At the end of class, I high tailed it to the parking lot after a quick bye to Maggie. I was hoping to find Tom before the whole school saw us leave together to avoid any further rumors. There was surely already a rumor that I had to have not one but both of the new boys in school. I knew that because Sebastian sat with me every day at lunch, there would be those who thought we were together too.
Leaving so quickly, I didn’t have a chance to speak to Maggie about her plans tonight. We did pass several notes back and forth during class. We couldn’t text each other because our seats were too close to the front. Pen and paper were much more inconspicuous. She admitted that she was going forward with her plans for tonight being ‘The’ night. Brent apparently made elaborate plans that he hadn’t shared with her. Even with my ‘Are you sure?’ big and bold on the page, she didn’t doubt her decision. Her only concern was that she worried Brent would ruin it somehow with his new found temper.
Wanting her to know, I’d told her about me spending my un-Valentine’s Day with Tom. She made it clear she felt like I should get back with Luke. She’d never made any bones about her favoritism towards him. She did say that she thought Tom was nice but in her words he was ‘full of shit’ about not being interested. I didn’t believe that. In the past few months my admirers had picked up. Tom just didn’t look at me the way they did. So I ended the note by saying, ‘He does not. No worries. Just a movie. Call me later’.
As it turned out, Tom was pretty prompt and only a quarter of the student population saw us leaving together. To cap off my incredible streak of bad luck, those students who were outside to see included Flynn and Luke. Could my day get any worse?
Getting in the car, I tried to pretend I hadn’t seen them and just acted casual. I texted Flynn while Tom pulled out of the parking lot. My text said in fewer words but the same meaning that ‘I was getting a ride with my un-Valentine so you don’t need to wait for me’. I hoped that would squash anything they were thinking. He certainly would share the text with Luke. At least I thought he would. Maybe hope is a better word.
Once my phone was tucked safely back in my pocket I turned to Tom. “Thanks for the roses,” I said.
“Yeah, about that,” he said. “I picked yellow not because they were the last available but more because yellow is a friendship color.”
I laughed. “I know. You’re not interested in me because I’m trouble. You don’t have to keep reminding me,” I said.
“It’s not just you. Any girl,” he added.
That gave me pause. “Are you not into girls at all?” I asked seriously.
It was his turn to laugh. “No,” he said. “My life is too complicated for any relationship right now.”
I leaned my head back. “Is that your mantra? You don’t have to keep explaining it to me.”
“It’s just that I don’t want to lead you on,” he said.
Now it was getting old and maybe I shouldn’t have said what I said because I really didn’t feel this way. I just wanted to get him back. “You don’t have to worry. There are at least three way hotter guys who are interested in me. So if I really wanted to date, I’d choose one of them,” I said and pursed my lips.
“Duly noted,” he said. I couldn’t help but notice that he looked slightly hurt.
I sighed to myself. I shouldn’t have said that. “I’m sorry. That was mean. You are way cute but I’m not interested,” I said borrowing one of his lines.
That seemed to break the spell. We laughed and just like that things were back on track. He took me to get ice cream and while we ate we debated about the wisdom of eating ice cream in winter. The main agreement was that ice cream’s main purpose was to cool you off on a hot summer day. In the end we both loved ice cream but the debate was fun. I enjoyed hanging out with him. It was even better than hanging out with Paul because neither of us liked each other in any other way than friends.
When we pulled up to what I had to accept as my house now, I asked him to stop at the curb before moving up the long drive. I hopped out leaving the door open and dropped the bundle of flowers in the trash.
When I got back in, he asked, “Why’d you do that?” He paused before saying, “I paid for two of those.” His tone was half joking because there was a laugh in his voice.
I’d seen the car parked in the driveway. And there was no way I was going to carry flowers in there when I wasn’t sure who gave them to me. So I said nothing.
Chapter Four
surfeit (n.) an overabundant supply or indulgence; excess
Not wanting to take the risk of Flynn finding the roses and taking the opportunity to humiliate me, I made the decision to trash the flowers. This because I knew he would read the hang tags out loud in front of God knew who, specifically Luke and embarrass me.
“Luke’s here,” I finally said flatly. Tom nodded and pulled up the drive, parking behind Luke’s white BMW.
“If you want to do this another time, I understand,” he said. Luke and I weren’t together anymore. He and Flynn were best friends for reasons beyond me. So Luke would be over a lot. We knew we would see each other and we had. But never like this. In this case, there was nothing going on between me and Tom. So it wasn’t like I was throwing another guy in his face. So we would all deal.
“No, it’s fine,” I said. Then leering at him I said, “What are you scared?” I added, shaking my knees together mocking him while I looked for my keys.
He laughed. “Of who, golden boy?” he said. I rolled my eyes. If Tom knew who the golden boy really was, he’d bite his tongue. He added, “May the force be with me.”
I had to giggle at that. “Wait here,” I said. “I’ll be right back.” I left him in the grand entrance, darting upstairs to grab my movie disk for us to watch in the den. Easily found, I headed back downstairs and frowned when I didn’t see him. I heard voices from down the hall and followed them. When I walked into the den, I stopped short. Tom was standing behind the couch watching Flynn and Luke play Madden. But once I get closer I saw it was a war game. Probably Call of Duty. War. Figures, I thought.
Flynn and Luke were both hunched over, leaning towards the huge television like they couldn’t see the enormous screen. As they clicked buttons, I walked over to Tom and said softly, “We can watch upstairs or I can leave you with the guys so you can play too,” I said jokingly.
I thought I had spoken softly enough that Flynn and Luke wouldn’t have overheard my comment. But the television went mute and I realized someone paused the game. Flynn looked at Luke and I froze. Had that comment sounded like I was flirting? I think it did, but I hadn’t meant it that way. It had been my harmless banter with Tom that we’d had all day. I guess I forgot I was doing it.
Luke didn’t turn his head so I couldn’t see his expression. Flynn looked up at me. “What were you two planning to watch?” he asked, looking from me to Tom then back to Luke.
Clearing my throat I said, “Star Wars, but it's fine. We can watch it elsewhere.”
Luke spoke and his voice was quiet and restrained. “Original or Prequel?” he asked. I hadn’t known that Luke liked the movie. But a question like that only came from someone who’d really known the trilogy.
Tom said while looking the DVD in my hand, “Original of course.”
“You mind if we watch with you?” Luke asked.
“No, it’s cool. It’s not like this is a date or anything.” Tom said. I closed my eyes and slightly shook my head. He had to clarify our non-relationship. Flynn opened his mouth to speak and Luke turned and glared at him. Seeing his profile put a lump in my throat.
“Never mind,” Flynn muttered. “She’ll wait. Where’s the movie?” he asked, while extending his hand out and looked as though he was not pleased with delaying what I assumed was his date.
I handed him the movie and he got up. “Tom you can have my spot on the couch,” Flynn gestured. “I may end up leaving part way through.” He didn’t look back at Luke who might have scolded him with his eyes. See, it
’s that best friend thing that makes you do stuff you don’t want to. Things were a bit awkward as it was, so I didn’t chide Flynn about his date. I was about to find a seat on the floor when Sebastian popped in. Not literally this time, he was in the doorway and said, “What movie are we watching,” as he strode into the room. I froze for a second unsure what to do or where to sit.
Double crap, this stuff just doesn’t happen, not even in the movies. I thought about a television show my mom used to watch called Eight is Enough. Clearly, I wondered wasn’t four enough, now five. That television show was about having eight kids. My mom talked to me about the show when I’d asked when I was much younger about why I didn’t have a brother or sister. Using the show as an example, she told me her dream had been to have a large family but she was satisfied with just me. Now I understood her dream may have manifested with the knowledge that large families didn’t happen for cambions when death is probable for the expecting mother.
I moved to sit on the floor next to Flynn, where I thought I would be safe, when Luke said, “Are you afraid to sit next to me Mercy?”
My stomach did flip flops at the sound of his voice. I was afraid to meet his eyes. He was insulted that I would rather sit on the floor then next to him, I could hear it in his tone.
With one arm on the sofa and my knees nearly bent, I said, “No.” I pivoted enough and plopped down between him and Tom, oh joy. Sebastian sat on the floor where I’d been headed. So the seating arrangement went something like this. Right to left, it was Luke on the couch, then Sebastian’s head because he was on the floor. Then me in the middle of the couch with Flynn’s head near my knee from the floor. Then Tom sat on the other end of the couch. Flynn pressed play on the remote. Apparently, he’d put the movie in while we were all getting settled.
Once the beginning of the movie began to roll with the words that seem to drift into space, I wanted to do a slippy slide down them to get away from the uncomfortable situation I was in. Most girls would kill to be the only girl in the room full of guys who may or may not have wanted you. I didn’t. But I was certain I had one exception to my possible suitors. That would be the one who continued to tell me just how much he wasn’t into me.
I’d hoped that the movie would start with no further conversation. But it appeared that wasn’t possible with the day I’d been having. I’d expected this from Flynn, so I wasn’t prepared for what came next. Sebastian leaned his head back to look up at me and said, “Did you get my rose?”
My jaw could have dropped. I felt just like the day Flynn asked during a truth or dare session at a party if I was a virgin. My cheeks were flaming red. The question wasn’t hard but in the company he was asking made any possible answer at this point bad. You could cut the tension with a steak knife, it was that tough. The theme music that rolled with the words on the screen of the movie didn’t help either.
Off the thunderous sounds of trumpets Sebastian added, “It was red.” Then, I was suddenly not in the conversation and may as well not been in the room.
“I sent her a red one too,” Flynn said. I had expected Flynn to chime in but not with that. Absently, he said, “Did you accept, Mercy?” Well that clarified one thing. I was now sure that Flynn had given me the rose that said ‘Forgive me’. Then back to Sebastian, Flynn said, “What did you write on the note?”
But before Flynn could answer him, Sebastian added, “Wait, if I gave her one and you gave her one, who gave her the other two? Luke did you send her one? I saw her with more roses at lunch.”
Luke said with one word, “White.” He said it like his mouth burned from the taste of the word. That wasn’t good. But for the life of me I couldn’t remember what had been written on the white rose.
Sebastian then said “So who sent the others?” They all turned to Tom.
He shook his head. “I did send her two yellow ones but that was to apologize for getting her in trouble and it was after lunch,” he said, holding up his hands as if to not start a fight.
I wasn’t sure if Luke chimed in or if Tom did but certainly Flynn and Sebastian said in unison, “Paul.” Everyone except me nodded in agreement.
My face must have been beet red because I could feel the heat wash all over my face. When everyone turned to face me, I stood. I admit I was a coward. I couldn’t take it. Was I supposed to acknowledge what each person had written in front of an audience? Instead, I deflected and retreated. “With a surfeit of boys in the room, I guess I’ll go make popcorn,” I said sweetly.
They glared at me and I step out of the room heading from the fire into the kitchen before I got burned. I put a popcorn bag I snagged from a cabinet into the microwave and hit the popcorn icon. Technology is great isn’t it? The thing could sense when the popping slowed and would turn itself off.
Curiosity killed the cat they say. Not caring, I snuck out the back door and made a dash down the road to the trash can. Pulling the roses out, I searched for the white one. I picked out the tag I was looking for. It read ‘Be Mine’.
In an overwhelming rush of emotions, I pressed the bunch of flowers to my chest. Then one by one I peeked at the others. I was sure Flynn sent me the red that said, ‘Forgive me’. That meant that Sebastian sent me the red that said, ‘You and Me’. I wasn’t sure what to make of that one. By process of eliminations, that meant Paul sent me the pink that said, ‘Miss you’. Crap. What was I going to do? Thankfully, everything in the trash had been secured in bags. I’d laid the flowers on top of the closed bags so technically nothing was wrong with them.
I pulled the white rose out. I would save the rose by trying to press it in a book. At least that is how I heard it was done. Who knew, maybe I might scrapbook it along with my other high school memories. Since I’d never scrapbooked before, somehow I doubted that would happen.
Even though I really only wanted the one, I took the whole bouquet, including the yellow ones. I just didn’t want anyone’s feelings to be hurt. I’m still not sure why though. Back in the kitchen the bell had gone off. I hoped they hadn’t heard and wondered where I’d gone. After washing my hands, I got two bowls and poured half the bag’s contents in each. Before I headed out, I put the roses in a vase I found and added water. Carrying the bowls, I went back and sat down just in time for R2D2 to deliver his message. I gave one bowl to Tom, my guest and the other to Luke. I made certain our hands didn’t touch. I was afraid I’d melt like the butter on the popcorn if we did.
After fifteen or so minutes Tom and I started to complete the actors’ lines and laughing at odd comments we made to each other that only a true fan could. When the movie was over, I was hoarse from laughter. I’d been so caught up; I’d forgotten for that time the awkward situation I’d been in. Sebastian stood and shook his head at us, “Well, I think now I’ll go and see a horror movie.” He said it so matter-of-factly that I had to chuckle. He smiled at me. But before he left he turned to Flynn, “So is the party still on for tomorrow night?”
Our parents were gone on their honeymoon. Which meant in our world, Flynn would provide this week’s entertainment by hosting a party. I wasn’t looking forward to it and only planned to show my face for a very short time.
Flynn nodded and stood. “Wait up. The girls are waiting. Luke, are you coming?” Before I could stop myself, I turned to Luke with a questioning look. He in turn, glared at Flynn. I swiveled to Flynn not wanting to miss their unsaid communication. Tom turned to me before standing a bit nervously at my side. Sebastian frowned and completed the all around stares at Flynn.
“What,” he said. “They aren’t together. He’s a free agent, just like she is,” Flynn said.
I turned to Tom. “Hey, I’ll walk you out,” I said, and surprised myself at the even composed tone that I was able to give.
Tom nodded, “Yeah, sure.”
Luke hadn’t said anything nor had I turned back to look at him. Flynn was right. Luke was free to do whatever he wanted.
At the door, I looked at Tom who shifted nervously from side t
o side. It was then I remembered that he was supposed to steer clear of Brent’s house. “You don’t have to go. I know that you’ve been warned about going home too soon.”
We heard voices coming from the den headed out to the hallway. Tom looked at me. “Walk me to my car,” he said.
Not wanting to hear the guys make plans, I complied. Standing by Tom’s driver’s side door with his hands in his pockets, he looked extremely uncomfortable. It made me feel the same. I didn’t understand what he could be so nervous to tell me.
“So, do you think I could offer you some advice and not get my head bit off,” he finally said.
I frowned. “Why would I bite your head off?” I asked.
“You girls get so emotional about everything,” he said, shifting on the balls of his feet.
My frown deepened. “You know I’m not sure what girls you’ve been hanging out with,” I said. But after the words left my lips I thought about the twins, Adelina and Adriana. They were Brent’s cousins I’d met at the same time I met Tom. One of the twins was really sweet. The evil twin had briefly dated Luke and wanted him back. She’d even kissed him in front of me which subsequently caused quite a bit of trouble that night.
Waiting for Mercy (Cambions) Page 5
