The Takedown(46)

How many haters did I have?

mac Want some company? We haven’t had after-school time all week.

He sent me some quick pics of the world exploding, a mad scientist pulling at his hair, and Godzilla ravaging NYC.

Or maybe the fight video was totally innocent. Maybe Jessie had simply gone to pick up Ellie and stumbled on us fighting. Who wouldn’t record a fight?

mac I can come over early. Hang before we all go for ramen.

Earlier in the week I’d invited Mac to come to Christmas Eve dinner with us.

moi You sure you’re not busy?

mac ???

moi Hanging with Ailey, maybe?

My Doc fell silent as Mac figured out how to word his response. I’d finally made it home. I let myself in and went straight to the freezer and got a bag of peas to put on my eye.

mac Are you talking about me walking with her this morning? She had a math question.

moi So you weren’t trying to make me jealous?

mac What am I, ten? She had a math question.

moi Was she trying to multiply you times her?

I grinned, perfectly envisioning his exasperated expression.

Faintly, I heard the front door open.

“Mom?”

I waited for my mom to come into the kitchen. How in the world was I going to explain my puffy face to her? I thought about just going straight to my room, but I’d have to dash right past her. Mac’s txt thread spooled as he wrote and deleted the perfect comeback.

But then all he sent was:

mac She had a math question.

moi I hope you gave her a satisfying answer.

Ever so softly I heard the front door close. It wasn’t my mom or she would have said something. I crept to the kitchen door, listening. I could have sworn I locked the front door. To get to the front hall, I’d have to walk through the dining room. It felt like someone was standing just on the other side of the dining room doorway, listening right back.

“Dad?” I waited, and when there was no answer: “Kyle? Is that you?”

Silence. But not an empty silence.

“I hope it’s all right,” I called out. “Mac and his cousins are coming over. They’ll be here any second.”

The floorboards in the front hall creaked. I wasn’t imagining things. Someone was in my house.

“Oh my gosh.”

I was so upset over the fight, I must not have locked the door. What if it was the “don’t talk to strangers” guy? I’d been so focused on my Doc, he could have been sitting on the stoop next door and I’d have missed him completely. Or what if it was just about anyone else who now knew me, even though I didn’t know them?

There was nowhere for me to go. The kitchen led into the basement—no way, uh-uh—or the backyard. The yard was minuscule, with a ten-foot-high fence around it, but at least out there, people could hear me scream. I grabbed a chopstick from the jar on the counter in case I needed to stab my assailant in the eye. Then as quickly and quietly as possible I went to the back door. The lock was old, rusted, and usually required an iron grip and a lot of willpower to turn. Dad was always talking about needing to replace it.

Struggling with the lock, I looked over my shoulder only to see a big guy in a black hoodie coming at me. I flung my chopstick at him. It struck him harmlessly in the stomach, then clattered on the kitchen tiles. I tugged at the lock. A hand gripped my shoulder. I screamed and sank to the floor.





“Geez Louise, you are not having a good day, are you?”

It was Kyle. Dumb, stupid, wonderful, non-rapey Kyle.

“Where did you come in from?”

“Nowhere. I was upstairs.”

“But I heard the front door open and close.”

“Must be a ghost,” Kyle said, his upper body already halfway buried in the fridge. “I’ve been upstairs for the last two hours. Didn’t see any murderers on my way down, either. I did see the fight, though.”

He waved his Doc at me.

“How awesome will it be if you have a shiner for the Christmas pic?” he said. “I can’t believe I once had a crush on Ellie. I’m totally unconnecting her on everything.”

“Thanks, Kylie.” I was still trying to catch my breath.

I couldn’t stop staring at the useless chopstick lying in the middle of the floor. Audra always said every woman needed to arm herself with confidence and a bottle of pepper spray.

My Doc dinged with a txt tone I hadn’t heard in forever. Ailey.

ailey Hey Kyle, Ellie told me what happened between you two. I made the mistake of telling my mom. She told me to tell you, if you come to our house or approach me anywhere outside of school, she’s going to file a restraining order against you.

“Oh my God. That little brat never could fight her own fights.”

“What is it?” Kyle asked, but I was too angry to respond.

moi Ailey, this wasn’t even about you. And ELLIE slapped ME!

ailey Sorry. I’m actually a little mortified, but she = serious. I just thought you should know.

“Ailey’s mom wants to take out a restraining order against you?”

I held my Doc to my chest, but it was too late. Damn holoscreen txting. When would I learn? Kyle’s jaw dropped open. His Doc was immediately in his hands. I grabbed his wrist.

“Don’t you dare txt Mom.”