Vicious Romantic

I stood in the fancy shower and let the hot water turn my skin red and blotchy. I couldn’t be bothered to change the temperature of the water, I was busy thinking. Thinking about why Tucker had apologized. In the short week and half I’ve known him he has been nothing but cruel and extremely withdrawn from everything and everyone around him. I’d seen him almost push Clara down the stairs and not show remorse at all. Yet he apologized to me, a pest in his eyes. Why even waste my time trying to figure out the way his brain works. Not even people who’ve known him all his life can do that.

Finally feeling clean enough I turned the water off and wrapped myself in a cream colored towel that was big enough to wrap around my body twice. I stepped of the bathroom’s cold tile floor onto the soft tan carpeting of my bedroom.

“Hey there.”

“Jesus!” I gasped and placed my hand over my rapidly beating heart.

“Nope, Clara.” she laughed and lounged on my bed.

“You scared me half to death! Don’t do that!” I laughed and dug through the large wooden wardrobe what a suitable outfit.

“I’m bored!” Clara shouted and began jumping on my bed that was much bigger than any bed needed to be. “Let’s do something!” she continued to jump.

“Like what?” I asked pulling a gray cardigan out of the collection of clothes Clara insisted on buying me.

“You should get a tattoo!”“ Clara shouted excitedly and jumped off the bed and landed silently on her feet.

“No! No! No! No tattoos!” I protested taking a yellow v-neck, and a pair of dark blue skinny jeans into the bathroom with me.

“Why not?” I could hear Clara’s pout.

“Because I don’t want one.” I announced jumping as I pulled the denim over my pale legs.

“Okay, okay. How about a piercing?” she asked with hope in her voice. I always did want to get my lip pierced. I silently thought over the idea of getting a lip ring. “Is that a yes?” Clara asked happily.

“I guess.” I said pulling my cardigan on as I walked out of the bathroom. “I always want to get my lip pierced.”

“Yes! Okay! Oh! Let me go get ready!” Clara bolted from my room. I took my time applying my normal amount of eyeliner and eyeshadow. I blow dried my hair and just finished straightening it when Clara burst through the door with Ian trailing behind her.

“Hey.” I greeted them as I unplugged my straightening iron.

“Tell Ian he can’t come with us!” Clara shouted like a toddler and pointed to the equally immature vampire next to her. “It’s a girl’s day out!”

“Piercings are not something you do on a girl’s day out! You go shopping or something! I wanna go!” Ian whined.

“Um.” I said looking between the two of them. How do I choose?

“LIAM!” both Clara and Ian yelled at the same time. Then gave each other nasty looks.

“What?” Liam popped his head into the room.

“Tell Ian he can’t come with us!” Clara shouted before Ian opened his mouth.

“Ian, you can’t go with them.” Liam said without asking a question.

“Why not?” Ian whined while Clara did a victory dance.

“Because she said so.” Liam shrugged. “Plus you have work you need to get done.”

“Bailey’s getting her lip pieced!” Ian shouted and pointed an accusing finger at me. Liam looked not at me, but a Clara.

“You know that’s not a good idea. It can ruin the entire operation.” Liam gave her a disapproving look. She sighed in annoyance. What operation? I don’t do good with doctors.

“Fine! Bailey isn’t getting her lip pierced! But we’re still going out! And Ian still can’t join us.” Clara grabbed my arm and led the way to the garage. I wasn't too upset about the change of plans. I didn't have my heart set on a pierced lip, I could live without it.

“So...” Clara said causally as she drove fast along the empty winding road that surrounded their home.

“So...” I echoed her and watched thick forest in a blur as we zoomed past it.

“I told you that Tucker would warm up to you.” Clara said shocking me. It was totally out of the blue.

I laughed bitterly “Oh yeah, he really is.” I rolled my eyes.

“No. I’m serious, Bailey. I haven’t heard Tucker say ‘I’m sorry’ in...ages.” She gave me a sincere look. It made me nervous that she looked more at me than the road. I was unsure how to feel at that moment, honored?

“I’m sure he didn’t mean it.” I said shaking my head to brush it off, even if he made me delightfully happy to know that bit of information. I shouldn’t have felt so happy from being apologized to. It was pathetic. I was pathetic for feeling such emotions from two simple words