by JT Schultz
Tell that to my heart.
“Life has a funny way of working itself out even when we can’t see it.”
He sure hoped Albert was right or he was going to be miserable―not to mention a frog―for the rest of his life.
Chloe hurried up the stairs clutching the handles of the bag in her hand tightly. It was three months ago today that Luc had become part of her life and she had an anniversary present for him. She knew he would love the gift. Still, she was slightly in awe how quickly the last three months had gone. Luc was sweet and she considered him a dear friend, despite the crankiness in the beginning. Not to mention the best teacher going, her Italian improved daily. Of course, she still couldn’t understand a word he said when he mumbled, but he was still lovable and he was always there to lend a listening ear―not that she could see his ears. He sat quietly and let her talk, paying attention and giving his froggy advice. She rushed through her bedroom door and stared at the glass where Luc resided.
He shot her a look of contempt and glanced to the large clock on the wall. Yep, he was going to lecture her for being late. She smiled broader and shut her door then locked the handle.
“Where have you been Chloe, I’ve been worried.” Sure enough his demand in English followed with a mutter of Italian.
She laughed and drew closer to her friend. “I bought you something.”
“Shopping again?” Luc blinked in surprise. “That’s twice in three months, what has gotten into you? You don’t have the flu or a virus that’s going around, do you?”
“No to the flu or virus and yes, I went shopping, but this time I went by myself and found you the most perfect gift.”
He groaned and his lack of patience again prevailed. Though she found the notion sweet how he worried about her constantly, almost as much as she stressed over his safety and happiness. “Since it is not a Porsche―”
“Actually, Prince Charming it is.” She hauled the large remote control car out of the bag and waited.
Her frog eyed the box then glanced back at her. “You aren’t kidding.” His froggy mouth gaped slightly in surprise or awe, she wasn’t sure which.
She smiled faintly. “I know how badly you wanted one, and since you’re too small to operate a real one and I didn’t have the money to buy one, not to mention a permit to drive the vehicle home, I thought this would work.”
“Why are you so good to me?”
Because I love you and you’re my best friend.
“I like you happy.” It was the truth, there was something so amazing about Luc, and she couldn’t even start to describe how he made her feel.
His little chin wiggled. “I like you happy too. So tell me the color.”
She laughed. “It’s red, of course.”
“Have I told you that you’re perfect?”
“Not recently, but I wanted you to have fun and I worry you get a little bored sometimes.” She set the bag and the car on the floor and quickly reached for her friend then lifted him out of his house.
“I like when you read to me at night but those teen romance novels really sucked. I’m so glad we’ve agreed on world history.” His dark blue eyes pierced her and a serious look crossed his amphibian face. “I always have fun with you.”
“You mean now that we’ve stopped arguing?”
He croaked a chuckle. “That is exactly what I mean. So show me what you have.”
She sat next to the bag and placed Luc on her thigh then took out the shiny red remote controlled Porsche. “Do you have any idea how this works?” She reached for the instructions figuring they might be helpful.
“Tell me you bought batteries, chances are you need them both for the car and the remote. Also move the instructions a little lower so I can take a look.”
She nodded and reached into the bag again. “The clerk at the store sold me batteries too. He must have thought it strange that a teenage girl was buying a remote control Porsche.”
Luc frowned and swallowed hard. “You didn’t tell him it was for a frog did you?”
That was the last thing she needed, for more people other than her family to think her weird. Well her father never thought her weird, but her sisters did and a couple of times she had witnessed her mother lift her brows in serious question over Chloe’s love toward the frog. Okay, so she did treat him like royalty and maybe her behavior in catering to him was a little over the top. He was much more fun to hang out with than the wicked bitchy blondes down the hall. She almost regretted calling them family, but sadly, she couldn’t change the fact they were her sisters.
If there was only a way to put them up for adoption. Well, in a way that won’t let me get grounded or blamed. Accidental adoptions happen right?
“What are you thinking?” Luc’s baritone of a croak cut into her thoughts and she glanced at him.
“I was wondering if mom and dad would miss Stella and Georgina if I put them up for adoption and if there was a way I could go about doing such a thing without leaving a paper trail.”
The expression on his amphibian face was unreadable and then he croaked. “They might, I think you’d have better luck selling them.”
“I wonder if I could get rid of them in a garage sale.” She muttered and read the directions for the Porsche. Her confidence rose slightly as the instructions looked easy enough and sat the paper aside. She opened the packages of batteries and, after placing the large ones in the car and the smaller ones in the remote she turned the power on.
Nothing.
She frowned and stared at the remote. “This isn’t working.”
Luc sighed from her thigh. “Look underneath the vehicle you might have to turn a switch on there as well.”
“You must think I’m pretty dumb.”
“Actually, I think you’re pretty terrific. You’re very thoughtful and probably the least selfish person I know. A trait you no doubt get from your father. He’s a neat guy and I’m happy I made his acquaintance.” There was something off in his tone and she glanced down. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, everything is great.”
Chloe didn’t believe him. She had come to learn her frog’s tone of voice and his moods. Something troubled him. “Well, let’s see. Now the guy at the store promised me the doors opened on it. Mind you he did ask me why I would want them to open.”
“Do I dare ask what you told him?”
“I told him it was for a technology unit in science class and I needed to be able to have my teacher access the interior for parts of my report.”
“Good reason, however I’m not sure I appreciate you lying. Not a good practice to get into, and besides, your sisters do enough of it for you and half the neighborhood.”
Her fingers pulled open the door. “Do me a favor and don’t start scolding, I wasn’t going to tell him I planned on putting a frog inside and send him on the ride of his life.”
Luc’s amphibian face scrunched. “Chloe, you do have some idea how this works, right?”
Why does he sound nervous?
“Oh yeah, I have an idea,” she assured. Ideas she had lots of those, once she figured out the maneuvering stick on the remote, the drive should go smooth. At least she hoped. “Hop in―no pun intended.”
“Keep in mind I am a prince and have a country to return to and rule one day.” He jumped down and eyed the door to the red vehicle.
She giggled and for some reason liked when her vain frog referred to himself as royalty. “Right and I am princess car commando.”
“I don’t find those words reassuring.” He croaked and hopped inside the car. He was a big frog and she became glad she had purchased the larger model; he fit inside the interior comfortably.
“Relax this is supposed to be fun.”
“I feel like I am taking my life into my hands.” Oh yeah, he sounded nervous―maybe a bit excited, but definitely a little frightened.
Oh froggy of little faith.
A wicked laughed escaped her and she grinned. “Actually, your lif
e is in my hands. Have a good time.” She shut the door and smiled. “Ready or not here we go.” She yanked the lever and the car zipped backward until it bounced into her desk chair.
Luc jolted inside from the impact. “Chloe!”
“Sorry wrong way.” She shifted the remote and the car inched forward at a slower pace. “I’ve got it now, though I probably should have considered something with a seat belt.” No sooner did the words leave her mouth when the front end of the car nudged the corner of the dresser. “Oops, I should've turned.”
“You should've done something!” Was he having a froggy panic attack?
“Quit whining, man you bitch and complain a lot.” She walked over to her bedroom door and opened the white wood.
“I am not whining, bitching or complaining, just merely expressing concern for my life.” His tone held a certain snobbishness that caught her off guard. She wondered for a moment where the attitude had come from.
“Don’t be a cry baby or in your case a croak baby.”
“You open this car door and I think we need to discuss that sassy disposition of yours.” Luc paused. “Wait! Why is the bedroom door open?”
“We need more room to operate.” She laughed. This was exactly what she needed. A little fun.
“No, no we don’t!” He yelled at her and she became glad no one was home except the two of them. Explaining to her evil sisters the man’s voice with the sexy accent could prove to be difficult. “We don’t need more room, Chloe!”
She giggled and slammed the stick forward on the remote. “Sure we do.” The plastic red Porsche with rubber wheels took off over the threshold and she hurried behind.
“Chloooooooooooooeeeeeee!”
She ignored the sound of terror from the interior of the vehicle and stepped into the hallway. “Oh dear, ficus ahead.” Her fingers gripped the stick on the remote and swung the metal rod to the right to avoid the large potted tree. The car over compensated and lurched for a fraction of a second to the passenger side. “Sorry!” she called and figured she had better be a bit more careful.
Her gaze rested on the remote and wondered if there was a way to slow the speed down. She slid the button that said low, medium and high up and down. The vehicle slowed. The thought of maybe she needed to push the lever and the button at the same time crossed her mind. Her fingers inched the stick ahead and her other hand went to shift the speed when she noticed she had left the little silver rod sitting on high. “Oh dear.”
“Stairs!” Luc’s terror filled voice called and she glanced up at the same time her finger adjusted the speed to slow. She released her hand off the lever but the action came too late. The car edged out of the hall and descended the stairs. A small scream echoed through the house and she realized the sound came from her mouth. She raced down the staircase and even though she wasn’t touching anything on the remote, the car still proceeded onward.
Chloe’s heart raced with adrenaline. For a frog of many words, Luc was silent and if she’d hurt him she never would forgive herself. The Porsche bounced and jolted down each of the marble steps then came to a stop against a brown leather dress shoe.
“Oh dear!” She whispered and stared at her father’s disapproving glare.
“Chloe, what are you doing?”
A croak of a groan left the interior of the car. “She’s trying to kill me.”
The most horrified expression she’d ever seen crossed her dad’s face and he bent down toward the car. “For the love of God! Please don’t tell me you put Luc in this contraption.”
Her brows furrowed as he straightened. “Since he just groaned, it would be pointless for me to tell you something you already know the answer to.”
Her father continued to shake his head in disapproval. “I’m not impressed by this. I always considered you the one with a head on her shoulders.”
Okay, Dad is mad.
“I just wanted to do something nice for Luc, and he always talked about wanting a Porsche. So my driving was a little out of control.“ She finished descending the steps and paused. “Is he okay?”
Her father opened the door of the red car, Luc hopped out and scowled at her. “By some miracle I’m fine.” He stared up at her father. “She had good intentions. She wanted me to have fun.”
“She could have hurt you.” He sounded more than displeased, bordering on angry, actually.
“She’s sixteen and despite how that was the scariest experience of my life…” He stole a glance to Chloe. “It wasn’t the worst. I’m fine, a little dazed, but fine.”
Her heart lightened slightly and despite Luc’s reassuring words, her heart tightened again and she wanted to cry. She never thought for a moment he could―get killed. “Sorry.” Her voice came out so soft it barely reached her own ears. Fierce pricks attacked from behind her eyes as the reality of the situation, and what could have gone wrong, filled her mind with nasty and scary images.
“Take the car, take Luc and I don’t want to see you attempt this again anywhere but in the garden.” Her father shook his head. “You two are unbelievable and need to think things through better.”
She smiled and took the car and tucked it under her arm then held out her palm so her dad could place Luc in the safety of her hand. “Thanks.”
Her father just shook his head again as she walked up the stairs with the remote, Porsche and frog in tote. She still wanted to cry and she glanced down at Luc as she reached the upstairs hall. “I didn’t mean to scare you or drive so bad.”
His gaze met hers and his chin nodded. “I know Chloe, we were completely reckless and you're dangerous with that remote.”
“I’m really sorry.”
His expression turned to worry. “Don’t even think about crying, because as scary as those stairs were, I had the best time and a lot of fun. I mean I didn't during the parts when I thought my heart was going to explode from the terror or my life was flashing before my eyes.”
A laugh escaped her and she hurried into her room and shut the door. She held her palm down, Luc jumped onto the bed and she sat everything else onto the floor then scooped him off the bed placing him on her pillow. Chloe’s fear started to subside and she realized she had been genuinely terrified. She stretched on her soft comforter and stared at her friend. “I was scared.”
“Me too, I’m okay though maybe next time we should take your father’s advice and try the garden. It’s pretty level; just make sure to stay clear of the pool.”
“You actually trust me enough to get in the car again with me at the remote?”
An odd look crossed Luc’s face. “Chloe, I’ve taken some really stupid chances in my life and done some even more reckless things than what just happened.”
His words surprised her. “What kind of stupid things?”
“You actually want to know? I might corrupt you.”
“Right, I live with Stella and Georgina and we both know neither of them is shy with boys.”
“Good point.” He paused and swallowed. “All right, I‘ll tell you some of the stuff I used to do, but for the record there is something you need to know.”
He sounded so serious. However, her urge to cry had slowly eased away. “What?”
He cast what she had come to call his ‘froggy grin’. “I trust you with my life.”
For some odd reason she couldn’t explain, somewhere inside her head an alarm went off and realized he meant those words for all their worth.
Maybe there is more to Luc than I know. A lot more.
Luc was stunned. More so than he had been the week prior with the car ride down the stairs. He wanted to yelp but instead remained quiet. He had heard the noise, yelling and crying earlier and though it had sounded like Chloe he didn’t want to think of the possibility. Now as she stood in the room leaning against her bedroom door he knew the commotion below had indeed been in relation to her.
“Don’t say a word!” She sniffled and stepped away from the door. Her heavy steps crossed the floor and she sat on
the edge of her bed. She looked like hell. Her eyes were puffy and red from crying, her cheeks rosy from the tears shed and her…
“What did you do to your hair?”
She covered her face in her hands and started to cry again. “I asked you not to say anything.”
“Chloe, how can I not say anything? You were supposed to get home from school five hours ago. Not only are you past very late, and have me worried but your hair is the color of a road construction pylon.”
Her tears came harder and faster then he registered she wasn’t wearing her glasses. With the amount of tears she currently shed, he shouldn’t be surprised. His heart picked up speed and he knew he’d been harsh. However, since he’d started living with Chloe, he fully understood the concern over being tardy and owed his parents a huge sorry for all the worry he’d put them through over the years. He would make sure he made his apologies shortly after arriving home.
“Let me have a look at you!” He couldn’t explain why he was reacting like this but he cared about the teenage girl who had been so good to him.
She lifted her head and peered over her fingers. “Why? So you can lecture me?”
He sighed and wished for the love of God he knew what had crossed through that pretty head of hers to do something like this. “No, just bring me closer to you.”
She sniffled, wiped her tears on the back of her hand and stood. With another shoulder-moving sniffle, she walked over to his glass castle and lifted him up then walked them over to the bed. He hopped down and made his way to her pillow while she stretched out, buried her face in the other one and again started to cry. He glanced to the clock and knew it was late. Where had she been? Apparently she had been experimenting with hair colors.
A grief filled sob filled the room and his heart broke. Seeing her so distraught, bothered him immensely. “Il mio cuore, please don’t cry.”
“Why did you call me that? What does it mean?”
“It’s Italian, it means my heart.”