“Chill out? Nobody talks to me like that! Detention!” Mr. Barners shouted pointing his finger out of his classroom. “Go! Now!”
“Ugh…” I groaned standing up and walking to the office. I was walking to the office when I spotted Lena and Spencer in the halls. I hid behind a pillar and watched them.
“Spencer where were you after school yesterday? I looked for you after cheer practice and you weren’t there. I even asked the football coach where you were and he said you didn’t even show up to practice. What’s that all about?” She questioned examining her nails.
“My dad had an emergency and I had to take care of some business for him.” Spencer said leaning up against the lockers.
“Really? Is that right because I saw your father also and he didn’t say anything about that…” She trailed off looking at him.
“Why would he tell you? Lena you seriously need to get a life; this whole obsessing over me is getting a little creepy.”
“Oh is it? I’m sorry I love and care for my boyfriend so much!” She shouted pushing him onto the lockers. “I would appreciate it if you told me where you are going.”
“Fine.” He said as Lena let up on him. “I will tell you everything, sweety.” He smiled crossing his fingers behind his back where she couldn’t see them.
“Good.” She smiled. “I have to get back to class now! Bye, sweetheart!” She said all cheery and kissed him.
“Bye.” He said as she walked off to her class. “Okay you can come out of hiding now.” Spencer said turning to where I was hiding. “Bay.”
“Hey Spence. How are you?”
“Cut the crap. You just watched that whole thing.”
“Maybe.” I said moving away from the pillar. “It’s not like she was making it all private. She wanted some attention.”
“Whatever.” He sighed. “You here just to spy on people?”
“No, for your information I was on my way to detention and-”
“Wait a minute you got in trouble? Look at Ms. Goody she got in trouble?”
“Shut up! It’s not like I planned it! Mr. Barners was just in one of his moods.”
“Ahh Mr. Barners…I remember when he was a pure teacher. He was a real dick.”
“So you cursed him on to us? Classy.” I laughed.
“Wow you actually took that as a joke.” He laughed.
“Yeah I do have a sense of humor.”
“A sense of humor? Well I am sure I don’t know what that is.” He said still laughing.
“You want to get out of here and go hang somewhere?”
“And have you skip dentition? Sure.” He smiled as we walked out of the school building and ended up at some secluded hilltop. “I come here sometimes to think.”
“Wow so you aren’t some annoying pure. You actually have feelings?” I gasped.
“Yeah I do, surprisingly.” He laughed. “I do plan on changing the way our world works when I am appointed. I know how you think of us pures and why wouldn’t you? We haven’t done anything to prove you wrong.”
“Spencer if you don’t stop this I’m just going to be like every other girl, chasing after someone I never have and never will have a chance with. I can’t do that to myself.”
“What if I told you, you have chance?”
“You can’t be serious pures aren’t allowed to be with mix, it’s against the rules.”
“Yeah and you are a rebel.” He smiled.
“No, it’s not enough. Spencer you would have to be living a double life.”
“Like my father did? I feel I can handle it.”
“Yeah? Well I don’t think I can. I would have to watch you pretend to love Lena-”
“I already do that.” He laughed cutting me off.
“Regardless it’s not realistic. Lena could find out; what would you do then?”
“I don’t know.” He said shrugging his shoulders.
“I think you need to know that before I will even think about putting myself into that kind of danger.”
“What danger? Lena?”
“No the council, they would have a field day with this. A pure and a mix, you understand the last person to try that was forced into torture right?”
“Yeah but I have something they didn’t have; my father, the head of the council.”
“Yeah and Spencer not to bring you down but your father didn’t even want to have anything to do with Perry once he was born. He dropped it on you didn’t he?” I questioned sitting down on the grass.
“It just happened that way, that’s all. He knew if he didn’t do anything for Perry Heather would ruin his reputation and that’s all my father really had. He wouldn’t risk it.”
“Mhm and what would he be risking if the council found out his son had fallen for a mix? His reputation.”
“I should be more important than that.” He said coming to sit next to me on the ground.
“Is he more important than yours?”
“Hey that’s not fair.” He chuckled. “I am willing to risk my rep. to be with you.”
“No you aren’t. Risking your rep. for me would be going public with it. You’re not risking anything.” I sighed looking out to the horizon.
“I am. I am risking people finding out.”
“See Spencer that’s not enough for me.” I said getting up. “Your reputation doesn’t need to be messed with. Just leave it alone. You will be married to Lena soon and me? Well I’ll be married off to some mix that the council has picked for me. That’s reality.” I said walking down the hill back to town.
I walked to my classroom even if there was no class today, I wanted to be alone and just paint. I set up my canvas and dripped my brush into the paint. I spent the rest of the afternoon just alone with my thoughts. I was halfway done when my phone rang. “Hello?”
“Bay can you come over?” Eve said on the other end. It sounded like she was crying.
“Of course. Should I bring chocolate and ice cream?” I questioned cleaning my paintbrush.
“Yeah…”She sighed. “If you could.”
“I’ll be over there in a couple minutes.”
“Thanks, Bay.”
“Yeah, anytime.” I said starting to walk to the store and hung up. I bought some chocolate and Double Fudge Chocolate Ice-cream. “Hi Mr. Wilson how’s Eve?”
“She isn’t happy. She locked herself in her room and won’t come out. I don’t understand I was okay with who the council chose for me. Her mother is a good person.”
“Yeah, I’ll go see if I can lift her spirits.” I said walking to her room. I knocked on the door and she opened it. “I have therapy.” I smiled standing in the doorway.
“Thanks so much, Bay.” She said wiping her eyes. “It was…it was…Jason…” She said starting to cry again.
“Oh, sweetheart it’s not the end of the world. It’s just one part of your life. You can still be you.” I said hugging her.
“But this means I have to move out, drop out of school, get a job and start popping out babies. Little quarter sentor, nymph, elf and unicorn babies; they are going to be so disproportioned.”
“No Eve listen to me, you won’t have to change your life just because of this. Children are always the last thing on a guy’s mind and I bet Jason wants to stay in school. I mean really do you think he would leave before he gets to go to prom or homecoming?”
“I guess I won’t have to look for a date for those.”
“There you go positives.” I smiled sitting on her floor and opening the bag of chocolate. “Chocolate?”
“Yeah.” She sighed reaching into the bag. “It will be weird having to answer to Jason. He can’t possibly be a good dancer what with him being so small and me being a giant.”
“You guys will figure it out. You know Jason has had a crush on you for years. I wonder if he paid the council a little money so he would be the chosen one.” I said biting into the chocolate.
“That would be really sweet actually.” She smiled.
> “Oh my god Eve you’re blushing.” I giggled.
“No I am not. I’m just saying it would be sweet that’s all.”
“It’s okay to like him, Eve. I think that’s what you are afraid of, that you will be rejected. If he went through the trouble to pay the council than he isn’t going to reject you.”
“But we don’t even know if he did.”
“Why wouldn’t he? You are smart, funny, cute and know your way around the kitchen.” I smiled.
“True.” She said throwing her wrapper in the trashcan basketball style. “Thank you.”
“Eve, you know I will always be here for you just like I know you will be here for me when this happens to me next month. You will already be a pro by that time and can give me advice.”
“Yes but I don’t guarantee it will be good advice.”
“No I wouldn’t dream of it.” I laughed.
Getting Ready
I was sitting on my windowsill when a rock hit my window. “Spencer? What are you doing here?” I asked opening up my window.
“Can I come up?” He asked smiling.
“You couldn’t have used the front door like a normal person?” I laughed.
“No, because than I wouldn’t have gotten your attention.”
“You’ve certainly got my attention.”
“So can I come up?”
“Yeah I guess so.” I sighed as he scaled the wall. “Don’t hurt yourself.”
“I’m fine.” He chuckled. “We have to talk about what happened Friday.”
“Spencer I don’t want to talk about Friday,”
“Just hear me out Bay.” He said climbing through the window into my room. “I will confess my feelings.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You asked me what I would do if Lena ever found out. I’m telling you I would confess my feelings for you.”
“Yeah and Spencer what are your feelings for me?
“I like you Bay. I am falling for a mix. I am. You aren’t afraid to express yourself and I wish that I was like that. You see me and even after all you have gone through you still treated me like a person.”
“You are a person, Spencer. You deserve to be treated right by the right girl and I am afraid I’m not that girl.” I sighed sitting on my bed.
“But you are the girl.” He said sitting down next to me.
“Spence-“I started to say but Spencer cut me off by kissing me. I had a split second of wanting to push him away and then it turned into passion. I got lost in his lips, his lips that molded perfectly to mine. He put his arms around my neck and I knotted my fingers in his hair. His black hair was so silky smooth. Our eyes were closed and all I could think about was him being here, in my room, on my bed. I couldn’t act on those feelings, not when my parents were downstairs.
“Bay I want to be with you.” He smiled breaking the kiss. “Just tell me what I need to do and I will do it.”
“Spencer I can’t ask your give up your life. Lena is your future, I am not.”
“No my future is mine to develop. I want to develop a future but I can’t do it without you.”
“I don’t know Spence…”
“Please Bay? I like you and I want to change the world for you.”
“Cut the romantic crap.” I giggled.
“Yeah sorry I don’t know what came over me.” He chuckled. “But I do want to be with you.”
“Is this double life living?”
“I don’t know if I can be with Lena after what just happened.”
“Hey you kissed me.” I laughed.
“I did and let me tell you, you are way better than Lena. She just thinks sticking her tongue down my throat is the way to go. There is never anything like what I just experienced with you.” He smiled as his gray eyes sparkled.
“It was perfect wasn’t it?”
“Yeah it was.” He smiled. “I gotta go.” He said kissing me on the cheek and he was climbing out my window. “I’ll see you tonight.”
“Wait what are you talking about tonight?” I shouted out my window. “Spencer!” I laughed.
“Yeah?” He questioned looking up.
“Tonight?”
“Yes tonight. I will meet you at your window at 12.” He smiled as his feet hit the ground.
“Midnight? Spencer we have school tomorrow!”
“Yeah and what’s your point?” He laughed. “See you then.” He said and he was gone.
I watched him leave and grabbed my phone. It rang once. “Eve you will not believe what just happened!” I shouted into the phone.
“What?”
“You won’t believe me!”
“Bay, just tell me.” She laughed.
“Spencer and I have a date!” I squeaked.
“Oh my god when?!”
“Midnight!”
“Okay I’ll be over in an hour.” She said all cheery and hung up.
§
“Bay!” Eve shouted through my door. “Let me in!”
“I’m coming!” I shouted from my bed and sprinted to my door. “Hey.”
“Hey? No this is bigger than, hey.” She exclaimed. “We have to find you an outfit to wear.”
“But I don’t even know where he is taking me.” I said closing the door as she galloped to my closet. “Eve do you think this could work?”
“You and him?” She questioned looking at my clothes. “Yeah I do. Bay, you have the chance that no other mix has, to be with a pure. I will not let you give that up.”
“But I will be married soon. What am I supposed to be cheating on the man the council chooses for me?” I asked flopping on my bed. “I might fall to fast and I don’t want to get into something I can’t get myself out of.”
“You know it seems like only yesterday that we were playing dolls and pretending to be with the man of our dreams. You remember the lists we made?” She asked laughing.
“Wow the list? I still have mine somewhere…”I trailed off digging in my end table. “Ah here it is.” I giggled.
My Guy
· Will express their feelings
· Will love me for who I am
· Will be able to catch food in his mouth
· Will have hair smooth as silk
· Will have a sense of humor
“Did you see that Spencer fits all of those? Well I don’t know if he can catch food in his mouth though.” Eve laughed as I finished reading my list.
“I don’t know.” I laughed folding the list and putting it back in the drawer of my end table.
“Why do you still keep it?” She asked pulling out a long light blue sleeveless shirt and a pair of dark jeans. “What about this outfit? It will bring out your golden eyes.” She smiled.
“Yeah.” I smiled getting up. “This would be so cute.”
“See I have fashion sense.” She laughed. “Now your make-up…”She trailed off walking into my bathroom.
“Does your parents think you are still locked in your room?” I asked dressing in the outfit that Eve picked out for me.
“Yeah I snuck out my window, why?”
“Could you cover for me tonight when I go out with Spencer? My parents might come in and check on me in the middle of the night.”
“What are friends for?” She smiled galloping over to me and guiding me to my mirror. “We only have one hour to get you all pretty. Well I have had worse…” She trailed off laughing. “Joke.”
“I know.” I laughed. “Only an hour? Oh my god I am starting to get butterflies.”
“I know it’s exciting isn’t it?” She smiled brushing my hair.
True Colors
“It’s almost midnight.” Eve exclaimed and a rock hit my window.
“Right on time.” I smiled running to my window.
“Have a great time.” Eve whispered. “I’ll cover for you.”
“Thanks.” I whispered back throwing my escape ladder out the window.
“You couldn’t have done that when I climbed up?”
He chuckled.
“Shh.” I shouted. “You’re going to wake up my parents.” I smiled rolling my eyes.
“Right.” He whispered as my feet hit the ground.
“You can pull it up now.” I half whispered up to Eve.
“Have fun Cinderella.” She laughed pulling up the ladder.
“Just don’t fall asleep. I’m going to need you to get back in tonight.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” She said closing the window and turning out the light.
“Hey.” Spencer chuckled.
“Hey.”
“You look beautiful.”
“Thank you.” I smiled twirling my hair. “And you look…hot.” I laughed blushing.
“So why couldn’t you have thrown the ladder down for me? I scaled your wall.”
“I know but it wouldn’t have been the same.”
“Same as what?” He asked as we walked away from my house.
“You making a fool of yourself.” I laughed and took his hand. “It’s the way I always dreamed.”
“I am your dream?”
“Now don’t go getting a big head.” I laughed.
“Never.” He smiled. “Can I ask something?”
“Sure.” I said looking at his gray eyes that became a crystal blue in the moonlight.
“Why don’t you stand up for what you believe in?”
“Why don’t you?”
“Do you always have a comeback question waiting for me?”
“Of course if I didn’t this wouldn’t be fun.” I smiled.
“Ahh so you like to torture men?” He laughed.
“Torture men? That would imply that there are men to torture.” I laughed pushing my hair behind my ear.
“Well now you have a man to torture and let me tell you, you are torturing him.”
“Am I?”
“Yes your body is torturing me.” He said still laughing. “I bet mine is doing the same to you.”
“Sure.” I smiled rolling my eyes.
“Now don’t wound my ego when you just spent the last five minutes building it up.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it.” I said in a sarcastic tone.
The Difference of Life: A Rachel Waldman Novel (Romance, Contemporary, Women's Fiction) Page 2