The Pretender - Cora Brent Page 0,48

in my head, the picture of Ben flanked by all the jock jerks and crowing about how he got a piece of the uptight newspaper nerd. Maybe that’s not how it was at all. Kent isn’t all that bright and doesn’t really have a low volume setting. It’s possible that Ben was just confiding in his friend and the conversation got away from him.

It’s also possible that I should have approached Ben more calmly and listened to his explanation before blowing up and announcing that getting involved with him was a mistake.

Finally, it’s possible that I might really really suck.

Trina has already accepted my sudden relationship as fact. “You guys need to get your couples photo! There’s still time to make it into the yearbook.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” I grumble while the cafeteria erupts with noise. Cole Travis and his band buddies are collected at the front of the room and plugging in music equipment.

“What’s going on?” Trina asks, squinting.

Kent is fiddling with her blouse buttons. “Who cares? Let’s get out of here.”

Cole switches on a microphone and launches into a hard rock, profane version of Santa Claus Is Coming To Town. Somehow I don’t believe this spontaneous performance has been faculty approved.

“Do you have his cell number?” I need to practically scream the question over all the noise.

Kent looks up from Trina’s cleavage. “Huh?”

“Do you have Ben’s number?” This question is shouted at an unfortunate pause in music. People hear me. They turn and stare. Fine. Let them stare.

I move closer to the Trina/Kent human pretzel and lean close so I can be heard. “I really need to talk to him.”

Kent is confused. “You’re his girlfriend but you don’t have his number?”

“Just give it to her,” Trina orders and when Kent doesn’t move fast enough she snatches his phone, scrolls through it and then nods. “There you go, Camden. I just sent it to you.”

I can feel my phone vibrate with an incoming text. “Thanks.”

Kent is now trying to haul Trina out of the room, presumably to go perform something carnal. She does not appear to mind but before she goes she wraps me in a hug.

“Have a great Christmas. We’re leaving for the ski lodge tomorrow but give me a call over break, okay?”

“I will.”

While I watch Trina exiting with Kent’s arm draped over her shoulders I realize that she’s probably the best friend I have at Black Mountain these days. And yet I refused to tell her the barest outline of what’s been happening between me and Ben.

“Why don’t you have any friends, Camden?”

When he said that to me I was annoyed, offended. Because I have friends. Plenty of friends. I have friends I say hello to in the hallway, friends I greet in class, friends I exchange classroom notes with. I just don’t have friends I can cry with or confess my own weaknesses to. No, I don’t have those in Black Mountain or in Devil Valley.

The band revs up another number and begins blasting obscene lyrics to the tune of Winter Wonderland and this is when the principal, Mr. D, steps in and relieves them of their microphone.

Rather than remain here amidst all the holiday hysteria I choose to get a ham sandwich from the deli counter and retreat to the newsroom. It’s completely empty and usually I revel in the opportunity to get things done in peace and quiet, but today there’s a twinge of loneliness. I could start thinking about the first issue after the new year because I’m a big fan of planning ahead. Instead I withdraw my phone and stare at an empty screen as I sort through words in my head.

I’m really sorry about yesterday.

I send the text and then stare at it for a long time. And then, hastily, before I can really think about it, I send another one.

I miss you.

There’s no answer by the time the bell rings to signal the end of lunch hour. There’s no answer throughout the afternoon classes either and no answer by the time I step off the bus and into Devil Valley.

I’m starting to feel a little bit of self pity. Ben’s ‘no friends’ comment is haunting me. But while it’s true that I don’t have a stable filled with close friends I do have something else.

I have my family.

The last bell at Devil Valley High is about to ring and I decide to surprise my brother. We can walk home together, maybe bake some chocolate chip cookies and then