The Truth About Faking (17 page)

Suddenly, I have an idea. I pull out my old list and read over it again. Then I take out a new sheet of paper and start to write:

“
Traits of Mr. Wrong (a.k.a., My NOT-Ideal Husband)”

1. He crashes into me with his car.

2. He wrecks my personal life.

3. He’s a bad influence.

4. He listens to me when I talk.

5. He refuses to give up…

…

I stop and sigh. Then I wad up the paper and lie back on my bed. Dad always says you should pray when confronted with a difficult decision. This seems kind of minor for praying, but maybe it isn’t. I close my eyes, but I’m only able to think
God, I’m so confused
… before I fall asleep.

I open my eyes again and it’s after four. The house is still quiet, and when I sit up, the piece of paper’s still a ball in my hand. I walk to the kitchen and throw it in the trash. Where the heck is Mom? My head was so fuzzy before breakfast, I didn’t feel like investigating, but now I’m starting to come around. I walk through the house looking for signs of anything. Then when I get back to the kitchen, I see her note.
Meeting with Ricky, back soon.
 

Hmm. She never meets with Ricky on Saturday. I remember last night at the game and her strange comment about the client problem. I’ve been so preoccupied with Jason and Trent, I actually forgot to worry about her. Now I’m not sure what to think.

My phone goes off, and I answer it before I even look to see who’s calling.

“
Isn’t it great to be in love?” Shelly gushes.

“
Oh, hey, Shel.” I’m not really in the mood for her right now. “I thought we didn’t
talk
on the phone anymore.”

“
Don’t be a pest. Are you going to ask me about last night?”

“
Huh?”

“
My date with Jason? Are you going to ask?”

I’d actually forgotten about that part, too. “Oh, right. How was your date with Jason?”

“
Amazing!”

“
Really?”

“
He is so super hot,” she says. “I’ve
got
to go out with him again tonight. We almost kissed.”

“
You did?” I try to sound impressed, but this is so far past awkward.

“
What if we all catch a movie or something?”

“
Oh!” My stomach does a clench. “No.”

“
What?”

“
I mean…” I’m panicking but trying to stay cool. “I mean, what a buzz-kill. We’d all be out with our recent exes.”

“
Hmm, I guess you’re right. I was just strategizing. So you excited about finally going out with the love of your life?”

“
I don’t know,” I say, not really listening.

“
What?”

“
What? I mean yes! No, I can’t wait.”

“
You’re being weird, but I want all the details. Got it?”

“
Yes. Details.”

She hangs up and now I really think I’m going to vomit. I am not the kind of person who sneaks out in the middle of the night with my best friend’s date. And Shelly would flip out if she knew what I was doing last night—drinking wine and kissing Jason. A little charge of excitement hits me at the thought. As if I needed more proof! Jason is clearly a bad influence. And now I’m supposed to go out with Trent and be able to judge my feelings for him. But I don’t have to judge my feelings—I know my feelings for Trent, right? Nothing’s changed!

This is not happening.

Only it is happening. Trent texts me to say he’ll pick me up at 6:45, and I’m still fussing with my hair. I look in the mirror, and of course! A zit’s popping out on my chin. Perfect. I dash across to Mom’s bathroom for concealer when she finally appears looking distracted. I don’t have time, but I ask her if anything’s wrong. She dismisses me with a wave and some comment about client business—her way of saying she doesn’t want to talk about it—and I let it go. Dad’s visiting at the nursing home in Glennville, so I’m left to myself, and by the time 6:45 rolls around, I’ve almost decided to call the whole thing off. But I don’t, and Trent’s very punctual.

“
Hey, Harley,” he smiles as I hold the front door open. Mom appears in the living room as usual to inspect my date, but I can’t see a thing objectionable in the quiet boy standing in front of me in his khakis and short-sleeved polo. Trent’s hair is done in his neat, short, almost-retro style that goes up on top. Nothing like Jason’s long, floppy brown shag.

“
Hey, Trent,” I smile back. We’re quiet a moment, then Mom walks up.

“
Hi, Mrs. Andrews,” Trent smiles, extending his hand.

She shakes it and then glances at the two of us. “Be home at 11,” is all she says.

I follow Trent out to his mom’s car. It’s a nice, reliable, air-conditioned Accord. Music is playing softly as we drive, and it sounds like something my dad would play. I decide Trent must not be that into music. But that’s okay, I reason. He can have other interests.

“
I was thinking maybe we could catch a movie?” he says.

“
Sure. What do you want to see?” I focus on leaving all that other stuff behind and enjoying on our date. My dream date with Trent. Yay!

“
Whatever you’d like,” he says, smiling.

We’re quiet again, and the music switches to some new adult contemporary song. I wish I could change it, but somehow that seems pushy. I glance over at Trent again. His skin tone is really even, and when he notices me looking he smiles, uncovering those perfect teeth and crinkling those pretty blue eyes.

“
What?” he asks.

“
I was just thinking,” I say, but I pause.

I can’t tell him I’ve been dreaming of this moment since sophomore year, or that I believe he could be my future husband. He’ll think I’m a nut job. Plus, I’m starting to feel like our future marriage has hit a rough patch, and I’m turning into Mr. Bender. Only without the whole family in Cambodia thing.

No, with all the after-hours sneaking, it’s more like I’m turning into something worse, like Shelly’s dad. I cringe at that thought.

“
It’s our first date,” I finish.

“
Yeah,” he nods. “Gotta start somewhere.”

I’m not sure what that means, but I steal one more glance at his soft lips. Just a few more hours, and I’ll get my chance to kiss them. And then hopefully all this confusion over Jason will disappear.

We walk up to the theater, and I nearly turn and run back to the car. Shelly and Jason are walking up, or more accurately, Shelly’s pulling Jason along behind her. I refuse to look at him.

“
What? Hey, guys!” she laughs. “I thought you didn’t want to see a movie.”

“
Hey, Shelly,” Trent says, smiling.

I can’t say a word.

“
This is great!” Shelly’s practically bouncing, holding Jason’s hand. He’s standing beside her with his other hand in his pocket. I glance up and meet his eyes for a split second.
Mistake!
I look away again fast. My cheeks feel pink.

“
Which one should we see?” she continues.

“
I don’t care,” I say.  I want to get out of here. Now.

“
That one’s supposed to be really funny,” Trent says, pointing.

He looks at me and smiles, waiting for my response, and mentally I shake myself. I have got to get control. Jason and I are just friends. But everything’s different since last night. Since that kiss, and him asking me not to go out with Trent.
Ugh!
It’s all too much.

“
Well, my vote’s always for a comedy,” Shelly pipes up, oblivious to the whole situation. Trent’s pretty oblivious as well.

“
Sounds good,” he says. “Okay with you?”

“
Sure!” My voice sounds weird, so I clear my throat and smile.

I can feel Jason’s eyes on me, and now I’m starting to get angry. He’s doing it again. Barging in and wrecking everything. Well, I’m not going to let him ruin my date. I take Trent’s hand and lace our fingers as we walk into the theater. Trent doesn’t really grasp my hand back, which is disappointing, but he doesn’t pull away either. I decide to take that as a good sign.

We find our seats, and Shelly and I sit beside each other in the middle with the boys on the outside. I reach over and clasp Trent’s hand again and refuse to notice Shelly’s hand on Jason’s thigh. The whole film I try to concentrate on what’s happening in front of us rather than what’s transpiring beside me. Shelly keeps whispering in Jason’s ear and giggling. At one point, I see her twisting her fingers in his hair. Assertive my butt, she’s just plain pushy. Dark chocolate with milk chocolate highlights. Jason doesn’t seem to be resisting too much. He’s got a lot of nerve acting like I’m doing something so unbelievable when he’s sitting over there allowing my best friend to practically undress him.

Trent’s very sweet. He doesn’t put his arm around me, but he does poke me in the ribs a few times at what I guess are the funny parts of this movie I’m not even watching. I smile, pretending like I’m having the greatest time. I study his mouth as he laughs. Maybe once I kiss him, my feelings will get back on track. He has to be the best kisser. He and Stephanie always seemed so into each other, and Stephanie isn’t exactly a nun. I think about Stephanie. What would the head cheerleader do in a situation like this? Somehow I can’t imagine her ending up in one. How do some people always seem to know the right thing to do all the time? I feel like I used to at least have an idea.

Finally the show’s over, and we all get up to leave.

“
That was nice,” I say, smiling at Trent.

“
Yeah,” he smiles back.

“
What are you guys doing now?” Jason asks, as if it’s any of his business.

“
Uh…” Trent looks at me.

“
Maybe we can just go back to my house?” I say. Maybe if I get him on the couch watching TV in the dark, we can get things moving.

“
Sure,” Trent says.

“
Sounds great!” Shelly gushes. “We’ll see you guys Monday.”

“
Or we could come by?” Jason suggests.

I cut my eyes at him, but Shelly’s on it.

“
Oh, Jason, I’m so hungry,” she says. “Maybe we could stop off for something instead?”

“
Yeah,” I agree. “And I can’t really have a lot of people over tonight. You know. Church tomorrow.”

Before another word can be spoken, Shelly’s pulling Jason away, and I take Trent’s hand to pull him to the car.

I try to chat about the movie as we drive the short distance to my house, but I didn’t really watch it. I think about other things he might be interested in. The radio’s still playing dumb ole parent music, so it can’t be that. I’m racking my brains… what did Jason say they were doing? Ultimate Frisbee? But when we turn onto my street, I freeze. Ricky’s car is at my house again, and this time it looks like two people are inside it.
Is my mom in Ricky’s car?
I don’t know what to do.

“
Uh… Wait!” I’m scrambling.

“
Huh?” Trent seems alarmed.

“
Let’s go to the creek instead!” It’s the first thing that pops into my head. “I just… I’d rather sit outside and talk. I know a great spot.”

“
Oh,” he seems to hesitate. “Sure.”

I direct him to the place Jason and I were last night. He parks the car at the road and we walk through the grass to the tree on the bank. The water’s rippling the same as before, and I remember it was a soothing sound last night. But I don’t feel relaxed tonight. I feel anxious and flustered. Trent sits with his back against the tree, and I sit beside him.

“
This is nice,” he says. We look at the dark water. I think about my dream and wonder why Ricky’s car is at my house late on a Saturday night. I wonder if that’s my mom in it, and if so, what are they doing? And right there in front of the whole neighborhood!

“
So I was thinking about your dad being a pastor,” Trent says, interrupting my thoughts. I look at him confused. Is that why he’s being so cautious?

“
Yeah?” I say.

“
What’s that like?”

I think about my answer. “I don’t know. He’s gone a lot.”

“
Is he real strict and stuff?”

I shrug. “Not any more than anybody else’s parents, I guess. I mean, most anybody else’s.” Shelly’s mom is way less strict. Especially since the divorce.

Trent nods. “My mom’s always searching my room.”

“
What? Why?”

“
I don’t know,” he sort of laughs, but it isn’t a happy sound. “I guess she thinks I’m hiding something.”

“
Well? I mean… are you?”

“
Whose side are you on?” He pokes me in the ribs and pretends to fight.

I push his arm. “Yours,” I say, with a smile. This is better.

We’re quiet again, listening to the water. For a moment, I forget about Mom and Ricky, and instead I feel concerned for Trent. Why did he tell me that?

“
So how do you know?” I ask. “Did you catch her?”

He shakes his head. “Sometimes I’ll come home, and I can tell she’s been in there. Looking under my bed and stuff.”

“
What for? Drugs? Dirty magazines?”

“
Maybe.”

“
Has she ever found any?”

Then he laughs and says like it’s an announcement, “There are no forbidden objects hidden in my room.”

I smile. Now things are really better between us. But he gets serious again.

“
I guess your dad doesn’t do that.”

I shake my head. “I mean… I don’t think so.”

A few seconds pass. The currents ripple by on the creek.

“
I like my dad,” I say. “But he’s very… preoccupied all the time. With the church and all. The flock.”