Two days passed since the party in Paige met Dylan,and before saying their goodbyes they exchanged phone numbers promising to keep in touch. She was wanting to speak to him and wondered if it would be to bold to call him first, as she had no experience with guys.She wasn't wanting to fantasize about them getting married, as he was probably just being friendly and nothing else. As she was going out of her last class and walking back to her dorm, her phone beeped indicating a text message from Dylan.
D: Are you free tonight? I want to ask you to dinner.
His invitation made her heart beat faster. She wanted to accept as well, but just like her friends told her once it was never good for a woman to show herself desperate.So she tried to sound as normal as she could.
P: Sounds fun. Where?
D: At a pizzeria i know, you'll love it. Wait for me at the oak tree at six.
Paige was trying to look on her closet what to wear, she regretted not having her sewing machine or money to go shopping for new clothes, maybe she could ask her father to deposit her some money for her to have for any needs. She decided to wear a white dress with black polka dots matching it with her white sneakers. Paige walked to the oak tree where Dylan was waiting for her. He was wearing dark blue jeans, black shoes and a black shirt.
"Hi. " she said.
"You look stunning tonight." he said with a smile that would make Paige melt.
"Thanks, you look good too. " she answered with a short smile.
"Ready to taste one of the best pizzas ever?"
"Sure. "
They walked together to his car, black Jeep. As she buckled her seat belt she started praying hoping the night would end well and nothing wrong would happen.Paige knew it was no date, but hopefully he would be something else for her in the future.
" So how have you been? Busy?" Dana asked on the phone as she was getting dressed for an art exhibition she heard about at the campus. She was willing to go with Amy but she had a dinner that night with her brother and aunt.She was almost done, just finishing her makeup. She missed going to the poetry readings, but most members had no time to prepare meetings since they started college as well, and even though art was not her thing she enjoyed assisting to culture events. It was an activity from the Academy of Art University.
"Pretty good, with lots of assignments as usual but I'm getting used to. What about you?" he said paying for the pizza he intended to buy and walking back to his dorm.
Dana was about to answer when she heard a feminine voice talking to Jeremy, who was answering to whoever that girl was. After a minute or two Jeremy spoke back to her.
"Hello Dana, are you still there? Sorry for what before, a friend of mine approached me and invited me to a small reunion tomorrow. "
"Is it Micah?" she asked wanting to know what he would answer as she placed on some perfume.
" No, her name is Jamie. Haven't I told you about her?"
"No, what's her last name?" Dana asked curious as her boyfriend never mentioned this girl and it alarmed somehow.
"Evans. She's nice, you would like her too. "
The name Jamie Evans was memorized by Dana, who wondered how close she was to Jeremy.She shooked her head and told herself to trust Jeremy, if he said she was a friend she had to trust him. Dana said goodbye to him placing on her shoes and walking to her car. She arrived to the Art Gallery where some waiters were offering champagne and small entries. Dana walked around the rooms looking around at the paintings, when one of them caught her eye.It was one of a boy, between eight and ten years old who seemed to be lost judging by his look, making Dana wonder what was in his head. He was wearing a blue and white stripped shirt with some paint marks on it, as he had been painting and got stains on his clothes.
"Do you like the painting?" a guy with long brown hair with bangs to the left. He had a bit of beard making him look a bit older.
"I'm trying to understand it. " she answered sipping a bit of her champagne while looking at him. He was elegantly dressed and smelled like men cologne.
"The painting or the artist?" he asked looking at her with interest.
"Both actually.The boy's look seems bemused. But maybe that was the artist's purpose when working on it.It's common for artists to express their feelings with their work. Like Frida Kahlo did."
"Bemused? Is that a word?" he asked.
"Yes, it means bewildered or confused. I write poems, so I like learning new vocabulary. "
"Someone is calling me, please excuse me. I'll be right back."he said walking away.
Dana looked again at the painting and after analyzing the boy's features she realized it was the same guy she was talking with:they both had the same light brown eyes and chin, and the same thick lips. She looked at the small card indicating the name of the artist and its work.
Work: "Growing Up"
Artist: Liam Pierce
Dana was hoping he would come back and ask him about the painting,why did he named it that way and why was his look so distant,speciallyat such short age, but he was nowhere to be seen.She waited fifteen minutes for him but he didn't come back. She took a quick picture of the painting and the card, hoping she could locate him somehow and satisfy her curiosity.Since she promised her parents she would be early she went to the parking lot and drove back home.
Following her aunt Beth's advice Amy tried to remain calm and serene, even though in her inside she was exploding like a volcano. She knew she would not be able to make a show, not with her aunt or Ms. Reynolds's parents. She was hoping for the night to end and be at the apartment to tell Sean how she felt. After two hours she and Sean drove back to the apartment in silence, he inmediately guessed something wrong was with his sister.
"Aims, is everything okay? You barely spoke tonight."
"No, I'm not okay." she answered in a low voice.
"What is it?"
"It's better to talk this at the apartment."
The silence between the siblings happened again, and as soon as both them entered the apartment and Sean locked the door he approached Amy.
"Why are you so upset?" he asked placing his coat on the couch.
"How should I feel after finding out , that after so many years, you had a pair of mom's earrings and never told me? And not only that, that you have them to your fiancee instead of me?" she asked facing him placing her hands on her hips.
"I wanted Hannah to feel close to Mom, as she will never meet her. That's it. I have two other pairs as well, you can have them. Let me go look for them."
"Don't treat me as if I'm a charity case and you're giving me leftovers. I never expected you to be so self-centered! " she exclaimed angrily.
"You think I'm self-centered? I have been the one who has raised you and tried to give you everything you need. You should some grattitude in your attitude, missy." he answered raising his voice."
"And that's gives you the right to place me in second place to your fiancee?Thanks a lot."
"You have never been second place in my life, I worked my ass off for you since our parents passed away.All you have is because of me, don't forget that." he said crossing his arms.
"I guess you'll be always be rubbing it on my face, right?" she said looking away.
"I have never done that and you know it, but I do believe you need a reality check. "
"What I need is to leave and live my own life.Don't worry, I'll be gone by the morning." she answered walking to her room.
"Amy Lynn Wilkes, don't you dare walk away from me! " Sean said to her but she ignored him and walked to her room locking the door.
Amy didn't want Sean to see her cry, but now that she was alone she could let those feelings out. She grabbed her phone and texted her aunt, she knew she was probably asleep by now as she was not the type of person who stayed late, but she would read it on the morning and would eventually answer.
A: I can't live with Sean anymore, can I please live you? I promise I won't be be a burden.
Amy pressed sent and crossed her fingers her aunt would accept. Either way she would have to move sooner or later since Sean was getting married, and maybe it was better to leave sooner as it was Sean's place after all.She waited for Sean to get into his room and not come out, when she was sure he would stay there she went to the bathroom to wash her face and her teeth getting ready to go to bed.
A/N: Time for new characters introduction, in case you want to know who I imagine as Liam you can see him below. He'll continue appearing on the book for a while.Thanks for all your support.
Cody Christian as Liam Pierce