Building on Lies (20 page)

My mom came to the door, concerned. “ Is everything OK? I heard slamming”.

“ Everything’s fine," I said, quickly.

“ Where’s Ro?’’, my mom asked, scanning the room.

“ In the bathroom, getting ready," I said, pointing to the bathroom door.

I could hear Ro crying softly, and my mom did, too.

“ Is she OK?" she whispered.

“ I think so. I’ll talk to her," I said, just wanting her to leave so I could apologize to Ro.

“ Tell her she should be happy! It’s going to be a fun night for you all," my mom said. She gave me a small smile, then left.

I went to the bathroom door,and leaned my head against it. “ I’m sorry, Ro. I was out of line.”

“It’s OK," she sniffled. “ Maybe I was too harsh”.

“ Open the door so I can give you a hug," I said, gently turning the locked knob.

She opened it, and as soon as she did, I wrapped my arms around her. “ I’m so, so sorry, Ro. I didn’t know you were feeling so confused. You’re always there for me, but I really haven’t been there for you, lately, have I ?”

“ It’s OK, Nellie. You’re right. Sometimes I am too cut and dry about things. I just want to see you happy, Nellie. You’re such a good person, and you deserve nothing but happiness. It’s why all the guys who meet you are crazy about you”.

I sighed. “ Guys are crazy about me because I’m pretty, Ro. Other than that, I’m not super smart like you, or funny like Em, or witty like Ana. If it weren’t for my looks, who knows if I’d ever get a guy like Chan, or Joaquim”.

“ That’s so not true, Nellie," Ro disagreed. “ Yeah, you’re pretty, but so is Bruna Porto. And you don’t see her with any nice guys by her side. Guys like you…people like you…Nellie, because you’re the nicest girl in Egg Cove. You’re sweet, and friendly, and you look for the good in everyone. Even in a girl like Samantha St. John. You give everyone a chance”.

“ And you are the best-est best friend a girl could ever have, Romina Vilella," I said, and I felt my eyes tearing up.

“ OK, lets stop with the love fest and the waterworks," she said, after we were done hugging each other. “ We are so going to ruin our makeup. And it took hours for me to get us looking so good”.

“ OK," I said, blinking a few times so the tears wouldn’t fall and ruin my mascara.

Ro went to the mirror and patted her hair. Her normally straight hair had decided to be cooperative, and it fell in soft waves down her back. Well, as wavy as bone straight hair like Romina’s could get. She looked beautiful in her wine gown and soft, sheer makeup. Her eyes were big and blue as a summer sky.

“ Ty Sutton is really gorgeous, Ro," I said softly. “ Don’t feel bad for being attracted to him. There’s not a lot of guys who look like movie stars in our school”.

“ It isn’t just his looks, though. He’s just so funny, and carefree," Ro said, wistfully. “ Like he doesn’t care what people think. He just marches to his own drum”.

“ So call him. Hang out with him. I mean, it doesn’t have to lead to anything. Ty seems like he’d be a pretty cool friend," I said.

“ No way. I couldn’t do that to Tommy. He wouldn’t understand. I’m from Egg Cove and Ty is from A Park, that just doesn’t happen," Ro said, then she looked away when she realized that was exactly what Chan and I were. “ Enough with the Sutton boys! It’s like they’re taking over our lives! Let’s think about how hot we are going to look coming out of limo!”

“ And on the dance floor!" I said, giving a sexy shake of my hips. I did my best Beyonce moves all around our bedroom.

“ Honey, save some of for later!” Ro giggled.

Two hours later, we were downstairs, being fawned over by my mother, Giselle and my mother’s boyfriend Eduardo.

“ Where’d I get such beautiful girls!" my mother cooed, while Giselle fluttered around us, taking pictures.

“ It’s obvious they got their beauty from you, Daisy," Eduardo said, giving my mother a hug. “ Why don’t we dress up and crash this Winter Dance?”

“ No, we’ve got to let the young people have their fun, Dudu," my mother laughed, squeezing his hands.

It felt good to see my mom so happy. I didn’t know Eduardo well, but from the way he was staring at my mom, it was apparent he was smitten by her. It was about time my mom got on the dating scene. My father, Fernando, had died before I was born, and my mom had struggled to raise me on her own. She deserved to be happy now.

Giselle let out an excited squeal when she the limo pulled up in front of our house.

“ Yeah, baby!" Ro said, doing a happy dance when we opened the front door.

It seemed like all of our neighbors came out to see us get into the limo, but not before forcing us all to stand in front of it while we they took pictures.

“ We’re going to miss the dance if we wait any longer!" Joaquim laughed.

Finally, after all the picture taking, oohing and aah-ing, and admiration from the adults, we piled into the limo, and settled back for the twenty minute drive to the Ardsley Grand Hotel.

“ I feel like a movie star!" Ana cried, kicking her high heeled feet up.

“ You look like one too," said Thiago, her boyfriend. He tried to give her a kiss but she slapped him away.

“ You’ll ruin my make-up!” she laughed, as Thiago did his best to kiss her cheeks.

“ You look so beautiful, Nellie," Joaquim murmured softly into my ear. “ I can’t believe I’ve got such a gorgeous girl at my side”.

“ You look really handsome too," I told him, and it was true. It was a shame I wasn’t in love with Joaquim. He looked so good-looking in his black tux. His long hair was combed back, and tied with an elegant black silk ribbon. He looked like some dashing character out of a romance novel.

“ That’s a beautiful necklace, Nellie," Ana said, admiringly. She leaned forward to get a better look. “ Are those pearls and diamonds?”

I nodded, fingering the necklace. Joaquim noticed and raised an eyebrow.

“ Wow, that is nice," he said. “ Did your Mom buy for that you?”

“ No. Someone special gave them to me as a gift”. I couldn’t tell the truth, but I didn’t want to lie, either.

“ Probably her
avó
," Ana said, and she sounded a little jealous. “ Your grandmother always spoiling you!”

“ Darn it. I thought this was champagne!" Tommy said, and I was grateful for the change of subject. He reached into the little bar was built into the limo. “ It’s just sparkling cider”.

“ No worries!" Ana said, mischievously. She opened her bag, and took out a bottle of wine. “ I brought our own stuff we can party with!”

“ Let’s save it for the after-party," said Ro, ever sensible. “ We don’t want them to not let us in because we’re all drunk”.

“ She’s got a point," Joaquim said, as a disappointed Ana put the wine back in her bag.

Thiago noticed some Cove kids driving along beside us. He opened the limos sunroof and whooped at them.

“ Party time!!!!" he yelled, and the other cars honked at him. We all laughed hysterically and poked our heads out of the roof too, shouting and laughing and waving at our friends.

And that was how we arrived at the hotel, with a whole bunch of cars following behind the limo, with horns honking and music blasting.

“ Oh yeah!" Ana said, doing a dance in her seat. “ If it’s one thing us Cove kids know how to do, it’s how to start a party!”

“ I can just imagine what these A-people are thinking," Joaquim laughed as we drove onto the hotel grounds. “ Damn, those Cove kids are rowdy!”

“ We wouldn’t be Cove kids if we weren’t!" Ro agreed.

Still, we calmed down when we reached the front entrance of the Ardsley Grand. It was just so magnificently elegant, you couldn’t help but be awed into silence. The hotel was a huge, brick building with a cobblestoned circular entrance. Beautiful paths meandered around the sides of the hotel. The trees and hedges bordered the paths were decorated with tiny lights shimmering like little stars.

The limo pulled up to the front entrance. The driver came around to open the door for us. We’d all been whooping and yelling before, but now even the guys were hushed and subdued by the ornate hotel entrance with its stone steps, Grecian columns and topiaries.

Joaquim held my hand as we walked up the steps into the hotel lobby. The lobby was just as impressive at the exterior. It had marble floors, chandeliers, and a huge fountain in the center.

“ Welcome to Ardsley Grand”. We were greeted by friendly, elegant hotel staff. After taking our tickets from us, they told us to follow the signs to the hotel ball room.

“ This is so unbelievable," Ro whispered, walking beside me and Joaquim. Our heels clacked elegantly on the marble floors. I was speechless at how luxurious the hotel was. There were roses in crystal vases set on expensive looking wood tables, and gorgeous gold framed paintings on the wall. Never in my life had I been to such a fancy hotel.

We could hear dance music coming from the ballroom, and it relaxed me a bit. It was hard to feel uncomfortable when there was hip hop music blasting. It seemed at odds with the upscale ambiance of the hotel…I was expecting to hear violins coming from the ballroom.

We reached the ball room entrance, and my heart began to pound so fast I thought Joaquim would feel my pulse through my palm.

Channing was standing by the entrance, looking excruciatingly handsome in a black tuxedo and tie. He was standing with a friend, talking quietly. He looked so dapper and stylish and
rich
. Unlike Joaquim, Tommy and Thiago who were distinctly uncomfortable in such a luxurious environment, Channing looked perfectly relaxed and at ease.

It felt kind of odd. I didn’t know this side of Channing. For me, he was just Chan, the boy whose eyes got bright anytime he talked about wood, and music, and movies, and who liked to have tickle fights. The Chan I knew liked to wear plain white tees, slouchy jeans, and always had his hands dug deep into his pocket.

This boy, in his expensive tux, looked like a stranger. This Channing looked like he should be polo playing or golfing or sailing or whatever it was rich boys did.

I didn’t even want to look at him as Joaquim led me to the entrance. I was scared of what I’d see in his eyes. What if I looked as awkward as I felt? And what would he think, seeing me hand in hand with Joaquim?

But I couldn’t help it. I looked at him from under my lashes as we walked past. He just looked so fine!

He’d been smiling, but the smile disappeared when he saw me and Joaquim holding hands. His eyes flew to my neck, and his expression softened when he saw the pearls, but he still looked kind of angry.

“ Dudes! What’s up!" Ty Sutton sauntered out of the ballroom, a very pretty girl on his arm. Her name was Iselin Jones, and she was an A-girl, but I knew she didn’t really hang out with Samantha and the rest of crowd.

Ty whistled appreciatively at me, even though he was arm in arm with Iselin. “ Damn, Nellie. You look good enough to eat, girl!”

Joaquim put his arm around my shoulder possessively. “ Yeah, my girl is looking beautiful tonight”.

“ All these ladies look gorgeous," said the boy who was standing with Chan. I didn’t know his name.

“ That’s the truth. I feel like I’ve died and gone to heaven," Ty said, with an exaggerated sigh. Iselin rolled her eyes, and they walked away, laughing.

I glanced at Ro. Her face was cool, and I noticed she moved a little closer to Tommy.

“ You really do look breathtaking, Nellie," Chan said, surprising me. I didn’t think he would talk to me with Joaquim right there.

“ Thanks," I said, and I sounded kind of breathless.

“ That guy gets on my nerves, he really really does," Joaquim said, practically dragging me along.

“ This is my favorite song in the world! Let’s dance!" I said, because the last thing I wanted was for Joaquim to be upset.

“ Can we settle in first?" he asked, still sounding a little snippy.

“ Sure," I chirped, “ we should find a table, you’re right”.

The Egg Cove kids had all congregated to one corner of the ballroom, while the A-kids had moved over to the opposite side. It didn’t surprise me, it happened at all Lincoln High events. There was always a clear line between Egg Cove kids and the Ardsley kids and this Winter Dance was no different. Joaquim led us to a table not too far from the dance floor.

“ Can’t we sit next to the food?" Tommy asked, which made us all laugh. Tommy loved to eat.

We sat down at a table, and continued to admire our surroundings. The ballroom had been decorated to look like a Winter Wonderland. There were snowy white and silver helium balloons floating over our heads. Fake snow had been scattered throughout the ballroom in silvery little piles. There were crystal icicle garlands, and each table had a gorgeous arrangement of silver and white candles, with white roses and carnations dusted in silver. It was really awesome.

“ Now you see where our fifty dollars went," Ro teased Tommy, who had complained about the price of the ticket up until the last minute.

“ This really does look great," Ana said, touching the roses. She laughed as Thiago took a carnation, and tucked it behind her ear.