Scarred (7 page)

Chapter 7

“Anna, you are not going to believe what happened today!” I squealed into the phone, unable to contain my excitement.

“Luke proposed?”

“What?” I paused and then laughed. “Good one, but I’m being serious.”

“So was I,” s
he mumbled and I hesitated.

“Are you okay
, Anna?”

“Yeah,
I’m fine. Thanks for asking,” she replied, testily.

“Sorry about yesterday. I hope you weren’t upset.”

“You guys acted like I wasn’t even there.”

“I didn’t mean…”

“And then I tried to call you last night to talk and your mom said you were out.”

“I stayed over at Luke’s.”

“I figured,” she sighed. “Thanks for the invite.”

“But you had to go home and cook for your dad.” I didn’t understand why she was so upset. She knew that Luke and I had sleepovers a lot. They meant nothing.

“Yeah, that’s my life,” she sighed. “Anyways. What’s your good news?”

“We got invited
to Bryce’s party this weekend.”

“Wait
, what?” Suddenly her voice seemed happier and brighter. “How did that happen?”

“He came in the library
today.”

“No way,” s
he gasped. “Bryce Evans in a library? Someone call the police because the end of the world is coming.”

“Anna!” I laughed. “That’s mean.”

“Come on, Lexi, you know it’s true.”

“He’s a smart guy
, Anna. He got into Notre Dame.”

“He’s not as smart as Luke.”

“No one’s as smart as Luke,” I laughed. “So I need to go to get my hair done. Want to come?”

“What are you getting done?”

“Just making it blonder.” I played with my long hair and looked at the dull tresses. “I want to be sun-kissed blond. Not muted, brown blond.”

“
Lexi, your hair is gorgeous.”

“I want to be like the
it
girls. I have to be, Anna, if I want him to notice me.”

“Maybe he noticed you because you’re beautiful without bleached out hair.”

“Thanks, Anna,” I laughed. “I figure some highlights and a trim won’t hurt.”

“I guess I can come as well.”

“No way.” I was shocked. I hadn’t expected her to agree.

“I may as well look good as well.” She paused. “Is Luke coming?”

“I hope so. I’m going to ask him.” I looked at my watch. “In fact, my break is nearly done. Let me call him now and then I’ll see you after work?”

“Okay, sounds good.” Anna hung up and I mulled our conversation as I dialed Luke’s number. The more I thought about it, the more certain I was that Anna was interested in Luke. I told myself that I should ask her about it when I picked her up, once and for all. It would be weird if they dated but I couldn’t stop them. I was surprised at the distress I felt when I pictured them as a couple
, but banished the thoughts from my mind.

“What’s up
, buttercup?” Luke answered the phone with a drawl and I laughed.

“Not much
, peanut.”

“Don’t you mean walnut?”

“Nope.”

“Almond nut?”

“Nope.”

“Cashew nut?”

“More like nut case,” I laughed. “Guess what?”

“
You won a Nobel peace prize?”

“How did you know?” I laughed. “No, idiot. We got invited to Bryce’s party this weekend!”

“Whoa, what? Who did you have to sleep with for that?”

“Luke.”

“You slept with me?” He paused. “I think I would have remembered that.”

“You’re an idiot,
” I laughed. “Bryce came into the library today. I can’t believe it.”

“Why did he
go into the library?” Luke sounded suspicious. “And do we have to go?”

“Yes, we are all going.”

“Argh. I don’t want to go and see all those pretentious fools from high school.”

“Luke. Please,
” I pleaded.

“I’ll think about it.”

“I’ll walk Bongo all next week for you.”

“Deal,” h
e laughed. “Don’t forget the pooper scooper either.”

“You suck
, Luke,” I laughed. “Anyways, I’ll see you later. I have to get back to work.”

“Okay, see you later
, Lexus.”

“Bye
, nutcase.” I rolled my eyes and hung up the phone with a huge grin on my face. It seemed like my tide was changing.

***

“Anna, I wanted to ask you something.” My words sounded serious as she got into the car and she frowned at me.

“Who died?”

“No
one.” I paused. “Do you have a crush on Luke?”

“What?” She looked at me in shock and I saw a blush rising in her face.

“Do you have a crush on Luke?” I stared at her hard. “You can tell me if you do.”

“No
, I don’t. He’s like our brother.”

“Well, yes. But he isn’t really our brother.” I paused. “I know that a lot of girls think he is attractive now.”

“Do you have a crush on him?” She looked at me with narrowed eyes.

“No, of course not.” I shook my head. “That’s gross.”

“Why?”

“He’s like my best friend and my brother.”

“But he’s
not
your brother.”

“Well
, you know.” I cringed. “That’s gross. I couldn’t even picture myself kissing him.”

“He has
nice lips,” she said, softly.

“Argh. No way.” I pretended to puke. “That would be sick.”

“Okay.” She rolled her eyes at me. “So I was thinking about what you said earlier. Do you think Bryce invited you because of Eddie?”

“What?” I frowned at her, upset that she had brought up Eddie.

“Well, you know. After everything that happened.” She looked at me sideways as I drove. “Maybe he wants to talk to you about that night.”

“I don’t want to talk about that night.” I felt my breath catch as I drove. “I never want to think about that night again. Except for the part when
Bryce rescued me.”

“You’ve got to think he might want to talk about it. Especially seeing as he left right after Eddie, you know.” She paused.

“He had nothing to do with that.” I looked at her, annoyed.

“We don’t know that.”

“I do.” My voice was firm. “It’s not possible.”

“Anything is possible
, Lexi.” She reached over and touched my arm. “My dad thought it was weird, how everything happened.”

“Like what?” I looked at her with narrowed eyes.

“I’m not meant to say.”

“Anna, you have to tell me now.”

“Let’s not discuss it now.” She squeezed my arm. “Do you know what you are going to wear to wow Bryce in?”

“No,
” I sighed. “I don’t have anything to wow him in.”

“Then
, I ask, we should go shopping?”

“That sou
nds like a good plan,” I grinned, momentarily forgetting my anxiety from our previous conversation. I didn’t like thinking about Eddie. Especially after what had happened.

“Shall we ask Luke?” I turned to my friend and saw her blush again. “I know you have a crush on him
, Anna.”

“He’d never be interested in me,” s
he sighed, playing with her long, brown hair.

“Of course he would,
” I smiled at her, helpfully. “He’d be lucky to have a girlfriend like you, especially after dating that skank Briget.”

“You think so?” She smiled at me
, shyly.

“I know so.” I rolled my eyes. “Luke may look like a
hottie now, but he’s still a nerd inside,” I laughed. Luke had had a major transformation when we graduated from High School. He had joined a gym, and had gained weight, so that his lanky frame was now more athletic. He had cut his previously long stringy hair and he had gotten rid of his thick owl-glasses. His transformation had shocked Anna and I, but it was the girls outside of our circle who really seemed to appreciate the changes in Luke. He had met a girl at community college, called Briget, and had dated her for about two years. I couldn’t stand her and she didn’t like me. I hadn’t been sad when they had broken up.

“Does it make you sad to know that Luke lost his virginity to her?” Anna questioned me softly and I burst out laughing.

“Hell no. I’m just glad that it finally happened.”

“Really?”

“Yes. A twenty-two year old male virgin is not cute.”

“But we’re still virgins.”

I sighed as we pulled into my driveway and turned to her. “But we’re girls and we’re both saving it for someone special.”

“Do you think they will ever come along?”

“I think they already have,” I grinned.

“Really?”

“Yup. Luke and Bryce.” I wiggled my eyebrows. “I think they will make the perfect lovers for both of us.

“We wish,
” Anna giggled.

“
They
wish.” I danced as we got out of the car. “At least I hope so.”

“You hope what?” Luke and Bongo came running out of his house and into my yard.

“Nothing, nosey.” I punched him on the arm.

“Why hello to you
, too.” He grinned at me and rubbed his arm. “Hey, Anna.”

“Hey
, Luke.” She grinned at him and flung her hair over her shoulder.

“So
Lexi roped you into going to this party as well?”

“It should be fun.”

“For whom?” He threw a ball for Bongo to catch. “I feel like we are in a time warp and going back to high school.”

“We were never invited to the p
arty of the year in high school,” I reminded him.

“And I don’t know if I want to be invited now.”

“At least we’ll all be there.” Anna walked up to him and rubbed his shoulder and he looked down at her and smiled.

“That’s the only positive,” h
e grinned. “I suppose you and I will have to keep each other company, while Lexi goes after Bryce.”

“That won’t be a problem,
” Anna grinned and I could see the happiness reflected in the sparkle of her eyes.

“Can we please go camping this weekend as well, to make up for
the party?”

“When?” I frowned.

“Sat and Sun?” Luke walked over to me and took a piece of a dead leaf out of my hair and stared into my eyes. “The party is Friday, right?”

“Yes,
” I sighed. “I suppose so.”

“Good.” He pulled something else out of my hair. “Where have you been and why do you have so many dead leaves in your hair?”

“No idea.” I stared at his tee shirt for a second and laughed. “Pinky and the Brain? Aren’t you too old to be wearing a tee-shirt with cartoon characters?”

“You’re never too old,” h
e laughed. “Never.”

“Are you guys coming?” Anna frowned at us as she walked to my front door.

“Yes, sorry.” I pulled away from Luke, feeling self-conscious.

“Your mom’s home,
” Luke whispered to me and I groaned.

“Great,
” I sighed. I wasn’t looking forward to seeing my mom. “Don’t mention the party in front of my mom, okay?”

“Sure.” Luke looked at me in surprise as we walked through the front door. “Is there a reason why?”

“Yes.” I shook my head. “But I can’t talk about it.”

“Okay.
”

“
Lexi, there you are. I haven’t seen you in ages.”

“Hi
, Mom.” I tried not to roll my eyes as I walked into the living room. “How was work?”

“Good, I got a $40 tip today,” s
he grinned and pulled out the two $20 notes.

“Nice,
” I smiled, genuinely happy. My mom was happier on days she got good tips.

“I thought I might go to the mall tomorrow.”

“Maybe you can go with Lexi and I?” Anna through in. I tried to make eye contact with her to stop her from talking, but she wasn’t looking in my direction.

“You girls are going to the mall?”

“Yeah, to get some new clothes and our hair done for the party on Friday.”

“Party?” My mom looked at her
, curiously. “What party?”

“The
mayor’s holding a party for his son, Bryce, who is back from war.”

“Mayor Evans?” My mom frowned and turned towards me. “You’re going to a party at the mayor
’s house, Lexi?”