Chapter 16
As I made my way towards Stephanie’s, the hairs on the back
of my neck began to stand on end, and it had nothing to do with the lack of heat. A little ways down the hallway I recognized my old rooms familiar door and stopped wearily in front of it.
As I knocked on the solid, wood door, I held my breath, silently hoping that she wouldn’t answer. But as fate would have it she was there, and did answer. She swung the open the door and I saw by her frustrated expression that she wasn’t exactly happy to see me. “What do you want?” She asked.
“I wanted to talk,” I said and I barely got my last word out before she snidely replied, “Well I’m busy.” As the words left her mouth an incredibly handsome boy made his presence known by coughing.
“I was just leaving anyways,” he said getting up and walking over to us.“I’m Lance, and you must be Summer,” he said and I briefly wondered how he knew my name but then followed his gaze to the long, jagged scar that lie permanently across my chest. It was visible due to the tank top I was wearing and I shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. “Well I must get going,” he said and with that he grabbed his backpack off of Stephanie’s bed then said, “Next week, same time, Okay Steph?” He said and after she gave him a nod he quickly walked out.
“Don’t like guys with broken noses?” I asked referring to the fact that she was dating Tyler yet had Lance in her room.
“As if it’s any of your business, but if it was I’d tell you he’s just a tutor,” she replied and I saw Stephanie’s frown begin to lessen, without an audience, Stephanie was somewhat nice.
“You said you want to talk,” She said walking over to admire herself in her mirror.
“Yeah, well you know Zane right?” I started but stopped quickly as she whirled around with an angry look on her face.
“If you think I’m going to sit here and listen to your stupid romance issues with your jerk of a boyfriend, then you’re crazy,” She said then walked over to sit in her chair, as if her last has taken all of her energy. I wasn’t surprised by her outburst, after rooming with her for a year I was used to them, so naturally I knew how to get her to be nice, or at least civil, again.
“Ok listen,” I said and then took a deep breath and began to do my best impersonation her that I could. “1.) I totally didn’t mean to offend you, 2.)There’s no way that he’s my boyfriend, and 3.)Why would I want relationship advice for me and Zane, when I’m mad at him?” As I finished I knew it’d worked because she began to giggle, something she rarely ever does.
“Well done,” She said and flashed me one of her
winning smiles before she continued, “so if it’s not about relationships with Zane, then what is it?”
“Well,” I started questioning whether I should confide fully in her of not, but my mind urges me one, so I continue. “Sometimes he’ll act like a different person, and one day he’ll understand and another, he won’t,” I said and was surprised to see her shifting uncomfortably, a sign she was either nervous or guilty which are also two things that rarely occur with her.
“What?” I asked and her eyes flashed up to meet my gaze.
“Oh well, it’s just,” She started.
“Yes?” I asked trying to get her to hurry up and spit it out.
“Zane’s a guy, guys act like that sometimes,” She replied but I know that not what was on her mind and I feel my temper begin to flare up.
“Really? You too? Why is everybody treating me like a moron and thinking I can’t see that their hiding stuff from me? Why can I tell no one the truth, because no one understands? Why?!” I yelled at her and I can tell that I’ve surprised her with my outburst.
“Look Summer, this is why nobody tells you anything, because you just blew up at me without even asking what I’m hiding. Maybe I would’ve told you. Ever think of that?” She asked and then smiled smugly at me.
“Ok, I’m sorry, maybe getting the crap kicked out of me, by you and your group, has been messing with my manners,” I replied and I felt my temper beginning to rise even higher.
“Ignoring that last comment, I’ll tell you all that I can, which isn’t a lot, but it’s more than Zane’s telling you,” She said and her words about Zane felt like she was firing a gun straight to my heart. Why should Stephanie a girl who hates my guts, tell me more than a guy who thinks I’m ‘special’? Though I doubt anything he said then is still what he thinks now.
“All I can tell you is that Zane knows more than he’s letting on,” She said and then watched me closely as if to see how this news would me react.
“How do you know?” I asked and though I sounded like an annoying child I didn’t care as long as I got the answers I’d been waiting for.
She sat up straighter in her chair and smoothed her dress before she answered, “I know because I also know the information he’s keeping from you, he told me. Not recently of course, but either way at one point he told me and I know. I’m sorry but that’s really all I can tell you.” She said and I can sense that she’s telling me the truth.
“Thank-you Stephanie” I said as I turned and headed for the door.
“Where are you going?” she asked as I pulled open her overly decorated door.
“I need to talk to someone else about something that’s somewhat normal, I can’t deal with all this other drama right now,” I said and with that I waved goodbye and walked out.