Breathless (3 page)

When the bell rang signaling lunch, I dashed out of the room. I couldn’t wait to see Addie, and I ran to the cafeteria without stopping at my locker to grab my bagged lunch. Over the next twenty minutes, I told her everything, but she didn’t seem surprised.

“
I’m telling you, he only has eyes for you,” she said smugly. A teasing grin crossed her lips, and I knew she wasn’t going to let this go.

Chapter 4 - A New Day

The next four days passed in much the same fashion. The school was abuzz with theories and stories about
him
, but no one seemed to know the truth. Of course, he was there every day now. He hovered in the background, only lingering as long as he had to in each class. He was never seen at lunchtime, and he seemed invisible between classes. He was a true enigma. I’d never paid much attention to the boys at my school, but I had to admit that it was hard to keep him out of my head.

On the upside, I was sleeping great. Though I couldn’t keep the chilly draft from breezing through my room at night, I managed to drift quickly into a sound state. I stayed there for hours, until the sun crept through the cracks in my blinds. Despite the voice in the back of my head telling me that I should dress to impress, I awoke from my dreamless slumber far too late to beautify. I bounded out the door each day just in time to ensure Addie and I would make it to school before the first bell rang. Still, the look of disgust on her face never eased as she realized I was wearing sweats, torn jeans, and wrinkled shirts.

“
Can’t you just try,” she finally asked on Friday morning. “Why do you have to be so difficult? It’s just not natural for a teenage girl to behave this way.”

Before she could finish, she pulled a large box from the backseat and placed it in my lap.

“
Now, don’t say a word. It’s vintage, so it cost next to nothing, and it’s non-refundable. No one I know will like or want it, so you can’t get rid of it. Just promise me you’ll consider.”

I began to open the package, when Addie lifted one hand to halt me. She shook her head once. I immediately understood her silent gesture. I put the box inside my schoolbag, and we drove the rest of the way without saying another word. I didn’t have to see inside the box to know what it was. Addie hated the idea of me not having something new to wear to the hottest party of the season. She would never say it, but she thought I was wasting my potential, and she wanted to help. Her heart was always in the right place, but she just didn’t understand what it was like to struggle. I was okay with wearing the same clothes time and again because it was all I could afford. Her life was just so different, and she wanted to share her wealth. I knew she meant well, never wanting to hurt me, but she didn’t realize that it made me feel pitied, like a charity case. She would cringe if she knew the truth, so I kept my mouth closed. I knew I would have to wear whatever was inside that box to keep from hurting her feelings.

The day passed quickly. I didn’t see
him
once, but it didn’t mean he wasn’t there. Supposedly, we had three classes together on Fridays, but I rarely saw him leave or enter a room. It’s not that I wasn’t looking, it was more that he had a way of moving around a room with such ease and grace that you might miss him if you blinked. He also preferred to lurk in the shadows at the back of the room. It would be difficult to catch a glimpse without making it painfully obvious that I was looking for him. That didn’t always keep me from trying.

After school, Addie dropped me off at the bakery on the corner of Upper Bear Creek Road. It was a mom and pop shop that needed an extra hand on Friday evenings and Saturday mornings. Their son was a junior at Red Rocks Community College, and he refused to miss out on Friday night events to work at the shop. Late nights out meant that spending early mornings in bed were out of the question. I had taken over his role about a year ago. We didn’t get a lot of business any more thanks to the new Starbucks that had taken over much of our clientele a few weeks ago. It would be a quiet night.

I pushed through the swinging door to the staff room and tossed my bag on the shelf. I slipped an apron around my waste and started back through to the front. Something made me stop dead. First, I felt a peculiar chill. I wished I’d worn a long sleeved shirt, but all I had was a flimsy tee. I shrugged it off and peered through the circular window on the door from the backroom to the cafe. I could barely see through the condensation, but I could hear. A soft voice with a British lilt chimed through the door in perfect clarity. Though he spoke low, I could hear every word as he ordered a latte with extra foam. His head was angled slightly downward, but between the water spots on the little window, I could see him shoot a look up from beneath his brow. He caught my gaze for just a moment. It felt like an eternity, and try as I might, I couldn’t look away until he put his focus back on the task at hand. He paid, and left without his drink. Instantly, my body warmed, and I sucked in air fast. It was then that I realized I hadn’t exhaled in what seemed like minutes. He had, quite literally, taken my breath away.

The rest of the night was pretty normal. I sat behind the counter reading
Of Mice and Men
while waiting for the odd customer to come in. All told, I served about eight people on my three-hour shift. I wasn’t sure how much longer the bakery could keep up with the lack of business before it would be forced to shut its doors. I felt bad for the Olsen family that their shop would likely close soon, but the thought of their pending doom wasn’t enough to keep my mind from wandering. I kept thinking about
him
. Despite the fact that my eyes had lingered over every line, every pore, every perfect inch of his skin time and time again, his face was never clear in my thoughts. I had heard others describe him with ease, but for some reason, the picture was fuzzy in my head. I tried to remember exactly how he looked and what he wore, but there was no point. When Addie arrived, I was less eager than she had hoped to get ready for the party.

We were already late. Most guests would be arriving around 7 p.m., and I was just getting off work then.

“
Hurry,” Addie yelled as I ran to the door of her waiting car. She was a good friend. She knew I would never have enough money to get my own car, and so she took it upon herself to always drive me to and from work. She never missed, even when she had mono last February. Before she got her license, she always sent a driver, Ian. I could rely on her for anything, but sometimes, it was a bit much. Normally, I liked to go to a good party. I enjoyed dancing with friends and acting like a kid. At home, I had a lot of responsibility. My mom was always working, and when she wasn’t, she did a ton of volunteer work. For a while, I helped too, but in recent years, I had outgrown the need to be by her side at all hours. When my dad died, we were a team. Two peas in a pod. And I knew she counted on me to keep her sane. At some point, I knew I had to move on. I wasn’t helping her by acting as a crutch, so I got a job and started doing normal kid stuff. I knew it was better for both of us, but it was a bit of a strain on our relationship. She would never say, but I think she was a bit resentful of Addie because we spent the better part of our waking hours together.

Tonight when we arrived at my house, my mom was sitting in the living room watching Grey’s Anatomy re-runs and crocheting a baby blanket for one of the girls at the teen pregnancy clinic where she gave freely of her time on Saturday mornings.

“
Hi girls,” she said with a forced cheer as we walked through the door. “Off someplace fun tonight?”

“
No time, mom. We’re super late,” I hollered as we ran up the stairs to my room. Addie stayed back to tell my mom our plans, while I quickly plugged in my curling iron and tore the package containing what I could only assume was a fantastic dress from my schoolbag.

“
Addie. Get up here now,” I shouted down the hall as I pulled the most amazing emerald green cocktail dress from its tissue-paper wrapping. “You are in such big trouble, young lady.”

“
Oh, oh,” I heard her say before the sound of her feet thudded up the stairs. She was pleading when she burst through the door to my room. “I swear, Lia. It was nothing. I saw it in the window of the second-hand shop downtown, and I knew it was perfect. I paid next to nothing despite the label. You have to believe me. You have to wear it.”

The dress brought new meaning to the words belle of the ball. I knew that’s what I would be in this splendid frock. As angry as I was, I couldn’t stop the urge to feel the silky fabric as it slinked along my body. I quickly stepped into the opening and pulled it up into place. I stole a glance in the mirror and was thoroughly impressed with my reflection.

“
Since you don’t seem too upset,” Addie said, pulling another box from her oversize bag, “I got you these, too.”

I should have known she would have thought of everything. I would never have shoes to match a dress like this, but that didn’t matter now. I opened the box to find a pair of gold kitten heels staring me in the face. I grimaced to show my disapproval, but slipped the perfect shoes onto my feet and sat silently on the chair in front of the mirror. Addie knew the gesture meant that I was giving up. I wasn’t going to put up a fight as she continued to work her magic on my hair and face. I was surprised she hadn’t called in a professional to meet us at my house. It wouldn’t be the first time.

When she was completely satisfied with her masterpiece, she spun around my chair so I could see for myself.

“
Well,” she asked wincing.

I lingered for a while, letting her stew. Then, I jumped up and hugged her. I knew she would be happy, and truly, so was I. It was fun to look and feel so good. We raced down the stairs, did a quick spin for my mother, and ran out the door before she could tell us what time to be home. She knew I would never stay out past midnight, so she had no need to worry.

Addie was beyond excited at the promise the night offered. She and Rob were talking again after their latest upset, and she was hopeful that they would patch up their relationship tonight. I was happy for her. She wanted this, and I wanted it for her, too. I could tell she was going to get what she wanted when Rob was waiting out on the porch for us to arrive. It was 7:57 p.m. We were only an hour late, and it seemed the party was just getting started.

Chapter 5 - The Party

As we guessed, everyone was already inside. I felt awkward walking through the room. I knew people were staring. All week, I had been a mess. My hair was matted, my clothes sloppy. Tonight, I was a vision in green. We couldn’t take two steps without someone stopping to talk to us. I felt silly, but good.

Addie was thrilled. Rob couldn’t take his eyes off of her, and they walked hand-in-hand throughout the crowded room. Hannah’s house was huge. Not quite as big as Addie’s, but close. People streamed from the front room through the large double doors leading outside. The weather was nearly too brisk for an outside party, but Hannah’s parents had placed special heaters throughout the yard and around the pool so that we could enjoy the evening.

Our community was small, so it was clear the entire school must have been invited when I stepped through the doors and saw at least 100 people gathered in groups around the bright blue pool. It shone like the moonlight from the center of the yard; its reflection lighting the nearby cobblestones. It was like a scene from a movie. Twinkle lights and patio lanterns dotted the thick trees that hovered behind the large yard, shielding the view from outsiders. A small group of kids shuffled their feet on the makeshift dance floor. Another group lingered awkwardly by the refreshments.

My eyes scanned the yard, looking for familiar faces. Immediately, I landed on Chloe and Elliot, Britney and Josh, and Lainie and Zach. Stella was playing the room, trying to get the attention of the basketball team. That girl had gusto. I had to admire her.

I skipped over to the others, who raved about my new look. I flashed a few model poses for fun before turning again to take stock.

“
Looking for someone,” Zach asked with curiosity.

“
Oh, I can guess
who
she’s looking for,” Lainie said, shooting me a knowing look while playfully punching Zach in the arm.

“
Huh,” I asked, trying to sound nonchalant. “I’m not sure what you’re talking about.”

“
Sure you are,” Britney winked. I wasn’t sure what had given the others the impression I would be looking for anyone in particular, especially
him
. But, I couldn’t hide my thoughts any longer. A smile crept across my face.

“
I don’t get it,” Josh said, looking puzzled. “What’s going on?”

“
Sorry to disappoint you, Lia, but I haven’t seen him,” Britney said.

“
Who,” Josh demanded. “Who is she looking for?”

We all ignored him and went on talking about our preparations for tonight’s events. Just then, the DJ started spinning some great tunes, and we all took to the dance floor. We spent about an hour taking turns getting snacks and drinks while jumping around to our favorite beats. I was having a great time, until I realized that the bodies on the dance floor were suddenly thinning. Stella and I kept the beat with the freaks and geeks, while the couples found their own private places around the garden. Most cooed and cuddled; some kissed passionately. At around 10:15 p.m., I decided I’d had enough. I began searching for Addie to let her know I would be leaving.