The Boy on the Bridge

I glance over at Valerie. She knew to be prepared, so she’s all made up, not a hair out of place even though she was jumping around, fake lashes on so her eyes will pop for the camera.

The announcement of homecoming court ends the pep rally. Now it’s time for everyone to leave except for us. We’ll head out to the field and pose for pictures.

Riley looks relieved that this part is over, but she looks a little lost as we’re directed to make our way outside.

She’s still clutching her notebook like her life depends on it, her camera hanging uselessly at her side. She’s using the cheapest purse I bought her. I haven’t seen her use the blue one yet.

Since I’m not being nice to her, Valerie grabs Melina’s arm and they commiserate as we head out on the field.

I glance at volleyball girl—don’t know what her name is—and see she’s got her hair and makeup pretty much together. I speed up and fall into step beside her.

“Hey, can you help Riley?”

She looks over at me, surprised. “Me?”

I’m mad as hell at Riley, but I don’t want her to be embarrassed. “Yeah. Buy her a few minutes to calm down, shake that ‘deer in the headlights’ look, maybe loan her some lip gloss. The announcement caught her by surprise, she’s not ready to get in front of a camera.”

“Sure. I’ll tell Tim some of us girls need a few minutes to primp first.”

“I’d appreciate it,” I tell her.

I don’t tell her which one Riley is, but only one girl on the field looks like her name was just called to participate in the Hunger Games instead of homecoming court, so she’s pretty easy to pick out of the crowd.

I hang back and talk to Wally while the girls freshen up. I’m not paying much attention to him, but I doubt he’s saying much. I only picked him to talk to because where he’s standing, I can catch glimpses of what Riley’s doing in the background.

Volleyball girl hauls her away from Anderson, which is the first thing she does right. Then she chats her up long enough for Riley to recover her composure. Her complexion returns to normal, her eyes lose the glint of sheer terror. She even has the presence of mind to smooth down her hair, then the other girl opens her purse and offers up her lip gloss.

Riley seems to realize we’re about to get our picture taken, so she reaches into the purse I bought her and pulls out a compact. I wasn’t even sure she’d have one on her. Riley doesn’t wear much makeup. She doesn’t like to draw much attention to herself.

Meanwhile, Valerie is talking to Tim, organizing her photo shoot. “I was thinking we could do a shot over here on the bleachers. The girls can sit with our legs stretched out in front of us, one knee up—it’s a standard cheer pose, a lot of girls do it for senior pics. Those of us with poms can sit up front and place them on the bench in front of us for an added pop. Then the other girls can sit on the row behind us, and the last girl on the row behind that so we’re forming a V, and each of us can have a guy standing behind us. Obviously, my boyfriend behind me, and the other girls with the other guys. And then I guess that one random girl at the back with Sherlock.”

“Thanks,” Sherlock murmurs dryly.

Valerie rolls her eyes. “I don’t even understand how that happened. I thought Kaela was a lock for fifth. Is that girl even a senior?”

Valerie bitches a bit more, then Riley and the other girl finish up and make their way over to us.

Tim takes Riley’s camera so he can take a shot for the paper since she won’t be able to do it herself. Valerie and Angelina sit down on the front row of bleachers and get in position.

I don’t particularly want to stand with Valerie. If Anderson hadn’t just put his fucking mouth on her, I’d stand behind Riley no matter how much shit it kicked up, but right now I’m pretty pissed, so I take my spot behind Valerie.

Riley’s on the bench directly behind me complaining about this stupid pose. Anderson assures her we’re doing other poses, too, so maybe they won’t use this one.

She sighs heavily. I bet she feels dumb sitting there with her leg out like a cheerleader. “Why couldn’t we be the back couple?” she asks. “Nyla and that guy don’t have to sit like idiots.”

Valerie tenses in front of me, hearing her staging directions criticized by Riley.

I tense too, hearing Riley refer to herself and Anderson as a couple.

Just to be a dick, I slide my hands around Valerie’s small waist and lean down like I’m kissing her neck. Really, I’m just hovering and trying to ignore the perfume cloud I can practically taste getting this close to her, but Riley won’t be able to tell.