Contessa (82 page)

“
Thank you!
”
I tell her, giddy.
“
You
’
re the best aunt in the whole world,
”
I gush.
“
Don
’
t tell Anna or Jen. Or Kayd. But you are. You
’
re almost as good as a lemon cupcake–
”

“
Alright,
”
Jon says as he takes the box from me.
“
We better go. We
’
re going to be late.
”
He squeezes my hand hard and starts toward the door.
“
Thank you, Kelly.
”

“
You
’
re both welcome. Livvy, I
’
ll call Jacks and let him know you
’
re on your way.
”

“‘
Kay!
”
I answer.
“
Thanks!
”

“
You are going directly there, right?
”
she asks.

“
Yes, ma
’
am,
”
my boyfriend answers politely.

“
Happy birthday, Jon. I hope you had a good day.
”

“
He
’
s going to Columbia!
”
I yell to Kelly as Jon ushers me through the door. He grimaces and nervously looks back at her, nodding his head.

“
I got accepted, that
’
s all.
”
The smile from earlier has all but disappeared.

“
He
’
ll go,
”
I assure my aunt, going back inside the shop.
“
I mean, we have money–
”

“
Nope, we
’
re not discussing this. We need to get you home,
”
he interrupts, tugging on my arm.
“
Sorry, Kelly.
”

“
Congratulations on your acceptance,
”
I hear her say as Jon pushes me out the door.

“
Thanks,
”
Jon barely mutters.

“
Taxi!
”
I yell at a few passing cabs. Jon is quick to wrap his arms around me.
“
I love you,
”
I mumble into his jacket.

“
Yeah, we are screwed, Liv.
”

“
She says she
’
s going to call my dad! We
’
re fine!
”

“
I have no doubt she
’
ll tell him about how you
’
re acting, too. You obviously didn
’
t have enough to eat, and you
’
re a chatty drunk.
”

“
I
’
m not a drunk,
”
I pout.

“
No, but you are drunk, and I could tell by Kelly
’
s expression that she
’
d figured that out.
”

“
Nuh-uh,
”
I argue playfully.

“
Please shut up.
”
He swallows hard, and there
’
s no smile on his face. I bite my lip, feeling as if I
’
ve been scolded. He manages to flag down another cab and opens the door for me. I hit my head getting in.

“
Ow.
”

“
You okay?
”
he asks as he sits next to me. His question sounds more obligatory than concerned.

“
I
’
ll live.
”

“
I hope,
”
he says.
“
We should have just gotten you home, and skipped the cupcakes.
”

“
But I wanted to do that for your birthday,
”
I whine.

“
I appreciate it, but you were not subtle in the slightest, Olivia. When you get home, you need to tone it down, say as little as possible and go to bed. Tell them you
’
re tired, you don
’
t feel well, something you ate didn
’
t agree with you... just something.
”

“
Yes, sir,
”
I say back loudly, adding a salute.

“
Shhh.
”

“
Yes, sir,
”
I whisper.
“
When you
’
re at Columbia, I
’
ll just be able to go back to your place and crash.
”

“
Not while you
’
re in high school,
”
he corrects me.
“
You
’
ve got another year. Or have you forgotten?
”

“
My parents love you.
”

“
Right.
”
He
’
s quiet as the cab driver navigates through midtown.
“
If
I
’
m at Columbia.
”

“
Huh?
”

“
Again, you said
‘
when,
’
and it
’
s
‘
if
’
at this point.
”

“
You got in! Do you think there
’
s any chance that the most philantropi–philathro–that the richest nice guy in the city will not pay your way?
”

“
Philanthropic,
”
he states, rolling his eyes.
“
We
’
ve discussed this, Olivia, I don
’
t date you for your money, and I wouldn
’
t want that.
”

“
But
they
want that.
”

“
Who
wants
what
?
”

“
My parents want you to go to Columbia. They
’
d do anything to help.
”
I shift in the backseat to sit on my knees, facing him. I put my arms around his neck and try to engage him in a kiss. It
’
s as if I have to drag it out of him, but he eventually kisses me back.
“
Don
’
t you think they
’
ve dreamed of me dating an Ivy League boy?
”

He huffs briefly and stares out the window.
“
They
’
ve told you this?
”
he finally asks.

I nod.
“
They love you. They
’
re going to be so proud to hear that you got accepted. Do you want to come in and tell them yourself?
”

“
Not tonight,
”
he says quickly, still not looking at me.
“
Remember? You
’
re not feeling well and need to go to bed.
”

“
Right.
”
I have to lean to see his face.
“
You
’
re not mad, are you?
”

A tense line defines his mouth when he finally looks in my direction.
“
I
’
m not feeling well, either.
”

“
But I feel fine,
”
I remind him.

“
I don
’
t,
”
he reiterates as we pull up to my house. Glancing at his watch, he lets me know that we
’
re twelve minutes late.

“
Walk me to the door?
”

“
No, thanks. Not tonight.
”

“
Then kiss me here,
”
I bargain with him. He puts his hands on my cheeks and pulls my head toward his. Before we kiss, before I close my eyes, I see his shut tight. I place my hands on his upper arms. His entire body is tense as my lips move against his.
“
Don
’
t worry,
”
I whisper when he finally releases me.
“
We
’
re not going to get in trouble.
”

“
Okay,
”
he answers simply.

“
I
’
ll call you later. Okay?
”

“
That
’
s fine. Good night.
”
He hands me the box of cupcakes for my family.

“
Night, Jon. I love you.
”

“
You too, Liv.
”
I get out of the car and start walking up the sidewalk when I realize Jon didn
’
t even take his birthday cupcake. The cab is a block away, and since I
’
m already so late, I decide not to chase it down.

When I walk in the front door, I put the small box of desserts on the table next to the door. Mom peeks her head through the kitchen archway and says hi.

“
Hey, Mom,
”
I say solemnly, keeping my promise to Jon.
“
Kelly sent cupcakes for everyone. I
’
m thinking I
’
m going to just head to bed. It
’
s been a long day.
”

“
Alright,
”
she says.
That was easier than I thought it would be.

Happy with my performance I bounce down the steps to the basement and skip to my room.
“
Hey, Dad!
”
I say, completely surprised to find him sitting on my bed.
“
Uhhh, what
’
s up?
”

“
Come sit down,
”
he says.

“
What
’
s going on?
”
I smile innocently, overanalyzing my own actions for fear of giving myself away.

“
What did you do tonight?
”

“
It
’
s Jon
’
s birthday. Remember, you said we could go out, and–
”

“
I know, you
’
re only a little late, and Kelly called. I
’
m not upset about the time.
”

“
Oh. Okay. We went to dinner and then we went for cupcakes.
”

“
That
’
s it?
”

“
Mm-hmm.
”

“
So I don
’
t smell alcohol on you at all?
”

“
No,
”
I tell him, offended by the suggestion.
“
I can
’
t drink.
”

“
I know that, Tessa. But I do smell it. You weren
’
t drinking tonight?
”

“
No.
”

“
So why do you smell like that?
”

“
Like what? I smell like normal.
”

“
Livvy.
”