It Had to Be You

by Lizzy Charles

  Better get dressed before I get a warning. I retreat to my room and toss on an undershirt. For the first time ever I have nothing to do. Usually my first night back at Brockmore is spent tossing down lazy responses to the summer reading essays, but I finished my essays a month ago.

  I wasn’t kidding about turning things around this year. Now if only I hadn’t done that prairie-dog prank this evening. Temptation always wins with me. One last hurrah is too good to turn my back on.

  Chapter Five

  Edelweiss

  The click of the lock breaks me. I leave my lights off in case Tuti comes barreling in and toss myself onto my bare mattress. Why didn’t I trust my instincts about the hallway and bedroom feeling different? I can’t believe I was naïve enough to let Emma trick me into thinking my bedroom was in the guys’ dorm. Knowing my quilt lies snug on some random guy’s bed makes my stomach turn over.

  Today has been a disaster.

  I pull out my journal from my nightstand, combing through my list. Escaping the boys’ bathroom certainly never made the list, and all the regular things that did, like make new friends, took a major step back today.

  I bet Tuti’s already putting in her request to switch rooms after the drama I’ve dragged into her life today.

  How could I let this happen? My day was supposed to be filled with awkward getting-to-know-you conversations and putting my best foot forward in front of the administration. A day filled with proof that I don’t need Mom or Dad to hold my hand. And now? I gaze down at my laptop, placed on the floor in the spot where my dresser once stood. All I want to do is Skype Mom to hear that everything will be all right.

  Except I know the moment I mention James and how he snuck me into school and rescued me from the boys’ shower, her mind will spin into Loveland. She’ll suddenly be squealing for my dad so I can share the story a second time. Then she’ll overanalyze every expression I make, becoming firmly set on the idea that James is supposed to be my first boyfriend.

  She’ll say my day was perfect and won’t hear my disappointment. Not a drop.

  The air in this room is heavy, pressing down on my shoulders and demanding acknowledgment for the suckitude of the day. No, I can’t call her yet.

  A burn feathers in my chest. James must think I’m so desperate after I asked him to be my boyfriend.

  Well, my fake boyfriend.

  He’s probably in the lounge right now telling everyone I begged him to date me. He’s obviously one of the most popular guys at Brockmore. A few words from his mouth will cause more harm to my reputation than anything Emma could do to me.

  What was I thinking? James may not even be on my side. I could have just given my enemy ammo. He owes me no loyalty just because our fathers know each other.

  How could my parents teach me nothing about being a teenager? They made sure I had the opportunity to walk through the Hiroshima Peace Memorial while I studied World War II, but they kept me tucked under their wing so close that I don’t even know how to make it through one day of school.

  None of this feels like the opportunity I’d hoped for. My energy winds itself deep into my chest and a sense of urgency to protect myself overwhelms me. Time to keep my cards close. To be slow to speak and listen longer than necessary in order to figure out this place.

  The lock of the door jingles. My fingers wipe the dampness off my cheeks before Tuti throws on our light. She glances over at the empty spot where my dresser once stood.

  I glance at her closet, where she initially hung her saris. “They took your saris too. I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t worry about it. It’s not the first time Emma’s stolen my stuff.” She slips off her white Converse shoes and tucks them under her desk chair. “You okay?”

  “Yup. I’m good.” I pick up my phone, and before I can even turn it on she cocks her head to the side and plucks it out of my palm.

  “We’re having none of that tonight. Don’t you dare tell me you’re fine. If what happened to you today happened to me? My gawd. I’d be a sobbing mess. Cut your act, Edelweiss. You can’t tell me you don’t need to talk about this.”

  My cheeks flicker, giving my fake smile away.

  “Edelweiss, I’m not like Emma.” She leans up against her bed. There’s a softness in her eyes that reminds me of my mother. “Please don’t shut me out because Emma is a prat. I was really looking forward to getting to know you.”

  “I want to know you, too. Really.” I swing my legs over the side of my bed and tug my towel taut. “Where are you from?”

  She laughs, her brow arching. “I’m American, if that’s what you mean.”

  My face burns in a flash. Actually, that’s not what I meant, but of course the question would come off that way given I’m white and she’s of East Indian descent. I’ve traveled enough to know that being a certain race does not necessarily represent where you were born. “I’m sorry. I could have phrased that better. I meant more along the lines of are you from Chicago? San Francisco? Texas?”

  “Seattle, actually.” A gentle rose hints her cheeks. “I’m used to fielding the ‘where are you from’ question differently. Truth is, I’ve only been to India twice.”

  “Funny.” I pull my fingers through my hair. “I lived in Delhi for two years, but if people ask where I’m from, I’m most likely to say South Africa. That’s where I lived the longest and have the most memories. I’ve eaten more chakalaka and pap in my life than macaroni and cheese.”

  “But where are you from?” she teases.

  “Born in Washington, D.C., but my parents are from Ohio, so when we travel to the States to visit we usually end up at my grandparents’ cottage on the shore of Lake Erie.”

  Tuti smiles. “Now that’s a place I wish I could visit. Never been to any of the Great Lakes.” She reaches into her closet and pulls out a bright turquoise maxi-dress. “Here. Wear this.”

  “Thanks.” I tug it over my head. The material is soft against my skin, and it’s almost startling to be wearing something so colorful. I study Tuti’s outfit, and there’s something about her bright, patterned T-shirt and the way her jeans hug her hips that make me self-conscious of all the loose, neutral clothing in my wardrobe. “None of my clothing looks like yours.”

  “My look is more calculated than I’d like it to be, but that’s my business on YouTube. Anyway, don’t worry about your clothes. Starting tomorrow we have to wear our uniforms anyway. There’s nothing more comforting than a polyester pleated skirt.” She winks as she reaches down to grab her iPad. “What do you like to watch?”

  “I rotate between British comedies and horror films.”

  She laughs. “Horror films? Well…” She clicks around on the screen for a bit. “Lorelai Gilmore has been begging me to broaden my understanding of American film.”

  “Oh! I’ve watched Gilmore Girls!” I totally pictured Brockmore Academy to be like the high school Rory went to.

  Her eyes brighten. “Rory is my everything.”

  Just then there’s a knock on our door. Charlotte ducks her head in, her long, red curls bouncing. “Special delivery,” she says, pounding the top of my dresser. “How they snuck this dresser out of the girls’ wing and into the boys’ without getting caught blows my mind. It’s so heavy!”

  “She probably convinced the soccer team to help.” Tuti rolls her eyes.

  “Oh, thank you for bringing it back.” I hop off my bed to help them wiggle the dresser through the door on a skateboard. Ainsley pushes it in from behind, toting my hamper, Tuti’s saris, and my quilt. Wow. Emma really tackled the details when she grabbed stuff from my room to bring to whatever guys’ room she convinced me was my own.

  “Ladies.” I shake my head, astonished that they’d take the time to help me out after I ignored their advice. “Thank you so much. I was such an ass, and here you’ve saved my day.”

  “Well.” Charlotte reaches out, pulling me into a quick hug. “The dresser is courtesy of Jordan.” She flicks a glance toward Tuti, and a tell
-tale grin shows up on Tuti’s face.

  Aha. Tuti has a crush.

  “I’m sorry I came off a bit harsh,” Charlotte adds. “No one deserves what Emma did to you. I mean, holy hell. The boys’ bathroom! She was trying to get you expelled.”

  “It almost worked, too.” Tuti shakes her head.

  “Good thing James showed up.” Ainsley climbs up on Tuti’s bed, tucking in behind some pillows like it’s her normal corner.

  Tuti tosses the small bear on her bed at Ainsley. “She does not want to talk about James right now.”

  “Rumor has it that you two are the new thing?” Charlotte leans back, chuckling. “You took our warning to stay away from James seriously, didn’t you?”

  “He seems impossible to avoid,” I say. It’s odd our paths have crossed so significantly today.

  “Then why fight it?” Ainsley asks.

  “My God, Ainsley. It’s like you’re suddenly Team James. Why don’t you just ask him out?”

  “Nasty.” She slides off Tuti’s bed. “All I’m saying is he seems interested in her. Anyway, Charlotte, we need to hit up your review of trig if I’m going to get my paycheck.”

  Oh, Ainsley’s a tutor. Maybe she can hook me up so I can get some tutoring hours under my belt to amp up my college app.

  Charlotte’s groan interrupts my thoughts. “Can’t we just fake your hours?”

  “Sure, but only if you’re going to be able to pull down at least a 90 percent on the quiz tomorrow. There’s no way I’m giving up on you. If I lose you, then I’m stuck tutoring the freshmen.”

  Charlotte groans. “Fine. Edelweiss, let us know if you need help with anything.”

  “I will, and thanks again.”

  “Anytime.”

  Tuti follows them to the door, locking it, then latching the chain. “Just in case Emma still has keys,” she explains. “We should probably whisper, since her room is so close. She has a single, while the rest of us share.”

  “How come?”

  “Her daddy pays double for it.” She pulls the school-provided wool blanket off her bed and replaces it with a pristine white comforter. “So what are you going to do about Emma?”

  “Nothing.” I pluck a piece of fuzz from the quilt Mom and I bought from a textile market in Turkey when I was twelve. The small ivory flowers and green leaves complement the brightness of Tuti’s billowing comforter.

  “Really?”

  “I think anything more would just provoke her.”

  “Date James. She’d hate that.”

  I pray the warmth in my face will not give me away. She’d flip out if she knew I asked him out already. “You told me to stay away from him.”

  Tuti laughs. “Come on, did you see his abs? After your meet-up in the shower, you can’t deny he’s hot.”

  “He’s not interested in me, Tuti.”

  She shrugs. “I don’t know about that. I’ve seen James look at a lot of girls, but he’s never looked at a girl the way he looked at you tonight. There’s something there. I know it.”

  “It’s only because his dad probably mentioned me a few times. I imagine it’s odd for him to finally meet me.” At least that’s what I keep telling myself. The way he looked at me when I climbed through the window made my heart stand still.

  Chapter Six

  James

  My desk chair creaks with my weight as I pull up my essay on Crime and Punishment for one last look. This essay needs to be polished enough to land me extra credit before I walk through the door tomorrow morning. My doorknob jiggles as someone plays with the lock, then Gavin throws open the door, dragging in his luggage behind him. “My flight was delayed.”

  “Welcome back, man.” I get up and pull him into a bro hug. “Want some help?”

  “It’d make it quicker, that’s for sure.”

  I lift the strap of his soft guitar case over his head and place the instrument in the same spot near his bed where we kept it last year. It’s like his teddy bear.

  He plops his suitcase on the bed and unzips it. Per usual, his stuff is a massive lump. It’s like he never learned to fold worth shit. He chuckles while he separates his clothing. “How was babysitting your father’s friend’s kid all day?”

  “Could have been worse.”

  “What’s her name again?”

  “Edelweiss.”

  “Different. I like it.” His voice is lower than it was the last time we spoke on the phone in July. “What’s she like?”

  “Blonde, pretty, and fierce.”

  “Sounds like your type. How long did it take you to pounce on that one?”

  “Literally a millisecond thanks to the glare of the sun, but it’s not what you’re thinking. I took her down with my motorbike before the welcome dinner.” I sigh. Watching Gavin fold a T-shirt is like watching a toddler try to tie his shoes. “Let me show you.” I grab one from his suitcase and show him how it’s done.

  “So, this new girl. She’s not the girl that Mason just texted me about? The one you pulled in through the lounge window in her underwear?”

  I cringe. “Same girl.”

  “Ah. And you’re not into her?” He pats his favorite Radiohead T-shirt, which now resembles something less than a lump. “Better?”

  I nod. It’ll at least get the thing to fit in the drawer. “No, I’m not into her. I told you, I’m writing off girls this year.”

  “The day you write off girls will be the day one of my songs hits the top forty.”

  “You’re going to need a lot more confidence if you want to be a musician, Gavin.”

  “I’m working on it.” He shrugs. “From what Mason says this girl is ummm…stacked?”

  Edelweiss has curves for days. Ones that made it very awkward to be so near her in the shower.

  “And to clarify, you aren’t together?”

  I lean up against the wall. “You’re interested, and you haven’t even met her?”

  “After four years, all the girls in our class seem like sisters to me, and the incoming freshman are far too young to date.”

  My phone vibrates on the desk. I sneak a look at a text from Proctor. Don’t tell me you’ve marked your territory on the new chick.

  “Looks like you’ll have to get in line.” I hand over my phone to Gavin. The poor girl is going to be swamped tomorrow. There’s no way I can let her walk the halls alone. Dad should never have recommended Brockmore to a sweet, homeschooled, ambassador’s daughter.

  My phone vibrates in Gavin’s hand. His smile fades while he reads the text. “You need to call your dad.”

  “Yeah, I’ll call him after I’m done with my essays.”

  “No.” Gavin passes me the phone. “You need to call him now.”

  I’ve spoken with Julie and bought you a train ticket home. Say your good-byes to Brockmore, son.

  “Shit.” My stomach plummets through my feet, and I stare at the text, reading it over and over. Another one comes through.

  I’ve already requested your transcript. When she sends me the pdf, I’ll submit it to Arnold’s Online High School. Say good-bye to West Point.

  “I’ve got to go.” I grab my coat off the back of my chair and glance at the clock. One hour until curfew.

  “Where are you going?”

  “Out.”

  “You aren’t going to call him?” he yells down the hall after me.

  “I am, but with backup.”

  “Who could have your back better than me?” Gavin tosses a rolled-up sock at me while I open the door out of the guys’ wing.

  My aunt. I can’t lose Brockmore over mating prairie dogs.

  Ten minutes later I park my motorbike in her driveway and pound on the door of her cottage. “Julie, I’m sorry!”

  She pulls open the door and steps aside. “How could you do this to me, James? Undermine me in front of the incoming freshman class! I’ve been fielding calls all night from angry parents because of your prank.”

  A knot tugs tight in my chest. “It was supposed t
o be harmless.”

  “So you admit it? For the first time, you admit you were behind a prank?”

  Her eyes are red, exhausted. It makes me want to knock my own lights out. “I do.”

  She groans, tilting her head back. “Why did you do that? James, now I have to hand out consequences!”

  “That’s better than this.” I slide my phone to her across the black-granite countertop. “Read what my dad said.”

  Her eyes scan the texts, and her lips part wide. “Oh, Peter.” Her hand floats to her chest. “This isn’t how your mother would have handled this.”

  Hearing her mention my mom always cuts into me. Julie would never know it, though. Neither would Dad. They have no idea how much I wish I’d had an opportunity to know her the way they did. How much I miss her.

  “Help me, Julie.” I reach out and take her hand, looking into her eyes, brown with yellow flecks, just like my own. “You know I love Brockmore. You saw me working on my essays all summer. I am getting more serious, like Dad wanted.”

  “You are, but James, if your father wants to pull you from Brockmore, there’s nothing I can do.” She picks up her laptop with a deep sigh. “Let’s Skype him together. Maybe if he sees my face he won’t be so brutal.”

  “Thank you.”

  Two minutes later, Dad answers her Skype request.

  “Hey, Dad.” I lift a finger of acknowledgment.

  He dives right in, bringing the screen to his face at an angle that makes him look like he has a triple chin. “James, how could you do this to Julie?”

  “I apologized to her. We’re good, right?” I glance at Julie, making sure the camera gets both of us.

  Julie nods. “Peter, we’ve worked through this ourselves. I texted you out of frustration. James admitted to the prank, and there will be consequences.”

  “I’m sorry, Julie, but I’m not letting James off so easily. I made it very clear at the end of last semester that if he stepped out of line I’d yank him out of Brockmore. And James, you know sorry is not good enough. This sort of behavior is not tolerable in the real world. What do you think will happen if you pull this shit at West Point? They’ll throw your ass out the door, that’s what. Do you understand me, son?”