White is for Virgins (30 page)

Hmmm… this? No. No… ye – no…

“You don’t give a damn for this family,” my father’s cold words spat, sending shivers down my spine.

I took a few steps to my radio, hearing my mother screaming in the process. “I don’t give a damn for this family?!
Have you forgotten who pays the goddamn bills, Jerry?”

I didn’t want to hear any more of it. Blasting the volume, I silenced them with some Red Jumpsuit Apparatus.

“Betray, but not gonna be willin’ to change,” I sang, grabbing my cream-colored hoodie and a pair of dark wash skinny jeans. They were splattered with holes.

I threw off the clothes I’d worn to the daycare and pulled the sweater over my head. Pulling up the pants and walking over to my dresser, I picked a random pair of hoops and stuck them in my ears.

I ran the straightener through my blonde tresses.  I was in the middle of reapplying eyeliner when I heard a faint noise amongst the booming of my boom box and my parents yelling. I climbed over my bed and peered through the blinds, noticing that there were two cars parked outside: a Lambo and a Range Rover.

Oh God.

I ran the eyeliner over my eyes at lightning speed and snatched my tube of chapstick from my dresser on my way down the stairs.

My parents stopped and glared at me.

“And where are you going?” my dad growled.

“Out with friends,” I practically whispered.

His glare was not pretty, but my mother managed a small smile and waved goodbye. I took this as a sign to run out of the house.

And that’s just what I did.

I wasn’t exactly sure if there fights had anything to do with my dad sleeping on the couch, but I could guarantee the two were related. And that made me wanna cry.

Nick got out and pulled the passenger side of his Rover open for me. I hopped in and took deep breaths as Nick walked back around the car. He smiled at me as he pulled out from my driveway and followed Fox’s car to the highway.

The silence was forcing horrible thoughts into my head – thoughts that were too strong to avoid. If it kept up, the tears were inevitable.

Thankfully Nick’s phone rang, and I shifted in my seat to look out the window.

“Hello? …Uh, yeah, hold on.”

Nick nudged my arm with his phone, and I give him a weird look as I took it.

“Who is it?” I asked Nick stupidly holding the phone to my right ear.

“Who do you think?” the voice on the other end replied.

My eyes darted to the car in front of us, and I cursed at the tinted windows silently as I smirked.

“What do you want Fox?” I muttered, leaning my elbow against the window.

“I wanna know why you look like someone just ran over your dog,” he stated simply.

Way to be blunt
. I pitied the poor canine I pictured as he said that sentence.

“We both know I don’t have a dog,” I sighed.

“Figure of speech, Em. Get with it.”

“Nothing’s up,” I replied trying to sound as nonchalant as possible.

“I don’t believe you.”

“Well that’s too bad,” I remarked, clenching my jaw as I looked out the window.

The line was silent for a bit, and I asked, “Is that all?”

I heard a muffled noise and some whispering before a more feminine voice spoke to me. Lily.

“Hey you,” she said.

“Hi…” I replied.
Is talking on the phone really necessary?

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

“Nothing,” I muttered.

“I doubt that,” she said, rolling down her window and giving me a stern look from her side-view mirror.

“Where are we going?” I asked, changing the subject.

She seemed mad that I had ignored her question. But nevertheless, she answered mine.

“The Strike Out,” she told me, as if I knew what that was.

“Where are we going?” I repeated.

“You’ll see when we get there,” she said with a devilish grin. Before I could say anything else, she shut the phone and rolled up the window.

I handed the phone back to Nick, a bit uneasy.
I wish I was… no, on second thought I’m glad I’m out of the house. I just wish I wasn’t with these people.

“You ok?” Nick asked.

I literally almost growled.
Was I ok?
No!
Did I want to talk about it?
Obviously not.

Nick seemed to get the message, because he shook his dark hair from his eyes and tapped at the black box between us.

“Pick something,” he ordered. “It’s
way
too boring in this vehicle.”

I cracked a smile and scavenged through his massive collection of burned CDs. Settling for My Chemical Romance, I handed it to him and he turned it on.

“Nice choice,” he commented.

To my dismay, ‘Disenchanted’ came on first. I loved the song, it was just really depressing. For the duration of the ride I tried my hardest to keep myself together.

***

The Strike Out, as it turned out, was a bowling alley. I drew the connection quickly.

“Really, Lily? A bowling alley?” I muttered as we all headed inside.

“Really, Emery, a bowling alley,” she said, imitating me.

Fox swaggered next to Lily in his usual demeanor; wearing a black long-sleeved shirt and jeans so light they looked white. They really brought out his hair.

I forced myself to inspect The Strike Out rather than my friend’s date.

It was retro, to say the least; lots of flashing lights and 80’s furniture. Nick went to register us while I got my shoes. Fox did as well, ordering not only his size but Lily’s as well.

“
Aww, isn’t that just the cutest thing,” I commented bitterly and I leaned against the counter.

“What’s up your ass?” he muttered, furrowing his brows.

I blew my bangs out of my eyes. “Does something have to be wrong with me to note that you being Lily’s bitch is adorable?”

He glared at me, fighting a smile.

“It’s so hot in here,” I muttered, pulling my sleeves up and fanning my face.

“Take your sweater off,” Fox shrugged.

I blushed. “Well, I kind of forgot to put something on underneath,” I explained.

His eyes flashed wickedly. “Like I said…
take your sweater off
.”

I shoved him, and he laughed heartily.

I turned from those emerald green eyes and grabbed my clown shoes from the old woman behind the counter. Her dreadful attempt at a smile was revived as soon as she caught sight of Fox.

I shook my head and smirked as I took a seat next to Nick and laced my shoes.
If I get any kind of foot fungus I swear…

“You enjoying yourself?” Nick whispered in my ear. I looked up, noticing Fox and Lily were having their own conversation and giggling.

“Very much so,” I said sarcastically.

Nick stood up, looking incredibly dorky in his bowling shoes.

“How do I look?” he asked, placing a hand on his hip and flipping his hair.

“Stunning,” I remarked.

“Why, thank you. You look pretty swell yourself,” Nick chuckled, helping me up.

We picked our bowling balls and got ourselves situated. It was Nick and I versus Fox and Lily. I was not surprised.

“Ready ladies?” Fox cooed as he held his black ball.

“Screw you,” Nick smirked.

Nick and Fox duked it out first. Both of their balls hit the floor like a roll of thunder, and sped down the aisle toward the pins.

Fox got a strike, Nick got a spare.

“Watch yourself, Evans,” Nick threatened as Lily and I stepped up.

I was literally in no mood, but I was a tad competitive. I had no bowling skills, but at the moment it didn’t matter.

I thrust the ball forward, sending it at the pins at a medium speed. It swerved to the left, and knocked over two pins. Lily hit seven.

Fox high-fived Lily and pulled her into an affectionate hug. Nick came up behind me and helped me hold the ball.
I’m not completely clueless…

He then whispered in my ear peaceful phrases like, “Find your momentum,” and “Focus on the center of the aisle,” and “Follow through, it’s just a game.” I felt like I was in one of those cheesy romantic movies where the guy took his date out to a place where he could purposely teach her how to do something as an excuse to feel her up.

Even though he was rubbing my shoulder soothingly, and somewhat seductively, I knew his intentions were merely motivational.

“Keep it in your pants Nick! There are kids here!” Fox yelled, causing a scene.

I blushed like mad.

Nick was surprisingly helpful, though; while Lily’s ball ended up in the gutter mine got us a spare.