She's So Dead to Us by Kieran Scott Page A

quizzical looks when they saw Shannen behind the wheel.
    “Are we going to the club?” Trevor asked.
    “No.”
    “The farm,” Hammond said. “Are we putting him in the pumpkin patch?”
    “No. No way. Trevor’s scared of the pumpkin patch at night,” Todd said, leaning forward in his seat.
    “The pumpkins have eyes,” Trevor said ominously.
    “Don’t worry, you freak. We’re not going to the farm.”
    “Oh! The new annex?” Todd said, bouncing up and down. He gripped the back of Shannen’s headrest with both hands. “Oh, dude! Are we sinking him to the bottom of the pool?”
    The annex was this monstrous addition being built onto our school to house the new Olympic-size pool. The swim team had always used the country club’s indoor facility, but by this winter we were going to have our own pool in which to dominate the division. Just like we had last year.
    Shannen tilted her head, like this was something she might consider. “No.”
    “Oh, wait. I know where we’re going,” I said, feeling triumphant at having figured Shannen out. “We’re going to Coach Harrison’s house.” Shannen had been pissed at Coach Harrison ever since she quit her job at the high school to coach basketball at one of the state schools. Maybe it was redemption time.
    “How does that make any sense?” Shannen asked.
    “I guess it doesn’t,” I replied. But how did any of this make sense? Who would make sense as the recipient of my mom’s ugly-ass lawn jockey?
    She slammed on the brakes at the stoplight at the bottom of the hill. An Orchard Hill police cruiser rolled past us, and I held my breath. The cop glanced up at Shannen and blinked, but he kept driving. The light turned green and we bucked forward.
    “You’re really not going to tell us where—”
    The words died in my mouth as Shannen turned right, the tires squealing, and raced past the sign for the Orchard View Condominiums. My question had just been answered. We were going to Ally Ryan’s house. A hard stone formed inside my gut. I looked over my shoulder at Hammond. He stared out the window, his nostrils flared.
    “Welcome to the OVC, baby!” Trevor cackled.
    “Shannen, what’re we doing?” I asked.
    She squinted at the quaint street signs and made a sudden right, so late that she almost ran over the opposite curb. “It’s perfect. Mrs. Ryan bought this thing at an antiques auction for, like, a zillion dollars when we were in fourth grade. It was, like, her pride and joy. We’re just returning it to its rightful owner.”
    No, you’re not. You’re taunting Ally. Reminding her that she no longer lives in the house she grew up in. That she no longer belongs. “I don’t know about this.”
    “It’s just a prank,” Shannen said. “Why do you care? Do you like her or something?” She glanced over at me, flicking her bangs from her eyes like a challenge.
    “No.” I stared straight ahead. “It’s just . . . isn’t this kind of, I don’t know, childish?”
    “God. Lighten up,” Shannen said. “This is it.”
    Shannen put the car in park, perpendicular to two other cars in their assigned spots, but kept the engine running. She jumped out and left the door yawning open as she popped the trunk. The Idiot Twins scrambled right out, already laughing under their breath. Jerks. I knew they liked Ally too, but they never said no to anything. Chloe hopped out of the backseat after them. She smoothed her skirt and opened the lens on her camera.
    “Are you marys gonna help or what?” Shannen asked.
    I looked back at Hammond again. Neither of us moved. I was surprised. This was the kind of jackassery he was normally totally up for. But then, so was I. And I hadn’t moved yet either.
    “You can’t back out on us,” Shannen hissed. “We can’t move this thing on our own.”
    “Shit,” Hammond said under his breath. He shoved his door open and got out. “Jake. Let’s go.”
    I swallowed hard. I should just get out of the car and help them.