Chapter Eleven
Chloe
I sit up in my bed with my heart beating a mile a minute. The memories from that night are forever ingrained in my memory…I know I will never be rid of them. I don’t want to look at the clock, but I do, and there it is: 5:48 a.m. I put my pillow over my face and let out a scream. I’m so sick of this and I don’t know what to do about it. I’m not going to school today. I just can’t face people right now. With that thought, I roll over and stare at the wall because I knohw sleep isn’t coming my way. I start to zone out with thoughts of Jayson when my door flies open.
“Chloe, are you still asleep?” I hear Madison whisper.
I rub my eyes and sigh. “No, I’m not.” I hear her sigh as well and she asks, “So 5:48 again?”
With tears in my eyes and my throat trying to close up, I don’t answer.
Silence hangs between us until she asks, “Are you getting up? You’re going to be late.”
I tell her I’m not going and suddenly the covers are jerked off of me. I want to yell at her, but I don’t feel like expending the energy. Instead, she yells at me to get up and get in the shower before she kicks my ass. I snicker to myself as I get up because she knows I can take her in a minute.
Though I know I need to, I don’t want to go to school today, but I don’t feel like fighting her either. So I make my way into the bathroom and do my usual routine of avoiding the mirror. Of course, I catch a glance of myself and it is not pretty! My face looks gaunt and dark circles are under my eyes.
Well, if I want to get Jayson away from me, no makeup is the way to go because I look like the walking dead. I hurry to get ready since I took forever to get out of bed and once I’m done, I run out the door with little hope of being on time to school. Of course, little Miss M yells at me that she knows I’m avoiding her and that she will see me tonight. Guess it’s a good thing that I got the extra food because she can eat like two grown men.
At the thought of tonight, my heart rate accelerates and I don’t know whether its nerves or seeing Jayson. God, please let tonight go well. I need this more than anything. Whether anything happens between us or not, I just need a normal night. And maybe to forget the past, just for a bit.
I find a parking place and walk quickly to my class wondering if I will see Jayson today. Today, it’s Trigonometry, another class of torture, since I have the intelligence of an amoeba when it comes to higher forms of Math.
Thankfully, the professor is late so I go outside to get a water when I hear, “Hey little bit, what’s going on?”
I immediately know it is #2 aka Connor. I don’t care if he was born first; in my book he is #2…for more reasons than one. OK, maybe I need to lay off the guy. He IS funny and he seems to like Madison; maybe he is different than he seems. I know all about presenting a fake side to the world rather than my true self.
With that thought in mind, I smile at him and ask, “Hey Connor, what are you doing here?”
He looks confused and asks how I knew he wasn’t Jayson. I start laughing because there is no way I would confuse the two, but I’m not telling him that.
“He doesn’t call me ‘little bit,’ only you do.”
Giving me an arrogant grin, he says, “Yeah, I know. I heard him call you princess.” I just roll my eyes at him and punch his arm. “Geez, you’re strong for someone so little!” he says in a strained voice, like I really hurt him. I mean, he has arms the size of a tree trunk; I know I didn’t hurt him.
Trying to act like I’m mad, I say, “Oh shut up, Connor, I didn’t hurt you!”
He gives up trying to look wounded and finally gets to the point…where is Maddie? Oh, Ok, Now, I see why he is talking to me so much...he likes her. This should be interesting; she is going to give him a run for his money.
I know she likes him too because again, there was no sex talk from her about him. So, I decide to play Cupid and invite him to our study date/dinner tonight. When he hears Maddie will be there along with ribeye steaks, I get a big hug out of him.
“Get off of me, you freak!” I wheeze because he is crushing me, but I’m smiling, too.
He is sort of hard not to laugh or smile around. Just in case he has any player ideas, I glare at him and tell him that he can come to dinner, but if he messes with Maddie, I will hurt him when he least expects it. He assures me that he won’t do that to her and for some reason I believe him. I don’t think Connor is as bad as he tries to make everyone believe. Or maybe that’s what I want to believe for Maddie’s sake. I know she can handle him so I tell him to be there at 6:00 p.m. Then I tell him goodbye because I need to get back to my paid for educational torture…you know, because I’m crazy like that.
As I am trying to figure out sine and cosine, my phone vibrates. Hoping the professor doesn’t see me, I sneak a peek because I have a feeling I know who it is. I feel my cheeks start burning from smiling so hard because I was right, it is him.
Jayson : Hey princess, I hear we are having company for studying and dinner.
Chloe : Are you ok with that? Maddie wanted to eat with us and then I saw Connor in the hallway. I felt bad.
Jayson: That’s cool. Just wanted to make sure Connor didn’t invite
himself.
Chloe: No, he didn’t, but Maddie did. I’m used to it.
Jayson: S o you have company on all your dates?
Chloe: No! I’ve never been on a real date, so not what I usually do.
Jayson: Then I’m glad I’m the first, but this won’t be our first date. I can do better than studying
Crap, shit, crap! I didn’t mean to text that. My thumb hit send before I realized what I just said. I am so lame; he is going to think I’m a loser. Who is a sophomore in college and has never been on a real date? For the longest time, my phone sat quiet and I thought that maybe he was writing me off. But, after that conversation, now I am really smiling…I think I may have hit the hot and sweet guy jackpot!
Of course, reality breaks in when my educational torturer tells me to put the phone up. What a buzz kill! Still, I can’t quit smiling. If anyone looks over at me, they are going to think I am either in love with Trig or a freak. Ha, if they only knew. Time drags on until I am ready to scream and finally , it’s time to go. I run out of the classroom to the car and speed home because I need to prep for dinner and do something about my scary appearance before tonight.
When I get home, I rush to the closet and try to find something that is pretty, but doesn’t look like I am trying too hard. After a dozen outfits, I feel defeated, when suddenly my fashion guru bursts through the door. She never knocks, which is annoying, but I don’t say anything because I need some help right now.
Feeling desperate, I say, “Hey, I need some help picking out something to wear.”
She is already going through my closet so I hear her muffled voice. “Sure, I’ll help.”
While she is looking through my closet, I tell her that both Jayson and Connor are going to be here tonight, but she just says ok like she doesn’t really care. I smile inwardly because she couldn’t be more transparent. If this was one of her regulars, she would have been talking my ear off. I try to be sly and ask, “What do you think of him?”
She looks over at me with a blank look on her face and says, “He’s gorgeous, but nothing is going to happen.” Suddenly she says, “I don’t care if he comes tonight. At least I will have some company while you bat your eyelashes at Jayson.”
I bite my lip to keep from smiling when I say, “I didn’t know you felt that way; I guess you won’t care that he asked about you in Trig today.”
Her mouth drops open, but she quickly shuts it and shrugs her shoulders. I can tell she is affected even though she doesn’t turn around because I hear her take a deep breath. She doesn’t ask what he said, but I know she is dying to know. I put her out of her misery and tell her everything he said. In my bedroom mirror, I see a little smile on her face. I knew she liked him. She thinks she is so slick, but I know her game. I hope it works out for them.
Suddenly, she is like a woman possessed and flips through my clothes at the speed of light. Like a drill sergeant, she barks at me, “Ok, here you go. Wear your short black denim skirt because it shows off your legs and pair it with your purple spaghetti strapped top since it shows off the girls and it will make him think of sex”
I roll my eyes, but I know she’s right; I know I’m already thinking of it.
She throws my black wedges at me and says, “Be sure to wear your hair down, but make sure to curl it. I’m going to pull up the sides with these butterfly clips and I’ll do your makeup because you look like death warmed over.”
At this point, I know she is in the zone and I just wait for her to finish because even if I talk to her, she won’t hear me.
When she notices I am quiet, she says, “Come on, slut, I have to get ready, too!” I bring my stuff to the bathroom and start the shower when she opens the door and says, “Shave everywhere, I mean everywhere, got it?” “You don’t want to scare him off with a Bigfoot impression.” I am officially mortified, but that’s my best friend, so I just laugh and nod.
Right before she closes the door, I yell at her to do the same because sexy #2 is going to be in her panties the first chance he gets. She yells back that he is #1 and that she is going to get in his pants first. I laugh some more and finish getting ready and what do you know, I look in the mirror without realizing it. I look happy and if that’s all I get out of this evening with Jayson, it will mean the world.
With a spring in my step, I go to the kitchen to get our dinner ready. I’ve got the radio blaring and I’m singing at the top of my lungs. Madison says she can always tell I’m happy when she hears me singing. I have to say my bestie looks smoking. She has on low rise jeans with a black tank showcasing a sparkly fleur-de-lis and strappy black heels. In addition, she has her blonde hair in a ponytail and smoky eyes with lip gloss. I can’t wait for Connor to see her. I tell her that if they start up that she better go back to his house because I don’t want to hear that. Of course, I don’t get any respect from her and she flips me off. I can tell she is happy, too, so I don’t give her any grief for it.
She chops the asparagus while I season the meat and put the potatoes in the oven. Lastly, we set the table and I run back to my room to get my books and laptop. She tells me I’m a moron and says to leave the books and computer in my room so I can take him in there for us to have some alone time. I tell her that I can see right through her and that she is after alone time for her and Connor. She doesn’t deny it, so I know that I am right. I turn on some country music since that’s what the twins like and go back in the kitchen to check everything out. I hear the doorbell ring and I instantly feel sick and happy at the same time.
I hear them all talking in the living room and I know it’s time to go in there. I square my shoulders, push the door open, and walk in just in time to see the father of my future children. Sorry, Bruno, you’re out because Jayson is definitely in. We stand there staring at each other and smiling like two idiots. He looks absolutely scrumptious. If the black hair and green eyes aren’t a showstopper, the body sure is. He has on blue hospital scrubs and all I can think is, I’m in lust!
They all laugh and then I realize that I SAID THAT OUT LOUD! It’s official, I’m going to die of embarrassment. I will be the first case of death by blushing. I don’t know how to get out of this. I think he knows I can’t speak because he comes over and hugs me while whispering in my ear that he’s right there with me. I feel a little better and we stand there hugging. I’m not letting go…no way. He will just have to walk around with me attached to him.
Realizing that I am being beyond weird, I pull back, say hello, and give Connor a quick pat on the back. He looks good, too, in jeans and a t-shirt, but I’m not worried about him. Madison looks like she is about to hump him so I’ll leave him to her. Granted, he looks like he might do the honors first, so I guess it’s ok.
They go off into the living room while Jayson comes into the kitchen with me. I’m not really sure what to say so I start filling the glasses with ice and ask about his day. I know he knows I’m embarrassed, but he doesn’t say anything, instead he just asks if he can help, and I fall just a little bit harder.