“I was going to say he might not know what to say.” The truth is Shelly’s right. I was going to say get a word in. But Trent is so perfect, he would never be rude to Shelly.
“Well, if you’ve moved on to Jason, maybe I’ll try for an extra-hot make-out session,” she says, glancing at me and gauging my response. “Anything to save this lame date.”
I smile at her and try to hide my alarm. Now she’s excited again. “Maybe he’ll try something. I wonder if he has a move.”
“What?”
“Maybe he’s hiding a freaky side. He seems awfully tame, but I’ve been surprised before.”
“Let’s get back to the dance.” I cannot think of Shelly getting freaky with Trent.
“OK,” she says, and we both spot Jason at the same time. “But if you toss that one back, he’s mine.” Again she’s watching my response.
“Sure,” I say, with a small laugh. In two weeks, she can have Jason. But I can’t let her know we’re planning it.
Driving home, Jason’s already organizing our next fake-out.
“I’m thinking we should hit the movies tomorrow night,” he says. “What do you want to see?”
“I don’t care,” I say, staring out the window. Try as I might, I can’t help but wonder if Shelly’s out there making moves with my hottie-future-husband.
“Then Roving Zombies Take Manhattan it is,” Jason announces.
“What?”
“Seriously, H.D. You gotta work with me here.”
“Oh sure, I’ll check online tomorrow and pick something.” We’re at my house, and I grab my sweater to go inside. “Thanks, Jason,” I say, reaching for the door handle.
“Hang on…” He catches my arm and pulls me back. I freeze thinking he might try to kiss me. Fake kissing is not in the plan.
“What?”
“Don’t look so worried,” he grins. “I’m not going to kiss you.”
“I didn’t think that…” I lie.
“I was just going to say I had fun tonight.”
“Oh, sure.” I start to relax. “Me too.”
“I mean, I don’t really count tonight as a fake date. I meant it before when I asked you to the luau. For real.” His voice is gentle.
“Right. Well, I’ll see you tomorrow then?” I move to get out of the car before he changes his mind and does try to kiss me.
“Tomorrow,” he says, releasing my arm. “The games begin.”
Five
I text Shelly while I look at movie listings. I don’t really want to know what happened last night between her and Trent, but I’m hoping she might give me a hint. She doesn’t, but she does say Trent asked her to go to the movies tonight. Seems when we were in the bathroom, Jason talked to him about the four of us meeting up. I have to give him credit. It’s a great way to make a fake date count. I just can’t figure out why he didn’t tell me last night.
Mom’s standing in the kitchen when I walk in to wait for Jason. Dad’s at the church preparing for services, and we’re home alone, just me and her. I debate for a second whether to bring up the new gossip around town, but I know what her response will be. Another lecture on small minds and big imaginations. I just don’t get how she can’t see that she’s fueling it.
“How was the luau?” Mom asks, glancing up from her book.
“Fun. Hawaiian. You know, same as last year.” I sit down and look at the book’s cover—something about magnets and menopause.
“So crash-boy’s who you had me braiding your hair for all these weeks? I was expecting someone different.”
“Oh, it was someone different. Jason just beat him to me.”
“Beat him to you?”
“Well, Jason showed up at the same time and asked me out right in front of him.”
“Oh,” Mom makes a sympathetic face. “And the one you like…”
“Yep. Backed down.”
“Well, I was wondering. You didn’t seem too impressed with Jason after the accident. And I thought the other guy’s name was Travis or Trey…”
“Trent. And yeah, Jason was sort of annoying at first, but he’s okay once you get to know him, I guess.”
“So you’re going with him to the movies tonight? That sounds better than okay.”
She sips her tea, and now I’m wondering what she’d say about my scheme to get Trent. Another lecture about using a stereotypically feminine trap to land a guy, I’m sure. She’s just so perfect and beautiful. She could never understand what led me to take such drastic steps.
“Well, have a good time,” she says. “Jason does seem like a nice young man.”
I shrug. “What are you doing tonight?”
“Reading,” she says, picking up the book again. “Magnets and menopause.”
I poke out the tip of my tongue. “Ew.”
“It’s all part of life, Harley. I’m just not sure I’m buying this book.”
“Where’d you get it?”
“Ricky loaned it to me. He’s trying to get more into homeopathic remedies.”
“He’d do anything to impress you.”
“He’s trying. Ricky’s got a kind heart, if a little misguided.”
“Misguided in that he’s in love with a married woman?”
She narrows her eyes. “Misguided in that there’s no way magnets ease the symptoms of menopause.”
The doorbell rings, and I jump up.
“Church tomorrow,” Mom calls after me.
“I know. ‘Night, Mom!”
I open the door and there he is. He looks really nice actually, in brown cords and a dark blue shirt. Like this guy I remembered seeing in Shelly’s Cosmopolitan.
“You look pretty,” he says.
“Oh.” I look down at my dress, wondering why my cheeks feel suddenly warm. “I talked to Shelly and she said Trent would be there.”
“Right.” His smile fades just a bit. “I meant to tell you I talked to him at the luau about meeting up tonight.”
“And you acted like I could pick whatever movie I wanted to see,” I pretend to scold as we walk to his car. “Of course, we’ll see whatever they’re seeing!”
“He didn’t commit,” Jason says, opening the door for me.
As we drive to the theater, I notice soft music is playing. He’s quiet, and everything suddenly feels very intimate. Not at all like a casual friends-going-to-the-movies night. It almost feels like this is turning into another real date.
“Hey, I was thinking,” I say, breaking the mood. “I really should pay for my ticket.”
“What?”
“I mean, it’s just a fake date after all. You shouldn’t have to spend money on me.”
“I don’t mind buying your ticket.” He seems annoyed by my suggestion.
“But it’s kind of a lot. And I don’t want any popcorn or anything.”
“Look, H.D., just because we’re faking doesn’t mean I won’t buy your ticket.”
“I know. I just… I’d feel better about it if I paid for myself.”
Jason looks at me a second. Then he shakes his head. His expression is a mystery to me as I hold out my ten, almost like he’s about to tell me something, but at the last minute changes his mind.
“Just put it in the ashtray,” he says.
I open the small compartment and stuff it on top of quarters and what looks like a rock.
When we get to the theater, he buys our tickets and leads me inside. I see Shelly and Trent waiting at the snack counter. Trent has on jeans and a plaid shirt with a blazer that I’m sure I’ve seen on one of those headless mannequins in the mall. Then he smiles, and I feel all squishy inside. Trent’s teeth were so white, and they have the slightest tilt inward at the bottom. I imagine kissing him, and my eyes almost close.
“Hi, guys,” Jason’s voice snaps me back to attention.
“Hey,” Shelly says, obviously checking out my date.
“Should we go on and get seats?” I say.
“We just ordered popcorn.” Shelly seems even less enthusiastic ab
out being with Trent tonight, and I figure the make-out session was a bust. Oh, well!
“Why don’t you and Trent go,” Jason says. “I’ll help Shelly and get us something.”
“Oh, you don’t have to…” I start to say, but Shelly comes to life.
“That’s a great idea!”
I do a double-take at her, but Trent steps over and lightly touches my arm. My pulse jumps through the roof, and I completely forget about stopping Jason or pretending to be miffed at Shelly’s obvious interest in my date. My fake date.
“Our theater’s Number 5,” he says and smiles. I remember to smile back.
“Okay,” I say, turning to follow him.
As we walk toward the big red five in the distance I hear Shelly talking to Jason.
“Your hair is the most amazing color,” she says. “It’s like dark chocolate with milk chocolate highlights.”
I roll my eyes and almost laugh. Shelly does not miss a chance.
“What?” Trent’s watching me.
“Oh!” I jump. I can’t be amused by Shelly’s tactics. Jason’s supposed to be my real date, and it wouldn’t make sense if I found her behavior funny instead of annoying. “I just thought of this funny story. Something Jason told me earlier.”
“So you two are dating now?”
“I guess. I mean, we’re just getting to know each other, so I don’t know.”
Trent nods, then he touches my arm again. Zing!
“This is us,” he says, reaching to hold the door for me. I sigh inwardly. He’s such a gentleman.
We go inside and pick out four empty seats next to each other. Then he and I sit beside each other in the middle two. Several minutes pass, and I try to think of something to say. All I keep getting are thoughts of Shelly making out with him and milk chocolate highlights.
“Did you have fun at the luau?” he finally asks me.
“Yeah,” I say. “Did you?”
“Oh, sure.”
Silence again. I looked around trying to find a subject for conversation. I don’t know what Trent likes to talk about. Shelly covered everything that doesn’t work last night in the bathroom, and we’ve never had a class together. We don’t have lunch together, we didn’t have lunch together last year, not that it would’ve mattered since I was hideous last year. We’ve never had the chance to really talk, come to think of it. Just then Shelly walks in with Jason. She’s holding his arm and laughing like he just said the funniest thing on the planet. Jason looks up and his eyebrows rise slightly. My shoulders rise a hair in response. It’s like we’re using a secret code, only at this point I have nothing to report.
Jason slides into the seat next to me, and Shelly reluctantly moves across in front of us to Trent’s other side. I wouldn’t have put it past her to sit beside my date if the spot weren’t already taken.
I feel Jason nudge my arm and look down. He’s holding his hand in a position that indicates he wants me to take it. Suddenly I’m not so sure about my plan. Almost-talking to Trent just now, he seemed interested and maybe… just possibly disappointed that Jason and I are dating. What if he feels the same thing I do, that Jason does? That when you really like someone, you don’t want them dating anyone else for any length of time. But I can’t be sure.
Then Jason reaches up and laces our fingers. I let him pull our clasped hands forward so it’s clear to everyone that we’re holding hands. I see Trent glance our way, and my heart sinks. Maybe this is all a mistake.
The lights dim and the movie starts, but I can’t concentrate on a thing happening onscreen I’m so worried. And when it’s finally over, Jason releases me. I feel myself breathe again. Trent hasn’t touched Shelly, and I’m willing to bet this’ll be their last outing together. She doesn’t seem to mind.
As we walk back to the lobby, I listen to everyone chatting about the film. I glance at Trent’s lavender-blue eyes, and he smiles back at me. He looks sad again, and I’m about to say something, anything, when Jason takes my arm.
“See you guys Monday,” he says and pulls me toward the Gremlin.
Trent turns and follows Shelly in the opposite direction.
Back in the G-ride, Jason sounds happy. “That went really well, I think,” he says.
“I guess.” I’m looking out the window, lost in thought.
“Well, I think this was a great first date… first fake date… whatever.”
“I’ve been thinking. What if I was wrong?”
“About what?”
“Remember how you said that about not wanting someone you like to date anyone else ever.”
“Yeah?” His eyes flick briefly to mine, then back to the windshield.
“What if Trent feels the same way?”
“I don’t get you.” Jason’s voice sounds like he really does get me, but he’s stalling.
I turn in my seat to face him. “What if all this fake dating is a bad idea and it ends up pushing Trent to date some other girl?”
“You mean like Shelly?”
“Well, no. Shelly would obviously rather date you.”
He laughs at that. “She’s a trip.”
“Mm-hm,” I agree, but I’m still thinking about Trent’s sad little smile.
“So how’d a tame preacher’s kid get to be best friends with her?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean she knows her way around the field. I think she grabbed my ass on the way into the theater.”
“I’m sure she did,” I sigh. “We’ve been friends since kindergarten. And she wasn’t always like that.”
“Interesting. I’m really impressed with your tolerance for her stunts. I guess that’s part of those Fruits of the Spirit. Patience?”
He grins at me, and I squint back. “So you have been in a church before.”
“I don’t mind going to church. It’s just been… different lately. And we’re new here.”
“Well, Shelly doesn’t mean to be a jerk. She really is a good friend. She’s just… her parents got divorced last summer and it tends to cloud her judgment sometimes.”
“No shit,” he says.
“And seriously with the language. I’m not getting grounded over some fake boyfriend’s mouth.”
“Okay, okay,” he laughs.
We’re almost at my house, and when we reach the stop sign on the corner, I notice a car parked just ahead. It’s a familiar car—it’s Ricky’s! Why is he at my house?
I grab the door handle and jump out of the Gremlin while it’s still stopped.
“Harley!” I hear Jason yell. “What are you doing? I’ll drive you home.”
“That’s okay,” I say, slamming the squeaky, poppy door. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
I run the half-block to my house and then dash up the walk. I notice Dad’s Prius is still gone as I fly through the door, and I have no idea what to expect inside. But whatever it is, I’m about to bust it up. I’m surprised when I find the living room and kitchen dark and empty. Voices are coming from Mom’s office, and I jog on tip-toes over to it, leaning my head toward the door.
“You just have to be patient.” Mom’s saying. “Things have a way of working themselves out.”
“You say that, but it’s hard to believe.” Ricky’s voice is quiet. He sounds like he’s crying.
“I know,” Mom says. I hear bodies moving, and I imagine them embracing. This is not happening! Where’s Dad?
It’s quiet a few seconds longer, then Ricky speaks.
“Thanks for letting me come over,” he says. Sounds of movement again. “I felt like I had to talk in person.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Mom says. “But you do need to go now. It’s late and Harley could be home any minute. She might not understand.”
“How is it possible I got sent to this tiny town and found you?” His voice is warm.
“Predestined?” Mom’s voice has a smile in it, and I feel sick.
“More like my angel…”
The office door starts to open
, and I jump and scurry back, trying to make it look like I just closed the front door. But not before I see my mom shake her head and smile back at him.
“Harley! You’re home,” she says. She sounds surprised, and I feel my eyes grow hot. “Ricky just stopped by to… discuss something.”
I nod, but my heart is racing, and I can’t meet her eyes. His angel? What wouldn’t I understand? What were they doing in there while I was gone? While Mom was supposed to be home. Alone. Reading about magnets and menopause. Menopause! She could be his grandmother.
“Hey, biker chick,” Ricky says.
“Only my dad calls me that.” I won’t look at either of them.
“I was just teasing.” Ricky says, and I glance up. His cheeks appear damp in the dim light, and as usual he’s wearing a tight polo. It stretches over his chest as he reaches to touch my mother’s arm.
“I’d better go,” he says.
“I’ll walk you out,” she replies.
I don’t move as I watch them leave. In my mind I put together the timeline. Jason picked me up a little before seven, and the movie was two hours long. Did Ricky know I’d be gone? Was it just a coincidence? How long could he have been here? Maybe I got home just in time. Finally Mom returns.
“How was the movie, honey?” Her voice sounds tired and she lifts her hand to rub her forehead.
“Fine,” I say, watching at her.
“That’s good.” Then she waves to the door. “Ricky just had… this thing. It was nothing really.”
“Nothing?”
“Yeah, just something he’s dealing with… but nothing for you to worry about.”
I bite my lip and decide against asking if it was another suspicious mole. Instead, I internally freak out. What I saw was way too intimate to be nothing. My stomach feels both sick and crampy, and I wish she’d tell me more.
She just smiles and walks over to me. “I don’t know about you, but I’m dead. I’m gonna hit the feathers.”
She pecks my cheek, and I can’t help checking for any sign something might’ve happened. Her shirt tags are all in their proper places, her hair isn’t messy or swept into a high, damp ponytail. She isn’t singing anything off-key…
“Where’s Dad?” I ask.
“Hm?” Mom looks up and then glances at the clock. “Oh, wow. It’s after ten. He probably just got tied up at church or something. Don’t worry. He’ll be home soon.”
The Truth About Faking Page 6