Welcome To Hickville High (Hickville High Series Book 1) (23 page)

After they’d made fun of most of the sites and people of Hillside, Katie cocked her head at Kelsey and said, “Of all the people you’ve talked about, there’s one person we know nothing about. Who’s the hottie sitting next to you at the pool in that Facebook picture?”

“Austin. He’s my best friend in Hillside.”

Zoe raised her brows. She didn’t say anything, but Kelsey knew Zoe suspected there was more to the story than friends.

Emily rubbed her hands together. “Best friends, or best friends with benefits?”

Kelsey shook her head. “Just friends. But enough about Hillside, I want to know more about what’s going on here.” The conversation returned to St. Monica’s gossip, but Kelsey’s focus remained on the cowboy she left in Texas.

After the girls left, Zoe turned to Kelsey. “Do you want to try on the dress?”

“Of course.” They grabbed a soda and went upstairs.

After Zoe helped her squeeze into the dress, Kelsey looked at her reflection in the full-length mirror. She twirled and the skirt billowed around her. She stopped and stood in front of the mirror. Kelsey Quinn of Saint Monica’s Catholic Prep. Pretty. Rich. Popular. And a total lie. That Kelsey Quinn no longer existed.

Zoe fluffed the skirt. “Kelsey, you look like a fairy princess.”

“This is a fantasy. In a couple of days I’m going back to a life of dirt and sweat. I’m an imposter in this dress. Help me out of this thing”

Zoe unzipped the bodice. “But nothing says you can’t enjoy the good stuff for a couple of days.”

Kelsey stepped out of the dress and slipped her blouse over her head. “The good stuff? Let me show you something.” She plopped the suitcase on the bed and pulled out the coral gown. She held it up for Zoe.

“Nice, but it’s not Sue Wong.”

“Exactly.”

“Okay, I’m lost. Are you saying you like this dress better?”

Tears stung Kelsey’s eyes and she nodded.

Zoe picked up the Sue Wong and smoothed it onto the bed. “What’s really going on?”

“This is all wrong. I mean—not you—Drew. I have the boyfriend I’ve always wanted. I’ve dreamt of going to the gala with him, and…I cheated on him.”

“Austin?”

Kelsey hugged the dress to her, “I mean, we didn’t
do it,
but we made out.”

“So, why are you still dating Drew?”

“The night I was with Austin, Drew told me he loved me.” She gave a half-shrug. “Well he didn’t tell me, he texted me.”

“Texted you? How romantic. So let me guess, you felt guilty and talked yourself into deciding you were in love with Drew.”

“Something like that. Zoe, Austin is the best thing that’s ever happened to me. He doesn’t care if I wear makeup or my hair is perfect. We just have fun together. I’ve never felt so
me
before.”

“What are you going to do about Drew?”

“Get through the gala with him and then hope Austin will take me back.”

“You have breakfast to get through first.”

In Texas, you may not use a feather duster in a state building.

Kelsey sat across from Drew sipping coffee. She hadn’t straightened her hair for him; instead she’d let it fall in soft curls around her chin. Her makeup was so light that her freckles screamed imperfection across her nose and cheeks. She didn’t care. Her mind was on the guy she’d left behind.

“Are you okay, Kelsey? You seem distracted.”

“I’m sorry. I’d forgotten how wonderful this place is.” She scanned the restaurant. An ice sculpture of a seahorse glistened in the center of a table surrounded by shrimp cocktail, oysters on the half shell, crackers, cheese, and fruit. In the corner of the room, a couple of chefs prepared omelets, French toast, and Belgium waffles to order. Servers wearing gold jackets, black slacks, and white gloves hurried around the room pouring coffee and juice.

Drew leaned back in his chair. “Do you miss this?”

“I did at first. But when your days consist of feeding chickens, cleaning the coop, slopping the hog, and shoveling horse poo, you sort of forget about leisurely breakfasts at the country club.”

He curled his upper lip into his nose like he’d just smelled horse poo. “It sounds horrible.”

“Nah. It ain’t so bad.” Kelsey threw a little Texas twang in her words.

Drew winced and looked around like he was afraid someone might over-hear her. “Wow, you do that hick-voice well.”

“Maybe I am one.” She stretched the words out and made the “I” sound like “ahh.”

Drew smiled and set his juice on the table. “Very funny. I promise there will be nothing rural about this weekend.”

Kelsey cradled the coffee cup just below her mouth. “What if I like rural?” She didn’t mean to be picking a fight with him. It just ticked her off that he assumed she didn’t want anything to do with the country.

He leaned back in his chair with a swagger that she found annoying. “Do you really want that, Kelsey? Slopping hogs? Be real. Are you making any real money working in that diner?”

“No. But what I make, I’ve earned. What have you done to earn money, lately?”

“Don’t look down on me because I’m not poor. I know how fortunate I am to have the life I have.”

“But you see Drew, that’s the problem. You think I’m not fortunate. You feel sorry for me because I can’t spend money on things I don’t need.”

“That’s not true.” Drew shook his head. “You’re full of crap, Kelsey. Tell me you don’t miss this. You can wear your hair in curls, and stop wearing makeup, but you’re still one of us.”

She sat her cup on table and breathed, “Sure, I miss being able to spend money without a second thought.” The words almost choked her as she spoke them. “I miss wearing designer clothes. I miss eating fancy food. I miss driving an expensive car.” She stopped and tears dripped down her cheeks.

Drew handed her his napkin. “Don’t be so hard on yourself, Kelsey. Everybody wants to live like this.”

Visions of the weeks spent sweating in the sun, shoveling manure, and working in the dusty feed store traveled through her mind. She saw Austin sitting in the dirt holding his bleeding thumb to his chest, and thought of the way he made sure everybody in school knew she was his friend. And then there was the night on the bluff. “But I’ve found something better. I’m sorry. I don’t want to be with you anymore, Drew.” She stood and grabbed her purse. “I’ll call Zoe to pick me up.” She ran from the room before he had a chance to speak.

She stood in the foyer of the country club and punched Zoe’s number. She knew breaking up was the right thing, but actually doing it was harder than she’d imagined.

Drew walked up and gently pulled the phone from her hand. “I’ll take you back.” The words were soft, not harsh and angry, as they should’ve been.

She nodded and chewed her bottom lip as they waited for the valet to bring his car. They didn’t speak until Drew pulled into Zoe’s drive. He turned off the engine and sat back in the seat. Kelsey waited for a couple of breaths before reaching for her seatbelt buckle.

“Wait.” He turned toward her, and she sat back with her hands in her lap. “I’ve been trying to figure out what I did to make you want to break up with me.”

“It’s not you. I’m not the same girl.”

His gaze rolled over her. “Seriously, you’re giving me the
it’s not you, it’s me
speech?”

She looked him in the eyes and nodded. “It’s true.”

“Maybe, but something has really bothered me…” His eyes narrowed. “One question? Did you cheat on me with that guy?”

She looked away and swallowed hard.

“Get out.” He spit the words and Kelsey felt like she’d been assaulted and, all at once, the anger she’d been harboring broke loose.

“I’ll get out, but first you’re going to listen.” She hissed. “I kissed him, and I’m not sorry. You strung me along giving me bits and pieces of your affection making me feel like I was useless without you. Do you know how much time I spent looking perfect for you? It wasn’t until you saw the picture of me and Austin…”

“Austin and me.”

“Shut up, Drew.
Me
and Austin, that you said you cared.”

“I said I loved you.”

“You texted it. Who does that?” She unbuckled her seatbelt and opened the door. “I’ll take back the dress and have Zoe drive me to the airport on Sunday.”

“Keep the dress as a reminder of who you used to be the next time you’re shopping at Wal-Mart.”

“You’re a real prick, Drew.”

“And you’re a hick.”

“Thank you. You finally got it right.” She got out of the car and slammed the door. He squealed the tires as he pulled through the circular drive.

Zoe must have heard Drew speed off because she opened the door before Kelsey had a chance to ring the bell. Kelsey didn’t have to say a word. Zoe hugged her tight and let her cry.

Kelsey pulled away and wiped her eyes. “I don’t know why I’m crying. I wanted to break up.”

“Well, now it’s done and we have a salon appointment.”

“I can’t go to the dance. I don’t have a date, remember?”

“So what, the rest of us are going as a group. Come with us. I’ll be more fun anyway.”

Kelsey took a deep breath. “Okay.”

“Besides, you already have the dress.”

“I’m not going to wear the Sue Wong. I’m going with the other one. I have other plans for the Wong.”

*

Kelsey waited for the rest of the passengers to find their seats and thought about the weekend. Other than the whole breaking up with Drew drama, it had been perfect. She got to spend time with her friends. She’d worried briefly about seeing Drew at the gala, but he wasn’t even there. In the end, everybody danced with everybody and she had a blast.

In some ways, Sunday had come too soon. She hated to say goodbye to Zoe, but she was excited to get back home. Home. Hillside
was
home now. And Austin was there, and she couldn’t wait to see him, to be with him, to feel his kisses…

Her phone dinged a text.

Ryan: Check your Facebook page.

She clicked to her page and her heart stopped. There she was, cowboy hat, T-shirt, and sash. The caption below the picture read.
Queen of the double wide.
Below the picture was a series of videos. The first one was of her making fun of Austin’s mom and T-bone. In the next one, she explained Homecoming. The last line of this video was her calling Shelby and Hannah’s mums breast plates.

Shit, shit, f—-ing, shit. I can’t fix this.

She called her sister. “Ryan, can everyone see this?”

“You’re tagged in it, so I think so.”

Kelsey deleted the posts, but they’d been up since the night before, so no telling who’d seen them. She had two hours and thirty-five minutes to think of a way to fix her Facebook faux pas. And during that time, one phrase circulated her brain. “They’ll never forgive me.”

Ryan and her mom met her at the baggage claim. Her mom gave her a warm hug, but Kelsey hung on. She wished her mom could make it all go away. But this was her mess, and she had to clean it up. She let go of her mom. “Did you see my Facebook page?”

“Yes.”

“What do I do?”

“What can you do? Apologize and hope for the best.”

While they waited for her baggage, Kelsey called Austin, but it went straight to voicemail. Shelby and Hannah’s phones did the same. She turned to Ryan. “Have you heard from anybody?”

“Yeah. Austin said he couldn’t take us to school this week.”

“I’ve ruined everything.”

Her mom pulled her bag from the carousel. “Give it time, honey. You’d be surprised what the heart can forgive, given enough time.”

That took her back. She looked at Ryan, but her sister gave her the
not now
look.

Mom blinked her eyes and looked for the exit. “Let’s go girls, tomorrow is another day.”

Kelsey hung back from her mom as they walked to the car. Ryan fell in step next to her. Kelsey whispered to her sister. “What’s up with her?”

“They had a huge fight. I don’t know anything else, but Kenzie thinks it was about Cassidy Jones.”

“Crap.”

“Yeah. Crap.”

By the time they reached the car, Mom seemed to be back to herself. Ryan and Kelsey exchanged worried looks but neither said anything else.

Instead, Kelsey focused on the mess she’d made out of her life.

She texted Austin several times on the way home, but he didn’t reply. The third time she texted Shelby that she needed to talk to her, she got a reply that said, 
Sorry, I’m getting my breastplate ready for this weekend.

As they neared town Kelsey turned to her mom. “Can we stop by the café? Just for a minute. I just want to run in.”

She could see her mom’s raised brows reflected in the rear view mirror. “Are you sure?”

“Yes. I have to try.”

Her mom parked close to the café and Kelsey ran up the steps and hurried through the door. Fortunately, the place was almost empty. Sandy sat at a table rolling silverware in paper napkins.

“Hi, Miss Kelsey.” The warm smile she usually offered was gone, but at least she spoke.

“Sandy. I came to say I’m sorry.”

“About the video?”

“Yes. It was stupid. You’re wonderful. T-bone is wonderful. I don’t know what happened.”

“Austin tried to show it to me, but I didn’t watch it.” She pulled a chair out. “Have a seat.”

“Mom’s waiting in the car.” Kelsey glanced at the door but took a seat anyway.

“I can guess what happened. Your friends were making fun of us because we’re different and you got caught up in it.”

“Yes, that’s exactly what happened. I would have never said those things otherwise.”

“Really, because I don’t think you stuttered when you called my place the Trailer Trash Café.” T-bone joined her at the table.

Tears filled Kelsey’s eyes. “I’m sorry.” She dabbed her eyes with one of the napkins.

T-bone let out a laugh so gravely at first Kelsey thought he was wheezing. “Hell, girl, my feelings aren’t hurt. I do kind of scrunch my face when I chop.”

Sandy laughed too. “We’ve teased you about that for years.” She turned to Kelsey, “We’re pretty thick skinned. I know you didn’t mean to hurt anybody. But you’re friends aren’t going to be so forgiving.”

“What should I do?”

“Give it time.” She rolled the last napkin and stood. “I will see
you
tomorrow after school.”

*

School. It was worse than horrible.

Austin refused to acknowledge her existence, even in class. After a few misses, she cornered Shelby and Hannah in the hall. “Please listen to me. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean anything by it. I was being stupid.”

She thought at one point Shelby was about to cave, but then the five-minute bell rang and she and Hannah walked away. During lunch, she found an almost empty table at the back of the room. She could have cried when Ryan joined her. Every day that followed was like the day before. She was in the hell she created while the rest of the town counted down to Homecoming.

Homecoming. That gave her an idea that might soothe hurt feelings. On Wednesday, she left work early and headed to Spring Creek. She was going to have to spend money she needed to save. But if she could get back in the good graces of her friends, it would be worth it.