The rest of the week went by fairly conflict free. I still ate lunch with Bryony and the new entourage that came with her, I ignored Axl, just like I said I would. Ivy flirted with every male under the sun and my mother only scolded me twice for embarrassing her in front of other people.
It was now Friday and I just got home from school and was preparing to jump in the pool. Ivy was at Ashlee's house and Bryony had plans to go out with Shale tonight. I was definitely not going to crash her date so I was in and out of the bathroom as quickly as possible so she could get ready. Today I was wearing my red and white striped bikini. I quickly apply my sunblock and give my body my usual once-over. Sigh, still no mark. I shake off my disappointment and grab my towel, leaving the bathroom.
"All yours, beautiful." I tell Bryony with a wink and she laughs.
"It doesn't quite mean the same when it comes from your twin." She scolds playfully. "You basically just called yourself beautiful, so that makes you narcissistic." I shrug At her reasoning.
"Maybe. But it was still true." I smile. I flip my hair over my shoulder over dramatically and sigh. "I can't help that I'm so gorgeous that there had to be two of me. Blame nature. I'm just a victim of my own allure."
"Oh, yes. I'll get right on that." Bryony giggles. I move out of the way and she goes in the bathroom as I head downstairs. I find my mother in a tizzy of excitement running around the house.
"Mom, what are you doing?" I ask and she doesn't even stop when she replies.
"I'm meeting your sister's Match tonight, Dahlia! What do you think I'm doing?" She scolds as she runs past me holding a stack of her magazines from the living room and quickly hiding them in the hall closet.
"You have nothing to worry about mom, Shale is a great guy. They are very evenly tempered. He won't care if you read Cosmo." I call after her as she races past me. She ignores me, muttering to herself about not having time to wash the baseboards. I just roll my eyes and head for my backyard sanctuary before she attempts to pull me into her madness.
The water is cool and refreshing against my skin and I can feel the autumn chill starting to come in on the passing breeze. Not long now before it will be too cold and we cover the pool for the winter. I have to enjoy this while I can.
After I finish my laps and I float blissfully in the water for a while, I decide to climb out of the pool and soak in some of the sun's warmth before wrapping my towel around me and walking back inside. Just as I step inside I hear my mother's excited voice greeting someone at the door.
"Why hello there! I'm Mrs. Clark, Bryony's mother. You must be Shale!" Her operatic voice tells me she's been practicing saying this many times before he arrived and I hold back my laugh.
"No ma'am, I'm Shale's friend," a deep baritone voice booms through the foyer. I stop in my tracks at the surprise at hearing Axl's voice at my house. "Shale called me, his car broke down and while he arranges for another vehicle, he asked me to come pick Bryony up so she wasn't kept waiting. He sends his apologizes for not being able to meet you himself yet but said he wanted to invite you and Mr. Clark out for dinner tomorrow to formally meet you." I think that is the most I have ever heard him say...ever. It was practically a filibuster. I peek around the corner and see Axl in his usual jeans and dark long sleeve shirt, standing awkwardly on my front stoop.
"Well," my mother stutters at a loss for words. She didn't plan on this and it's thrown her for a loop. "Thank you for picking Bryony up then. It would have been a shame to leave her waiting, that was... very considerate of you to do for Shale." Without thinking I find myself walking toward the door, Axl's eyes flicker toward me but move away quickly. My mother, noticing his glance, turns and sees me.
"Dahlia! You can't just walk around like that when we have company, dear. Go get dressed and tell Bryony that Shale's friend is here." She scolds.
"Sure." I reply, now realizing that I'm walking around in nothing but a bikini and towel. "Please excuse my state of undress, I'll go check on Cinderella." I turn and head up the stairs as I hear my mother invite Axl inside to wait. When I reach our room, I see Bryony looking at her cell phone.
"Hey, Axl's here to pick you up. Something happened with Shale's car." I tell her. She hold up her phone and nods.
"I just got a message about it." She tells me. "Something about the alternator, or something. I know nothing about cars. It's all Greek to me."
I grab a t-shirt, yoga pants and fresh underwear before I slip into the bathroom to change. I'm pulling my hair up into a messy wet bun when I step back into the room, Bryony is still working on straightening her long hair.
"I'll let him know you're almost ready. Mom is probably talking poor Axl's ear off." I tell her and she giggles as I leave the room. When I reach the living room, my prediction is correct. My mother is jabbering at Axl, asking him a million questions and I can practically see the social awkwardness hanging in the air. When I notice they don't have anything to drink I find my opening.
"Hey Mom, do we still have any of that sweet tea you made? I can't find it." I ask her, cutting her off as she started on her next question. Axl's relieved face is priceless.
"Of course, darling. Let me go get it." Before leaving she sneaks one last question in to Axl, "Would you like some sweet tea? I made a fresh batch just this afternoon." He nods and mumbles a thank you as she leaves the room. I watch her leave and then turn back to Axl, trying to hide my smirk.
"Playing chauffeur tonight? That was nice of you." I comment, "I'm sorry about my mom. Bryony should be down in a few minutes, so you won't have to be on show much longer." I see a small smirk of amusement tugging on his lip that holds his lip ring.
"She was super excited to meet Shale, huh?" He asks. I hold up my thumb and finger about an inch apart.
"Just a teensy weensy bit." I tell him and he gives a small chuckle before schooling his features back to his cool mask.
"Here we are!" My mother's voice sing-songs as she enters the room with two glasses for tea, setting down one glass in front of Axl. "I set the pitcher out for you on the kitchen counter, darling. Feel free to help yourself." She tells me, keeping the second glass for herself as she sits back on the couch with Axl, effectively dismissing me.
"Right, thank you Mother. I'll let you get back to your guest. Bryony will be down shortly." I excuse myself and head to the kitchen pouring my own glass and grabbing a apple while I'm at it. I sit at the kitchen island and listen as my mother grills Axl, and his short replies until finally Bry appears and they both leave to meet Shale. When my mother enters the kitchen, I'm sipping my second glass of tea.
"Well, that threw a bit of a kink into the evening but at least I'll be meeting Shale tomorrow." She muses. "That friend of his is a bit odd though. He barely spoke two words." I don't bother mention how, even if Axl were the talking type, it would have been difficult for him to talk because her inquisition left no room for rebuttal. Instead, I nod and shove the remaining apple slices into my mouth.
I excuse myself and go back to my room with the excuse of homework. Laying on my bed, I look at the ceiling and imagine where Bryony and Shale are going on their date. Apparently it was suppose to be a surprise. Soon, I'm imagining my own first date with my imaginary Match. I haven't been on many but I wonder if it feels any different. Knowing he's the perfect fit to your soul. Is it more meaningful? Is it easier or more stressful? I've heard of Matches that choose not to stay together. Usually one cheated on the other, something like that is not easily forgiven. You can go on in life without your Match, they were supposed to be your perfect fit but it doesn't mean they, themselves, are perfect. People still make mistakes. Not that I think that will happen to Bryony and Shale. They compliment each other perfectly, so I think they will be very happy together. What about me though? Will my Match, if I even have one, be able to handle my brash personality? Will I scare them off? Will they choose to live apart from me instead of being with me? I am protective of those that I love, but it doesn't mean I don't want to be cared for too. Will my Match be able to handle me and care for me, protect me, they way I need?
These thoughts swirl through my head all night, but in the end its still only theoretical because I don't even have my mark. I could be blank, without a mark or a Match. If that is the case I hope Shale likes tricycles because I'm coming along for the ride as their third wheel.
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