How to Save A Life (On Hold)

4. Liar Liar

When I wake up Saturday morning my sister, Kari, is home. "Hey, little brother!" She shouts as I walk down the stairs. I'm not hungover, but I don't feel good. I can't exactly pinpoint it, but I'm pretty sure it has something to do with either Alexia or Drew.
Kari walks over from the kitchen table and hugs me. I haven't seen her in about 4 months even though we live in the same city. She's really busy with whatever she does. Kari is only two years older than me, but sometimes she acts like she's a hundred and one.
"Have you grown?" She smiles nicely at me with her perfect teeth.
On top of perfect teeth, everything else about her is perfect too. She's smart, funny, very classy and beautiful. She's five foot seven, so she's not taller than me and she has red hair like my mom, but it's much longer and the same brown eyes as my dad. She is so beautiful.
Despite how attractive she is, she never could hold onto a boyfriend and she really doesn't like to be asked about it, I often avoid the topic. Anything else is fair game though. Kari loves attention very much, which also makes her different from me.
She doesn't care that I don't like attention. When I sit down at the kitchen table with her, the questions begin. "How's Alexia?"
"I don't know," I reply shortly.
"Why not?" She asks in her usually happy and pushy tone.
"Yeah, why not?" My mother chimes in from the stove where she's cooking eggs.
"We broke up last night," I answer staring at my empty plate and when I look up, Kari's jaw drops.
"Really?" She exclaims, "tell me everything!"
"Kari," my mother warns, "I don't think Luke is ready to talk about it yet."
"Thanks mom," I give a half smile at her.
"We're here when you're ready baby," my mother replies and the. Goes back to cooking eggs.
"Oh, Kari can you give me a ride to my car later?" I remember that Xavier gave me a ride last night. He didn't talk to me, he just drive me home. When I got out and said thank you, he nodded at me and then drove off.
"Sure," she smiles again and then eats her eggs.
On the drive to pick up my car, Kari is asking all sorts of questions. Have I picked what I'm going to study in university? Am I going to live with mom and dad or her? Will I still work for uncle Larry while I'm in school?
I answer all of the same,"I don't know."
She must have sensed something was wrong with me because there was a pause after her questions and then she looked at me really hard and said, "Luke, are you okay?"
I scratched my head and replied, " yeah, I'm good." Then I paused and said, "actually, that's a lie, I'm not."
"You want to talk about it?" Her tone is soft and gentle.
"I don't know how," I reply, looking out the window at the passing cars.
"Is it about, you know-"
"No, and you promised you would never bring that up ever again." I say agitated.
"Sorry," she apologizes. "So, what is it? Alexia?"
"No," I answer, "we should have broke up a long time ago, we really have nothing in common except she likes to talk a lot and I'm good at pretending to listen."
Kari giggles at me and says, "she was really girly for someone like you." Her voice changes to a firmer tone, "So if it's not Alexia, what is it?"
"I don't think I want to-" I pause and think of how to put this nicely, "I don't think I want to go university ." Kari doesn't reply. She just looks forward and drives. "Kari?"
"I'm a lesbian." She finally says.
"What?" I whisper under my breath, but loud enough for her to hear. "You're kidding!" I whisper again and she shakes her head. "Why did you tell me that?"
"Well, now we both can be disappointments to dad." She smiles, "I'm dating my roommate; Ashley. I've been working up the courage to tell mom and dad. I finally have it now because of you Luke. Thank you." Her tone is soft and happy.
"So, you're alright that I don't want to go to the same school as you?" I ask quietly, as if the glass would break if I spoke any louder.
"Yeah, the only reason I went was because I thought dad would be proud enough of me to see past the fact that I like women." She giggles and then looks at me and says, "boy was I wrong!" After a few seconds of silence she says, "No matter what you choose in your life, Luke, I love you."
I smile and say, "me too, Kari."
We decided in that moment that we will tell them our disappointing stories at a later time, but together. We figure we would be stronger as a group.
We pull up to Veronica's house where the party was and see that it is just ruined. There is garbage and people passed out on the front lawn. Windows are broken and the front door is off its hinges. I am afraid to see the inside so I decide to leave the box of beer I brought. Someone probably found it and drank it all anyways.
"Holy shit!" Kari laughs, "what the hell happened here, did you guys perform an exorcism or something?"
"Looks like it," I reply.
After I find my keys in the bowl which was left out front, I find my car has been vandalized with silly string, alcohol and someone's puke. "Great," I see that Alexia has left me a message too.
"Fuck you, Luke." Kari reads out loud. It's been written on the windshield of my car in what I hope is red lipstick and not blood. "That could be from anyone,"
"Here's the charm bracelet I gave her yesterday for our anniversary," I say holding up the broken piece of jewellery for Kari to examine.
"Oh, yeah-" she giggles, "that can't be from just anyone."
"It's not funny," I say trying not to chuckle.
"It is a little," she begins to laugh harder and soon we're both laughing so hard that I feel a six pack coming on.
"Shit," I say, " I have to cancel the table I reserved for tonight."
"Nah," Kari protests, "just take someone else. I'm sure it took a lot to get that table."
Not really, but it would be good for me to go out and not be attacked. I wonder if Drew wants to come with me? No, she hates me right now. I don't really have anyone else besides Xavier, but God knows I'm not asking him to dinner with me.
Kari walks back to her car and I yell, "you wanna come with me?"
"Sure," she smiles and then says, "You're one boy I can guarantee isn't going to try to kiss me at the end of the night."
"Gross," I laugh and then get into my car.
Before I go home, I quickly go through the car wash and get rid of the puke and lipstick. Yoda looks brand new, well as much as he can.
I go home and find that nobody is home again. At least this time I don't have somewhere to be.
Kari went home to change for dinner and I don't know where my parents are now. Mom didn't mention anything about work today, maybe her and dad went shopping. Who cares? I have the house to my self, and with endless possibilities of things I can do today, I choose to take a nap.
When I wake up, I have twenty minutes to get ready and then I have to pick up Kari. I throw on clean clothes, put on deodorant and find my wallet. Then I'm out of the door and driving to Kari's place.
Kari's waiting on her front step with who I assume is Ashley. They both look very nice, so I assume that Ashley is joining us tonight.
I was correct, all three of us sat and had a nice dinner. Ashley is perfect for my sister, beauty and brains, just like Kari. She has dark skin, beautiful features and big glasses. "How long have you two been dating?" I say shoving pieces of chicken Kiev into my mouth.
"Five months," Ashley says, grabbing Kari's hand.
"Cool," I reply.
"How long we're you dating your girlfriend?" Ashley smiles.
"Six months yesterday," I pause and remember to tell Kari the good news, "By the way, it was lipstick and not blood."
"Good," Kari smiles with her mouth full of pasta.
"Wrote on your car in lipstick?" I nod and Ashley smiles,"classic."
The rest of the dinner went really well, I paid for dinner and I dropped them both off at home. They thanked me for a fun night and I drive home alone. To be honest, it's been the most fun I've had in a long time even though I was third wheeling.
I arrive at home and check my phone for the first time all day. I have sixteen...seventeen text messages from Alexia. I don't bother to read a single one of them, I don't need her to ruin my happy night. I don't need this tonight, maybe I won't even need it tomorrow. I decide that it will be Monday's problem and head upstairs to go to sleep.
Sunday when I wake up, I feel much better. I put on my glasses, I check my phone and see that I have received only four new messages from Alexia and one from my uncle. He's asking me to work today. I quickly get dressed have breakfast and make my way to work.
I get straight to work on an old pick up truck and I don't get done until about two o'clock. I take a small break and then move on to a bike that reminds me of Drew's. I hear the door open with a ding, when I'm in the middle of changing the oil. I see Alexia standing at the front desk, her hair is up and she's wearing sweatpants, which I have never see her wear before.
I walk over to the desk and say, "hey."
"Hey," She replies and then there's an awkward pause.
"What are you doing here?"
"Uh, I saw your car out front and I just wanted to apologize about the other night."
"You're forgiven," I smile at her half-heartedly
"Good, so I was thinking that because we were mad yesterday we could just reschedule that dinner for next week-"
"Whoa, whoa, wait!" I cut her off. "I said you were forgiven, I never said anything about getting back together."
"Well, why not?" She pouts.
"Do we have to do this now? I'm working."
"Yes, you're ignoring my texts, my calls, my tweets." She whines.
"Fine! You want the truth? You're not a nice girl, Alexia."
"Why? Cause I said that one thing to Drew?" She scoffs.
"You hurt her feelings Alexia!"
"What do you care? Do you have some weird crush on her?"
"Maybe I do! What difference does it make if I do or don't? The point is you're rude to people and I don't want to be with someone like that."
"Fine! I don't need you!" She yells and then storms out.
I don't dwell on the conversation long before getting back to work on the bike. My mind wanders to Drew. Her hair, her lips, her big, beautiful, blue eyes. Maybe I do have a crush on her. She hates me though, so it doesn't matter if I do have feelings for her, but I can still think about her if I want. I never thought I would have this feeling again.
I have a crush.