When you look at me I just can't lie

Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Lena settled on a skirt and cute pink frilly top for school. If the day went to hell with her friends, at least she and Zander could have fun with the skirt later on. Actually, the thought of spending the day locked in his room with no outside world distractions sounded like heaven.

She was dragging her feet when she met her sister and boyfriend in the living room.

“Finally!” Mel jumped up from the couch. “I could’ve walked and gotten there sooner than this.”

Zander followed at a slower pace. “Don’t be a sour buttmunch, Scout.”

“I am going to kick your ass later.”

It was nice to see him defending her to Mel, but the victory was bittersweet as it was time to go and face the music. They piled into Zander’s car and he broke a few speed limits to get them to school on time.

-

Zander knew sometimes he lived in a fantasy world, in his art where every choice was his own and the outcome was always ideal. He wished now could be one of those times. He wanted to snap a picture, brush paint across a canvas, and wield the outcome of today.

Lena was driving herself crazy with fear over the reactions her friends might give about a personal choice that really had nothing to do with them. Zander supposed that’s just how female friends were. Sure, he thought about Mel’s reaction to the news he was getting serious with her sister but never once did he consider not telling her out of fear of rejection. At the end of the day, only Zander and Lena had any input in their relationship.

He hoped it stayed that way. Lena had a very annoying knack trying to fit someone else’s mold.

It was easier to ignore Lena until she was ready to make the first move. He went through class as he always did, mindlessly paying attention to the teachers and students around him.

When lunchtime finally rolled around the first signs of a headache were beating down the back of his neck. Not once had Lena acknowledged him during any of the classes they shared or in the hallway. It was the same exact way she played it last week when they agreed to keep their relationship in the shadows. So much for today being the one they entered the light. He wasn’t sure why it was bothering him. He suspected this outcome the whole time.

Mel sat in front of him with a huff. “I forgot to give this to you.” She passed him a dull white envelope, his name scribbled on it with unknown handwriting.

“What is it?”

 “Eric’s birthday party is this weekend and Anthony wanted you to come, so he’d have at least one other person to talk to.”

Zander grinned as he took the invitation. “Someone wants to go public with our affair after all.”

Mel laughed at the long going joke of Zander’s secret fake affair with her boyfriend. “That sounds like there’s more to it. I take it you haven’t spoken to Lena?” the smile melted away from her face and in its place sat a look of concern.

“Lena who?” he shrugged and went back to eating his lunch. “I’m not going to let her drive me insane. This is her own world of drama and she has to dig herself out of it.” The words sounded good, he even wanted to believe them, but as the day went on nagging sensations of disappointment rubbed at his heart. Lena didn’t mean it, but again with her actions she was telling him he wasn’t good enough. The feeling sucked and he didn’t know how to keep ignoring it.

“Are you ok?” the look of concern deepened behind her intense green eyes.

“Sure.” They both knew it was a lie. “Do you have any plans for after school?”