Char (20 page)

Everybody? Why does the thought of Tristan being with other girls make me extremely jealous? “My sex life is none of your business.”

“Come on!” She whines a little bit when she says it. Most people would probably be annoyed by it, but I’m used to Candi. She whines about
everything
. And Layla really isn’t that bad. She’s just a little spoiled. I probably would be if I was an only child too.

“You and Tristan Becker…” I hear a voice from behind, and I turn to see Sofia Clifton and her friends.

I roll my eyes. Really? Is that all anybody is going to talk about? “What about Tristan and me?”

“Nothing. I’m just wondering
what the hell
he sees in
you
,” she says. Her eyes glance over my body. “Though I suppose you
do
have a nice body. Your ass is a little big, but I hear some guys like that…”

My ass is a little big?
I want to smack this girl, but I’d rather not get suspended over somebody so stupid.

“I’m thinking you must be
really
good in bed,” she continues. “I guess you’re a whore, just like your big sister, Candice.”

I feel my face grow warm. Nobody, but me and Chloe, are allowed to call Candi a whore. “If I were you, I would shut up and walk away.”

“Why? You going to do something about me? You’re the one who called her a whore on TV.” She laughs. It’s high pitched, and annoying. “I give Tristan a month. He will definitely get tired of you. It’s a passing fling, so I hope you enjoy it. He’s probably still screwing girls at Columbia.”

The need to punch the bitch is overwhelming. “You’re just jealous because he’s
mine
, and he has never given you a second glance. Though, I wouldn’t either. It’s called a
boob job
, honey. And you need one.”

“Well you…” she cuts off. I can tell she’s trying to think of something mean to say. “Why don’t you just go back to California?”

“Aw, you would like that, wouldn’t you?” I laugh.

“Yes, I would, you miserable bitch. And trust me, you will be going back there after you get your heart broken by Tristan. He’s a man whore, and I give him two weeks before he cheats on you,” she says. “When he does, call me. I’ll drive you to the airport.”

“You think I’m so pathetic that if Tristan dumped me I’d run away? I wouldn’t run. I’d stay right here, with you, and I’d make your life a living hell. Because,
unlike you
, I don’t need a man to feel good about myself.”

Sofia’s friends all gasp, but she remains silent. Probably because she knows I’m right.

“Now, if you’re done
bullying
me, I’d really like to talk to my
friend
, Layla, before I have to go to class.”

“Layla? Really?” she says. “Out of everybody in this school you could have been friends with, you choose her?”

“You think I could have made a better choice? Like
you
?” I ask sarcastically. “I didn’t hang out with people like you in California, so why would I start now? Layla is
real.
She’s never once pretended to be somebody she’s not.”

“Yeah, right. Look at her,” she says. “She’s already trying to dress like you. I’ve never seen her wear her hair down, and what’s up with the bangs?”

Layla has stayed silent this whole time, but she steps up closer to me. “Changing my appearance doesn’t change
me
. Are you mad because guys actually pay attention to me now? I know how you hate competition.”

“
You
think you’re a
threat
to
me
? Please. Not even a haircut and makeup can change the fact that you’re a freak.”

Layla coughs. “Right. So you’re saying that hanging out with Charlotte really
hasn’t
changed me? Geez, Sofia, get your story straight.”

Sofia remains silent for a second, and then turns to her friends. “Come on, girls. They aren’t worth the hassle.”

She turns and walks away, followed by her friends. Layla and I both turn to each other and laugh.

“What a miserable bitch,” Layla says.

“Ugh, yeah. Could she be anymore pathetic?”

“Probably.”

Layla and I walk to class, and I decide to forget everything that Sofia said. She’s really
not
worth it. I’m glad I didn’t slap her, because getting suspended would probably ruin my chances of getting into Columbia. As satisfying as it may be, I won’t let her ruin my future over the fact that she’s jealous of who my boyfriend is.

6pm

Change is a good thing.

After school, I get a call from Chloe. She’s in New York again and wants to have dinner with me… and she’s bringing Phillip. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised — he
is
her boyfriend. But I wanted to spend time with just her.

UGH! Listen to me. I am
jealous
of my big sister’s boyfriend. I am officially pathetic.

Since Phillip is coming, Chloe wants to go somewhere nice, so I have to dress up. I wear a red lace dress with a navy liner, a matching pair of red pumps, and a navy blue scarf. It’s starting to get a little cold at night, and I’m kind of excited about accessorizing with scarfs. It’s usually too warm to wear them much in Malibu. I’m also looking forward to wearing boots and leggings.

“You look really nice,” my dad says as I come down the stairs. He’s just coming home from work. “I thought Tristan didn’t come on Tuesdays.”

“He doesn’t,” I tell him. “I’m having dinner with Chloe and her new boyfriend, Phillip. They’re in town again. I think they’re doing promotions for
Drama Queen
or something.”

“I wonder why she didn’t call me.” I hear disappointment in his voice, and I feel bad. Chloe
should have
invited him, or at least stopped by to say hi to him.

“You can come.” It might piss Chloe off, but I don’t care. I don’t want him to feel left out.

“If your sister would have wanted me there, she would have invited me herself,” he tells me. “You go ahead. Have fun, and tell your sister that I miss her.”

Part of me feels bad for leaving, but I’m excited about seeing Chloe. I will have to talk to her about coming to see Dad. She hasn’t seen him in a while. It would be good for the both of them. Outside, the limo is waiting for me. The restaurant is only a few blocks away, but there is no way that I am walking there in these heels.

My phone vibrates with a text.

Chloe:
We are in the back.

Me:
Awesome. I’m almost there.

When I get there, the hostess takes me to the back where Chloe and Phillip are sitting. Well, not really sitting. They’re currently making out.
Gross
. I have a sudden urge to gouge my eyeballs out with a fork. That is definitely not something I ever wanted to see — ever. Which is the main reason I don’t watch
Shores of Malibu
. I hate seeing Candi make out with all those guys. At least
Drama Queen
is sort of clean. It’s a teenage show, so they don’t show too much.

I cough loudly, and they pull back. “I’ve suddenly lost my appetite.”

Chloe laughs. “Char, it’s so good to see you. You know Phillip.”

“Hi,” I nod my head at him, and then turn back to Chloe. “I’m so glad that you called me. I figured you were mad at me for how we left it last time…”

She waves me off. “It’s alright. Sisters fight. Plus, Candice told me that you apologized to her.”

Wow. Candi and Chloe are
actually
talking on a regular basis. Have I stepped into some alternate universe? They generally avoid each other. “So you and Candi are finally getting along?”

“Well, she is my little sister,” she says. “Family shouldn’t hold grudges.”

I wonder what she means by that. I never actually understood
why
her and Candice stopped getting along. For me, it was when she started being arrogant. But with Chloe, it started long before that, and I always wondered what happened.

“Speaking of family, you should call Dad,” I tell her. “I know that he misses you, and he’d love to see you. I think he was disappointed that he didn’t get invited today.”

Her face hardens. “Well, that’s his problem. He should have thought about that
before
he abandoned us.”

Chloe took the divorce a lot harder than Candice and I. Honestly, I don’t remember much about it. “He may have abandoned us, but he’s here now. You should let him make it up. He loves you, and I know he regrets not being around more.”

She clears her throat. “Did Mom tell you that they changed the date of filming for the romantic comedy, so I get to do the zombie movie too?”

“No, she didn’t. That’s awesome! I know you really wanted to do that movie.”

“And Phillip’s manager was able to pull some strings, so he will be in the movie too,” she says. “So I won’t have to go to Arizona without him.”

“That’s great.” Part of me wonders if they are getting too serious too fast, but then I realize that I am the same way with Tristan. We see each other practically everyday, and we literally
just
started dating. I definitely wouldn’t want to leave him for three months… I guess you can’t help how you feel.

“There is a reason we wanted to have dinner with you,” Phillip tells me, and then turns to Chloe. He looks at her like she hung the stars and moon, and I can’t help but swoon. I’m happy that Chloe found him. “Do you want to tell her?”

“Sure.” She smiles big. “Phillip and I have decided to get married.”

“Married?” I choke on my water. “Are you serious?”

“Yes,” she says. “On December twenty first. And I want you and Candice to be my maids of honor.”

“Next year?” I ask.
Please say next year.

“This year.”

Okay. December. That’s three months from now. Oh my God.
Be calm
, I tell myself.
Don’t tell her it’s a huge mistake. Even though it is.
“I’d love to be your maid of honor.” My voice is unnaturally high. “Are you sure you want to get married so soon though? A lot of planning goes into a wedding. Maybe it would be better to wait until
next year
. And you would know each other better then too.”

“We don’t want to wait,” Phillip says. “There is a reason
why
we want to get married so soon.”

Chloe looks at me with a huge smile on her face. “I’m pregnant.”

“With a baby?” I ask stupidly. Of course she’s pregnant
with a baby
. I guess stress sometimes makes people say stupid things.

“No, an alien,” she jokes. “Of course I’m pregnant with a baby.”

“So you’re getting married
because
of the baby?”

“No,” Phillip answers. “We are getting married because we love each other. We’re getting married in
December
because we want to get married before the baby is born.”

“Why before?” I ask. “Why not wait until after? Then you can lose all the baby weight and fit into you dress. And how are you going to do the movie while you’re pregnant?”

“Well, filming for
Drama Queen
stops in March. I will deliver in May. And the zombie movie starts in mid June, so I will just have to work hard to lose all my baby weight before then. And with the right camera angles and clothing, we should be able to hide my baby bump on
Drama Queen
.”

“So you’re due in May?”

“I think so,” she says. “It’s really the only possible time. I haven’t been to the doctor yet.”

“Wait, didn’t you just have sex for the first time like three weeks ago? How do you even
know
?” I ask.

“Well, I was a day late for my period. I’m like
never
late, so I took one of those early response tests, and it’s positive,” she answers. “I just found out Saturday.”

“So you haven’t went to the doctor to confirm it yet?”

“Not yet. But I will,” she says. “I have an appointment in two weeks to have everything checked out.”

Part of me wants to smack some sense into Chloe. She’s twenty four years old, she’s been dating this guy for three weeks, she’s already engaged to him, and having his baby. Why didn’t she use protection? And the other part of me is excited that she’s happy. I’m excited she’s having a baby. After all, she
is
twenty-four. If she wants to have a baby, she should. I just wish she would have planned better.

I remind myself that I said I’d be a better sister. I force a smile. “I’m really happy for you, Chloe. Congratulations.”

She smiles. “Thanks.”

“I also think you should tell Dad. In person. But maybe leave out the part that you’ve been dating Phillip less than a month.”

“You’re right. I should tell him before it’s on the news.”

“Definitely,” I say. “So what did Mom and Candice say about this?”

“I actually
haven’t
told them yet. I wanted you to be the first to know. You’ve always been there for me. And even though we had a stupid fight, you’re still the most important person to me. You
actually
support me. I don’t know what I would do without you.”

Her words make me feel happy. It feels good that I’m the first person, besides Phillip, that she has came to. “Things are going to change now, aren’t they?”

“Yes,” she says. “But it’s not necessarily a
bad thing
. Change is good.”

I look at Chloe and Phillip. They are holding hands under the table, and I can tell by the way they are looking at each other that they really
are
in love. Will it last forever? I don’t know. But even if they dated one year, or five years, how could they
know
for sure? Why wait? Neither of them want to. And either way, they are kind of stuck with each other for the next eighteen years. So I will be here for Chloe, and I will support her. I know that if the roles were reversed, she would do the same for me. Besides, I am kind of excited. I’m going to be an aunt.

Chloe is right. Maybe change
is
a good thing.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14

5pm

Scarlett Ryan Concert

Since dinner last week, Chloe and I have talked everyday. Usually just a couple minutes on the phone, but it’s been nice. She went to her first doctor’s appointment yesterday, and it went well. She found out she conceived the first night they had sex, and she is due on May nineteenth. I can tell she’s very happy about it, and I am happy for her.