Paper Dolls, Book One

by Emma Chamberlain

  I drove up to the lobby doors, handed the valet my key and stepped out to meet Avery. My heels clicked on the drive and I straightened my skirt discreetly. I hoped I was presentable for her. That’s all I cared about now. I just wanted to impress.

  “Whoa. I can’t eat at this place.”

  “What do you mean?” I asked. I was worried about this. It wasn’t nice enough. Wasn’t good.

  She looked down at her outfit and hugged herself.

  Oh…

  “Oh God, don’t worry about that. You look great. You’re with me.”

  I didn’t want her to freak. I took her hand and began to walk. I took her option away and hoped this would work.

  Her hand in mine felt hot and perfect. As I touched her that hot and perfect feeling spread up into my body until it was everywhere. It was hard to keep myself from smiling like an idiot but I tried to fix my expression to that of a business professional.

  The lobby had people in it but they all looked busy and I fiercely avoided making out the shapes and ascribing names or personalities. The last thing I needed now was to be bothered by someone I did not want to talk to.

  Hardly concerned with the affairs of others, now that I had her by my side. I pulled Avery to follow me as I turned to the restaurant and walked past the hostess and straight back to my booth.

  I walked so quickly that it only took a few seconds for us to get there.

  Luckily the staff knew me on sight. They probably had some sort of button they pushed any time a high-profile client’s car swung onto the lot. That’s what it felt like anyway. No one ever treated me like a child. Quite the opposite was true. Here, I was important, an adult, a person to wine and dine, a human to impress, people knew my name.

  As soon as we sat down a familiar woman came by.

  “Wine?”

  “Yes. Please,” I said.

  I realized all of a sudden that Avery and I were sitting across from each other. It’d be harder to avoid eye contact now. My chest felt tight. Wine was necessary. Wine was good.

  The woman left and I looked up at Avery. “Do you need a menu?” I asked.

  I usually just ordered what I wanted and they made it.

  “Olivia,” Avery laughed.

  She was still uncomfortable I guess.

  “Don’t worry, I’ll get you one.” I wanted it to be easy for her. She had no reason to feel out of place.

  I got up quickly and found the woman who had taken our drink order. She was already on her way back with a full bottle of red wine. I informed her that Avery felt out of place but that she was starving and I wanted to take care of her.

  The woman smiled. “Leave it to me,” she said.

  When I got back to the table, I tucked my skirt beneath me as I slid into the booth. The woman came back with the wine and turned up the charm.

  Avery’s wine glass sat in front of her and the woman poured her wine first. I watched as she made eye contact. “I love your shirt,” she said. “When I was your age I had one just like it.”

  “Oh,” Avery sighed. “Thanks.” She was still nervous though as the waitress filled my glass. “Are we eating today?” The waitress asked me.

  “Yes,” I said. I wasn’t exactly hungry. “I’ll have my usual.” I liked to play with them. I ordered different things all the time but most often I got a dressy salad with avocados, olives, artichoke hearts, fancy cheeses, expensive meats, and almonds.

  “And for you?” The waitress turned her attention to Avery.

  “I’ll have the same,” she said.

  “Oh no—” I said, reaching out and covering Avery’s hand with my own. I pulled my hand away once I realized what I’d done. Her eyes were staring down at my hand. That was too much. “She’s starving,” I said. “Just bring a few different options. Steak maybe. Something rustic yet savory. She’d like that I think.” I checked Avery’s eyes but she was looking down, avoiding me.

  “I’ll tell the chef,” the waitress smiled and nodded, leaving us in peace.

  I pulled my glass of wine to my lips. As soon as Avery lifted her eyes I intentionally moved mine to stare out the window over the golf course at the back of the property which was pretty and calm.

  “Why did you bring me here?” She seemed angry but I couldn’t be sure.

  I let out a sigh. “Truth?” I asked.

  “Yes.” She said, wanting exactly that. I set my glass down and tried to remove my facade.

  How could I explain why I was the way I was?

  “I was an asshole yesterday,” I allowed myself to relax, even though I was shaky. I just wanted to actually be honest with her. “I’d never considered you before. Never wanted to. I was judgmental and rude. You were right to snap at me. I was mad at Ben. I just. I wanted to apologize. None of that was your fault.”

  When she finally looked up at me again, I raised my glass in a peace offering, my eyes flickered when she stared. I thought of Natalie’s words and they came back to me.

  I need someone brave…

  For Avery I’d be better. For Avery I’d be brave.

  Chapter Ten

  Avery

  The car glided in and out of traffic like a fast fish in a vast sea. It’s a beautiful piece of machinery. I liked the feeling of the seats and the luxury. It’s not something I’m used to. The Honda is good but it doesn’t drive very smooth and there’s no power.

  The ride is quiet and calm until Olivia starts asking me questions.

  She was persistent and I answered her in short bursts, trying to enjoy her driving. I don’t know why I felt so exposed with her. Not like my defenses are down but like she has just the right x-ray vision to see through them. Yet, I couldn’t stop feeling this pull toward her.

  Acting was one of my favorite things. Being someone else and having that freedom to put everything out there under the pretense of art. Even if it was just High School drama and community theatre, it was escaping myself. She kept asking questions, taking me out of my head.

  She seemed genuinely interested, unlike yesterday. She was trying and I guess it wouldn’t hurt me to give her a break but I didn’t like being taken for a ride.

  “Hey, no offense, but are you really taking me somewhere ‘cause I’m sort of starving?”

  She snapped back at me. “I told you I was,” she said. “Need I remind you that you

  are in no way obligated to do this?”

  “No, it’s not that at all. I want to help you- I just get grumpy sometimes if I don’t eat.” I stopped and tried to think how to explain without really explaining. “Hey, athlete here, remember? Exercise too much. Never eat enough?”

  “Don’t worry,” she said. “I’ll feed you.”

  “You don’t have to feed me. I can pay for myself.” That wasn’t strictly true since I’d left my debit card in my car, but I had a few bucks in cash on me.

  “Oh no. I’m paying. My parents are rich,”

  Not surprising considering the car and the clothes. She always looked perfect, intentional. I wasn’t sure if I liked that or if I liked how awkward she seemed to be with me. We were from different worlds. She looked like she cared about everything.

  We kept driving but turned off after a half a mile. The top of an old four story building peeked over the tree-line and the drive was immaculate. The asphalt was night black and not even marred by a crack. We drove through what looked like a little park up to the front of the building. The sign out front was made of stone and wood with perfect script.

  This place looked fancy, too fancy for me. I swallowed and sat up in the seat, looking around. My hands were so cold and I wanted to stuff them in my pockets but I just sat there, braced against the door and the console. She stopped the car and got out, handing the key to a guy who was waiting by a podium. I scrambled out of the passenger seat, stopping only to unbuckle the seatbelt that I forgot I was wearing.

  She started to walk away, into the building but I stopped her, adrenaline making my heart race.

  “Whoa. I
can’t eat at this place,” I protested

  “What do you mean?” She asked.

  I shrugged, my arms wide, pointing out my less than appropriate wardrobe. I was dressed for a low-key concert, not the freaking Ritz. She just dismissed my concern like I was actually going to fit in. People were probably going to stare but I followed her in anyway. My options were limited.

  Making her take me back to my car seemed extreme and I wanted to see what she was going to ask me. She was a curious sort of person. I felt like I’d only seen a minuscule part of her behind the facade.

  We were seated right away. I couldn’t help but look around, getting this sinking feeling. Everything in here probably cost more than our house. The drapes were satiny and the dark wood floors looked old. The tables had fresh white linen. The server was over as soon as we sat, offering us wine, and I began to wonder what Olivia’s parents actually did for her to get this kind of treatment.

  Wine was kind of foreign to me. I didn’t know anything about it other than what kind of box wine my Mom kept in the fridge. I’d see her go through one or two a week. This was different. The bottle tipped and I caught a look at the label. Red liquid poured into the glass in front of me and I caught Olivia’s smile from across the table.

  She wasn’t exactly comfortable but it wasn’t because of the place. My skin itched all over and I shifted a little to try and alleviate that feeling but she kept watching me. The server mentioned my shirt, distracting me. I think she was trying to be nice but it just made me feel even weirder that she had noticed. I tried to smile, pushing my hair back but wanting to hide behind it.

  Olivia was ordering, her usual, and I shrugged. “I’ll have the same.” I hoped it wasn’t anything with animal parts that I’d have to choke down. I wasn’t into livers or snails or whatever weird things people ate in places like this.

  I had to wait for the waitress to leave to ask her what I needed.

  “Why did you bring me here?” I asked. The words were harsher than I really wanted. It wasn’t her, it was this place. It made me feel foreign, like I didn’t know the language.

  “Truth?”

  That was what I always wanted. The thing that no one would give me. “Yes.” I picked up the wine glass and waited, my bullshit meter on standby.

  “I was an asshole yesterday. I’d never considered you before. Never wanted to. I was judgmental and rude. You were right to snap at me. I just. I wanted to apologize. None of that was your fault.”

  Truth. The little voice in my head screamed. She was laying it out there bare. “It’s not all your fault. I snapped back.” I toasted with her, taking a sip. It was dry wine. Nothing like the stuff Mom drank. I didn’t like it but I didn’t hate it. I swallowed, pleased with the warm feeling it sent through my body.

  “If I’m being honest, I didn’t even get why Mr. Bradford asked me to do the interview.” I was careful to use his surname when talking about him. Her face tightened, gaze falling from mine. My brows knit and I took another drink, thoughts swirling around like the wine inside me.

  “He just told me it would be good for the yearbook,” she answered.

  I could see him telling her that and I could see her not totally believing him. He really was an ass about hiding things. Once again, I felt the creeping sensation of wrongness, and swallowed more wine to make it go away. This stuff was strong because my head started to get a little fuzzy, making me unsure of how much I’d had.

  The server showed up again, pouring more in my glass. I smiled up at her, not minding her intrusion so much anymore.

  “But then I met you,” Olivia said.

  My head swiveled, eyes slamming into hers. She looked sort of scared, out of breath. I blinked. Wondering if I was missing something.

  “What do you mean?” She met me and was kind of rude so I didn’t get what that had to do with how it affected her view of the assignment Ben had given her.

  “I like you Avery.”

  I set the glass down, eyebrow raised, opening my mouth to ask for further clarification, but the food came and my mouth instead hung open at the sight of two big round trays full of different foods. It was like a mini buffet but for just us.

  The two guys carrying the trays set up little stands for them and started putting the food on the table. There were two intense looking salads, a steak with some kind of vegetable mix, a random tray of appetizer looking things, and what looked like chicken on a bed of risotto and something else.

  My mouth watered. This was all food I would devour if given a chance and Olivia had somehow magically made it appear. When I looked up, she was smiling. I chuckled. “You know I could eat all of this by myself, right?”

  “Be my guest, please,” she asked. My happiness had soothed her.

  I pulled the plate with the steak and veggies over and picked up the knife. When I cut into it, juice oozed out. It was perfectly cooked, medium rare. I speared the piece on a fork and started to eat. I almost sighed. It was so good. I liked my meat well-done but I wasn’t about to complain.

  The wine, the food, what kind of fairy tale was I in right now and when did the evil queen come to kill me? I kept eating, making the food disappear at an alarming rate. Olivia on the other hand picked at her salad, watching me eat. I didn’t care. It was too good to even worry about her thoughts.

  It felt strangely grown up to be here with her, but I felt like I was half expecting myself to play a part I didn’t know. I only wanted to be myself, right now. It wasn’t natural for me.

  “You weren’t hungry?” I asked.

  The silence and her mostly intact bowl of fancy salad, made me curious. Since the immediate needs of my stomach were met, my mind now kicked into high gear.

  “Oh. Yeah. My stomach’s been a little upset today. It’s no big deal.”

  “Okay,” I said. I felt bad that she’d ordered all this food if she wasn’t going to be able to eat anything. “Maybe I can pay you back somehow.”

  I didn’t like handouts. Not that I felt that was what Olivia was doing. She really wasn’t worried about spending her parents’ money but it still made me uncomfortable. Ben always bought my dinner and sometimes he would show up with these little presents, clothes and things, but I felt like they were more for him. Like he enjoyed seeing me wearing things he gave me. I’d only wear them when he pressed it. Except for the watch. I loved it and technically it was a birthday present.

  “Avery…” Olivia sighed. She seemed bothered by that.

  “Okay, okay, I know.” The fork felt heavy in my hand. I let it sit back on the plate where the steak had once been. “Mommy and Daddy foot the bill,” I grinned, one side of my smile higher than the other. It was just the way my face tended to shift. Always a little sad on one side.

  She just looked at me and I started to feel on the spot, tethered by her eyes. Thoughts shuffled through my mind. “Are you going on the ski trip?”

  It was annual but optional. All the kids, plus the chaperones. This would be my first year. Ben had talked me into it. I’d only skied once in my life so I was just hoping not to break anything.

  “If I don’t go I won’t be normal,” she said. “I have to go.”

  “Cool,” I said. We would be there together. That was starting to sound like a good thing. “Maybe we can hang out.”

  She shifted in her seat, a little more forward over the table and I just watched her, taking a sip of wine, considering. I could feel her mind working but I’d never be able to tell what she was thinking. It was a mystery and I was kind of enjoying being Nancy Drew.

  “I’d like that,” she said.

  “So, would I,” I teased. “Obviously.” I almost winked at her. What gave me that urge, I don’t know. The wine. I was going to blame it on the wine. I was kind of a flirty drunk.

  She cleared her throat and I wondered if I’d made things weird. “But it’ll be fun for sure. Skylar and Sarah are going to make me snowboard with them but I’m just looking forward to getting out of town and away from
school, you know?”

  The ice in my water glass had mostly melted, the condensation sliding down to the table. I picked it up and took a drink to clear my head. I was done and I probably needed to get out of here before I drank even more. The wine had tasted so good after the first glass. Probably, an effect of the alcohol. Still, I wanted more and there seemed to be a never ending supply coming out of the kitchen.

  “Maybe we should get going,” I suggested.

  I felt like she was content to sit here forever but I was going to have to sober up and go home before I embarrassed myself. Mom might be up by now and I could try to make her eat something.

  We didn't wait for a check. Olivia stood up and waited for me to do the same. We walked out of the dining room and into the lobby.

  “What, do they put it on your tab or something?”

  She laughed and I felt dumb for asking. I shrugged it off and felt a smile creep up on me. “Just asking. I felt like we were pulling an eat and beat.”

  The valet had the car brought and we started back towards school. I reached up and turned on the radio. Olivia reached over and turned the volume up louder.

  I guess we were both fans of the song. The satellite radio station was way better than any regular ones. It kept pumping out songs I could sing along to.

  I felt her eyes on me so I turned and belted out the last part of the Ellie Goulding song that was playing.

  She looked surprised and it was kinda dark but I could swear she blushed. We were back at my car in twenty minutes, but it seemed like five. Time went too quickly when I was with Olivia. I felt like holding onto it, dragging against its progress.

  I just sat in her car not really knowing how to end the night. “Sorry, you didn't get much for your interview.” I think we had both forgotten about the purpose for meeting up.