|
By: Calliope Women are masochistic by nature. Don’t raise your eyebrow at me either. You know it’s true. It has to be. Why else would I find myself in front of the mirror, primping extensively in preparation for another date with AJ? Exactly. Did I still have a crush on Nick? Of course! Did I still like AJ? Absolutely! Was I still appalled by Stephanie’s lack of brain power? Was I still enraged that Nick would be interested in someone so one-dimensional? Did I feel the need to prove my own worth as a girl by accepting his best friend’s offer? Am I painfully transparent? Good question indeed. We were about to find out. The doorbell rang, and I took one last look at my reflection. Deadly miniskirt? Check. Fuck me heels? Check. Cute but classy top? Check. Perfume? Check. That’s right, perfume. I was playing hardball. By the time I sauntered downstairs, Brent had already answered the door. He and AJ were chatting as I made my entrance, but all conversation ceased when my first heel hit the ground floor. Both mouths fell open, and I had to bite my bottom lip to keep from laughing. Mission accomplished! “Lana, you look…”
“By stepping away from the door so I can open it,” I answered sarcastically, offering an apologetic grin at AJ. “AJ, you know Brent, right?” He waved his hand in dismissal. “Sure. We’ve met hundreds
of times.”
Flirting shamelessly? Check. Peeved brother? Double check. “Lana, Mom and Dad would kill you if they saw you like this.” “Newsflash, Brent: they see me like this every day. Now, will you quit succumbing to hormone overdrive so I can go on my date? You’re embarrassing AJ.” Brent moved his glare from me to AJ, who smiled hesitantly. Finally, he sighed. “Whatever. If you get raped, don’t come whining to me.” Sometimes, I wonder when my brother’s brain stopped working logically. Not enough to stick around and ask him, though. I don’t have that much patience. “Bye, Brent.” He slammed the door behind us, and I rolled my eyes for AJ’s benefit. “I’m sorry about my brother. He’s still in the primate stage, and we’re not quite sure how to speed up the development.” He laughed that raspy, gravelly laugh that drives all the girls crazy. “It’s fine. Don’t listen to him, though. You look great tonight.” I blushed. I know I did. How could I help it? AJ’s one of those guys that just sounds so sincere all the time. If only Nick would deliver compliments like that, I’d be one happy chick. “Thanks.” He grinned and pulled the car door open with more grace than a man should be allowed. “Here you are, m’lady. Enjoy your ride.” I had to laugh. “I’ll try. You sure you don’t want me to drive?” AJ laughed loudly. “Are you kidding? I value my car, thanks.” “But you don’t value your life?” He winked. “That too. Hence why I’m in the driver’s seat. Hence why I never let Nick drive me around.” I tried to keep from grinning like an idiot at the sound of Nick’s name. “Is he really that bad?” AJ groaned. “Worse. Trust me. Kevin let him drive for a total of one block before all of us refused to drive with him ever again.” Why does that makes him even more endearing?
“So, tell me…” He trailed off long enough to take a sip of water. “How long have you had a crush on Nick?” I almost spit my iced tea across the table. “WHAT?!” He waved a hand nonchalantly. “Don’t play dumb, girl. I’m not stupid. I saw how you were checkin’ him out Friday night. Now, I’m pleasantly surprised that you agreed to go on a second date, but…we both know that you’re much more interested in the blonde Backstreet Boy.” Pop stars are a hell of a lot smarter than people give them credit for. I would’ve told AJ just that, too, but I was way too stunned to say anything productive. “But I…you…are you kidding?” Nice, Lana. Very Chicago. That doesn’t sound suspicious at all… AJ laughed again, but the laugh was hardly as appealing as it had previously been. “It’s totally fine, Lana. I’m cool being friends with you. I just want to know what’s up with Nick.” “Nothing!” His grin rivaled that of the Cheshire cat as he leaned across the table. “And that’s the problem, isn’t it?” “It…I…what the…” I took a deep breath in attempt to avoid the string of expletives that threatened to break free and settled for a calmer declaration. “I think I’m insulted.” Genius, I know. Someone PLEASE give me a rock to crawl under… “I’m sorry you’re insulted,” AJ assured me, biting his lower lip to stifle a smile, “but the question still stands.” “What question?” He sighed. “How long have you been crushing on Nicky boy?” Since I could drive. Yeah, something told me that answer might not work so well. Instead, I settled for the indignant response. “Look, I may be absolutely disgusted that he’s dating someone as stupid as Stephanie, but that doesn’t mean that I have a crush on him.” “I agree completely.” “Good.” “But you still have a crush on him, and you’ve had it for awhile.” Ugh! MEN! “How long, Lana?” It was a no-win situation. There was nothing I could do but admit my miserable fate. “Six years.” I expected him to laugh. I expected him to goad me. I expected him to excuse himself from the table so he could call Nick and chat it up about how freaking retarded I was for crushing on the same unreachable boy for six years. I expected a lot, but I most certainly did NOT expect the response I got. “You know, you two would be good together.” Had I been drinking iced tea, I would have choked. “What?!” AJ laughed. This time, it sounded endearing. “You two would be good together. Much better than him and that Stephanie chick seem to be.” And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how AJ became my matchmaker. 14.
Don't Try So Hard
|