Almost Perfect (18 page)

Laura …

The perfect solution hit me.

“Hold on!” Sage and her mother turned back to me. I grinned, more confidently than I felt. “There’s a program on campus, a freshman orientation, where Sage could spend the night with an upperclassman chaperone.”

Sage looked wary; her mom, interested. I continued, the lies rushing easily through my teeth. “I’m surprised they haven’t contacted you. Sage would stay with a Mizzou senior, have dinner in the dining hall, sleep in a dorm. She could tour the campus, meet some professors. Religious services Sunday morning, if she’s interested.” I was laying it on with a trowel.

Mrs. Hendricks rubbed her chin thoughtfully. Sage took a cautious step back until she was out of her mom’s line of sight, then made violent slashing motions at her neck. I ignored her.

“And you say this is a university-sponsored program?” asked Sage’s mother.

“Yep. I have the number at home. If you like, I can have them contact you.”

She turned to her daughter. “What do you think?”

Sage had been spastically shaking her head, but stopped just in time to say, “It’s something to think about.” She was not enthused.

“Great,” I said with a politician’s grin. “I’ll call them tomorrow.”

Mrs. Hendricks smiled warmly at me. “It was very nice to meet you, Logan.” She patted my shoulder. Sage glared at me until they reached their car.

I raced my bike back to the trailer, determined to get home before Sage did. The phone was ringing as I passed through the door, just like I expected.

“Hi, Sage,” I answered before she spoke a word.

“Logan, I’m going to hurt you,” she said evenly and with great seriousness.

“Why?” For once, I was only faking my ignorance.

“Do you really think I want to spend a weekend listening to the history of the campus with some twenty-two-year-old stranger breathing down my neck? I want to go there to meet people, not hear some lecture about safe sex and drinking responsibly!” She was bellowing, yet her voice was still unmistakably that of a girl.

“You really don’t think much of me, do you?” I responded, trying to project my smarmy smile over the telephone line.

Sage paused. “What do you mean?”

“I mean you’re going to be staying with the least responsible nonauthority figure this side of St. Louis. My sister, Laura.”

There was a long silence. “Do you really think she’d let me stay with her?” asked Sage meekly.

“She’d be happy to help out any of my friends. Maybe not Jack. The point is, she’s the most skilled liar I’ve ever met. Your parents will think you’ll be bunking at a convent when she’s through.”

I waited for the laughter, but it didn’t come. “Logan, you’re my best friend. Thank you.”

I was totally not used to being friends with a female, even a female like Sage. All this lovey-dovey sharing of
feelings was giving me a complex. I mumbled goodbye and hung up.

Laura wouldn’t be back at her dorm until the evening. I was sure she’d go along with my plan; my sister was always willing to bend the rules on principle, if nothing else. My only concern was that I’d opened my big mouth at Thanksgiving and admitted to liking Sage. I’d just have to tell Laura that it hadn’t worked out and we were only friends.

Smiling, my mind drifted to the year ahead. Funny, I’d always pictured doing things at Mizzou with Jack and Laura. But I’d probably need frequent breaks from my future roommate, and Laura … well, she was my sister. She didn’t need her little brother tagging along all the time.

But Sage was my friend. And we were both a little frightened about the future. For the first time since winter, I was completely happy that we’d be going to school together. Now that any chance for romance was gone, we could actually enjoy each other.

I stripped and jumped in the shower, but not before admiring my body in the mirror. When school started, I could be like a brother to Sage. I’d make sure no guys got too close to her, while she could build me up to the pretty coeds. It was a win-win situation. What could go wrong?

T
IM CAREFULLY WIPED
down his bookends with a rag. They looked as if he’d painstakingly carved them out of mahogany instead of smacked them together out of the cheap pine we worked with in the wood shop.

I studied my spice rack. It looked like something a fifth grader would make with his daddy’s tools.

If my daddy had any tools, he’d taken them with him when he left. Tim’s dad was a bank manager, but he’d still showed his son how to use a table saw and router. I could barely drive a nail.

Tim swabbed away a last blob of stain. “So, Dawn is on my case again.”

Tim and Dawn had been dating for months. For a while, Jack and I had been worried that Dawn was actually a brain-eating alien in disguise. Tim, however, continued to survive, so we concluded that she actually really liked him.

“What is it this time?” I asked. The honeymoon was
over; the lovers were now sniping at each other over little things. Surprisingly, Tim’s weight problem didn’t seem to be an issue.

“My dog. She says he has a dumb name. Wants me to change it to Max or Rover or something stupid like that.”

“You have to admit, Number Forty-Four Ninety-Three is an odd name for a dog.”

“I keep telling you, that’s what they called him in the animal shelter. He’ll get confused if I change his name now.”

I tried to force the back part of my spice rack into place. There was an ominous cracking noise.
Happy Mother’s Day!

“Well, looks like you’re going to have to choose between your dog and your girlfriend.”

Tim looked less serene than usual. “Yeah. Hey, Logan, can I ask you a serious question?”

“Sure.”

Tim glanced around, making sure no one was listening in. Luckily, you can’t really zone out in shop class, not if you care about your fingers, so no one was paying any attention to us.

Tim gnawed his knuckles. Maybe because he was nervous, maybe because this was the only class where he wasn’t allowed to eat. Eventually, he spit out what was on his mind.

“How do you know when a girl is ready to … you know?”

When your best friend tells you about it? Or when she explains that she was a boy until she was a teenager?

“I dunno, Tim. You’ll know.” I wiped some sawdust
off the bench. Tim wouldn’t be asking unless he thought the time was right. I was happy for him and completely jealous.

Tim grabbed my arm. “C’mon,” he stage-whispered over the sound of the band saw. “I’ve never done this before. I’ve got protection, we’ve got places we could go, but what if I try and she freaks out?”

It killed me that not only was I an eighteen-year-old virgin, but that Tim and Jack assumed I’d been doing it with Brenda since I was fifteen.

“Tim, if she’s not ready, she’ll tell you. She’s a girl; she’s used to guys trying to get into her pants. Just take it slow and check your teeth first.”

Tim nodded, mulling over my deep advice. The bell rang, and we cleaned up our work area while Mr. Adams hollered at us. I had shop sixth hour. Only American literature and track practice separated me from a lazy afternoon.

“Logan.” Tim stopped short, halfway down the industrial arts hall. “Look.”

I could see the familiar, statuesque figure of Sage, milling around with the shorter students in the commons area. But what had grabbed Tim’s eye was who she was talking to.

Brenda. They were standing in front of the pathetic Boyer trophy case chatting. Brenda had a sort of intense look on her face. She kept adjusting her glasses, something I knew she did when she was uncomfortable. Sage looked calm, though not as relaxed as usual.

This was bad. Seeing the two of them shooting the breeze was like seeing your parole officer having a beer
with your drug connection. Had Sage started the conversation, trying to size up the girl who’d dumped me? Or had Brenda been curious about this new girl who spent so much time with her ex? Were they just exchanging pleasantries, or were they sharing secrets? Girls seemed to break out their innermost feelings and fears shortly after being introduced. Guys only did that when they’d been in combat together or were cell mates.

“No good can come of this,” I whispered to Tim, though we were well out of hearing range.

“Why? You keep telling us Sage isn’t your girlfriend.” Tim and Jack no longer asked me if Sage and I were dating. I’d told them we were just friends so often it was starting to sound like a mantra.

“But Brenda knows she’s my friend. So why does she want to talk to Sage?”

Tim cocked his head at me. Maybe he was remembering how I’d slobbered over Sage one month, then acted like she’d never existed the next.

I was still staring at the girls. Sage laughed, patted Brenda on the arm, and walked off.

“What was that all about?” I pondered out loud. “It’s not like Brenda tries to talk to you or Jack, right?”

“Well, maybe they were …”

“Right?”

Tim sighed. “No, Logan. So do you think Brenda’s going in for a little backstabbing? Spilling those intimate little secrets that she swore she’d never tell?”

I watched as Brenda hurried to her next class.

“I don’t know. But I’m going to find out.”

*  *  *

I picked at my Big Mac, wondering if it had actually been stepped on or if it just looked that way. I’d invited Sage out to McDonald’s to discuss the upcoming trip to Columbia (yes, Boyer has a McDonald’s. We’re not barbarians). Sage had paid for both our meals. Then she’d fluttered her eyes at the dude behind the counter and asked for some Happy Meal toys. He’d passed her a handful with a wink and a smile. I wondered what would happen if Sage didn’t have to restrict herself around boys. There’d probably be two dozen guys lined up behind me. Or in front of me.

“Logan, your sister should win an Oscar! By the time she got off the phone with my mom, Laura had her convinced we’d be doing nothing but visiting the library and going to church. Mom doesn’t have a clue she’s your sister.” Sage paused for a bite of her salad. “I’m so looking forward to next weekend. It’s going to be a blast.”

“Well, Laura’s an expert at tricking parents. She used to sneak out with her old boyfriend when my mom worked the late shift. Never got caught.” The plan to trick Sage’s parents had gone incredibly smoothly. Laura told me she’d make sure Sage had a good time. I don’t think she bought my story that I no longer wanted to date Sage, but that was just as well. I didn’t want Laura trying to introduce Sage to any guys.

“So, what do you think we’ll do with your sister? I mean, I do want to see the campus, but I’d like to explore the town, too.”

I was busy picking yellow pickles off my burger and almost missed what she said.

“We’ll
do? Sage, I’m not going with you.” Sage and I had bonded recently, but spending the night away from home, with only my libertine sister watching us … that was a bit much.

Sage held her plastic fork suspended halfway to her mouth. “Not going? But I thought … I mean, she’s your sister. I just assumed you were coming, too.” Her lower lip was quivering just a bit.

I squirmed. How could I explain to Sage that, even after my promises of friendship, I still wanted to keep a wall between us? I wanted her to know that I cared about her like any friend, but I didn’t want to sleep in the same room with her. I could picture Laura volunteering to sleep somewhere else, leaving Sage and me to spend the night alone in the dorm room. To me, Sage was like someone’s wife, a nun, a first cousin. I’d never make a pass at her, but spending the night together still felt wrong.

“Sage, you and Laura will have plenty of fun. Just a night out for the girls.” My words were cardboard; the excuse, obvious.

Sage jabbed angrily at her lettuce. “I’ve never even met your sister. Why won’t you come with me? You don’t have a work schedule to keep. Your mom will let you stay with Laura. Please come.” Sage’s eyes were wide with fear.

“C’mon, you don’t want me along.”

“Of course I do! I’m sure your sister’s nice, but I’m not going up there without you. I’m sorry, I should have
mentioned this earlier, but I just assumed you’d be coming. What’s the problem?”

I toyed with one of the toys and didn’t answer. Sage pushed her food away.

“Oh. It’s
that.”
There was no question as to what “that” was.

“No, Sage.”

“Don’t bother, Logan. I guess I’ll always be ‘one of those’ to you.” Her voice caught; she was suppressing a sob.

“That’s not it! Please don’t think that!” I glanced about to make sure we weren’t being overheard.

“What is it, then?” Her body was shaking.

“It’s … it’s nothing.”

Sage laid her face in her hands. “Tell your sister I’m sorry, but I can’t come.”

God, not the crying. Anything but that. “Okay, okay, I’ll come! I’ll call Laura and ask her to find me a place to sleep.” It wouldn’t be that bad, spending Saturday night in Columbia. Might actually be kind of fun.

Sage’s head shot up, a wide grin on her lips. “Great!” She began shoving food back in her mouth. There was no trace of tears on her face, and I got the feeling I’d just been bamboozled. It scared me. What else could Sage get me to agree to? I decided to change the subject.

“Sage, um, earlier today I saw you and Brenda talking.” It was a forced segue.
Hey, boss, I see you’re deciding on the promotions for next year
.

Sage immediately started smirking. “Yes. We were.” She grinned. There was a piece of lettuce caught in her braces.

“About what?” I prodded, tossing around a little Hamburglar action figure.

“This and that,” she said, being deliberately vague. I waved my fingers, encouraging her to elaborate.

“She wanted to know where I bought my earrings. We talked about clothes for a while.”

I pounded on Hamburglar until his little head popped off. “Forgive me for being suspicious, but why would Brenda want to go up and talk to you?”

“Because she’s a little jealous.”

“Right.”

“I don’t mean
jealous
, jealous. It’s just that she’s so used to you liking her, she’s having a hard time accepting that you’re moving on.”