by Jordan Deen
clothing everywhere while Grant lay lazily on my bed. “Aren’t you lucky you don’t have to worry about what you are wearing?” I pulled on a form fitting scoop neck shirt and a pair of capri’s. “How do I look?”
Grant groaned. “Seriously? It looks bad?” I twirled around and looked at myself in the mirror. I kept the shirt and pulled on a pair of jeans instead. “Better?” Another groan. “Look mister …” I grabbed the scruff of his neck and playfully shook his loose skin back and forth. “I’m already late! Can you make up your mind?” I held a few more shirts up to my jeans.
“This one?” Groan.
“This one?” Another groan.
“You are starting to give me a complex.” I finally held up a white see through top that cuffed above the elbow and buttoned up. I pulled on a light blue tank top and the white over shirt.
“Now? Better?” I pulled my long hair out of my ponytail. No groan. I got the approval; thank goodness because I was running out of clothes. I rushed into the bathroom to put in my contacts. Grant stretched and got off the bed to sit in the doorway of the bathroom. I pulled out one of the contacts and he groaned and then growled as I started to put the contact in.
“Not these too.” I looked at him in the reflection of the mirror as I continued to put the contact in. He swatted at me playfully with his paw causing me to move and miss my eye.
“Grant. Knock it off.” I said almost playfully, but I wasn’t kidding. I repositioned myself, put more solution on the contact and tried again. Grant swatted at me again and growled louder.
“Lacey! You’re going to be late!” Mom yelled from downstairs adding to my aggravation.
“COMING!” I yelled back. “Grant, knock it off. You know I wear these every day, without exceptions.” I tried one more time and Grant pawed me again, this time he caused me to drop the contact into the sink. “Damn it Grant. I’m not going to let you in my room anymore if you keep this up.” I didn’t have time to mess with the contacts now. I rushed past the dog, out of the bathroom and down the stairs stopping to check my hair in the hall mirror. I was upset that Alex would find out today that I didn’t have crystal blue eyes. I hoped he wouldn’t be disappointed.
“Hey Beautiful!” Alex leaned up against his perfect Camaro wearing jeans and a snug gray t-shirt.
“Hey!” I said. Jillian stood next to her car waiting for me to come out. “Hey girl!” I said to her.
“Good Morning.” Her greeting was devoid of any excitement; her arms were folded tightly across her chest.
Alex looked at her car and his. “Wanna ride with us? I can bring you back here after school.” Jillian hesitated before she finally agreed. Alex leaned over and kissed my cheek as I threw my arms around his neck and held him tightly to my body. Jillian grabbed her backpack in a huff and struggled climbing into the backseat of his car. Grant sat on the front porch watching the spectacle.
“Alex, that’s my dog Grant.” I pointed towards my house.
“What dog?” Alex leaned around me. I followed his gaze to the porch and realized Grant was gone.
“He was just there. It doesn’t surprise me; he probably went back into the kitchen to sprawl out. He was being a pain this morning.”
“Darn dogs.” Alex laughed. “Jillian, I hope you don’t mind that I’m being nosey. But are you seeing anyone?”
“No, not right now. Why?” She replied as she opened a cereal bar.
“I have a friend that is moving here from Oregon. Would you be interested in going out on a double date with us on Friday?”
I turned to look at Jillian, her mouth stuffed with food. She wasn’t big on people setting her up. Alex continued to try to convince her.
“He is really laid back. He is eighteen. He’s traveled a lot like I have. I think he will end up staying with me for a while.” I silently pleaded for her to say yes. I wanted her to go and have a good time, but I was also being selfish because I wanted more time with Alex.
“Ok.” Jillian said hesitantly as she bit off another large bite of her breakfast bar.
“Awesome. I’ll make reservations for dinner. He is going to be thrilled to meet you.” She gave me a doubtful look, one that told me I owed her for saying yes.
Every student in the parking lot turned to look as we exited the Camaro. People gathered and started to whisper as the three of us walked by. I’m sure they were trying to figure out what he was doing with me; I was trying to figure that out myself. Alex kissed me and then headed off to his first class leaving me at the office to deal with Courtney.
“WHOA.” Courtney said as I put my stuff down on the desk. “Why aren’t your eyes blue?” Alex hadn’t even noticed that and he was a hell of a lot closer to my face.
“I didn’t wear my contacts today.” And she thinks I’m the dumb one.
“You wear contacts? Why don’t you have glasses on then?”
“Because the contacts are just cosmetic, I don’t need them for vision.”
“Then why wear them?” Her question caught me off guard.
“Why do you …” Ding Ding Ding. Saved by the bell. I’m sure I would’ve gotten in trouble for my response to her nonetheless.
“Can I help you?” Nothing in over a week, not even a glimpse of him and now here he stood at the counter – Brandon.
He looked so tired, so worn. His hair was a mess and his clothing still had fold lines in it from the packaging.
“I …” He stopped when Courtney walked up to the counter next to me.
“What can I do for you?” She said in a sultry tone.
“Don’t you have some place to be?” I asked her.
“Yup, right here.” Courtney replied as perky as she could, smiling and trying to flirt with him.
I grabbed her arm and pulled her away from the desk.
“What are you doing?”
“You have Alex. What do you care if I flirt with the fresh meat?” Ugh. Slut.
“Look, you don’t want to mess with this guy.”
“So you know him too? From where? Egypt this time? Monaco? Or wait,was this another conquest from Paris?” She antagonized me as I imagined what sort of trouble I’d get into if I smacked her right now.
Instead I ignored her and went back to the counter. Brandon leaned on his arms against the counter; pearls of sweat gleamed on his forehead. “Hey, are you ok?” Before I could reach for him Brandon doubled over and ended up on the floor. “OHMIGOD!” I screamed and rushed past the counter to his side. “Courtney, get the nurse!”
I skipped the rest of the first period, second period and third period to sit next to Brandon in the nurse’s office. His nails had hints of dirt under them, but his hands were clean and smooth. His face was soft and flawless, although his powerful arms had several light scars. I couldn’t help myself; I reached over to the bed and ran my finger slowly down the smooth skin of his hand. I held my breath hoping he didn’t stir. Pressing my luck, I looped my fingers around his hand and waited to be transported to another time but nothing happened. Saddened, I released his hand and curled up in the chair next to him with a book.
“Are you ok?” Jillian asked from the doorway. Her eyes focused on Brandon’s massive body lying on the nurse’s table. “Oh wow … is that?”
I shook my head and tried to keep my voice low. “He came into the office this morning and then just passed out.”
Jillian walked in and hovered over him getting a closer look. “Wow. You weren’t kidding. I’d say he’s cuter than Alex.” She reached out to touch him and I stopped her hand feeling instantly possessive.
I tried to smooth it over when Jillian gave me a look as if I had crossed the line. “I don’t want to wake him.” I almost touched him myself. “He looked so tired.”
“I’ll get your homework for you.”
“Can you tell Alex I’ll see him tomorrow?”
“What do you want me to tell him? I mean you don’t want me to tell him you’re with another guy, do you?” She sounded panicked. I didn’t want her to t
ell him that, but I’m sure Courtney already planned on ratting me out.
“Don’t lie to him. Tell him the truth. Courtney knows I’m in here with Brandon. I don’t want to make him think that I’m trying to hide anything.”
Jillian leaned over and gave me a hug and winked. She whispered, “Either of them would be yummy in homecoming pics.” I grinned as she rushed out the door to fourth period.
I relaxed back into the chair and laid my hand close to Brandon’s arm on the bed. I allowed myself to brush my fingertips across his bicep and then retracted when he took a deep breath. I wondered if he dreamed about me like I had been dreaming of him. Then again, I couldn’t be sure any of the times I had seen him had been real. For all I know, my mind is just making all this up and he’s never said anything more than a polite “Hi” to me before. I pulled my knees up to my chest and rested my head on my shoulder trying to shake off my self-loathing.
“Lacey?” His lips were close to my ear; his hot breath sent cold chills down my neck. “Please wake up.” Brandon’s beautiful eyes were just inches from mine. “Hi.” He simply said when I finally stopped blinking.
“Hey. How are you feeling?” I gingerly uncurled myself from the chair; my body was stiff. Brandon shifted to sit back on the bed but still leaned towards me. I felt drowsy, but my heartbeat was pounding in my ears.
“It doesn’t matter.” Brandon whispered. “Have you had the dreams?”
“What?” I stuttered, still trying to wake up.
“The dreams of me? Have you had them?” I started shaking
