Chapter 14
A few flurries danced in the sky, but for early December, it was actually sort of warm. Jeno took it as a good sign as he took note of his open house duties. Which consisted of just about everything.
It was an hour before noon, and the Rinzen students had assembled all over campus at their various stations. He watched the baseball team move to the field as he checked them off.
"Remind me why we're having this stupid thing in December?" Axel's teeth clattered as he carried a bag of potatoes. Jeno opened his mouth to ask why, when he decided against it.
"Because we have it twice a year," he motioned for the mess hall. "If you're too much of a pussy to handle the weather, no one's stopping you from getting the fuck out of my face."
"Someone's cranky," Cliff said, effortlessly grabbing Axel's sac of potatoes. "What? Theodora rub you off the wrong way?"
Jeno rolled his eyes as he watched the two excuses for men walk off in crude laughter.
"Is there a reason you're letting them get to you?" Miren said, coming from behind him. "Actually, it makes a lot of sense for students to come here in the winter. They can see if it's worth putting up with the weather."
"Or Axel and Cliff's bullshit. God knows they'll be repeating at least another year." Miren laughed. But he didn't smile.
"If you keep up that expression, you'll scare the prospective students away."
"If Parker would just do his damn job as senior class president, then I wouldn't have to," he said with a scoff. "Student Administration deals with things that matter."
Miren raised an eyebrow. "Like homecoming?"
"We raised over five hundred thousand dollars for charity and renovations," he said matter-of-factly. "Giving a bunch of awkward fourteen-year-olds a tour of the school as if it's Hogwarts or something is an embarrassing waste of time."
"I think it's fun," she said as she watched a group of kids and their parents cross the greenery toward the fountain, where they were.
"Oh?" Jeno marked something on his clipboard. "Then I guess you won't mind giving a tour. You're with the blue group.
Miren pouted. "Why can't Wallace do it?"
"He had enough sense to get lost." He gave her an agenda, and then shooed her toward a group of boys wearing blue wristbands. "Don't get caught."
"How about, 'have fun'?" But as she made it toward the boys, many of which already towered her, she knew this would be anything but.
***
The tour of the campus was interrupted almost constantly by inappropriate questions. Her personal favorite was the one about the founder's fountain looking like he was "jizzing" if you looked at it in the right angle.
When they reached the English hall, they practically groaned in unison.
"This place looks boring as hell," one said.
"I want to go back to being homeschooled," said another.
Miren blinked at their lack of optimism. She didn't know what was at stake if she couldn't convince them to care, let alone come to the school, but the last thing she wanted to do was bore them to tears.
"Yeah, this is school, so the English hall isn't supposed to be that mentally stimulating," she informed them, trying to lift the mood. "And you can probably test out of it. I mean, we all speak English, right?"
"Said the guy whose voice hasn't cracked," one of the boys said as laughter ensued. Miren fought the urge to roll her eyes. To believe she was actually scared that these neurosurgeons would expose her...his joke doesn't even make sense.
"Like you'd get any girls with that ugly mug," Miren jabbed, watching the brunette boy snicker. "Speaking of girls, there happens to be an all-girls school down the street. How many other schools have that?"
"The Premier School in New York is co-ed," a blonde know-it-all looking boy said. "Seems like a lot less trouble to get some there."
"But think about it, the girl's here are probably more antsy," said an Asian kid. "I heard one of the girls leaked a sex tape. How fucked up is that?"
"Try fucking awesome," another brunette replied with a smug grin. "But what about the girl that died there?" His eyes hit Miren's so hard that she almost winced. "What's all that about?"
Her mouth parted as she tried to muster up a response. "You know, it's a weird day when a group of teenaged boys care more about a girl's death than a porno."
"You're right," the blonde nodded. "Tell us what you know about Penelope van Helsing."
Of course they know her name, Miren could feel annoyance seep inside her, but she told herself that it was just the cold. It took her a moment to realize they were now headed toward the mess hall, where the tour would conclude. Miren never felt so much relief in her life. Only fifty more feet and I'll be free.
"She's my girlfriend." Miren spun around, saw Parker and Henry come into view. Parker looked more dashing than usual, but it was probably just the Rinzen color-blocked scarf, his jade green eyes that matched it. He waved at the boys. "I'm Parker, the current senior class president. Why don't you get to know Henry a little better? He'll probably be taking my position by the time you matriculate."
They nodded as Henry led them into the refectory. Then it was just the two of them.
"What have you been up to?" Miren said, warming her hands in her pockets.
"Just being allergic to responsibility," Parker said in a laugh. "I've been helping the sports teams put some stuff up for their showcase in the field. I need to go over there now. You mind walking and talking? I think I know what I'm going to do with everything."
Miren nodded, following in his lead. Although it was already wasn't that cold to begin with, she felt her body heat up ever so slightly. They passed the soccer field, and made it to the empty concessions that divided it and the football field when Parker stopped in place.
"I'm going to ask you something." His eyes bore into hers and she almost stepped back from the intensity. "And I hope after everything that you'll be honest with me."
Miren locked her jaw. She was fucked; it was that simple. Part of her wanted to just expose herself, beat him to the punch. But she just nodded, forced herself to look as calm as possible.
"Uh, fire away."
"Alright." He gave her his phone. She blinked before taking it from him. And then she saw the picture of her and Penelope from a thousand years ago. "I'm not supposed to tell you this, but Levi snooped around on your phone and found this picture. I'm not justifying his actions, but I'd like for you to explain yourself."
Miren didn't know whether to breathe a sigh or relief or vomit. At least he didn't have the audio recording she was planning to incriminate Penelope with at the assembly. But maybe he did and was just waiting for the right moment to pop that puppy out too. Maybe even Levi had it. She shook her head. It wouldn't matter. None of this would expose her.
"Miren and I grew up together," she began slowly. When his eyebrow's lifted she pressed on. "I think we're cousins, but we might just be close family friends. Our dad's went to the same high school in Nigeria," she said, reciting her pre-established lie. She pulled out her phone, showing him a photo-shopped photo of Miren and Miles. The resemblance was there, but the lighting was also compromised. "We stopped hanging out a few years ago when we moved. She always went on about how great the schools here were, so my parents sent me here to stay with her when their work took them to Abuja.
"I was actually excited to see her, but I only saw her once before she went missing." She showed him her fake texts between Miles and Miren. "I tried to look for her, that's probably why I got close to Wallace and Jeno so quickly. But it was hard adjusting here, so I didn't get to dedicate as much of my energy into it as you and Artemis did." She allowed her head to fall. "So I'm incredibly grateful for your efforts. But for obvious reasons, I'd prefer if you didn't tell anyone that I know her. Losing her was hard enough. I just want to move on."
Parker shook his head. "That all makes sense, but you're the only one who has something to gain from that video. Are you honestly telling me you had nothing to do with it?"
Miren was glad that the lying was finally over. Or was it? She shook her head. "I didn't. Even if what you're saying were true—if I was plotting revenge, why would I try to hurt you in the process? I was bullied in my old school and you tried to find her. Why would I be so cruel?"
"People just are." Parker folded his arms. "You know, I really thought I could trust you, but you kept you're relationship with Miren a secret for too long. If you had come forward earlier, then maybe we could have found her." He was scowling at her. It took everything for her not to look taken back. "Why didn't you say anything?"
"I didn't know you then." She turned away, becoming irritated with this whole overblown ordeal. "Miren didn't speak so highly about Penelope, and you're her boyfriend. For all I knew, you might have tried to make my life hell too."
"And what hell did I actually give her?" Parker demanded. "She shut me down first. All I ever wanted was—"
"What?" Miren had to stop herself from yelling. "For her to keep being a damsel in distress while you catered to every whim of some dumb high school queen bee? You're acting like you're innocent in all of this. But you're the reason everything was fucked up for Miren, weren't you?"
She hated how easy it was to refer to herself in third person, but she was no longer Miren. That's why Parker still couldn't see her. Because she never fucking existed to him.
Miren was just a nice thought, the fantasy girl he occasionally dreamt about while he bedded Penelope. But if he had truly wanted her, he would have fought for her. Or at least kept Penelope in check. However, that would be like pretending The Incident hadn't happened.
"I just want to move on," Miren finally said, her feet shifting against the dead grass. "But you're right. I lied. Maybe we should stop pretending to be friends."
"Miles."
That's right. She was Miles.
And if there was one thing she preferred about her male persona, it was that he didn't take anyone's bullshit.
"Look, I'm sorry." Parker was already behind her. But her feet picked up as she moved toward the baseball field, where the baseball team appeared to be playing a small match against the potential students.
"Sorry's are worthless." She picked up her pace, and she finally heard his stop. A small sigh of relief escaped her lips. Sure, she was being harsh, but—
"Miles!"
She spun around, practically fuming. "What?"
But before Parker could warn her more effectively, she saw it. The baseball. It rushed past the air like projectile until it collided against her skull.
