Aww, I liked writing this chapter for some reason! Hmm, enjoy(:
I don't own VA…
Chapter 11: A Little Close to Love
I stared a couple extra seconds at Alicia and she caught me looking. She half waved at me, throwing in an unnecessarily large smile. Trying not to be rude, I shook my hand a little in a wave, and let one of the corners of my mouth turn up. Alicia was pretty, real pretty. A lot prettier than me. She had pale, pale-blonde, curly hair, veiling down to her mid-waist; eyes the color of faded jeans, and the longest legs ever. She looked like an angel dropped from heaven, but she was anything but.
"I will not waste your time no longer, Rose. I have duties to tend to, as well as you do," Lucio said, giving my shoulder a pat and walking off to talk to Matayla, another rider.
As soon as Lucio was out of sight, I traded my riding boots for some rubber boots. Adrian helped me settle my mare into the stall that my dad had purchased a few years back when I raced my first barrel race. I wasn't surprised that the stall was clean; my mother had made me clean it out before I was allowed to go home. Mothers know best. I pulled out a comb and started brushing Lacey's back, soothing her.
"She looks all settled in."
The hand that was brushing my mare's back stopped—all my muscles stopped. This voice was a voice I hadn't heard of since three years ago, three years ago when the only guy I had ever loved, truly loved, more than I had loved Christian—cheated on me with my ex-best friend. I looked to my right and met the light brown eyes of Paisley Bradson.
"Yes, she is," I said smiling absently at Lacey.
Paisley struggled not to let the shock show on her face. Last year she couldn't get a word out of me, for no reason. And today, she was finally getting not only one word, but three words.
"How is. . .Zack?" I didn't like saying her son's name because his name was exactly like his fathers.
"He's in his Terrible Two's. Remember how we used to say we always wanted girls if we ever had kids?"
"Right, I remember," I said.
"Well, if you do ever have kids, please make sure they're girls."
"Why?"
She was happy to talk about anything—anything—as long as I kept talking to her.
"Because boys are crazy."
"Oh I knew that already," I said, laughing.
"I wouldn't trade a day of dealing with my Zack for all those nights I missed from sixteen to eighteen. I love my son. I only wish his father would think the same."
"You aren't with Zack anymore?" I was taken by surprise. Zack and I had been going out ever since I was twelve, and he thirteen. As the years went by, Zack and I made plans of marrying one another and having three children: Two boys and one girl; Zack, Jake, and Annie. But one day, at a party, he met my co-racer, Paisley. They were both drunk and had slept together. I hadn't known anything about it until Paisley came to me, crying, telling me she was having Zack's baby. And Paisley had been only sixteen when she had gotten pregnant.
"No. Zack. . .changed. He's not the sweet Zack we used to know. I can count on one hand the times he's been there for my son and me." Her eyes wandered off, to her hands that were twisting and turning. "And I regret it all. I regret losing your friendship for a night a pleasure. I am sorry, Rose."
I opened the little gate to Lacey's stall and reached out and pulled Paisley into a hug. "It's alright. It's been three years since it's happened; I barely think of it anymore. There is a reason why he didn't make it into my future, right? And there is also a reason why he didn't make it into yours."
"Rose, I've missed you so much. You were the only friend I truly cared about . . ."
I wanted to say "well, you obviously cared about me enough to get at my boyfriend" but it would only make her feel worse when I only was trying to make her feel better.
"The past is the past. It happened three years ago. And we need to move on, okay, Paisley?"
"Okay, Rose."
"Promise you'll forget about it?"
"Promise." She wiped her eyes with the corner of her shirt. It was totally gross but that's what you did when you didn't have a tissue. Well, that's what I did. (Yeah, I've been told I'm gross.) She looked down at my lover, lounging on a piece of hay. "Is that you're boyfriend?"
"Um," I said, looking down at Adrian. I didn't really know what he was. Seriously, we had only slept with each other once, he said he loved me twice, and we had not parted ever since last week. What was he? My boyfriend? No, too soon for that. My date? Maybe. My lover? Possibly.
"Paisley Bradson?" Adrian asked, shaking her hand and after tossing a hand over my shoulders. "Paul Bradson's sister, right?"
"Yes, how did you . . ." She smiled. "Oh! Your Paul's friend, right?"
"Yes, one of my favorite homeboys."
Paisley looked at Adrian's hand over my shoulders. "So are you dating?"
"Umm . . ." There was that hesitation again from me. "We're friends . . ."
"Friends that sometimes wake up naked together in bed?" Paisley teasingly asked.
"That's right," Adrian said, shooting me a wink.
"Aww, I love it when friends reunite," the psycho bitch said clapping. "It makes me so emotional." She turned to Adrian. "And I just love you, Adrian. You make me so in love."
I tensed, Adrian tensed, and even Paisley tensed.
"Look at her! She's so beautiful! I love her white coat of fur. Lacey is very beautiful. Just like her owner."
"Thank you?" I asked, giving her a weird look. "Can I help you with something?"
"Actually, yes." She reached into her back pocket and pulled out three black envelopes. "I came to invite all three of you to my party later on. Well, not my party. My dad's getting engaged and, of course, he has to host a party. But I asked if you could invite some of my good friends, and he said yes! So therefore I am inviting you!"
Did she even take a breath between her words?
"Friends? I've only know you for a day. No, not even. Like three hours." Paisley said.
"Thanks for the invite," I put in nicely.
"I so would be very honored if you and Adrian could make it! And you too, Paisley!"
"Okay, I'll see if I could make it."
"But there is catch. You have to wear all black! I mean, seriously, why couldn't my step-mother add a little color to it, pink would have been good. Yellow, perhaps. Green, much better." She sighed. "When I get engaged, I will make sure there is a lot of color in my engagement party."
"Good to know, Alicia," Adrian said, sarcastically.
"Oh, Adrian! I want you to be there! I just love watching you."
"I'm just gonna walk away. . ." And he did.
"Thank you for inviting us. We will defiantly be attending now." Not.
"No, thank you, Rose."
She kept on talking and talking, dragging out her speeches with unnecessary detail and random thoughts. I almost kissed Lucio when he told us the racing qualifications would be starting soon. Adrian came back and helped me put the saddle on Lacey. I could have done it myself, but having Adrian helping me was great. As I changed into my uniform, Adrian kept a lookout for passing people. Occasionally, he would steal a little peak. He helped me by tying a scarf to my neck, and tying one on Lacey's neck. He stole a little peck from my lips. I mounted my horse at the exit of the stables. Adrian patted my thigh and wished me luck as he went to sit on the bleachers close by.
-Adrian
Rose had looked marvelous as she strode on her horse across the dirt track, her dark hair waving behind as she rode. She came in first, Paisley second, Alicia third, and they were qualified for the big race. As soon as she dismounted her horse in the stalls, I had grabbed her and kissed her. I could feel she wanted more of me so I took her to my parent's house, where I knew we could be alone for a while . . .
And now, I was taking her home so she could get ready for Alicia's party. We hadn't wanted to go; our parents were making us go, since they were such good friends with Alicia's parents.
"You're quiet," I commented as Rose assessed herself in her makeup mirror.
"Just tired," she admitted.
"Why is it after we have sex, you act so innocent, but while we're having sex . . ." My voice trailed off with a suggestive tone.
She snorted. "It's not a crime being loud while having sex."
"No, no it wouldn't, Miss Hathaway, would it? You are the perfect example of that."
"Can I ask a question?" With her hands, she made a signal that proceeded me to ask. "Why are 'Hathaway' and not 'Mazur?'"
"My mother wanted her baby to have her last name, rather than my dad's last name. And also because it was the only way she would inherit her fortune."
"So. . .will the same rules be applied to you?"
"My mother stated in her will—I could pretty much do whatever I want."
All was silent after. When we arrived home, she told her father and Nadia that she had qualified for the big race next month. Her father had made her a deal. If she won the race, he would throw her a party, the way she wanted it, in the place she wanted to host it most: Las Vegas. Knowing her dad, whether she lost or won, the party would still be down. She hugged and kissed both Nadia and went upstairs. I followed. We snuggled in her bed and we both fell asleep . . .
"How do I look?" It was Rose's cliché line. She always asked how she looked.
"Hot, as always." And she did look hot, wearing a dress with a high neck that went to her knees. It covered everything in front, but in the back, you had to ask "where is the rest of that dress?"
"Now, how do I look?"
"Sexy. . .as always." Sexy was Rose's word.
"Kids!" My mother banged on Rose's door. "We are going to be late."
God.
Rose and I descended the stairs and her father asked exactly what I had been thinking earlier.
"Where is the rest of that dress?"
"Freakish. I asked myself the same thing." Rose said sarcastically to her father.
The party. . . I regretted going as soon as I walked inside the door. I would have rather wasted away the night with Rose under the covers, with as little clothing as possible. I could see Rose struggling to keep her eyes open as we ate dinner. I leaned a little closer to her and asked, "Want to go somewhere else?"
"Like?"
"Like your house?"
"Mmm . . . sounds good."
I was thankful I had brought my truck with me. She came at me as soon as we were behind her bedroom doors. But before we could go to the point where the clothes came off, I had to ask her something.
"Rose boo-boo?"
"What the hell have you been smoking?"
I chuckled and then was serious again. "Rose?"
"What?"
"Will you be my girlfriend?"
Never in my life had I asked any girl that question, but now I watched as her eyes turned wide as I waited for her answer . . .
God, I so wish Adrian would ask me those words! How about you? So what'd you think?
My mind is so blank right now. Can't think of anything to say . ..
Review as you wish!
-M
