CHAPTER 6

It was the first time I’d gone to the amusement park in weeks. Tristan gave me the day off, because I’d worked the weekend. In my opinion he was killing himself trying to finish all the computer installs and security systems he’d contracted to install in the local strip mall near his house. He had even contracted to service two medical offices before school started.

His drive and determination to succeed really inspired me. Tristan didn’t realize how much his friendship and constant encouragement meant to me. He’d told me all the time that I made working fun and that usually any girl he’d share his ‘geek-life’ with usually became disinterested. I, however, was fascinated with all the things I’d learned while working with him.

Phoebe was supposed to meet me in the front of the park. I was getting impatient. So, I stood there with my hands in my jean pockets, fingering the money I had bought to treat her to lunch.

“Hah!” Phoebe hopped up on my back from behind. I stumbled and giggled as she jumped down while tickling me. “Gotcha.”

I smirked. “Well you actually think I’m going to…” I bent down, “let you get away with that!” I grabbed her by her skinny knees. Then, I lifted her with my shoulder, as I spun her around until we slipped. With a crash into the spongy bushes, we giggled.

“You ready?” I brushed the grass clippings off my dingy jeans.

“Yep. Where to?” Phoebe gathered her loosened braids up into a high ponytail on her head.

“Breakfast at the Coppin House, the ritzy place in the back of the park.” I grinned at her.

Phoebe’s jaw dropped. “I don’t have money for that place. Nor do I know someone who works there who can give us a discount.”

“I know.”

A flutter of confusion flooded her features.

Phoebe narrowed her eyes and crossed arms. “Where are you getting money to afford that place, Sorina?” She stepped closer. “What is that guy making you do for it?”

I grinned. “Fix computers. That’s all.” I grabbed her wrist. With a tug, I pulled her alongside me until she started to relax. Then I released her.

“Sorry. That guy is just too cute to be working on cars.” Phoebe nudged me with her elbow. “Are you dating him?”

Holding my breath, I absently slicked down my hair and retied my ponytail. “No.”

“Humph. That sounded like you wanted it to be a yes. A big one.”

“I don’t know. Having a boyfriend would be fun. I just don’t think I’m his type though.” We walked slowly to the back of the park. There were tons of people rushing back and forth. Mostly parents with kids. Some random group of teens would pass by us, but I didn’t pay much attention since Phoebe was chatting away. The smells from the varied shops scattered between the rollercoasters and kiddy rides teased my nose.

“I think you are crushing on him. Isn’t he the boy who pretended to be your boyfriend in the first place?”

“Yeah, but it was nothing. I’ve been working with him for months and most all the time he’s respectful. More like a good friend.” I bit my lip while flashbacks of that hungry kiss played over in my mind.

“Judging from the look on your face, it seems as though you’re holding the juicy goods hostage and not telling me everything.” Phoebe jumped in front of me with her arms open. “Spill it!”

“Well…he sorta kissed me.” I gulped.

Phoebe eyes narrowed and she leaned in. “A real kiss? Tongue and all or just a friendly peck?”

I sighed, glancing away from her inquisitive eyes. “A really good one. And long too. Better than even my boyfriend had ever dared to kiss me.”

Phoebe lips broke out in a grin. “Awesome! He’ll be your boyfriend before the end of the summer.” She pivoted around.

“He pushed me away and left after it though.”

Phoebe stopped walking and turned back to me with her hands on her hips. “Say what?”

“In the middle of the kiss – he stopped like he was disgusted with himself. Or me. That was weeks ago. Now he barely even looks at me. It’s like he feels guilty about it.”

Her mouth made an O then she pursed her lips. “Sounds to me like he has a girlfriend already.”

“I…” I shook my head not wanting to believe it could be true.

“My grandma always said, ‘if it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck – it’s a darn duck’. And it just seems like if he liked you, and you kissed him back, there’s no possible thing that would’ve stopped him.”

“Well, I did get the impression he was running from a girl when we first met.” I shrugged, not liking where Phoebe was taking my thoughts. “Let’s just forget about it, okay?”

Phoebe put her arm around me. “Sure. I’m not trying to spoil this great day. The first day ever someone’s treating me to lunch.”

On the way to lunch, I couldn’t shake what Phoebe said. The thought that Tristan had a girlfriend literally felt like a stab to my heart. But I forced out a smile, just to keep her chatting about her other favorite subject besides boys – clothes.

I opened the door and held it for her as I threw out a quick reply, “I plan on getting some more clothes. I just don’t know where I’m going to school this coming year.”

Phoebe tugged on my arm to guide me to a booth that just opened up in the packed restaurant. She plopped and her mouth opened like she was caught in the middle of a question, then she sighed, “I thought you said things were settling down for your mom and you?”

I shrugged. “Yeah, but I don’t really want to go to school near the hotel where we’re staying. I was really hoping my aunt would let us stay with her.” I leaned back when the waitress came over. I waited till she put a basket of breadsticks on the table. My fingers were twitching to dig into them.

Absently, Phoebe grabbed one and chewed vigorously while talking. “You can always come stay with me. Or just beg your aunt to give you a break and crash at her place.”

I slid piece of bread out the basket and broke off a portion. “I tried. She told me that until my father took over his responsibility, or my mom decided to divorce him, she’s not helping any more than she is. My brother’s only five, so she doesn’t think he would do well in our situation. My father ‘borrowed’ a large sum of money from her that he never paid back. Then sold his mother’s jewelry that had been in the family for over three generations. My aunt’s a bit bitter about the way he’d treated his family in the past.”

Phoebe’s eyes narrowed. “She shouldn’t make you and your mother suffer for your father’s mistakes. My aunt is a grouchy old lady, but she’s taken in my family a time or two.”

“My aunt’s just mad. Even though my father messed up, my mom didn’t help much since she supported my father in everything – even when he made big mistakes. My mom used to be her best friend – until my dad’s betrayal came between them.”

“Oh, I get it now. So that’s not going to fix itself until your dad fixes it.”

“Yeah.”

The waitress came to our table. She wore a bright smile while she waited for our orders, and then sped away as dishes crashed at a nearby table.

“Well, guess who’s got a new boyfriend?” Phoebe coughed, barely holding back a secret grin.

I pursed my lips. “I don’t know, I remember my friend telling me that she was swearing off boys until Prince Charming knocked on her door with a Porsche.”

“You do know me. Well, let’s just say I had a change of heart. I’m going to make a frog into a Prince. He is as hot as a Prince though. So,” she fanned herself, “hot.”

I laughed, spitting out some of my bread. “I’m happy for you. Where’d you meet him?”

“Here in the park.”

“Wow, was he a guest?”

“Nope, he works the front gate. He’s a guard.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t he a bit old for you?”

“I like them older, but he just turned eighteen.” She grinned. “He’s in college.”

My eyes wandered around the restaurant, then darted to a table with a crying child. The toddler’s bouncy brown curls moved as he wailed. Phoebe’s voice trailed in the background as my eyes landed on a couple that walked into the restaurant.

Tristan. Tristan with his arm around a brown-skinned beauty laughing at something he said.

I would not look. It wasn’t my business. Okay, I stared. My heart stopped the moment he bent and kissed her lips. The embrace, though brief, was intimate. They slid into the booth next to the now-quiet child.

Right there, my heart broke.

A hand grabbed mine. It jarred me enough to snap out of my misery and I twisted back to face Phoebe. “What’s wrong? Tell me?” She was insistent.

But the truth was, I couldn’t speak.

She leaned forward, concern in her eyes as a lone tear escaped.

“I-I…” It was all I could manage to get out.

The girl got up and left in the direction of the bathroom. I don’t know how or why I did it but I got up. Before I knew it, I was at Tristan’s table.

A glimmer of confusion passed his features, and he said, “What?”

Hoarsely, I mumbled, “I didn’t know you had a girlfriend. You bought her here—where we met?”

Tristan’s neck rocked back. Perturbed by my words, he responded, “I don’t believe I belong to anyone. It’s a free world, and if you don’t mind – I’m on a date.”

A fractured breath left my chest. I pivoted and returned to my table where the food waited, along with a frowning Phoebe.

I plopped down in my seat. I sniffled, trying not to lose it in the restaurant. “I can’t stay here.”

“Okay.” Phoebe waved the waitress over. “Can we get this to go? And give me the check now, please.”

Everything was a blur. I put the money on the table. My body felt like jelly as Phoebe rushed me out the door.

I don’t know how I’d ended up in a room in back of the gift shop she worked in. Sitting at a table, with my unwrapped food in front of me.

“Eat.”

With shaking breath, I picked up my burger and chewed, never tasting a bite.

“That snake. How could he do that to you?” Phoebe’s anger was expressed between bites to her sandwich.

“He said, he doesn’t belong to anyone,” I mumbled. “I know we weren’t like that, but the way he said it. It was like, I meant nothing.”

“What are you going to do now?”

“I have to go back to work for him. I need the money.” I tossed the food down in the box. I couldn’t eat another bite. My stomach hurt.

“Can you act like nothing’s happened?”

I released the breath I’d been holding. “I have to. I will.”