“Wow, so you're like really good?” I ask. He makes a half-frown and nods, the kind of thing people do when they aren't too sure of themselves. He's modest I guess. “So is it the off season?”
“Not exactly,” he says. There's finality in his voice and I know the conversation is over for now.
We watch a movie in what is mostly silence and then he shows me around the house. I wonder if my grandparents are wondering where I am. It's creepy how he has left his grandfather's room completely the way it was before he died, walker in the corner and pills on the nightstand. He says he wants to contact the local church to see if anyone wants to come get the stuff. He doesn't know what to do with it.
Then he shows me his room. It looks more like a teenager's room, minus the suitcases of clothes. He's hung up posters of rock bands, and a few of swimsuit babes. There's dirty clothes all over the place and a silver Macbook on his bed. Next to that is his cell phone. I snap back to reality in a microsecond. Not reality like life, but reality like remembering that I am in this hellhole of a summer of being grounded without a cell phone or computer and there is now both right in front of me.
“Jace, I know we don't know each other very well, but do you think I could please, please borrow your phone to call my friend real fast?” I beg him.
He nods. “Sure, knock yourself out.”
I grab his phone and dial Becca's number. “Thanks so much, I'll only be a second. It's just that my phone…broke…and I haven't been able to call my best friend for days.”
He smiles and holds out his hand to shush me. “Yeah, it's cool. I'll just be in the living room when you're done.”
“Thanks,” I say again. Press send. Becca says hello more high pitched than normal, confused about the random number calling her.
”Hey, it's me.”
“Bayleigh? Where are you? Did you lose your phone again?” God her voice reminds me of home. I laugh, like a mad woman. I am so happy to hear her voice.
“No, you're never going to believe this shit. Mom took away my phone.”
“No fucking way! That's weak.”
“It gets worse,” I say. “She sent me to my grandparent's house for the whole damn summer.” There's silence for a minute, she's totally speechless and I don't blame her. This is almost too shitty to believe.
“Dude,” she says. “I'm sorry. I thought you were pissed about Ian and just ignoring the world.”
“Nah, I'm grounded. Wait – what do you mean about Ian?”
There is an awful, gut-wrenching pain in her voice. “You don't know yet…”
“I don't know what?” I shout, probably loud enough for Jace to hear. “What don't I know?”
“Stacia, you know that girl from the party?” she says slowly. Very, very slowly.
“Yes, I fucking know her, now tell me!” God, I hate being titillated.
“She updated her Facebook to being in a relationship...”
“And…?” I say, my heart beating rapidly beneath my chest.
Her voice is sad. “With Ian.”
“Guuhhat?” Jace's IPhone weighs a thousand pounds in my hand.
“I'm sorry, Bay, I really am.” Her voice seems far away. Three seconds go by and I take a deep breath. I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Of course he wouldn't wait for me to get back. I mumble some kind of goodbye and hang up the phone, using all of my willpower not to throw it across the room.
The wooden doorframe squeaks and Jace leans against it. “Something wrong?” he asks.
I turn to face him, my jaw set tightly so I won't cry. “Nope.”
Chapter 9
Grandma notices the extra time I spend in the bathroom the next day. The one and only bathroom has a small mirror so I chose to flat iron my hair in front of a big mirror in the den.
“Why are you wasting so much time on your hair, child?” She's shopping for clothes from a catalogue designed for old women. I shrug, taking a seat next to her. There's really no need to lie to Grandma like I would to Mom since Grandma doesn't think I have an ulterior motive to everything I do. She asks if I am interested in any of the blouses on page seven. I am definitely not.
