Where's my cell phone?" I ask. "And please put a shirt on."
He reaches down and grabs my phone off the floor. "Why?"
"The reason I need my cell," I say as I take it from him, "is to call a cab and the reason I want you to put a shirt on is, well, because, um…"
"You've never seen a guy with his shirt off?"
"Ha, ha. Very funny. Believe me, you don't have anything I haven't seen before."
"Wanna bet?" he says, then moves his hands to the button on his jeans and pops it open.
Isabel walks in at that exact moment. "Whoa, Alex. Please keep your pants on."
When she looks over at me I put my hands up. "Don't look at me. I was just about to call a cab when he--"
Shaking her head while Alex buttons back up, she walks to her purse and picks up a set of keys. "Forget the cab. I'll drive you home."
" drive her," Alex cuts in.
Isabel seems exhausted dealing with us, similar to how Mrs. Peterson looks during chemistry class. "Would you rather me drive you, or Alex?" she asks.
I have a boyfriend. Okay, so I admit every time I catch Alex looking at me a warmth spreads through my body. But it's normal. We're two teenagers with obvious sexual tension passing between us. As long as I never act on it, everything will be just fine.
Because if I ever did act on it, the consequences would be disastrous. I'd lose Colin. I'd lose my friends. I'd lose the control I have over my life.
Most of all, I'd lose what's left of my mother's love.
If I'm not seen as perfect, what happened yesterday with my mom would seem tame. Being perfect to the outside world equates to how my mom treats me. If any of her country club friends see me out with Alex, my mom might as well be an outcast too. If she's shunned by her friends, I'll be shunned by her. I can't take that chance. This is as real as I can afford to get.
"Isabel, take me home," I say, then look at Alex.
He gives a small shake of his head, grabs his shirt and keys, and storms out the front door without another word.
He reaches down and grabs my phone off the floor. "Why?"
"The reason I need my cell," I say as I take it from him, "is to call a cab and the reason I want you to put a shirt on is, well, because, um…"
"You've never seen a guy with his shirt off?"
"Ha, ha. Very funny. Believe me, you don't have anything I haven't seen before."
"Wanna bet?" he says, then moves his hands to the button on his jeans and pops it open.
Isabel walks in at that exact moment. "Whoa, Alex. Please keep your pants on."
When she looks over at me I put my hands up. "Don't look at me. I was just about to call a cab when he--"
Shaking her head while Alex buttons back up, she walks to her purse and picks up a set of keys. "Forget the cab. I'll drive you home."
" drive her," Alex cuts in.
Isabel seems exhausted dealing with us, similar to how Mrs. Peterson looks during chemistry class. "Would you rather me drive you, or Alex?" she asks.
I have a boyfriend. Okay, so I admit every time I catch Alex looking at me a warmth spreads through my body. But it's normal. We're two teenagers with obvious sexual tension passing between us. As long as I never act on it, everything will be just fine.
Because if I ever did act on it, the consequences would be disastrous. I'd lose Colin. I'd lose my friends. I'd lose the control I have over my life.
Most of all, I'd lose what's left of my mother's love.
If I'm not seen as perfect, what happened yesterday with my mom would seem tame. Being perfect to the outside world equates to how my mom treats me. If any of her country club friends see me out with Alex, my mom might as well be an outcast too. If she's shunned by her friends, I'll be shunned by her. I can't take that chance. This is as real as I can afford to get.
"Isabel, take me home," I say, then look at Alex.
He gives a small shake of his head, grabs his shirt and keys, and storms out the front door without another word.
( Simone Elkeles )
[ Perfect Chemistry ]
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