For Nevermore Season 1

anyway. Nothing to do with you, just weird, grownup stuff that would make you weep with boredom. But yeah, I could see Randy throwing his arms in the air and taking off, figuring working things out with us girls just isn’t worth it.”
    “Maybe that would be best,” Noella said, half as strong as she wanted to, though twice as strong as her usual plea.
    “Maybe,” Josie said, breaking from Noella’s eyes, and looking past her as she dipped her flat-paneled zucchini into the lemon-laced ranch.

    **

    They ended up ordering both the truffle and the DIY Cannolis, just as Josie suggested, leaving only a few bites behind, along with a generous tip. The service wasn’t especially great, but Josie seemed happy to be out for an evening alone with Noella, and was probably grateful to have someone serving her for a change.
    They laughed the whole way home, with Noella nearly forgetting the horrors her brain was harboring for later. She even joined Josie in a deafening and horribly mangled version of LMFAO’s, “I’m Sexy and I Know It.”
    They pulled onto Oak Lane, and moments later, Josie’s lights illuminated Randy’s cruiser, pulled to the front of the driveway, its nose nearly nudging the closed garage door.
    Josie’s jaw set, then jutted out as though she were trying to settle on an expression somewhere between relief and fury. They exchanged a glance, then Josie said. “Well, it was fun while it lasted. Looks like things are going back to normal.” Her smile was half its strength, and only half there, but she gave all her strength to her voice and leaned in close to kiss Noella on the cheek.
    Noella said, “It’s okay, I promise.”
    Josie smiled, then stepped from the car. Noella swallowed, then followed her aunt inside.
    Randy was sitting on the couch, open bottle of beer on the coffee table, flipping the channels on the TV. He turned toward the door as soon as it opened, smiled at the girls, then jumped from the sofa to greet them at the threshold.
    “Hi there, ladies. Did you go out to dinner?” He pointed his nose in the air, then said, “Smells like garlic. Does that mean Anthony’s and leftovers?”
    Josie held up a brown bag of sausage rigatoni. Randy took the bag from her hand, then disappeared into the kitchen, emerging a minute later with two matching bouquets, a dozen roses each, the kind from the grocery store, with bright colors, big heads, and a whole lot of petals.
    “These are for you,” Randy said, handing them each a bundle. “I’m sorry for this morning. I didn’t mean to be an ass. No excuses. I did what I did and I’m sorry as hell. Just tell me what I need to do so we can forget about it.”
    He hung his head, then walked up to Noella, eyes like a puppy. “I was only worried about you, Noey. You know me and you know that. I’m really sorry. I know protecting you ain’t the same as yelling at you, and I won’t be doing it again.”
    Noella thought, sure, yeah, I’ve heard that before , but said nothing. Randy took her silence for a pardon, then hugged her tight and said, “I’m sorry, Noey,” one more time.
    Great, I’m gonna smell like Old Spice for days.

    * * * *

CHAPTER THREE

    A week later…
    Monday morning, November 5
    First day back to school

    Noella woke to another raging headache.
    She glanced at the clock. It blinked 12:00 a.m. three times before she finally registered the meaning.
    Oh no, I overslept!
    Noella sat up too quickly. Vertigo blurred her mind and forced her back to the mattress where she lay breathing for several beats before swinging her legs from the bed and trying to stand.
    Her head was still swimming, but Noella managed to open her door and step into the hallway. Josie was walking from the bathroom to her room, in her faded robe, with her hair wrapped like a turban in terrycloth, looking like she did just an hour from work.
    “Back to school today, eh?” Josie said, smiling.
    “Don’t remind me,” Noella said. “What time is it? Am I late?”
    “A bit after six,” she said. “You’ve got time. And don’t worry about going back to school. Everything will be fine.”
    “How can I not worry about school?” Noella said, “This is my first day back, and I don’t think I can even look at Sam. I’m so embarrassed.”
    “You never called him?” Josie said, looking at Noella.
    Noella shook her head no.
    “You should’ve called him. Sorry, but it’s true.”
    Of course, Josie was right. Even though Noella was on