Raw Deal (Beauty for Ashes: Book One) (17 page)

I heard my mom talking to someone downstairs. I wondered if my grandmother or Aunt Milly had come over, or if she was on the phone.

“Go straight up. She’s in her room,” I heard her say.

There were footsteps on the stairs, and then my bedroom door was flung open. “Rise and shine, sleeping beauty.”

I hid under the covers as Jace ambled over to my bed. He pulled the covers off and tickled me. I screamed.

“What are you doing here?” I demanded, raking my hands through my hair to flatten it after his tickling assault. I was very glad that I’d worn nice pajamas.

Jace looked offended. “Oh, why didn’t you tell me I’m not allowed to come and see you from time to time?” He scowled, making him look real cute. “I haven’t seen you in what? Three days? I’m suffering withdrawal symptoms.” He scowled again when I started laughing.

“It’s not even nine o’clock, Jace.”

“Yeah, we had training this morning, seven to eight. Coach is on a mission this season.”

“I called you a couple times Saturday night, but you didn’t pick up.”

“Really? I think I left my cell at church.”

“You went to church on Saturday night?”

“Yeah, it was an event for young people. I wasn’t going to stay home, feeling sorry for myself, just because you blew me off.”

“Um, I haven’t brushed my teeth,” I informed Jace as he leaned in for a kiss.

“I don’t care.”

I pushed him away gently. “Well, I do.”

Jace released me. “So what shall we do today?”

I twisted my face with regret. “I didn’t know you were coming. I already promised Monica I’d go shopping with her.”

“Can’t you cancel on her, like you canceled on me?”

“I promise we’ll do something tomorrow.”

“Yeah, if you’re not out with Monica again.” Jace stood and pulled me to my feet. “Why don’t you go brush your teeth?”

I gave him an exaggerated seductive smile, although it probably wasn’t very seductive since I’d just woken up, had no makeup on, and my hair was all over the place. “Why do you want me to brush my teeth?”

“Because your breath stinks.”

I was about to give him a piece of my mind for that when my phone rang. “What’s up, girl?”

“Liam’s coming shopping with us,” Monica said.

“Are you back together?”

“No, but if he comes, he’ll pay for everything, including all your stuff too.”

“Monica, that is so low!”

“Oh, please, if he wasn’t so dumb, he wouldn’t get played. Can we meet earlier too, like say eleven?”

“Okay, but if you’re bringing Liam, I’m bringing Jace.”

“Cool, see you later.”

I hung up and gave Jace a pleading smile. “You wanna come?”

He groaned. “Okay then.”

***

When we got to the water fountain Michelle, Sandy, Tanya, Carl, and a guy I didn’t know were there too, apart from just Monica and Liam.

Michelle was looking pretty radiant today, and she didn’t stink of alcohol. Maybe the counseling session had done her good. I’d read all about Jews on the Internet last night, and I’d learned new words like
rabbinic literature
and
Shabbat
. Michelle would be so proud.

I pulled Monica aside and asked her if she’d been to get her antidepressants yet.

“Yeah, I got them this morning.”

“I told you to get them yesterday. Anyway, have you taken them?”

“Yes.” She rolled her eyes. “By the way, I’m not going to the next session.”

“Why not?”

“I feel great. I think I just needed to let out all the anger. It was a nice cleansing experience. I don’t think I need to go again.”

I was delighted. “Really?” Monica nodded, and I hugged her. “Oh, girl, that’s great. I’m so happy to hear that.”

Carl came and wrapped his arms around us both. “Group hug,” he said.

We all walked around the mall, and I couldn’t believe the way Liam and Carl were tripping over themselves to buy things for Monica, Michelle, and Sandy. I didn’t want them buying me anything, so I stuck by Jace and didn’t allow him to buy me anything either.

The guy I didn’t know was Matt; the one Michelle had a crush on. I checked him out when he wasn’t looking. He was simply the male version of Michelle herself, blond and good-looking. I noticed that he and Tanya seemed very engrossed with each other. They were lagging behind us, talking.

When Monica, Michelle, and Sandy were satisfied with all their purchases we started making our way to the food court. We occupied two tables and ordered burger meals.

“Check out the blond behind you,” Carl said to Liam, who turned round not very discreetly and stared at the girl at the next table.

He turned back and nodded with a filthy smile. “Hot.”

I supposed he was free to do that since he was no longer with Monica. Monica was at the other end of the table anyway, so she didn’t hear. Carl and Liam started checking out all the girls in the food court and passing really disgusting comments about a busty girl that was sitting a few tables away. I wanted to tell them to shut up, but Tanya got there first.

“Cut it out, you guys,” she said in annoyance. “Try and have some respect.”

“You tell ‘em, Tan,” Matt said, “because I’m sick of preaching that sermon every day after basketball.”

Carl shook his head sadly. “Matt, man, you’re no fun. I swear you’re gay.”

“No, I just respect girls.”

Carl sniggered. I wanted to wipe the arrogant smirk off his face with a slap.

Jace took out a cigarette packet from his pocket and lit one up. Tanya glared at him. “You told me you stopped smoking.”

“Yes, cousin, I only smoke one a day now.” He exhaled a puff of smoke. “Keep praying for me though.”

I looked around hoping we wouldn’t get into trouble over Jace’s smoking, but nobody seemed to be paying any attention to us.

Monica got up with her drink and walked off. I decided to follow her. “What’s up?” I asked, trying to keep up as she hot-footed it across the court.

“I need to take my medication,” she said.

“I thought you said you’ve taken it.”

“Well, I haven’t.”

“Then why did you say you had?” I demanded.

“Because I didn’t want you on my case!” Monica stopped at the door to the ladies restroom. “You don’t have to supervise me while I take them.”

I went back to the table. Tanya was inviting everyone to her church for the Christmas Day service.

Carl accepted a flyer from her. “I’ll go, since it’s Christmas.”

Tanya looked at me and reached in her purse again for another leaflet, which she held out to me. “No thanks,” I said. I didn’t do church. Never had, never would.

She didn’t push it. Maybe Aunt Milly had filled her in about my agnosticism/atheism. She turned to Michelle. “Do you want to come?”

Michelle shook her head. “I can’t. You know what my mom is like about Christmas, Easter, and all that.”

“Well, why don’t you come to church on Sunday instead then?”

“I’ll see,” Michelle replied.

Monica returned to the table.

“You’ve got to come too, Monica,” Tanya said.

“Come where?”

“Church, on Christmas Day.”

“Oh, yeah, you told me. I’ll be there.”

“Why doesn’t your mom like Christmas and Easter?” Matt asked Michelle.

Michelle rolled her eyes. “She’s Jewish.”

This was my opportunity. “Oh, so is she into like
Shabbat
and
rabbinic literature
?”

Michelle gave me a weird look. “No.” She looked at Matt. “She’s not really practicing. She just doesn’t know which religion is right, so she refuses to acknowledge any. She’s against me acknowledging any as well.”

Jace stubbed his cigarette and threw it at a trashcan. It dropped in. “That’s why I’m the best in the basketball team,” he told the table. Carl and Liam promptly tried to prove that they could do it too by aiming fries and empty cups at the trash.

“What are you doing tonight?” Matt asked Michelle.

I kicked her under the table, and she colored slightly. “Why?”

“Just thought you might want to hang out.”

“She’d love to,” Monica supplied.

Michelle ignored the comment. “Well, it’s kinda late notice.” She twirled a blond lock around an immaculately manicured finger. “I suppose I could cancel on Dwayne, but I’m not sure.”

“Who’s Dwayne?” I mouthed to Monica and Sandy, and they hid their smiles. Of course, Michelle didn’t want Matt to think that she didn’t have anything else to do.

“Yeah, I guess I could do that. I’ll tell him something came up,” Michelle said. I couldn’t believe how she’d just manufactured a fake boyfriend.

“Well, I don’t want you to lie to, uh, Dwayne,” Matt said. “But our church is open tonight for young people to hang out. We can just go and sit around and talk, play pool, shoot hoops. In fact, you should bring Dwayne too.”

“Nah, Dwayne’s not into church. He probably won’t even want me to go.”

Monica had to leave the table before she collapsed with laughter. It looked like her medication was working a little too well.

“So where’s the church?” Michelle asked.

“I’ll pick you up,” Matt offered.

Chapter 19

Although I was dating Jace, I still found him pretty scary. I felt like I had to look my best and be this woman of the world. It wasn’t anything that he did or said. It was probably just down to the fact that I felt like he was out of my league.

After the mall, he came back to my place again, and we made out. A lot. The next day, we went to the movies, and made out—to the point that I didn’t even remember what the movie was actually about—but that was cool. If that was what he wanted, that was what he was getting. I could be a raunchy girl, too.

The only problem was that it made me think about Carlene. Every time we made out, I wondered whether he was expecting me to slip my hands anywhere.

Now, I was sitting in my room on the Eve of Christmas Eve wondering what he thought of me. Why couldn’t I read his mind? Things would be so less stressful if I could.

He called me just as I was about to go to bed. “Hey,” I answered.

“Hey,” he returned. He really did have the hottest voice on the phone. “What are you doing?”

“Nothing really. What are you doing?”

“Thinking about you.”

This called for a witty comeback that would tell Jace I was calm, collected, and not melting at that comment. I couldn’t think of anything.

“Are you still coming tomorrow?” Jace asked.

“Sure. Six o’ clock.”

“Cool. Are you one of those girls that says six and really means six forty-five, or are you gonna be ready at six?”

“Are you saying you’re not going to wait for me if I’m not ready?”

“No.”

“Then why are you asking?”

Jace chuckled. “It was an innocent question.”

“I’ll be ready at six. We’re just going to your place right? It’s not like there’s really any time pressure, is there?”

“No. I was just trying to keep you on the phone, although you probably have your night time facemask on and want to go wash it off and sleep.”

“Yeah right! I’m not that high maintenance.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I can’t even remember the last time I put on a face mask.”

Jace probably thought I was like Monica with her subscriptions and her beauty consultant. I was far from it.

“So you look like that naturally? Wow. You’re hot.”

“Jace, you’re funny.” I dug under my bed for one of my fashion magazines and flipped through it while I talked to Jace. An hour later, we hung up. Yes, he made me stress, but he was so worth it!

***

My mom was working all day Christmas Eve. In fact, over the last two weeks, we’d probably spent a total of no more than two hours together. I didn’t know why it annoyed me, and I didn’t know why I felt neglected. I was seventeen for crying out loud. And her absence meant I could pretty much do as I liked.

I met Monica for coffee in the afternoon, but my eye was on the clock because I had to get home by five at the very latest.

“It’s three o’ clock,” Monica said glaring at me. “You’ve looked at your watch three times in the last thirty seconds. It was three o’ clock ten seconds ago; it’s still three o’ clock now.”

I sipped my frothy coffee, milk, and sugar concoction. “Stop hating.”

“I’m not, but if you look at your watch again within the next half an hour, I’m going to scream.”

Monica looked gorgeous as usual, but underneath all the hair and makeup her face looked drawn. I wanted to ask about her family, whether she was taking her medication, and how she was coping in general, but I couldn’t just bring it up out of the blue.