by K L Wood
R: On your phone, texting me.
T: I’m pretty good texting with one thumb, which leaves my other hand free…
R: Please stop.
T: Why?
R: Because it’s wrong on so many levels.
T: How is it wrong?
R: Because you deserve better than me, and one day you’ll see that, and it would break me when you leave. A, you know why and B, I have a girlfriend.
Eleven minutes later
T: Do you love me at all? Is it serious?
R: It never is. I think it’s best if we cool it on the texting.
Five minutes later
T: If that’s what you want.
R: No. I think it’s for the best.
March 14th
T: Please tell me I didn’t screw things up with us. Sorry about last night. I had a few drinks and wasn’t thinking clearly.
T: I really wasn’t trying to sext with you. Just a joke. You know, haha?
March 15th
T: You’re not going to seriously ignore me, are you? I told you I was sorry.
March 16th
T: How about this: we text once a week?
Five hours later
T: I’ll fix this, just tell me how and I’ll do it. Or maybe we can move it to once a month? Just to keep in touch about what’s going on in our lives?
April 16th
T: My first monthly text…
T: Update: Mike and Shelly are ALWAYS together, to the point where I feel like a third wheel in my own dorm room. I can’t wait to be done with all the required liberal arts classes. I mean, really, isn’t that what high school was for??? I’ve joined a creative writing club on the side. My writing sucks, but everyone seems to come to me to review and critique their work, so it’s not a complete waste of time. Great practice before I become a real editor. Looking forward to summer break. Only three more weeks!
April 29th
T: I miss you, Reed. I really believed you felt something more for me and why I pushed you. I’m so sorry. Please say I haven’t lost you for good. Cheating a bit on the once a month thing. Wondering why you’re so bent on ignoring me. I get that you don’t want anything more, but I was hoping we could at least be friends? We have history, Reed. This can’t be the way it ends with us.
T: If you promise to text me once in a while and keep in touch, I promise I will never ask you to sext again. ;)
R: Who is this?
T: A very cute and charming brunette you used to play hide and seek with. Although you’d make me hide and never come find me. :(
R: I don’t care who you are. Reed obviously isn’t texting you for a reason, so why don’t you take the hint and leave him alone?
T: Very funny, Reed.
R: I’m Reed’s girlfriend.
T: Oh. Sorry. I’m not an ex or anything. I’m his sister’s best friend, and we’ve known each other for a while. Nothing is going on between us.
R: So you’re the annoying little girl he can’t get rid of?
T: He said that about me?
R: Just a word of advice, honey. If you want to get a man’s attention, stop chasing him like some pathetic loser. He obviously isn’t interested, so get over it and move the fuck on.
9
Annoying Little Girl
May 9th
Tabitha
My mom waved like a big dork on the platform as I lugged my suitcase behind me. She was in her Bewitched cosplay costume, which came with a lot of stares. It embarrassed me when I was younger, but now I kind of respected my parents for being brave enough to be who they were and apologize to no one for it.
She shuffled toward me in sixties-style heels and a dress and wrapped her arms around me. “Ohhhh, I missed you so much!”
“Missed you, too, Mom.”
She grabbed the handle of my suitcase, and we walked to the car, but not before one person stopped us with an excited smile.
“Are you supposed to be Betty from Mad Men?”
My mother held back a groan and forced a smile. “No. I’m Samantha from Bewitched.”
The girl scrunched her face, obviously not privy to the classic sitcom. “Oh.” She shrugged and went on her way.
“Ever since that damn show came out, everyone thinks we’re Betty and Don Draper. It’s annoying. Don’t people watch reruns anymore?”
“Well, you could always dress up as Endora.”
She scoffed. “Then they’d probably think I was Joan, the fiery redhead.”
“Endora never dressed like Joan.”
“True.” She sighed. “I’ll have to work on the costume and give it a go. She was a great character.”
“She was the best character.”
“Listen, your dad and I have the convention tonight, so we can’t do dinner, but Auntie Jo and Uncle Matt invited you over. They can’t wait to see you.”
Oh no. Please don’t let Reed be there.
“But tomorrow is just us, okay?” she asked before I could respond. “I want to hear all about school. And your dad wants to take you to your favorite restaurant.”
“Sounds great.”
She bit her bottom lip. “You’re not disappointed, are you? We thought you were coming home tomorrow, and we already got tickets…”
“It’s fine.” I laughed. “I’m a big girl.”
My mother popped open the trunk. “I know. I just didn’t want you to think we were choosing that over you, and if you really want us to stay, we’ll skip it.”
“You’re not skipping anything. Go be dorks. We have all summer to spend some time together.” I hoisted my suitcase into the trunk. “Besides, I’d really like to catch up with Paige.”
“All right.” She let out a relieved breath. “That settles that.”
My mom asked the usual “mom” questions on the ride home.
How did I like school?
What were my favorite classes?
Meet any new friends?
Meet any boys?
The last question came with a wink and a nudge. My answers?
Fine.
Literature.
Yes. My roommate is cool.
Ugh.
“Come on, there aren’t any guys you’re interested in?”
I shrugged. “I’ve been focused on school.”
“Grades should be your first priority, but not your only one. Get out there and live a little, too.”
“I do. Don’t worry.”
Not a complete lie. I did go to the occasional party, but it wasn’t really my scene. I was happier with my nose in a book than playing a drunken game of beer pong.
“Oh, did you know Reed started a blog?”
“He did?”
“Nothing big, he’s just covering some obscure places in local and surrounding states for now. He’s taken some incredible pictures. I hope it takes off for him.”
“What’s the name of it?”
“Moonbow Quest.”
My heart fluttered inside my chest. “Why did he name it that?”
“He said you gave him the idea. His blog is about searching for those rare finds off the beaten path.”
My insides were in a tug of war. On the one hand, I was happy and excited for Reed and the fact that I’d played some part in his inspiration for the blog. On the other, I felt dejected and hurt that he never told me about it.
“That kid has really gotten his act together senior year,” my mom continued. “Already has a job secured and found an apartment. I guess he worked part-time his last year and saved up for it.”
I let out a long breath and stared at the mesh of green leaves as we flew by the trees lining the side of the road, my mind still on Reed. I never did text him again, and he never apologized for what his witch girlfriend said to me. Even if he didn’t know about our exchange, the fact that he never bothered to get in touch with me spoke volumes. His girlfriend didn’t lie to me.
Reed truly saw me as an annoying little girl he couldn’t get rid of.
And stupid, desperate me refused
to take the hint when he never responded to all my texts.
My mom reached over and nudged me. “You’re awfully quiet over there.”
“Just tired.”
Tired of crushing on someone who obviously didn’t feel the same and probably never would.
After dinner, Paige and I spent hours talking as if we hadn’t seen each other in years. We kept in touch on the regular, but it was so much different in person, and I kept thinking of more stories to tell that I’d never mentioned through FaceTime or text.
“I’m kind of jealous I didn’t do the whole college thing. The experience alone would’ve probably been worth it.” She brushed away invisible lint from her jeans, avoiding eye contact. “Bryant loves it where he is.”
Bryant and Paige had been attached at the hip since junior year of high school—although they had a complicated history long before that—so I could only imagine how hard it was for her. I was actually surprised they could handle the long-distance thing as well as they were. But Paige was convinced he was the one and they’d figure it out.
I rubbed her arm. “Are you kidding? By the time we graduate, you’ll probably be opening up your own salon and be light years ahead of us.”
She waved off the idea, but a smile touched her lips. “No, I want something bigger than that. More like makeup artist and stylist to the stars.” She mocked a model pose, and I laughed.
“Remember that makeup YouTube channel you used to have?”
“Yes!”
“You should think about starting it up again. People are making some good cash with advertisements. Plus, it gives you exposure.”
“What I miss are the free products companies would send for me to use and promote.”
“You should totally do it.”
She side-smiled, and her eyes started tracing from the top of my head to the ends of my hair.
I scooted back on the bed. “No, I’m not going to be your dress-up doll.”
Her shoulders slouched. “Come on, you just got me all pumped up for this idea, and you’re going to flake out on me?” She gave her best pouty face. “You know I need a before and after, and you’re perfect for that. You have that girl-next-door vibe but can transform into someone drop-dead gorgeous when I’m through with you.”
“I like the girl-next-door vibe.”
“Pretty please? I’ll be your best friend,” she teased.
I dropped my face in my hands, knowing that resistance was futile. Paige would badger me all night until I caved. “I’ll do it on one condition: I don’t have to do another one for the rest of the summer.”
She pursed her lips. “How about no more than five?”
“No more than two.”
“Three.”
I stuck out my hand. “Deal.”
She clapped her hands together and let out a squeal before scrambling to get everything ready. She opened her closet and tossed me her bathrobe. “Put this on. We’ll figure out the dress later.”
I squeezed the terrycloth between my fingers. “I have to dress up, too?”
“This has to be a complete before and after.”
As much fuss as I put up during the before pictures and short video, once I was in the chair and being pampered, I realized I’d forgotten how much I liked the whole process and how soothing it was. No matter how tangled my hair was, Paige had a way of setting it loose without hurting me or pulling at my scalp. The girl was gifted. When she finished, I was a pile of warm, melty goo in the chair and ready for a nap.
She stared down at me, shaking her head. “I am a genius.”
“Can I look now?”
“Not yet. First the dress, then you may look.”
She combed through her closet and held about five different dresses up to me before wincing and putting them back. Then she pulled out a slinky little red number, and her mouth stretched out into a grin.
“This top with a pair of tight black slacks and strappy heels.”
I held up the silky, backless tank. “Um, there’s not much fabric here…”
“Don’t worry, I have adhesive bras or a really cute low-back bustier. Just trust me on this. You’re gonna look fabulous…at least five years older.”
Huh. Five years older?
And Reed was supposed to come home later.
Goodbye, annoying little girl.
“Let’s do it.”
Reed
I raked my fingers through my hair, trying to settle down the nerves rumbling in my gut. It only got worse when I pulled down my street and into the driveway.
“Calm the hell down. Things will go back to normal with Tabitha if you just play it cool. Don’t look at her too long, and don’t let your frigging dick take over if she wears that damn Killers T-shirt.”
After Tabitha’s sext attempt, it took an unbearable amount of will power not to get in my car, storm into her dorm, and take her right there on her bed. The image of her in that shirt I’d given her—touching herself while she thought of me—burned into my brain like a hot branding iron.
I knew if I didn’t cut the cord, things were going to get out of hand to the point where all my efforts to do the right thing with her would fly right out the fucking window. She needed to grow and experience college on her own terms…and I was too overprotective to let her, and I’d be damned if I could stand to see anyone else touching her. Tabitha was better off without me in her life.
And I needed to set boundaries and get my head on straight.
My solution? Finally caving in to Michelle’s attempts to hook up. It turned out she actually wanted to try and make us work, but we never worked, and we certainly couldn’t connect beyond sex. It wouldn’t be long before she left again after she got her fill. She’d already used me as a rebound twice.
And like the idiot I was, I let her do it a third time.
But I needed the distraction, or else there was no way I could handle Tabitha.
I sucked in a deep breath and let it out. “I’m going to walk in there like everything’s cool, and nothing has changed. It’s just Tabitha. Little Tabitha…a kid who wore stupid pigtails and colored paperclip bracelets while I walked her to the school bus. My sister’s best friend. Adopted niece to my parents. Off-limits.”
I nodded to myself as if I had the whole thing figured out and opened the car door. “We’re going to go back to the way things were before I gave her my phone number. Easy.”
I walked in, and my mother and father were standing in the middle of the living room, staring at an empty hallway.
“Hey…” I said warily.
My mother turned and smiled. “Oh, hi, honey.”
“Are you guys waiting for something?”
“Yes.” She put her hand to her chest. “Your sister’s masterpiece.”
I snorted a laugh and shook my head as I headed to the fridge and poured myself a glass of water. “Aren’t they a little old to play dress-up?”
“Stop. You have your dream, and your sister has hers. And she’s quite talented, I might add.”
I started to warm the plate my mom left for me in the microwave.
“Okay, everyone, feast your eyes on the new, improved, and very grown-up Tabitha Bell.”
I rolled my eyes as I turned around and leaned against the counter, awaiting the grand entrance. Just as I was taking a gulp of water, little Tabitha walked in looking not so little anymore, and I nearly choked on my drink. When did her legs get that long? And did she always have hips like that? And that top. Holy fuck.
“Wow,” my mom gasped. But even that was an understatement. “You look incredible. Paige, baby, I’m really impressed.”
This was not a nineteen-year-old girl. There was something different…something more mature that went beyond the clothes and the makeup. I gripped the glass in my hand.
Was she still a virgin?
My mom started getting all mushy and teary-eyed. “Look at you both, so grown up.”
“We should head out to the Forge and show you off,” my si
ster said.
Anger flamed through my veins. “You’re not going anywhere.” The words vomited out of my mouth before I could stop them.
“Reed!” My mother glared daggers in my direction. “I didn’t raise you to speak to a woman like that.”
Fuck.
“I know. I didn’t mean it that way.”
But I so did.
“I only meant that I just got here, and I haven’t seen her in a while…”
Tabitha’s eyes met mine, and that light I loved about her flickered like a soft flame, barely clinging to stay alive. “Aw, Reed, I’m sure you have better things to do than to spend time with some annoying little girl.”
That one cut deeper than a thousand of my mother’s dagger stares.
Fucking Michelle. That’s the only one I’d said that to when she wouldn’t get off my back about Tabitha’s texts. She must’ve replied at some point and deleted them. I could only imagine what she’d said to Tabitha.
I should’ve texted…at least once.
Tabitha forced a smile and grabbed Paige’s hand. “I’m game. Let’s go out.”
My mother eyed me as they walked back to my sister’s bedroom. “What was that about?”
