Hoax (12 page)

             
“So, I brought my
boyfriend
a burger and fries, have you seen him?”  Smug was so damned cute on her.

             
“I don’t know—what does he look like?” 

             
“Six feet tall, longish dirty blonde hair, matching eyes, sexy as all get out.”  She giggled at that last bit.

             
“You’re playing with fire, woman.” I growled as she neared me, so much slower than I wanted her to.

             
“Maybe I wanna get burned.”  She said and I nearly fell off of the stairs.

             
“And you talk about my comments?  Yours are so much worse.”

             
She handed me the box and we went inside.  I ate while she changed the code.  She came back in and took a pen from one of the drawers and wrote something on my hand.

             
“What is that?” I said.

              “It’s the code to get in.  What, did you think it was another girl’s phone number?”

             
“You’re not supposed to give it to me Corinne. What if I’m secretly a sex-crazed freak?”

             
“I might like it.” Her straight face didn’t last long.  She lay over the counter, snorted and laughed until tears came out of her eyes.  It really wasn’t that funny anymore.  She had to know that those kinds of statements were never funny to a guy, no matter how much he laughed.

             
“So, how was lunch with the robots?”  A vision of the robot from the Jetsons sprang to mind.

             
“Weird.  They are going on some trip to Mexico for two weeks.  And they’re driving.  I mean, I had some inkling that my parents were off but they go on and on about being practical and downsizing but then they’re driving to Mexico for two weeks.  And who drives to Mexico? No one.”

             
“Are you going with them,” I asked and it sounded so desperate.

             
“Are you kidding me?  I could barely stand to eat lunch with them.  My mom didn’t even look at the menu.  My dad just ordered her whatever he wanted her to have, which was a salad with no dressing and water.  And then I ordered this pork loin and risotto dish and he choked on his iced tea.  So, I thought it was because of the price, but it was too late.  And then, the waitress brought me my own ticket.  So what the hell was that all about?  I’m telling you, weird.” 

             
“Well, Mexico is not all that far.  Who knows.”  I shrugged, her parents were a little weird but at least they didn’t practically fondle each other in front of her.

             
“So, what are we doing tonight? I asked after I threw the to-go box in the trash.

             
“Sean is coming over to watch movies with me.”

             
“Oh, my first night with a girlfriend and I’ll be alone.  Damn, it sucks to be me.”

             
She poked her bottom lip out and I leaned over to her and took it between my teeth.  She stood completely statuesque and if she was surprised by my boldness, she never showed it.  I chuckled at her as I pulled away.  She stood against the kitchen counter and looped her fingers in the front two loops of my jeans.  She pulled them forward so that our hips met and I groaned in frustration.  She had to know what she did to me and with our hips joined as I leaned against her, there was no way she didn’t. 

             
She reached up and pulled my face to hers by grasping onto the back of my hair and I was grateful I hadn’t cut it. If I had my way, it would stay this length forever. Her mouth took the lead this time.  I loved the feel of her satin lips against mine.  She always felt a few degrees colder than me but I didn’t mind being the one who warmed her, any way I could.  But when her mouth opened, my hands took it as permission to work their way up from the outward curve of her hips and inwards with the shape of her waist underneath her shirt.  And I was sure there was nothing, no silk, no skin, no other woman, that could compare to the feel of her waist under my palms.  What I wouldn’t give to know what she looked like under those clothes.

             
She slowed the kiss down and finally ended the moment with a peck and thumped her forehead against my shoulder.  I took the cue and moved my hands around to her back.  I hoped I hadn’t gone too far.

             
“Was it too much?  I’m sorry.” I whispered into her hair.

             
“No, I just…I’ve never...,” she huffed out a humorless laugh. “No guy has ever…”

             
“That’s a good thing, and rare these days.  And for my sake, I’m glad.”

             
“Why?” She looked up at me and really didn’t know what I meant.

             
“Because I never want to think about someone else’s hands on you.”

             
“Oh.”

             
I moved my hips away from her and just held her for a few minutes.  And time after time, I was shocked that she let me. 

             
A knock at the door made her unlatch from my torso and I took the moment to cool myself down while she answered the door.  She came back in, toting Sean on her arm, and I took that as my cue to leave. 

             
Sean looked between us and reached out to fist bump me and we exchanged ‘hellos’ and then I told them I was leaving. 

             
“Bye, honey.  Call me later, ok? Set the alarm, please.” I kissed her once, softly on the lips.  Now that she was my girlfriend, I didn’t need to pull a machismo stake of claim on her in front of Sean. 

             
“Ok, be careful.  Text me when you get home.”

             
“Will do.  Goodnight Sean, take care of my girl.”

             
“Yeah, bye Abel.” He said.

Corinne

             
After several minutes of commentary from Sean, I finally gave him the remote and let him mute out the voices he wanted voice over.  He was ten times funnier than the people on the movie anyway.  I made us dinner and we talked about everything from parents to his BMX racing to Abel.  He left after the first movie because his Dad called and needed help at home.  I had mandatory testing at the high school tomorrow anyway.  Even though the school had received my transcripts and testing scores, they insisted that I had to go through their state exams before I could enroll.  I hated standardized tests.  I got so bored with them, I just wanted to run through and mark all of the ‘C’s just to finish it.  But tomorrow I needed to pay attention or it would be my ass.

             
I got into bed, I felt safer knowing that the alarm system was active now but not half as safe as I’d felt when Abel was here.  But what was I gonna do?  I couldn’t ask him to do any more than he was already doing. 

             
I called him and he ‘Boooed’ me when I told him about the testing tomorrow.  And he let me know that Tuesday he had to go for a physical and try-outs for the soccer team.  And even though I would miss him, I needed some space.  Not from him, but just a chance to breathe and let everything soak in.  I was used to being by myself every day, all day and this was a chance for me to collect myself. 

             
I arrived at the school fifteen minutes early, complete with my number two pencils and identification.  The halls were empty and I took the opportunity to scout out the new school.  The floors were covered with a shiny tile of some sort and gray and burgundy lockers lined the walls.  It didn’t look like anything close to Wellsley but I was intrigued nonetheless.  I walked into the office labeled ‘Administration’ and there was no one to be seen.  I lightly tapped the bell on the counter and shortly afterward a woman in her forties came out of the Principal’s office.

             
“Can I help you dear,” she asked as she sat in the desk chair.

             
“Yes ma’am, I’m Corinne Novak, I’m here for testing.”

             
“Ah, yes.  Go down the hall to the Counselor’s office.  Mrs. Peabody is waiting for you since you’re the only one testing today.” She smiled at me, but there was an annoyance to her voice.

             
“Thank you.” I said and perused down the hall until I found the right room.

             
I entered and there were couches in all shades of ugly and posters on the wall with every cliché mental health mantra in the book.  I rolled my eyes to myself. 

             
A woman off to the left of the room cleared her throat and stood up from a desk that was so tiny I hadn’t even noticed it was there. 

             
“Ms. Novak,” she asked.

             
“Yes ma’am.”

             
“I’m Mrs. Peabody. You’re the only student who has to take the Senior Level Entry test so it’s just you and me.”

             
“Thank you.”

             
I sat at one lonely desk on the other side of the room while Mrs. Peabody read a very used paperback covered with a long haired man-Barbie with a billowy shirt on the front.  She had thirty or more pages dog-eared.  I wondered what parts were worthy of her dog-earring.  I bet I could guess.

             
I finished early, section by section, and finally about noon the torture was over.  Most of it was relatively easy.  I thanked Mrs. Peabody and returned to the Administration office to get a uniform regulations packet.  I skimmed it quickly and it was pretty simple.  Navy blue bottom, white top, extremely simple, just like I liked it. 

             
I drove to the grocery store and got a few things.  I returned books to the library.  And as much as I resolved to spend my day away from Abel, after running out of things to keep me busy, I couldn’t get there fast enough.  I laughed at myself when I got to the house because I rushed to get to him but he wasn’t there.  I forced myself not to call him.  Maybe this was a sign that he needed some space too. 

             
I got a text from my parents telling me that they were leaving for Mexico in the morning and not to call unless there was an emergency.  I didn’t even respond.  There was no point.  I spent the afternoon swimming and trying my damndest not to think about Abel.  It worked like a charm—not. 

Abel

             
I didn’t miss her when I worked that day.  I didn’t think about her or even realize she wasn’t there.  I didn’t feel anything when I saw her bikini drying out on the white picket fence that surrounded the pool.  I didn’t dial her number nineteen times during the day.  And I especially didn’t drive the route from the Stephenson’s house to Sibley High School hoping to see her truck on my way home.  Nope, I didn’t do any of that

             
Liar.

             
I walked in the front door and my parents had their suitcases out, packed and ready even though they didn’t leave for three days.  My mom informed me, by yelling from the bedroom, they decided to leave the next morning and were spending a few days in New Orleans before the cruise left.  That didn’t surprise me in the least.  I yelled back, ‘Have a good time.’  Soon after they went to dinner, by themselves, of course.  I kept myself busy the rest of the night with laundry.  Plus, I needed to find my soccer gear and make sure it didn’t smell like a two year old cheese sandwich.  They did. 

             
I showered and fell asleep on the couch watching recorded episodes of Ghost Hunters.  They never found anything much but at least it put me to sleep. 

              The next two days I spent doing soccer stuff.  One day of try-outs turned into two and my appointment with the doctor was rescheduled until the next day as well.  Corinne and I had texted several times but I felt like I was bugging her every time I let myself text her. 

             
I went home, exhausted and spent.  I showered and went to the kitchen, too lazy to go get something to eat.  I made a sandwich and ate while I stood at the counter.  I downed the rest of the gallon of milk and noticed that my mom had left a note telling me that I needed to go grocery shopping. 

             
“Thanks Mom,” I said to the empty house and I took the stairs two at a time and went to bed.  I checked my phone just before I turned out the lights and saw a text message.

             
Corinne: Hope try-outs went ok. 

             
It was sent over an hour before but I responded anyway. 

             
Abel: I’m a shoe in. lol 

             
The response came immediately.

             
Corinne: Ha ha.  Goodnight.