Fire with Fire

IT’S AFTER FIVE; EVERYONE’S ALREADY LEFT SCHOOL for the day. We are sitting in the last two rows of the auditorium. Lillia’s next to Kat, who’s got her combat boots up on the seat in front of her, and I’m perched backward on a seat in the row in front of them.

Lillia unwraps a light brown Tootsie Pop and waves it around. “First lick?” she asks me and Kat. We both shake our heads.

“Update!” Kat shouts, clapping her hands. “Update! Update! Update!” I clap along with her, because this is super exciting. It’s the thing I’ve been looking forward to all day.

Lillia swirls the lollipop around in her mouth. “Well, I pranced right by him before homeroom and he barely looked at me. It was actually kind of insulting, now that I think about it. I mean, yeah, I screamed at him on Halloween, but he’s a guy. Aren’t guys supposed to always be horny? Like, he’s hooked up with every girl in school, but he can’t give me the time of day?” She sighs. “And after I spent all that time on my hair and makeup too.”

“He was probably trying to hide his boner,” Kat says, chewing on her fingernail. “You look fierce as fuck, Lil.”

Lillia laughs. “Um, thanks?”

“In Spanish class I overheard Connor Dufresne describing what you had on today with, like, an insane amount of details,” I offer. “He said you’re the hottest senior by far. He said—”

“Second hottest,” Kat booms, and we all laugh. “Don’t stress yet, Lil. We’re only getting warmed up. Today was about laying down the foundation. Next we kick it up.”

“How?” Lillia asks. “I even apologized to him at lunch and he didn’t want to hear it. And he’s never alone, what with Rennie the Parasite constantly clinging to him.”

I clear my throat. “I know a place where he goes by himself.” Looking down, I wind my hair around my finger. “The swimming pool.”

Surprised, Lillia says, “Reeve’s joining the swim team?”

“No, it’s for his physical therapy. He’s there every day, ever since he got his hard cast off.” I’m sure I sound like a stalker, but whatever. This is too good an opportunity for us to pass up. I fix my eyes on her. “Lillia, start swimming in there with him! It’ll be the two of you; no one’s there after school.”

Lillia’s already shaking my head. “Mary, I don’t swim. Tell her, Kat!”

“Lil doesn’t swim,” Kat confirms.

“You don’t know how?” I ask.

“I know how, but I hate it,” Lillia says, defensive. “And Reeve knows that about me. He’ll be suspicious if I start showing up at the pool all of a sudden!”

Soothingly, Kat says, “Chill, Lil. Nobody’s throwing you in the water today.” But Lillia’s still shaking her head. And then Kat’s face lights up. “Wait! Don’t you have to take the swim test to graduate?”

“My family doctor wrote me a note,” Lillia says, lifting her chin high. “I mean, my dad did.”

Kat’s so excited she’s practically vibrating. “That’s it, Lil! There’s your excuse. You’re practicing for the test.”

Lillia crosses her arms. “I told you, I’m not taking the test! I already turned in the doctor’s note from my dad. What am I supposed to do now? Walk into Mr. Randolph’s office and tell him that my aquaphobia is miraculously cured?”

“Reeve doesn’t have to know you’re not actually taking the test! Pretend like you are. All you have to do is paddle on a kickboard,” Kat urges. “Like, literally doggy-paddle around the shallow end. And don’t forget that Reeve’s an awesome swimmer. He set the Jar Island record for breaststroke when he was, like, ten, and bitches still haven’t beat it yet! Even with his gimp leg, he could swim you to safety easy!”

Stiffly, Lillia says, “I’m not worried about drowning.”

“Then what are you worried about? This plan is foolproof. If you’re in the same physical vicinity as him, the two of you alone? Day after day?” She snaps her fingers. “ He won’t be able to keep that act up for long.”

Lillia looks a little queasy. I guess I can’t blame her. Day after day of having to face Reeve Tabatsky in a bathing suit would give me anxiety too. She turns to me, biting her lip. “What are you thinking?” she asks.

I run my hands through my hair. I don’t want to put Lillia in a situation she’s uncomfortable with, but then again, what other options do we have? “I’m thinking Kat’s right,” I say at last. “Will you at least try it, Lillia? For me?”

Lillia stares at me and then breaks into a laugh. She nudges Kat and, keeping her eyes on me, says, “How can I say no to that face? I’m not like Rennie. If my friend needs me, I’m there.”

Later, when I get home, Aunt Bette is up in the attic. I press my ear to the door and hear the scratching of her brush against the canvas. I close my eyes and smile, relieved. She’s painting again, thank God. Aunt Bette is always happiest when she’s working. And our house could use that kind of positive energy.