Twisted Proposal

by M. V. Miles

  “This is so awesome!” squealed Kristin, sitting next to me.

  “Please,” I groaned, wishing I didn’t go to school here.

  “I mean did you know her dad’s a millionaire and she gets whatever she wants.”

  “Like I care.” I said wishing someone, anyone would ask me a questions.

  “You should. She’s been also a member of one of the most elite private organization in town.”

  Where’s Marcus when you need him?

  “Also she knows all about the Van Buren’s and such. So she might fill you in and stuff.”

  We had reached our next class, so instead responding I purposely sat in the front row, hoping that would deter her. It didn’t, she continued to talk about Carlie: her favorite color, car, even what kind of sushi she liked. Like I cared about that superficial crap, I had to learn binary compounds to learn.

  Kristin told me everything she knew about Carli, even stuff I didn’t want to know, like how she threw up before and after lunch in the teachers' bathroom.

  I was 99.9% sure that Jackson had something to do with Carli hanging around, and I planned to ask him later. For the time being, though, I pretended to be interested in Kristin's stories. She glued herself to my side for the rest of the day.

  Before school let out, we had to attend a special assembly where Dean Marshall explained the expulsion of the girls we had seen this morning. Carli even gave a speech about school unity. It was so lame.

  “You should really go on a date with Trent. He’s talked nonstop about you since your first day. You know that Jackson doesn’t date, right?” Carli said on our way out of the chapel.

  “Yeah, and I’m okay with that.” I stopped by the fountain with her and watched as she took an exceptionally long drink. Her dramatics were annoying.

  “Mmm…that’s really good water,” she said and then blotted her lips before re-applying her lip gloss.

  “Okay, now that your display is over, can I borrow your phone?”

  ‘Yeah, sure anything. We’re friends.” She grinned, handing me a tiny flat phone. I called Stuart, but Carli snatched the phone away and talked to him with her back to me.

  I could only imagine what they were discussing.

  “I’m taking you home,” she said, putting her phone away.

  “It would have been great if you'd asked first.”

  “Best friends don’t need to.”

  Carli wasn’t the kind of girl you told your secrets to. No, she was the kind who stabbed you in the back if given the right opportunity.

  ***

  She insisted I tag along with her to a soccer game, where she cheered and I sat on the sidelines right behind the cheerleaders, which prevented me from starting my homework.

  The game was good, but the team lacked defense. Not that it mattered. Worse yet, Carli decided that I would be a great addition to the cheerleading team. I planned to protest this when I was asked to choose my sport, but I had some time.

  On the way home, we stopped by a boutique to buy makeup and shoes. I didn’t want new shoes, but Carli complained that if I didn’t get them then, she would have to get shoes like me and god-forbid, she would be forced to change her look. So I got the damn shoes. They cost all my lunch money plus the money I had been saving. It wasn’t like they were even cute.

  Then we went to dinner at a Mexican restaurant, where she talked nonstop about Briarwood, and since I was now a part of the “it crowd,” I had to be more concerned about everything I did. Kristin too. This little lesson had Jackson written all over it. I’m sure he even wrote a script for her to read.

  Carli dropped Kristin off and we drove to my house, which was surprisingly close. She parked behind Petra’s SUV and got out.

  “What are you doing?” I asked.

  “I’m coming in. I want to meet your family. It’s mandatory.” She breezed past me and walked in the front door. How rude! I ran after her.

  “Girls, how are you doing?” Petra asked. She beamed at Carli like she was the Queen of England or something.

  “Why do you care?” I was surprised by my sharpness, but it didn’t even faze her.

  “Hi, I’m Carli Seymour, Addison’s friend,” Carli said smoothly.

  “I’m Petra, her step-mother. It’s so nice to meet you.”

  “Addison’s told me so much about you.”

  Liar, I have not!

  “I’m sure all good things.” She laughed, and I rolled my eyes.

  “We’re going to my room,” I said, wanting to end this little get-together before they made any plans to ruin my life.

  “You have a big house,” Carli commented as we started up the stairs.

  “I’m sure yours is bigger.”

  “Yes, it is, but still.”

  I didn’t respond. Instead I showed her my room and she left soon after, promising to see me in the morning. I tried not to think about it and started on my homework. Briarwood was no joke. I had three small papers and four worksheets all due by morning.

  “You got time to play a game before dinner?” Zach asked from the doorway.

  “Of course.” I couldn’t say no to him, he was the only person worth hanging out with in this house.

  I searched for something to play, but Zach was setting a racing game, so I sat beside him on the beanbag couch. “So, are you two dating?” he asked. “You and Jackson.” He added.

  “Not exactly.”

  “Well then, why did he spend so much time here last week?”

  I shrugged.

  “I think you don’t want to tell me something,” he said starting the game.

  Sighing, I smiled at him. “Sometimes boys and girls can spend a lot of time together. That doesn’t mean we’re dating, hooking up, or even friends. Sometimes they don’t have a choice.”

  Zach frowned, staring at me like he didn't quite believe me. “Whatever.”

  Petra insisted I attend dinner, and I made it through without any altercations. It helped that Lexus and Stuart weren’t there.

  Afterward, Zach and I returned to the game room and played for another hour or so. Then I snuck away to start my homework. When I reached the doorway of my room, I froze.

  Jackson was sitting at my desk with his feet propped up on my bed and his arms crossed. “Will you please shut the door?”

  I walked in and closed the door behind me.

  “Where were you?”

  “Downstairs with Zach playing video games. It’s not that big of a deal.” I planted myself in front of the television.

  “Not that big of a deal,” he repeated, nodding, and got to his feet.

  “I’m going to finish my homework right now. He’s my brother. I won’t ignore him.”

  His eyes softened, and he slid next to me taking my hand. “I get it, but this is really important, and you have to do well. I have a lot riding on you succeeding here.”

  “Why? Will I destroy your perfect image if I failed?”

  This jarred him, and he forced a smile on his face and dropped my hand. “I just want you to succeed.”

  Yeah right. “Is that why you’re paying Carli to be my friend?”

  “I don’t have to pay anyone to be your friend. She knows you may be a valuable asset.”

  “Like how?”

  “I don’t know, with girl stuff. You know it doesn’t matter. I brought you something.”

  “Again?” I asked, moving to my desk.

  “When someone says they brought you a gift, you don’t question their motives. You say thank you. It’s the polite thing to do.”

  He was right, but he wasn’t just giving me a gift. He wanted something. “You’re right. Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome.” He handed me a big blue box that I hadn’t noticed before. It had been on my bed. I untied the bow and lifted off the top, revealing a light blue dress. I pulled the dress out and stared at it.

  “I bought it in Milan. It's top of the line.”

  “You so didn’t have to do that,” I said, tak
ing the dress to the closet to hang it with my other clothes. It was beautiful, but where would I wear it? The last thing I wanted or needed was another stupid dress.

  “Is it okay?”

  “Yeah, it’s pretty. Thank you.”

  “Why don’t you try it on?”

  I started to protest but then gave in. The dress fit like a glove. The neckline plunged to my stomach and the fabric was soft. It felt like I was wearing a sheet. I opened the door, and he gathered me in his arms and kissed my forehead.

  “It looks amazing on you. I figured you could wear it on our next date.”

  “And when would that be?” I asked, wishing he would release me.

  “I don’t know, but you don’t have to be a bitch.” He let me go pouting.

  Leaning in the doorway, “You’re right. I’m sorry, Jackson. It’s been a long day.”

  “You’re perfect for me.”

  “I’m not perfect, Jackson. Nobody is.”

  “You’re right,” he said. “I guess I’ll head out now. See you soon then?”

  I nodded and didn’t move until he left. Grabbing the box, I threw the bow back inside and stripped off the dress. I didn’t care about his gifts or his attention. Why couldn’t he leave me be?

  Hanging up the dress up, I wished again that my mother hadn’t bailed on me when I was five. Would she be proud of me now? Would she even care? Wiping the tears from my eyes with my night shirt, I started on my homework and didn’t stop until 2:00 a.m.

  The next day, Carli was waiting for me as promised and critiqued me immediately. She pulled me to the bathroom to fix my hair the way she wanted it. Then she applied make-up to hide the bags under my eyes and rearranged my shirt so that the first couple of buttons were unfastened. She fixed up Kristin's look next. I wanted to leave but saw how important it was to Kristin, so I stayed, trying not to roll my eyes at Carli's asinine behavior.

  That night I went to my first cheerleading practice and introduced myself to the rest of the team, who pretended to like me. As I watched them, I couldn’t imagine ever being a part of something so ridiculous.

  Carli took me home after practice and invited herself to dinner. Lexus seethed the entire time; at least, Carli kept Stuart busy by talking about her father’s business. She left shortly after, and I dug into another grueling night of homework.

  I didn’t know how much longer I could do this. I kept telling myself things would get easier when I got caught up, but that never seemed to happen. It was like I was always at least a chapter behind. By the end of the first week, I had written well over fifty pages of notes, five papers, and completed at least twenty worksheets.

  Then it was like everything hit warp speed and before I knew it, three weeks had passed, and I was officially a Briarwood student, and popular at that. Every day after school I went with Carli to cheer practice or to the mall. And on the weekends she’d talk me into going to parties or to her house for slumber parties, which usually consisted of her trash-talking about guys or doing home pedicures and manicures, and eating a ton of junk. It was rather time-consuming, and I spent most of my visits with her wishing I were somewhere else.

  Hanging out with Zach was pushed to the weekends. We would go to the recreation center with his friends and play soccer, or I would help him with whatever project he had due. It was fun, and I enjoyed every minute. Lexus was still the biggest drama queen ever. Any time she could rub her relationship with Stuart in my face, she did. Stuart fell for her antics every time. But it just reminded me that I was here as a means to get to college. Then I would be free. I was counting the days.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  “Where does Carli go after school on Tuesdays?” I asked Kristen one day when we were lounging poolside at my house.

  “She’s a JADE. That’s when they have their meetings.”

  “What’s a JADE?”

  “I don’t really know, but I know it’s important. Some woman started it a long time ago. Anyway it’s only the most prestigious secret groups in town. They have these meetings and it’s like…” She paused, as Lexus sauntered by with a few of her friends. They acted like we didn’t even exist. I mocked her, and Kristen laughed.

  “No. Really, though. My parents would love if I became one. I don’t know how they choose you or anything.”

  “Why?”

  “Well, because…you get to have a say on most every decision made at Briarwood. There are parties, gifts, and of course, the recognition.”

  It sounded stupid to me. What kind of person would set something like that up? I definitely didn’t want to be a JADE, but where else had I heard about it? A memory tugged at me, making me uneasy.

  “Oh and whatever you do, don’t ask Carli about it. She’ll deny she’s a part of it, but she wears the necklace.”

  “That green thing?” I remembered seeing one somewhere, but from where?

  “Yeah, it’s so cute!” she squealed, and I splashed her.

  When she left, I returned to my room and locked the door. Then pulled out Elizabeth’s keepsake box and found the necklace with the green jewel. So Elizabeth was a JADE? That didn’t make any sense. I put it back and decided not to say anything to Carli about it. I’m she already knew about it.

  The landline rang, interrupting my thoughts.

  “Did you have to tell my father I drugged you?” Jackson complained in my ear as soon as I answered.

  “Uh, I told Stuart and it was like a month ago.” Why was he bringing this up? That was forever ago. It was as if time had stopped for him.

  “You pulled a knife on your dad. You were delusional.”

  “I was not delusional. I was just pissed. There’s a difference.”

  “Well, I hope you never pull a knife on me.”

  “Don’t piss me off in the kitchen, and we won’t have a problem.” He hung up. Well, that was random.

  I walked through the trashed bathroom and knocked on Lexus’s door. We hadn’t talked for a while. She opened the door with a frown on her face. Her eyes were lined with at least a half inch of black eye liner, and she’d chosen a bright red lipstick to smear on her mouth. She was a hot mess.

  “Can I borrow your makeup? I ran out,” I lied.

  She sighed. “I guess.” She strode into the bathroom. “Are you having dinner at the Van Buren’s tonight?”

  “Not tonight.”

  “I’m not mad at you anymore,” she said before disappearing into her room. Gee, it was nice talking to you too? I changed into a pair of jogging pants and shirt.

  “Stuart, can I go for a jog?” I asked as I entered the living room, where Zach and he were watching a football game on the big screen.

  “That’s fine. Be back in a few hours.” He didn’t even look up.

  I ran to the park, and Kevin was sitting in the same swing. When he saw me, he got up to leave.

  “Wait, please,” I called, but he continued walking, so I sprinted in front of him. “Give me a chance to explain myself.”

  “There’s nothing for you to explain. You’re one of them now. Don’t think I haven’t seen you in your private school uniform or hanging out with that skank, Carli.’

  I didn’t know what to say. He was right. I was one of them now.

  “You can’t just come around here and use me whenever your boyfriend doesn’t call.”

  “It’s not like that.”

  “Then what is it like, Addison, because I’ve spent the last three weeks waiting for you to show up again. I even tried calling, but my all of my calls were rejected.”

  Instead of saying anything, I hugged him tight and begged him not to go. He returned the hug, and I started to cry.

  “Look, I’m sorry,” he said, and I backed away. “Come on. Let’s talk.” He led me to the swings. “Now, what is really wrong?”

  “What isn’t? My dad’s crazy, and I’m the messed-up result of a one-night stand.”

  “That blows.”

  “No joke.”

  We didn’t talk, just s
hared a joint, and he dropped me off at home. I promised to keep in touch this time by sending e-mails or text messages if I ever got a new phone. He didn’t care, which was nice. I went to bed that night the most relaxed I’d been since starting Briarwood.

  Jackson was waiting outside the school on Friday and Carli, of course, thought he was there for her and immediately climbed inside. I chatted with Kristen and waited to see if I needed to call Stuart for a ride. Minutes later, Carli flew from the car, her face bright red.

  “He’s here for you, Addison,” she informed me.

  “Why?” I glanced around her to gaze at him. He was staring intently at his steering wheel, obviously upset.

  “I don’t know. He’s your boyfriend.” She pulled Kristin after her.

  This was not how I wanted to start my weekend, but I walked over and opened the car door, expecting to hear loud music, but silence greeted me.

  I slid in and he peeled off, even before I shut the door. I started to say something, but the tightness in his jaw stopped me. Instead, I put my seat belt on and waited.

  Eventually he turned the radio on, and I began to relax. Maybe he just needed to vent or something. I knew he’d just returned from another trip to Europe with his father on business. Maybe it didn’t go as planned.

  He veered off the road and onto a narrow dirt road in the middle of the woods. Part of me wanted to ask where we were going, but I didn’t want to make the situation worse. Ten minutes later, he killed the car and exited. What were we doing here? There was nothing but trees around. Nothing screamed modern civilization.

  I regretted again having thrown my phone out the window. While Jackson sat on the hood on the car smoking a cigarette, I tapped the GPS system on the dashboard. It glowed to life. We were on some street called Polluck Road, which was about three miles outside of town. It made no sense. Opening my door, I cautiously approached him. “Jackson, where are we?” He didn't answer, so I cleared my throat. "Excuse me, but why are we here?"

  He slid off the car, stubbed out his cigarette and walked over to me. Without a word, he grabbed my arms and slammed me back into the side of the car. “Are you trying to embarrass me?”