Life, Love, & Lemons

Knight in shining Chuck Taylors

Not only did I have a big welt on my head, but now I had a purple bruise the size of a softball on my leg.

"Maybe you can cover it up with make up?" Gabby offered as she studied my leg like it were an exhibit in a museum.

"Maybe I could just not go to the dance?" I offered, flopping down on my bed.

"You have to go to the dance you're on court!" She plopped down next to me on her stomach.

"Yeah so I could be the dateless court member with the big bruises. People are going to think that Kai really isn't there because he beats me." I wrinkled my nose.

She rolled her eyes. "You're such a drama queen! People know why Kai isn't there and I think it's kind of romantic."

She got up on her knees and put one hand on her heart and reached the other one out in the air in a sarcastic fashion. "The damsel in distress saved by her knight in Chuck Taylors!"

I threw a pillow at her. She grabbed the pillow and sat down. "Oh come on, I know you want to go or you wouldn't have made such a big deal to Kai about going."

"Yeah, but now that Kai isn't going it kind of doesn't seem worth it." I traced the seams on the pillow with my index finger.

Gabby got up from the bed. "Well what are you supposed to do? He's suspended, so he can't go, so that means that you should go. At least for coronation and then you can leave and make out with him on your back patio or whatever it is you guys do."

"We do not always make out on the back patio!"

Gabby put her hands on her hips. "Well you know what I mean." She grabbed her purse. "But I have to go get ready. Brett and I will be here to get you at five for dinner. Be ready!"

"Whatever," I slumped back down in bed.

Just a few days ago I was so excited to be going to Homecoming with Kai and now I had absolutely no desire to go. Not only did I not want to deal with the drama of coronation, but after letting out all my insecurities to Kai the night before it kind of opened a whole new box of drama.

I didn't know where to go at this point forward. I didn't know if I should just continue to hang out with Gabby or the other popular kids and just sink back into the same girl I was a year ago. Or if Kai's friends would even accept me now that he wasn't around. I couldn't imagine Brody wanting to sit with me at lunch or Brynne and her band ever wanting to invite me over for a slumber party. I had no idea when I let my life get so wrapped up by the actions of one boy.

"Hey Bent," Dad knocked softly at the door.

"Yeah Dad?" I yelled.

"Can I come in?" He poked his little bald head in the door.

"Of course," I scooted over on my bed, so that he could sit down next to me.

"I know you've been through a lot this past year with my lay off and now my book deal, but I want to just let you know how proud I am of how you've handled it all." He smiled as he sat down next to me.

"Most teenage girls wouldn't go out of their way to get a part-time job to help out or would have complained more at the budget constraints. But you took lemons and you made the best lemonade." He smiled.

"I don't think I really made lemonade, maybe lemon water, but definitely not lemonade," I grinned.

He rolled his eyes, "Bent you know what I mean. And listen I know you're worried about things with Kai, so I'm going to talk to his mother tonight when she gets off of work. I've already left her a message. I don't think she wants her son sneaking around to see you as much as I don't want to see you getting into any more trouble."

My eyes lit up, "you're really going to do that for me?"

"Well if you're going to be stuck at school and work all day, and if I'm going to be working with my editors at night you really need someone to keep you company. I would rather have it be Kai than some spiky haired blonde kid. How did you ever date that kid, Bent? I think he wears more cologne than an entire Italian night club!" He raised his eyebrows.

I couldn't help but laugh.

"Well it's true. Kai may have the piercings and wear some really interesting clothes, but he treats you the way that a guy is supposed to treat a girl. Last year when you hung out with all those kids at St. Christopher's you were like this little valley girl that I think I would have hated in high school. No offense, Bent." He looked up at me.

I shrugged. "None taken."

"Then this past seven months you've just really shown me how amazing of a girl you are. Now I don't want you to go out and get some dark eye liner and a tongue ring, but I think I'm okay with you going to a few concerts or having a few kids with multi colored hair over," he stood up from the bed.

I looked up at him, not speaking.

"Besides I like having you so happy. When you're happy it makes me happy and when I'm happy my writing gets better." He grinned from the door way.

"Always about you Dad?" I joked.

"Hey I have to do something to compete with the future Homecoming Queen."