Sara (6 page)

I gave him a look but didn't say anything as he drove us out of the parking lot and down the road to the turn for the Kahola Road. As he made the turn and cruised through town, he said, “I suppose you think I was rude to my dad.”

“It's not the first time,” I replied, looking out the car window.

“Yeah, well.” He snorted. “I'm pretty pissed about losing the game, all right? He knows that—you should see him when he loses at golf.” He laughed. “I've seen him throw his driver into a water hazard—more than once.”

“Really? Your dad always seems so calm.” He really did. I'd never seen him lose his cool—no matter what Glenn did.

“Yeah, calm. That's Dad.” He rolled his eyes as we reached the town limits and he sped up, switching on the car's high beams. “Dad's pretty competitive. I figure that's where I get it from.” He let out a sigh. “I can't believe we lost, man. The whole season's blown now.”

“Nah.” I turned and looked at him. “If we win out—”

“If we win out.” He interrupted me. “It's not going to be easy. And this was supposed to be an easy win.” He shook his head. “Anyway, I think I owe you an apology.”

“For what?”

He didn't talk for a minute, and then he said, “You hurt my feelings the other night when you stayed over, and you shouldn't have.”

“Oh.” I'd been right after all.

“You've been great.” He went on, “And I appreciate it, Tony, you have no idea how much it means to me that nothing's different with us.”

“You're still you,” I replied, feeling like a jerk.

“And it can't be easy, I know.” He accelerated. “I know what people are saying about me, I know what people are saying about you. And you've stood by me this whole time. It means a lot to me.” He took a deep breath. “So it shouldn't have bothered me that you wanted to sleep in the spare room, you know? I didn't even think about it from your side of things, you know? All I could think about was you were afraid to share the bed with me like you always used to, and it really hurt my feelings. And then I acted like a dick to you all week. I'm sorry, man.”

“No need to apologize,” I replied, feeling even smaller. “I'm sorry too, Glenn.” I looked out the window.

“No worries tonight, anyway.” He laughed. “From now on, you sleep in the spare room, and it's fine, okay? I get it, and it's not a big deal.” He shrugged. “I knew things were going to be different, you know, after I came out. And I have to deal with it.”

“Are you sorry?”

“I'm not sorry I don't have to lie about who I am anymore. I am sorry that so many people seem to have a problem with it.”

“Yeah, but those guys were assholes before.”

“Yeah, Zach and Noah for sure—but I expected better from Randy.” He made a face. “Randy was my friend.”

I didn't say anything. Randy had always been a douchebag to me, as far back as I could remember. “Sorry about that,” I mumbled.

“Yeah, well, what can you do?” he replied with a nasty laugh. “Dude, I forgot—you were going to ask Candy out at the dance tonight!” He looked over at me as we crossed the river and reached the outskirts of Kahola. “You going to call her?”

“I don't know,” I said. I didn't. The truth was, I'd have to borrow my mom's car to take her out, and I'd also have to dip into my moving money to pay for it. I couldn't imagine driving up to Candy's house in the rusty old car. The Dixons weren't rich but they weren't poor, either. They raised cattle, and Candy not only had her own car but she had her own horse, too. I could just imagine the look on her father's face when I pulled up.

“You should. She really likes you.”

I didn't say anything. It was hard for me to wrap my mind around Candy Dixon liking me. She was so pretty, and popular. She could pretty much go out with whoever she wanted to—and she'd always gone out with older guys before.

So why me? I wondered as he turned into the parking lot of the Vista Drive-In.

The Vista was the main hangout for teenagers from all parts of the county. If you didn't have anything else to do or anywhere else to go, you wound up at the Vista. Part of that was because it stayed open until three in the morning—all the other fast food places in Kahola closed by eleven—and the other reason was because the managers didn't seem to care that the parking lot was full of teenagers all night on Fridays and Saturdays. Friday nights the place was usually jammed after the football games were over. There was usually a lot of beer in the parking lot, and there was a jukebox inside, but nobody ever danced there. You just plugged in your quarters and listened and socialized and saw who was with whom. As Glenn cruised around the parking lot looking for a place to park, I noticed Candy's Mustang and felt my heart sink a little bit. If she was here, I wasn't going to be able to avoid her—and I wasn't sure I wanted to, honestly.

I saw Noah's pickup as soon as I got out of the car, and for a second thought about suggesting we go to McDonald's instead. Glenn didn't seem too happy about Laney and Noah dating—and Noah wasn't above causing trouble.

But I didn't say anything. I didn't have to.

“Great.” Glenn nodded over toward the pickup. “Looks like Noah and Laney are here. Perfect.” He made a face.

“Why do you care who she's going out with?” I asked as we walked toward the front doors.

“I don't care. I mean, I'm not jealous or anything.” He grabbed the door handle and pulled it open. “I just wish she was going out with someone else, is all. He's a douchebag.”

It was just as crowded inside as it was outside. The jukebox was blaring some Jay-Z song, and we ordered our burgers at the counter. We found an empty booth and sat down. Glenn was facing the front door, and I could see the rest of the place behind him. Almost as soon as I sat down I was glad he was facing the other way. Noah and Laney were sitting in the back, feeding each other French fries. I made a face.

Glenn grinned at me and rolled his eyes. “They're just an adorable couple, aren't they?”

I crossed my eyes and stuck my tongue out. “Couple of whats, that's the question.”

Glenn started laughing, and I laughed along with him. After a little while, he stopped and drummed his hands on the table. “I was an asshole to Dad, wasn't I?” he said.

“I'm sure he's used to it by now.”

Glenn's retort was cut off by the loudspeaker calling our number. I grinned and slid out of the booth, heading back over to the pick-up counter with our ticket. “You want some ketchup?” the girl at the counter asked as she pushed the tray toward me. She looked tired, and I felt sorry for her. She couldn't have been older than eighteen, and it would have to suck to be working at Vista on a Friday night when all your friends and everyone else you went to school with were just hanging out and having a good time.

I flashed a smile at her. “Yeah, lots.”

She smiled and winked at me. “That's what they all say.” She reached under the counter and grabbed a handful of ketchup packets. “Looks like your friend is doing pretty okay without you.”

Not sure what she meant by that, I picked up the tray and turned around. I was surprised to see a girl sitting next to Glenn, and she was an absolute knockout. She had long thick silver-blond hair and big expressive blue eyes, and was wearing a tight black cashmere sweater that clung to her like skin. She was staring at Glenn, who was saying something I couldn't hear, hanging on his every word. I carried the tray over, wondering who she was, and was pleasantly surprised to see Candy was sitting on my side of the booth. She was still in her cheerleading uniform, and she smiled up at me.

“I was wondering where you were,” Candy said, grabbing one of my French fries. “I always say, where Glenn goes, Tony is sure to follow.”

“I think you've got that backward.” I blew my straw wrapper at her, and it tangled in her red hair. “And who is this?” I smiled across the table at the pretty blonde.

“Sara,” Glenn said, without looking away from her. “Sara Sterling.”

“Sara just transferred here to Southern Heights,” Candy said, sneaking another French fry off the tray as I put Glenn's burger basket in front of him.

“I haven't actually started school yet,” Sara said without taking her eyes off Glenn. Her voice was a deep, husky growl. “I start on Monday. And if Glenn is any indication of what the boys here are like, I am going to like it here. A lot.” She smiled, and Glenn blushed.

“I'm nothing special.”

I waited for him to tell her he was gay, but he didn't.

“Oh, but you are.” Sara reached over and brushed some hair out of his face. Her hands were white and slender, and she had the longest fingernails I had ever seen, painted a deep dark red. “You are a very special boy, Glenn. If the boys in Boston had been as handsome as you, I would have never left there.” She smiled at him and ran her fingertips down the side of his face.

Oh brother
, I thought to myself,
she sure is pouring it on thick
. I glanced at Candy, who was now helping herself to my milkshake. She winked at me and smiled. I rolled my eyes. Glenn seemed to be completely entranced by this girl.

We talked—Sara asked a lot of questions about school, classes, when Homecoming was. She laughed at every joke Glenn made—even the lame ones—and I couldn't help but think she was heading for a really big disappointment—unless Glenn decided he liked girls instead of guys again.

But there was something about her that seemed off to me. I couldn't quite figure it out, but something was just
wrong.

We were so involved in our conversation that we didn't notice Laney and Noah had walked up to the table until she spoke.

“Hi, everyone,” Laney said in that chipmunk voice of hers. I looked up at her. She, like Candy, was still in her cheerleading uniform. She shifted her weight back and forth from one foot to the other. She was holding Noah's hand, and he was scowling at us. He was wearing a flannel shirt and a pair of jeans. Laney's eyes went from me to Candy to Glenn to Sara.

“I don't believe we've met,” she said at Sara, who had not yet acknowledged their presence.

Sara turned. She slid to the end of the booth and stood up. She had an amazing figure, which her black sweater and her tight jean skirt emphasized. She also had the longest and sexiest legs I'd seen.

Noah swallowed, his face turning red as he looked her up and down.

“I'm Sara Sterling,” Sara said, and her voice was cold. She didn't offer her hand to either of them. She was staring at Laney.

“It's nice to meet you, Sara.” Laney smiled weakly. “I'm—”

Sara cut her off. “I know exactly who you are.” She sneered at Noah. “And your loser boyfriend, too.”

Laney's face turned bright red, and her mouth formed a perfect circle.

“Who are you callin' a loser?” Noah demanded. He let go of Laney's hands and clenched both hands into fists.

Sara turned her attention from Laney to him. She looked at him like he was something she'd stepped in. She reached up and ran the tip of her index finger along the side of his neck. She waved her hand. “You know what you are, or are you so stupid that you don't?” She turned her back to them and sat back down. “Now, if you'll excuse us, we were having a rather nice conversation before we were so rudely interrupted. Lovely to meet you both.” She turned her attention back to Glenn.

“I just wanted to know if you guys were going to Linda Avery's party tomorrow,” Laney said, her voice quivering. She looked like she was about to cry.

“I can't speak for them,” Sara said, waving her hand at me and Candy, “but I won't be going. Glenn, would you like to take me to a movie tomorrow evening?”

“Yes,” Glenn said breathlessly.

“I wasn't invited to the party,” I said to Laney and Noah. I wasn't good enough for Linda Avery's parties.

Sara turned her head, and her pale blue eyes focused on me. “If these two are any indication of what the rest of her guest list is like, this Linda Avery person did you a big favor in not inviting you to her dreary little party.”

Laney didn't say anything, just stared at Sara, her mouth still open. Without another word, she turned and walked out. Noah stared at Sara for a while, and then followed Laney out.

I don't think I'd ever seen anyone be so rude in my life. I didn't know what to say, so I cleared my throat. “Well, that was a little awkward.”

“I'm sorry.” Sara touched my hand briefly, and I pulled it away. “I just don't care for people like that.”

Before I could ask what she meant, she stood up. “Well, Candy, we'd better call it a night, don't you think?” She leaned forward, back into the booth. “Pick me up tomorrow at seven, Glenn.”

He gulped. “Yeah, sure, okay.”

She nodded to me and walked out of Vista. In spite of myself, I couldn't not watch her go. She had an absolutely amazing figure—and I noticed I wasn't the only guy in the place who'd noticed. I got up to let Candy out. “Call me,” Candy said, brushing her hand against me and smiling at me.