Life, Love, & Lemons

by Vernon, Magan

  “Do you mind if I go over to Kai’s for a bit?” I asked, pointing toward the wall where our apartments met.

  “Is his mom okay with that?” He arched an eyebrow and leaned back onto the couch. Dad knew that Kai’s mom probably wasn’t too keen on the idea of us being together after the whole drug bust thing.

  “I can try, can’t I?” What Dad didn’t know was that Kai’s mom worked late at the call center on Fridays, so I knew that she wouldn’t be home.

  “Okay, have fun.” He waved his hand and sank into the couch.

  I figured that Kai’s sisters would probably be in bed, so I would go to the back patio door. I knocked a few times but no answer. I looked into see that Kai was definitely there. He was sitting on the futon in just a pair of shorts and some kind of video game was playing on the TV. I rolled my eyes as I felt my phone buzz in my pocket. I took it out and glanced down at the screen.

  Bee, where are you? I didn’t see you at the game and we’re all going out!

  It was Gabby. I figured that she could wait. I really had to talk to Kai first. After seeing Jake, I realized how much Kai actually meant to me and I had to apologize.

  I shoved my phone back into my pocket and slowly slid the patio door open. He didn’t even move as I walked over to the couch.

  “Come on, Mario, just sucker punch him,” he grunted, pounding his fingers against the controller.

  I tried not to laugh as I stepped directly behind him and whispered in his ear, “Boo.”

  He sprang from the couch, almost taking my hands with him and turned toward me with his arms up.

  “Oh, thank God; it’s just you.” He put his arms down and let out a big sigh of relief.

  “It’s a good thing I wasn’t Donkey Kong or something, then you might have sucker punched me.” I walked to the other side of the futon

  “Don’t be smack talking. This is classic.” He smiled and sat back down.

  I sat down next to him but couldn’t take my eyes off of his torso. Every time he would talk, the two black and white nautical star tattoos on the area above his chest would move.

  “Do you always sit around the house half-naked?” I asked, finally looking up at his face.

  “What? I’m at home.” He leaned back into the couch, so he was half laying and half sitting as he put his arms behind his head.

  I rolled my eyes. “I guess it’s a good that your mom isn’t here to see me sitting with you half-naked.”

  “Yeah, what’s up with that anyway? I thought you were worried about being with me because of Mom.” He arched an eyebrow.

  “Well,” I sat up on my knees. “I think I was a huge jerk last night, and I feel terrible about all of those things that I said to you.”

  “Go on.”

  “And I realized that any guy who is willing to take the blame for me definitely isn’t someone I should give up on that easy. No matter how many other people don’t like it.” I kind of trailed at the last part.

  “Who really cares what other people think?” He sat up and scooted a bit closer to me.

  “Besides your mom, obviously kids at school, and your ex-girlfriend seem to think that we don’t belong together.” I looked down at my nails.

  “I thought we were over that.” He pushed my hair out of my face.

  “Whoa, what happened there?” I winced when his hand touched the exact spot where it had hit the paper towel dispenser.

  “That’s evidence that at least one person isn’t happy with our relationship.”

  He just stared, rubbing my cheek with the side of his palm. “Who did this to you?”

  “Some dread locked girl with a thing for guys with nautical tattoos, I guess you could say.” I glanced over at Kai.

  He stopped moving his hand and asked, “Brynne did this to you? Why?”

  I rolled my eyes. “Why do you think she did? She said that girls like me didn’t belong with guys like you and then she hit my head against the paper towel dispenser.”

  “Wow…” He moved his hand down.

  My phone vibrated. I tried to ignore it but obviously Kai couldn’t.

  “Who’s calling you?” He pointed toward my pocket that was lit up like a glow stick.

  “Ignore it.” I waved my hand.

  Kai reached into my pocket and pulled my phone out.

  “Hey, give that back!” I put my arms out to grab it, but he was faster than me and had already unlocked the phone and started reading my text message.

  “Who is the boy?” he asked as he stared at the phone. He held me back with one hand as I waved my arms in the air trying to grab my phone.

  “What?” I finally plucked the phone out of his hand and sat back down to read the message.

  Are you with the boy? Is that why you’re not answering?

  I laughed and shook my head. “Who do you think the boy is?”

  “It’s not that blonde douche that was over earlier is it?” He peered at me with a confused look on his face.

  I hit Kai’s arm playfully. “Of course it’s not Jake. It’s you stupid.”

  I put my phone back in my pocket. “But how did you know Jake was over, were you spying on me or something?”

  “No, I just didn’t know why your ex would be over ,and I just happened to be in the living room when I saw that stupid car of his with the ‘J-DAWG’ plates pull up,” he quipped.

  “So you were spying on me!” I raised my voice a bit, but not too much so I wouldn’t wake up his sisters.

  “I wasn’t spying. I just wanted to see what your ex was doing over and why he would try and kiss you.”

  “Kai, do you not trust me or something?” I asked.

  “No, I mean…” He sighed. “After what you said the other night, I wasn’t sure what to think. I heard your dad talking about his book deal to someone on the phone while he was sitting on the back patio. I was afraid that since you would probably be going back to your old lifestyle, you’d forget all about me and go back with Mr. Popped Collar.”

  “You think that I’m going to leave you?” I raised my eyebrows. “Kai, I’m the girl that your friends call Barbie and was shunned by my own friends for being poor. What makes you think that I would ever leave the one person who cares about me so much that he risks his own suspension for me?”

  “After that whole speech about not wanting to sneak around, I thought we might be over. And I know you really wanted to go to Homecoming, so I thought maybe you found a new date.”

  “Kai…” I took his face in my hands and leaned into him. “Listen to me. I don’t care about being Homecoming Queen or having this season’s handbag. What I care about is how happy you’ve made me this past month and how I’ll do anything, even let your mom give me an exorcism, to stay with you.”

  He leaned his forehead against mine. “I’m still going to get worried when a guy hits on you. That’s just a guy thing.”

  “And I’m always going to be worried that your friends don’t like me, but I love you enough to live with that as long as you don’t feel that way,” I breathed.

  “Bentley, I could never feel that way about you. Not only are you probably the hottest girl I’ve ever seen but any girl that will sit through a really bad rock show and deal with the wrath of Mom, is someone that I should keep around for awhile.” He smiled as he leaned in to kiss me. It had been way too long and I happily returned his kiss.

  But he stopped me as I reached to put my arms around his neck.

  “What?” I pouted.

  “Shhh.” He froze for a second.

  “Shit,” Kai whispered and stood up running toward the patio, pulling me along with him.

  “What?” I whispered.

  “Mom’s home.”

  Just as I heard her key in the door, I jumped out onto the back patio and fell into my own railing in the process.

  Chapter 37

  Knight In Shining Chuck Taylors

  Not only did I have a big welt on my head, but now I had a purple bruise the size of a softbal
l on my leg.

  “Maybe you can cover it up with make up?” Gabby offered as she studied my leg like it were an exhibit in a museum.

  “Maybe I could just not go to the dance?” I offered, flopping down on my bed.

  “You have to go to the dance, you’re on court!” She plopped down next to me on her stomach.

  “Yeah, so, I could be the dateless court member with the big bruises. People are going to think that Kai really isn’t there because he beats me.” I wrinkled my nose.

  She rolled her eyes. “You’re such a drama queen! People know why Kai isn’t there, and I think it’s kind of romantic.”

  She got up on her knees and put one hand on her heart and stretched the other one out in the air in a sarcastic fashion. “The damsel in distress saved by her knight in shining Chuck Taylors!”

  I threw a pillow at her. She grabbed the pillow and sat down. “Oh come on, I know you want to go or you wouldn’t have made such a big deal to Kai about going.”

  “Yeah, but now that Kai isn’t going, it kind of doesn’t seem worth it.” I traced the seams on the pillow with my index finger.

  Gabby got up from the bed. “What are you supposed to do? He’s suspended, so he can’t go, so that means that you should go. At least for coronation and then you can leave and make out with him on your back patio or whatever it is you guys do.”

  “We do not always make out on the back patio!”

  Gabby put her hands on her hips. “You know what I mean.” She grabbed her purse. “But I have to go get ready. Brett and I will be here to get you at five for dinner. Be ready!”

  “Whatever,” I muttered as I slumped back down in bed.

  Just a few days ago I was so excited to be going to Homecoming with Kai and now I had absolutely no desire to go. Not only did I not want to deal with the drama of coronation but after letting out all my insecurities to Kai the last night, it kind of opened a whole new box of drama.

  I didn’t know where to go at this point forward. I didn’t know if I should just continue to hang out with Gabby or the other popular kids and just sink back into the same girl I was a year ago. Or if Kai’s friends would even accept me now that he wasn’t around. I couldn’t imagine Brody wanting to sit with me at lunch or Brynne and her band ever wanting to invite me over for a slumber party. I had no idea when I let my life get so wrapped up by the actions of one boy.

  “Hey, Bent?” Dad knocked softly at the door.

  “Yeah Dad?” I yelled.

  “Can I come in?” He poked his little bald head in the door.

  “Of course.” I scooted over on my bed, so that he could sit down next to me.

  “I know you’ve been through a lot this past year with my lay-off and now my book deal, but I want to let you know how proud I am of how you’ve handled it all.” He smiled as he sat down next to me.

  “Most teenage girls wouldn’t go out of their way to get a part-time job to help out or they would have complained more at the budget constraints. But you took lemons and you made the best lemonade,” he said with a big smile on his face.

  “I don’t think I really made lemonade, maybe lemon water but definitely not lemonade.”

  He rolled his eyes. “Bent, you know what I mean. And listen I know you’re worried about things with Kai, so I’m going to talk to his mother tonight when she gets off of work. I’ve already left her a message. I don’t think she wants her son sneaking around to see you as much as I don’t want to see you getting into any more trouble.”

  My eyes lit up. “You’re really going to do that for me?”

  “If you’re going to be stuck at school and work all day, and if I’m going to be writing at night, you really need someone to keep you company. I would rather have it be Kai than some spiky-haired blonde kid. How’d you ever date that kid, Bent? I think he wears more cologne than an entire Italian night club!” He raised his eyebrows.

  I couldn’t help but laugh.

  “Kai may have piercings and wear some really interesting clothes, but he treats you the way that a guy is supposed to treat a girl. Last year when you hung out with all those kids at St. Christopher’s you were like this little valley girl that I think I would have hated in high school. No offense, Bent.” He looked up at me.

  I shrugged. “None taken.”

  “Then this past seven months you’ve just really shown me how amazing of a girl you are. Now I don’t want you to go out and get some dark eyeliner and a tongue ring, but I think I’m okay with you going to a few concerts or having a few kids with multicolored hair over,” he said, standing.

  I looked up at him, not speaking.

  “Besides I like having you happy. When you’re happy it makes me happy, and when I’m happy my writing gets better.” He grinned from the door way.

  “Always about you, Dad?” I joked.

  “Hey, I have to do something to compete with the future Homecoming Queen.”

  Chapter 38

  Have You Always Been This Demanding?

  Brett and Gabby were at my apartment right on time. Most people our age weren’t on time for things, but I think Gabby was afraid if she wasn’t then I might try and escape or something.

  “Oh em gee, Bee, I told you that dress would be awesome!” Gabby squealed.

  I wore the teal dress from my sophomore year Homecoming. I figured that no one else but Brett had seen me in it, and Gabby was right: new school and new people. Gabby and Brett of course, looked like the perfect couple. She in her bright pink strapless dress and he in a blue Italian-made suit.

  “Um, isn’t that a little last season?” Brett raised an eyebrow but then quickly stopped himself, stammering and realized that he said something that would out him.

  I strolled over to him, letting my gladiator heels click on the linoleum. “It’s okay, Brett, I know you really were checking out my dress and not me.” I put my arm around his shoulders.

  “You know? Like know, know?” He looked to me then to Gabby, who just shrugged.

  “Yeah, but don’t worry, I won’t tell as long as you help me out with some fashion tips.” I laughed.

  “I’ve been waiting years to hear you say that.” He clasped his hand on his chest. “And we definitely need to start with your shoes.” He pointed down toward my feet. Gabby and I definitely couldn’t help but laugh at that one.

  “Okay you guys it’s picture time.” Dad came strolling out of the bedroom with his digital camera in hand.

  “Dad.” I rolled my eyes “I really don’t want to take the picture as the third wheel.”

  “You can stand in the middle if that makes you feel better,” Brett offered.

  I folded my arms over the scratchy taffeta of my dress. “Fine.”

  There wasn’t exactly much room for pictures in the tiny apartment or even something nice to take our picture in front of. Last Homecoming we all took pictures by the big fountain in front of my old house. This year we didn’t have a fountain and the back patio was not a good substitute.

  “Dad, come on, we’re going to be late to the restaurant,” I said, swaying back and forth so the poufy bottom of my dress swished around my legs.

  “Have you always been this demanding, Bent?” Dad arched an eyebrow as he put the camera down.

  “Yes.” I smiled.

  We all said our goodbyes to Dad from the patio and started to head out to Brett’s SUV.

  “Sorry about that, guys,” I whispered.

  “No problem.” Brett shrugged. “I’m guessing he’s got to be lonely since your mom left.”

  I winced as we stepped near the car. Mom was a subject that wasn’t really brought up too much. She did raise me and all, okay well actually my nannies raised me, but she still did give birth to me. Even though I hated what she did to Dad, it still stung every time someone brought her up.

  “Bentley?” I heard someone yell.

  I turned to see Kai’s mom running toward Brett’s car. Brett and Gabby gave each other a confused look as I mouthed to them who
she was.

  “Yes, Mrs. Stone?” I smoothed my skirt and tried to stand up as straight as possible. The lady made me really nervous and even though I was probably a foot taller than her in heels, she still looked pretty fierce.

  “Don’t you look nice.” She took a minute to size me up but in a good way. I think she actually even smiled.

  “Um, Thanks.” I looked down. It was kind of an awkward conversation to be having. I hadn’t actually seen or heard from her since the whole me-getting-busted thing and had no idea why she approached me.

  “I don’t want to keep you late.” She let out a big sigh. “Your dad came over this morning and talked to me about you and Kai.”

  I looked up at her and widened my eyes. I knew Dad said he would talk to her, but I had no idea it would be this soon or that he’d talk to her without at least talking to me about what he was going to say first. Gabby and Brett took this as their cue to wait for me in the car and got in, shutting the doors behind them.

  “I shouldn’t have judged you. It was wrong of me to do that and wasn’t very Christian of me.” She played with her cross necklace. “I just want you to know that I believe you and Kai had nothing to do with the pills that were in your locker, and I don’t blame you at all for the fact that he stepped in on your behalf.”

  She looked up at me. “It actually makes me proud to have a son that would be willing to be that selfless for another person. And since that other person was you, I know that it’s a sign you must be as great of a person as my son is.”

  It was hard to fight back the tears as she leaned into give me a quick hug. I knew if I could conquer Kai’s mom then a school dance shouldn’t be too hard.

  Chapter 39

  Wild Streak

  Our group decided to have dinner at Mongiat, an Italian restaurant that was in a terrible neighborhood, but had the best food in town. It looked like half of our school was already at the restaurant when we got there, so I was pretty glad that Gabby included me in the reservations when she made them months ago.