Double Love, chapter 17

Of course Elizabeth had heard people say before that they didn't really feel the pain of being hurt until afterward, but she had never believed it before. The time she got her thumb stuck in the door and the time she hit her shin on the kitchen chair, there was no doubt about it. Both had hurt right away, and plenty. But Elizabeth didn't really feel the pain of losing Todd for several days after seeing him with Emily. And then she wished for that other kind of pain, the kind that came at once and went away almost as quickly. Because this pain sat in her heart as though it were a bird that had built its nest there and would never go away. She had known it was over, really. It had never even started. But seeing him with someone else-that made it final as nothing else could have.

She decided to go on other dates, too. She couldn't just think about Todd forever. She went skating with Ken Matthews one Friday night when the team went out together. It wasn't a real date, though. Just a celebration of getting the football field back. Still, Ken picked her up and brought her home, under the watchful eye of Jessica. It seemed Jessica thought Ken still had a girlfriend, and if she had known he didn't ...

After that, Elizabeth told herself she was over Todd for good and she would absolutely stop thinking about him all the time. But she thought about practically nothing else.

One night after a sorority meeting at Caroline Pearce's house-at which Elizabeth totally ignored Caroline, still angry at her for spreading the rumors about Kelly's-they all trooped to the Dairi Burger for hamburgers, and there were Todd and all the Phi Eps. Elizabeth tried not to look at Todd, and she could tell he was doing the same. Why is he acting this way? she asked herself. It was over. He never called her anymore. They avoided each other in the halls. Still, Todd was being careful not to look at her, and she was being just as careful not to look at him.

After their burgers, they climbed into the Fiat convertible-Jessica was allowed to drive again-and off they went with three of their friends in the car.

They dropped off Enid and Cara first. When they dropped off Lila Fowler, Elizabeth noticed that they were being followed.

"Oh, don't be silly," said Jessica.

"I tell you, there's a car on our tail, Jess."

They both noticed it after that. A sleek black sports car trailed them as they drove, and it was getting closer and closer.

"Oh, Liz," Jessica gasped. "I'm scared."

"Never mind. Just head straight for home."

But Jessica managed to stall the Fiat at the next red light, and then, in her anxiety, she couldn't get it started again. The pursuing car pulled over to the curb behind them. The driver got out, walked up, and leaned over the side to leer at them.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't Heaven and her sister, Heavenly."

Jessica exploded. "Rick Andover, you scared me to death! I didn't recognize you without your car."

"Aw, sorry," he said mockingly. "Mine's in the shop. I borrowed that little number. You like it? Or would you rather I took you for a ride in this one?"

"Jessie," Elizabeth whispered. "He's drunk."

"Now, is that nice?" Rick sneered. "I heard you, Heavenly. And you're a smart girl. I am drunk, but not enough to matter. Look out!"

And before Jessica could stop him, Rick Andover pulled open the door and jumped into the driver's seat, squeezing her over next to Elizabeth.

"What are you doing?" Jessica raged. "You get out of this car!"

"Got to start it for you, Heaven," Rick slurred. "Can't let you sit here in the middle of Calico Drive."

"Well, start it and then get out," Elizabeth said.

As if on cue, the Spider's engine leaped to life. But Rick Andover did not get out. He floored the gas pedal, and the little red Fiat screeched down the drive as if it were in the Indianapolis 500.

"Stop!" Jessica screamed. "Stop this car!"

"You let us out!" Elizabeth shouted.

Rick Andover laughed drunkenly, stomping down harder on the gas pedal. The Fiat zoomed wildly, looping around toward the Dairi Burger on the bottom of the hill.

They careened past the Dairi Burger, and Elizabeth yelled out the window.

"Help! Somebody!"

Rick whipped the little car through the crowded parking lot of the Dairi Burger, swerving at the last second to miss a crowd of Sweet Valley kids coming out.

Elizabeth caught a fleeting glance of a face startled and pulling back with sudden fright. Todd Wilkins!

Again the Fiat screeched around the parking lot, scattering people with terrifying bursts of speed and last-minute sharp turns.

"Out of the way, you idiots!" Rick Andover yelled. "We're coming through!"

Rick zipped the little car backward, spun around, and tore out of the Dairi Burger lot, almost sideswiping one car and rear-ending another. The car plunged into the traffic and sped wildly off in the direction of the beach.

Looking back, the last thing Elizabeth saw was Todd Wilkins standing near the front door, looking after them in bewilderment.

But Todd's bewilderment vanished the instant he saw the terror on Elizabeth's face and turned to sheer fury at the sight of Rick Andover at the wheel. Within seconds, he had jumped into his Datsun and was speeding after them.

The red Fiat zipped in and out of traffic on the freeway, passing cars and trucks on the inside or the outside as the whim struck Rick.

Jessica's contorted face was wet with tears. "Make him stop," she begged Elizabeth.

"Rick, you stop this car, or I'll-" Elizabeth commanded.

Rick uttered a harsh bark of laughter. "Scream as loud as you like. Who's going to hear you?"

Elizabeth shot Jessica a terrified look. Rick was really crazy. He could wind up killing them!

"Oh, no!" Jessica wailed as he made a screeching turn down a familiar road. "He's taking us to Kelly's!"

"I'll show that creep," he was muttering. "Nobody shows Rick Andover the door if he knows what's good for him."

"They'll never believe we're not with him," Jessica hissed to her sister. "They'll really arrest us this time."

Rick's only response was to hit the gas pedal harder. He didn't notice that a battered old Datsun was slowly gaining on them. Finally, with a screaming skid, Rick spun the Fiat around the parking lot of Kelly's in a boiling cloud of dust and sand. He grabbed Jessica with one hand and Elizabeth with the other, yanking them out of the car. He cursed loudly as the Datsun jerked to a stop in front of him, blocking the entrance to the roadhouse.

"Hey, get that heap out of the way!" he yelled.

Todd Wilkins climbed from the Datsun, a tough look on his face, a look that meant business.

"Todd!" the twins screamed in unison.

"Get back in the car," Todd commanded them soberly as Rick released them to advance on this new menace. Rick's fists were knotted at his sides, and there was a murderous look in his eye.

"Who are you to give orders?" growled Rick. "Get out of my way before I teach you a lesson."

"The only one going anyplace is you, Rick," said Todd quietly. "Why don't you just go home and sleep it off, huh?"

Rick's fist caught Todd square on the jaw in a lightning punch that took him completely off guard. Todd jerked backward but didn't fall. Elizabeth gasped when she saw his nose was bleeding. But after that first stunned pause, Todd didn't miss a beat. He came to life in a fury of hard, short jabs to the middle that sent Rick jackknifing to his knees, clutching at his stomach and gasping for breath.

Todd turned to Elizabeth and Jessica. "Come on. I think he'll leave you alone now. It doesn't look as if he'll be bothering anyone for a while."

"Are you all right?" Elizabeth brought a trembling hand to Todd's face.

Todd smiled. "Sure-as long as nothing's broken. Are you OK?"

Elizabeth nodded.

"I thought he was going to kill you!" Jessica gushed. "Oh, Todd, you were wonderful! You practically saved our lives!" She glared in the direction of Rick and the roadhouse. "I never want to see this place again. It's even worse inside."

Todd gave her a funny look but said nothing.

"I could just kiss you!" Jessica squealed, rushing toward him.

She was intercepted as Elizabeth stepped in front of her. "Not this time, Jess. It's my turn." With that, she turned to kiss a surprised Todd squarely on the mouth.

It wasn't until the Fiat was back at the Wakefields' house and he was parked in front that Todd confronted Jessica.

"Hey, Jessica," he said. "What did you mean when you said you never wanted to see Kelly's Roadhouse again?"

"Well, I don't, Todd."

"But how do you know how rough it is in there?"

"I really am simply too worn out to go on with this," Jessica said suddenly, looking from Todd to Elizabeth. "Good night!"

And before either of them could say another word, Jessica had skipped into the house.

"Hey-"

"Todd, thank you so much. You saved our lives," Elizabeth said. "I didn't know what we were going to do."

"Liz, do you mean that-that other time-it really wasn't you?"

Elizabeth only looked at him.

"But-"

"Todd, didn't Jessica tell you it was her?"

"Well, yes. But-"

“But what?"

"That's really amazing. She said it was her, but-Liz, I'm so sorry. I should have known you wouldn't have-that you never could have.... How could I have been such an idiot?"

"You weren't alone, Todd. Everybody thought it was me-especially when somebody has a funny way of telling the truth." Somebody who bears a striking resemblance to me, she thought.

"I was such a fool," Todd was saying. "But you were so popular, with dates every night. I guess I thought anything was possible. You never would give me a look."

"What? Todd, who told you such insane things?"

"Jessica."

"Jessica?"

"Well, yes. She constantly told me how popular you were and that you had no time for me. Well, I could see it was true."

"I see. And that's why you decided to go after Jessica?"

"Go after Jessica? One date? And I tell you, I'm not quite sure how that even happened."

"Is that so? How's your memory on what happened at the end of that date when she had to beg you to stop-grabbing her?"

"When she had to do what? Who told you that?"

"Jessica!"

"Liz, I barely touched Jessica. I gave her a little peck on the cheek at the door-and I only did that 'cause she seemed to expect it!"

"What?"

"Yes! Liz, you're the only one I ever wanted. Not Jessica, not anybody."

Todd was moving closer to her.

"But what about Emily?"

"Emily Mayer? We have a history project together."

"You didn't touch Jessica?"

"No. You didn't go out with Rick?"

"Absolutely not!"

Todd shook his head in confusion. How could it all have happened? It was impossible.

Elizabeth smiled to herself, trying to picture the hilarious scene of Todd kissing Jessica on the cheek. Why, she must have been ready to burst into a million pieces!

Seeing her smile, Todd asked, "What's funny?"

"Nothing," Elizabeth said.

Whatever she was going to say next was lost forever because suddenly she was in Todd's arms, and they were locked in a long and searching kiss. Elizabeth felt her heart pounding and her ears ringing, and she found herself wishing the moment would last forever.

Todd's breath was warm against her ear. "There's never been anyone but you, Liz," he murmured.

"Only someone who pretended she was me." Elizabeth laughed softly, pulling Todd closer for another, longer kiss that was sweeter than anything she had imagined.