Chapter 5

Continuing toward the prep-station, I run my pallet under the faucet quickly and then stack it with the others. I walk back to my station, Savvy on my heel. She's here to pick me up, and since she's my ride home, I'm working off of her schedule. Besides, I wasn't planning on staying much longer.

"Well?" she asks as I set my canvas on the back table. "Is it? Is it true?"

"Is what true?"

"That you and Alex Wolf are paired on a project in Family Planning?" Her eyes grow wider. "For the love of God tell me it's true."

"First," I glance around, wishing she wasn't so loud, "keep your voice down. This is how rumors get spread."

"What rumors? Have you done anything to warrant a rumor? Because if so, you need to tell me, like, now."

Throwing on my backpack, I slide the metal stool under the work table with the others. I'd hoped this conversation would be on the phone or somewhere private - like oh, I don't know, my bedroom - but no, Savvy has to bring it up here. Now. With prying ears all around.

"Thanks, Mrs. Harper." I walk us to the front of the class where I offer the teacher a wave. "Have a good night."

She lifts her hand in response, unable to break away from her painting.

"Have you?" Savvy is glued to my hip as I push past the door and into the empty hallway. Her voice echoes off the wall, so I make extra sure to keep mine quiet.

"Second, the answer to your question is no. No, I haven't. And no, we aren't. And no, we won't be. Third," I throw her a pointed look, "it'd be nice if you didn't stir up gossip where there isn't any."

"But this is gossip. This is major gossip."

"Not even close."

"Yes, it is - so quit stalling! What happened?" She bites her thumb, her eyes close to popping. "Did he actually talk to you? Or stare at you all intense?"

"We...talked."

"And? What'd you talk about?"

"What do you think we talked about? The project."

"That's it?"

I know Savvy isn't going to stop until she gets something to keep her satisfied, so I give her the juicy tidbit that surprised even me. "He plays guitar."

"Really?"

I shrug, opening the main doors and walking outside. The sun feels good, especially after being cooped up in the cold art studio for the last forty-five minutes. I soak in the warm rays with a deep exhale and then start us across the visitor parking toward the garage.

"For real though," Savvy pleads, "how are you not more stoked over this?"

"Stoked over what?"

"You're paired with Alex Wolf! Alex Wolf! And now you're telling me he plays guitar? Okay, so this is what's going to happen." She starts as we climb the stairs to our level. "This project - this is what brings you two together. You're going to fall in love, and he's going to become the lead singer of some really awesome band, and it's going to get huge, and you're going to leave me here while you tour the world together."

"I...literally don't know what to say to any of that."

"Say you'll bring me with you."

"Sure." I roll my eyes, directing us toward her car. "Come on tour with us. There'll be plenty of room on our private jet."

"You can't tell me you don't feel a little something for the boy? I mean - he Michelangelo'd you for Christ's sake! You can't tell me some small part of you isn't still giddy over that."

"Giddy over what? It was horrifying."

"For you or him?"

"Both." I stop and stare at Savvy. We need to get this out of the way now. "What do you think is going to happen? It's a school project. That's it. A couple weeks and it'll be over."

"That's what you think."

I roll my eyes for the second time and reach for her door handle. But the thing is locked. "Can we go?"

"Tell you what." She saunters over to her side of the car, swinging her keys. "If you're so confident that nothing's going to happen, why not put your money where your mouth is?"

"We're betting now?"

"What?" She crosses her arms. "Scared?"

Typical Savvy.

"That's right. Anything physical goes down - and that includes kissing - you owe me fifty big ones."

"And if absolutely nothing goes down? If we get through this project like the strangers we are? Then what? You owe me fifty bucks." I smile at the thought of buying new paint supplies. "And don't think for one second I'm not coming to collect."

Savvy unlocks the car, a cocky grin plastered on her face. "Deal."

"You're so on.

***

Mom calls a different time every day.

One of the perks of being a full-time stewardess.

She could always try my cell, but she insists on using the landline, and really, I think it's just to keep me in the house. It never used to be a problem. Then I turned sixteen and bought myself the worst car imaginable. Thirteen hundred dollars in, I realized everything needed to be replaced. Brakes. Timing Belt. Radiator. Now, the 1992 Toyota Corolla sits unused on the far side of the driveway. Because I'm not a mechanic. Because I don't have any money to pay a mechanic, and because my best friend has a car that is still drivable.

"Hello?" I bring the white handset to my head, frowning at the normal hour. Five fifteen in the afternoon.

"There's my baby girl," her voice comes on the other end. "How are you?"

"Hi, mom." I lean against the counter. "I'm fine. How are you?"

"Fine, sweetie. You have a good day?"

I never told her about the incident on the bus, so I doubt explaining how today went will do any good. She might understand, but it's too long a story for the little bit of time she has, and I've already got Savvy unnecessarily excited. I don't need my mom to be.

"Yeah. And yours?"

"Uh - don't get me started. One flight I had a passenger vomit on my shoe and then this terrible woman with her constant reminders about her husband's allergy to peanuts - it was a very long day. A very, very long day."

Swiping a bag of chips, I head to my room down the hall. "So where are you staying tonight?"

"Houston. Same hotel as last time."

"You, um...you liked Houston, right?"

"Love it. I wish I can spend more time here, though. Who knows - maybe we can take our vacation here next year. What do you think?"

"Sure."

"We'll talk about it when I get home."

"When do you think that will be?"

"Oh sweetie, sometime soon I hope. I miss you. I miss the house - have you been keeping up with it?"

This is the part where she wants to know if I'm destroying our home. Like not checking the mail and letting the laundry pile up, or forgetting to do the dishes or water her plants. It's another reason I don't get out as much as Savvy wants me to: I'm the only one maintaining this house. And if I spent as much time out of it as she does out of hers, nothing would get done. The only thing getting accomplished in this place would be painting. And I doubt mom sees any benefit in that.

"Don't worry. It's still standing."

"Have you checked the mail recently?"

"Did it yesterday."

"Try and check it every day. You don't know about these neighbors...it's best to not let anything sit in there too long. What about the lawn? You been keeping up with that?"

"I pay some kid to mow it twice a month."

"What kid?"

"I told you - Mr. Farmer's son. Jacob. He's twelve, and I give him twenty bucks to do it. I know I've told you."

"Huh..." Mom thinks for a moment, but her silence says it all. She has no memory of the conversation, and she probably won't remember this one either. "Well," she clears her throat, "I really miss you, baby. I can't wait to come home, which I hope will be early next week, but I can't make any promises."

"I know."

"Okay, well, I've got another flight in fifteen. Love and hugs and kisses."

"Love and hugs and kisses."

She makes two kiss sounds, and the phone clicks off. I hang up and toss it on my bed. I let out a quiet breath, the only sound in the empty house.