Here With Me (Paloma's Edge) (10 page)

“Maybe I’ll just go to her room, instead,” Scott said with a smug grin and I remembered why I disliked him; he thought he could get whatever he wanted. “I mean she let you stay in her room. Why wouldn’t she let me? She can give me a kiss for good look in the morning before I go to the bus.”

And that’s when I knew that he was fucking with me.

“I knew you were a snake when I first met you,” I glared at him and ground my teeth. “Who bet you to pop Mariska’s cherry? Or, did you make the bet?” I asked him deadpan. Chase and Pierce exchanged a look, like they couldn’t believe I’d asked that question, but I had to know.

Scott bristled. “What are you talking about Hunter? Are you high right now?” I shot up from the chair, and his eyes told me that meant everything he’d said to me.
 He’d been waiting to accuse me of being under the influence. Chase stood between Scott and I.

“Scott, you’re out of line,” Chase said. Some other students and faculty looked at us, but when Scott and I didn’t push past Chase, they saw that he had it under control. Scott probably couldn’t believe that I’d had the gall to pointedly ask him about his intentions with Mariska.

“Don’t act like I am beneath you because I am an addict. I never denied what I am. You’re the only who couldn’t go two damn hours without any alcohol. You need to check yourself.”

I threw my book bag over my shoulder, took my empty cup, and threw it in the trash can as I walked out of the café.

I didn’t want to see anyone right now and since most people took the elevator, I jogged up the steps. When I reached the sixth floor, Chase was behind me and he waited with me the hallway. Classes would be out in ten minutes and then I’d be in Professor Mastrangelo’s class, where I’d be involved in a lively discussion.

“You did start with Scott first,” Chase started. I knew he’d see it that way. Too bad he didn’t see what I think Pierce saw, too, in Scott’s tone; Mariska was just another chick for him to say he’d conquered.

“Whatever, Chase. He didn’t deny it. He tried to turn it on me. He’s not taking her out anywhere or going into her room, if I have anything to say about it.”

“Whoa! Hunter, get a grip. Since when do you go all cave man for Mariska? You two don’t even talk.”

I tried a more important route. I couldn’t tell Chase about my feelings for his girl’s best friend, because I knew I’d get a lecture. Was I wrong for believing that Mariska’s first relationship should mean something? I didn’t want to point out how fucked up in the head he was after he lost his virginity because he’d just wanted to get it over with. I really hoped that wasn’t why Mariska let me go further when I’d been in her room.

“Did you ask him yourself if he bet with his friends that he’d be the guy she gave it up to?”

Chase shook his head. “Scott isn’t that kind of person.”

“Have a good game.” I left him and went into my class.

Mariska

SCOTT SEEMED LIKE HE’D
been listening intently to the instructor and our group mates during Bio lecture and Lab. On Tuesday, he’d decided to be in my group and was flirting with me, but now I’d think that he didn’t like me anymore or want to take me out on a date tonight. I hadn’t shown I’d been aware of his distant behavior, because I’d been reliving my kiss with Hunter.

As I took some change out of my tote to get a bag of chips, Scott was next to me. I didn’t see his friends or anyone else near him, like I usually had right after our Bio classes on Tuesday or Thursday afternoons.

“Hey, Mariska,” he said with his head down. I reached down to get my bag of chips and I waited to see if he’d look at me.

“Hey, Scott. Don’t tell me you’re cancelling on me,” I said in a teasing tone. Slowly, his eyes drifted up to mine and he nodded. “Can you tell me why?” I wondered, not feeling the disappointment or sadness I’d thought I would.

“I didn’t tell you the real reason I asked you out in the first place.” His voice deepened as he went on, “My boys and I thought you were stuck up. Like you haven’t talked to any of the guys here and we’ve all been in school for three months. I figured, seeing how your parents were with you during move-in day that you didn’t get to…you know…or that you hadn’t had enough…”

“Sex, Scott,” I heard the hard edge to my voice, anger spiking through me. “You just wanted to sleep with me. You didn’t like me at all, did you? The shy act? The only thing that was true about our second date was that you’d taken every girl who required a little extra work, in your mind, to the restaurant, right?”

He nodded again.

“Were Chase and Pierce some of the boys who thought I needed to be thoroughly fucked?”

“Stop talking like that. It doesn’t sound right coming from you.”

I pointed my finger into his chest. “Don’t tell me how to talk. You can talk and laugh about my personal life with a bunch of dudes who can only get it if they pay for it. So, you answer me now.”

“Nah, Mariska. Chase and Pierce didn’t know. That’s why I didn’t talk about you like that when they were near me; we wouldn’t have gone out anywhere.” He shot me a meaningful look. “But they do now, because of Hunter.”

“You’re blaming Hunter, because he told them?”

Scott sneered at me. “No. I am saying that you should just get with him, since he’s the person you want. You lied to me when I asked you if you had any feelings for him.”

I rolled my eyes. “Maybe your memory is hazy, but you asked me if I was seeing Hunter. And I told you that I wasn’t. I did like you. I wasn’t the one trying to prove to my friends that I could bag you.”

“You were just trying to prove to yourself that you don’t want to be with that—Hunter.”

“You don’t know me well enough to come to conclusions like that, Scott.”

“Are you trying to convince me, or yourself of that?” He blew out a breath. “I am just coming clean. You’re not being real with yourself. And I saw how your parents were when they saw Hunter. They didn’t approve of him on the spot. My parents wouldn’t want a Hunter near my sister, because he’s dangerous. I’d fight tooth and nail to stop some—a guy with those life long problems from dating my sister. I know you don’t wanna hear it, but if this is our last time talking, I have to say it; once an addict, always an addict. Whether they’re good people or bad people, it’s not just their body that wants alcohol and drugs.” He tapped his temples with his fingers. “It’s their every thought. They’re irritated, violent, or closed off because they’re not using, or want to use, or their high is coming down. Do you want to take a backseat to Hunter’s chemical dependency?”

“What makes you an expert? Huh? How can you be so narrow-minded and not believe in one’s capacity to change?”

“I didn’t say he couldn’t change. He could go on to other drugs or not change up his pattern of use. His whole life has to be about not going back to his old ways—if he hasn’t already—or spending his life chasing after his next high.”

***

PETE WENT TO SLEEP after I read him five stories on Sunday evening. The drive home earlier this morning had helped me to clear my mind after Scott gave me more than his two cents on Hunter’s future. I’d felt sad for him and for myself. I’d wanted to refute everything Scott had said. I thought he believed what he’d said. In some way, Scott could possibly understand Hunter’s on-going struggle more than he’d been willing to confess. Hunter must have decided that he wouldn’t be coming into La Caridad anymore because on Friday Vince had picked up the orders. He’d introduced himself to Blanca and Jill and had asked how my ear piercing felt. Jill hadn’t commented on Vince being there, instead of Hunter, but I knew that she thought I’d had something to do with it. She wasn’t being weird to me, since I’d told her that Hunter and I had been physical. She was mature, like I’d known she’d be.

I gave Pete one more kiss on his cheek and brushed the loose curls from his face. If he’d been remotely awake, he would’ve told me how disgusting it was. He didn’t like to be babied anymore by me, but he was my baby brother. Thinking about him always did the trick; sometimes I had to just see him in person and remember what was really important in my life. I’d decided that I was going to stay up into the wee hours of the morning and do my assignments, since there was a Halloween party on Wednesday. I had to have my costume by then. If I couldn’t find anything by then, I’d just go to the
party with my apron from work.

***

AS I CAME INTO the kitchen, the smell of great coffee tickled all of my senses. Dad was using this fancy new machine. When I peered at him, he gave me a wisp of a smile and I could see the sincerity in his eyes.

“I remember when you were Pete’s age—like a little adult.” He nodded toward the table and I sat down while he brought over the mugs of Espresso. “You should’ve been asleep, but you insisted on having a cup of coffee with me before I went to work. Your mother blames me for getting you hooked on the stuff.”

He sat down and I reached for the mug. “But you made me the decaf, so it didn’t make me stay up all night, like it would for Pete.” I shrugged. “What can I say?” I grinned at him. “I’d liked the smell.”

Dad bobbed his head. “Is Pete asleep?”

“Yes, Dad.”

“How many stories did you read him?”

“I read him the last three. I had him read the first two stories. He’s got the tone and expressions down.”

“He’s getting more confident,” Dad said. “He’ll stumble a little over some words, but he reads the word or sentence until he says it properly.” He sipped from his mug, and I did the same, when he said, “Not that it wasn’t wonderful to see you today, but did you come home because you’re sad that Scott and you aren’t going out anymore?”

“I was disappointed, but I am okay with it.” Dad’s held a doubtful expression. “Honest.”

“We thought he was a nice boy for you.”

I arched a brow at him. “And what made you think he was a nice boy?” I kept my tone playful. Dad had always told me that boys were after one thing only: sex. It wouldn’t surprise him if I’d told him that Scott had only wanted to get in my pants. However, steam would’ve came out of his ears if he knew about the bet on my virginity. I didn’t like that Dad knew about my V-card status, because some niggling part of my brain thought that he wouldn’t look at me like I was his little girl anymore when I shared myself with someone more than I had with Hunter Lovell.

“He carried himself like I taught you a man should,” his countenance grew severe. “That Hunter boy looked like he’s been in juve and jail. Does he even go to your school?”

I felt my pulse quicken and my skin tingle, as the contact of our lips replayed in my mind. I thought I could go one day without hearing about Hunter, but he’d crossed my mind numerous times today so it was just like hearing about him.

“He’s a sophomore,” I kept my response short. Hunter hadn’t been in one of his classic vintage shirts, torn jeans, or leather jackets. He’d been dressed like a TA. And yet, Mom and Dad had assumed he couldn’t be a professional. He was a professional tattoo artist like Vince and the other men I’d seen at Lasting Impressions. They hadn’t postured; they were people who were skilled. Their work was on the walls and in the portfolios. I couldn’t explain any of these things to him, because, while I liked talking to him more than my Mom, he’d really think Beth was poisoning my mind, like Mom had said.

“An education is never a waste. He might make something out of himself. But Beth is wasting her life on men like him.” He drank some more coffee. My mug had been empty for minutes. I didn’t bother to tell him, for the umpteenth time, that Hunter wasn’t her boyfriend. My parents hadn’t been surprised when I’d told them that Hunter was a friend of hers.

Dad stood up and took our mugs. “One more Espresso for the road?”

I faked a smile. “Yes, Dad.”

***

THE HALLOWEEN SHOP BETH and I were in Monday night, after we’d worked was the size of a warehouse. If she hadn’t dragged me here, I wouldn’t have gotten a costume because I’d wanted to drink a glass of ice coffee and read more of my latest romance novel. There were accessories, costumes, masks, props, make-up, and novelty items I hadn’t seen here before. The sound of a witch echoed inside. Kids were running around and some were touching the mannequins, when the sales associates had asked not to a handful of times. This place made the main clothing store in Franklin Parks look like a small closet filled with some merchandise. There were so many pretty corsets and cat suits that I’d had a tough choice deciding which outfit I’d wanted, until I looked at my checkbook while Beth walked down the aisle and selected the most affordable one.

Beth returned with a white baby doll dress and a blonde wig that had waves and curls in the ends; a Marilyn Monroe dress that actually resembled that famous dress she’d worn decades ago that had caused a frenzy.

“Should I get it, or go for the royal blue and red fifties outfit I showed you when we came in?”

“This is the one,” I insisted.

Beth pursed her lips and the corners of her mouth quirked up. Naturally, she was a beautifully curvy girl. She hadn’t tried diets or complained about her body. I believed that she wouldn’t change one thing about how she looked—flaws and all. She didn’t fuss over some of the stretch marks or cellulite she had. I used to wish that I’d have curves like her, but puberty proved to be fail me in that area. I was rail thin, unlike women from either side of my family. I had my mother’s dark eyes, dark hair, and some of her facial features, but I stood out like a sore thumb in Franklin Parks.