by A. Gardner
Imperfectly Yours
Volume One
MIKKI
Chapter One
“She-devil.”
He’s the only one that makes me feel like a somebody, and he’s coming home tonight. I comb through my long, tangled hair and let Dane’s face take over all my thoughts. The way his dark hair contrasts with the brightness of his eyes. The way he touches me, like my skin is made of fragile porcelain. I glance in the steam-covered mirror in front of me and realize I’m grinning. Thinking of him tends to do that to me.
My concentration is broken by the sound of Alana’s cackle. It’s loud enough to hear over the sound of water smashing at the shower tiles. I hate it when I’m the only one left in here . . . with them.
“You’re pregnant?” Alana laughs. “I’m not surprised, you skank.” She tosses her wavy hair over her shoulder with a raised eyebrow. Her black mascara is already damp from the mist in the girl’s locker room. She should’ve splurged for the waterproof.
“No,” Paige scowls. I pretend to fold my towel for the hundredth time, hoping to hear the rest of their conversation before my appointment with Professor Welch.
“I don’t understand,” Alana replies, lowering her voice. She pulls something from Paige’s gym bag and squints. “Then how did you-”
“Shhh!” Paige grabs the small piece of plastic. “Give me that.” Her wet, blond hair flies across her face as she lunges forward. Her head turns slightly in my direction. I immediately look down at my cell phone and start pushing random buttons. “Don’t you get it?”
“Oh.” Alana’s eyes go wide. She covers her mouth with her hand. “You think it’ll work?”
“I know it will.” Paige lifts her chin and zips her bag shut. “Stephen and I are meant to be together. He just doesn’t know it yet.”
“And when he figures out it’s a lie?” Alana whispers. I listen so intently for Paige’s response that I forget to breathe.
“He won’t.” Paige wrings the last bit of water from her hair.
“How the hell can you fake a preggo belly?”
“He will have popped the question by then,” she quietly responds.
She-devil. I can’t believe she’s Dane’s little sister. I take in a meager breath and try to hold back a bout of coughing. Paige glares at me. I knew it. I should have left about five minutes ago after Lacey Statton from my medieval history class asked if she could borrow some hairspray.
“What are you looking at?” Paige scoffs.
“Oh I-”
“Whatever,” she interrupts. She struts past me. Alana looks me up and down before running to catch up.
“You think she-”
“Who cares,” Paige chuckles, eyeing the grass stain on my jeans. “It’s just, Mikki.” The two of them giggle and finally leave. I sigh, wiping my pants and grabbing my things.
Just Mikki. I wrinkle my nose. I’m relieved Paige doesn’t know about Dane and me, and a little surprised. She knows everything about everyone. It’s in her nature to mess with other people’s relationships especially when they don’t involve her.
If she ever finds out about us . . . A chill runs down my spine.
Dane was my first kiss. I was twelve and we’d been riding through town all day on bicycles. We stopped at the corner market and bought a bag of sour patch candy with allowance money. I told him how much it sucked having to live with Aunt Scarlett, away from my mom. I started crying. I remember blushing and quickly wiping away each tear, afraid that he’d think I was stupid. He didn’t. Instead of laughing or telling me to toughen up . . . he kissed me.
I made the mistake of telling Aunt Scar. I came home on cloud nine and after a night on the couch watching MTV with chocolate ice cream, I spilled my guts. She told me to stay away from the Haskell’s. She said the entire family was nothing but bad news. I never understood why Mrs. Haskell would always glare at us at the grocery store like the two of us were mice eating through her cupboards.
The last time I talked to Dane was Christmas. His first semester break from college. Zanna talked me into seeing a local band play at the old theater near the beach. He was there, and we ended up walking barefoot in the freezing cold. He didn’t care that my hair was blowing all over the place. But then he left again for the east coast, and I’m stuck at Seaside Community College working for Aunt Scar on the weekends. Dane goes to NYU. His family has money. Lots of it. Hell, I can’t even afford a gym membership. I use the gym here at school because it’s free.
I glance at the time and race out of the locker room. I’m late for my meeting. My heart pounds as I dash towards Professor Welch’s office. I stop suddenly and fix my hair before entering.
“Oh Mikki,” he says, looking up from his book. His youthful skin and light eyes are framed by his thin glasses. He looks a bit too young to be a college Professor. I remember my first day in his class. I saw him sitting at his desk staring at every student that walked into the room. I thought he was a student pulling some kind of prank. I clear my throat.
“Sorry I’m late.”
“No matter,” he smiles. “You signed up for that internship I mentioned in class and I wanted to know if you’re ready to start.”
“Of course.” I nod. If that internship means I’m a step closer to finally getting a “grown-up” job, even though Zanna says they’re overrated.
“Good. You start next week. Your first rotation will be at the Banley Building.” I feel my stomach roll over like I’ve eaten an entire bag of my Aunt’s cucumber sandwiches.
The news is gut-wrenching.
The Banley Building? The universe must hate me.
“Is there a problem?” he asks.
“No problem,” I immediately respond. “I’ll be there.” I take a long breath. “Anything else?”
“Have a nice weekend.”
“Sure.” I nod. I turn to leave, keeping my head down. My hair sways back and forth across my face.
So far my weekend isn’t off to a good start. Dane’s sister detests me, and I doubt his dad even knows my name. Maybe that is a good thing seeing as I’m about to start working in his office. The Banley Building. The largest building on Main Street and home of Haskell Enterprises.
Yet another reason why Dane and I can never tell anyone about us.
Chapter Two
“. . . I couldn’t say no to his offer.”
“She said what?” Zanna chuckles as she takes another bite of pizza. “She’s a clever biatch, ain’t she.” Her black bangs hang across her face in loose strands. Zanna never hesitates to say what she thinks. Something I could never do. Then again her whole “eff-off” attitude might be why she only has one friend. Me.
“If you call ruining Stephen’s life clever.”
“Hey, she wants to keep him. She found a way.”
“A lie,” I mutter. I stare at my slice of pepperoni and shove half the slice in my mouth.
“Who cares about the Haskells anyway,” Zanna responds. She has to wait until my mouth is full.
“What?” I chew as much as I can before speaking. “They’re not all that bad.”
“You’ve got to be joking.” She glares at me. “You must be talking about Dane.” I feel all the warmth leave my cheeks. They must have looked chalk white.
“No,” I protest. “I mean . . . they’re not that bad in a general sense.”
“I’ve seen the way you look at him” she chuckles, letting the edge of her front teeth slide her tongue ring back and forth.
“Stop doing that. It’s weird.”
“They’re all the same, you know.”
Not Dane.
“Whatever,” I answer. “I don’t want to talk about the Haskell’s.”
“What about the Haskell’s?” a voice comes from
around the corner. People always said my aunt Scarlett looked exactly like me only ten years older. She’s my mom’s little sister. My guardian until I turned eighteen last winter. Her long, wavy hair is always perfect, and she fills out her clothes with admirable, feminine curves. I look nothing like her. I could never get my hair to stop frizzing and my clothes hang baggy over my flat chest.
“Nothing,” Zanna replies in a low voice. Scarlett looks from Zanna to me then bites the corner of her lip.
“You have homework tonight, M?”
“Some.” I drop the remaining pizza crust on my napkin. My stomach can’t handle any more. Dane is coming home, and my heart is already racing anticipating the text he’d send once he was nearby.
“Good,” she sighs. “Because . . .” Scarlett clears her throat and begins pulling serving trays out from the cupboard beside the stove.
“No,” I moan. “Don’t tell me you took a gig. I thought you said I could have this weekend off?”
“I’m sorry,” Scarlett shrugs. “But we need the money and I couldn’t say no to his offer.” She busies herself piling up equipment in a portable storage tub. “I already made the food this afternoon. Cocktails and appetizers. All we need to do is serve.”
“How long?”
“I don’t know,” she mumbles. “But it’s not like you have plans or anything.” My heart is still beating a million miles a minute. Yes, I do have plans. I plan on seeing Dane.
“Scar.”
“I didn’t mean it like that,” she said, wiping her hands on her jeans. I shake my head and stand up. I need to be alone. My mind craves the words Dane had written in the front of my diary. A line from Shakepeare. Shy love, I think of you.
“Come on, Mikki!” I keep walking until I’m sitting on my bed, wrinkling a corner of the sheets between my fingers.
“I’m gonna go,” Zanna appears in the doorway. “Talk to you later?” I nod.
“Bye Zanna,” Scarlett mutters. I stare at the ceiling. She always does this. Assume I have no social life and that I am fine with being a workaholic just like her.
“You couldn’t find someone else?” I say to her.
“I tried,” she replies. “I promise I did but it’s such short notice. Please, M.” She sits on my bed and squeezes the side of my calf. “Please. Please. Please.” It’s hard to say no to her. I know she can’t afford hiring anymore help. She needs me.
“Fine,” I agree. “But right after clean up, I’m out.”
“Fair enough.” She exhales a sigh of relief. “Better get changed. We leave in an hour.” She jumps up, twirling a strand of dark hair. “Oh . . .” She stops in the doorway and bites the corner of her mouth again. “And the gig . . . it’s at the Haskell’s.” My eyes go wide and my heart pounds so loudly I’m sure all of Seaside can hear it.
“What?”
“Please,” she interrupts. “Before you say anything. Matt made me an offer I couldn’t refuse.”
“I know, I know.” I choke down the words. “We need the money.” My phone buzzes in my pocket.
Dane.
“Thank you,” Scarlett gratefully sings. “They’re throwing Dane a surprise homecoming party.” She shuts the door behind her and I anxiously pull out my cell phone. It is Dane. I eagerly read his message.
Our spot. Ten minutes.
Chapter Three
“A blazing siren shocks my entire body.”
Dane is waiting for me down the street. There’s a little park bench that faces the river. It’s surrounded by oaks, quiet and almost hidden. It’s our spot. I can hardly breathe as I inhale the brisk night air with hardly any time to spare. The breeze feels cool against my flaming cheeks.
I peer around a tree, seeing a tall figure leaning against the tree trunk. The sun is going down and I can barely make out his face but my heart leaps. Dane’s eyes go wide when he sees me. He immediately pulls me into his arms.
“Mikki,” his low voice mutters. The sound of his voice warms my chest.
“Dane,” I whisper. I’ve been waiting for this moment since Christmas, playing it out in my head. I wait for him to kiss me. His gentle hand strokes the side of my cheek before he presses his lips against mine, letting our torsos melt together. An exhilarating spark ignites and travels to the tips of my toes. I feel alive in his arms. I feel wanted.
“I’ve missed you so much,” I breath. I put my hand and on his and allow my fingers to the rub rough surface of his hand. My thumb touches a rigged scab. Dane pulls his hand away, and in the little light that is left in the sky I see a black and blue discoloration across his knuckles. “Dane, are you okay?” He glances down at the bruise.
“It’s nothing.” He kisses me again, this time lingering longer at my lips. His hand wanders to the fabric of my top. I long to be with him. I want to be with him but . . . I pull away. “What is it?”
“I’ve got to go,” I say. “Aunt Scar will be-”
“Forget about your aunt,” he interrupts. “What do you want?” I bite the corner of my lip.
“I want to be with you,” I whisper.
“Are you sure?”
I’d been thinking about it since he left. It is the only thing that stands between us. I was absolutely mortified when he’d flat out asked me last winter if I was still a virgin. Timidly, I told him the truth. I’m probably the only one left in Seaside.
I take a deep breath.
“Yeah,” I nod. “I’m sure.” I kiss him. “I want to be with you.” He smiles as his he plays with a strand of my hair. My heart keeps pounding, and my abs flex tightly. The anxiety is starting. I can feel it. It comes every time Dane and I get too close. He starts to kiss me again, more passionately. I break away from his tight grasp. “Not now.”
“Then when?” He stares longingly at the curves of my cheeks. His eyes are hungry like a lion waiting for his prey. I know he wants to be with me too.
“Look,” I begin, looking down at my shoes. He lifts my chin.
“Keep your head up. Your face is too beautiful to hide.”
“Sorry.” I take another deep breath. “It’s just . . . I’ve really got to go and you’re family-”
“I haven’t gone to see them yet. I came to you first.” He lightly kisses the tips of my lips, forcing me to stare into the whites of his mesmerizing eyes as I talk. They’re too distracting.
“Dane, you’re parents will be looking for you.”
“Let them look.” His arms clutch me tight. My phone vibrates in my pocket.
“That’ll be Aunt Scarlett wondering where I am.” I hesitate to leave. I hate it when the two of us are apart. Without him I go back to being just Mikki.
“Alright,” he says, disappointed. His broad shoulders tower over me. “Tomorrow . . . we’ll spend the entire day together.” Tingles in my chest almost lift me from the sidewalk. A branch begins to rustle in the night breeze and the once orange sky is now almost black.
“Deal,” I whisper. It takes everything in me to turn around and run back to our tiny apartment. My footsteps are quiet on the pavement. I try to steady my rapid heartbeat but it’s no use. My muscles feel tight and my palms are sweating. I’m still asking myself why me? Out of all the girls on the east coast, Dane chose plain old Mikki Copelun from Seaside, Oregon.
“Mikki!” Scar is waiting outside with the trunk open. “There you are. Come help me load the car.” My throat tightens. I didn’t tell Dane about his surprise party or that I’ll be there playing servant girl. As long as Paige stays occupied. She’ll probably barely notice I’m there.
“Sorry,” I mumble, keeping my head down. I pick up a box and hand it to her. The backseat smells like seafood.
“Last box is inside,” she hurriedly instructs. “And don’t forget your apron.” I roll my eyes, dragging my feet back to the kitchen.
A blazing siren shocks my entire body. My arms have goose bumps and I immediately jerk around to see an ambulance speed past our complex and down the street. Scarlett stops what she’s doing and rai
ses an eyebrow.
Please don’t turn left. Please don’t turn left.
The ambulance turns left.
“Whoa,” Scar exhales. “That scared me. I nearly dropped half the menu.” I stare down the street until I can’t hear the wailing. “Mikki? The box?”
“That ambulance looked like it was headed for the Haskells.” She turns her head and follows my gaze.
“Don’t be silly,” she chuckles. “It could be going anywhere.”
“I’m serious.”
“You’re paranoid,” she says even louder. “Now hop to it.” My fingers fidget as I jog into the kitchen and grab the last box. I’m not being paranoid. I’m just a concerned girlfriend. Okay . . . a concerned secret girlfriend but what’s wrong with being worried when you see an ambulance headed down your boyfriend’s street?
Boyfriend. It will be nice to say that out loud someday.
I wait eagerly as Aunt Scarlett drives in the same direction as the ambulance. I rub my sweaty palms as we turn a corner to see flashing lights. I hate it when I’m right.
My chest sinks. Aunt Scarlett jumps out of her car and runs up the winding driveway. Dane lives in one of the largest houses in Seaside. House? I guess it is more of an estate with a backyard facing the ocean and a private beach. The windows are illuminated with twinkling lights and the sound of music is faint on the porch.
“What’s going on?” Her hands cover her face as Mr. Haskell is rolled out on a stretcher. The police lights start hurting my eyes. I search the crowd for Dane. “Matt,” Scarlett gasps.
“I’m alright,” he manages to say as the paramedics lift him into the ambulance.
“What happened?”
“Just an accident. No big deal.”
Mrs. Haskell pushes her way through the crowd just to stare daggers at Aunt Scar. Like mother like daughter. Mrs. Haskell looks tall and thin in her champagne cocktail dress. Ruby heels costing more than our month’s rent grace the soles of her feet and her long, blond hair is curled to perfection.
“I’m so sorry,” Scarlett replies. The ambulance door slams and the sirens ring through my eardrums.
“Well,” she says, looking at the wrinkled apron around her waist. “I guess we won’t be needing your services after all.” Her smug look makes Scarlett frown. She glimpses in my direction. “Good night, ladies.”
