was that a come on? He was too large. Too everything. There was no way I would be interested in a guy like him. He was way too mature and worldly for me. My parents would never approve. Because of my faith, I was convicted to only date Christian men who had the same values as I. Of course, I don’t know anything about him. My first instinct was that I was interested in him. If I was smart, I would be polite but distant with him. Unfortunately I was having a hard time with that concept.