“Remember
Chris? He was in History with us this year,” I say over my shoulder to
Isabelle, as I lead the way into the
deli. Isabelle’s expression is confused, but I know she remembers Chris.
We’ve talked about him before. A lot of girls from class were all ‘gaga’
over him because he was hot and a snowboarder––or a shredder, as he called
himself. Except for Isabelle, who’s had love troubles with Harper and
Jamie, two brothers from Atlanta. Harper won. I like him well enough. I
even had a crush
on him way back when.
“That cute
guy with iPod earphones practically glued to his ears?” she asks,
recognition lighting up her face.
“Yes. I’m
going to crash with Chris for the next two months,” I say quickly, hoping
that Isabelle won’t react too strongly
to the news.
“What do you
mean?”
I drop into a
chair.
“Aren’t you
going to stay with me?”
Isabelle said
I should come live with her. But Harper hangs out at her place constantly,
because their relationship is still
in the head-over-heels stage, too.
“I don’t want
to be in the way. You and Harper need some alone time, Izzy.”
The waitress
takes our orders and then rushes back with a small bowl of peanuts.
“My dad’s
there, too, and he’s not in the way,” Isabelle says, taking a peanut and
munching it absent-mindedly.
“Because he’s
holed up in his study all day long.”
I smile and
keep the tone light, but the thought of everyone around me starting their
new lives, with their new, happy
relationships, makes me feel lonely. Deserted. Even though I’m not looking
for a relationship.
“It’s just
for the two months until I go to college.”
“You wouldn’t
be in the way, Chloe. You could never be in the way.”
“Okay, okay,
I admit it. Watching you two being all crazy about each other would just
make me envious.”
“Oh.”
Izzy’s my
best friend, which means I know her well enough to have predicted such a
response. Fact is, I broke up with Adam a few weeks ago. For the second
time, but this time it’s for real. Of course Isabelle thinks I’m
broken-hearted about it. I am sad, but not too much. I’ve never really
thought our relationship would last. He was just a pretty boy, selfish and
immature. I wasn’t looking for a long-term relationship, anyhow. I’m too
young for that. Or maybe I’m too selfish and immature, too.
“Yeah.” I
sigh. I feel a bit guilty for not being entirely honest with Isabelle, but
the waitress bringing our drinks distracts me so I forget it quickly
enough. Besides, I’m doing it to give her some space. Well, her, and
Harper.
“So … You’re
just moving in with this Chris? I didn’t know you were tight.”
“We’re not. I
mean, I saw him at Adam’s birthday party. We started talking and he was
sort of cool. We stayed in
touch.”
“And he just
asked you to come live with him?”
She looks incredulous, a bit worried, perhaps.
“I told
Mark—Jamie’s friend? The lacrosse team captain?—about my situation, and
apparently he told Chris. He called me last week and said I could crash
with him for the two months, no prob. He’s got enough space now that his
roommate went back home for the summer.”
“Hm.”
Isabelle looks thoughtful as she sips her drink.
“How are
things with you and Harper?” I say to change the topic, because I don’t
like her frowning. I grin when I see Izzy’s
cheeks warm up. “That cozy, huh?”
“We’re …
great.”
“Uh-huh.” I’m
amused by Isabelle’s short answer. She has always been very private and
reserved. I wonder how that works
with Harper, but my thoughts quickly veer into the gutter territory. Good
thing Izzy can’t read my mind.
“Okay, okay,”
Isabelle says, holding up her hands in surrender. “He’s wonderful. He’s so
much fun, and experienced and …”
I wiggle my
eyebrows just to taunt her and it has an immediate effect. Isabelle turns
scarlet and starts to protest.
“I didn’t
mean it like that. I meant in a general sort of way, like … he can teach
me about life and such.”
“Sure.” I
can’t help my lips stretching into a wide grin. This is better relaxation
even than yoga.
“Well, he’s
experienced … like that, too.”
Isabelle stumbles over the words, but it is obvious that she is more than happy
about it.
I snort in my
tea, spilling it all over the table. “Good for you.”
Isabelle’s
face radiates with happiness, different than when she was with Jamie,
Harper’s younger brother. I’ve always
known Harper was the right one for her, but Isabelle didn’t believe me
until she spent one long day with him on the way home from Atlanta. That
road trip made her see that Harper wasn’t just an arrogant jerk that
taunted her at every opportunity he got. I saw right through him the first
time I saw him with Isabelle, long before they ended up together. I could
tell he’d fallen for her and that he wasn’t the bad person everyone thought.
I’m pretty
good at that, reading people and their deepest secrets. I think that’s
because I have experience guarding my own
heart against selfish bastards, so I know all the tricks in existence.
I’ve even invented some.
“You sure
you’re going to be okay with Chris?”
Izzy asks.
“It’s just
two months. He’s a cool guy. Honestly. I wouldn’t accept his offer if I
wasn’t sure I could handle it.”