Rhythm & Clues: A Young Adult Novel Read online

  They made such a perfect picture of an adorable family that I fought the urge to run away screaming.

  “It’s so nice to meet you.” Gavin’s mother extended her hand to me. “I’m Josephine Tully. And this is Chuck.” She angled her body toward her husband.

  Chuck shook my hand next. “Moxie, is it?”

  I cringed at the nickname for the first time ever and turned my head to smile at Sabrina, expecting her to continue the hand-shaking chain. She tilted her head to the side and gave me a devious smile. “I bet you hate your name. It’s so strange.”

  “Sabrina!” Josephine scolded, hands on hips. “Shame on you for ridiculing her good name. Apologize!”

  “Sorry,” Sabrina mumbled almost inaudibly.

  Gavin steered me away from his sister toward the car. “Just ignore her. I do,” he whispered when we were out of earshot.

  A Hummer cruised by on the street, hardcore rap music blasting from its open windows. My fingers automatically tapped against my thigh to the catchy bass line. I ducked into the car, and strapped myself into the seat while Gavin climbed in next to me.

  “No respect for noise ordinances.” Josephine said, sliding into the passenger seat. She shook her head. “The devil’s music that some parents let their kids listen to.” She stared at me as if waiting for a response.

  I abruptly stopped tapping my fingers, leaving them curled against my thigh. I hoped she wouldn’t notice as I nodded in agreement.

  Inside the car, I sat between the two Tully giants, Gavin and Sabrina, and felt as small as a socialite’s pet Chihuahua. The car was entirely too clean, not a crumb, not even a scuff on the gray leather interior.

  Chuck reached out for the radio dial, which surprised me, seeing as the only religious type broadcasts around here were on Sundays. Maybe he realized that, because his fingers quickly diverted to the AC.

  Josephine spun in her seat and stared at me in what could only be described as amazement. “Why, Moxie, you look so tiny back there!” Her smile fell. “I mean that in a good way.”

  I tried to make my laugh sound genuine. Insults about my height were still in the safe zone.

  “Gavin tells us you two met at church youth group, but it’s the strangest thing, I don’t recognize you at all, and I’ve made it a point to introduce myself to all the kids who belong.”

  And we were officially out of the safe zone. “Oh…uh…”

  Gavin leaned forward. “Moxie can’t attend every meeting, Mom. I told you that.”

  “Yeah,” I agreed. “I’m not allowed to go to social functions unless I finish all my homework.” That had to earn me some brownie points.

  Josephine’s eyes twinkled. She liked that. “Well, I’ll have to look for you on Sunday. I’d really like to meet your mom.”

  “No!” Ack. I fanned my face with my palm as if I had to sneeze. “My mom…she travels a lot. For work. We only like to attend the services as a complete family.” And then I pretended to sneeze. Badly.

  I swallowed hard as Gavin nodded along with me.

  “And your Dad? What does he do?”

  A sharp ache jabbed my chest. I had no idea what my dad did. Or who he was. “He…passed away,” I finally said, figuring it was the best subject ender. Passed Away was only one word off from plain old away.

  “I’m so sorry,” she said. Her questions continued, and Gavin jumped in to rescue me, supplying answers about my opinions on the new pastor and finally steering the conversation to a more appropriate subject: the college level summer course I was apparently taking. The meeting times interfered with youth group. How convenient.

  Chuck’s ears perked up from the front seat. “Tell me about your school friends, Moxie.”

  Josephine glared at him, but I used the opportunity to prattle on about how I had too much schoolwork to devote my time to friends. As I created this false version of myself, I began to wonder who I really was. Or, more to the point, what I really was to Gavin.

  I also wondered who I wanted to be.

  Sure, I was attracted to him. He was good-looking and as tempting as the new world to Columbus—just ripe for someone to sail up and discover. And then corrupt with factories and settlements.

  I shook those thoughts out of my head. I’d seen what hooking up with guys did to Krystal, the burden it had left her with in the form of a child, the way she relied on these quick relationships instead of on herself. Not something I was willing to trade our friendship for.

  Inside Dante’s Ristorante, white linen tablecloths covered the tables. Multiple sets of forks lay in front of me, and for a moment, I thought the restaurant made a mistake and dumped an entire tray of silverware at my place setting.

  I reached for a bread roll before anyone had unfurled their napkins and received shocked glares from Gavin’s parents. Hovering halfway over the table, I realized this must be an etiquette mistake. I plopped back down in my seat, forgetting about the roll, and vowing to mimic everyone else’s actions from now on.

  Sabrina smiled at the waiters, tilting her head to the side and delivering them a stare that had them swooning from her charm. Gavin sipped his bubbly water, but remained quiet. Quieter than normal. Josephine and Chuck drove the conversation, discussing classic novels with me (thank God for the English Lit course I’d received a B- in.)

  “The thing I really like about that one,” I said after I’d brought up To Kill A Mockingbird since we read it last month, “is that Scout has a father figure who takes his job very seriously at the expense of his reputation in the community.”

  Josephine’s eyes lit up. “I agree.”

  While I beheaded a swan made out of butter with a randomly chosen knife, Sabrina laid down her fork. Everyone’s attention fell on her. With food halfway decomposed in my mouth, I chewed as slowly as possible, trying not to let my cheeks puff out.

  “I have news.” Her head bounced in a nod that sent her curls cascading around her face, each one perfectly formed as if she’d spent hours with a curling iron.

  “I applied to Lockhart Academy,” Sabrina continued.

  From the intake of breath Chuck took and how Josephine white knuckled her fork, I knew this wasn’t exactly the kind of news they’d been hoping to hear. Gavin’s face held a slight hint of fear. How could she apply without her parents’ permission? The table was so silent, I shifted in my chair, knocking my knee into the sharp edge of the square table leg. While it throbbed, I bit my lip to control the pain.

  Chuck scooted his chair forward. “Sabrina, honey, that place isn’t—”

  “Dad, I don’t want to hear it. I sent in my statewide test scores. Got a full scholarship. No excuses.” She leaned back in her chair and hit him with her superpower smile.

  “You’re only fourteen. You need a parent’s permission to apply. Don’t tell me you forged my signature.” His balled fists trembled on the table.

  “Mom signed them.” Her voice held a note of satisfaction.

  Josephine’s eyes widened. “I most certainly did not.”

  “Yeah, you did. I mixed the application in with some church forms and gave them to you while you were on the phone.”

  Wow. Sabrina really deceived her parents here. Maybe she wasn’t the conservative person Gavin made her out to be.

  “What about transcripts?” Chuck asked.

  “Mom signed the release for them too. Different phone call.”

  “Maybe we can talk about you attending public school here in Milford Brook,” Chuck choked out.

  “You both know I’ll have better college choices if I graduate from Lockhart. Their ivy rate is higher than any other boarding school in the country.”

  “Boarding school is not the solution. When I went, the security was lackadaisical. I’m not going to send you somewhere and worry about your safety. Mom and I can look after you here.”

  Sabrina rolled her eyes. “Dad, I think they’ve upgraded their security measures since you went there. Don’t be so overprotective. I’ve had enough of it alre
ady. And what’s the big deal? You and mom met there. I want to have the opportunity. The guys at the homeschool functions suck.”

  “Sabrina, language.” Chuck gave her a warning tone.

  “Ah. I get it now.” Josephine let out a high-pitched laugh, her careful composure slipping. “That’s why you wanted so desperately to have this family dinner and invite Gavin’s new girlfriend? You’re trying to trap us into saying yes.”

  Girlfriend. Was that what he told them? My heart sped up. I glanced at him, but he focused his attention on the napkin he twisted in his lap.

  Josephine smiled at me, her face soft and endearing. A show. “I’m sorry, dear.” She spoke through her teeth. “I wish you didn’t have to witness a family argument on your first night out with us. You’re a lovely girl and I’m sure public school is perfect for you, but I just don’t think it’s appropriate for my family. I do hope you understand.”

  Gavin met my eye, pleading with me. At first I thought he wanted me to agree with Josephine and end the argument. Send Sabrina back to her room to study at home. But then I thought back to our conversation yesterday. He seemed so curious about public school, and he felt stifled at homeschool. I thought of his actions, how he snuck out just to make friends and how that friend had to hide who she was because of his overprotective parents. I could never sentence Gavin to another prison term.

  “I don’t see the big deal about sending Sabrina to boarding school when it’s going to improve her education and her future. No offense, I’m sure you’re a wonderful teacher, Mrs. Tully.”

  Sabrina’s eyes lit up.

  “Please, Dad,” Gavin said. “I’d really like to go to Milford Brook.”

  “I’ll keep him out of trouble,” I added.

  “Why are you tricking us? We homeschooled you so you wouldn’t act like this,” Josephine said. “Don’t make me think I wasted my time.”

  “Look, I never told you kids this.” Chuck’s voice came out high-pitched. He cleared his throat. “But, even though I met your mom there, I still had a terrible experience.” His expression was pained. He took a deep breath before continuing. “I didn’t get along with my roommate. He stole from me again and again, but I could never prove it. He’d often throw things against the wall when he got frustrated with his classes. It scared me. I vowed not to subject my kids to anything like that if I could avoid it.”

  Sabrina slumped in her seat. Gavin’s face turned into a frown. I had to win this fight for him. “But don’t you think you should give your kids the chance to make their own mistakes? You can’t shelter them from the world forever.” I slammed my fist on the table for emphasis, but I had terrible aim, and my fist crashed into my fork instead. It flew up like a catapulted object and hit Chuck in the shoulder where it ricocheted and fell to the floor with a tinny clack. Several people behind us turned in our direction and Josephine smiled at them and shrugged.

  I gasped. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Tully.”

  Gavin bent underneath the table to rescue the fork. Chuck’s nostrils flared. The rest of the patrons in the restaurant stared at us in awkward silence. Total disaster. How could I ever face the Tullys again? He’d never be allowed out with me.

  Finally, Sabrina spoke up. “If anything bad happened, I’d come home. I just want to try it, like you did.”

  Gavin cleared his throat. “Mrs. Waverly told me there’s an opening in the fall for the church nursery school. Mom could teach there instead.”

  Josephine’s eyes undulated with fresh moisture. “It would be nice to give back for once, maybe—” She glanced at her husband and snapped her mouth shut.

  “Okay! That’s enough.” Chuck glared at me. “We’ll discuss it. You all happy?” He threw down his napkin and stood from the table. “I’ll be in the car.”

  We all watched him walk out of the restaurant then Josephine smiled cordially and said, “He’s just upset. He doesn’t like to be deceived. I’ll talk to him, Sabrina. Because clearly homeschool isn’t working for this family anymore.”

  I glanced from face to face, trying to see if I’d done something good here or not. They might think about sending their kids to regular schools now, but from the worried look on Josephine’s face, this felt like a loss instead of a win. Gavin wanted his family to like me, but pulling families apart was my specialty. I destroyed mine just by being born.

  As we exited the restaurant, Gavin pushed his hand in front of me, holding me back while his mom and sister continued to the car.

  He shoved his hands in his pockets. “Look, about what my parents said in there, the girlfriend thing. It was just easier—”

  “Don’t worry about it.” I waved my hand dismissively at him even though my throat tightened. I wished he’d used best friend. Or even accomplice. I punched him playfully in the arm to send my telepathic message.

  His eyes seemed to light up.

  I didn’t want to send the wrong signal. I couldn’t lose his friendship if it went sour, if he found out about Krystal, my father, my heart condition. “I understand why you said that. But your parents probably hate me now anyway, so it’s safe to tell them I’m just your friend, right?”

  “Oh.” He took a deep breath then nodded. “Right.” Clarity appeared on his face as he got the picture. Rejected without ever asking the question. But I couldn’t ever let that question escape from his lips. I needed this to stay the way it was: a facade. Like the warehouse he snuck out to. Like the band we pretended we were forming. All of them were fronts, hiding reality beneath the surface. I needed our friendship to stay the same way, because without it, I had nothing.

  Present Day

  En route to Dante’s Ristorante, my car decides it won’t go above thirty-mph. It sputters and growls at me when the speedometer inches toward thirty-one. Drivers flip me off as they illegally pass me. My pulse amps in a way the speedometer won’t, but Sabrina ignores the string of one-fingered salutes and stares straight ahead until we pull up in front of Dante’s.

  Inside the restaurant, the hostess stands behind a podium, twirling her auburn hair and staring out into space. Her crooked name-tag reads “EMILY.”

  She doesn’t look up when we approach so I clear my throat. “Can we have a table?” Gavin may have hidden the next clue somewhere on the table we sat at during dinner.

  Emily’s pupils move up and down over the two of us. “No,” she deadpans.

  What was this, a Hollywood A-list event? “Excuse me?”

  Sabrina smiles brightly at the hostess. “Please. It’s important that we get that center table.” She points, batting her eyelashes. “That one right there.”

  A group of men all in different shades of gray suits study menus at the very table we want.

  “That’s a table for six.” Emily inspects her nails. “And it’s taken.”

  Sabrina turns up her charm with a giggle. “We know, but—”

  “We’ll give you twenty bucks for it.” I reach into my pocket and pull out the envelope Josephine Tully gave me the last time I saw Gavin. Hush money. It feels heavy and dirty in my fingers. I shouldn’t have taken it, but now I’m glad I did.

  The hostess laughs. “First Mondays of the month are rented out for the Milford Brook Businessman’s Association. Only restaurant in town with nice silverware.” She takes the twenty out of my hand and examines it in the light, trying to draw attention to our bribe. “Tell you what. I’ll give you the first table for two when the meeting ends.”

  “What if we find other people to sit with? Then can we have that table for six?” Sabrina asks.

  The hostess shrugs. “When they’re finished.” She nods toward the table of businessmen.

  I push Sabrina into a corner, away from eavesdroppers. “We don’t even know if we have time to wait. Come on, Sabrina. You’re a master at tricking people. Use your skills.” I mean it to come off as a joke, but Sabrina’s scoff clues me in that my delivery lacks comic finesse.

  “Oh, right. I’m the master of tricking people?” She crosses h
er arms. “Are you forgetting the months you spent stringing my brother along, knowing he had feelings for you?”

  Her words are an icepick stabbed through my gut. I don’t want to admit that he strung me along too. From the tone of her voice, I know no explanation would ever suffice and because of that, Sabrina will never understand where I’m coming from. Will never get me. There are things I could tell her—like how we’d kissed and then Gavin told me afterward that he didn’t want to start something up with me—that would make her suck back her words, but the truth is, I just don’t trust her.

  “Yes, clearly I’m the enemy here,” I say in a cutting tone, hoping the venom covers the hurt I feel. “You did the right thing trying to get him away from me.” I roll my eyes at her. “Ever think that maybe your big mouth is what made Gavin run away? Because you ruined his one chance at following his dream by tattling on our band.”

  I hate myself for saying it. I know it’s not true. Because I can’t help but feel responsible myself. If I hadn’t pushed him so hard to rebel…if I hadn’t made-out with him and confused him even more…if I hadn’t given him reason to cut the strings that attached him to Milford.

  She glares at me for a moment, but then her face softens. “Fine. Let’s try to be somewhat civil until we rescue my brother.” She uses her charming smile on me. Still doesn’t work. “Then we can go back to hating each other.”

  I cross my arms and nod, my acceptance of the deal confirmed in my silence. Who would have expected Sabrina would take the mature fork in the road? But she’s right. Gavin’s safety is more important than anything else.

  I nod toward the restaurant. “I found the last clue. You do this one, if you love your brother as much as I—” I clamp my mouth shut, then recover with, “As I think you do.”

  Sabrina scrutinizes my face for a moment before she gives up and marches back inside.

  I follow close behind her. She continues right past the hostess stand and walks up to the table of the six businessmen. Their attention diverts from the man with glasses talking with his hands, his back to Sabrina.