All I've Never Wanted

by Ana Huang

  “Don’t call 911, it’ll just cause a scene.” Adriana threw her napkin onto the table and stood up. “I’ll drive him to the ER.” She shot us an apologetic look. “Sorry to bail on dinner like this, but as much of a doofus as Zack is, I don’t want him to die.”

  “I can’t believe you’re—making fun—of me—while I’m on my—deathbed,” Zack gasped.

  Adriana sighed. “Parker, can you help me bring this drama queen out to the car?”

  “Sure,” Parker replied easily. He gave me another wink. “I’ll be right back, honeybee.”

  “Text me and let me know how things go,” I told Adriana anxiously.

  She nodded, slipping one arm around Zack’s shoulders while Parker supported him on his other side. The trio staggered out the door, leaving just me and Roman behind.

  Well, this was awkward.

  “I hope Zack’s ok,” I finally said, fiddling with the silverware in front of me.

  “He’ll be fine.” Roman’s voice was curt. He didn’t say anything else.

  So much for conversation.

  We just sat there in silence for what seemed like forever, studiously avoiding each other’s gazes.

  What’s taking so long? I thought, biting my lip and jiggling my foot nervously. I didn’t deal well with awkward silences, and Parker should’ve been back by now.

  Suddenly, Roman cleared his throat, startling me.

  My head jerked up and I stared at him, confused.

  “So.” Roman shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “I, uh, just wanted to apologize for—for yesterday.”

  My jaw dropped. Had he just voluntarily apologized to me? For the second time? And he stuttered!

  Hell must have frozen over by now.

  I was too stunned to say anything, and he obviously took my silence to mean I didn’t accept his apology, because he continued, “I really didn’t mean to walk in on you while you were—er, you know—“ He broke off, his face turning red.

  My own face turned the exact same shade of Il Serrano’s crimson walls as I remembered yesterday’s scene. “It’s ok,” I squeaked, jiggling my foot even more. “It’s not your fault. Adri just texted you the wrong number.”

  “Right. Right.” Roman nodded absentmindedly. “And just so you know, I didn’t look or anything. I mean, I looked, but I didn’t stare. I mean, I’m not that sort of person—“

  I couldn’t help but giggle a little at his discomfort.

  “—I wouldn’t stare at you anyway, is what I meant to say.”

  “Are you calling me ugly?” I couldn’t help but tease him a little.

  Hey, you would do the same thing! It’s not like chances to make fun of Roman Fiori came along all that often.

  Roman turned even redder. “No! That’s not what I meant! It’s—well, you’re Parker’s girlfriend, so that would be…inappropriate.”

  “Very,” I agreed, hiding a smirk as he shifted again in his seat, an adorable frown on his face.

  I blinked. Wait. Did I just think Roman was adorable? Oh, god, maybe Zack wasn’t the only one getting sick tonight.

  Thankfully, the door swung open and Parker strolled back in, snapping his phone shut.

  My relief faded when he gazed at me apologetically. “I just got off the phone with my mom, I have an emergency back home,” he said with a sigh. “I have to go.”

  “What? What about dinner?” I blurted, panicking. No way was I going to stay here with just Roman!

  “I wish I could stay but I can’t, I’m really sorry.” Parker frowned. “I do have to go though. I hope you understand.”

  “Maybe we can do a group dinner later,” I suggested, scrambling to stand up. “Since no one’s here anyway.”

  “Don’t be silly. It’s a shame for all that food to go to waste. I spoke with the chefs before I came back and boxed up Zack, Adri, and my meals. You two just enjoy your food here.”

  “No, that’s all right. Parker, I can just go with you.” I begged him with my eyes, hoping we’d spontaneously developed an ESP connection overnight. “I can help you at home!”

  “That’s a sweet offer, honeybee, but I’m afraid you won’t be of much help. Rome here can drive you home, right?”

  Parker glanced over at where Roman was watching us with sharp eyes.

  “Right,” the violet-eyed Scion finally replied.

  “See? Everything will be fine.” Parker kissed my cheek. “I’ll see you tomorrow, honeybee.”

  My shoulders slumped. “Bye,” I said glumly, as he walked out just as the waiter came in bearing our food.

  I poked at my pancetta, my nerves doubling as it suddenly hit me that I was eating in a private dining room with just Roman.

  “You know, poking at your food like that won’t make you any less hungry,” Roman said.

  I looked over at him. He stared back emotionlessly, all traces of his previous adorable-ness gone, which is probably a good thing.

  “You should eat.” He nodded curtly at my plate. “I know you’re sad your lover boy’s gone, but I don’t want you starving on my watch.”

  “I am eating,” I protested. “See?” I took a bite of my pancetta to prove my point.

  Roman snorted, then abruptly changed the subject. “So you and Adri went shopping earlier today, huh?”

  “Yeah…” Where was he going with this?

  “Funny, I figured you and Parker would’ve done the deed already,” he commented casually, digging into his own food.

  I froze. “Why? Because I’m such a slut?” I asked lightly, trying not to show how much the assumption actually hurt.

  Roman’s jaw tensed. “Because it’s Parker,” he answered flatly.

  I stared down at my plate. “We’ve only been dating for a week…”

  “Guess you’re looking forward to homecoming then.”

  “What makes you say that?”

  His lips twisted into a wry smirk. “So you guys can finally do what you’ve wanted. Isn’t that why you bought all that lingerie?”

  I glared at him. “Have you ever heard the saying, when you assume, you make an ass of u and me?”

  Roman shrugged nonchalantly, but his jaw was still tight. “I’m right though.”

  “No, you’re not,” I snapped. I didn’t know why I was getting so riled up. I shouldn’t care what he thought of me, but I was getting undeniably frustrated and couldn’t stop the stream of words that came out of my mouth next. “You don’t even know anything about our relationship! Besides, I’ll have you know that I don’t even know if I want to—to do anything homecoming night! I mean, I’m a virgin, for God’s sake!”

  The minute I said that, I slapped a hand over my mouth, horrified. Oh god, I did not just say that!

  Roman gaped at me, his fork frozen halfway to his mouth. It would’ve been a funny sight, if I wasn’t too busy resisting the urge to crawl under the table and hide.

  “You’re a virgin?” he spluttered.

  I blushed. “Is it really that hard to believe?” I muttered, grabbing my water and gulping it all down, hoping to ease the fire that had spread to my neck.

  I couldn’t believe we were sitting here, talking about my love life.

  “But—but—“ He seemed to be at a loss for words.

  I sighed wearily. “Don’t say anything. Let’s just eat, ok?”

  I wasn’t expecting him to let it go just like that, so imagine my surprise when Roman actually shut up and ate the rest of his dinner in silence.

  When we finished, we walked outside, shivering a little in the brisk fall air. Roman unlocked his car, and I actually held my breath as I slid into the passenger seat. His car was so state-of-the-art and expensive, even compared to the other Scions’ vehicles, that I was a bit afraid I would damage it or something.

  “You know, you can sit all the way back,” he commented, pulling out of the parking lot. “The seat’s not made of glass.”

  “I know that.” I tried to sound confident, but I did relax a little.

  We were
already halfway to my house when he spoke again.

  “Are you really a virgin?”

  And just like that, I tensed again. “I don’t lie,” I answered a bit sharply. Ok, maybe sometimes, but he didn't have to know that!

  Roman glanced at me out of the corner of his eye. “And you’re going to give it up to Parker, just like that?”

  I sighed, exasperated. “I told you we might not even do anything.” We definitely weren’t going to do anything, since he and I weren’t really dating, but I wasn't going to tell Roman that.

  “Well, I hope you don’t. Once he gets what he wants, he’s just going to toss you aside,” Roman said flatly.

  I laughed a bit disbelievingly, not sure whether to be insulted or a bit touched by his concern. “Thanks a lot.”

  “I’m just warning you.”

  “Thanks for the warning, but I’m a big girl. I can take care of yourself.”

  “Sure you can.” Roman slammed down on the brakes at a stop sign, and I silently thanked my mom for teaching me to always put on my seatbelt before anything else when I got in a car. “If he breaks your heart, don’t come running to me.”

  I snorted. “Yeah, you’re the first person I would go running to when I have a problem,” I said sarcastically. “Why do you care so much anyway?”

  “I don’t.”

  “Uh-huh,” I replied, making it clear I was unimpressed.

  “I really don’t!”

  “I never said I didn’t believe you,” I sang, staring out the window and willing myself not to smile. Making fun of Roman was just too easy.

  He let out an annoyed growl. “Why are you so…so…”

  I cocked an eyebrow. “So what?”

  “So dense!”

  “I’m not dense!” Now I was insulted.

  “Yes you are.” Roman pulled into my driveway and glared at me. “If you weren’t, then you can see Parker is just using you!”

  Uh…more like, I was kind of using him. “He’s not, trust me.”

  “You’re way too naïve if you believe that.”

  “Look, I know Parker better than you think, and I can assure you, he’s not using me.” I tapped the window. “Are you going to let me out?”

  Roman’s lips thinned as he grumpily unlocked the door. “Fine. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

  I rolled my eyes, opening the door. “I won’t.” Before I got out, I paused, biting my lip. “And thank you for driving me home,” I added rather reluctantly.

  Who would’ve thought there’d be a day when I’d thank him for anything?

  Roman was obviously just as surprised as I was, because he stared at me in silence for a few seconds before his shoulders relaxed a bit. “You’re welcome.”

  We stared at each other for a minute longer, a strange feeling blossoming in my stomach. It was weird, but Roman seemed to be becoming more and more human the more I interacted with him, and it was making me feel funny.

  Probably just shock that the devil’s spawn can actually be human, I reasoned, though I couldn’t help but be drawn to his eyes.

  They were probably his biggest selling point. I bet no one else on earth had gold-flecked violet eyes like his. Heck, I bet no one else on earth had gold-flecked violet eyes, period.

  Right now, they were darker than usual, unreadable but still unnervingly intense.

  The feeling in my stomach spread even more, freaking me out.

  “Uh, thanks for the ride,” I blurted, completely forgetting I had already thanked him. I scrambled out of the car. “Good night!” With that, I slammed the door shut and almost ran into my house.

  Roman may not have been as big of a jerk as he usually was, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to be alone with him again.

  And whatever was happening in my stomach seriously needed to go away.

  CHAPTER 15

  Surprisingly, the rest of the school week was pretty uneventful, and the next thing I knew, it was Friday. Since my grandmother’s flight was at night, my mom and I were supposed to drive her to the airport together. My dad was at work—at least, I sincerely hoped he was at work and not with that bimbo Lexi.

  My mom’s car just so happened to be in the shop for maintenance that day, so Parker had taken his family’s Escalade to drive us instead.

  “Thanks for driving us,” I said, standing to the side as my grandmother and mother dealt with checking the luggage.

  “No problem, how can I miss saying bye to dear old grandma?” Parker smirked, his eyes dancing with amusement as my grandmother harassed the poor lady behind the counter.

  Apparently, she wanted a seat upgrade, and there was no way in hell she was going to leave until she got one.

  “She must be the most entertaining old lady I’ve ever met,” Parker chuckled.

  “Only if she’s not your grandma,” I said dryly.

  “What you mean I no get first-class?” my grandmother shrieked, waving her boarding pass angrily in the air. “You think I no look like I belong in first-class? These pearls real! Come from South Sea!” She pointed to her necklace, which my mom had gotten her for her birthday.

  “That’s not what I meant, ma’am,” the lady said with a pained look on her face. “But you must—“

  “No call me ma’am! I speak to manager! Now!” My grandmother balled her hands up into tiny wrinkled fists. “Or you regret!”

  I could feel Parker shaking with laughter beside me; I just felt sorry for the poor woman. My mom, who knew better than to try and intervene, shot an apologetic glance at the increasingly annoyed people in line.

  “Oh, man, I’m going to miss her,” Parker snickered. “I can see where you get your feistiness from.”

  “Thanks,” I said wryly.

  A wail rose above the other noises in the airport, and I saw a young Hispanic couple rush to calm their crying baby. The guy reminded me a bit of Carlo.

  I frowned. I actually haven’t seen him much since Wednesday, and when I did, he’d been oddly quiet and distracted.

  “Hey, do you know what’s up with Carlo lately?” I asked.

  Parker shot me quick glance. “What do you mean?”

  “I don’t know, he’s just been acting a bit weird…”

  He shrugged, looking a bit uncomfortable. “I think he’s fine.”

  “You sure? Is he in trouble or something? Because—“

  “I think your grandmother’s ready to go,” Parker interrupted me.

  “Come on, let’s walk her to the gate.”

  I frowned. It was so obvious he was trying to change the subject, but I was going to let it slide. For now.

  Parker, my mom, and I trailed after my grandmother as she somehow managed to intimidate her way to the head of the security line, a first-class seat ticket and a day pass for the airline’s lounge in hand.

  I swear that woman could take over the world if she wanted to.

  “Bye, grandma, have a safe flight,” I said, hugging her. “Good luck with your mah-jongg tournament.”

  “Oh, I no need luck. Loser Weed going down this year,” my grandmother cackled. Then she narrowed her eyes and wagged her fingers at me and Parker. “You and Pee Wee, no do kinky stuff while I gone, you hear?”

  I giggled at the horrified look on Parker’s face. I’m definitely calling him that from now on.

  “I promise, grandma.”

  With a satisfied nod, she added, “Next time I see you, I hope you thinner.”

  With that, she headed towards the security line, but not before she warned me to never work for the TSA because apparently “only perverts like job that feel others up all day. Bring shame to family, no one like perverts.”

  As I watched her put her shoes back on at the other side, no doubt grumbling about being patted down by a stranger, I was surprised to realize I was a bit sad to see her go. She could be annoying sometimes, but she sure spiced things up a bit.

  Although my life definitely didn’t need any extra spices lately.

  * * *

 
When I woke up the next morning, I should’ve known it wasn’t going to be a good day. The angry gray sky, pouring rain, and ominous thunder should’ve clued me in.

  But no, I had to be in relatively high spirits, mainly because I managed to avoid my dad all morning and because my mom had made my favorite eggs-and-bacon breakfast combo. Of course, once I received the call, my mood did a total one-eighty.