Beautiful Disaster (12 page)

“Oh?” Vivienne eyed me again. “Parker is leaving next year for Harvard.”

“That's what he said. I think that's great. You must be very proud.”

The tension around her eyes smoothed a bit, and the corners of her mouth turned up in a smug grin. “We are. Thank you.”

I was amazed at how her words were so polite, and yet they dripped with insult. It wasn't a talent she had developed overnight. Mrs. Hayes must have spent years impressing her superiority upon others.

“It's good to see you, Mom. Good night.” She kissed his cheek, rubbed the lipstick off with her thumb, and then returned to her table. “Sorry about that, I didn't know she would be here.”

“It's fine. She seems … nice.”

Parker laughed. “Yes, for a piranha.” I stifled a giggle, and he offered an apologetic smile. “She'll warm up. It just takes her a while.”

“Hopefully by the time you leave for Harvard.”

We talked endlessly about the food, Eastern, calculus, and even the Circle. Parker was charming and funny and said all the right things. Various people approached Parker to greet him, and he always introduced me with a proud smile. He was regarded as a celebrity within the walls of the restaurant, and when we left, I felt the appraising eyes of everyone in the room.

“Now what?” I asked.

“I'm afraid I have a midterm in Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy first thing Monday morning. I have some studying to do,” he said, covering my hand with his.

“Better you than me,” I said, trying not to seem too disappointed.

He drove to the apartment, and then led me up the stairs by the hand.

“Thank you, Parker.” I was aware of the ridiculous grin on my face. “I had a fantastic time.”

“Is it too early to ask for a second date?”

“Not at all,” I beamed.

“I'll call you tomorrow?”

“Sounds perfect.”

Then came the moment of awkward silence. The element of dates I dread. To kiss or not to kiss, I hated that question.

Before I had a chance to wonder whether he would kiss me or not, he touched each side of my face and pulled me to him, pressing his lips against mine. They were soft and warm and wonderful. He pulled back once and then kissed me again.

“Talk to you tomorrow, Abs.”

I waved, watching him walk down the steps to his car. “Bye.”

Once again, when I turned the knob, the door yanked away and I fell forward. Travis caught me, and I regained my footing.

“Would you stop that?” I said, closing the door behind me.

“Abs? What are you, a workout video?” he sneered.

“Pigeon?” I said with the same amount of disdain. “An annoying bird that craps all over the sidewalk?”

“You like Pigeon,” he said defensively. “It's a dove, an attractive girl, a winning card in poker, take your pick. You're my Pigeon.”

I grabbed his arm to remove my heels and then walked to his room. As I changed into my pajamas, I tried my best to stay mad at him.

Travis sat on the bed and crossed his arms. “Did you have a good time?”

“I had,” sigh, “a fantastic time. A perfect time. He's …” I couldn't think of an adequate word to describe him, so I just shook my head.

“He kissed you?”

I pressed my lips together and nodded. “He's got really soft lips.”

Travis recoiled. “I don't care what kind of lips he has.”

“Trust me, it's important. I get so nervous with first kisses, too, but this one wasn't so bad.”

“You get nervous about a kiss?” he asked, amused.

“Just first kisses. I loathe them.”

“I'd loathe them, too, if I had to kiss Parker Hayes.”

I giggled and left for the bathroom to scrub the makeup from my face. Travis followed, leaning against the doorjamb. “So you're going out again?”

“Yep. He's calling me tomorrow.” I dried my face and scampered down the hall, hopping into the bed.

Travis stripped down to his boxers, and sat down with his back to me. A bit slumped over, he looked exhausted. The lean muscles of his back stretched as he did, and he glanced back at me for a moment. “If you had such a good time, why are you home so early?”

“He has a big test on Monday.”

Travis wrinkled his nose. “Who cares?”

“He's trying to get into Harvard. He has to study.”

He huffed, crawling onto his stomach. I watched him shove his hands under his pillow, seeming
irritated. “Yeah, that's what he keeps telling everyone.”

“Don't be an ass. He has priorities … I think it's responsible.”

“Shouldn't his girl top his priorities?”

“I'm not his girl. We've been on one date, Trav,” I scolded.

“So what did you guys do?” I shot him a dirty look and he laughed. “What? I'm curious!”

Seeing that he was sincere, I described everything, from the restaurant to the food to the sweet and funny things Parker said. I knew my mouth was frozen in a ridiculous grin, but I couldn't stop smiling while describing my perfect evening.

Travis watched me with an amused smile while I blathered on, even asking questions. Although he seemed frustrated with the situation regarding Parker, I had the distinct feeling that he enjoyed seeing me so happy.

Travis settled in on his side of the bed, and I yawned. We stared at each other for a moment before he sighed. “I'm glad you had a good time, Pidge. You deserve it.”

“Thanks,” I grinned. The ringtone of my cell phone reverberated from the night table, and I jerked up to look at the display.

“Hello?”

“It's tomorrow,” Parker said.

I looked at the clock and laughed. It was 12:01. “It is.”

“So what about Monday night?” he asked.

I covered my mouth for a moment and then took a deep breath. “Uh, yeah. Monday night is great.”

“Good. I'll see you Monday,” he said. I could hear the smile in his voice.

I hung up and glanced at Travis, who watched with mild annoyance. I turned away from him and curled into a ball, tensing with excitement.

“You're such a girl,” Travis said, turning his back to me.

I rolled my eyes.

He turned over, pulling me to face him. “You really like Parker?”

“Don't ruin this for me, Travis!”

He stared at me for a moment, and then shook his head, turning away once again. “Parker Hayes.”

Monday night's date met my every expectation. We ate Chinese food while I giggled at Parker's skills with chopsticks. When he brought me home, Travis opened the door before he could kiss me. When we went out the following Wednesday night, Parker made sure to kiss me in the car.

Thursday at lunch, Parker met me in the cafeteria and surprised everyone when he sat in Travis's spot. When Travis finished his cigarette and came inside, he walked past Parker with indifference, sitting at the end of the table. Megan approached him but was instantly disappointed when he waved her off. Everyone at the table was quiet after that, and I found it difficult to focus on anything Parker talked about.

“I'm assuming I just wasn't invited,” Parker said, catching my attention.

“What?”

“I heard your birthday party is on Sunday. I wasn't invited?”

America peeked at Travis, who glared at Parker as if he was seconds away from mowing him down.

“It was a surprise party, Parker,” America said softly.

“Oh,” Parker said, cringing.

“You're throwing me a surprise party?” I asked America.

She shrugged. “It was Trav's idea. It's at Brazil's on Sunday. Six o'clock.”

Parker's cheeks flushed a faint red. “I suppose I'm really not invited, now.”

“No! Of course you are!” I said, holding his hand on top of the table. Twelve pairs of eyes zeroed in on our hands. I could see that Parker was just as uncomfortable with the attention as I was, so I let go and pulled my hands onto my lap.

Parker stood up. “I have a few things I need to do before class. I'll call you later.”

“Okay,” I said, offering an apologetic smile.

Parker leaned over the table and kissed my lips. The silence was cafeteria-wide, and America elbowed me after Parker walked out.

“Isn't it creepy how everyone watches you?” she whispered. She glanced around the room with a frown. “What?” America yelled. “Mind your business, perverts!” One by one, heads turned away, and murmuring ensued.

I covered my eyes with my hands. “You know, before I was pathetic because I was thought to be Travis's poor clueless girlfriend. Now I'm evil because everyone thinks I'm bouncing back and forth between Travis and Parker like a Ping-Pong ball.” When America didn't comment, I looked up. “What? Don't tell me you're buying into that crap, too!”

“I didn't say anything!” she said.

I stared at her in disbelief. “But that's what you think?”

America shook her head, but she didn't speak. The icy stares from the other students were suddenly apparent, and I stood up, walking to the end of the table.

“We need to talk,” I said, tapping Travis's shoulder. I tried to sound polite, but the anger bubbling inside me put an edge to my words. The entire student populace, including my best friend, thought I was juggling two men. There was only one solution.

“So talk,” Travis said, popping something breaded and fried into his mouth.

I fidgeted, noticing the curious eyes of everyone within earshot. When Travis still didn't move, I grabbed his arm and gave it a good tug. He stood up and followed me outside with a grin on his face.

“What, Pidge?” he said, looking at my hand on his arm and then at me.

“You've got to let me out of the bet,” I begged.

His face fell. “You want to leave? Why? What'd I do?”

“You didn't do anything, Trav. Haven't you noticed everyone staring? I am quickly becoming the pariah of Eastern U.”

Travis shook his head and lit a cigarette. “Not my problem.”

“Yes, it is. Parker said everyone thinks he has a death wish because you're in love with me.”

Travis's eyebrows shot up and he choked on the puff of smoke he'd just inhaled. “People are saying that?” he said between coughs.

I nodded. He looked away with wide eyes, taking another drag.

“Travis! You have to release me from the bet! I can't date Parker and live with you at the same time. It looks terrible!”

“So quit dating Parker.”

I glared at him. “That's not the problem and you know it.”

“Is that the only reason you want to leave? Because of what people are saying?”

“At least before I was clueless and you were the bad guy,” I grumbled.

“Answer the question, Pidge.”

“Yes!”

Travis looked beyond me to the students entering and leaving the cafeteria. He was deliberating, and I grew impatient while he took his time making his decision.

Finally, he stood tall, resolved. “No.”

I shook my head, sure that I had misunderstood. “Excuse me?”

“No. You said so yourself: A bet's a bet. After the month's up, you'll be off with Parker, he'll become a doctor, you'll get married and have your 2.5 children and I'll never see you again.” He grimaced at his own words. “I still have three weeks. I'm not giving that up for lunchroom gossip.”

I looked through the glass window to see the entire cafeteria watching us. The unwelcome attention made my eyes burn. I shouldered past him to walk to my next class.

“Pigeon,” Travis called after me.

I didn't turn around.

That night, America sat on the tile floor of the bathroom, babbling about the boys while I stood in front of the mirror and pulled my hair into a ponytail. I was only half listening, thinking about how patient Travis had been—for Travis—knowing he didn't like
the idea of Parker picking me up from his apartment every other night.

The expression on Travis's face when I asked him to let me out of the bet, and again when I told him people were saying he was in love with me, flashed in my mind. I couldn't stop wondering why he didn't deny it.

“Well, Shep thinks you're being too hard on him. He's never had anyone he's cared enough to—”

Travis poked his head in and smiled as he watched me fuss with my hair. “Wanna grab dinner?” he asked.

America stood up to look at herself in the mirror, combing her fingers through her golden hair. “Shep wants to check out that new Mexican place downtown if you guys wanna go.”

Travis shook his head. “I thought me and Pidge could go alone tonight.”

“I'm going out with Parker.”

“Again?” he said, annoyed.

“Again,” I said in a singsong voice.

The doorbell rang, and I hurried past Travis to open the door. Parker stood in front of me, his naturally wavy blond hair sitting atop his clean-shaven face.

“Do you ever look less than gorgeous?” Parker asked.

“Based on the first time she came over here, I'm going to say yes,” Travis said from behind me.

I rolled my eyes and smiled, holding up a finger to Parker to signal him to wait. I turned and threw my arms around Travis. He stiffened with surprise and then relaxed, pulling me tight against him.

I looked into his eyes and smiled. “Thanks for organizing my birthday party. Can I take a rain check on dinner?”

A dozen emotions scrolled across Travis's face, and then the corners of his mouth turned up. “Tomorrow?”

I squeezed him and grinned. “Absolutely.” I waved to him as Parker grabbed my hand.

“What was that about?” Parker asked.

“We haven't been getting along lately. That was my version of an olive branch.”

“Should I be worried?” he asked, opening my door.

“No.” I kissed his cheek.