Me & My Invisible Guy (28 page)

“That would be so cool. I wanna go. I could tell them that I’ve decided to be totally abstinent now,” Tess cut in.

“What?” I asked.

“Darby was very convincing in that interview,” Tess said.

Darby grinned, her face all lit up. She really was a completely new person.

Darby walked over and sat on my bed, then turned my chair so that we were facing each other.

“Mom’s already mad at me. Now she’s going to hate me,” I said.

Darby shook her head. “Mom’s not mad at you. She’s mad at herself, and me. But you didn’t do anything wrong. You’ve done nothing but help me. Sometimes hard things are
good for us. And doing the show, that’s totally your call. You don’t have to.”

I glanced over at Tess. “Think of it as cheerleading.” She clapped her hands twice and then lifted them in a pose. “Nooooo sex!”

“It’s not exactly what I saw myself doing, you know?” I said.

“But that’s how things happen sometimes,” Darby said. “You fall into them. Think of the difference we could make, Mallory. You and me.”

I took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. I was already in the middle of it all. But if I was being honest with myself, I didn’t want to be. Not anymore. Step 12 was about bringing the message to others. But I couldn’t do it—at least not this way.

I shook my head. “I think you’re the one who can make the difference. You don’t need me. I kind of want to live a normal, boring life. This is your passion, but I know it’s not mine.”

Darby hugged me. “You’re sure?”

I nodded. “If you’re okay with me not going.”

“Of course. You have to do what’s right for you. And I know I need to do this. Thank you, Mallory. None of this would’ve happened if it wasn’t for you.” She hugged me again and then left to call the show back.

“You just turned down meeting Mandy Oliver! You could have been the world’s most famous virgin.”

“I don’t want to be the world’s most famous virgin. I don’t even want to hear that word anymore. Seriously, can we ban it from our vocabulary?”

Tess laughed. “Ours maybe, but you’ve already been
crowned the Virgin Queen of North County. You never know, though, maybe someone will get arrested or get caught sleeping with a teacher, and it’ll deflect all the attention.”

I could only hope.

CHAPTER 22

Once Tess went back to the Bakers’ house, I headed downstairs to find Mom, Dad, and Darby at the kitchen table. I was not in the mood for another family meeting. I tried to sneak back upstairs, but Dad waved me over. I slipped into a chair.

Darby said, “I was just telling Mom about the show.”

“I don’t understand. Why can’t we move on and put all this behind us? Why do you need to go on national television and tell the whole world?”

“Mom, I’ve told you. I think I can help others not make the same mistakes. I
need
to do this,” Darby said.

“Why can’t you leave it alone?” Mom looked at Darby as if she were from another planet. Totally incomprehensible.

“Why can’t
you
understand?” Darby said.

Mom switched tactics. “It’s too much pressure for you. The doctors told us that we have to make sure not to bring too much stress into your life. I’m trying to protect you.”

“I know. I know you are. But I can handle it. I promise you.”

We were all silent.

“Well, I’m not going to let you go up there alone,” Mom said finally.

Dad spoke up. “I’ll go with her if you want me to… or you can go.”

Mom was quiet for a few minutes. “I’ll go.”

Mom and Darby were both gone by the time I woke up the next morning. I decided to tag along with Dad and go to the wedding he was shooting. Anything to avoid reality a little while longer. Things were good with Liam and Tess, but I still wasn’t eager to go back to school and face anyone.

On the way, Dad called the cell company to get my phone number changed. The house phone was unplugged from the wall, but I needed my phone. I couldn’t bear to look at any more evil texts. Once it changed over to the new number, I texted Liam and Tess. For the first time since the newscast, my phone finally stopped buzzing every second.

At the wedding, I watched Dad do his magic, confident and calm. It relaxed me. That was what passion looked like. Like a perfect fit. I couldn’t imagine my dad doing anything but photography.

On the drive home, I asked him, “Did you always want to be a photographer?”

“When I was your age, I didn’t know what I wanted to be. I had a few sales jobs, which I hated, but I always did photography as a hobby. It was your mom who talked me into doing it as a profession. I’m not sure I would’ve taken the risk if she hadn’t.”

“Why?”

Dad waved his hand, “I guess because following your dreams takes courage. I needed an extra shove.”

I laughed, realizing I was more like him than I thought.

“So this Liam boy.”

“Yeah.”

“He seems like a nice kid.”

“He is.”

As soon as Tess and I walked into the school lobby the next day, we were assaulted by Greg and a bunch of his friends.

“Hey, baby!” Greg laughed, and sauntered over. “Now, why’d you go and hate on me like that? Telling people you’re still a virgin after our night together?” Greg was talking loudly for the benefit of the entire lobby.

Conversations around us stilled, and people walking by slowed. I wasn’t awake enough to have a showdown.

“I am a virgin. I wouldn’t have sex with you for a million bucks,” I said.

A murmur rose around us.

“You were the one begging,” Greg said, laughing like a buffoon and fisting his friends.

I started to push past him, but he grabbed my elbow.

“I’ve got a smokin’ video of us together.”

“No, you don’t.” I wrenched my arm away from him and stalked off, Tess at my side, ignoring the stares around me.

“He is such a liar,” I said. “I was with him for less than an hour, and all he did was eat.”

Tess bit her lip.

“Tell me!”

“I got it this morning. I was hoping you wouldn’t hear about it.” Tess held out her phone. A video was playing, but it was small and blurry. All you could really see was a cheerleader with a guy who looked like Greg. The girl in the picture had my color hair, but it obviously wasn’t me.

“That doesn’t show anything.”

“I know, but he’s gonna say whatever he wants.”

“This is never going to go away, is it?”

“It doesn’t matter, Mallory. People say things all the time.”

“It matters to me.” At that moment I caught sight of Liam waiting near my locker. I walked straight into his arms.

“He’s a liar, Liam. I didn’t do anything with him.”

“I know.” Liam rubbed my back.

The bell rang, and I reluctantly pulled away from Liam. He kissed my cheek. “I’ll see you in trig.”

I saw Sophie hanging by the door of the chemistry lab, and I slowed down. She and Yvie hadn’t spoken to me—just glared—since the whole Todd debacle. I circled back to Step 10 again: continuing to take inventory and making amends. And Step 11: asking God for help.
Here goes nothing.

But as I got closer, it didn’t seem like she was mad. She waved me over.

“Can we talk real quick?” she asked.

“Of course.” I glanced up at the clock. “We’ve got two minutes. But Sophie, first, I’m really sorry for lying to you.”

“Look, it’s okay. I’m not mad like Yvie. I even kind of understand why you lied. I mean, I did, too. I didn’t make up a boyfriend but… that summer? I lied about having sex.”

“So you’re a virgin, too?”

Sophie shook her head. “Well, I did eventually sleep with Cole. Remember him? But after seeing your sister on that newscast. Wow. Next time I’m gonna wait for someone who is really committed to me. She made a lot of sense.”

“Really?” I was kind of shocked.

The bell rang, and she gave me a quick hug. “Can we be lab partners again? Hank is smart, but he’s got really bad breath. I can’t take it anymore.”

I laughed. “Sure.”

She grinned, and I followed her into the classroom.

I headed toward the newspaper office after school to meet with Samantha. Tara still hadn’t reinstated me, but she’d given me a return date. I would have to miss one more game, and then I could come back.

On the way I ran into Lexi. She looked a little sad, and I instantly felt bad. Not bad enough to give up Liam or anything. But I could do something else. I could be her friend.

So I stopped and asked her how she was doing.

“Probably better than you,” she said.

Before I could answer, Chad, one of Greg’s football buddies, knocked my backpack off my shoulder.

“Hey!” I spun around, and he threw his arms out to the sides and took a step toward me. He was far bigger, towering over me. I refused to back down. I wasn’t going to let him see how scared I was.

Lexi stepped closer, enough to let me know she was right there.

Chad pointed his finger in my face. He looked like he wanted to strangle me, but he was careful not to touch me. “This is your fault. My girlfriend suddenly doesn’t want to have sex anymore.”

One of the guys next to Chad chuckled, and Chad whipped out his arm and punched him in the shoulder, effectively shutting him up.

“How is that my fault?” I knew laughing would only make the situation worse, but it struck me as hysterical.

“Your stupid news show. And it’s not just my girlfriend who’s not putting out. You better fix this.”

“Sounds to me like your girlfriend is way smarter than you.”

I grabbed Lexi’s arm and hurried in the opposite direction, leaving Chad to yell obscenities at my back.

“Whoa,” Lexi said.

“Thanks for not bailing on me,” I told her. “What are friends for?” she said.

CHAPTER 23