Life In Reverse(24)

He plops down next to me, his weight shifting the mattress. “Your mom let me in.” He scoots over until our shoulders are touching. “So what are we doing? We are… staring at your dresser?” I snort, and he touches his head to mine. “Hold up. Is that a new addition I see?”

“Yes. In fact it is,” I admit in a happy burst that he examines with his big brown eyes.

“It’s adorable. It reminds me of the time your parents took us all to Disney and our ears popped on the plane. Remember that? You pulled out those Bubble Gum Cigarettes and the girl sitting next to you tried to take them.” One side of his mouth quirks up into a nostalgic grin and I smile. “So where exactly did you get that adorable item?”

“A friend.”

“Really?” He folds his arms over his chest. “The clock’s ticking.”

“If you must know,” I veer away from his intense stare, “Vance Davenport gave it to me.”

“Hellooo.” He wiggles his fingers in front of my face to bring me back. “First of all, I’m over here. And second, who the heck is that?”

“Mr. Hot and Angry.”

His mouth falls open and he drops his head, his expression shaded. “Really?”

“Yup.”

“Wow.” He flicks the hair away from his eyes. “I got the impression from the way you were acting that he was a real *.” He scrutinizes me with a click of his tongue. “I guess you were being too judgmental as usual.”

“Yeah. I was and I feel bad about it. I don’t know. I get the impression,” I twirl an unruly lock of hair, “that he has his reasons.” Twisting to my right, I sit cross-legged and face him. “Anyway, enough about me. Tell me about that date you went on, with…,” I stare up at the ceiling then back to Troy, “…Sam?” The funny expression on his face throws me off. “What? It wasn’t Sam?”

“Not exactly,” he admits, his hesitance making me probe further.

“Care to elaborate?”

He scrubs his forefinger over his lip, and I can’t figure out for the life of me why he’s stalling. “It was… Samantha, actually,” he finally squeaks out and I stick a finger in my ear in response.

“Come again?”

Troy lets out a long breath and mutters, “It was a girl, Ems.”

“Ooohh.” And I know he doesn’t miss the way my eyes bulge out of my head. He nods, his lips slanted almost as if he can’t believe it himself.

“Yeeeaaah. I’m kind of just as stunned as you are.”

“Stunned about what?” Avery pops into the room in a t-shirt and shorts, a towel slung over her arm. Troy glances over to me but I remain quiet. This isn’t my story to tell.

“I gotta go,” he rattles off, giving me a peck on the cheek and dodging Avery on his way out. Now it’s Avery who stares at me with a confused expression. I’m about to comment on his hasty departure when his voice carries up the stairs. “I met a girl.” The door slams and Avery’s mouth is practically level with the carpet.

“So, wait. Does that mean he’s bi—”

“What does it matter?” I cut her off, walking over and placing my hands on her shoulders before turning her around toward the hallway and giving her a push. “He’s Troy. That’s all I care about.”

“You’re no fun,” she mutters as she skulks off to the bathroom, using the same words she did when we were ten and I refused to run around naked in the sprinkler.

“I am too,” I yell back, just to act like a ten year old again.

“You are too, what?” Mom traipses into my room carrying a stack of laundry I forgot to bring upstairs. “Good morning by the way.”

“Fun,” I pout, pausing in front of my dresser, eyes trained on the carpet. “I am fun. Aren’t I?”

“Of course you are, sweetie. Are you seriously listening to your sister?” She lifts my chin with her finger. “You know she likes to get under your skin.”

“Yeah.”

“Oh.” Her eyes move to a spot behind me. “You bought a snow globe. Very cute.”

I lean my hip against the dresser, staring down at it. “Actually, I didn’t. It was a gift.”

“From Troy?”

“No.” I don’t offer up any other explanation and her bright red lips teeter at the edges.

“No, Mom. It was a gift from….” Her voice is teasing, cheeks now in a full-on smile.

“A friend.”

I laugh when her face contorts in disappointment. “In other words… mind your own business, Mom.”

“I didn’t say that,” I retort, and she flips a piece of hair behind my shoulder.

“You didn’t have to.” She turns to the mirror, patting her skin to dab the blush on her cheeks. “It’s a nice gift.”

“Yes it is. So where are you off to?”

Fully aware of my subject change, she looks back at me and shakes her head. “I have to go see a client this morning. You headed to Anna’s?”

I grab a comb from the dresser, threading it through my tangled hair. “Anna’s not feeling well and she needs me to meet with a customer about catering a party.” I glance out the window then back to Mom. “I thought I’d get an early start and stop at an art store along the way. It’s supposed to be a beautiful day.”