Phone Calls From a Rock Star (13 page)

“
He talked about you all
the time,” she added, weaving slightly. “Just watch
yourself.”

Kimberly pulled a face as Krysti stumbled
away, losing herself in the music. “Ignore her, Bella. She’s just
jealous.”

I glanced over my shoulder, fearing Lance’s
reaction to the whole scene. He didn’t seem bothered at all. In
fact, he was engaged in conversation with Scott Lawson, a guy on
the team.

“
So I can’t believe you’re
actually friends with Jake Johnson,” Kimberly gushed. I nodded and
sipped at my cup. Kimberly took it from me and handed it to Amber
Pickler. “Get her a fresh drink. This one is warm.”

Amber rushed off to do Kimberly’s bidding
while I groaned. I didn’t want another drink. But it didn’t matter
– I’d just carry it around like I did the other. “Yeah, Jake and I
are friends.”

“
Is he coming back to the
school anytime soon?” she asked, a hopeful lilt in her
voice.

“
I don’t know,” I fretted,
taking the cup Amber handed me. “He’s really busy right
now.”

“
I’m sure,” she
commiserated sadly. She took a long drink from her cup and perked.
“Hey, how come you’ve never tried out for the squad? You totally
have the body for it.”

“
I’m in the Drama Club and
it takes up a lot of my time,” I explained, feeling a bit
lame.

“
I always wanted to be an
actress,” she sighed. “I just don’t think I have the
talent.”

I restrained from snorting. I mean, who was
she kidding? She was giving an award winning performance,
pretending like she was the least bit interested in me.

I unthinkingly took a large gulp from my cup
and nearly choked. I forgot about the alcohol. It burned its way
down my throat, and I grew instantly warm. Kimberly’s eyes bore
into me as I swallowed carefully, stifling my coughing fit.

“
Not used to vodka?” she
asked. Her sympathy was not sincere.

I shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. “I
don’t drink a whole lot.”

“
That’s right,” she smiled.
“Is that why you never come to any of our parties?”

Her question seemed innocent enough – but I
knew better. She was testing me, giving me a chance to sink or
swim. I’d never been invited to parties off campus because I wasn’t
a known ‘partier’.

“
Perhaps,” I murmured,
staring her down, daring her to contradict me. We both gazed at
each other, neither willing to back down, until her face finally
relaxed into a smile.

“
Lance, get your girl a
refill,” she said. She took my cup and handed it to him. He gave me
a wink and disappeared. “The cheerleaders are in charge of the
Halloween party at school next week. We have our own little party
planned afterwards while we clean up. I hope you’ll
come.”

“
Sure,” I said, although I
had no interest in attending. She’d probably forget by then,
anyway.

Lance returned with my drink and I sipped at
it more frequently, conscious of Kimberly’s watchful eyes.

Later that evening, my head swimming, my
body moving to my own little rhythm on the dance floor. Some guy I
didn’t even know was swaying in front of me, his smile a little
unnerving. His name was Tim or Jim, or something of that nature. We
were moving our bodies to our own beat, not really keeping in time
with the music. I didn’t much care. I was having a blast.

“
Malcolm!” Lance screamed
at my dance partner. How did I get Tim or Jim? “Get away from my
woman!”

Grinning like a serial killer, Malcolm
waggled his eyebrows at me as Lance took firm hold of my elbow. He
pulled me through the mass of people and down a quiet hall. He
peeked into a couple rooms before finding one unoccupied.

“
Are you okay?” Lance asked
as he guided me by the shoulders to the bed. I fell back and he had
to lift me to a sitting position. “You look a little
green.”

“
I’m fine,” I slurred. My
head was spinning and my stomach churning.

“
I need to get you back to
school,” he frowned.

“
No,” I protested. “I was
having fun dancing with Tim. Or Jim.”

“
Malcolm,” Lance
corrected.

“
Him, too,” I shrugged as I
tried to get to my feet but the floor swayed beneath me. Lance
grabbed my shoulders and steadied me. I tumbled into his
chest.

Edging back, he tucked my hair behind my
ears. “You sure are beautiful, Bella.”

I smiled a goofy grin, trying to still my
weaving body. “You are, too.”

Chuckling, he brushed his lips lightly over
mine. My heart began to spin, too, joining my head. I clutched his
waist as he kissed me again, applying a little more pressure. I
sighed, content to be kissed by my long time crush.

“
Come on, Bella. You need
to get to bed.” He tucked me under his arm and steered me down the
hall. Every face was a blur and I wondered vaguely where Kimberly
had gone.

Lance buckled me into his car and rolled
down my window allowing the cold air to blow on my face. It was
heavenly.

He walked me to my dorm building but left me
to my own devices when I assured him I was fine. I managed well
enough to get in my room and fell to my bed, fully dressed.

***

My ring tone penetrated the pile of pillows
over my head and brought the thudding back to life. I squeezed my
eyes tighter, willing my phone to stop. I figured I’d have more
luck with the phone than I would my head and fished it off the
floor, wondering how it got there in the first place.

“
What?” I croaked. Even I
was horrified at the crackly sound, I could only imagine what my
caller would think.

“
Iz?” Jake asked. “Are you
okay? Are you sick?”

I licked my dry, cracked lips. “Something
like that.”

He groaned and I cringed. “You’re hung over,
aren’t you?”

His accusing tone blended well with my
guilt. “A little.”

“
Oh, Iz,” he sighed. “I
thought you didn’t drink?”

“
Now I know why I don’t,” I
mumbled. Jake was not amused. “I went to a party last night. It was
a one time thing.”

“
I certainly hope so,” Jake
chastised. “That’s not something you need to get caught up in.
Don’t make it a habit.”

Under normal circumstances, I’d take
exception to his order. But today, I didn’t really care. I deserved
to be lectured. I was very much ashamed of my behavior. “I don’t
plan on it.”

“
Good,” he said, slightly
appeased. “You never called me back Friday night. Who were you out
on a date with?”

“
Lance,” I said.

“
Lance?” he
exclaimed.

His shout was like knives stabbing my brain.
I winced. “Not so loud. Head.”

“
Sorry,” he grumbled. He
lowered his tone. “Why’d you go out with that jerk?”

I immediately went on the defensive. “I like
him. He’s a nice guy.”

“
After what he did to you?”
His voice grew both in anger and volume.

“
Please, Jake,” I pleaded.
“Not so loud.” He grunted, as I cleared my throat. “He said he was
sorry and that he was stupid to get back with Krysti.”

“
Yeah, I’ll say,” Jake
said. His anger leaked through the phone, thick as mud.

“
Well I like him,” I said
firmly. “Besides, what do you care? You have Monique.”

His laugh was bitter and ugly. I didn’t like
it at all. “Is that what this is about? Yeah, Monique and I were an
item once, but we’re not anymore. She just needed someone to escort
her to her premier, and I did. But I didn’t take her to a party and
get her drunk.”

He took a deep breath. I hoped it would calm
him. “Did that moron touch you in any inappropriate way?”

“
Of course not,” I bit out,
my own anger getting the best of me. “And stop calling him
names.”

I heard him inhale and exhale, loudly I
might add, a few times. I did the same but only with less volume.
We were both obviously trying to tame our raging emotions.

“
Listen, Iz, please. I’m
not criticizing you or him, okay? I’m just a little worried. A guy
who can jump from girl to girl that quickly worries me. I wonder if
he doesn’t have some kind of hidden agenda.”

So much for emotional control.

“
Can’t you just accept the
fact that he might just like me? Maybe someone out there actually
has interest in plain, naïve, little Isabella?”

“
There is absolutely
nothing plain about you, and I’m certain there are loads of guys
out there that are interested.” He sighed in defeat. “Damn it, Iz.
Just be careful.”

Tears welled in my eyes as the anger drained
from my body. My voice was weak. “I will. I promise.”

“
Take some ibuprofen with
plenty of water and try to get some more sleep. When you do get up,
eat some dry toast or something. Lay off the greasy
stuff.”

I couldn’t hold back my smile. “Okay. I
will.”

Shame replaced my anger; shame at my actions
and shame at my harsh words aimed at Jake. “Thank you so much,
Jake.”

His tone was soft. “Not a problem, angel.
Take care of yourself, huh? I’ll call you later and check on
you.”

Ending the call, I dropped the phone with a
thud to the floor. I staggered to the bathroom, glancing at Annie’s
empty bed, and cringed when I flipped on the light. I couldn’t
avoid my haggard reflection as I reached for the medicine cabinet.
I swallowed a couple of tablets and drowned them with a glass of
water. I leaned against the sink and replayed Jake’s warning. There
was no way in the world he could be right about Lance.

Chapter Ten

Halloween at my school is usually a fun
time, even though we’re all technically a little too old for trick
or treating and such. Admin usually allows one group or club to
hold some kind of event the last weekend in October. Last year, the
Drama Club did. We organized a bonfire, hayrides and a costume
contest. This year, the cheerleaders were in charge. It made me
nervous.

Kimberly, who’d suddenly become my close
friend, told me they were not doing a costume party but instead
were turning the gym into a haunted house and having a bonfire on
the football field. I was beginning to think my school was full of
pyromaniacs.

The cheerleaders convinced the football
players to dress up as various creatures/psycho murderers/monsters
that would jump out and scare people as they walked through the
maze. Lance was very excited. He talked about it every day as he
walked me to class. I couldn’t help but laugh at his enthusiasm. He
reminded me of a little boy, except, he wouldn’t tell me what his
costume was, claiming I had to figure it out for myself.

Saturday night, I walked to the gym with
Cammy, Annie and Zach. Lance had asked me to meet him at the
bonfire once they shut down the haunted house. I agreed, eager to
spend some time with him on campus and not at another loud
party.

The haunted house wasn’t too bad – a little
cheesy, maybe. But the cheerleaders had put some effort behind it
so I couldn’t fault them. And Lance wasn’t terribly difficult to
figure out, either—for me, at least. He was dressed in ripped-up
jeans, a ratty plaid shirt and heavy work boots, brandishing a
plastic garden rake just like the freak in the garden psycho flick
he’d taken me to on our first date.

He snagged my arm as I attempted to pass
through and tugged me behind a curtain. Propping me against the
cool brick wall, he pressed his lips firmly to mine. I wrapped my
arms behind his neck, grimacing slightly at his minty breath,
guessing he’d started drinking before the haunted house had even
opened.

His kisses grew more frantic, and I forced
him away, gasping for breath. “Lance! Hold on—we can’t do this
here.”

He ran his hands up my arms and held my
face. “No one can see us here. I thought you’d appreciate a little
privacy.”

My heart was hammering in my chest, a
mixture of excitement and fear. He released me and quickly fished a
two liter bottle out of the dark. He chugged it, his Adam’s apple
bobbing up and down with each swallow. He pulled it from his mouth
and offered it to me.

“
Want a sip?”

I crinkled my nose at the smell—it matched
his breath. “What is that?”

“
Just try it, Bella. You’ll
like it, trust me.” I took the bottle and ventured a tiny taste.
Lance released an exasperated sigh. “Take a real drink.”

Braving a larger sip, I coughed as the
liquor scorched my throat. I handed it back to him, face screwed up
in distaste. “Ew.”

He clicked his tongue. “Don’t be such a
sissy. Try it again.” He shoved the bottle in my reluctant
hands.

“
I’m not a sissy. I just
think that stuff tastes terrible. How can you stand it?”

“
It’s expensive stuff – the
best you can get around here. Come on, try it again.”

I really didn’t want any more of that stuff,
but I didn’t want to disappoint him, either. I figured one more
drink wouldn’t hurt, and maybe if I faked like it was okay, he’d
leave me alone about it. I swallowed more, and it did go down a
little easier. “What is it?”

“
Good whiskey. Mixed with
soda, though. Do you like?” He snatched the bottle back and
chugged.

“
It’s not that bad,” I
shrugged, feigning interest in a group of kids screaming as they
approached us. “Don’t you need to scare them or
something?”