ODDILY (15 page)

Maxim had checked the size of the dress he still had from her shoplifting excursion, but he wasn’t going to tell her.

“
Just a lucky guess,” he diverted his eyes for a moment before changing the subject. “Please…put it on.”

“
You will wait a long time if you don’t go outside?”

Maxim smiled and left Oddily to herself. He had experienced immense pleasure while watching her face light up. She reminded him of a kid on Christmas morning when she opened the garment bag.

Oddily modeled the dress for him, as he requested, if you want to call standing stiff as a board in front of him modeling. The dress was similar to the one she took from the department store only this one was a richer, brighter shade of green with a subtle floral design. Incredibly, the color of her large eyes altered to match the green of her dress.

“
You didn’t like the shoes?” he asked when she stepped out of the bathroom still wearing her old brown boots.

“
Oh, I’m sorry. I forgot about the other bag.” Oddily scurried back into the girl's room and after a few moments came back out wearing feminine looking pale peach sandals.

“
Wow, I’m impressed!” He was surprised that Oddily could walk without stumbling. “You have worn high heels before.”

Oddily beamed her crooked grin at him. “I adore high heels. I used to sneak into Starla’s closet and practice walking in her heels all the time, even if they were too big. These here are wonderful because they actually fit me.”

Suddenly she frowned. “My feet are accustomed to the feel of my old boots or the warm earth when I’m not in school, so I’m sure they will protest loudly as the night moves on.”

Maxim couldn’t help himself. He had to laugh out loud because of her undeniable honesty. She was so refreshing to be around and Maxim found he couldn’t get enough of her pure, innocent ways.

“
I have one more thing for you.” Maxim reached into his pocket, pulled out a small box and handed it to her. Oddily took off the lid, eyeing a necklace with a delicate, pale peach rose.

“
How lovely, Maxim. And the color matches my shoes!”

“
Allow me to help you with that.”

Oddily’s hand trembled as she handed the box to him and turned around. His fingers felt warm against her neck while he fastened the clasp.

“
You look beautiful,” he whispered.

The word ‘beautiful’ stuck in her mind as though it were glued there permanently. No one had ever equated that word with reference to her before, except for the virtual Lucas from the Steam of Dreams game, but that didn’t count.

“
Hello guys!” The voice brought Oddily out of her reverie. Her tall, skinny tormenter obviously had hunted her down for Starla.

Kip came up and dropped a thin strong arm over Oddily’s shoulder, leaning on her body and nearly collapsing her to her knees from his weight. His keen secretive dark gray eyes, fixed on Maxim for a minute then on her.

“
I dig your dress.” Kip seemed satisfied with what she had on because his mouth had a pleasant twist that became sarcastic, or teasing, or charming, as he willed. “It’s perfect!”

“
Thank you,” she whispered modestly, wishing he would leave her alone.

“
We’ll see you inside the dance,” Maxim said with a straight face as he pulled Oddily away from under Kip’s arm, and held her protectively by his side.

Thankfully, a clicking sound came down the hallway of lockers. A ‘high school’ sophomore named Jenessa made the sound with her high heel shoes as she approached.

“
Hi Kip,” she smiled flirtatiously at him and gave Maxim a gawking once-over while she wiggled past them into the girl's room.

Kip smiled, not missing the warning still displayed in Maxim’s eyes, or the awkwardness that fell between the three of them until Oddily’s sweet voice broke the silence.

“
I’ll be ready in a minute,” her eyes focused solely on Maxim.

“
In a minute,” he repeated, his eyes never wavering from Kips.

After edging away, Oddily hurried into the girl's room. The tension between the two guys became too intense for comfort.

“
What’s all this?” Jenessa waved her arm to cover the discarded clothing and empty sacks. “Is this your stuff?”

After shrugging in embarrassment, Oddily stepped over to her old brown boots and kicked them under one of the stall doors.

“
I’ve never seen you around here before. Do you go to school here or are you an outside date?”

Oddily’s mouth gaped open in surprise. “It’s me…Oddily!”

Jenessa squinted while studying Oddily’s hair and face. “Geeez, it really is you! You look so…different.”

“
Yeah, that’s what I’ve been told.”

“
Wow, I would have never guessed. Have you jumped his bones yet?”

“
What do you mean?”

Jenessa wasn’t surprised by Oddily’s innocence. “You know—a girl, plus a gorgeous boy, equals sex.”

“
Oh,” Oddily’s eyes widened with the thought. “No, I haven’t.”

Jenessa’s attention went back to the mirror while she applied a pretty shade of lip-gloss on her thin lips. Then she said, “If you don’t mind my mentioning it, you could use a little lip gloss yourself.”

Oddily’s hand involuntarily came up to her lips. “I suppose you’re right, but I don’t have any.”

“
No problem.” Jenessa took a paper towel from the towel vendor and smudged some of the lip-gloss on it. “Here, this should be enough.”

Oddily dabbed her finger into the pretty hued, sticky stuff and smeared it on her pouting lips. “Mmmm—it tastes good.”

“
It’s called, Tangerine.”

Oddily followed Jenessa out of the bathroom, and was pleased to see Maxim still waiting for her…alone. Her eyes shifted up and down the hallway just to make sure.

“
He’s gone,” Maxim volunteered as if reading her mind.

“
Look at my lips,” she held her face up to his, so he had a better view. “I’m wearing lip-gloss, and its tangerine flavor.”

Maxim casually bent down and kissed her, then licked the residue on his lips. “This gooey stuff is an interesting invention. We’ll have to get you some so you can wear it more often.”

When no response came from Oddily, he glanced at her and stared in wonderment when she appeared to be frozen as though time had come to a stop. He waved his hand in front of her face. “Are you all right?”

Oddily blinked hard and nodded her head.

“
Are you sure?” Maxim noticed her normally pale skin grow paler… ghostly.

Oddily didn’t respond. She was kissed! Her first kiss ever, even though technically it wasn’t a kiss, but a way for him to taste the lip gloss. Who cared what the reason was as long as the effect on her was the same. She refused to move. She didn’t want this moment to end. She needed time to replay the kiss repeatedly in her mind; but the flash in time passed, and it became a new moment.

Oddily was now heading for the gymnasium with this inhumanly handsome stranger as her date. Despite the impossibility of this situation, her heart swelled with excitement.

Maxim’s eyes danced humorously above smiling lips when he overheard Oddily’s breath coming in short spurts. Surprisingly, he didn’t escape the kiss without incident himself.

21

Once inside the dance, girl’s continued to check out Maxim with interest. Many of those curious eyes drifted to Oddily, still not recognizing her with her new look. She felt as ugly as usual so it didn’t matter much, one way or the other, who they thought she was.

As Oddily glanced around the room, her eyes locked with Paul’s. He danced with Kendall but his attention was on her. When she stared back at him, his warm brown eyes didn’t waver from her. Oddily squirmed, uncomfortable with the sudden interest. Was it possible she did look pretty wearing her new dress?

After the song had ended, Paul excused himself and headed in her direction. Oddily’s eyes grew wide with anticipation while he approached. She glanced up at Maxim to see whether he was aware of what was happening, but his face remained expressionless while he studied the crowd of students as if they were some type of science project.

“
Hi Oddily.” Paul stood directly in front of her. “You look amazing!”

“
Thank you.” She gave him a sweet smile after blushing from the compliment.

“
Maxim, this is Paul, a good friend of my foster sister.”

Still busily inspecting the crowd, Maxim didn’t seem to hear her.

“
Maxim?” He still didn’t respond.

“
Hey,” Oddily touched his arm, laughing at him a little.

Maxim sensed Oddily’s gentle touch and glanced down at her, then to the guy standing in front of them.

“
Hi, I’m Paul.” Paul stuck his hand out for a proper greeting.

“
Yes…hello,” Maxim took the extended hand, chiding himself for his distraction. After all, if he intended on being Oddily’s date, he needed to pay attention and not stand around like a fool.

“
Would you mind if I steal your girl away for the next dance?”

“
You need to ask Oddily.”

Oddily tugged at Maxim’s arm and stared up into his face with pleading eyes. “I think I ought to, but I don’t know how to dance. What should I do?”

Maxim bent over and whispered in her ear. “Just move to the music.”

“
But how?” she began to sound frantic.

“
Try this.” Maxim shifted his body back and forth from one foot to the other with a little bounce, all the while trying to be inconspicuous. His silliness put a grin on her face.

Paul watched the two exchange an intimate moment and felt worse than ever for Oddily, knowing what was about to happen.

“
It’s fine with me.” Oddily cleared her throat when her words came out sounding like a high pitched croak, and grinned nervously before stepping out onto the dance floor. She still thought of him as the hottest guy in school and experienced butterflies being so close to him; but the emotion was nothing compared to what Maxim did to her. Maxim made her heart beat so fast, she felt weak in the knees.

Oddily started to shift her weight from one leg to the other, just as Maxim had done, and it was easier than she thought. She frequently glanced over at him and became giddy with joy when he discreetly motioned for her to hold up her head instead of staring at her feet. When the compassionate stranger continued to give her his full attention, she knew in that moment that she was falling in love.

“
This is fun,” she shouted at Paul over the loud music. He still stared down at her, but it appeared that something bothered him.

“
Is everything all right?” She asked.

Paul nervously glanced around the room. “Yes—no—I’m not sure.”

“
What is it?” she eyed him with genuine concern.

“
Stop acting so nice to me!” His outburst was riddled with guilt.

“
I’m sorry,” Oddily cringed with discomfort.

“
No, I’m the one who should be sorry,” he shook his head miserably, moving closer. “Oddily, there’s something you should be aware of about tonight. Kip is planning…”

“
You guys seem cozy!” Kip interrupted, smiling devilishly while he wedged himself between them and started to bop with the music. “Let’s hope your boyfriend isn’t watching.”

Maxim had been watching, and with increased agitation towards Kip. He wanted to continue his watchfulness over Oddily, but someone in a fussy blue dress came dancing up to him. The attractive girl had deep blue eyes and golden hair, all fluffy and curly, and the rhinestones on her bodice sparkled in the light reminding him of a jeweled crown. She smiled at him even though he didn’t smile back. Instead, he wondered why she acted so outright flirty with him.

“
I haven’t seen you around here before,” she lied as she flipped her long mane of hair to the side in an enticing way. The movement kept his attention on her and yet he remained unresponsive.

“
You’re a quiet one. I like that,” she took a few steps closer. “In case you don’t already know, I’m Starla.”

The pretty girl standing before him finally got the response she desired.

“
So you’re Starla.” He spoke with his hauntingly beautiful voice.

“
You do know of me,” she smirked, flashing her pretty white teeth at him.

“
Your name has come up a few times.”

“
I hope it’s all good,” she cooed, trying to sound both innocent and charming, but it didn’t work. He already recognized her cunning ways through her pretty facade, so he returned to his silent stance.

His brooding attitude intrigued her while she continued to probe him for information. “You must be Oddily’s date.”

Maxim gave no answer because, obviously, she knew he was.

Starla closed the small gap between them. “How did you two meet?”

“
Our paths crossed.” Maxim gazed over Starla’s head at Oddily, who was onto a new dance with Kip.

Starla’s eyes followed his to Oddily and Kip. “Where did she get that dress? Someone has good taste and I doubt that it’s her.”