The Art of Life (74 page)

               
The guys talk all about the GTO
on the way to the car show.
 
They make me
giggle.
 
When we get there the guy at the
entrance bends down by the window.
 
“You
should have been here earlier to set up.
 
What’s your name?”

               
“We are just here to look at the
cars.
 
My baby isn’t in the show,” Jeremy
replies.

               
“Why not?
 
It’s gorgeous.”

               
With a slight grin, Jeremy
retorts, “I like to keep my women to myself.”
 

               
That makes me roll my eyes,
“Jeremy.”

               
Ignoring me, Jeremy states, “We
just want to see the show.”

               
“Well, here is a pass for VIP
parking, you need to park there, so people can actually see it,” the attendant
says.

               
“I guess,” Jeremy sighs, shaking
his head.
 
“Thank you.”

               
The guy hands him the pass.
 
“Have fun.”

               
Jeremy nods and puts the pass on
the dash.
 
He looks at me.
 
“I like to keep things to myself, right
Isabelle?”

               
If I could shoot daggers out of
my eyes, I would be doing that right now.
 
Jeremy laughs and drives forward.
 
I run my fingers through my hair in annoyance.
 
“So, what can I expect at this thing?” I ask.

               
Jack leans forward.
 
“Like EVERYTHING!
 
From the original Model A
to a modern day stuff.
 
We will
definitely educate you.”

               
“I will see how much you know,”
Jeremy says, as he parks the car.
 
“We
could do a competition to see who knows the most.”

               
“That would be you,” Jack
replies.
 
“I know better than that.”

               
When Jeremy gets out of the car,
I turn around.
 
“I really am sorry for
anything he says today.”

               
Both Jack and Eric laugh.
 
“It’s all good,” Eric counters.

               
Jeremy opens my door and I get
out.
 
Leaning by him, I hiss, “Behave.”

               
He just looks at me, winks and says,
“No.”
 
Within a second, he is quickly
kissing me.
 
I pull back and my jaw
drops.
 
“Ready?” Jeremy quips with a huge
grin.

               
Oh, now I am mad.
 
I keep my distance from him as we walk into
the show.
 
Jack comes up next to me.
 
“What do you want to see first?”

               
My eyebrow
raises
,
“I have no idea.
 
You guys look at what
you want and I will follow.”

               
“Oh what’s the fun in that?
 
Fine, come on,” he draws out, grabbing my
hand.
 
I turn and look at Jeremy and
Eric.
 
They both just smile.
 

               
Jack pulls me to the left.
 
“Okay, so this is a Ford Roadster,” Jack
explains happily.

               
“1932 to be exact,” Jeremy
interjects.
 
“If we are
going to be particular.”

               
I don’t even look at him.
 
Jack and Jeremy go back and forth about the
details.
 
I sigh and look around.
 
Eric smirks, as he walks over by me.
 
“You totally are not going to be into this
are you?”

               
“No,” I reply.
 
“I will.
 
Just a little bit overwhelming, and I do not like that car.”

               
“What about that one?” Eric
asks, pointing to the side.

               
Smiling, I say, “Yeah, I like
that one.
 
What is it?”

               
“Umm, I know it’s a Camaro SS,
but I am not sure on the year.
 
Maybe 1964 or 65?”
 
He
puts his hand on my back and walks us over to it.
 
“I am not a Chevy guy, but I still appreciate
a nice car.”

               
Not sure what to do, I cross my
arms.
 
“It’s pretty cool looking.”

               
Eric laughs and explains things
to me.
 
I swear I can almost feel Jeremy
staring at us.
 
When I glance over at
him, I confirm my suspicions.
 
I give him
a look and he gives me one back.
 
Today
is going to be a disaster.

               
Jeremy and Jack find their way
back over to us.
 
Jack is eating up every
word that Jeremy says.
 
I can’t help but
laugh.
 
We continue through the car
show.
 
I am intrigued by the Model A and
Model T.
 
It is crazy that these were the
first cars.
 

               
We look at the old pickup trucks
next.
 
I am not over impressed with these.
 
Jack likes the 1952 GMC.
 
I say it’s cute, because it’s yellow.
 
All three boys slap their foreheads.
 
When they show me the El Camino, I actually
make a gagging face.

               
As we are walking over to
another car, this very scantily clad girl walks past us.
 
I
mean,
a very, very
short skirt and skin tight top.
 
My heart
nearly drops, because all three guys turn to watch her past.
 
What gets me is that I am more upset about
Jeremy doing it than Eric.
 
“Why don’t
you go get her number?” I ask, staring Jeremy down.

               
He turns and looks at me.
 
“Me?”

               
“Yeah you, you haven’t been on a
date in a while.
 
She is right up your
alley.”

               
With a perplexed look, Jeremy
says, “You want me to go get her number?”

               
Jack emphasizes, “If I thought I
had a prayers chance in hell, I would do it.”

               
“Why doesn’t Eric do it?” Jeremy
retorts, looking at me.

               
“She is so much older than 18,”
I snap, suddenly feeling very embarrassed.

               
Cocking his eyebrow, Jeremy says,
“What?
 
Someone my age can’t date an 18
year old?”

               
“That is not what I am saying,”
I whine.
 
“Ugh.”
 
I turn to Eric.
 
“Do you want to go get that girl’s number?”

               
“I am not interested in her,”
Eric replies, just looking at me.
          

               
That instantly shuts me up.
 
“Isabelle,” Jeremy states heavily.
 
“I don’t need you telling me I should go get
a girl’s number.”
 
He comes walking over
to me.
 
“You are the only girl that I am
going to let preoccupy me today.”
               
Okay, that is sweet.
 
Wait, no, damn it.
 
I am here for Eric’s attention.
 
“Whatever Jeremy,” I groan, brushing past
him.

               
“Hey,” he exclaims, grabbing me
by the waist.
 
“Come here.”
 
Even with my slightly struggling, Jeremy
pulls me to the side.
 
“What is your problem?”

               
“Nothing,” I whisper, totally
not looking at him.

               
He puts my hair behind my
ear.
 
“You are acting a little weird.”

               
“Me?
 
You are supposed to be helping me, not
hindering me.”

               
With a slightly appalled look,
he asks, “How am I hindering you?”

               
“I don’t know,” I mumble.
 
“I just feel totally unattractive with all
these girls around.”

               
Sighing, Jeremy holds my head
with his hands.
 
“You are beautiful,
don’t ever think less.
 
Anyway……Eric
seems to be all about you.”
 
There is a
twinge in his voice that I can’t quite place.

               
“Am I being really weird?” I
ask.

               
“No, you are fine.
 
Just relax, come on.”
 
He takes my hand and leads me back to my
friends.
 
“We have decided we need to
eat.”

               
Jack says, “YES!
 
Horrible car show food,
greasy burgers and all the good stuff.
 
Sweet, my mom makes only healthy food.”

               
“Maybe you need to bring him the
cheese poofs,” I laugh, looking at Eric.

               
“I think you are right,” he
replies.
 
“Is this why you eat so much
junk food when we are out, Jack?”

               
Nodding, Jack answers,
“Yup.
 
Tonight my family is having tofu
burgers.
 
I would much rather
have a meat burger
.”

               
“Well then,” Jeremy chuckles,
“let’s go eat.”

               
We get to the stand and Eric
pulls out his wallet.
 
“I got you
Isabelle.”

               
“No,” Jeremy states.
 
“I have her.”

               
Eric looks at him.
 
“Really, it’s fine.”

               
“No, I have it,” Jeremy
re-emphasizes.
 
“What do you want Izzy?”

               
I would kick Jeremy in the shin
right now if I could.
 
“I don’t care,” I
growl.
 
“Why don’t you pick for me?”

               
Totally, ignoring my tone,
Jeremy replies,
“Don’t
be silly.
 
If I am going to order for you, it’s going to
be something you hate.”

               
“And what do you I hate?” I ask.

               
“Well, I have noticed that you
don’t eat ketchup.
 
So, I would make sure
to cover everything with it,” he says, smirking.

               
Okay, maybe he has been paying
attention to me.
 
“Fine, I just want a
chicken sandwich.
 
I am not that hungry.”

               
“Alright,” Jeremy grimaces.
 
“It’s your life you are staking on chicken at
the car show.”

               
Throwing up my hands, I say,
“Then get me a burger!”

               
Jeremy wraps his arms around me
and kisses the top of my head.
 
“Babe,
calm down.
 
I was only picking on you.”

               
I place my face into his
chest.
 
“I hate you.
 
No better, I loathe you.”

               
“You love me,” he says.
 
“Don’t deny it.”

               
We stand there for a few
seconds, with me in his arms, when it suddenly dawns on me that we are doing
that.
 
I quickly pull away.
 
“So, yeah, chicken it is then.”

               
“Sounds good,” he murmurs,
looking me in the eyes.
 
He smiles and
then walks up to the stand.

               
When we get our food, we
actually find a table to sit at.
 
Luckily, it’s a square table, so I don’t have to pick who I sit next
to.
 
The guys talk cars and I try to pay
attention.
 
Really it’s just Jack and
Jeremy going back and forth.
 
Eric and I kind of look at each other from the corners of our eyes.
 
Finally, I pick up a French fry and chuck it
at Jeremy.
 
He looks at me and
glares.
 
“Do you remember the last time
we got into a food fight?”