White is for Virgins

by Necks, S. Eva

Nick and I turned around, watching Fox run toward us. I smiled as I watched him dragging Lily behind him.

  “Sup,” Nick said.

  “Lily and I might catch some lunch,” Fox shrugged. “You guys wanna join?”

  “Can’t,” Nick said, “She’s busy.”

  Fox turned to look at me; his eyes were smiling knowingly, but his lips were parted. I gulped at the sight of him.

  “That’s too bad,” he finally managed.

  “Yup,” I added, just to feel like part of the conversation.

  Lily remained silent.

  “So the real reason we wanted to talk to you guys,” Fox said, pausing to smile adoringly at Lily, “was to propose our brilliant idea.”

  It was official. Fox and Lily were a ‘we’. A collective noun. An item.

  Nick and I just stood there, waiting for Fox to continue. But of course, he was big on putting a show. He craved the attention; the suspense.

  “You wanna tell them, Lil?” he asked her. She glared at him and then cracked a small smile.

  “No, I’ll let you do the honors,” she replied.

  Did they get married over night? Because they sure as hell are acting like it.

  “Well,” Fox said finally, “We were thinking we could all double for Saturday.”

  My stomach clenched. It felt like someone was mercilessly ringing it dry. Doubling…? As in… I’d have to witness Fox and Lily together?

  Wait, why does this bother me again? I thought, looking at Nick for some kind of response. His face was expressionless as well.

  He seemed as caught off guard as I was. Compared to a double date, rented movies and Scrabble seemed ideal.

  “Sure,” I found myself saying. It’s not like I could’ve objected. And Nick sure as hell didn’t offer up any kind of clue as to if he was interested.

  “Excellent,” Fox grinned, flashing his white teeth in our direction.

  “Yeah,” Nick muttered, looking over at me. “Do you need a ride home?”

  “No, I’ll just walk,” I shrugged.

  That was obviously the wrong answer, because Nick gave me a quizzical look.

  “You sure?” he asked.

  “Positive,” I confirmed. I liked Nick. I really did. I just… preferred to walk home. I didn’t like people seeing where I lived, especially when they had the luxury of a car, and a mansion to call home. Plus, the fresh air would do me some good. I needed some time to think.

  “Right,” Nick said, nodding his head in Fox’s direction.

  “Bye guys,” I muttered, pulling out my iPod as I set off in the direction of my house.

  The bright colored leaves crunched under my feet as I cut through my small front yard and went around to the back door.

  I unlocked it with my set of keys and placed my backpack on the table. I heard shuffling from the living room and curiously picked up the pace.

  “Dad?” I asked, staring at the back of his white, wrinkled t-shirt. His hair, or what was left of it, was all disheveled and messy. He had definitely just woken up.

  He turned around, holding a pillow and horribly folded blanket. He looked guilty. As he should be.

  “How long have you been sleeping on the couch?” I asked, crossing my arms over my chest.

  ***

  You know that feeling you get when your parents are fighting? When they’re disagreeing? They raise their voices an octave or two, and tend to say things they don’t mean? Or, at least, you hope they don’t mean…

  The feeling of… wanting to interject and just tell them to shut up and offer them a reasonable solution? The frustrating restraints of adolescence that were holding me back were seriously pissing me off.

  As I rummaged through my pathetic excuse for a closet, I tried to block out their hateful altercation and busied myself with the task of finding a decent outfit.

  Finding an outfit for your first date, let alone double-date, was hard - especially if you didn’t know where you were going.

  “The one day you’re home you decide to go out!” my dad shouted from downstairs. I bit my lip and feverishly swiped at a few more clothes on the hangers.

  I outgrew this two years ago. Why did I ever buy this? I actually thought this was cute at one point? Christmas ’06… Pathetic.

  “Can you blame me for not wanting to spend a day cooped up in this pigsty you call a house?” my mother retaliated.

  I winced, humming some random song in hopes of tuning them out.

  Hmmm… this? No. No… ye – no…

  “You don’t give a damn for this family,” my father’s cold words spat, sending shivers down my spine.

  I took a few steps to my radio, hearing my mother screaming in the process. “I don’t give a damn for this family?! Have you forgotten who pays the goddamn bills, Jerry?”

  I didn’t want to hear any more of it. Blasting the volume, I silenced them with some Red Jumpsuit Apparatus.

  “Betray, but not gonna be willin’ to change,” I sang, grabbing my cream-colored hoodie and a pair of dark wash skinny jeans. They were splattered with holes.

  I threw off the clothes I’d worn to the daycare and pulled the sweater over my head. Pulling up the pants and walking over to my dresser, I picked a random pair of hoops and stuck them in my ears.

  I ran the straightener through my blonde tresses. I was in the middle of reapplying eyeliner when I heard a faint noise amongst the booming of my boom box and my parents yelling. I climbed over my bed and peered through the blinds, noticing that there were two cars parked outside: a Lambo and a Range Rover.

  Oh God.

  I ran the eyeliner over my eyes at lightning speed and snatched my tube of chapstick from my dresser on my way down the stairs.

  My parents stopped and glared at me.

  “And where are you going?” my dad growled.

  “Out with friends,” I practically whispered.

  His glare was not pretty, but my mother managed a small smile and waved goodbye. I took this as a sign to run out of the house.

  And that’s just what I did.

  I wasn’t exactly sure if there fights had anything to do with my dad sleeping on the couch, but I could guarantee the two were related. And that made me wanna cry.

  Nick got out and pulled the passenger side of his Rover open for me. I hopped in and took deep breaths as Nick walked back around the car. He smiled at me as he pulled out from my driveway and followed Fox’s car to the highway.

  The silence was forcing horrible thoughts into my head – thoughts that were too strong to avoid. If it kept up, the tears were inevitable.

  Thankfully Nick’s phone rang, and I shifted in my seat to look out the window.

  “Hello? …Uh, yeah, hold on.”

  Nick nudged my arm with his phone, and I give him a weird look as I took it.

  “Who is it?” I asked Nick stupidly holding the phone to my right ear.

  “Who do you think?” the voice on the other end replied.

  My eyes darted to the car in front of us, and I cursed at the tinted windows silently as I smirked.

  “What do you want Fox?” I muttered, leaning my elbow against the window.

  “I wanna know why you look like someone just ran over your dog,” he stated simply.

  Way to be blunt. I pitied the poor canine I pictured as he said that sentence.

  “We both know I don’t have a dog,” I sighed.

  “Figure of speech, Em. Get with it.”

  “Nothing’s up,” I replied trying to sound as nonchalant as possible.

  “I don’t believe you.”

  “Well that’s too bad,” I remarked, clenching my jaw as I looked out the window.

  The line was silent for a bit, and I asked, “Is that all?”

  I heard a muffled noise and some whispering before a more feminine voice spoke to me. Lily.

  “Hey you,” she said.

  “Hi…” I replied. Is talking on the phone really necessary?

  “What’s wrong?” she asked.r />
  “Nothing,” I muttered.

  “I doubt that,” she said, rolling down her window and giving me a stern look from her side-view mirror.

  “Where are we going?” I asked, changing the subject.

  She seemed mad that I had ignored her question. But nevertheless, she answered mine.

  “The Strike Out,” she told me, as if I knew what that was.

  “Where are we going?” I repeated.

  “You’ll see when we get there,” she said with a devilish grin. Before I could say anything else, she shut the phone and rolled up the window.

  I handed the phone back to Nick, a bit uneasy. I wish I was… no, on second thought I’m glad I’m out of the house. I just wish I wasn’t with these people.

  “You ok?” Nick asked.

  I literally almost growled. Was I ok? No! Did I want to talk about it? Obviously not.

  Nick seemed to get the message, because he shook his dark hair from his eyes and tapped at the black box between us.

  “Pick something,” he ordered. “It’s way too boring in this vehicle.”

  I cracked a smile and scavenged through his massive collection of burned CDs. Settling for My Chemical Romance, I handed it to him and he turned it on.

  “Nice choice,” he commented.

  To my dismay, ‘Disenchanted’ came on first. I loved the song, it was just really depressing. For the duration of the ride I tried my hardest to keep myself together.

  ***

  The Strike Out, as it turned out, was a bowling alley. I drew the connection quickly.

  “Really, Lily? A bowling alley?” I muttered as we all headed inside.

  “Really, Emery, a bowling alley,” she said, imitating me.

  Fox swaggered next to Lily in his usual demeanor; wearing a black long-sleeved shirt and jeans so light they looked white. They really brought out his hair.

  I forced myself to inspect The Strike Out rather than my friend’s date.

  It was retro, to say the least; lots of flashing lights and 80’s furniture. Nick went to register us while I got my shoes. Fox did as well, ordering not only his size but Lily’s as well.

  “Aww, isn’t that just the cutest thing,” I commented bitterly and I leaned against the counter.

  “What’s up your ass?” he muttered, furrowing his brows.

  I blew my bangs out of my eyes. “Does something have to be wrong with me to note that you being Lily’s bitch is adorable?”

  He glared at me, fighting a smile.

  “It’s so hot in here,” I muttered, pulling my sleeves up and fanning my face.

  “Take your sweater off,” Fox shrugged.

  I blushed. “Well, I kind of forgot to put something on underneath,” I explained.

  His eyes flashed wickedly. “Like I said… take your sweater off.”

  I shoved him, and he laughed heartily.

  I turned from those emerald green eyes and grabbed my clown shoes from the old woman behind the counter. Her dreadful attempt at a smile was revived as soon as she caught sight of Fox.

  I shook my head and smirked as I took a seat next to Nick and laced my shoes. If I get any kind of foot fungus I swear…

  “You enjoying yourself?” Nick whispered in my ear. I looked up, noticing Fox and Lily were having their own conversation and giggling.

  “Very much so,” I said sarcastically.

  Nick stood up, looking incredibly dorky in his bowling shoes.

  “How do I look?” he asked, placing a hand on his hip and flipping his hair.

  “Stunning,” I remarked.

  “Why, thank you. You look pretty swell yourself,” Nick chuckled, helping me up.

  We picked our bowling balls and got ourselves situated. It was Nick and I versus Fox and Lily. I was not surprised.

  “Ready ladies?” Fox cooed as he held his black ball.

  “Screw you,” Nick smirked.

  Nick and Fox duked it out first. Both of their balls hit the floor like a roll of thunder, and sped down the aisle toward the pins.

  Fox got a strike, Nick got a spare.

  “Watch yourself, Evans,” Nick threatened as Lily and I stepped up.

  I was literally in no mood, but I was a tad competitive. I had no bowling skills, but at the moment it didn’t matter.

  I thrust the ball forward, sending it at the pins at a medium speed. It swerved to the left, and knocked over two pins. Lily hit seven.

  Fox high-fived Lily and pulled her into an affectionate hug. Nick came up behind me and helped me hold the ball. I’m not completely clueless…

  He then whispered in my ear peaceful phrases like, “Find your momentum,” and “Focus on the center of the aisle,” and “Follow through, it’s just a game.” I felt like I was in one of those cheesy romantic movies where the guy took his date out to a place where he could purposely teach her how to do something as an excuse to feel her up.

  Even though he was rubbing my shoulder soothingly, and somewhat seductively, I knew his intentions were merely motivational.

  “Keep it in your pants Nick! There are kids here!” Fox yelled, causing a scene.

  I blushed like mad.

  Nick was surprisingly helpful, though; while Lily’s ball ended up in the gutter mine got us a spare.

  “Yes!” I smiled victoriously.

  Nick smiled at me as he grabbed his ball and once again faced Fox.

  “Hey Lily, you wanna feel me up for good luck too?” Fox joked mercilessly.

  “I’m good,” Lily sighed, stepping away from him.

  This time both Fox and Nick got strikes. How is it that guys basically own at everything? Is it in their genes? A chromosome girls are missing?

  We continued the game and at the last round Lily decided to go to the bathroom and Fox challenged me.

  “Ready, Price?” he murmured, arching his eyebrow in an intimidating way.

  I rolled my eyes and rolled the ball. He stood straight and watched as my green orb swerved to the right and hit three pins miserably.

  I tried to suck it up as he flawlessly hit a strike.

  “I hate you,” I muttered, grabbing the ball and going again. I managed to hit all but one of the remaining pins.

  “Emery, don’t be a sore loser,” he smirked.