this Greek tragedy nonsense, she would deal with whatever came
her way.
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UNCORRECTED E-PROOFNOT FOR SALE
HarperCollins Publishers
.....................................................................
Chapter Five
The next week at school was nothing short of torture. On
Monday, Helen tried to stay away from the Delos family,
but every effort she made to avoid contact seemed to lead
her right to them. She went to school early to try to beat
them there, only to see them pull up behind her in the
black Hum-Scalade she had seen at the market. She rushed to lock
up her bike and get her bags together, but her rush only put her in
stride with Jason and Hector. Slowing down to let them get ahead
of her, put her next to Lucas who was helping his little sister get
her cello out of the back. Helen took a flustered step forward, then
went back toward her bike to stand and wait there as long as it took
for them to go inside and get out of her way.
Later that day, she got permission to eat lunch outside, only to
find Cassandra was already out on the patio practicing the fingering
without using her bow on her cello. When she saw Cassandra,
Helen pulled up short. As she turned to go back inside, she
smacked into Ariadne. The contact made Helens skin prickle so
tight that her pores hurt, and although she tried to be gracious and
smile apologetically, Ariadnes hands balled into fists around her
violin case. Helen stumbled to get away from her, both of them
mumbling apologies.
Cass and I got an outdoor pass to practice. Well be out here
during lunch for the next few days, Ariadne explained quickly,
avoiding eye contact as she moved away from Helen.
Thank you, Helen managed to push out between her clenched
teeth. She went back to the cafeteria to intercept Claire.
Arent we going to eat outside? Claire asked, still moving toward
the exit. She spotted Ariadne and Cassandra out there and
then turned back toHelen with an incredulous look on her face.
Seriously? Its not like we have to sit at the same table as them.
I know. I just dont want to be anywhere near them, Helen said
defensively as she fiddled with the clasp on her lunch box. Claire
rolled her eyes.
Hey, Matt said, catching up to them. I thought we were going
out on the patio. Therere still plenty of tables . . . His voice trailed
off when he saw the Delos girls. Matt had just enough willpower to
stifle a whistle at Ariadnes glorious cleavagepretty impressive
since Ariadne was wearing a tank top and bending over at that particular
moment. Helen knew she was ruining Matts eye candy and
Claires sunshine, but she just couldnt eat outside.
You guys go out. Its fine, Helen said as she abruptly left them
and headed toward the cafeteria.
Lennie! What the hell? Claire called after her in frustration.
Could you please get your head out of your ass?
Claires voice carried right around the corner with Helen. The
word ass seemed to echo in the air as she found herself facing
Hector and Jason at their lockers. They were talking with Gretchen
and Amy Heart, a senior girl on the cheerleading squad, both of
whom were flirting their brains out. Gretchen and Amy looked at
each other and then turned in unison to stare at Helen as though
she was something they had just found in a hankie. The Furies
started to whisper. Helen took a deep breath and tried to block
them out.
Hi, Helen, Hector said with a bright voice and eerily blank eyes.
His body leaned ever so slightly forward in her direction, as if he
couldnt stop himself from trying to reach out and grab her. Jason
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playfully smacked his brother on the chest with far more force than
normal people like Amy and Gretchen could guess at.
Rude? Jason reminded Hector.
Just saying hi to Helen. Hi, Helen. Helen Hamilton, hi. Get out
to Sconset lately? he jeered.
No, she hasnt, Lucas said from behind her. Helen spun around
and glared at him. And I would know, he said so quietly there
was no way normals could hear it. But Helen could.
All of a sudden she felt like shed had enough intimidation for
one day. Goaded on by the Furies, she took a tiny step toward Lucas.
She saw him inhale sharply, and understood in a flash that Lucas
had probably spent just as much time trying to scrub away her
scent after their little tumble in his front yard as she had spent trying
to scrub away his. The thought made her so happy she almost
laughed.
Tell Noel the olive oil she sent was the best Ive ever tasted,
Helen said with a wicked little smile. She saw Lucass eyes snap
open a little wider with fear, and she knew she had guessed right.
There was something different about his mother. Anytime she
wants to try my bruschetta shes more than welcome to stop by.
Lucas made a move toward Helen, but Jason was suddenly at
Helens elbow, pushing her gently to the side as he forcibly pulled
Lucas tothe lockers. Helen took the opportunity to be on her way,
but she couldnt resist one final jab before she left.
Tell your aunt I said hi, Helen breathed through bared teeth as
she passed Hector, mimicking his menacing tone perfectly.
She didnt stop to wait for a response. As she sauntered down the
hall she could feel all three Delos boys staring holes in her back,
but it didnt make her the least bit nervous. She was so pleased
with herself that she even forgot to slouch.
Tuesday wasnt much better, but at least Helen had stopped trying
to alter her schedule to avoid the Delos kids. Instead, they were
altering their schedules in order to avoid her . . . so, of course, she
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was running into them all day long. It seemed like every time she
turned down a hallway she bumped into one of them.
To make matters worse, her friends were starting to get annoyed
with her. Claire thought Helen was being a spineless wuss. Matt
got all sullen and huffy every time Helen flinched because she and
Lucas had made eye contact.
On Wednesday, the Delos clan changed tactics. First thing in the
morning, Helen went to her locker and found Jason waiting for her
there, leaning up against the wall like hed been put there to decorate
the place. Jason had the kind of body that was built to lounge,
very catlike, as if he was capable of stretching out and taking a nap
at any given moment. He was more gracefully built than his cousin
or his brother and when he stood next to them he seemed small,
but in the same way a panther is small when compared to a lion or
a bull. To Helen, seeing him by himself in the relatively empty hallway,
he was big. She forced herself to keep walking forward, and
when he glanced over at her she noticed that he had the most outrageously
long eyelashes shed ever seen on a boy.
Do you have a
sec? he asked in a stiff but polite manner. Helen
could see him concentrating, probably trying as hard as she was to
block out the Furies.
All right, Helen answered, keeping her eyes on the floor. She
could see that the kids with lockers near hers were taking their
sweet time getting their stuff together. She really wished they
would leave, but no one at Nantucket High would pass up an opportunity
for a front row seat at another possible brawl.
Some of us think it would be a good idea if we tried to smooth
things over, he said quickly, as if he wanted to get it done with as
fast as possible. Helen thought for a moment.
Some of you? You mean there hasnt been any unanimous decision
made yet? About me, I mean, Helen said pointedly.
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No, sorry, he said, understanding her meaning immediately.
But we thinkwell, at least a few of us think that we should at
least try to be nicer to each other.
I dont see how were going to be able to do that, do you? Helen
replied, not meaning to sound unfriendly but unable to stop herself.
She heard one of the girls loitering nearby tisk at her.
We just want to be friends with you. Or if not friends, then at
least not enemies. Think it over, he said, and then left.
It took Helen three tries to get her lock undone with everyone
standing around staring at her. Using all her energy to not attack
Jason as he walked away, she had none left over for patience. She
wanted to scream at everyone for judging her, but that would never
be possible. What would she say? Im not usually a bitchIm just
super-grouchy because Im being stalked by three blood-crying
ghosts who wont let me sleep at night?
At lunch, she was surprised to see Ariadne and Cassandra sitting
at her customary table with her friends. Even from a distance
Helen could see that Matt was flushed with repressed hormones.
Gretchen and Zach, who never sat at their lunch table, were there,
too, kissing popular ass. Helen wavered in the doorway for a moment,
thinking she might still have a chance to sneak away, when
Ariadne spotted her and waved her over.
During that uncomfortable lunch, Ariadne was as nice as could
be to Helen, and even though there was a brittle quality to Cassandras
smiles, there were plenty of them. Despite this genuine attempt
at friendship, Helen was so agitated by the insufferable presence
of the Furies hovering just outside the corner of her eye that
her testy behavior earned her several scandalized looks from
Gretchen and a few worried ones from Claire. As they left the cafeteria,
Claire pulled Helen aside.
Would it kill you to be nice? she asked.
You have no idea how hard Im trying, Helen replied though
tight lips.
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Try harder. Youre coming off like a total snob, and I know
youre not one so dont even start. Claire continued over Helens
protestation: I can tell theres something weird going on. Something
that youre not telling me about. Im fine with that. But
you have to start pretending you like them or people like Gretchen
and Zach are going to make sure that your life here is miserable
until graduation.
Helen nodded submissively. She knew she was getting good advice,
but her life was already miserable enough without cozying up
to the Delos family. Still, the next day she did her best to make an
effort and smiled at Ariadne and Jason as she passed them in the
hall. The attempt wasnt prettyit came off more like a toothy
grimace than a grinbut it was well received by the twins.
Hector was a different story. Apparently, he didnt share in the
opinion that they should all try to get along, and after another harrowing
day of forcing herself not to flinch when she saw Lucas,
Helen had to pass by Hector on her way to track. As if pulled by invisible
wires, Hector changed direction and started following her
across the field. He was calling her name under his breath, like he
was singing a song to himself. Helen glanced around desperately
for another person, a witness in case something happened, and
sighed out loud when she saw a few girls headed in her direction.
They looked at how Helen was practically running away from Hector
and stared at her like she had grown horns. Most girls at school
would have run toward Hector if he was smiling at them like that.
All Thursday night, Helen was kept awake by the moaning of the
Furies, as though one of the Delos kids were near. On Friday,
Helen had to get up at dawn to drive Kate and Jerry to the airport.
They were flying to Boston to attend a small-business owners conference
for the weekend, and Helen was looking forward to a few
days on her own. Between the lack of sleep and the daily harassment,
Helen felt ground down to bare bone. All she had to do was
make it through one more day at school and then she could crawl
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into bed and hide until Monday. Maybe, eventually, she would
even be able to fall asleep.
Unfortunately, what she thought was the Friday Finish Line was
actually a trip wire, as she found out when she got to school. At
first she didnt understand why she was getting bumped into so
much, and assumed it had to be some new trend that she had
missed, until Claire began yelling at everyone to back off. Then
Helen started to listen to what everyone was saying when they
bumped into her.
People she had never even spoken to were whispering bitch and
slut as they passed her in the hallway. The whole day brought
one insult after another. Three separate times Helen had to run into
the girls room to hide. She managed to make it through the day
without seeing any of the Delos kids, but in exchange she had become
the bulls-eye on everyone elses target. By the time she was
changing for track, she was such a nervous wreck she didnt know
if she was going to cry or throw up. Once outside, she caught up to
Claire on wobbly legs. Thankfully, the other girls gave them a wide
berth as they ran the trail.
Why do they even care? Helen burst out in frustration. What
does it matter if I like the Delos kids or not?
Because thats not the whole story, Claire said gently.
What did you hear? Helen asked, desperate for any
explanation.
Theres this rumor that Lucas and Hector are fighting over you,
so of course all the girls hate you now, Claire said like she hoped
the rumor was ridiculous, but wasnt entirely sure if it was.
Youre joking, right?
Claire shook her head. I guess Lucas and Hector got into an actual
fistfight after school yesterday at football practice. Thats why
they werent in school today. They got suspended.
What happened? Helen asked, stunned quiet.
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Lucas saw Hector following you out of the girls locker room and
he lost it. He started yelling at Hector to stay awa
y from you. I
guess Lucas sort of said . . . that you were his, Claire said timidly.
Helen shook her head. Lucas had meant that Helen was his to kill,
but she couldnt exactly explain that to Claire.
All the girls hate me because Lucas is a delusional stalker? How
is that fair? I loathe him, Helen said passionately. She paused.
Another thought occurred to her. But that only explains the girls
hating me. Theres more, right?
Oh, yeah. It gets way worse, because they didnt just get suspended,
Claire continued, her brow scrunched with worry. Zach said
that Hector and Lucas went at it in this really scary way, right there
in front of the whole football team, the coaches, everyone. It was
bad. Like death-match bad. Jason got in between them and managed
to break it up, but it was still too late. And . . . well . . . they all
got kicked off the football team. Thats why the whole school hates
you, including the boys, she said, bringing the story to its conclusion.
All three of the Delos boys are supposed to be these amazing,
legendary athletes, and everyone is saying you destroyed Nantucket
Highs one shot at a winning season.
You have got to be kidding me, Helen said slowly. Theyre ruining
my life. Even in the depths of her self-pity, it didnt escape
her notice that she was also ruining their lives.
They had been in town for two weeks and all three boys were
already singled out as disciplinary problems. If these incidents
kept happening, they could get kicked out of school, and then
where would they go? They would have to commute to the mainland
every morning because there was only one high school on the
island. And all thisthe fight, the suspension, the entire school trying
to trip Helenhad happened after they all agreed to try to get
along.
A terrible truth was starting to sink in. Even if she got control
over her anger and the Delos family got control over theirs, the
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Furies would not allow them to coexist. The fight between Lucas
and Hector proved that the Delos kids would have to come after
her or they would start going after each other. There was no liveand-
let-live solution to this. For some reason that Helen still could
not fathom, the Furies demanded blood, and they would get it no
matter how it was shed.
Youre really not seeing Lucas? Claire asked with care. Helen