Effortless With You (34 page)

Nothing.

Huh, maybe he’s not …

Yikes! I’ve reached my LOST playlist and my heart stumbles over itself as I quickly turn the music back down until I can get a more trendy song on.

“Hey, I was listening to that,” a voice says from outside my window. I
knew
he was home. Darn boy ignoring a prancing half-naked girl next door. Gosh, I thought I was doing this right. I adjust my bra to make my boobs look extra luscious, and then smoothly appear in his line of sight.

Zak is at his computer, books piled next to him. He rubs his eyes and blinks a couple times before staring back at the screen, brow furrowed. Totally not looking at me or my boobs.

“What exactly were you listening to?” I ask, using my seductive voice guys, well,
most
guys, fall over.

Looking at me—about time—he shakes his head at my revealing attire before reaching over to a cord I can’t see. His blinds shut with a rejected
smack
!

Youch.

I examine my boobs, but there’s nothing wrong there. Maybe I have a booger or something.

Nope. No booger, no drool, nothing.

Just me.

Great, now I’m all self-conscious. I’m not gonna even attempt a party appearance.

I throw on my pajamas—the big unflattering ones—and slouch on the bed. Stupid geek boy and the hold he has on me. I shouldn’t care what he thinks.

But I do. Because I care what
everybody
thinks.

I sigh and look out the window again. The sun dips below the horizon, casting orange and yellow streaks across Zak’s blinds, like something out of
Harry Potter.
Just super full of cool magic beans. I wonder if Zak’s still sitting there at his computer, typing away or plunging his nose into one of his thousands of books.

I shake my head. What does it matter what he’s doing? I. Should. Not. Care.

I hop off the bed, slam my own blinds shut, and whip the curtains together. My gaze flicks to the shelves lining the wall. They have been carefully constructed to conceal accusing material, with colorful doors that slide across them, revealing some things, and hiding others. Out of habit, I check over my shoulder before I slide open one of the doors, hiding the lines of lip glosses and compact mirrors and opening the section of the shelf holding several books about the X-Men.

I quickly grab the desired book and a flashlight and slam the door shut again. Some of the lip glosses topple over, but I make no attempt to straighten them. Must get under the covers stat! I curl up in the middle of my bed and throw the comforter over myself.

My sanctuary lies here as I open the book I’ve read thousands of times and purge my mind with paragraphs about The Dark Phoenix. Jean Grey is my idol. No one will ever know, but I base most of my wardrobe off her.

I don’t know how long it’s been before my phone buzzes on my nightstand. Yeah, my mind turns off to the rest of the world when I “nerd-out.” I turn off the flashlight and pull the comforter off my head, keeping the book hidden as I reach over for the cell.

My stomach used to flutter whenever I read Cody’s name on the caller I.D., but now I feel nothing. I really don’t want to talk to my current boyfriend. He’d just call me some absurd pet name and ask where I was. So I let voicemail grab it.

I hear the text jingle a few minutes later as I am carefully placing my book back on its shelf.

Where is ur sxy ass???? U better get here b4 any more chicks hit on me.

Ugh. I think his ego can keep him company for a while. Still, I let him know who’s in charge of this relationship.

Another rule that’s off the record: stay in control of all the boys you let kiss you. That way they don’t end up in your pants. Nasty.

I’m sick. Thx so much 4 ur concern.

There’s no response, but I don’t care. It won’t be the first boyfriend who found someone new before breaking it off with me. I do
not
put out. Though, I don’t care if they tell people I do. Helps with the rep without me actually having to do the gross part. Score!

I kinda feel bad for the girl who ends up in his arms tonight. Cody is a totally status thing. I use him and he uses me. We both know it, and neither of us really cares. It’s been about three weeks, so we’ve pretty much hit our limit anyway. He is a good kisser though. I’ll give him that one.

I look at the closed curtains, thinking of another boy with amazing kissing abilities, but I shove the thought from my mind before I lose it completely.

“Hey, I thought you were going out tonight?” My younger sister waltzes in and plops on my bed. Her dark brown hair has been curled into corkscrews and she’s covered in pounds of makeup. She’s wearing a blue shirtdress with a thick belt around her middle, making what little bosom she has look bigger. She’s only fourteen, but in this outfit, and that hair, she could pass for my age. I raise my eyebrows at her.

“And you thought you’d tag along?”

“Mom and Dad won’t know, and I’ll leave you alone. I promise.”

I shake my head. “I’m not going. So you can’t either.”

“Why not?”

“There’s gonna be alcohol, Sierra.”

She gives me a look that says “You’re the biggest hypocrite.” She’s totally right so I play the tattletale card.

“And because I’ll tell Mom and Dad you went out while they were gone.”

She stands and smiles. “You know, if you’re going to start tossing around threats, I’d be a little more worried about what
I’d
tell them about
you
.”

I give her my best impression of Gollum on crack. “Fine, go out. See if they even let you in without me.”

She tosses her hair over her shoulder and narrows her eyes. “Fine. I will.” She storms out of my room and my gut tells me to go after her, but my pride blocks my exit.

I sit and catch my breath before I finally get out into the hallway.

“Sierra, wait!” I call down the stairs. Hopefully I’ve caught her in time. Letting my fourteen-year-old sister go to an all-night alcohol fountain party wouldn’t exactly make me a responsible older sister, even though I never really fit into that category. Still seems wrong to at least not try to get her to stay.

“Sierra!” I get to the bottom of the staircase and she comes out from the formal living room, scaring the poo out of me.

“Someone’s here to see you,” she says bitterly as she pushes me to the side to get upstairs. Instead of socking her in the butt, like I want to, I kink my neck to see around the wall. What the hell is Cody doing here? His back is turned to me and he’s holding something in his hand. I duck back upstairs to change into my sexy pajamas. No way is he seeing me in these old baggy ones.

I grab the black silk shorts and cami and hurry and slip them on. I let my fake deep red hair down—you know, Jean Grey—so it cascades down my back and I quickly run my fingers through it. I don’t worry about makeup, just slab some gloss on my lips. After all, I am “sick.” But girls like me have to look good at their worst.

I throw a light blanket over my shoulders and walk back to Cody. He still has his back to the entryway.

Okay Geek Zoe, it’s been fun, but Cody can’t know you exist.

I take another deep breath and get ready for my act. “What are you doing here?” I ask, letting my phony anger soak into my voice.

He turns around and his eyes widen at my ensemble.

See? There’s nothing wrong with
me
. It’s Zak who has a problem.

“Uh …” he stutters as he clears his head. “I thought maybe since you were too sick to go out, we’d stay in.” He holds up a movie, which I’m surprised to see is a total chick flick. Gross. But popular Zoe likes that crap.

“Do you feel guilty about something?” I’ve been through this stuff before. He’s totally trying to make up for something he did that he shouldn’t have done.

Oh well, time for a new boyfriend anyway.

His eyes lower to the floor and I take in a deep breath and wait for it. The inevitable “I cheated on you” or “I found someone else.”

“I’m sorry about that text. I didn’t mean to make you upset. I was only kidding, really.”

I stare at him, not able to erase the shock from my face. “Huh?”

“I know you haven’t had the best luck when it comes to your exes. I was being stupid. Forgive me?” He throws me a puppy-dog face.

Now I’m really thrown and I’m not sure how to respond. So I just mumble incoherencies.

“Um … I guess … sure … uh-huh …”

“So,” he says, furrowing his brow and crossing over to me, “we’re cool?”

I give him a nod, but then remember I have a part to play. I fold my arms across my waist and gaze up into his handsome face. His dark hair has been tousled across his forehead and frames his deep brown eyes perfectly. He’s getting a five o’clock shadow on his cheeks and chin. Yeah … definitely a status thing with him.

“Don’t treat me like that. I deserve better.” I don’t really mean that. In fact, right now I deserve a lot worse.

“I promise it won’t happen again.”

He takes me into his arms, but I keep mine folded, not responding to his hug. I do let out a fake sigh of defeat and say into his chest, “Okay.”

He pulls back and tilts my face to slap a kiss on me. As usual, I remove myself from the embrace—metaphorically—and think about more pleasant company. Maybe Obi-Wan, but not like old fart Obi-Wan. Heck, I’d take Neville Longbottom before I made out with an old guy, even if he did have The Force.

A different kind of urgency pushes from behind Cody’s lips and I’m snapped back into reality. I pull away, afraid of what he’s thinking.

“I’m sick, remember,” I say, wiping my soggy lips with the tips of my fingers. Gag.

“I don’t care,” he says as he tries to pull me in again. I put my hands on his chest and push back, leaning my head away from his face.

“I do.” I use my stern and controlling voice, but it’s not fake this time. He better keep those pervy lips away from me.

He looks like he wants to argue, but he lets go. I almost let out the huge sigh of relief I’d been holding in my chest, but I catch it before I do. I mean, for all he knows, I’m a girl who lets just about anyone between her legs. He entwines his fingers with mine and mumbles, “So … do you want me to go?”

“Yeah. I don’t want you to catch it.”

“You don’t sound sick.” His voice is barely audible.

“Well, I am.”

He pauses a moment and looks behind me, into the hallway. I crane my neck to see what he’s looking at, but I’m forced back into an awkward embrace, his mouth trying to swallow me whole.

I can’t move. His fingers latch into my spine and yank some of my hair.
What the hell is he doing?
I start clawing at his body, trying to break free from his strong arms.

“Holy shit, Cody!” I shout the second I get his face away from me. “What the hell was that?”

“Come on, Zoe.” His hands continue to dig into my back. I wish I would’ve kept the baggy pajamas on because I’m sure he’s drawing blood.

“Get. Off. Me.” I’m wiggling around, hoping he’ll let me go, but his grip tightens.

He smiles. Not one that’s sexy or anything, but a very nasty and uber-creepy grin. If my legs weren’t trapped, I’d knee him right in the balls. “Every guy you’ve been with only dated you to get in your pants.” His grip tightens again and I try to keep my face as far away from his as I can. “You know it. I know it. You can’t be mad at me for doing exactly what you were doing.”

“Which is what?” I spit. He really needs to let go before I go bat-shit crazy on him. This is getting really scary.

“Dating each other ‘til we got something out of it.”

I can’t find my heart anymore. My eyes fill up and the tears almost spill over. He’s right.

Which sucks. I’m so stupid. I should have expected at least one of the boys I dated to be upset about not getting some, so upset they’d take it into their own hands.

“I want you to leave me alone.”

“I helped you out. How many people get jealous whenever I touch you?” He reaches up and brushes my hair from my face. I’m tempted to bite his finger off. “How many clubs have you gotten into because I know someone?” His lips are near inches away from mine, his hand now locked around my jaw so I can’t move. “I think since I’ve done my part, it’s only fair you do yours.”

My lips form obscenities around his as he mashes them against me. I’m wiggling like crazy, trying with every bit of strength I have to get away from him. I think I got in a good hit somewhere, but he’s not letting go.

He bites down on my bottom lip, causing a yelp of pain to escape my mouth. I keep quiet after that and he moves his kisses to my cheeks, my neck, my chest, while I still try to get out of his grasp.

Oh my gosh! Is this really happening? What is he going to do to me? How far will this go? I try to detach myself—again metaphorically—but it’s impossible. No one has ever attacked me like this before, and tears start to leak out the corners of my eyes.

One of his hands clasps my butt cheek as he moves me upstairs. My stomach plummets as I hope against all hope Sierra stays in her room. She cannot see this. I don’t want her to see this.

We get to the top of the landing and I hear a doorknob turn, but it’s not from Sierra’s room. It’s the front door which is in plain view from where Cody has me pinned. Cody hears it too and he shoots upright, letting go of me long enough so I can fix my top before someone walks in.

“Hello?”

I’m too relieved to be confused about Zak standing in the doorway. I jog down the stairs, coming within inches of his body, but stop myself from hugging him. My arms drop and I pretend I was going to scratch my head, looking like an idiot. His puzzled face would be comical if it weren’t for the tense atmosphere. I take a small step away as Cody descends the staircase. I search deep inside my voice box for a cheery tone and blink away the water from my eyes. “Hey, uh … my dad’ll be home in a minute and he can get you that book you wanted. I’m not sure where he put it. You can sit over there if you wanna wait.”

I’m so glad Zak knows when to act stupid and when to play along. “Thanks, Zoe.” He goes into the living room and sits down, not taking his eyes off me and my now
very
ex-boyfriend. No way will that guy ever get near me again. Cody looks like he just got attacked by fire ants with how red he is. He clears his throat and looks at me.