Page 30 of Bring me Back

I refused to think about Delilah and my quasi fight with Daniel, because when I thought about that, I had to think of why I bothered sharing my reasoning with him. I’ve been quiet all my life. I was considered a doormat by many and I never cared to correct them. Until him. I didn’t want him to think I was stupid. But why did I care so much what he thought of me?

“Are you ready?”

I turned around to find the devil himself watching me. I frowned, tracing my eyes through the backstage, wondering how the hell was he able to sneak on me.

“Ready for what?”

“You forgot our deal?” he faked outrage.

I racked my brain trying to remember what he was talking about, but he interrupted me before I reached a conclusion. “What did you promise me if I got a fundraiser?”

My eyebrows soared. “You did it? You got us a fundraiser?”

With a devilish smile, he walked straight to the plastic bag full of my silk flowers and took them, extending his hand to me. “Come on, Cricket. Let’s go.”

I closed my hand, scratching my palm to relieve the need of reaching for his stretched hand. “Tell me about the fundraiser,” I asked instead.

Daniel swung the bag left and right, bringing down his outstretched hand, making me feel lost. Why didn’t I take his hand? What was wrong with me?

“I got us a booth in the carnival,” he was saying. “We just need something to sell…”

“Like cupcakes or something?”

He shook his head. “Everything was taken. She’ll only let us have it if we bring something original to not take business from other booths.”

I crossed my arms over my chest. “So you partially did it.”

“No. I know we can beat the challenge. I brought reinforcements already.”

I arched an eyebrow. “What reinforcements?”

“My sister-in-law.”

I laughed. He seemed to like that. “So, what’s our booth for?”

“That is all on you.” And he looked so excited, it almost infected me as well.

“Abby had an idea. I imagine you have costumes lying around, don’t you? Besides the ones here?”

I lifted a shoulder. I wanted to know where he was getting at.

“That could be our booth. You can bring the costumes and dress up the little girls in Princesses’ dresses and…”

In a second, my mind was already racing. “I have cosplays too, for the older kids. But then maybe we need to get a backdrop and a camera too? Still, we couldn’t print the picture straight out… that would cost…”

He interrupted me. “Not a bad idea. I will get the details. But that means you have it? The costumes?”

I nodded, distracted. “I have a few things with me. I can go to the city and ask Ms. Handall to lend the things I left with her…”

“Who’s Ms. Handall?”

I was already cataloging costumes in my mind. “She’s a theater teacher just beside the place I used to live. I started helping her with costumes and donating a few things.”

Daniel smiled, shaking his head. “You think she’ll be ok to lend us for a day? We guarantee to bring it all back. I can drive you.”

“My dad can give me a ride. Don’t worry.” And I regretted the minute I said it. I preferred much more going for a day trip with Daniel. I still hadn’t got over the amazing smell of him and leather all over his truck.

His left eyebrow twitched for a second, but he unfortunately didn’t push. I tried to get past the disappointment and concentrate on the plan. If we could let the parents take the pictures without getting them printed, we could run the whole thing for nothing. I knew I had enough costumes to cause a little stir. From beautiful princess dresses and fairy wings to cosplays of the best fantasy worlds; I knew it would please a crowd and most of my clothes were made to fit many people, anyway. I designed it so Ms. Handall could use them over and over again.

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