White is for Virgins (26 page)

Her light brown hair was parted to the right, her bangs falling into her hazel-yellow eyes as she bounced down the steps in her denim skirt and red Hollister polo.

“How do I look?” she asked me, biting her lip as she put on her white fleece.

It’s November, Lily, you look like you’re asking for it. And by ‘it’, I mean pneumonia.

“Gorgeous,” I smiled, hugging her goodbye.

“Ready?” Fox asked her as they headed for the door.

She merely nodded. Holding Holly in my limp arms, I watched them get into his Lambo and drive off.

They were a match, as weird as it was to admit. Fox was David Beckham (without the faux hawk and facial hair), and he’d just found his Spice Girl.

I set Holly on the beige, leather couch in the living room and started surfing channels on the TV.

“Hmmm, what should we watch Holly?” I asked her.

She just stared back at me with innocent eyes.

“A chick flick? I was thinking the same thing,” I replied, patting her on the head.

The doorbell rang, and I placed Holly on the floor on the way over.

Did she forget something? Panties, perhaps?

I pulled the door open.

“Nick?” I asked, cocking my head as he stared back at me.

He looked like a soaked kitten. Out of the kindness of my heart, I stepped aside and let him in.

***

.3
rd
PERSON POV.

Lily tried to keep her breathing steady as she tried to figure out why she was in Fox’s car; why she’d even agreed to this little encounter. Something in his eyes that day in the cafeteria had led her to believe it was important.

What had she gotten herself into?

Grateful that Fox wasn’t half-
assing an attempt at conversation, they drove to a simple restaurant that most HSA students didn’t go to.

She regretted her choice in wardrobe. Obviously a simple pair of sweats and one of her father’s tee shirts would’ve sufficed.

“Fox?” she asked finally. Her voice cracked.

“Yeah?” he returned as they picked a booth.

“Why are we here?”

The waitress came by and placed menus on their table. Lily noticed Fox had decided to ignore her question.

“Can I start you off with drinks?” she asked with a cheap smile. Lily could tell she was counting down the minutes ‘til the end of her shift.

“Two cokes, please,” Fox said immediately, and the waitress nodded.

He picked up his menu and flipped to the first page, ardently studying every single dish as if it were a complete mystery. Lily watched as he turned his attention to the next page and proceeded to do the same. Her frown grew with every second.

The waitress brought there drinks.

“We ready to order?” she asked, pulling out a pad and pen.

“Not yet,” Fox said, turning to me and blinking at my untouched menu.

The waitress rolled her eyes and walked away as Fox grabbed his straw and hit it against the table, peeling the paper off of it before placing it into his dark, caffeinated beverage.

She did the same, taking a leisurely sip of her soft drink.

“Fox, why’d you ask me on a date?” Lily asked. If he didn’t answer, or at least acknowledge her, she was determined to get up and walk out.

“For the same reason that you agreed,” he finally replied.

***

Emery tiptoed back over to the couch where Nick sat on the edge.

He was almost dry, she noted, as she took a seat beside him.

“She asleep?” he asked, looking over at her hopefully.

Emery nodded, yawning.

He yawned too, and they both laughed.

“She’s a handful,” she sighed, “But she’s an angel when she sleeps.”

“Aren’t they all?” he smirked.

“I guess so,” she shrugged, eyeing him strangely.

They’d been so preoccupied with Holly that an important question had completely slipped her mind.

“Hey Nick,” she started.

“Hmm?”

“What’re you doing here?” she asked bluntly.

He gave her a sheepish grin, and stared at his hands.

He exhaled deeply before looking back her.

“Good question,” he nodded.

“Isn’t it?” she smirked, sort of mimicking his previous reply.

“Um, well I just stopped by to see if I could catch Fox,” he said quickly, “But I guess I missed him.”

“Guess you did,” she agreed awkwardly, “About… an hour ago…”

He stiffened slightly.

“Ohh, you probably don’t want me here,” he said hastily as he stood up.

“No, no,” she said, pulling him back down.

“I can leave, I mean, I’m not really wanted here in general,” he said, preparing to get up again.

Emery felt guilty for being rude, and really wasn’t in the mood to sit around by herself.

“Please stay,” she chuckled, “I’m incredibly bored.”

He stared at her for a few seconds, before giving a light smile.

“Ok.”

She returned the smile, and they started surfing the channels in search of a movie.

“Ohh!” she said, causing him to stop.

“White Chicks?” he asked strangely.

“Yeah, my new favorite movie,” she smiled, “Courtesy of Lily.”

Nick nodded, rubbing the back of his neck as they both sat back.

Towards the end of the movie, a few random conversations and tons of laughs later, Emery and Nick were way more comfortable with each other.

Emery felt as if she’d known him for years – a totally different feeling than with Fox. Nick wasn’t an infuriating, completely conceited womanizer.

He was easy to talk to. And he had yet to make fun of her – which she loved.

“We should hang out more often,” Nick suggested as the credits started rolling.

“Yeah,” Emery agreed, “Definitely.”

“I’m thinking maybe next Friday or something?” he suggested.

Emery stiffened. And Nick caught on to that quickly.

“Not as a date,
Em,” he chuckled, “Relax. Just as friends, I like your company.”

She exhaled lightly and felt the blush creep up on her cheeks from embarrassment.

“Oh, sure,” she nodded a little too furiously.

They smiled at each other, just as the door clicked open.

What time was it? 11?

Lily walked in, followed by Fox.

They both wore unreadable expressions. Emery and Nick tried to decipher whether or not they were happy, or at least satisfied, with their night.

Lily spotted Nick, and then turned to look at Emery. Fox did the same.

“Uh,” Nick offered, “I should get going. See you at school, Em.”

“Right,” Emery nodded, standing up along with him.

Fox stepped aside momentarily for Nick to leave. Their expressions were unreadable as well. One could cut the tension in the room with a knife. A plastic one would do.

“See you both at school,” Fox said, closing the door behind him.

“You have fun?” Emery asked lightly.

Lily responded with a simple nod.

“Just dinner,” she said.

Emery didn’t know what to think of that.
Dinner?
That’s it?

“You had some fun yourself,” Lily observed, arching an eyebrow.

“Yeah, Nick helped me out with H-” Emery stopped and her eyes widened.

“Shit,” she cursed, running for the front door.

Just as she pulled the front door open, Fox was walking through it. They had both remembered about Holly, seemingly at the wrong time. The door collided with Emery’s forehead, and she stepped back clutching her head as the throbbing started to hammer.

She drew a sharp intake of breath and moaned in pain.

“Shit, I’m sorry,” Fox said, holding her head as well.

Lily came up as well. Reluctantly, Emery let them pry her fingers from her pulsing wound.

“It’ll probably bruise,” Lily stated, walking towards the kitchen.

“Yeah, I can feel it swelling as we speak,” Emery mumbled, glaring at Fox.

“I apologized,” he said, “How was I supposed to know you were leaving?”