Page 17 of Lessons in Love
I pick the photo up and stare at it. It’s not a flattering photo—some girl with thick-lensed glasses and braids, an odd orange tint to her hair and headgear. To add more salt to this poor girl’s wound, she’s wearing a canary yellow turtleneck and purple sweatshirt over it. Glancing up, I put the photo back down. “What is this? Who is this?”
“That’s me.” She actually manages to hold a straight face when she confesses this.
Grabbing the picture back from the table, I hold it up again. “This is you?” I fail at keeping the astonishment from my voice.
“It is. Senior year in high sch?—”
“Senior year? A lot has changed.” Looking at her suit, I add, “Mostly.”
Shock rolls over her and she grabs her jacket by the lapels and looks down. “What? You don’t like my suit?”
“Ummm, it’s okay.”
When her shoulders sag, I add, “I mean it could be worse.”
“Not really by the sound of it. Geez. As if I didn’t feel bad enough?—”
“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to hurt your feelings. I’m just in shock.”
“Am I that hideous in the photo?”
“You were never hideous. You were just hiding behind,” I start to say, moving my finger over the top of it, “a lot of other stuff. There’s a lot going on here.”
“That’s why I need your help.”
“How can I help you?” I ask not sure where this is going.
“I want your help to win Lowry.”
“What’s a Lowry?”
“The asshole. That’s a Lowry.”
Whoa. Whoa.“Whoa. Back up. You want my help winning the attention of that asshole from last night?”
She eagerly nods with a wide smile. “Yes. Exactly.”
“Maybe I’m a bit slow, but let me get this straight. You want me to help you somehow get the attention of some guy who doesn’t deserve your attention, much less your time of day?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because you know how to get everyone’s attention without even trying and then you know all that other stuff.”
“What other stuff?”
“The sex stuff.”
This time, my eyes go wide before they narrow in utter confusion. “What sex stuff?” Oh man, that pink I love so much colors her cheeks. How does she work the bravado shy girl thing so well? She’s not even aware of how she affects men. Unicorn.
Leaning over the table, she glances around to make sure no one hears her. “Last night. What we did last night.”
Dot.
Dot.
Connect.
