Violet is Blue (Hothouse series) (3 page)

Ivy scrunched up her nose. “Weird.”

“If Jordan's writing poetry, it would be a first.”

“Mark seems to think that Jordan can change.”

Dahlia patted my hand. “Your step-father is the ultimate optimist.  He thinks everyone can change.  The only changing Jordan is doing, is his clothes.”

“Maybe you have a secret admirer,” Ivy said.

“That’s what my mom said.” I balled up the napkin. “It’s just creepy, you know? I mean who does that?”

“Oh my God!” Ivy squealed through laughter as she dropped the phone to the table.

“What?!” Both me and Dahlia said at the same time.

She put a hand over her mouth, still laughing. She pointed to the phone. “It’s a dick.”

“What?” I picked up my phone and looked at the picture. I had to squint but it was indeed a picture of a dick on my phone.

Dahlia plucked it from my hand and looked. “Whose is that? It’s not Jordan’s is it?”

“God no!” I cringed.

“Oh my God.” Ivy’s eyes got really wide. “Devon took pictures of his junk with your phone.”

Dahlia burst out laughing, and thumbed the next photo. “Yup, here’s another one. And another.”

Ivy snatched it from me, laughing hard. “Wow, he’s got a big one.”

“Give me that.” I took it back from my friend, and slid it into my purse.

“Aren’t you gonna delete those pictures?” Dahlia grinned.

“Yes, I’m gonna delete them.”

Ivy put her arm around me. “I think she’s going to keep them and masturbate to them.”

I shrugged off her arm, anger starting to swirl in my gut. “Fuck off.”

Ivy flinched, her eyes wide. “Whoa. We’re just having some fun, V. Take it down a notch.”

“Whatever, let’s just go.” I stood, and grabbed my bags. The last thing I wanted to discuss was Devon. Especially his penis. It was none of their business that I often thought of him. And his penis.

When I returned home weighted down by all my shopping, I discovered a vase in the kitchen with a dozen red roses in it.  I wondered what the occasion was and if I’d missed some important date for my mom.  It definitely wasn’t her birthday.

I glanced at the card and saw my name scrawled on it and not Hannah, which was my mom’s.  I plucked it from its perch and read it.  Thinking of you, always. No signature.

Mark entered the kitchen. “Those came while you were gone.”

“I thought they were Mom’s.”

“Who are they from?”

I shrugged. “Don't know.  The card's unsigned.”

“Your mystery man again?”

I shrugged. “I guess.” I leaned into a flower and sniffed. The smell was lovely and it made me smile. “I’m going to take them up to my room.” I picked up the vase.

“I’m going for a run later, if you want to join me.”

“Pass. I’m gonna chill before I have to get ready.”

“Oh right, Ivy’s big party tonight.” He smiled. “Sounds like fun.”

“You know Ivy.  It should be epic.”

In my room, I set the flowers down on my desk by the window.  I trailed my fingers over the petals loving the soft feel of them on my skin. I settled onto my bed and stared at them. I’d never been given a dozen roses before. The most Jordan had ever bought me was one from one of those guys on the street and it had been wilted and it had died on the way home from our date.  These flowers were gorgeous. Full and in bloom. Whoever had bought them for me, had to have shelled out at least thirty bucks for them.

My cellphone thumped the bars from
Gangnam Style
from my purse. I got it out and looked at the screen. It said unknown. I answered it anyway. Sometimes I liked to play around with telemarketers.

“Hello?”

“Do you like the flowers?”

His deep rich voice made me sit ramrod straight. I didn’t recognize it at all. Maybe whoever it was, was using a voice disguiser, because it was a little muffled.

“Yes, the poem too, although it was a little creepy.”

No answer.

“Who is this?”

“That would ruin the fun wouldn't it?”

“Jordan, if this is you, I'm still not going to forgive you.”

“You can guess all you like Violet, but I'll never tell.”

I leaned back on the bed. “This is kind of silly don’t you think?”

“But you like it, don’t you?”  I heard the teasing in his voice and my belly did a bit of a flip flop. He then disconnected.

Sighing, I set my phone down. “Damn.”

My phone rang again. It was Dahlia.

“What are you wearing tonight? I have no idea if I should wear shorts or a skirt. What do you think?”

“Wear whichever covers your kooch the best.”

“Skirt it is.” She laughed.

––––––––

I
t was no surprise to see that Ivy’s pool party was packed with scantily clad seniors. Her parties were usually one of the three most coveted social events of the year. This year was no exception, and it might’ve been even more popular since it was essentially the last big blowout before most of the attendees graduated high school.

I took it all in from the just outside the open patio doors. I sipped flavored vodka from a plastic cup and looked around at my peers. Most of the girls were clad in bikinis or bikini top and shorts. The boys in trunks or shorts and shirtless.  I opted for more understated wear. I had on a simple summer dress that showed off my toned legs and arms. I had no desire to go into the pool tonight. The water would ruin my perfectly coifed hair. It had taken me over an hour to straighten it to a high glossy sheen.

Dahlia on the other hand, was all about the pool. She’d already been in the water, and was now standing beside me, drinking and air drying. The boys who were nearby appreciated the view of her ample boobs and butt barely covered by neon pink fabric.

“Ivy out did herself this year,” she said.

“Looks like the whole graduating class are here,” I said.

“Well not everyone, thank God,” she commented, “I guess we won’t expect Devon’s dick to show up.”

I playfully pushed Dahlia. “Don’t start.”

She laughed, then gestured across the pool. “Hey look.  There's Isaac and Nick.  Let's go say hi.”  We started to walk around, but Dahlia grabbed my arm. “No wait. Jordan’s with them.”

“No it's okay.  Let's go.”

I knew how much Dahlia wanted to get with Isaac, so I didn’t want to ruin her night. I could put up with Jordan for an hour or two for the good of my friend.

“Hey boys.”

Isaac swung his arm around Dahlia’s shoulders.  “Hey double D.”

“Why do you insist on calling me that?”

“Ah,” he looked down at her boobs, “Duh.”

Laughing, she pushed him. “Fuck you.”

But I knew she wasn’t really pushing him away. It just had to look like it.

“That's the whole idea, sugar.”

While those two continued to flirt and tease, I glanced at Jordan. “Hey.”

He looked down at me, as if just noticing me for the first time. “Oh, you're talking to me?”

“I thought I'd give you a break.”

“Don’t do me any favors.”  He turned away from me and grabbed a nearly naked girl who’d just climbed out of the pool.  “Hey, Cass, can I get you a drink?”

Cass smiled, and wrapped her hands around his arm. “Hell yes.”

Off they went together. I watched them go. It wasn’t as if I was jealous, I wasn’t, it was just Jordan could be such an asshole, and it made my blood boil.

With Dahlia otherwise engaged with Isaac, I decided to slink away and have a few moments to myself. I found a dark corner of the yard, around the house away from the pool, and near the fence. I took a sip of my drink and sighed. Sometimes my life was tiring. I always had to be on.  Sometimes I didn’t feel like myself, that I was acting for those around me. To make them feel more comfortable.

“Having a good time?”

The voice nearly made me jump out of my skin. I swung around to see Devon sitting on a stone bench in the darkest part of the shadows in the yard. He was drinking out of a bottle of some kind of alcohol. I couldn’t tell from this distance.

I glanced over my shoulder to make sure no one had seen me, then took a few steps closer to the bench. “What are you doing here?”

“Drinking.” He took a long pull on the bottle.

“No, what are you doing
here
?”

“It's a party isn't it?”

“Yeah, but I’m pretty sure you weren’t invited.”

He shrugged.

“How did you even get in?”

He nodded toward the high stone fence behind him. “Jumped the fence.  It was pretty easy. They really should get better security. Any old scumbag could get in here.”

I watched him as he drank some more. He usually looked like a bad boy, but tonight he looked downright dangerous. It sent a not entirely unpleasant shiver down my back.

“Want a drink?” He offered me the bottle.

“I don't think so.”

“C'mon, don't be a pussy. I’ll even wipe off my germs for you.” He twisted the top of the bottle in his shirt, then handed it to me.

I looked at the whiskey bottle in my hand, then tipped it at my lips. It burned like acid down my throat. I coughed.

“It goes down like water after the third or fourth swallow.”

“I'll take your word for it.”  I handed it back to him and he took another hearty drink.

“What are you doing back here?  Hiding?”

“No, just taking a break.  I wanted to be by myself for a minute.”

“Really?  I didn't think you people did that?”

“What?”

“You know, be by yourself.  I thought you only traveled in hyena packs.”

“Why do you always have to be a dick?”

“I though you liked dicks. At least that’s what I heard.” He grabbed at his crotch.

“Whatever.” I turned to get out of there. I didn’t know why I’d even stayed for that brief conversation. I didn’t know why I bothered being nice to him. He was just an asshole.

Before I could escape, he was on his feet and grabbed me by the wrist. “Don’t go.”

“Why?”

He didn’t answer just stared into my eyes. It was disconcerting and I found I had to look away.

“What happened to you? You used to be a nice guy.”

“Is that why you stopped coming to the theatre, because I was such a nice guy?”

I didn’t know what to say about that. I wasn’t even certain myself why I stopped going to see him. Cowardice probably. I’d been out of my element, and he’d been different and I’d liked it, and that had scared me.

He still scared me.

He dropped his hand from my wrist and took a step back. “Go. I’m tired of talking to you anyway.”

I rubbed at my wrist. “You’re an asshole.” I walked away on shaky legs. I really hoped he didn’t notice.

I went back to the party, but pushed my way into the house and up the stairs to Ivy’s bathroom. Inside, I filled the sink with cold water and splashed my face. My hands were still shaking.

When I was drying off, there was a knock at the door.

“It’s being used,” I said.

“Violet, is that you?” It was Ivy.

I unlocked the door and Ivy stumbled in. “I’ve been looking for you. Where’d you go?” She went to the mirror and immediately started to reapply her lipstick. She eyed me in the glass.  “Are you all right?  You look flushed.  You weren't, you know, screwing someone in here were you?”

“Are you insane?  Course not.”

“Well you just look all...frizzled.  I always look like that after doing the nasty.”

“It’s just the alcohol.”

“Are you coming back to the party?  It's just getting started.”

“Yeah, just taking a little break.”

The bathroom door opened and another of Ivy’s friends, Sasha, stuck her head in. “Ivy, your mom’s downstairs wearing a bikini and flirting with the boys.”

“Oh shit.”

She dashed out of the room, leaving me still shaky and staring at myself in the mirror. I didn’t know if I could go back down to the party, or even if I wanted to. But I knew if I didn’t, Ivy and Dahlia would know something was up. They would hound me until I told them the truth.

And what was the truth? I had no idea. All I knew was that I couldn’t get Devon’s face out of my mind or the subtle scent of him when he’d been so near out of my nose.

That night I couldn’t sleep.  I tossed and turned in bed, crumpling the sheets and twisting them about my legs. Every time I closed my eyes, images of Devon popped in my mind. Devon coming out of the shadows and grabbing me, slamming me up against the wall, kissing me until my lips felt bruised and swollen and I was breathless.

My phone rang startling me even more. I bolted upright in bed and snatched it off the bedside table.  It was an unknown number.

“Hello.”

“Did you have a good time at the party?” It was
him
. My secret admirer.

“Were you there?”

“I liked what you were wearing.  Very sexy.”

I smiled and settled back against the pillows.  The way he said sexy made my belly clench.

“Do you even know how fucking sexy you are, Violet?”

My heart thumped a little harder and little faster. I swallowed.  “No.”

“I want to show you.”

I put a hand to my throat where my pulse raced, then trailed it down my body to my quivering belly.

“Who are you? I want to know.”

“You'll find out soon.  Now, you have to promise me you'll keep us a secret.  Can you do that?”

“Yes,” I said, a fine tremble in my voice.

“You promise?”

“Yes.”

“Good girl.”

He disconnected.

I set the phone down on the table, and noticed my hand was shaking. I was damn near panting and all he’d done was talk to me. There was no denying the clench in my stomach and the throb between my legs. The mystery of it all, the secretiveness, the decadence of not knowing and being turned on anyway, was a powerful aphrodisiac.

Closing my eyes, I grabbed one of my pillows and hugged it tight. With Devon’s image in my mind and the caller’s voice in my ears, I will myself to sleep. But it wasn’t working. I turned over onto my side and smooshed my face into the pillow. It was a long fitful time before I finally fell asleep.

––––––––

O
n Monday, I couldn’t keep my secret, secret from Dahlia and Ivy. I had to tell someone. It was killing me not to. And I knew they’d keep it to themselves. I had plenty of dirt on both of them.