True Colors (The Masks #1)(4)

I cleared my throat. “So Stella and the girls are going shopping tonight. Can I go?"

I’m sure twenty years ago, when she’d been dealing with Seth, Layla, Holly and Toby - my older siblings - she would have made them stay home, but she either no longer had the energy or she knew it was easier to keep in her kids’ good books. I didn’t care what the reason was, I loved seeing that little shrug and nod. “Just be home by 10."

"Mom, it's Friday night."

"Okay, 11."

"Thirty?" I tipped my head, giving her that look I’d been perfecting over the years. Holly taught it to me. We called it the mother-softener.

She rolled her eyes. “Not one minute more.”

I jumped up with a smile, the rest of my dinner forgotten.

“Caitlyn.” Mom’s voice stopped me. “Just remember what we talked about, okay? I want you to really think about it.”

The serious look on her face made my reply sincere. “I will, Mom.”

And finally her brown eyes lit with a soft smile. “Have fun, sweetie.”





Chapter 2




I knew I probably should consider what Mom had said. Did I really want Chase to be my first? I knew for a fact I wasn’t going to be his first. If I was entirely honest, I would probably end up being another notch on his belt. Technically I should be running for the hills. But I really wanted to have sex. I wanted to know what it felt like...and I wanted to do it with someone I liked. And I really did like Chase...and he liked me. We'd been having fun together. He made me feel alive and adventurous. I liked that feeling.

I ran my hands through my long curls and ruffled the ends. Flicking them over my shoulder, I adjusted the ring on my forefinger and scuffed my high black sandals on the path outside our house. Stella was always late. Ugh. But I wanted to wait outside, rather than loiter in my room. I was scared Mom would come up, having thought of something else to add to her little speech. I knew I shouldn’t mind it. I guess it was nice to be cared for...but it really bugged me when that care rang with a truth I didn’t want to hear.

I patted the back pocket of my pale denim, skinny jeans, checking that my phone and money were still there. I knew I should go back in and get a handbag like every other girl in the world, but I really hated them. They were just another thing for me to leave somewhere and I couldn’t be bothered with the way they always slipped off my shoulder. Holly gave me a bag for my birthday last year that kind of went across my middle and sat against my butt. I should drag that out and actually start using it.

I was toying with the idea of running back inside to find it when I heard a car coming down the road. I craned my neck to see if it was Stella’s VW Beetle, but no, it was the car that always took my breath away. Not because I’m a car chick or anything, but because the guy who drove it...my next door neighbor, Eric...was like the most beautiful human being ever created.

I’m not just making that up. I mean he was hot and then some. Like movie star hot. When he moved in six months ago, I swear I couldn’t speak for like a day. I’d never seen anyone like him.

Eric swerved into his driveway and quickly cut the engine. I tried not to look, but couldn’t help stealing a few furtive glimpses as he got out of his black Jeep shirtless and reached for the surfboard attached to the roll bars. His straight hair was wet, droplets hanging from the long ends before dripping onto his shoulders. I watched one droplet glide over his hard chest and perfect abs.

Yeah, I know I sound like a total perv. I mean I had a boyfriend! But Eric. Le sigh. He would be my secret crush forever.

His hazel green eyes caught my stare and I quickly turned away before I could see his disapproving frown. That was the only problem about my sexy next-door neighbor. Friendliness was not his strong suit. I mean he was polite and everything. We'd said a few hellos, but the one time I’d had enough courage to give him one of my flirty smiles, he responded with a closed mouth grin, you know the so obviously forced kind? Like he pitied my effort or something. It was so humiliating and I still haven't forgiven Stella for forcing me into it. She'd been standing there nudging me until I'd twirled my hair and used a cutesy voice that was so not my style. "Hi Eric." Ugh! I could still hear the way I sounded. Cringeville! Stella had laughed her ass off over that one, but she'd insisted she wasn't being mean (I knew she liked Eric too, so I had to question her motives), she was just trying to teach me the art of flirting. She'd done me a favor I guess. I'd scored Chase, so I couldn't complain.

My eyes crept back to Eric. I don’t know why he didn’t like me and I probably shouldn’t have cared. But there was something so compelling about the guy.

“Eric!” His little half-sister Lacey squealed out of the house and ran for him. He leaned the surfboard against his jeep and picked her up, throwing her in the air as if she were a football and not a ten-year-old child.

She wrapped her arms and legs around him with a giggle. I could hear him laughing as well.

See! Eric was nice!

“Hey, Caitlyn!” Lacey waved over Eric’s shoulder. I lifted my hand with a grin as Eric swivelled to face me. I thought he was about to smile, his expression softened with what I thought was friendliness, but then the sound of Stella’s Beetle approaching stole his grin. We all knew it was Stella because One Direction was blasting from her stereo.