White is for Virgins (21 page)

“He’s out, I guess,” I replied, “I don’t really know. He’s barely ever home.”

She nodded, pressing her lips together in a straight line.

“Am I not allowed home early?” she smirked, answering my question.

Yep, that was my mother. She could not afford to be blunt when questioned. Her bright blue eyes scanned my expression for a moment before hinting a smile.

“I just needed a break from the office,” she sighed truthfully, “And since I’ve been working overtime I’ve got time on my hands. I assumed your father did too, but evidently that is not the case.”

“I guess he gets bored.” I shrugged. “Cooped up in this house all day, I’d go out too.”

She stayed quiet, pursing her lips. It didn’t take a mind reader to figure out she was pissed off. I was sure she would’ve preferred him to stay at home, typing up a plausible resume and applying for every job available within a half-hour radius of our home.

She served dinner – which consisted of steamed broccoli, beef, potato wedges, and mushrooms – and I salivated as I waited for it to cool off a bit. I missed her cooking… microwaved dinner couldn’t compete with a home-cooked meal.

“So how’s Nina?” she asked after a few small bites.

“Um… she’s good,” I replied awkwardly. I didn’t have much to say.

“That’s good,” she nodded, “How’s school?”

“Fine,” I shrugged. It wasn’t a complete lie. I’d made a friend; two if Ms.
Tibble counted. Three if Fox actually… never mind. I had two new friends.

“Wonderful,” she smiled, “I trust they’re challenging you, and you’re getting high marks.”

“Not much of a challenge as it is a nuisance,” I muttered, stabbing at my broccoli. I always tolerated the vegetable, not because of the taste, but because of the appearance. It was like eating little trees; trees that required lots of flossing after consumption.

“That’s my girl,” she stated proudly.

I smiled, studying my mother as we finished our plates. It was weird, eating dinner as a ‘family’. Not only because my father had missed it, but because my mom was seldom ever home that I’d grown unaccustomed to this lifestyle.

I never thought I’d be this hard to be in the company of my mom. But it was, and that thought scared me more than befriending Fox.

Chapter 15

Saturday came pretty quickly, and I found myself a bit more confident. The rumors had died down a lot, and instead of receiving incredibly heinous glares I wasn’t acknowledged at all. I was perfectly content with that.

The daycare gave me the day off to help with the blood drive.

The RCC never looked so small – everyone was shuffling in the lobby, lines were forming in front of the counter. Everyone was anxious to give Fox their paperwork, I skimmed it over real quick to make sure everything was filled and legible before handing it back to them. They were told to take a seat, even though seats were scarce, and to wait patiently for the stations to open up.

Nina was sitting on a chair in the hallway, babying Holly like crazy. Every ten minutes or so she called up a dozen or so names to go to the backroom, where their blood would be drawn.

This was going to be my first donation, and I was nervous. I had no problem with getting shots, if I closed my eyes. But having a needle
draw
my blood? That was beyond my comfort zone. I tried not to think about the pain, and focused on how many people we’d be helping.

A bitterly stern woman came up and handed Fox her form. He handed me the paper and I skimmed it, noticing the writing was incredibly… perfect. Mrs. Linda Eleanor Sawyer. I tried to keep my jaw from touching the ground as I handed her the paper back and forced a smile.

“Please take a seat and we’ll call you when they’re ready,” Fox said for me.

Hah! He actually sounded nice and cheery. This job is growing on him…

As she walked away, Fox and I turned to eye each other.

“Holy shit,” he smirked, “I feel sorry for whoever gets
that
transfusion.”

“You’re not sorry, you jerk,” I replied, “That’s a horrible thing to say.”

“You mean to tell me that you don’t think she’s filled with venom?” he whispered to me from the side as he passed me the next form.

I handed it back to the person in line, and replied with a smile, “I didn’t say that at all.”

We got back to work, surprised at how many other familiar faces had showed up.

Miss
Tibble, Lily, Nick, Mr. Aurell. I chatted away with Lily, while Nick and Fox kept a safe distance from us and shared their own conversation.

The room slowly started to clear out, and people stopped showing up. It was nearing 6 o’clock when Lily left. She said the pain was tolerable, and I sighed, still nervous as hell.

Fox himself was seated in the chair and hooked up, a bag slowly starting to fill with a crimson liquid.

Oh geez…

“Have fun, Evans,” Nick smirked as he flicked the needle taped inside the crook of Fox’s arm before running off. Fox winced and swore at him before smiling and looking over at me.

“It isn’t that bad,
Em,” he assured me. I believed him, for some odd reason.

“Ugh, that’s what everyone says,” I sighed, skeptically plopping down in a chair next to him.

The nurse came over with the needle, and I turned my head towards Fox. He stared at me intently, and I winced as the needle poked through my skin. I bit my lip and squinted.

“Oh, come on. You can’t tell me it hurts that bad,” he smirked.

It didn’t. But every now and then, when we had to squeeze the stress ball to get more blood out, I winced as I felt the sharp needle moving inside my vein.
Ugh.
I would forever hold a strong dislike for sharp objects.

The nurses went to the kitchen to get their lunches leaving Fox and I in the room.

“So, what would you be doing today if you weren’t here?” he asked me.

“I would be… sleeping,” I sighed, closing my eyes.

“Sleeping?” he asked in a ‘you’re-so-boring-it’s-almost-unbelievable’ tone.

“Yeah, a whole day at the daycare takes a lot out of you,” I explained.

“Oh yeah,” he nodded, “I forgot you take care of those rug rats
by choice
.”

“
Ehh, they’re not that bad.”

“You don’t have to live with one. Holly smothers me in my sleep,” he said, shivering for dramatic effect.

I smirked, “I doubt that.”

“She’s evil. Don’t let those eyes fool you – I’ll be sleeping peacefully and then out of nowhere she starts jumping on my stomach or pulling my hair.”

I started laughing, picturing Holly torture her brother. The images were adorable.

“I’m glad you find my trauma entertaining,” he muttered.

“You’re such a drama queen, Fox. The Terrible T’s got to you,” I sighed.

“Terrible T’s?”

“Teresa and Trisha,” I clarified. His lips formed an ‘O’ and then merged into a sly smile.

The nurses came back shortly, pulling the needle out of my sore arm. I got a Barney Band-Aid for my services.

Fox and I flexed our arms as we walked back to the lobby and took a seat on the couch.

“Speak of the devil,” he smirked as Holly waddled toward us.

“Oh, stop,” I laughed, picking her up and settling her on my lap so that she was facing me. My sore arm ached as I lifted her.

Fox watched as I cooed Holly and held her hands in mine. I would bounce my legs up and down, imitating a trotting horse, and then abruptly I’d split my legs so that she’d fall through. She laughed viciously at this, and I brought her back up and pulled my knees together, once again bouncing my legs beneath her.

After a few more rounds, I stopped and turned her to the side in my lap.

“You can keep her if you want,” Fox smirked.

I set Holly back on the floor and she walked toward Nina’s office.

It stayed quiet for a bit, and then I remembered something.

“Hey Fox, I um–” I started.

He looked over at me curiously.

“I never really got the chance to thank you. So… thank you,” I smiled sheepishly as I twirled my ponytail with my fingers. It’d been tied up today, and it felt strange not having it in my face.

“For what?” he asked.

“You know, for making your
Grand Cafeteria Speech
on Monday,” I stated, staring at my own hands now.

“Oh,” Fox said simply. I could hear him inhale, and looked over at him. He looked like he had more to say, but he didn’t.

Holly came waddling over at lightning speed, her knees threatened to buckle.

“Easy there Holly, the speed limit is 3 miles per hour,” Fox laughed as we both turned to her attention.

She tugged at his pant leg. “Fox, come,” she said tugging at his khaki pants urgently.

“Ok,” he said, giving in as he stood up and followed her.

She led him to Nina’s office, and I took a few steps in that direction myself.
Curiosity killed the cat, I know.