Just Me

by L. A. Fiore

  “Yeah, I was definitely offering my thanks to the gods. Several times, in fact.”

  “You lucky lady.”

  I grinned. “Patience, young Jedi, your time is coming.”

  “Thank Obi-Wan.”

  ***

  It was the day of my birthday surprise. After sharing breakfast with Bastian, he drove me to Poppy's house, so he could finish with the last minute details for the day. He helped me bring my things up to Poppy's room and took a minute to say hello to Poppy's parents, who liked him despite their misgivings about the apartment. I walked him to the door where he touched my face and smiled. “See you at four.”

  “I can't wait.” I replied.

  He leaned over, kissed the corner of my mouth and winked at me, then strolled down the front path to his bike. When he was gone from sight, I followed the sounds of Poppy and her parents to the kitchen. I settled in a chair at the table and asked Mr. and Dr. Wright, “You know what he has planned, don't you?”

  “Of course. And don't bother trying to get us to tell you. Our lips are sealed.” Dr. Wright retrieved a small, brightly-colored package and placed it down in front of me.

  “Happy birthday, Lark.”

  “We waited until today to give it to you since it seemed fitting.” Mr. Wright added.

  “Open it.” Poppy demanded and I laughed at her enthusiasm, but my laughter froze in my throat once I had. Tears burned the back of my eyes as I stared down at the most beautiful pair of diamond earrings I had ever seen: pear-shaped drop earrings in platinum that sparkled against the black velvet. It didn't pass my notice that the box said Harry Winston.

  “Before you say something like you can't accept them, know you are like a daughter to us,” Dr. Wright said. My refusal died on my lips. I stood and wrapped my arms around her. “Thank you.”

  She held me close for a moment before Mr. Wright moved in and kissed the top of my head.

  “Happy birthday.”

  Poppy had tears in her eyes. What a friend she was—I saw only love looking back at me. “Come on we have facials to do.”

  And as I followed after her, I whispered, “I love you, Poppy.”

  I knew she’d started full-out crying since she didn't answer with words, but reached back to squeeze my hand.

  ***

  A few minutes before four, Poppy, Sophia and I studied ourselves in the mirrors of Poppy's dressing room. Sophia wore a black sequined dress with long flared sleeves which was opened in the back and fell to mid-thigh. The contrast of the black against her blond hair was stunning. Poppy wore a sleeveless royal-blue sequined sheath dress which really enhanced the beauty of her blue eyes.

  We all opted for up-dos and I had to say Poppy was rather skilled when it came to twisting my locks into messy, yet elegant affairs. My new earrings made the perfect complement to the pale blue of my dress.

  Dr. Wright let us all borrow shoes and cashmere wraps since it was cold outside. I felt like I was shopping in a store when she took us into her closet. Poppy and I settled on silver platform heels and Sophia black ones. The sound of the bell sent my heart into my throat.

  Dr. Wright touched Poppy’s arm to pause us. “Be safe, don't go off on your own, stick together. Bastian has our numbers and we have his and the number for the driver. Have fun!” She hugged each of us and then we heard Mr. Wright calling, “The gentlemen have arrived.”

  As we started down the stairs, I saw Shawn and Tyler first. Both wore black suits, but their shirts and ties matched their dates’ dresses. Dr. Wright's smile was her only response to her subterfuge. I looked at Bastian only to find he was already watching me. He was also dressed in black and his shirt and tie were the palest of blues. His hair framed his beautiful face. We might not get prom together, but this was so much better.

  “You look stunning, Lark.”

  “So do you.”

  Reaching for my hand, he pressed his lips to my knuckles and held my gaze a moment before he looked behind me to Mr. and Dr. Wright.

  “We should be home by one, but if we're longer, I'll call you.”

  “Have fun and keep our girls safe.”

  He shook Mr. Wright's hand. “You have my word.”

  Once we were seated in the spacious limo, Bastian asked. “Are you ready?”

  “More than ready.”

  He fingered the diamonds in my ears. “As soon as Dr. Wright showed me these, I knew they were perfect for you.”

  “You really have been busy.”

  “To make your birthday special, absolutely.” There it was again, the feeling of belonging, and to think it was with this incredible guy who made me feel it.

  ***

  The limo pulled up in front of a brownstone where gas lanterns lit the entrance and a discreet, but elegant sign revealed the place to be an art gallery. When I saw the name of the artist being featured, I felt excitement coursing through me.

  David Cambre had been, in my opinion, the finest artist of our time—focused on sculpting work. I had always wanted to view his pieces more closely, but it was hard to get into his shows when he was alive. After his tragic death a few years ago, it was now impossible.

  “How did you manage this?” I asked Bastian.

  “I have friends who have friends and the Wrights insisted on helping,” was all he said.

  “How did you know I loved David?”

  “You've mentioned him a time or two and I confirmed with Ms. Whitney.”

  I had no words, how well this boy knew me and in so short a time. He seemed to understand as he leaned forward to skim his lips over mine.

  “Happy birthday, Lark.”

  ***

  After the show we went to Per Se, a posh restaurant uptown from the gallery. Once our orders were placed, I leaned into Bastian close enough that our shoulders brushed. “This has been the best birthday, ever.”

  His lips touched my temple and though he didn't say anything, his eyes were saying plenty.

  “I have to say, David Cambre looked so much like you, it's no wonder why you adopted him as your wanna-be dad,” Poppy said as she reached for her glass.

  It was true I had. It was kind of pathetic but for the lost and lonely kid I had been, the pretend connection had comforted me.

  “Right? Especially with both of us being artists. When he died, I mourned for him like he was.”

  “How did he die?” Sophia asked.

  “His car went over a cliff in New England.”

  “God, that's horrible—he really was amazing.”

  As it often did when I thought of David, my heart ached. He had been so young, had so much still left to do, and for me that was a reminder to live each day as if it were your last. It was David's last and most profound lesson. How sad that I learned life's greatest lessons from a man who didn't even know he was teaching them to me.

  Bastian, knowing me as well as he did, pulled me from my forlorn thoughts when he lifted his glass. “To Lark. Happy birthday.”

  Staring into the faces of all those who meant the most to me, lingering a moment longer on understanding and warm teal eyes, yeah, it really was a happy birthday.

  ***

  By the time we got back to the apartment after dropping everyone off at their homes, I was dead on my feet. I planned on spending most of Sunday sleeping. Bastian tipped the driver as I unlocked the door and made my way down the hall to the bedroom. I slipped my earrings out and placed them on the dresser, letting my hand rest on them a moment as love for the Wrights washed over me. I was just about to start pulling the pins from my hair when I felt Bastian's fingers already working on the task. He drew my hair back from my temples and buried his face in it.

  “I love smelling my shampoo on you,” he whispered. His fingers reached for the back zipper of my dress and he kissed down my spine as a far more potent emotion washed over me. The delicate touch of his fingers, on the bare skin of my shoulders, caused those delicious chills as he peeled the dress down my arms so it fell in a wave of silk to my feet. Hun
gry was the word that came to mind as he devoured the sight of me, before he pinned me to him and kissed me: a hot, opened mouth kiss that had those knees going weak again. Slipping his jacket from him, I started on his tie, but I wasn't fast enough, because Bastian pulled away from me and in record time removed the rest of his clothes. I barely had time to see the beauty of him before he lifted me into his arms. Wrapping my legs around his waist, my mouth found his. He pressed me up against the wall and touched me, where I ached the most, the intimacy of the action was so new to me it caused both a shiver of self-consciousness and a healthy dose of lust. I didn't know where the condom came from, but Bastian expertly rolled it on. As he joined us, I gave myself over to the feeling of being filled by him and then he grabbed my ass and started to move. His lips on my neck, sucking the spot that gave me chills, added to the intensity of the storm raging through me. My stomach tightened and my breath caught seconds before the orgasm rippled through me. His mouth moved lower, his lips brushing over my shoulder, he was getting close. Cradling his face, I tilted his head and watched as his eyes glazed over just before he came. It was the sexiest thing I had ever seen. His forehead came to rest on mine. “Happy birthday.”

  Chapter Ten

  A few days after my birthday surprise, I was called into the guidance counselor's office. I had never been summoned to Mrs. Breslin’s office before so I was intrigued.

  She gestured for me to take the seat across from her before she folded her hands and rested them in front of her on the desk. Her kind brown eyes regarded me.

  “I've some bad news regarding the grant you were awarded.”

  I felt my stomach drop with those words. Yes, I had the full academic scholarship, but I needed the grant money to help cover my living expenses. Without it I was going to have to take a job, which was something I hoped to avoid, because I wanted to focus all of my time on my art.

  “I'm afraid the money that funded the grant was mismanaged and there simply isn't any money to give.”

  Her stylish taupe suit blurred into blackness as my eyes misted. I really wasn't hearing her, because my mind had gone elsewhere. What were the odds that my grant money suddenly vanished? A thought occurred to me and as much as I tried to shut it down, it festered all the same. The Rosses. It had only been a week since Bastian and I moved in together and deep down there was a part of me that had been waiting for them to express their displeasure over our living arrangements. It seemed that Dom had been right to warn us.

  “What will you do, Larkspur? You've missed the other grant deadlines. There's work study, and I can certainly help you through that process, but it's getting pretty late in the game.” Mrs. Breslin's concerned voice pulled me from my unpleasant revelation.

  “I'll figure something out, but if I need your help, I won't hesitate to ask for it. Thank you for telling me.”

  “It's appalling to award something and then take it away. It is inexcusable. I do intend to look into it.”

  “I still have my full academic scholarship. The grant was for living expenses, but I'll get a part-time job, if needed.”

  “If you need anything, my door is always open.”

  “Thanks, Mrs. Breslin.”

  After my meeting with my counselor, I was surprised to run into Bastian since his class this period was on the other side of the school. “What happened?” The anger in his voice made it clear he knew something was wrong.

  “How do you know something happened?”

  “I heard you were called to the guidance counselor's office, Lark. What happened?”

  “The money for the grant I was awarded dried up, so I don't have money for my living expenses.”

  “Son of a bitch.”

  “Bastian.”

  “It's my fucking parents, you know that, right?”

  “I figured it out, yeah.”

  “Goddamn them.”

  “It's not as bad as all that. I'll do work-study or I'll get a job.”

  “Yeah, and what happens when they work their dark magic and get your scholarship revoked? My dad's on the board of trustees for Columbia.”

  I hadn't known that, and I kind of wished I didn't know it now, because that was the retribution I had been secretly fearing from his parents. The grant would have been nice, but it wasn't necessary. The same could not be said of my scholarship. Without it, there was no way I could attend Columbia. I knew he knew what I was thinking when his expression turned even darker.

  “They're screwing with you to get to me.”

  “So what are you going to do? Walk away from me and give them exactly what they want?”

  He pulled his hand through his hair, which was out of character.

  “Even if they took my scholarship away, I could always take out student loans or I could ask the Wrights or my uncle for a loan. There are ways around it. Even holding off going to school for a year. But if you left me, how do I find my way around that?”

  He enveloped me in a warm hug. “I hate that they're coming at you to get to me.”

  “They only have power if we give it to them.”

  He responded to that by kissing me, but I had a terrible premonition that things were going to get a lot worse before they got better.

  ***

  Over the next week and a half things most definitely got worse. I lost my job at Alfonso's. Mr. Alfonso claimed it was because he had to cut back due to the economy, but I knew the Rosses owned the building he leased and were putting pressure on him to get rid of me. And with the money and the influence that the Rosses had, a small family-run business didn't need trouble like that. He tried to slip me money under the table, but I wouldn't take it; I felt like shit that he was put in that position because of me.

  As I suspected, the Rosses were doing what they were because they didn't like that Bastian and I were living together; they no doubt felt threatened that I was pulling him farther away from them, or more to the point, further from their plans for him. But whatever their motive, they were making enough of a point of just how far their reach went.

  Bastian had been asking me to come with him to the garage all the time now and I knew it was because he wanted to spend as much time with me as possible. Though we had never said the words out loud, we both knew that time was not on our side.

  On one such visit, Caden came over and took a seat next to me. “Can I talk to you for a minute?” He asked.

  “Sure.”

  “What's going on with Bastian? He hasn’t been himself.”

  “Have you asked him?”

  “I try and he just bites my head off.”

  It should be Bastian who told Caden, but I shared anyway.

  “His parents are up to no good. Pushing their influence to sway Bastian's behavior.”

  Something dark flashed across Caden's expression, “They're coming at you?”

  “Me originally, but now they're branching out.”

  “Bastards.”

  Fear tightened my throat. “Something's got to give.”

  “What do you mean?”

  What could I say? Based on the determination of the Ross family, there was only one way for this to end: Bastian and me splitting up. Thinking about that was hard, living through it was going to be impossible.

  I was saved from having to answer when a loud crash sounded. Caden and I looked over to see Bastian hurl something at the wall before he stormed out of the garage. I followed Bastian outside.

  “What's happened?” Apprehension filled me because I knew the corner we had been being pushed into by his parents, was now firmly at our backs.

  He stopped pacing to level me with tormented eyes. “Cal's loan on this garage is about to be called in. He fell a few months behind on his payments, but if I agree to my parents' wishes, his delinquency will be overlooked.”

  My entire universe shifted out of alignment.

  “That can't be legal.” I whispered.

  “It doesn't fucking matter. Goddamn it. Why can't they just leave me the hell alone?�
�

  It was almost as if I stepped out of my body to watch Bastian struggling with what he wanted and what he knew he had to do. “I'll be out of the apartment by tonight.” I felt oddly calm, though the words were breaking my heart.

  His head snapped up and his eyes burned into mine. “I don't want that.”

  I felt my heart shatter into jagged little pieces. As much as I wanted to be with him, his parents were making that impossible. “I don't either, but they won't stop until I do.”

  “Lark.” His anguished voice mirrored exactly how I felt.

  He pulled me into his arms. “I'm not going to let them win. I'm going to talk with Mr. Wright. There has to be something we can do.”

  “Until then, I'll move in with Poppy.”

  “I don't want you to,” he whispered.

  “Your parents aren't giving us any other choice.”

  He kissed me—the sweetest most tender kiss. “You just moved in.” Rage lurked under the tenderness when he added, “I'll help you pack.”

  “Please, no. I couldn't bear it if you were there. I'll call Poppy. I'll be gone before you get home.”

  “This is fucking temporary, very fucking temporary.”

  “I hope so, God, I really hope so.”

  ***

  That night at dinner, I shared with the Wrights what the Rosses were up to. I had never seen either of them so livid. Mr. Wright had asked me to think about my living arrangements when I moved in with Bastian and I had. Truth was, I loved living with Bastian even as much as I loved being with the Wrights. For two people who had come from homes where love wasn't given freely, we were each other's home. For the Rosses to take that away from Bastian and me just for spite, was so, so wrong.

  Mr. Wright's voice shook from anger. “You can absolutely stay here.” He wanted me here, wanted me to experience a bit of childhood before I moved on to adulthood. I could tell he wasn't angry about the change of address, but at how Bastian and I were being manipulated.

  “How's Bastian holding up?” He asked.

  “Furious and he wants to talk with you.”

  “Anytime.”

  “What will you do about a job?” Poppy asked.