Raw Deal (Beauty for Ashes: Book One) (15 page)

“Lexi, I’m like family to Jace. Okay, we’re not related, but I’ve known him and Tanya forever. When he buys me things, it’s just like if my brother bought me something.”

“Well, he scares me though. Isn’t he like a bad boy?”

“You might be the one to tame the tiger.”

“Yeah, right!” I clicked my way to an online music store and bought a couple of songs. Jace and I could never be together. Our lives were just so different, and he’d end up breaking my heart to be with someone in his ‘league.’ We were so close to leaving for college anyway, so there was no point stressing about it. I’d probably meet someone in college that would make me totally forget about Jace.

When Monica left, I decided to finish off my Fiona Carlson novel. I wasn’t in the mood to do assignments anyway.

It was three in the morning when I finished and curled up to sleep. I smiled at the happy ending. That was the kind of book I liked: the guy got the girl, the baddies got jail, and everything was as it was meant to be.

***

I went to school dragging my feet on Monday. I’d barely slept all night because I’d been on the Internet, again. The Internet was a bad idea. Whoever invented it must have known that it would be a serious threat to people’s time. I’d checked out the tour dates of all my favorite bands and looked up when fashion week in Milan was. I’d then hopped from one fashion website to another, and before I’d known it, it was 4 a.m.

The weekend had been pretty boring and lonely. To make matters worse, I’d watched my phone constantly, half hoping Jace would call and half wishing I had the guts to call him—neither happened.

I knew I looked as bad as I felt when I saw Monica and she asked me if I was okay. She was rushing to a class, so I just said I was fine and didn’t bore her with the details.

I walked to economics slowly, not bothered that Mr. McGee wouldn’t be impressed with my lateness. Jace walked in even later than I did and had to take the last empty seat, which was at the very front of the class. He was looking especially dishy today, which was pretty exasperating. I’d never had a crush like this before. I needed to get a grip on myself.

I left immediately the class was over. At lunchtime, I went home. I just wasn’t in the mood for school. My head was stuffy, and I was too tired to even try to concentrate.

My mom was home too. She’d left work early. I thought she’d be mad at me for skipping school, but she didn’t say anything. I went to bed. She woke me up around four to tell me that Jace was in the den.

I opened my eyes and blinked at her. “Jace?”

“Yeah, Jace Washington, the guy you’re all coo-coo about. Remember?” She grinned and left the room.

I groaned. Okay, I liked Jace, but showing up at my house, when I was feeling like trash, just wasn’t fair. I rolled out of bed and looked in the mirror. My hair was wild.

I heard footsteps coming up the stairs and frowned. Jace had better not come to my room.

The door opened and Jace strolled in casually, like he owned the place. “Hey, Lexi.”

I glared at him. “Get out of my room. My mom will kill me if she knows you’re in here.”

“I’ve sweet talked your mom. She’s cool with me. What’s up with you?”

“Why?”

“You didn’t talk to me in economics.”

“So that means there must be something up with me? Maybe, I just didn’t want to talk.”

“Are you okay?” Jace asked. “Is it because of your dad?”

“What?”

“Tanya told me. She said I needed to be careful with you and not play with your heart.” Jace grinned.

I turned back to my mirror and started to brush my hair. I heard brushing your hair did things to a guy. It was time to test that theory and see if it was true.

Jace was quiet for a moment. Then he came up behind me and took the brush from my hand. Slowly, he started brushing my hair for me. I grabbed the brush from him and turned around.

Jace pushed my hair over my shoulder, his fingers brushing my cheek. He was too close for comfort, and the way he was staring at me was making me nervous. “You’re scaring me,” I muttered.

“In a good way?”

“Is it ever good to scare someone?”

I didn’t pull back when he started kissing me. I felt tingly all over, but I was really confused. This kiss could mean everything or nothing. Either he really did like me or he was just doing what everyone at school did: engaging in a recreational make out.

***

I knew I looked good today. Valentino could make any girl look hot, and I was wearing the hottest black Valentino dress ever. I wore knee high boots with it to make up for the length—or lack thereof. I just hoped I didn’t get sent home to change.

I stepped out of my car and sauntered up to the school building. I saw Monica and Tanya on my way to my locker. Monica looked miserable again. I really hoped everything was okay. “You’ve got biology now, haven’t you?” I asked.

“Yes, I’ll see you at lunchtime. I have something to tell you.”

“Okay.” I smiled at Tanya, and she smiled back.

Monica looked me up and down. “You make me sick.”

I took it as a compliment.

Just then, the basketball team returned from their morning jog or whatever it was that they did. Monica hurried away to her class, and Tanya followed. Something was definitely wrong if she wasn’t sticking around to flirt with the guys.

“Hey, Lexi,” Lewis called. “Don’t you look gorgeous today?”

“Thanks.”

He held the door for Craig and Jace, who both swaggered into the hallway topless.

Craig winked at me. “We hear you’re a good kisser, Lexi.”

I was mortified. I couldn’t believe Jace had told them. I didn’t know what to say, so I just walked off to my locker to get my books and then went to my literature class.

Unfortunately, I had two back-to-back free periods afterwards, meaning I had ample time to analyze why I was so mad that Jace had told his friends about our kiss.

After two hours of thinking and mental squirming, I decided that it wasn’t that big a deal. I needed to grow up. I went to the cafeteria and found Monica. She wasn’t sitting with Michelle and Sandy today. I picked up a fruit salad and went to join her.

“Is that all you’re eating?” she asked as I sat down.

“Yeah, I’m not that hungry.”

“That’s not like you.”

“I know.” I tore the plastic packaging off the salad bowl and popped a slice of melon into my mouth. “What’s up?”

“My dad is back home. He’s not even really my dad. I swear my mom is crazy. She needs to get a restraining order against the man, but does she listen to me?” Monica looked really annoyed.

I didn’t know what to say, so I said nothing.

“And guess what?” She said looking even madder. “Hayden asked me to be his girlfriend on Saturday, and I said yes. I don’t know why I didn’t tell you. I guess I felt silly about it. Anyway, guess who I caught making out with some girl in the movies last night?”

Please not Hayden or Liam.
“Craig?” I asked hopefully.

“No, Hayden. My boyfriend of two days.”

“What did you do?”

“I told him right there that it was over. You should have seen the state of the girl anyway. If he wants a dog, he can have a dog.”

I noticed Jace sitting a couple tables away with some cheerleader. She was all over him. I should have looked away, but I didn’t. Instead I watched them like the pathetic soul I was. I couldn’t believe it when she leaned over him and her hand disappeared down the front of his jeans. “Please swap places with me.” I didn’t have to watch this.

Monica frowned. “Why?”

I stood up with my fruit salad and headed for the doors. Inside I was screaming at myself to grow up. Jace and I had kissed. He hadn’t declared undying love. I wasn’t even his girlfriend, so why did I care?

Monica followed me out. “Was it Jace?”

“Yes.” I carried on walking.

“That was Carlene, Lexi. She’s the school whore. He took her hand out.”

Whatever!

“Where are we going?”

“The library.”

“Lexi, are you okay?” Monica asked when got to the library and sat down at a table.

“Yes, sorry.” I started on my fruit salad again. “Jace came to my house yesterday.”

“And?”

“We kissed.” I wanted to cover my face. I was being such a child.

“Ah,” Monica smiled. “Was that the first time you kissed him?”

I nodded.

“Don’t you just hate guys? They get you all tied up in knots, and then the next minute, they do something that totally unravels you. Who needs them?”

What irked me the most was that I had actually allowed myself to think that Jace liked me. Maybe the kiss had given away what a prude I was, and Jace had decided to get himself someone more experienced and worldly—someone like Carlene. Well, if that was the kind of girl he wanted, then I had to hold up my hands. I couldn’t compete.

Monica walked with me to my locker after lunch. “I’m going home, Lexi,” she said wearily. “I just need to go sleep and forget everything that’s going on in my life. There’s only so much a girl can take.”

“I feel a bit like that.”

“I can’t believe that man is back in my house. I’ve bought a microwave and a fridge for my bedroom, and I have lots of food in there so that I never have to come out unless I’m going to school. I don’t want to see him, and I don’t want him seeing me.”

“Take it easy, Monica.”

Jace was waiting by my locker. I smiled at him. He didn’t need to know how hurt I was. He probably didn’t even know I’d seen what I’d seen, so there was no point.

He hugged Monica. “Let me know if you need anything.”

“I need an assassin; someone who’ll get rid of that man for me.”

“You don’t mean that,” Jace said. He looked at me. “What are you doing on Saturday?”

“Nothing.”

“Do you want to do something with me then?”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know. You choose.”

Monica exhaled in exasperation. “Can I help you guys out? Jace, are you trying to ask her on a date?”

“I can handle this myself, Monica,” Jace said. He turned back to me. “We’ll talk later, Lexi. Keep Saturday free for me.”

I didn’t know what to think. I decided not to think at all. Rather than analyze things again, I’d wait until he spoke to me later.

He turned up at my house that evening. Again, my mom was in and didn’t seem to mind him coming to my room. I was glad that I was still wearing my Valentino dress, although I was nylon-less and barefooted.

“Hey,” he said standing in the doorway.

I didn’t take my eyes off my computer screen. “Are you coming in?”

He entered the room. “Lexi, I’m sorry.”

“Why?”

“Craig made it sound like I was telling all the guys about you. I didn’t really tell them anything. They just asked if I’ve kissed you yet, and I said yes. That was it.”

I felt embarrassed. “Why are you apologizing?”

“Because I saw the look on your face.” He crossed the room and pulled me to my feet. “I kinda like you, Lexi.”

I couldn’t look at him. I grunted. Very sexy!

“I’ve booked a table at Chicco’s for Saturday. Do we have a date?”

“Sure.”

Jace brushed a kiss over my lips. “Will you be my girlfriend?”

The image of Carlene leaning over him flashed before my eyes. I hesitated.

“Monica told me about you guys seeing me with Carlene at lunchtime. There’s nothing going on; she’s just filthy.”

He’d seemed to be lapping up her filth.

Jace tilted my chin so that I looked at him. “Nothing happened, and nothing ever will.”

“Okay.”

“So, will you be my girlfriend?”

“Yes.”

Chapter 16

Monica was depressed about her parents, Michelle was depressed about her grades, and I was pretty low because it was coming up to my first Christmas without my dad. I couldn’t work out if Sandy had any issues, but the whole, ‘birds of a feather’ thing came to mind whenever I hung out with Monica, Michelle, and Sandy. We were a melancholy bunch—albeit a well-dressed melancholy bunch.

“It’s Christmas next week,” I said, as I gulped down some tasteless mashed potatoes and mushy peas at lunchtime. It was the last day of the semester. “Have you guys bought any presents yet?”

“My family doesn’t celebrate,” Michelle said. She smelled of alcohol again today. No wonder she was failing. I couldn’t imagine that she could learn much if she was trying to ‘learn under the influence.’

“Why don’t you celebrate Christmas?” I asked.

“My mom is Jewish.”

“Oh, don’t Jewish people celebrate? Wasn’t Jesus Jewish?”

“Are you trying to be annoying, or are you seriously that ignorant?”

“Well how am I supposed to know?”