True Colors (book #1, The Masks Series)

by Melissa Pearl

  Eric shuffled closer, dropping off the couch so he could sit right in front of me. “But she listened to you.”

  “I suppose. Man, if Carter knew what I’d said though. He hangs out with a lot of my friends, I don’t want to cause any waves.”

  Eric’s brow dipped as he ran a finger up my arm sending my brain into frizzle mode again.

  “A few ripples never hurt anybody,” he whispered. His voice was so soft and sexy. Was he making a play for me right now? Oh man, I hoped so.

  I tried to stop my voice from shaking. “But what if I see something really big one day...something sinister or scary?” I was thinking of Liam, but I couldn’t say it aloud. I knew Eric didn’t know Liam, but he was part of my group, not to mention Indie's boyfriend. I didn't want to speak badly of him. I didn't want to hurt or betray her either. Besides, what if I’d just imagined it? Maybe she’d been worried about something else. “I don’t want to meddle where I don’t belong.”

  “You’ll know what to do, just like you did with Libby.” Thankfully Eric was looking at his finger trailing down my arm rather than my face. I didn’t want to mention what I’d seen. I didn’t want to waste my time with Eric talking about how the nicest guy in school might actually be a depraved hard ass.

  I was worried about Indie and I wanted to help her, but there was nothing I could do tonight.

  I focused on the feel of Eric’s finger trailing up and down my arm. He was watching me now, a soft expression on his face that I forced myself not to decipher.

  “You’re trying not to read me right now, aren’t you?” His eyes narrowed perceptively.

  I pressed my lips together and dipped my head.

  His fingers caught my chin and gently nudged it. I looked back up at him, drinking in his soulful gaze. His eyes filled with tenderness. “I was thinking how nice this is and how much I want to kiss you right now.”

  “You want to kiss me?” I squeaked.

  “Yeah,” he chuckled. “Why? Is that weird?”

  “No, it’s just... You’re...you’re Eric Shore.”

  “And is there something wrong with kissing Eric Shore?”

  “No. Most definitely not.” I raised my eyebrows. “But...” I scratched the side of my nose, slightly flustered. My cheeks were quickly heating with color as I smiled. “You’re like Hercules and I’m just...the girl next door.” I shrugged.

  He placed his hand on the side of my face. “Caity, you are the girl next door and I’ve liked you ever since I moved in.”

  “How is that possible? You only started talking to me a week ago.”

  "I’ve been watching you for a while now, and not in a creepy stalker way, just in the I hope to get to know you better way.”

  I couldn’t help raising my right eyebrow the way my dad does. “I hope you weren’t drooling over me or anything.”

  His thumb rubbed over my cheek and his nose wrinkled with a grin. “Haha.”

  “Seriously though, why have you only started being nice to me now? It’s hard to get to know someone when you never actually talk to them.” I touched his watch, gently running my fingers down his forearm.

  He looked embarrassed to say it. I could tell by his blush. “I've seen the way you interact with your family. Maybe I know you better than you realize."

  "That still doesn't explain why you've never tried to strike up a conversation."

  His lips pursed to the side with a soft huff. "Every time I had the chance to talk to you, someone would show up... that blonde friend of yours who mentally undresses me every chance she gets. The one who's always trying force you into being something you're not."

  I tensed, hating the way he sounded like Mom. I didn't have a chance to respond, because he kept going with a small frown on his face. "Or that idiot boyfriend with his arrogant strut. I hate the way he always checks you out. Never looks at your beautiful face, always your body.” He sighed, his fingers lightly gripping my face while his voice deepened to a soft carress. "Last weekend on the beach was the first time we've ever been alone together, without your friends or my nosy little sisters. You were so real and vulnerable and I couldn't help it. I had to talk to you. I had to somehow let you know that you've gotten under my skin.” He drank me in as he leaned towards me, his lips cresting with a smile.

  I couldn’t believe it. I mean I seriously could not believe it.

  Eric Shore!

  My teeth brushed over my lower lip as I quelled the urge to bust out with nervous giggles. “I never thought a guy like you would be interested in me.” My voice trailed off as his lips hovered before mine.

  “Well, Caity Davis, you thought wrong.”

  His warm, breathy words were followed by two tender lips. They pressed against mine, soft, sweet and magical. There was nothing hungry and demanding about it, just a warm kiss that sent my brain cells spinning to Pluto. Closing my eyes, I melted into the kiss, running my fingers around the nape of his neck and into the back of his hair.

  I couldn’t believe this was actually happening to me. Eric Shore was kissing me. Not my idea. His!

  His tongue skimmed along my bottom lip. It felt natural to respond, to let him in, so I deepened the kiss, the pleasure of his tongue against mine sending shivers down the back of my legs. I wanted to pull him on top of me, to feel his weight pressing me into the beanbag, but I’d never be that bold. Not with him. I didn’t want to come across as some hungry slut. His hands stayed on my face, his thumbs gently running up my jaw before he pulled away and leant his forehead against mine.

  He didn’t say anything, just looked at me with those dancing eyes. I grinned back, that giddy feeling winning the giggle battle. I let out a breathy laugh.

  “Aunt Caity, what are you doing?” Brody’s question made me jump. My forehead collided with Eric’s and we both sat back with a groan.

  “Sorry. Sorry, are you okay?” I winced, keeping my eyes squeezed shut so I didn’t have to look at him. He’d never want to kiss me again.

  “I’m fine.” I heard him move beside me and then felt him tug on my hand. “Hey buddy, I’m Eric. Your Aunt Caity’s friend.”

  “Hi.”

  My eyes opened in time to witness the cute bashfulness of my four-year-old nephew. I walked past Eric and took Brody’s hand.

  “We were just hanging out.” I ruffled his hair. “You go back to bed and I’ll come tuck you in again.”

  “I can’t find teddy and Mommy says I’m not allowed to turn the light on after I go to bed.” His voice was small and fragile.

  I kissed his nose and held his chin. “I’ll be up in just a sec. We’ll find him together. I’ll even let you turn the light on.” I winked.

  He grinned and waved goodbye to Eric before padding towards the stairs.

  I turned back to my gorgeous neighbor, suddenly feeling shy. Tucking a curl hair behind my ear, I tipped my head and walked towards him.

  “Your head okay?” I tentatively reached up to rub the pale red spot on his forehead.

  He bent down and kissed mine. “I’ll survive.”

  “I guess you want to go.”

  “No, not really, but I think I probably should.” He took my hand as we walked towards the door. “Hey, do you want to go surfing with me tomorrow or walking or I don’t know...exploring? There are some great hikes up around the San Bernadino area if you could spare a day. Or we could drive up the coast.”

  “I love all those options.” I couldn’t remember if I had any plans. My brain went blank the second he invited me out.

  “Okay, cool. I’ll come over around nine?”

  I nodded, probably way too enthusiastically.

  He gently squeezed my hand and I’m sure he was about to kiss me again when a little voice from upstairs stopped him. “See you tomorrow, Caity.”

  “Bye.” I closed the door behind him and leaned my head against it.

  Holy wow.

  Chapter 15

  “Where were you yesterday? I called like three times.”

  I
knew I shouldn’t smile, Stella was really annoyed, but every time I thought about Sunday, I couldn’t help it. Eric had collected me right on time and driven me to the San Bernadino National Park. We had talked the whole way, not one second of silence. I found out all this cool stuff about him, like the fact his ex-serviceman grandfather took him away for an entire summer, up into the mountains and taught him all about surviving in the wild. Eric was having some anger issues to do with his non-existent father and his grandpa had basically saved his life. Teaching him how to get the anger out by running, climbing, surfing...even boxing, which I thought was weird, but Eric said it helped. His grandpa moved in with them and stayed for around six months until Eric learned to channel his energy in more positive ways.

  Once we got to the hiking trail, Eric spent the next few hours asking about me and my family. We talked all day. I don’t think I’ve ever talked that much in my life, and I loved every second of it. There was never an awkward pause between us. The whole day was just...easy and the goodbye kiss was...

  I grinned.

  “Hello! Earth to Caitlyn!” Stella waved her hand in my face.

  “Sorry,” I mumbled. “My cellphone was out of range.”

  “How?”

  “I went hiking.” I shrugged.

  “Did Toby drive up from San Diego?”

  It was a good assumption. Whenever my PE teacher brother came up he always forced me into surfing or hiking. I liked to complain, but secretly loved it. Stella would spaz out if she knew I’d been with Eric, so I went for casual.

  “I didn’t go hiking with Toby. It was just a family friend.”

  Not a 100 percent lie. I could live with that.

  It was enough to appease Stella who I could read didn’t give a rat’s ass about my family friend. She was too annoyed and hurt that I hadn’t made her the central focus of my weekend. I should probably feel bad about that, but for some reason it just pissed me off, which totally helped stunt my guilt over the whole Eric situation. On Saturday night while I was trying, and failing, to fall asleep, I had toyed with the idea of cancelling with Eric, not wanting to cause waves with Stella. I'd started to freak out that Stella would somehow find out and go ballistic on me.

  So glad I'd gotten over that brain fart!

  Even so, I hated conflict, so I buried my anger and put on a smile, deciding that turning the attention back to her would put an end to our friction as well as ensure that she wouldn't probe into my weekend any further. I was just about to ask her what she got up to when Indie walked up.

  “Hey guys.” For the first time ever I saw her soft voice as something other than sweetness. I pulled her mask off with ease and saw a battered girl. Not physically, but there may as well have been bruises all over her face. She looked wrung out, emotionally beaten...defeated.

  “Hi Indie.” I pushed as much warmth into my smile as I possibly could. “How’s it going?”

  “Good.” With her mask back in place, I could see the sweet smile again. She nodded and started telling us about how much fun she'd had at the party. “Did you guys enjoy it?”

  “Those of us who were there did.” Stella shot me a baleful glare.

  I was tempted to roll my eyes, but chose to ignore her scorn.

  Indie looked really awkward, glancing between us. I could tell she didn’t want to get involved. I pulled back a layer and saw the idea of open conflict was too much for her.

  Grabbing Stella’s arm, I swiveled her in the opposite direction. “Could you excuse us?”

  “Sure.” The speed with which Indie took off was a testament to her relief.

  “Let go of me!” Stella shook her arm free.

  I met her glare with a stern look of my own.

  “Would you stop, please? I said sorry about the party and it’s not like I didn’t come back and get you. Plus I tried calling you a bunch of times on Saturday and I know you were ignoring me.”

  She lifted her nose with a haughty scowl. “I’m your best friend. I shouldn’t have to chase after you all weekend and I certainly shouldn’t have you ditch me at a party.”

  “You looked pretty entertained when I left.”

  Her cheeks flushed scarlet. “That’s not the point, Caitlyn. You should have been there for me.”

  I knew this argument was getting us nowhere. I hated fighting with Stella. I always lost. From the fiery expression on her face, I knew I’d lose this round too.

  With a soft sigh, I relented. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you needed a wingman so badly.”

  Appeased by my servility, she gave me a nod of forgiveness. “What were you doing with Libby anyway? Is she working for you or something?”

  “No. What does that mean?”

  Stella blanched, her shoulders pinging back. “Nothing. I just meant I know she sometimes helps kids with homework and stuff. She’s a tutor.” Stella was lying. I didn’t need to pull anything away to see that.

  “Tutoring on a Friday night, really?”

  Stella couldn’t respond to my sarcastic reply. Shame washed over her features like dirty water.

  I crossed my arms wanting to question her, to strip away her secrets until I could figure out what the hell she was talking about. But behind that layer of shame was a fragile insecurity I didn’t have the heart to mess with. I put her mask back in place and was met with a haughty, nose in the air, scowl.

  I knew the only response to it was the truth, but I didn’t want to get Libby in hot water or say anything that would annoy Carter. I still had three months in this school to go as well.

  Ruffling my curls, I flicked them off my face and went for a half-truth. “I bumped into Libby in the kitchen. She was really upset because some kids had been mean to her. I just offered her a ride home.” I didn’t want to go into detail about our awesome chats on the beach and how I actually felt closer to her than I did to Stella at this moment.

  Stella’s lips dipped. She wasn’t overly friendly with Libby, but she’d never be openly cruel. I liked that her expression sunk slightly. “You should have come and got me. We could have driven her home together.”

  Yeah, like that would have gone over well.

  “I didn’t want to mess up whatever you had going with that cute guy.” I wiggled my eyebrows, needing to bring humor into this conversation.

  Stella’s grin was instant, followed by a blush.

  “Who was he?”

  She winced, not looking ashamed in the least. Putting her arm through mine, she turned me in the direction of class and confessed. “I have no idea what his name is. We just drank and made out until he said he had to go. I didn’t even notice you were gone until then.” At least she looked a little abashed by that one. She shook her head, her perfect blonde hair rustling. “Just promise me you won’t ditch me at a party again.”

  I wanted to tell her that I hadn’t, because I’d come back and got her, but I guessed that was just a technicality. In Stella’s mind, I should have been there for her, standing by her side even while she made out with her mystery man.

  It really stung to say it, but I mumbled, “I promise.”

  Squeezing my arm with a charming smile, she air kissed my cheek and strutted off. “See ya later, sweets.”

  As I watched her flounce past the blue lockers, I thought back to my day with Eric and how enjoyable it had been. Not because it was Eric, although that was huge, but also because I had spent the day hanging out with someone who was just as interested in me and my thoughts as I was in his. He had kept asking me what I wanted to do, not demanding that I follow him everywhere. In fact he hadn't made any demands of me at all. It was a refreshing change.

  I loved my best friend. She was fun and lively. Hanging out with her was always an adventure, but I was starting to see sides of Stella I really didn’t like. This new eyesight was a trip with some really bad repercussions, but there were some good things about it too. As I walked to Algebra, I thought of Libby and what I’d done for her, which then made me think of Indie...and how badly
I wanted to save her too.

  *****

  I decided to start my “Save Indie” campaign in Biology. The cafeteria could have worked, but there were always so many people around and Liam was there. I figured Indie wouldn’t let a soul in if she knew Liam was watching. I still wanted what I saw to be a figment of my imagination, but Indie’s face this morning told me otherwise and made my heart sink. I didn’t just feel duty bound to help her. I wanted to.

  I spotted her auburn hair as I walked into the lab. Her head was down as she read over today’s experiment. Class didn’t officially start for another couple of minutes so I paused by her desk.

  “Hiya.”

  She glanced up, her blue eyes wide and gentle. I noticed how long her straight bangs were getting. They nearly touched her eyelashes now. That would drive me insane, but they looked so good on Indie. She really was gorgeous in a waif like way.

  “What’s up?” Her top lip perched over her bottom one and I could see how much she didn’t feel like talking. I didn’t want to hassle her, but I had to know.

  “I was just wondering if you wanted to hang out after school today.”

  I pulled her mask free as I said the words, wanting to know the truth. A flash of panic scuttled across her features before settling into the ever present fear.

  “I’m busy after school. What do you need?”

  “Nothing particularly. I just thought it’d be cool to hang out.”

  She was trying to figure out what I was up to. Her suspicion was strong and she didn’t trust me at all. “Are you trying to get back at Stella or something? I don’t want to come between you guys.”

  “Oh no.” I touched her arm. A tendon in her neck flinched as I did it. I moved my hand away. “It’s not that at all. I...” Licking my lips, I willed my courage not to fail me. “I thought you looked a little worried about something on Friday night and I wanted you to know that if you need to talk to anybody about it, I’m here for you.”