Unconventional Scars (12 page)

“I’ve been kissed!” Anna protested.

“Hundreds of times, right?”

“No! Can we change the subject?”

“You must have had a least a dozen boyfriends back in
Florida
.”

A
dry laugh escaped Anna. “
Yeah, dozens.
Right. That’s hysterical.”

“How so?”

“It just is. Maybe we should head back. Karen might be wondering where I am.”

“Did I touch a nerve? I was just kidding around. You know that, right?”

“I know.” They gingerly stepped through the thick grass and back onto the path. She wondered what Alex would think if he knew her charmed past was an illusion. For some reason, it now seemed important to her that he know.

“
Can I
tell you something
?
”

“
Tell me anything you like.”

“I . . . lied to everyone about why I moved here. My mother didn’t really take a job in
New York City
. She didn’t even
have
a job. She wasn’t a fashion designer – she was a cokehead
.
We lived on welfare most of the time. She spent all her time
partying and hooking up with random men.”

Alex looked at her, but she couldn’t read
his
expression.
She continued on.

“So one day I come home from school and my mom’s gone
. Just
gone
. She just
left
me there.
And that was bad enough, but t
hen the police start coming around looking for her because apparently the man she
took off
with
stole
a
whole
lot of money from
his clients.
Something to do with trust funds, I think.
Anyhow, long story short, they somehow managed to locate my uncle who, by the way, hadn’t even laid eyes on me in ten years. He came and got me. And here I am.”

He was quiet for some time, though she could feel his grip on her hand tighten. Eventually he spoke. “So are you happy living here? With your uncle?”

“
Oh, definitely!
Uncle Phil is awesome. I
just
love it here
! Th
e
area
is so beautiful and I even love going to school here.
I never would have believed it. I didn’t
even
have
any friends at my old school. Everyone there
pretty much
avoided me. They thought I was trash.”

“I hope you don’t think that, Anna.”

“Well
. . .
n
o
t anymore, no
. But even so, I don’t think I’d want everyone here knowing about me. I’m not even sure why I
unloaded
all this
on you
. I can imagine what you must be thinking.”

“Would you like me to tell you?”

“Huh?”

“What I’m thinking.” His
attention was on
her as he walked fluidly along, somehow managing never to stumble on exposed roots but instead stepping gracefully over them, even without watching the ground. She wondered if he was part deer.

“Oh. Um
. . .
okay.”

“I think life dealt you a really bad hand
the first time around
. But that isn’t your fault. You aren’t a bad person by
association
because of what your mother did.
So d
on’t ever think that. Who you are is based on what
you
choose to be, not what somebody else wants to label you as.
It’s all up to you. And since y
ou have a
winning hand now, I suggest you
relax and enjoy it.”

Anna pondered this. “How’d you get to be so smart?”

“Lots of blood sacrifices. My gosh, would you look at that. She’s going to break her neck
!
”

Anna followed his gaze and spotted Karen perched on
Dalton
’s shoulders, waving her arms and
singing atrociously off-key
.
In one
of her hands
was
a wine cooler.

“I need to let her know I’m riding home with you,” she told Alex. “Then we can go if you want to. It’s getting really late.”

“All right. I’m
gonna
go speak to Josh for a second. I’ll meet you in front of the trail, okay?”

Anna headed into the crowd, dodging people until she reached Karen who merrily looked down at her and
shouted
, “Hey
,
beeotch
! Where
ya
been?”

“I went to see the gravestone with Alex. He’s giving me a ride home, okay?”

“Alex is here?” Karen was surprised.

“
Yeah.
What time do you have to be home? It’s already after midnight. I don’t want you to get in trouble.”

Karen’s grin widened. “Whenever. My parents think I’m spending the night with Erica.”

“Aren’t you?”

“
Maybe. Maybe not.
”
Dalton
caught her eye and
winked lasciviously.

“
Please
tell me you’re not riding with him
!
” Anna could see that
Dalton
was three sheets to the wind. She
just
hoped he didn’t drop Karen on her head.
Not that it would make much difference.

“Don’t worry, we’ll get a ride with Josh and Erica. They’re still here.”

“
Are they?
Good.
By the way, y
ou look like a totem pole
.
”

Karen laughed.
She was obviously having the time of her life. “
Are you sure you want to leave already?”

“I’m tired! Aren’t you?”

“Not a bit!”

“Well, just be careful, okay?”

“I will! Call me tomorrow!”
She blew a kiss in Anna’s direction, adding cheerfully, “I want to know all the details!”

9

They spoke little on the ride home, but Anna’s hand continued to rest in his. It seemed to belong there. Alex’s long fingers were entwined with hers and held them securely, as if he didn’t want to let her go. She didn’t want him to.

He pulled into his own driveway and finally
released
her hand, saying
,
“Come on
.
I’ll walk you home.” They made their way next door across the dewy grass, up the front steps and onto the porch. Anna felt very sleepy. It had been a long night.

Alex motioned to the swing. “Sit with me, just for a minute. All right?”

Side by side in the lovely ornate carved porch swing, they glided back and forth, pushing lazily with their toes. Anna thought contentedly that she could easily fall asleep right where she was. After the hours of raucous music blasting in her ears, the sound of nothing but crickets chirping and branches rustling in the breeze was welcome.

Then Alex said in a low voice, “What you told me tonight, Anna. You know I’d never repeat it to anyone. Right?”

She nodded slowly. “I know you wouldn’t.”

“Good. I just wanted to make sure you knew that. I
’m not one to
spread gossip.” He paused. “Any
way
, that’s Karen’s department. She’d be
terribly
offended if I tried to take her job.”

“Well. We certainly wouldn’t want to put Karen on the unemployment line, would we?”

“She’d probably turn it into a conga line.”

Anna yawned and stretched. “You joke, but I could actually visualize her doing that.”

“You look tired. Do you realize it’s one o’clock in the morning? You should go on in. Before your uncle comes out here with a shotgun and wants to know what we’re doing.”

“You worry too much.”

“I’m trying to break the habit, thank you very much.”

“Yeah, well, good luck with that.”

“Did I mention how pretty you look tonight?”

Anna
felt a thrill rush through her. Sure, it
had been nice when Creed and Sebastian called her pretty. But
coming from
Alex
, it meant
so
much more.
“No, I don’t believe
you did
. Maybe you should do that right now.”

“You look beautiful tonight, Anna.”

“Thank you. You look pretty good yourself.”

“Can I tell you a secret?”

“You know you can.”

“I’m glad you knocked Sebastian’s block off.”

Anna was still laughing to herself when she went inside.

****

“Okay. So what is up with you and Alex? Spill it.”

Anna tried to open a box of macaroni and cheese with one hand and nearly dropped her phone in the process. “What do you mean?”

On the other end, Karen sighed impatiently. “Oh, I don’t know. Just the fact that you were off in the woods alone with him and I’m pretty sure you’re both crushing on each other. Did anything happen?”

“Like what?”

“Stop
playing dumb!
Has he kissed you?”

“Huh! I wish.”

“Ah-
ha
! So you
admit
you want him to kiss you! I
knew
it! I knew there was total chemistry there!” Karen whooped.

“All right, so I like him,” Anna admitted. She dumped the macaroni into the boiling water on the stovetop and tossed the box into the trash. “What do you think I should do?”

“
Depends. D
oes he like you?”

“How should I know? You’re better at reading guys than I am. He sort of acts like he does. But we’re friends. Maybe he’s just being nice.”

“
H
m. So he took you way off in the woods to see the gravestone and didn’t
even
try anything?”

“Nope. Perfect gentleman.”

“
Well, m
aybe he’s shy. He
is
kind
a
the quiet type.
Honestly, I don’t think he has much experience with girls.
You might have to make the first move,” Karen advised.

“
Yeah, and what if he doesn’t like me that way?
I’d feel stupid.”

“You want me to talk to him?”

“NO! Absolutely
not
! If you say one word to him about this I swear I’ll strangle you!”

“Okay, okay. My lips are sealed. I’ll scope him out on Monday and see if I can read his body language.”

“Speaking of body language, what did you do after you left the party last night?” Anna opened a drawer and found a wooden spoon, then stirred the noodles.

“I went home with Erica. What do you think?” Karen’s voice was all innocence.

“I thought you said you weren’t really spending the night with her?”

“Oh, I was just messing with you. Sometimes you’re so gullible.”

“Thanks a lot
!
You had me worried. I didn’t want to see you on the six o’clock news after your parents found you shacked up in a cheap motel with
Dalton
.”

Karen burst out laughing. “As if! I wouldn’t be caught dead in a place like that. The Hilton, maybe. You know I have extravagant taste.”

“You’re unbelievable.”

“
H
e did ask me to prom
, though
.”

“Nice! Are you excited?”

“So excited! I’m totally
stoked
about getting a prom dress.”

“
That’s
what you’re
excited
about?
The dress?
”

“What else?” The funny thing was, she seemed serious this time.

“Forget it. I have to go
,
anyway. My lunch is boiling over.”

“Okay, bye!”

Anna turned the heat down on the stove and padded into the living room where Phil was relaxing on the couch with a beer, watching ESPN. She didn’t understand how he could find sports so fascinating. It was one of the many things she didn’t get about men.