by Jordan Deen
…”
“I hope it was a good one …” He squeezed my hand under his and grinned mischievously.
“It wasn’t.” I replied quickly trying to stay focused.
“Oh.”
“No, it’s not that it was bad either. It’s just … the dreams are so vivid, it’s hard to figure out if they are real or not.”
Alex looked at me perplexed. “What are you saying? You can’t tell if you’re dreaming now or not?”
“No. I don’t know … maybe. They are just so real. I had a dream that your touch caused pain to rip through me.” I dropped my eyes from him and stared at his hand, ashamed of my own admission.
“Why do you think you dreamed that?” He stared at me intently.
“I don’t know … the dreams have just gone on so long, it’s hard to tell when I’m sleeping and when I’m not.”
Alex pulled his hand back from mine. “So … you thought it really happened?”
I shifted in my seat uncomfortably. “I told you, I don’t know what is real and what isn’t.” I felt my eyes getting heavy; I was afraid I’d start crying.
Alex slowly ran his fingers down my hand again. I took in every delicate brush of his hand; his skin was smooth and tender against mine. “Well, I think it’s safe to say that it didn’t happen. I mean…” He tapped the back of my hand with his finger. “How could I touch you now if I had caused you so much pain before?”
Alex asked exactly what I had been thinking. “I guess since you changed the subject …” He pulled up the corner of his mouth to his heart-melting smile. “You don’t feel the same way?”
I wasn’t sure how to answer. I loved kissing him and his touch made me melt. But my instant feelings for Brandon and the story that came with them confused me. There couldn’t be werewolves in the world there was no such thing.
“I love you too.” I whispered and firmly wrapped my fingers around his. Alex leaned in and claimed my mouth with his.
No pain or smell followed, just the sweet taste of his lips on mine.
“Will you go to homecoming with me?” He asked when he finally pulled back.
“Yes.” I said quietly, trying to catch my breath.
c h a p t e r
FIFTEEN
The next morning I rolled out of bed to the sounds of bacon and eggs being cooked on the stove. The hearty maple and oil smell lofted up the stairs filling my room and making me instantly hungry. I slipped out of bed and pulled on my robe, taking less than a minute to get into the kitchen.
“Good morning honey. Ready for some breakfast?” Mom set a full plate of eggs, bacon and toast in front of me.
“This looks great!” I barely got the words out when I spooned a large helping of eggs into my mouth. Mom grinned as she claimed the spot next to me. Dad had already gone to work. I looked over at the vacant do bed in the corner.
“Where’s Grant?” I pointed to the bed with my fork in between bites.
“Dad already put him out this morning. He was chasing birds last I saw him. For an adult dog, he sure acts like a pup.”
Mom and I both laughed. I was surprised when Grant didn’t sleep with me last night. I had called him to my room but he hadn’t come; I started to think he was leaning towards being owned by Mom instead of me. She had been feeding and playing with him while I was sick. Dad still wanted us to find another home for him, but I just couldn’t do it.
“Alex asked me to homecoming.” I said nonchalantly, but I knew Mom would grossly overreact.
And she did. “OH MY GOD!! REALLY! WE HAVE TO GO SHOPPING RIGHT AWAY! HOMECOMING IS ONLY TWO WEEKS FROM NOW!” I covered my ears with my hands as she continued to shout too loudly in our kitchen. I widened my eyes, letting her know I had enough. “Ok. I’m sorry. I’m just excited. Do you have any idea what type of dress you want and how you want your hair?”
“No, not really.” I took a bite of toast as she jumped up from the table and hurried to the living room. When she returned, she had a stack of dress magazines and hair magazines.
“Mom, you need help.” I laughed.
“Do you want us to rent you a limo? What about flowers?” She flipped to a few pages that she already had earmarked.
DING DONG.
“Saved by the bell!” I looked at the clock; I would be late for school. “Mom I have to go. I’m late.”
“Ok well, think about the limo!” She called.
“Mom it’s just homecoming.” I said as I opened the door. I couldn’t concentrate on Alex’s form fitting buttoned down dress shirt this morning; I needed backup. “Tell Mom no limo.”
“Ummmm …” Alex looked confused.
“Never mind. No limo, Mom.”
“Ok well, tell Aunt Jamie you are going dress shopping tonight, so no work.”
“Ok, Mom.” I picked up my backpack but Alex quickly took it from me.
“What was that all about?” He whispered as I climbed into his Camaro.
“Mom is excited I’m going to homecoming.” I grinned. I told him I wasn’t a virgin, but I hadn’t told him I was a virgin to dances. He didn’t need to know how socially unaccepted I had been before he came along.
“It’s just homecoming …” Alex raised his eyebrow. “But if you want a limo then we should get one. What type of flowers do you want? Also, should I wear a tux?”
I’m sure he could go in a potato sack and totally rock it. “Whatever you want is ok with me.” You could go in your boxers; that would be cool too. I added silently as I mentally undressed him. If I knew I’d get caught if I kept doing that, but it was fun while it lasted.
He pulled me back to reality. “Well, do you know what color your dress will be? That way I can match you with a tie?”
I hadn’t really thought about it, but I figured I’d stick with blue. “Probably blue or some shade of blue.”
“Is blue your favorite color?” Alex’s lips felt like rose petals as he kissed the back of my hand.
“Sort of.” I couldn’t think straight with him doing that and my mind always wandered back to him shirtless when he was this close. I hadn’t been so obsessed with boys before, but he made it hard to think of anything else.
Jillian and Gavin were waiting by the gate when we got to school. Gavin had picked her up in his ’72 Nova that he and Alex said they rebuilt. Gavin had his entire body wrapped around Jillian when we finally interrupted them.
“Hey guys!” I said first.
“You beat us.” Alex added as he smacked Gavin on the shoulder.
“Have a great day babe.” Alex kissed me and then dragged Gavin away from Jillian to their class.
Jillian wrapped her arm through mine. “Did Alex ask you?”
“Yes, last night …”
“And?” Jillian stopped walking and stared at me.
“I said yes.” Jillian squealed and started jumping up and down.
“When are we going dress shopping? Gavin asked me this morning!” Neither of us really had a serious boyfriend before and now we were both going to homecoming; the first several weeks of school were a complete blur. I decided it was easier to take things one day at a time. I hadn’t seen Brandon in at least two days now and his explanation for things made less and less sense the more time dragged on. I wasn’t even sure if any part of my encounters with Brandon had actually happened.
To my surprise both Alex and Gavin came to the office to walk with me to my second period. I wouldn’t have thought twice about it, except they also showed up at my third and fourth period, too.
“Alex, what’s going on?” I finally asked as he walked me to his car after Econ.
“What do you mean?” He pulled open the door and helped me inside.
“You and Gavin? Why did you keep showing up at my classes?”
Alex grinned. “Because I realized my classes weren’t far from yours and isn’t that what a boyfriend does?” Boyfriend. I don’t remember making things official.
“So is that what you are?”
Alex pulled onto the
street heading to my house. “Is that what you want me to be?”
We sat in front of my house for several moments. The more I was with him the more I wanted him. My reaction to his touch had to be a dream, a dream that hopefully will soon be forgotten. I finally answered. “Yes. I do want you to be my boyfriend.”
“Why the hesitation?” Alex asked tilting his head to the side. “I told you before, I would never force you to do anything you don’t want to.”
“You aren’t forcing me … it’s just … I’ve never really had a boyfriend, so I’m not really sure how things are supposed to be.” Plus Brandon weighed heavy on my mind, but I couldn’t tell him that.
Alex’s boisterous laughter filled the small space of the car. “Honey.” He raised my hand to his lips totally erasing the thought of Brandon. “We make things the way we want them to be. There is no rulebook.” Then he added: “Go, have fun shopping tonight and get something gorgeous.” He winked urging me from the car. I nodded and gave my new boyfriend a deserved kiss before climbing out of the car. “Call me tonight and let me know what color you get, ok? In fact, can you send me a picture?”
I thought about it for a minute. “No I want it to be a surprise.”
“What? No, that’s not fair.” Alex climbed out of the car. “I need to know what color so I can match you.” He came to my side of the car and wrapped his arms around me tightly. Alex lowered his head to rest his lips against my neck, my favorite form of persuasion. But just as I started to giggle I saw Mom stepping away from the living room window. Caught … again.
“I have to go. I’ll send you a picture of the color.” I stepped away but Alex pulled me back to him.
“Promise?” Alex squeezed me.
“I promise.”
I love you. He whispered as his lips brushed against mine.
Without hesitation I whispered back I love you too.
My mom, Jillian and I spent more than three hours shopping for dresses at the mall. It took that long to find one that Mom and I would agree on and one that Jillian thought made her look like a princess. She was convinced that Gavin was her prince charming. I highly doubted it since she hadn’t known him that long.
I picked up a crystal blue beaded dress that accented my eyes wonderfully. It had an empire waist, spaghetti straps and chiffon ruffled overlay. It was beautiful and I hate to admit, I felt like a princess in it. Jillian pulled on a lavender ball gown with a corseted top and large bell-bottom. She looked like a princess too.
“Those are definitely the dresses!” Mom said as she looked at both of us in the mirrors.
“I agree!” The sales clerk chimed in. She didn’t have to hard sell us, but it was nice hearing that we looked just as good to someone else.
When Jillian took out her wallet to pay for her dress, I noticed a small bruise on the inside of her palm. “What’s that from?” I pointed to her hand and she quickly turned her palm down to the counter.
“It’s nothing.”
“Did something happen Jill?” I leaned in closer to her to keep my mother from hearing what I was saying. “Did someone hurt you? Did Gavin …”
Jillian burst into laughter. “Oh no, I did it with my curling iron. You know I’m not used to this whole girly girl thing.” She covered her hand quickly. I understand she wanted to look good for Gavin, but the whole transformation sort of freaked me out. I was cool experimenting with make-up but Jillian had gone full on super model.
“Maybe you should have Jamie look at it?”
“She’s a vet …” She blew me off.
“I know, but still she doctored me!” I pointed to my chest, the marks from Mr. Tinkles almost gone.
“I’m sure it’s fine.” She replied rolling her eyes trying to end the conversation.
But the sales clerk did it for her. “Will this do it for you?”
“Yes.” I replied but Mom walked up with a pair of shoes, a necklace, a pair of earrings and a hair clip.
“These things too.” Mom smiled. “What? I can’t spoil my daughter for her first dance?”
“Thanks, Mom.” I got misty eyed from her excitement. I just wished I wasn’t so nervous.
c h a p t e r
SIXTEEN
The night of homecoming came quicker than I had planned or even wanted. I worked with Aunt Jamie until 7pm every night leading to homecoming and then hung out with Alex until almost 11. We watched movies, played video games and went to the mall a few times. He even comforted me after Grant decided he would escape the yard when we were all gone. We blanketed my neighborhood and several of the surrounding ones with fliers searching for him, but so far, no replies. Alex offered to get me another dog, but it just wouldn’t be the same.
Jillian and I went to the beauty shop together to get our hair done. I had no idea what I wanted so the beautician told me to let her work her magic and she started to pull and yank at my long hair.
Jillian had chosen a tight French twist up-do with spiral curls cascading from the top. She looked at least five years older by the time her makeup was done. Her face and body were glowing, but when she saw me I thought her eyes were going to fall out of her head. “Oh my god. You look stunning.” She said, but I thought I should be saying it to her.
The beautician turned me around and I gazed at the girl turned super model staring back at me. I know I chastised Jill for this, but I felt fantastic. I wondered if Courtney and Ashley felt like this every morning; if they did, I could understand becoming addicted. My long hair hung in bouncy tendrils with two sections pulled back into the crystal clip Mom had bought. My makeup done in blues and grays made my eyes glow crystal clear; the shade of red lipstick she smoothed onto my lips looked like blood and made my skin look translucent.
“Wow.” Mom said as she walked into the beauty shop with her camera. She promised she would stay away but obviously she couldn’t help herself. “I can’t believe …” I looked more like a woman on her wedding day, than a girl getting ready for homecoming.
Pulling the dress, shoes and jewelry on completed the package. I felt like a million dollars standing with my best friend as Mom took pictures of us. I stole a minute of privacy in my bathroom to check my teeth and my hair before the limo showed up with Alex and Gavin. With the way I looked right now, I was thankful that Mom insisted on the limo.
I applied another coat of the lipstick and smoothed a few sections of my hair. I rubbed lotion onto both of my hands and then turned my palm up to look at the crescent moon that was now fading from sight. More than two weeks had passed and not a word from Brandon. I hadn’t even seen him at school; then again I never did find his yellow slip and I had no idea how to contact him.
“The limo’s here!” Mom called from downstairs. “Hurry, I want pictures!”
I swallowed hard assessing myself one more time in the mirror. I concentrated on my feet as I walked unsteady on my heels down the stairs; the last thing I needed tonight was to tumble down them. I wanted to watch Alex get out of the limo but he was already in the house at the foot of the steps when I came into view. His eyes widened the moment my eyes met his. My heart raced as he gave me his knee-buckling grin. I almost slipped on the last step, but luckily Alex caught me.
“You are stunning.” Alex was wearing a jet-black classic tuxedo with a black bow tie. He had a crystal blue handkerchief sticking out of his lapel pocket that matched my dress. I smiled wryly; outside I may have been stunning but inside I was still meth girl terrified of embarrassing herself.
He lifted my hand to kiss it and then easily slipped a diamond bracelet with flower charms hanging from it onto my wrist. The bracelet was breathtaking. I stared at it for a few moments before I could gather my thoughts.
“Alex … I can’t …”
“These flowers will last forever.” He smiled and kissed my hand again, obviously not willing to let me object be the focus.
“Ok guys, come together!” Mom had already arranged Gavin and Jillian in front of the picture window in the living room.
The window perfectly framed them with the white stretch limo in the background. I had been in a limo only once before, when I won a contest in junior high and they took us out to dinner and a movie.
“No, Alex …” Mom pulled at Alex’s elbow changing the angle he was standing. “Ok, that’s better. Now Lacey …” She grabbed at my wrist and looked down quickly at the bracelet. I shook my head hoping she wouldn’t throw a fit; I intended on giving the bracelet back to Alex but didn’t want to explain to her now. Thankfully, Mom understood and she covered the bracelet with her hand and squeezed. “There, that’s better.” She said as she stepped back to look at how we were standing. “OK, smile everyone!”
Click
Click
Click
Click … Click …Click …
And the pictures went on and on.
Alex finally saved us from my mother’s digital camera. He slid as close as he could to me on the side seat in the limo. Jillian and Gavin sat together on the back seat of the limo, their bodies just as close as ours were.
“I can’t wait to dance with you.” Alex whispered with his face to the nape of my neck. His hot breath sent chills down my spine; his fingers slowly ran down the length of my arm causing goose bumps to ripple my skin. “You look truly amazing.”
“Thank you.” I said quietly staring down at the sparkling gems hanging from my wrist. “I can’t accept this.” I started to unclasp it when his hand covered mine.
“Think of it as an early birthday gift.” Alex gave me his lazy grin that made his eyes narrow. He pulled back his collar. “I have a necklace that matches it. I love you; I wanted to give you something beautiful.” I stared deep into his eyes, my heart pounding, and my head racing. I leaned into him.
“Are we going to dinner first?” Gavin interrupted our moment. I almost forgot that we weren’t alone in the limo. I was glad I didn’t grab his face and kiss him though I had wanted to do it badly.
“Yeah, the driver has the directions.” Alex said to Gavin and then turned his attention back to me running a finger down the length of my jaw line and brushed it across my lips. “We are going to have a great time tonight.” He said it with such confidence. I was hoping that my dress stayed in place and I didn’t step on his feet while we were dancing with these heels on or that I didn’t fall flat on my face.
Alex picked up on my trepidation to walk in my new heels and secured his arm tightly around my waist and slightly lifted me up the stairs to the restaurant. I was slightly embarrassed, but thankful that he cared enough not to see me fall flat on my face. Gavin even helped Jillian with her yards and yards of fabric as she tried to get out of the limo. It was funny watching her tiny frame being overtaken by the lavender fabric and even funnier when Gavin finally grabbed her wrists and yanked her up and out of the mess. Alex and I tried hard not to laugh; I didn’t want to embarrass my friend. To my surprise, Jillian laughed and made a joke of it.
The restaurant that Alex had chosen for dinner was a high scale Italian eatery that had fresh baked pastries and smelled like oil and garlic. It was dimly lit and had candles and fresh flowers in the middle of each