Chapter 26 - feet that are swift

I returned to Virginia a few days later. Bailey met me at the airport to apologize.

Hug.

Kiss.

Whatever.

I was too busy to worry about her. For two weeks, I smiled and nodded at everyone while hurrying through my plans to buy Oxy online. Hatred for Daniel fueled me. The rumors had blown over thanks to my ability to hold my head up high. No one at school had seen the accident. Nicole wasn’t talking. In fact, she didn’t go to school. After she was released from the hospital, she remained confined to bed with severe headaches. Other kids brought her science and math homework, but few actually stayed and helped her like I did.

Nicole’s family had grown to trust me, they knew when I arrived we'd make progress. No big. I had to do the work anyway. I hated that Nicole was in pain. I hated that I was connected to that pain. Mostly, I hated Daniel. My original plan for the Oxy shifted as I got to know my former enemy. The girl was nice. She deserved someone better than Daniel.

To be honest, there wasn’t a female on the planet who deserved the punishment of being with Daniel. Taking him down became my single mission. With the neon laces of my BIOM running shoes tightened, today would complete my last errand to destroy the world’s biggest troll. I hurried from my bedroom and down the stairs. The douchebag wouldn't know what hit him.

Nanny Bella stood at the door. "It's cold outside, mi hija."

"Jogging will warm me up." I hugged her. Ever since the accident, I’d learned to appreciate her and Uncle John more. They were there for me when the rest of the world didn’t care. As soon as I demolished Daniel, I would focus on school and earn their pride.

Nanny Bella handed me a pair of gloves. I kissed her cheek.

“I'm parking my car at the King Street Metro station and starting my run there." I'd texted Bailey the same alibi. I furthered the cover up saying, "I'll probably stop for coffee when I'm done."

Nanny Bella smiled back.

I hugged her again and hurried outside before she could find something else to fix. Outside, I tossed the gloves in the backseat with my costume change. From the Metro station, I had one hour to get to the library in Crystal City and back to Alexandria. My car wouldn't be anywhere near the location where I finally ordered the drugs. I’d never felt so certain that what I was about to do was right. Justice would finally be served. Daniel would be punished and life could move forward.

Saturday morning traffic was non-existent on the Parkway. In Alexandria, the metro lot was almost empty. I parked on the far end near Duke Street. Behind the shelter of my tinted windows, I took off my expensive jogging suit and slipped into an old pair of jeans and a Virginia Tech Sweatshirt. The cheap watch on my arm ticked off the time as I changed into some Target tennis shoes as fast as I could. My heart thumped hard even though I hadn’t run yet. I tucked my blonde ponytail into a net and pulled on a brown wig. Cosmetic contact lens turned my blue eyes brown. A pair of square, prescription-like glasses and a baseball cap finished the disguise.

I licked my unglossed lips, as nervous energy rushed across my skin. I took a deep breath and stepped out of the car. The last few weeks had only been prep. My actions had all been fairly legal. Today, I would cross the line. Today, I’d commit a crime. I shook my head to relieve some nerves. I needed to calm down.

I could do this, I had to.

This wasn’t just for me.

I shook out my arms like an athlete before a sprint.

This was for Nicole.

I adjust the wig and tighten the cap over it.

This was for any other girl Daniel used.

I shuffle across the parking lot. My character didn't have a nanny to tell her to pick up her feet. She didn't worry about what others thought of her. Halloween might have passed, but this costume helped. Masks had power. And I needed power to pull this off.

In the station, the fare box sucked in my five dollar bill and kicked out a ticket. I was actually doing this. At the turnstile, I inserted my ticket. This would work. The small arched gates gaped opened and the ticket popped out for my return trip.

I climbed the escalator, expelling the energy that propelled me. The platform held a couple early tourists. I crossed to the end farthest from them while I waited for the blue or yellow line. I resisted the temptation to spit. I was supposed to be a college student, not a gangster.

This was my forth time on the Metro in the past week. I'd parked at a different stop each time. I’d covered my tracks. I paced the cement platform. Getting caught wasn't an option. No one knew. No one had any idea. The beauty of my plan.

My back straightened and I reached into my pocket for a piece of gum. Before I could toss the wrapper, the train wobbled around the corner. A bright blue dot shone next to the matching word.

I'd ride the train from King Street past Reagan National to Pentagon City Mall. The same mall where Nicole had met Daniel. The same mall where the escalator accident happened. Today's business wasn't at the mall, but I'd get off at that stop anyway. I stepped on the train, found an empty seat, and slipped off my backpack. I leaned back only to find myself face to face with Lorry Hartley. 

The Lorry Hartley.

I swallowed my gum.

The same Lorry I’d jumped outside of the gym.

I crumpled the gum wrapper.

What were the odds? If she recognized me, my plans were over. Next to her sat another Master's Elite freshman. I looked away, maybe too fast.

More than a dozen empty seats in the car stared back at me. I couldn't move. That would be too obvious. My hand quivered as I reached into my backpack and pulled out a book. Getting caught in this costume would turn into a joke before school started on Monday. My heart smacked against my ribs as I pretended to read a used copy of Macro Economics.

From under my lashes, I watched the two girls. The red-head next to Lorry took Biology with me. The train vibrated to a stop at the airport. I wondered if I should get off and catch the next train, but I didn't have time. Slouched in my seat, I licked my finger to turn the page. Then I wondered if I always did that. A single gesture could trigger biology-girl or Lorry to look harder at me. I had no idea what habits I had.

Both girls giggled over something in the fashion magazine they shared. I lifted the book closer to my face as the Metro sunk down into the earth toward Crystal City. I planned for this exact situation. The reason for the clothes. But I never wanted to run into someone. Especially not Lorry. She'd love to crush me. At the Crystal City stop, a couple people got on. Only one more stop and I'd be out. The train lurched forward.

My backpack landed with a thud on the floor.

Lorry and I bent over at the same time to pick it up. My wig shifted and my heart stopped.

"Sorry." She looked away embarrassed as I put the backpack next to me and adjusted my hat.

"Thanks," I said in a deep voice, then decided to make eye contact. I couldn’t pretend I had anything to hide. I couldn’t act suspicious. Most people don’t like direct eye contact and Lorry was no different. She turned back to her friend, a blush forming on her face. She’d noticed the wig. That was obvious. So why was she embarrassed?  

It wasn't far between the Crystal City and Pentagon City stops. I stuffed the book into my bag getting ready to exit. Maybe she thought I had cancer. Aunt Constance used to wear scarfs and wigs after she lost her hair during Chemo. I jumped on that thought. I’d get off the train and become less than a memory to these two girls. Only problem. By watching their feet, I saw that Lorry and her friend were getting off here too.

"Don't I know you?" Biology girl said.

Oh my gosh.

I lowered the brim on my hat.

My heart attacked my ribcage with uncontrollable force.

I could either continue to hide or face the two girls with confidence. The best plan would be to act surprised and innocent. I exhale and lifted my head.

The redhead’s back was to me.

She spoke to a guy beside her. He admitted knowing her from junior high. She giggled and I breathed.

The speaker over my head announced the Pentagon-City stop. I huddled down, fiddling with the zipper on my backpack as others squeezed past people to get off. I didn’t move. The stop after this was the Pentagon. I'd never gotten off there before and had no idea how I would make it back to the mall. I couldn’t risk it, but I couldn’t stand either.

The train shifted forward as it stopped, then jerked back an inch. If I'd have been thinking, I should have gotten off in Crystal City. The library was within walking distance of there, but I’d used that exit two days ago. I should have tried the Pentagon stop before, but just didn't know the area well enough. This had been the last route I’d mapped. Stupid.

The doors slid open and the chance of being recognized slipped out of the door. A sheet of Plexiglas separated the Master’s Elite students from me. I let a couple of people board before I jumped out of my seat. The computer announced, "stand back, the doors are about to close." I hurried to the doors and stuck my foot inside to stop them. They shifted back open. "Stand back." The computer complained. I pulled my baseball cap down and stepped out of the way of the closing doors.

Lorry and the redhead were already on the escalator.

I wanted to sit in the station and regain my composure but I had to keep moving. People were watching. Possible witnesses who might remember me. I slipped in behind an older couple and ducked as low as I could without being obvious.

As passengers climbed the escalator, I leaned against the moving hand rest to get out of their way. I was seriously glad this was my last journey. My final pretend.

As I drew closer to the surface of the earth, my cell phone began to shout "Bailey's calling. Bailey's calling" in her recorded voice. I reached into my pocket and turned it off as Lorry looked back toward me. I glanced back too, as if the sound hadn't come from me.

When I looked forward again, the girls were off the escalator and headed to the mall entrance. I made a quick left to take the escalator that led to the street out of their view. That had been too close. I reached into my backpack and pulled out my phone.

“What’s up?” I texted Bailey as the escalator pulled me toward the sunshine.

"I want to run with you."

"I'm already out here." At the top of the long moving staircase a bitter wind blew. The Ritz Carlton waited on my right and a vendor sold cheap tee-shirts on my left. The actual Pentagon stood a couple blocks behind me. I shoved my free hand into my hoodie pocket and headed in the opposite direction.

"Meet me after?"

I made my legs move as fast as my fingers. “Cosi on King Street."

“When?”

"45 minutes."

“See you then.”

I stuffed the phone into my pocket and picked up the pace. The Aurora Hills library was still a block away. I couldn't turn around. The drugs had to be purchased at this library because it was closest to Daniel's house. My stomach ached by the time I entered the library.

"Can I help you, dear?" The librarian spoke in an Australian accent.

"No, thanks. I need to use the computers." I jotted down D. Orbach on the computer sign-in sheet.

"Thirty minutes." She reminded me. That lifted my spirits. I'd been here at least five times in different disguises, yet the librarian gave me instructions as if she'd never seen me before. "Thanks." I didn't need the machine for that long. I stepped away from the desk. My greatest hope was that no one would notice enough to remember me. I'd already purchased a prepaid Visa in Daniel's name and rented a box at a mailbox store with it. Today, I came to complete my transaction. More than a handful of on-line drug companies provided Oxycodone.

I logged onto the on-line pharmacy under a fake name. It would be too obvious to use Daniel's name here. The temporary preloaded Visa card I'd gotten in his name would be enough to connect him to the purchase. None of it pointed to me.

A small circle swirled on the computer after I inputted D. Orbach’s fake prescription. I tapped my fingers on the desk and look around.

All the blood left my hands.

My limbs froze.

In the room across from me, Daniel sat with a couple of small children reading them a story. My heart both sank and melted. I stared back at the screen, my pulse accelerating. Thoughts circled in my head like the computer icon. On one hand, it was good to have him here, it placed him in the library at the time of purchase. On the other hand, if he checked the sign-in sheet before I left, he could question the librarian.

With shaking hands, I entered the credit card number and clicked "complete purchase." With the transaction finished, I turned my back toward Daniel. Only one last brave act would finish this event. One last chance to get caught if I failed. But I couldn’t run away from this now. Time to discard the evidence. I'd only ever been in a men's room on accident before. Today I would enter on purpose.

As I walked across the room, I didn’t check to see if anyone was watching even though I desperately wanted to. Instead, I headed directly toward the restrooms. I couldn't be timid now. Each step got me a few inches closer to finishing. To winning.

I pushed open the door with the male stick figure and went straight to a stall. I couldn’t breathe, not because of the residue of urine, but due to anxiety. This close to the end, I was scared. I didn’t win things, I only overpowered them.

Sure I was alone, I pushed open the stall door. At the trash, I dropped the credit card inside. It was impossible to know if anyone would find it. But if they did, better in a place only men go. Passing by the mirror, I did a double take. The brown wig and glasses caught me off guard. I really didn't look like me.

I straightened my shoulders and opened the door, only to find Daniel standing right in front of me.

My heart stopped.

I tucked my head down. "Sorry." I said.

"Wrong room?" His voice was kind. His eyes friendly.

"Yeah." The blush on my cheeks wasn't forced. It was the first time in weeks I'd heard him speak to me in a tender tone. I hurried toward the exit leaving behind his sweet, I-didn't-mean-to-embarrass-you voice. My jog back to the Metro station was fueled by a renewed hatred for Daniel Orbach. He was a flirt. He was a jerk. And he was about to become a criminal.