Wrong Girl (34 page)

“I
haven’t see him all week, not since last Sunday.” I replied, busying myself
with the washing up.

Anything
to actually distract myself from the conversation I was actually having.

“So
once I leave here you’re just going to invite him over?” He grabbed hold of my
wrist, preventing me from carrying on with the task in front of me.

“No,
it’s not like that. All I meant was I need to spend some time with him at some
point today.”

“Really?
And why is that?”

His
words were spitefully sarcastic and cut through me like a knife. I flinched
from the malice in his voice and wondered who this stranger was who now spoke
to me so harshly.  

“Zack,
please don’t be jealous. There’s no need for you to be threatened by my
friendship with Jason.” I reasoned with him.

“You
sure about that? Why should I believe you?” He challenged me, tightening his
fingers around my wrist in a vice-like grip.

“Because
I’ve never lied to you before and I don’t intend to start now.” I told him,
certain and assertive.

“But
last week on the phone you said that Jason said something to you and you refused
to tell me what it was.”

He
leaned against the kitchen counter, studying me with his intense gaze.

“Oh…
that.” I murmured, squirming with discomfort.

“Yes.
Tell me what he said.”

“It
was stupid, I’m sure he regrets it by now.” I assured him, trying my best to
sound flippant and unaffected by it.

“Samantha,
just tell me what he said.”

“He
made some ridiculous suggestion about the two of us. I never took it seriously
at the time and I still don’t.”

“What
kind of suggestion?” He challenged me, resolute in his crusade to uncover the
truth.

“It
was nothing. He just mentioned something about us maybe starting a friends with
benefits arrangement.” I shrugged it off, praying to God that my revelation
would not make Zack suspicious.

“He
said
what
?”

“Zack,
I really didn’t take him seriously. He thought I’d spent the night with someone
I hardly knew and I guess he thought it would be safer for me to… to be with
him rather than meeting up with random people and risk my safety.”

“Oh,
so he thought he should step in and offer to fuck you instead?” He snapped,
slamming his fist against the kitchen counter.

“Zack!”

“It’s
true, isn’t it?”

“No,
it’s not like that.” I spoke calmly, attempting to calm him and situation
before it got out of hand.

“Please.
I know how guys think and I know how their brains work. He fucking wants you
and you know it.” He snarled venomously.

“So?
Does that mean I automatically want him back? Does that mean I have no say in
the matter?”

“Of
course not.”

“Exactly.”

I
turned my back on him, folding my arms across my chest in a defensive manner. I
could not believe how he had just spoken to me. I was furious, indignant,
incredulous and insulted.

“I’m
sorry.” He eventually whispered, coming up behind me.

“So
you should be.” I retorted harshly, unforgiving and resistant against his
attempts to win me over.

“There’s
something else I need to know.” He said, turning me around to look at him. “Why
did you never tell Jason about what happened to you?”

I
paused for a moment, considering for the first time why I had never done that
and why I chose to keep something like that from my best friend.

“I
suppose that after my own mother’s reaction… I never felt secure enough to
confide in anyone else.”

“Not
even Jason?”

“Not
even him. He knows about the abortion and all of the other problems that I’ve
encountered over the years but I never told him about Harry and what he did to
me.”

“Don’t
speak his name, baby. I never want to hear you say his name again.” Zack spoke
firmly, tilting my chin up towards him.

“Fine
by me.” I smiled weakly, trying to imagine a world where I would no longer be
haunted by that man or what he did.

“I
don’t want to leave you…” Zack groaned, trailing his lips across my neck.

“But…
you have to.” I finished his sentence for him and pulled away, despising the
fact that I was jealous.

“The
last thing I want to do right now is go out for lunch with my Rachel and my
parents.”

“But
again… you have to.”

“I’ll
phone you as soon as it’s done with. I promise.” He assured me, placing a soft
kiss on my forehead.

I
knew that Zack would still be insistent that we go to the police with the information
about my uncle but I also knew I was nowhere near ready to even contemplate
such a thing. For sixteen years I have kept this to myself, how on earth can he
expect me to tell a whole bunch of strangers about what happened to me? He’s
certain that the police will believe me but how can he be so sure? I’m certain
that there must be loads of cases where the victim is not believed or there is
simply not enough evidence for the law to convict the offender. I know they’re
just going to ask me so many uncomfortable questions, they’re going to want to
know why I didn’t tell anyone, why I didn’t go to the police and why my own
mother refused to believe me when I eventually found the strength to open up to
her.

I
hardly knew what to do with myself once Zack had left. I considered phoning
Jason and inviting him over but decided against it. I knew he would be able to
see that something was troubling me and thought it was best to avoid him
altogether for the time being.

I
eventually managed to pull myself together, taking a shower and washing my
hair. I couldn’t seem to tear my eyes away from the mirror, taking in my pale
complexion and fair hair. I’m naturally a brunette but decided to go blonde a
few years ago. I’m the complete opposite of my sister in every single way and I
couldn’t help wondering how Zack could possibly find us both attractive. Rachel
is tall, slender, olive skinned and has brown hair. It’s glossy and long,
resting just above her waist, whereas mine is shorter and never seems to stay
straight. I’m only five foot three inches tall and my skin is fair. I tried
fake tan several years ago when I was convinced a darker shade would look good
on me.

It
didn’t.

It
was an absolute disaster and since that day I’ve come to face the fact that I
will never look like my sister. I know I’m not unattractive or anything, it’s
just impossible to feel anything but plain and insignificant in comparison to
Rachel. My mum used to say she thought she had one daughter with the beauty and
one with the brains. However, when it turned out that Rachel was actually
intelligent as well as beautiful… I was completely forgotten. My older sister
is now an incredible actress on the West End stage and I’m… not. She’s
everything I’m not and as I continued to stare at my reflection in the mirror,
I realised that I simply failed to measure up.

My
decision was made in an instant. I pulled myself out of my reverie, reached for
the phone, made my appointment and was out the door in ten minutes. I could
hardly believe that I was going to do it but felt resolute in my decision. I
wanted to leave my past behind, I knew I had to change the deep-rooted opinions
I have about myself and thought it was the only way within that moment to
achieve it.

I
left the hair salon two hours later. My wavy blonde hair was a thing of the
past as I stepped out of the door with straight, sleek brown hair. I looked
completely different and was startlingly surprised with the results. I couldn’t
help myself from thinking about Zack and what his reaction would be to my
transformation? Would he like it? Would he hate it? Would he ask me about my
reasons for doing it?

I
was so lost in my own thoughts, I didn’t even notice the person in front of me
and collided right into him, dropping the contents of my handbag in the
process.

“Gosh,
I’m so sorry.” I apologised, bending down to retrieve my belongings.

“Don’t
worry about it, let me help you.”

I
lifted my gaze, wondering why I found the man’s voice so familiar and gasped
when I noticed who it was I had bumped into.

Aaron.
Zack’s younger brother.

“Hey!
It’s Samantha, right?” He asked, gazing down at me.

“That’s
right.” I murmured softly, absolutely mortified that he’s the one I had to
barge into.

“How
are you?” He asked, beaming down at me as he offered me his hand.

I
took it as he helped me up onto my feet, struggling to ignore how nervous I
suddenly felt being face to face with him again.

“I’m
ok thanks.”

“That’s
good.” He continued to stare at me, narrowing his eyes in contemplation. “Wow,
I knew there was something different about you. I love the new hair. It really
suits you.”

“Really?”

I
could feel myself blushing, unfamiliar and somewhat uneasy when it came to
receiving compliments.

“Yeah,
I like it a lot.” He assured me, his eyes twinkling and bright.

“I
only just got it done. I’m not exactly used to it yet.” I explain, raking a
trembling hand through it.

“Seriously,
it looks great. Awesome choice.”

“Thank
you.” I moistened my lips and looked away, hoisting the strap of my handbag
back onto my shoulder. “Well, I best be going. I’ll see you later.”

“Wait,
you don’t fancy hanging out for an hour or so, do you? I’m kind of at a loose
end this afternoon and could do with the company. Zack’s out with my parents
and Rachel for some boring dinner thing. I wasn’t invited of course. Thank
God.” He joked, rolling his eyes in a playful manner.

“Me
neither.” I tried to keep the bitterness out of my voice but I’m sure it must
have been noticeable to him.

“Guess
the two black sheep of the family have been left out in the cold, huh?”

“I’m
definitely the black sheep when it comes to mine.” I replied, folding my arms
across my chest.

“Me
too.” He sighed, placing his hands in his pockets. “So… what do you say? Fancy
hanging out for a little while? I have no ulterior motives, I swear. Besides,
it will give us a chance to get to know each other a little better. Your sister
is going to marry my brother and that’s practically family. It will also make
the wedding day a whole less awkward if we know each other a little.”

His
argument was compelling and made a lot of sense. I had no other plans for the
rest of the day and knew that Zack could be held up with his dinner engagement
for a while longer.

“Sure,
ok then.” I acquiesced, smiling faintly.

I
spent the rest of the afternoon with Aaron hanging out in my apartment and I
was really surprised by how much fun I had and how great his company was. He
made me laugh, he made me smile and he actually succeeded in helping me to
forget most of my problems. I could hardly remember the last time I simply
relaxed and enjoyed myself, savouring the exuberant and rejuvenated feeling it brought
me.

“How
often do you come up here to visit your parents? Rachel mentioned something
about you living in Manchester?” I asked him.

“Yeah,
I’ve been working down there for a couple of years now. I like it but try to
come back up here every couple of weeks or so to check in with my folks.” He
paused, glancing at me for a moment. “So how come you’ve always been the
outcast in your family? What makes Rachel the ‘golden’ child?”

“Come
on, you’ve seen her, she’s absolutely perfect. She’s successful, beautiful,
kind, funny, witty and just… dazzling. She sparkles.”

“And
you…?”

“Don’t.”
I stated in a matter of fact tone.

“Now
that is just crazy talk, Sam. You are every bit as beautiful as your sister. Of
course you’re both different when it comes to your appearance but that doesn’t
mean you’re unattractive or anything less than stunning.”

He
spoke sincerely but I still found it difficult to believe him. The only person
to ever compliment me in that way is Zack and it was disconcerting for me to
hear his brother do the exact same thing.

“Aaron…”

“Look,
I’m not coming onto you, Sam. I’m really not. I can’t deny the fact that you’re
gorgeous but I’m not hitting on you right now.” He turned to face me on the
sofa, zoning right in on me with a pair of brown eyes similar to Zack’s.

“But
the last time I saw you I remember you being very flirtatious towards me,
Aaron. Why should I believe you’re being any different now to how you were that
day?” I asked him, placing my empty coffee cup on the table in front of me.

“That’s
just the sort of guy I am to be honest. I
had
just caught a glimpse of
you in a towel, dripping wet and looking sexy as hell. I really couldn’t help
myself.”