Girl at Heart

by Kelly Oram

  “Leila!” Jace kicks the back of the driver’s seat, which causes Leila to erupt into hysterical laughter. I can’t help giggling with her. Jace looks horrified. And I can just picture him braiding his little sisters’ hair.

  “Shut up and drive, you brat.”

  “Not yet. We need some tunes.” Leila lowers her chin and looks at me over the top of her sunglasses. “Here’s another lesson for you. When girls drive places, we are totally allowed to turn up the music and sing along at the top of our lungs. I’ll bet your guy friends never do that.”

  I laugh and shake my head. “If one of us ever tried it, we’d get punched.”

  Leila plugs her phone into the auxiliary jack. “You’re in for a treat, then. What type of music do you like?”

  I shrug. “A bit of everything.”

  Leila shakes her head. “Who’s your favorite?”

  I think of the gorgeous rock star whom I saw perform in a small club in New York this past spring and promptly fell in love with. “Have you heard of Nate Anderson?”

  Leila gasps. “I love Nate Anderson! ‘31 Flavors of You’ is the best, and he’s so gorgeous. Here, I have his album.”

  The next thing I know, Leila rolls the windows down and blares the music. Once the lyrics kick in, she starts belting them out along with the song. “Come on,” she yells over the noise as she pulls out of the drive, “you have to sing along!”

  She starts to bounce in her chair, and I laugh, but before I know it, I’m belting the song right along with her.

  I’m a little bit in love with Leila King. I was worried that I wouldn’t know how to talk to her or even relate to her. I figured she’d overwhelm me. But all it takes to make me a loyal friend for life is a single car ride.

  By the time we reach the mall, my voice is tender and my ears are ringing, but I’m smiling so big my face hurts. I can’t remember the last time I had so much fun on something as trivial as a drive to the mall.

  Jace opens my door for me while I’m still giggling and singing. He helps me out of the car and gives me a crooked smile. “You were worried you didn’t know how to be a girl, but it appears you’re a natural. My ears are bleeding.”

  I smack his arm. “Oh, shut up. That was fun.”

  He laughs and shakes his head, but then he snags my hand and laces our fingers together as we walk through the parking lot. I consider making him let go, but it feels natural, and I’m in too good a mood to worry about it. If Leila notices or cares, she doesn’t act like it. She simply sidles up on my other side and starts rattling off names of stores that we need to try. Whatever nerves I had about this shopping spree melt away as the three of us head inside. I have a feeling Leila’s right. This might turn out to be one of the best days ever.

  I clam up when we reach our first store. Leila pulls me into the middle of a sea of women’s clothing and gestures as if to say go for it. It’s like she just asked me to find the cure for cancer. I have no idea how to do this or where to start. “Um…now what?”

  Jace chuckles. “You’re worse than me.”

  When my face heats up, Leila smacks his arm. “She’s not bad at this, she’s inexperienced.”

  Leila leads me away from Jace as though she’s trying to protect me and moves me in front of a rack of clothes. “First,” she says as she pulls a short, ruffled skirt off the rack and holds it up to me, “we figure out your style.”

  Dread washes over me at the thought of having to wear the monstrosity. I look to Jace in a panic. There’s laughter in his eyes, as if this is the most amusing thing he’s ever seen, but he takes pity on me. “Maybe something a little less frilly, Leelee.”

  She doesn’t argue, but she does cast the skirt a wistful, forlorn look as she hangs it back up. “Okay, no short skirts.”

  I feel terrible. I’m here for her help, and I just rejected her very first suggestion. Geez, I suck at this. It’s hopeless. “Sorry.”

  Leila gives me a bright smile that’s every bit as beautiful and full of sunshine as her brother’s. “Don’t be sorry. It’s not you. There’s nothing wrong with that. We’re here to figure out what you like. You don’t have to wear all pink or short skirts or high heels to look pretty.”

  I eye her outfit skeptically, and Jace snorts. Leila is literally dressed in a short skirt, a pink top, and sandals that give her at least three inches of height. She looks down at her outfit and groans. “Okay, I’m a bad example, but I promise, there is middle ground.”

  She puts the skirt back and moves to a long row of skinny jeans. I breathe a sigh of relief. I’ve never worn skinny jeans, but they don’t seem nearly as scary. I meet her at the table and watch her rifle through the pile of jeans, pulling several different pairs.

  “I think you should try this,” Jace says.

  I turn around to find him holding up a denim skirt that’s frayed around the hem. It’s cute, and not too girly, but it sure looks awfully short. I eye the skirt, then cock a brow at Jace. “Really?”

  He shrugs, a perfect mask of innocence that I don’t buy for one second. “What? This is nothing like that scary, ruffled thing Leila had. It’s basically jeans.”

  Sure it is. “Jeans that don’t cover my legs.”

  Jace surprises me with a very devious grin that I wouldn’t have thought him capable of. “That’s the point, Hastings.”

  My eyes nearly pop out of my head.

  Jace’s smile morphs into a smirk, and he pushes the skirt into my hands. Leila doesn’t give me a chance to argue. “Here, you can pair it with this.” She hands me a pink and white baseball tee. “It’s feminine but still sporty.”

  The shirt is cute. I’m nervous about the skirt, but I’ve never tried one on before. I’m a lot more curious than I thought I’d be. When I don’t immediately protest, Leila grabs the correct sizes, shoves them at me, and walks me to the dressing rooms. “Try them on first, and then we can find other things based on how you feel about them.”

  Once in the stall, I turn my back to the mirror, not ready to see the skirt yet. I smooth out the material and tug at the hem. It’s actually really comfortable. I take a deep breath and let it out slowly. I have to look. There’s no way I’m stepping out of this stall in front of a waiting Jace King without knowing exactly how I look.

  When I turn around, I’m startled by the girl I find staring back at me. It’s me, but I actually look…cute. Yeah, my thighs are catcher’s thighs, but they don’t look as bad as I thought they would. My legs have always made me feel self-conscious. I stay in excellent shape. My diet is strict, and I train a lot. Sure, I’m all muscle, but there’s a lot of it. I’m not thin like all the girls at school who wear skirts. That’s why I’ve never worn shorts, either. But this skirt makes my legs look really long, and the bulk in my thighs is clearly definition, not fat. I look really toned. Not huge, like I usually feel.

  Leila’s hesitant voice pulls me from my thoughts. “Charlie? Everything okay? Do they fit, or should I get you a different size?”

  I turn from side to side, checking to make sure the skirt covers my butt. It’s not as short as I originally worried. The hem brushes my fingertips when my hands rest against my sides. I think Dad would approve. It just seems shorter because my legs are so long.

  “It’s okay,” I call out.

  There’s laughter in Leila’s reply. “Well, are you going to come out and show us?”

  I want to be stubborn and say no, but that would be counterproductive. If this doesn’t work, then Leila will tell me so. And Jace…well…let’s just say that after his comment about wanting to see my legs, I’m both excited and terrified to come out.

  With another deep breath, I force myself from the dressing room. Leila has wandered off, but Jace is waiting for me, leaning against a wall. He straightens up when he sees me, and his brows shoot up. His eyes widen, and then they drop down the length of my body. I suck in a breath and hold it in my lungs. My heart starts hammering in my chest. I don’t think a boy has ever checked me out before. At
least, not to my knowledge. It has me all kinds of twisted up inside. It’s both thrilling and scary.

  I bite my lip and tug at the hem of the T-shirt as I wait for Jace’s eyes to meet mine again. When he does, the look in his eyes sets my face on fire. “Charlie…” He pulls his mouth shut and visibly swallows. It’d be comical if I weren’t about to puke from being so nervous. “You have to get that skirt.”

  My whole body locks up. I’ve never been paid a compliment in such a way. I’ve never been looked at the way Jace is looking at me. It’s overwhelming. I can’t seem to breathe.

  When Leila returns and lets out a loud whistle, I jump so high I nearly hit the ceiling. A small squeak escapes me, but at least my brain has been restarted and set into motion again. “Dang, girl!” She motions for me to spin, and I obey on instinct, slowly turning in my spot. “You’ve been hiding those legs this whole time? If I were you, I’d never wear pants again.”

  “You think?” I rub my hands over the fronts of my thighs, insecurity suddenly punching me in the gut. Standing next to Leila, I lose all my confidence. She’s so pretty, and we’re so different. “I don’t normally wear shorts or skirts. The guys always tease me about my thunder thighs. Too many squats, you know?”

  Leila’s mouth drops in horror.

  “They what?” Jace growls. Literally. He growls the words.

  I frown at them both, confused by their reactions.

  “They’ve actually called you thunder thighs?” Leila asks, still pale and wide-eyed.

  I nod.

  She shakes her head and shocks me when she stomps her foot and screeches, “Boys are such idiots!” She tackles me in a hug. “Don’t you ever think that again, Charlie. They’re jerks. You look amazing. I’d kill for your muscle tone.”

  “Okay,” I mutter.

  Leila shakes me before pulling back and giving me a stern frown. “I’m serious. You are gorgeous, and by the end of the day today, you are going to believe it.”

  Warmth spreads through my chest. I have no doubt Eric, Kev, and Diego love me, but they would never just say something so incredibly kind. They give me a hard time; it’s how they show they care. I never knew I would like Leila’s type of moral support, but it feels good. I also never realized how bothered I was by the guys’ teasing until Leila told me I look nice. “Thanks,” I murmur.

  Leila’s fierce look softens up. “Charlie, I’ve watched you follow your dreams since freshman year. You’re fearless when you go out onto the baseball field. You’re confident, and you don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t or you’re not good enough. You’re still that girl now. You’re still cool, confident, fearless Charlie Hastings. This is just a different playing field. You rock that skirt like you rock your uniform. So shoulders back, chin up, and let’s tackle this makeover like it’s the state championships.”

  I laugh, but I’ve never been more grateful to someone in my life. “You’re right,” I say, feeling a little bit more confident. “I do rock this skirt.”

  “You really, really do,” Jace agrees, making me blush ten shades of red.

  “And look what I found.” Leila places a pink baseball hat on my head that matches the shirt I’m wearing.

  Jace looks me over again and gives me a crooked grin. “That does it,” he teases. “I think I’m in love.”

  He’s kidding. I know he’s teasing. But still. I could get used to the flirting.

  “Aw, aren’t you guys cute,” Leila says right before she pushes Jace out of the way and spins me back toward the dressing room. “Now, out of the way, mister. Charlie and I have some shopping to do. Take that off, and when you’re dressed, come and find me. We’ll get a whole bunch of stuff for you to try on next.”

  . . . . .

  Shopping with Leila is nothing like shopping by myself or with my dad. We spend hours moving from store to store trying on a million different outfits. She teaches me what kinds of things look good together and what colors do and don’t mix with my complexion. She shows me how to accessorize and helps me discover my style. I love the denim skirt Jace was so fond of, and I picked a few sundresses, too, but I mostly love the summer casual look. Seriously, how have I gone my whole life without wearing shorts and sandals?

  After clothes, we move on to accessories, shoes, and swimsuits. Jace picks out this skimpy string bikini, and I think he’s only partially kidding. In response, I hold up a simple racerback one-piece. Leila makes us compromise with a cute halter-top tankini. After that, we spend like an hour in Sephora where Leila gives me a crash course in skin care products and the basics of makeup.

  Jace spends the time smelling so many different lotions and perfumes—half of which he places in my shopping basket, insisting that I buy them—that he gives himself a headache and claims if we don’t feed him soon, he’ll die. Leila and I take pity on him and head for the food court.

  It’s not until we get to a table and Jace thunks down a slew of bags that I realize he’s basically been relegated to some kind of manservant, trailing behind Leila and me, carrying almost everything for us.

  “Wow.” Leila blinks at the pile and nods approvingly. “I think we’ve bought out half the mall.”

  “We really did.” I give Jace a grimace. “Thanks for helping carry it all.”

  He cocks his brow and gives me a smirk that makes me giggle. Apparently, I’m a giggler. I don’t know if it’s Leila rubbing off on me or something that has been buried deep inside me only waiting to burst out, but I’ve giggled more today than I have in my entire life. And every time I do, Jace does this cute headshake/chuckle combo. It’s almost rueful, like What have I done unleashing my sister on this girl? Like he can’t believe I’m this girly, giggly person, but that he also finds it absolutely adorable. The look only makes me giggle more. “Sorry.” I point to all the bags he’s been dragging around for hours. “I’ll make it up to you. Lunch is on me.”

  He pulls out a chair, leans back in it, and crosses his arms over his chest. He gives me a long, thoughtful look before shaking his head no. “How about lunch is on me, and you can pay me back by letting me watch the game with you in your awesome theater room and maybe testing out that new swimsuit with me.”

  I fall into the chair beside his and smile so big my cheeks hurt. That sounds perfect. This has been the greatest day. Jace and Leila have both been amazing. The thought of winding down after this with Jace, watching TV and swimming, sounds like heaven. “Day game today,” I tell him. “It’s half over already, but make it a swim and a movie, and you’re on.”

  He gives me that long, searching look again. “Deal,” he finally agrees. “But no Leila.”

  No Leila? Just me and Jace? Swimming in my pool? Watching a movie alone in the theater room, with the lights out?

  I gulp. There is absolutely no mistaking that. That is a date. A romantic one. And he’s got this intense look in his eyes like he’s daring me to agree to it. Can I? Do I want that kind of date with Jace? He’s been great today, and I like him, but do I like him, like him? What about Eric?

  I don’t get the chance to answer—not that I know what my answer would be. Leila grabs the chair I’m sitting in and pulls me away from Jace as if the few inches of space will save me from him. “Yes, Leila,” she demands.

  Jace opens his mouth to argue, but Leila cuts him off. “This is girls’ day. You can come, but we’re picking the movie, and I’m going to teach Charlie how to apply her makeup and curl her hair while we watch it.”

  Jace groans at the ceiling as if that idea might literally kill him, but then he huffs out a breath of air and says, “Fine.”

  Leila points a menacing finger at him. “One complaint and you’re getting dropped off at home before we go back to Charlie’s house.”

  I kind of feel bad for the guy. “We can get pizza,” I offer as a consolation. “And ice cream.”

  Jace’s eyes slide from his sister to me, and the scowl slowly melts off his face. His lips twitch until finally he grins. “You fight dirty. Es
pecially because I’m starving right now.”

  After lunch, Jace stands up, stretches, and starts to gather up our truckload of bags. “You guys ready to head out?”

  I nod, but Leila says, “Not yet.”

  I don’t know what in the world else we could possibly need. Jace shakes his head and shrugs. He has no clue, either.

  “Do you trust me?” Leila asks me.

  The question sounds ominous, but, surprisingly, after everything today, I do trust her. “You haven’t steered me wrong yet. Why?”

  Leila pulls her bottom lip into her teeth and wrings out her hands as if she’s nervous. “We passed a salon a little bit ago. They didn’t look busy. I bet we could get you in.”

  A salon? My hand goes back to my ponytail. “You think I should get a haircut?”

  Leila pulls my hair free of my elastic and runs her fingers over it to smooth it out. Jace clears his throat and smirks at me. “See? Hair petting.”

  I snort. Leila rolls her eyes at her brother and continues combing her fingers through my hair. “I’m thinking color,” she says. “We should lighten you up.”

  At first I don’t understand what she means. The concept of dying my hair is so foreign to me that my mind just doesn’t go there. When I finally get her meaning, I gasp. “Dye it? You think I should go blonde?”

  I sneak a glance at Jace, trying to judge what he thinks of the idea. It seems a bit extreme to me, but Leila has had excellent taste so far. I don’t think she’d suggest it if it wouldn’t look good. Jace’s eyebrows are high up his forehead, but he seems to be considering it.

  Leila pulls my hair over one shoulder and gives me a reassuring smile. “You’re in the middle right now. You know, is it blonde or is it brown? Lightening you up would make it pop. And with your skin tone, I think you’d look great.”