“I didn’t say anything— ”
“It’s what you didn’t say, Mr. C,” Amal says with a smile. Amal, my unofficial favourite, joins the witch hunt. “And that speaks volumes.”
“You can’t think that I—” I stammer.
“Naw.” Bryce shakes his head. “Not Mr. C.”
“Why not Mr. C?” Kael chimes in.
“Yes, why not Mr. C?” I echo.
“Is that what you wore on your date?” Bryce asks.
I look down at my khakis and dress shirt with the faint blue stripes. My tie is blue on blue stripes. “What’s wrong with this?”
“Those pants, dude? That’s old school. At least get yourself some khaki joggers. And I bet you have cats on your socks.”
“I most definitely do not have cats on my socks,” I bluster.
“Dogs then.”
I don’t like how Bryce dismisses my choice of clothing so easily but as I open my mouth to argue—I’m not sure what I’m about to argue—Kaylie chimes in.
“What’s wrong with dogs? I love dogs.”
“I don’t,” I mutter.
“How can you not like dogs?” Kael asks, echoing Rachel’s question.
Why do I always turn back to Rachel? I can guarantee she’s not thinking of me. “I just don’t.”
“Are you allergic?” Steven asks.
“Are you afraid?” Kael demands.
“Because fear is a very powerful emotion,” Amal adds. “It can easily prevent someone from seeing and doing certain behaviours. You taught us that.”
“Trust me, my feelings of dogs—fear or otherwise—will never prevent me from having a dog, because I will never have a dog.”
“It’s not just that, but fear of one thing can be transferred onto something else,” Kael says. “My therapist told me that.”
“Like, if you’re afraid of dogs then you’re going to be afraid of the girl who has a dog.” Bryce laughs.
I see no humour in his remark. “We’ve gotten way off topic,” I say uneasily. “Get back to work.”
7
Rachel
On Saturday afternoon,Mrs. Gretchen convinces me to join her to watch the Blue Jays game.
“Dean is starting for the Blue Jays today. I might have the need of someone to watch it with me for moral support,” she says when she knocks on my door after lunch.
“It’s his comeback game.”
“Oh, Dean.” I remember Dean, who shared a wall with Mrs. Gretchen before Boen. Dean lived with the awful Evelyn before she jilted him at the altar. He moved out after Evelyn showed up with her new man, someone suitably dreadful and perfect for her. Dean got his happily ever after with Flora, who owns a flower store nearby. “I’m so happy for him.”
“I am too, but as nervous as if he’s my own boy playing in the big leagues. Would you mind coming to watch it with me?”
