Page 18 of Stephan

“You don’t want to go to America?”

“I like visiting, but I don’t want to livethere.”

“Does Derick want to do the same thing asyou?”

“Nope. Derick wants to be an architect. He’sawesome at sketching. He already has plans drawn up for his house.Mum and Dad have said we can build on our part of the land once wegraduate from school. Mine is to the left of the main house andDerick’s is to the right. Dustan has a huge section next to mine. Idon’t have a design for mine yet. I want my wife to help me with itsince we’ll both be living in it.” He glanced at me and I turnedaway looking back out the window.

I was surprised he and his brother were soorganized. I didn’t expect him to have his life so planned out.“Where are your parents?”

“They’re in their apartment in Melbourne.Dad’s closing on a deal but they’ll be back by Wednesday.”

They had an apartment in Melbourne? The moreI learned the more I found out they were richer than I could everimagine. I was so out of my element. I was the poor little girlwith the druggie mother who died of an overdose and a grandpa whosells drugs and owns a shitty little dive bar, even if I wasinterested in Stephan he was way too good for me. I sat quietly andfocused on the scenery.

“What’s your favorite color? Mine’s orange. Ilike the orange as it covers the sky at dusk.”

He kept surprising me. Who knew he would likeorange for that reason. “Blue.” Wait, no it wasn’t, I loved pinklike a girly-girl, why had I said blue? Stephan smiled. Ah, as Ilooked into those eyes I knew exactly why I’d said blue. “Blue likethe deep ocean.”

“What’s your favorite thing to do? Mine is toplay sports. I like staying active.”

I remembered rugby practice. Yeah, I likedsports too, at least I did if it involved seeing the Silvermanbrothers shirtless. “Watching a storm. I like sitting on a chairwith a blanket and watching lightning crack across the sky. I usedto do it all the time with Mum. It was the only thing we bondedover.” One of my positive memories of her—the two of us sitting onchairs snuggling together and watching the skies. I closed my eyesand let the memories bombard me.

“I didn’t mean to make you cry. I just wantedto get to know you better.”

I touched my cheek, and was surprised to feelthe wetness. I didn’t realize I’d started crying. “You didn’t makeme cry. You made me think of some really good things me and Mum didtogether. Thank you for being so sweet.”

His lips thinned and he nodded.

He looked aggravated and even his cheeks weretinged pink. I wondered what I’d said wrong now.

“Er…okay next question. What’s your dreamcar?”

“I don’t have my license or the money forlessons, but if I suddenly did, I’d buy a red VolkswagenBeetle.”

We talked about our friends for the rest ofthe way. How long we’d known them and trouble we’d gotten into.

By the time we reached the city I wasenjoying myself. I ached to ask him to take me to my oldneighborhood, but it was another twenty minutes away, and he wasalready parking at the shopping center.

Stephan came around and opened my door,helping me down. He reached for my hand and I shook him off, but hedidn’t let it go. We walked to the entrance and went up theescalators to the shops.

“Let’s go get some food first, I’mstarving.”

My tummy growled, but I didn’t have any moneywith me. I didn’t want to say anything so I just followed him.

*****

Stephan

Jade wasn’t going to make this easy. Sheargued when I’d bought her food, but caved eventually and ate whatI bought her while telling me she was going to pay me back. Ha. Shehad another thing coming if she thought I’d take a cent of hermoney. I intended to slip a fifty into her bag later when shewasn’t looking. I wanted to give her more, but I hoped she wouldn’tnotice it with it being such a small amount.

Now we were arguing within the phone shop,or more accurately she was attempting to argue with me. The shopassistant wasn’t listening to her, for which I was grateful, butJade still didn’t stop.

“I mean it, Stephan. You can’t buy me a phoneworth that much. And under no circumstance will I have a plan whereyou pay for it.” She crossed her arms and tried to stare me down. Ishook my head, Jade should know by now she’d never win this game. Istared back and raised my eyebrow. She broke away first and glancedaround.

“Look, what about this one?” Jade pointed toa cheap hundred dollar phone.

It had a camera but it was only fourmegabytes. I wasn’t getting her that one. She was getting the onewith satellite connection so she could call from anywhere. It alsohad top of the line of everything. I’d be able to find her anywhereif she had the phone on her.

Gathering her to me, I hugged her. I knewshe’d come willingly because people were watching. “It’s done,little bit. The sales assistant has gone to get the contract andphone. I’ve already given him my bank details.”

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