KissnTell

Chapter 13

ENTERING THE GREY AREA

Vaughn

"What the hell are you wearing?" I asked. Anais had answered the front door sporting frayed Abercrombie jeans rolled up at the ankle, a navy American Eagle ruffled cami, and metallic sandals. I had walked back to Anais's around eight, having dropped off my mom's car at my place, stared at my Calculus textbook for about forty-five minutes without answering a single problem set, showered, and changed into my rockin' outfit. Anais frowned, dipping her chin to her chest to take a second look at herself.

"It's no good?" she asked meekly.

I shook my head, pushing past her into the living room. "The fact that you have to ask me that is deeply unsettling," I retorted. Pam was sitting cross-legged on the couch flipping through fashion magazines while the TV. droned in the background.

"I thought we were supposed to look like we're not trying," Anais objected. Pam looked up from her magazine at the distressed sound of her daughter's voice.

"Yeah, like this," I said, motioning to my awesome outfit: cutoff jean shorts I'd had since my first summer at Camp Wanake, one of my brother's oversized white undershirts, a couple of sterling chains I stole from my mother's jewelry drawer, and the platform gladiator sandals from Urban Outfitters. Anais shook her head, bewildered.

"You look like you just rolled out of bed and have plans to take an accidental heroin

overdose later," she said.

"Exactly! That's cool. You, on the other hand, look like you just dropped off your six-year-old son at hockey practice and have plans to hit up Whole Foods later."

Anais gave me the finger. I groaned, shooting Pam a pointed look. "What do you think?" I asked, allowing her to play referee.

She shrugged helplessly. "You're just going to the movies, right? Does it even matter?" she asked. Anais glared at me. Yikes. I had almost forgotten we were lying to Pam. I was so used to being able to tell her anything, I forgot all about the illicit nature of our plans.

"Right, but, uh ..." I faltered, trying to think of something that would get Pam on my side. "There's a really cute guy who works there, at the Laemmle. Last time he kind of flirted with Anais, and I just, um, want her to be fashionably prepared, you know?" Anais shot daggers in my direction, blood rushing to her face, but I ignored her.

Pam smirked. "I see," she said, thoughtful, regarding Anais. "In that case, let's rethink the clothes." Anais threw her hands up in frustration as I silently rejoiced. She looked cute to go to the mall or something, but to Greystone Manor? No way, José.

"What about the little ruffled dress I got you at the J. Crew sale?" Pam asked, making her way into Anais's room. I trailed her, curious, as Anais groaned, flopping onto the couch. Pam retrieved a hanger hosting a lilac dress with a ruffled collar made from some kind of cotton blend. "She could wear this with the silver sandals, right?" I bit my lip.

"Is there a way to toughen it up a bit?" I asked. Pam smiled, hooking the dress to a doorknob.

"I've got the perfect studded belt," she said, bustling into her room to find it.

"Perfect!" I exclaimed.

She made a big fuss, but by the time Austin arrived, she was happy she entrusted her wardrobe to us. We asked him to pick us up a few blocks away so Pam wouldn't hear him pull into their driveway and wonder who was the strange, hot, older dude driving away with her sixteen-year-old daughter. We made our way down the block and caught sight of him, leaning against a Subaru Forester in a worn t-shirt and jeans, his arms crossed over his chest. His wide, optimistic eyes immediately landed on Anais. She looked to her feet, suppressing a smile. The lilac dress looked like cotton candy against the hazy L.A. sidewalk; her green eyes and strawberry blonde hair shone. She was so nervous her cheeks glowed peach and dewy.