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The furrow deepened. “I wasn’t going to.”
“Why, baby? She was your best friend.”
Alana’s eyes darted away, then back at her mom. “Yeah.”
“Do you think that man is to blame? Hm? The grownup you said she was dating?”
Alana shrugged; her jewelry marked the gesture with a jingle. “I don’t know.” A beat, punctuated by a frustrated, ostensive breath of air. Her hands left her hips and snuck into her pockets. “And I don’t care, really.”
“Oh, honey,” Alexandria said and walked toward her with open arms. “I’m so sorry she’s gone. That must be terrible for you and Mackenzie. You guys were so close.”
Alana looked out the window like a trapped animal searching for an escape. Her left heel tapped against the floor a few times, nervously. “Well, lately, she didn’t go out much. Not with us, anyway.”
Alexandria caressed her long blonde hair, tucking a strand behind her ear. “But you still loved her, right?”
Alana lowered her eyes but didn’t say anything for a while. “I guess.”
Alexandria hugged her again, ignoring her daughter’s lack of response. “Then do this for her, baby. It will make you feel so much better.” She turned toward the counter and fished out her wallet from her purse. “I’ll be the first to chip in.” She held two twenty-dollar bills in the air.
Alana glanced at the money like a mouse would eye the cheese baiting a trap. Then she took it and shoved it into her pocket. “Thanks,” she muttered reluctantly.
“Do you think we should tell the police about that man?”
Alana’s eyes promptly rolled back. “Last thing I need is talking with some damn cops.”
“It’s important that they know about that man, sweetie.” Silence, the heavy and disapproving kind, filled the room for a moment. “Will you let me tell them if you’re not up to it?”
Alana pressed her lips together in what seemed like an effort to not curse out loud. “If those stupid cops are worth anything, they’ll find that man by themselves.”
She had a point. “All right. Let’s give them a few days, and if we don’t hear anything about that on TV, then we’ll call them. Sound good?”
“Whatever,” Alana replied, fidgeting with her phone. Her thumbs typed quickly, and muted sound effects marked the sending and receiving of every new message. She was having a conversation with someone.
It was getting late for school. “Why don’t you change into something more appropriate since you’re running Jenna’s fundraiser and all?” She paused for a moment, expecting Alana to explode. “I’m sure Nick won’t mind if you wear jeans today and a T-shirt or something.”
At the mention of his name, Alana’s eyes drilled into hers. “Since when are you an expert on what Nick does or doesn’t mind?” Frustrated, she slammed the phone on the table and started pacing around. “Do you even remember what it was like being young?”
Alexandria’s breath caught in her chest. She still remembered… shewasstill young. She walked across to the tipped-over chair and picked it up, then slid it under the table with a scraping noise. “I do remember, Alana. I was just like you, ready to fall in love, to show everyone who I was, to go out there and make my mark. But there’s time. And you shouldn’t try so hard… people laugh at desperate women, regardless of age. Especially men.”
Alana stared at her for a while, standing completely still with her mouth slightly agape. Then, slowly, she started to remove her bangles, then her long earrings. “Will you teach me, Mom?” she eventually asked.
“What, sweetie?” It was hard to figure out where her daughter’s mind was.
“How to make someone fall in love with me and only me?” she whispered, blushing under the light layer of makeup. “Forever?”
Oh, God…Alexandria thought.Nick Papadopoulos again. The bane of my existence.But she smiled encouragingly, trying to instill some confidence into her daughter’s heart. “Of course, I will. It’s a promise.” She kissed Alana’s forehead and met no resistance.
In the corner of her eye, Alexandria noticed Nick’s red convertible pulling into the driveway. “Your ride’s here.”
Alana shot a look outside the window and instantly lit up. “Tell him I’ll be a minute,” she said, rushing into her bedroom to change. “We’re going to the movies after school and then to Tim’s birthday party.”
Alexandria frowned, disturbed by the idea of someone having a birthday party right after one of their friends had passed. “Tim Carter? Isn’t he Jenna’s boyfriend?”
“Used to be,” came Alana’s hesitant reply from inside the bedroom. “Not since April or May.”
“And you guys are having a party when she’s just, um, died?”
Alana came out of the bedroom wearing stretch denim and a black shirt, the top two buttons undone, showing a bit too much cleavage, but still. Much better. She’d removed her makeup, wearing only pink lip gloss. She gestured with her hands in the air, drawing two circles that didn’t intersect, but avoided her mother’s scrutinizing glance. “Different worlds, Mom.” She blushed as she said that. She might’ve played it cool, but Alexandria could tell her daughter had been affected by her friend’s death.
