Karyn must have lost herself again while she was walking down her driveway, because the next thing she knew, she was sitting in the passenger seat of Amber Levine's hot pink Chevy Bolt.
"This is such a cute car," were the first words out of Karyn's mouth.
"Cute car, cute passenger," Amber replied, "I'm really hitting the jackpot today."
Karyn blushed. "You don't have to just give me compliments if you don't mean them."
"Girl, I mean it!" Amber took her eyes off the road momentarily to emphasize her seriousness. "You're gonna out-slut Tiffany today the way you're dressed. She's gonna be so jealous of you."
There was that word again. Slut. Karyn knew now that the way Amber and Tiffany used it, they meant it like a compliment. But it reminded Karyn of what she really wanted.
"Hey, Amber?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm dressing like this for Jon. Jon Gibson. We started dating yesterday, and this look," Karyn self-consciously crossed her legs within her short denim skirt, "it's a hundred percent for him. It's to make sure he knows what he's got now."
"He'll get that signal loud and clear."
Karyn's blush intensified. "Okay. But I need you to promise me something. Sometimes I can be a little weird." Karyn tried to form her words as her thoughts took shape. She wasn't sure this was going to work. "Like, I'll get into a mood and tease him and take things too far. I'll say mean things about him, act angry at him. But I don't mean it. I never mean it. And I want you to stop me if you think I'm going too far. I really don't want to lose Jon."
"Yeah, Karyn." Amber's voice took on a tone of concern as they stopped at a red light. "I'll make sure you don't lose Jon."
Karyn thanked Amber and wondered silently how much, if any, of that promise would still hold for the next time she turned. For the next time Sarah was too close when Jon was nearby. In the back of her head, Karyn could still feel that white-hot rage that overtook her just for a moment when Sarah was hugging her and she looked up to see Jon staring at her with those kind, loving, stupid, annoying little loser eyes.
But that wasn't her. She wanted to protect Jon from whatever that was. And maybe Amber would know to keep that promise, even when this version of Karyn wasn't around. Maybe Amber could help shield Jon, even if just a little.
The stone was back in its place on Jon's nightstand when he returned, towel around his waist, from the shower. He had no inkling that it had ever moved.
"Great," Sarah said as he entered. "Now drop the towel and let's get you dressed."
"I'm not getting naked in front of you, Sarah."
"Oh, please," Sarah laughed off Jon's protest. "I'm dating the damn quarterback. I've seen better than you, Jon."
The boy couldn't come up with a quick retort, but the look of hurt on his face sent a wave of guilt through Sarah that she wasn't expecting.
"I'm sorry," she quickly covered for herself. "That was mean for me to say. That was really mean. And you don't deserve it. This morning can't be easy for you, but I see you putting in the work. You're trying, and that's worth a lot. And you don't deserve to be insulted."
Jon's face relaxed. "So does that mean I've bumped up my grade?"
Sarah gave a little half-smile. "Definitely up to a C. Maybe even a C-plus. There's still plenty of work to do."
Then Sarah got up from Jon's bed and dutifully exited the room to wait in the hallway while he changed. At one point, she heard the distinctive sound of a hair brush falling onto carpet and looked up to see the shocked, almost frightened face of one of the sophomore girls who dyed her hair black and made "Nightmare Before Christmas" into their entire personality. Sarah couldn't think of the girl's name, but she was just frozen in the hallway, wearing a black nightgown, hairbrush lying at her feet.
Sarah raised up her hands like claws and made a hissing sound, and the girl wordlessly scurried back down the hall, to retreat into the bathroom that Jon had just vacated.
Then Sarah heard a knock from Jon's door. "I'm ready." And boy, was he ready. Sarah was very pleased with her work. Just a little updated wardrobe and a quick trim of the hair, and Jon was downright acceptable. His face was clearer without messy curls getting in the way. His posture was straighter with clothes that made him feel like he looked good. Maybe he had more potential than she'd thought.
"Come on, handsome," Sarah said as she stepped back into the bedroom to pick up her suitcase. "Let me drive you to school."
