wasn’t human and I didn’t know him, part of me argued. Most of me agreed. But still, I couldn’t help but glow over the idea that a guy like that wanted to get to know a girl like me. If I didn’t know it was impossible, I would think he had a crush on me. That thought caused my face to catch fire and I hid behind my book, praying Lincoln wouldn’t notice.
I certainly didn’t have a crush on him. Boys and dating weren’t really my thing. I had never had a boyfriend, never been on a date and never even had a guy interested in me. And when I was interested in someone all I was able to do around them was blush and stutter. And I didn’t do that around Jordan. Well, not as much as usual.
I looked up from staring at my book to see Lincoln staring at me. “What?” I asked defensively.
He just shrugged and went back to his school work. I flipped a page to keep up my pretense of reading.
I didn’t even bother trying to focus on the words, just went right to analyzing every word Jordan had ever said to me. I knew he wasn’t interested in me; he had made it pretty clear he was just looking for someone’s brain to pick. And that was pretty much the only reason any guy ever talked to me, they needed help with homework or wanted to be in my group for group projects.
And then there was his admission of spying. Part of me knew that was creepy but another part was a little flattered he was so curious about me. And it was nice to think one person, or not-person, thought my vibrant dreams were interesting and not just weird.
And he had hugged me. Just thinking about it made warm flutters explode in stomach. I tried to push them back down. A hug didn’t mean anything, maybe he was just a nice person. Well, not a person exactly.
“Hello?” Lincoln yelled, pulling my book down.
“What?” I snapped, willing my cheeks to return to their normal color.
“Geesh, did you not hear me tell you ten times Grandma wanted to go to bed?”
“Sorry,” I muttered, getting off the couch.
Getting Grandma into bed was easy for once and I jumped into my own as soon as heard her snores.
I lay in bed forever, looking at the bright blue numbers on my alarm clock and glowing orange street lamp outside one of my windows. I didn’t even notice when I finally drifted off, just suddenly realized I had been hearing a fire burning for some time.
Chapter 12
EXCITED AND NERVOUS, I OPENED my eyes to find Ash peering at me. “What?” I snapped, not for the first time that day. Or night? I tried to figure out my days and nights while Ash continued to look at me.
“I think I have found the perfect dress for your hair color,” she said, turning towards the wardrobe. She bent in and pulled out a mossy green dress that crossed over the bust and tied in the back. The overlapping layers in the front tapered to a longer back that would end mid calf. “What do you think?”
“Perfect,” I breathed, not believing I was saying that about a dress.
Ash’s face lit up. “Can I do your hair as well?”
I tried to shrug nonchalantly but really I wanted to look nice for him.
She helped me into the dress and carefully braided my hair around my head, letting the long end sweep over my shoulder. When she sat back satisfied, I leaned in towards the mirror. My hair was definitely a shade more auburn and my eyelashes seemed darker and thicker. I turned my head side to side, noticing a new rosiness in my cheeks that matched a new rosiness in my lips. “Is this how I looked the first time I came here?”
“Of course not, you looked like a petrified albino kitten.”
I snorted at that and she laughed out loud.
“So where are we going tonight?” I asked.
Ash smiled and shook her head, leading me out the door. We went back down to the huge main room and I cringed at having another emotional outburst for everyone to witness. But she breezed right through it, turning left down a dark narrow hall. I followed behind, starting to fear I was
I certainly didn’t have a crush on him. Boys and dating weren’t really my thing. I had never had a boyfriend, never been on a date and never even had a guy interested in me. And when I was interested in someone all I was able to do around them was blush and stutter. And I didn’t do that around Jordan. Well, not as much as usual.
I looked up from staring at my book to see Lincoln staring at me. “What?” I asked defensively.
He just shrugged and went back to his school work. I flipped a page to keep up my pretense of reading.
I didn’t even bother trying to focus on the words, just went right to analyzing every word Jordan had ever said to me. I knew he wasn’t interested in me; he had made it pretty clear he was just looking for someone’s brain to pick. And that was pretty much the only reason any guy ever talked to me, they needed help with homework or wanted to be in my group for group projects.
And then there was his admission of spying. Part of me knew that was creepy but another part was a little flattered he was so curious about me. And it was nice to think one person, or not-person, thought my vibrant dreams were interesting and not just weird.
And he had hugged me. Just thinking about it made warm flutters explode in stomach. I tried to push them back down. A hug didn’t mean anything, maybe he was just a nice person. Well, not a person exactly.
“Hello?” Lincoln yelled, pulling my book down.
“What?” I snapped, willing my cheeks to return to their normal color.
“Geesh, did you not hear me tell you ten times Grandma wanted to go to bed?”
“Sorry,” I muttered, getting off the couch.
Getting Grandma into bed was easy for once and I jumped into my own as soon as heard her snores.
I lay in bed forever, looking at the bright blue numbers on my alarm clock and glowing orange street lamp outside one of my windows. I didn’t even notice when I finally drifted off, just suddenly realized I had been hearing a fire burning for some time.
Chapter 12
EXCITED AND NERVOUS, I OPENED my eyes to find Ash peering at me. “What?” I snapped, not for the first time that day. Or night? I tried to figure out my days and nights while Ash continued to look at me.
“I think I have found the perfect dress for your hair color,” she said, turning towards the wardrobe. She bent in and pulled out a mossy green dress that crossed over the bust and tied in the back. The overlapping layers in the front tapered to a longer back that would end mid calf. “What do you think?”
“Perfect,” I breathed, not believing I was saying that about a dress.
Ash’s face lit up. “Can I do your hair as well?”
I tried to shrug nonchalantly but really I wanted to look nice for him.
She helped me into the dress and carefully braided my hair around my head, letting the long end sweep over my shoulder. When she sat back satisfied, I leaned in towards the mirror. My hair was definitely a shade more auburn and my eyelashes seemed darker and thicker. I turned my head side to side, noticing a new rosiness in my cheeks that matched a new rosiness in my lips. “Is this how I looked the first time I came here?”
“Of course not, you looked like a petrified albino kitten.”
I snorted at that and she laughed out loud.
“So where are we going tonight?” I asked.
Ash smiled and shook her head, leading me out the door. We went back down to the huge main room and I cringed at having another emotional outburst for everyone to witness. But she breezed right through it, turning left down a dark narrow hall. I followed behind, starting to fear I was
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