Intrusion: A Novel Part 2

We went to church the next day, our family went to a really cool church. The music was great, the kind of music that you would hear in your head for the whole day after church. The message was always interesting and I didn't fall asleep.

My brothers liked it because the Sunday School had a Royal Ranger program. It was sort of like Boy Scouts, but it was Christian-based. They had little uniforms and everything.

After church, we got pizza at our regular place. We did this every Sunday. We always got the same kind, a large pizza with sausage and olives. I ate my two pieces as I sat and watched my family devour the rest.

I had decided to stop drinking cola, I had gone to the dentist and had five cavities filled; he said it was because of all the sugary cola I drank. I never wanted to deal with the dentist again, not like that, so soda was on my list of things that were my enemy. I made a lot of lists it helped me figure stuff out.

I was sipping tea when my dad asked me how the James Bond 3D movie was. True to my silent agreement with Chanda, I didn't talk about the weirdos who wouldn't leave us alone.

"It was good, I love James Bond," I said.

"We know, we know," Jordan said.

"Oh, have I mentioned that before?" I asked innocently.

"Only about one million times," Jacob said.

I smiled.

We cleaned up and went home and I took my usual Sunday nap. When I woke up, my phone rang. It was a blocked number again, I didn't answer I and I wondered if I was going to get another creepy text, I did. The text read: "How did you like your pizza?"

Definitely creeped out, I went over to Chanda's and I told her about the text. She told me I should tell my parents. I wanted to, but somehow, I didn't want to bother them.

I kind of thought it was a prank, like it was a kid watching me, so I didn't take it too seriously. I thought if I got another text that I would talk to my mom, she was understanding about weird things.

Chanda and I listened to music and talked. We were sort of excited that school was almost over. We only had six weeks to go and then we would both be juniors. I knew next year was the year that everyone said would be the hardest, academically.

I went home before dark, even though she was next door. I was starting to get nervous.

I got my clothes ready for school and laid them on the chair in my room. I always did that, I am kind of a neat freak. I made sure my curtain was closed tight and then went to bed and read until I fell asleep.

I woke up when the alarm went off. I got ready for school and went into the kitchen to eat breakfast. My mom had cooked French toast, one of my favorite breakfasts.

My dad usually drove me and Chanda to school. It was only five or so blocks, but we liked to talk in that short time.

"You seem tired today," my father said.

"I read until late, I know, I know, not a good idea," I said.

"I used to do that, but my eyes can't take it anymore," my dad said.

My father usually fell asleep in front of the TV and about three in the morning, he would stumble off to bed.

We thanked my father when he got to my school and he said he loved me. I told him I loved him, too.

When I got to my locker, there was a red rose sticking out of it. I thought someone was really playing a trick on me. It really bothered me, not to know who it was from.

I threw the rose in the trash dramatically, in case someone was watching.

Chanda's locker was near mine and she saw me.

"This is getting strange. We now know he knows where you go to school," Chanda said.

"I still think it is a prank," I said.

"Will you talk to your parents about it when you get home?" she asked.

"Okay," I said. "This is enough weirdness going on."

The rest of the school day was uneventful. I liked school and was pretty smart. I had a few friends whom Chanda and I hung out with. Sometimes, we got together after school and went to the 7-Eleven and got something to eat and talk.

Debbie, Elizabeth, and Rachel were waiting to walk with us to the store after school. Chanda told them all about the creeper and they all agreed that I should tell my parents.

The thing was, I knew my mom would handle it okay but I thought my dad would go to the police or something. Or, he might try to deal with it himself.

After I drank my Slurpee, Chanda and I walked home. My dad didn't get out of work until late, so we had to walk home instead of getting a ride.

When I got home, I threw my books on the couch and went to find my mom.

She was folding clothes in her bedroom and watching an old Perry Mason crime show.

"Hi, honey, how was your day?" she asked me.

"Weird," I said.

I proceeded to tell her about the text messages and the rose in my locker.

"Sounds like you have an admirer," she said, smiling.

"You don't think I have to worry?" I asked.

"No, not yet," she said.

"What do you mean?" I asked her.

"Well, if it gets weirder, we will do something, but I think it is harmless right now," she said.

I thanked her and went to my room, I hoped she was right.

My phone rang and I picked up without thinking. A voice that was definitely disguised said, "That wasn't nice to throw my rose away."

Then he hung up. I was going to talk to my dad. He wasn't as cool as my mom, but I didn't get the response from her that I wanted, which was to solve this mystery and get him to leave me alone. I guess I wanted her to get excited or upset. I know I shouldn't be, but I was more than a little worried about this guy. I waited until my dad came home and had dinner. When he went and sat in his chair, I walked over to him.

"I have something I need to talk to you about," I said to him.

"Anything you need to talk about, I'm here," he said.

I started out by telling him about the text I got after the movies and then I told him about the phone call I got earlier that day.

"Should I be worried?" I asked.

My father's face got redder and redder as I talked.

"I think we might have to worry," he said.

"I thought so," I said.

"Tomorrow, I will call a police officer to come over and talk to us. It is too bad you threw that rose away," he said.

"Next time, I will keep whatever he gives me, if there is a next time," I said.

"Hopefully, it is just a prank someone is playing on you, but I want to find out if there are precautions we can take to protect you," my dad said. I felt taken care of in a way I couldn't explain.

"Thank you, Dad," I said.

I went to my room. I made sure my curtains were closed. I also checked the closet, just to make sure no one was in there, I really hated being so scared.

The next day, I didn't have a flower on my locker, but I had a note sticking out of it. In cut-out letters from a magazine, it said, "You look beautiful, today."

I remembered what I told my dad about keeping evidence, so I tucked the note in my purse. I looked around to see if anyone was watching. All the kids at the school were doing normal things like taking their books out of their lockers and talking.

It was hard to concentrate at school because I felt like I had a bomb in my purse. I was glad my dad was going to talk to a police officer today to see if I was in any danger.

At lunch, my usual crowd sat on some bricks outside of the cafeteria and ate lunch.

I bought my lunch at school and I always had. I don't think my mother ever considered making brown-bag lunches for me and my brothers. I think she thought we were getting a healthy hot meal every day. Most of the time, I bought a fried burrito at the school snack bar. It was not the healthiest meal I could have chosen, but they were tasty and it was a habit that was hard to break.

I told Chanda quietly about the note and she said she was glad we were going to talk to the police.

That evening when my dad came home, he called the police. They said they would send someone over to look at the note and get a statement from us. I was really nervous about the police coming over.

There were no sirens when they drove up and two male officers came up our walkway. They knocked on the door and my father let them in. We all went and sat in the living room. I had the note on our coffee table, waiting for them.

"h.e.l.lo, I am Officer Stan Mitch.e.l.l and this is Officer Robert Malcolm," the tallest of the two officers said.

"I am Paul Holmes and this is my daughter, Whitney," my father said. My mom had taken the boys out for an ice cream.

We all shook hands and my father offered the officers a seat and we all sat down.

"We understand there might be a stalking situation here?" Officer Stan Mitch.e.l.l said.

"We really don't know," my father said.

"Why doesn't Whitney tell us what has happened and we will make our a.s.sessment," Officer Malcolm said.

I was embarra.s.sed to be put under the spotlight. I went ahead and talked because they were there and I didn't want to waste their time.

"The first thing that happened was some older guys, around thirty-something, tried to sit by my friend Chanda and I at the movies. We had to move twice and finally, I told them that if they didn't stop bothering us, I was going to get a movie usher to kick them out."

"That's significant," said one cop and made notes on his clipboard, "Then what happened?"

"When we got home, someone sent me a text saying it was good that I didn't sit by those creeps or something like that," I said.

"Chanda is who?" Officer Mitch.e.l.l asked.

"She is my best friend, she lives next door. Her name is Chanda Kingsley," I said.

"Okay, go on," Officer Malcolm said.

"The next day, my family and I had pizza after church and then someone sent me a text asking if it was good pizza," I said.

"Okay. Weird, but not too weird," Officer Mitch.e.l.l said. "A pizza parlor is a public place. Was it from a blocked number?"

"Yes."

"Anything else happen?"

"Yesterday, someone put a rose on my locker. I threw it away immediately and when I got home, a blocked number called me. I picked up the phone and the person said in a disguised voice, *you shouldn't have thrown away my rose' and then he hung up," I said.

"Weirder," Officer Malcolm said.

"Today, I got this note taped to my locker." I carefully pointed to the note on the coffee table and both officers put on gloves to look at it.

"I would say you definitely have a stalker," Officer Mitch.e.l.l said.

"That's what I was worried about."

"We need you to come down to the station and make a statement. Can you come tomorrow after school?" Officer Malcolm asked.

"My mom would have to take me because my dad doesn't get home until late," I said.

"This is important. I will get off work early tomorrow and take you," my dad said, his eyebrows moving together in a worried look.

"Thank you, Dad."

"If you have a school I.D., you need to bring it and plan to have your fingerprints taken," Officer Malcolm said.

"Did anyone else touch the note?" Officer Mitch.e.l.l asked.

"No, only me. I watch a lot of crime shows," I said.

"At least they are good for something," my father said and the officers smiled.

Both officers got up and Officer Malcolm put the note in a clear plastic evidence bag, sealed it up and wrote something on it. They thanked us and we thanked them and they left.

My dad gave me a big hug and said I did a good job speaking to the officers.

My mom and brothers came home and Jacob's face was all chocolaty. My mom handed my dad and me each a cup of ice cream she got my favorite flavor: Rocky Road.