LOVE IS AN ACTION

Chapter 4 Part 1

As expected, Liz was not at all happy about the plan. Of course, it took her awhile to hear what we were saying because, she was too busy questioning Cash like a hostage. I guess he and I both underestimated her enthusiasm towards all things fashion and luxury cosmetics. Finding out one of your best friends is the offspring of one of your idols took her a moment to get over.

When she did though, she lectured us. Ostensibly, Liz had assumed that Cash and I were finally confessing our undying love. I don't get her obsession with getting us together. I have a school girl crush on a hot guy that sometimes makes me want to yank his hair out. I don't think that translates to the devastating kind of love Liz is imagining. She told us we were both crazy and then demanded that we come up with another plan to get Cash what he needs from his family.

I made him swear that he wouldn't mention anything to Liz about me needing the money. He agreed and has so far kept his word. When Wednesday rolls around and Mrs. Bailey, the student counselor calls me into her office I'm starting to see Liz's perspective. I'm trying to figure out how to tell Cash this won't work when I sit in the cramped office.

There are piles of paper and envelopes everywhere and Mrs. Bailey gives me a consoling smile before folding her hands on top of the mahogany desk.

"How are you Khloe?" She asks me casually. I have been in contact with her since before I was actually accepted into this school last year. And I am here so often looking into new scholarships and such that we have become very familiar with each other.

I shrug, "A little stressed." She rolls her eyes.

"Teenagers. Wait until you grow up and have real problems." She says playfully and then twists her lips up.

"Another no-go on that last application, hon." She tells me and my heart sinks.

"What? I worked on that essay for weeks." I feel like someone just knocked my sundae onto the ground. Her eyes show her futility.

"I know, kid. I'm sorry. There are plenty of other scholarships to try." When I don't respond she sighs and reaches over, placing one hand on mine. "I know this feels like the end of the world right now, but, I promise it isn't okay? I will do my best to get you into the school of your choice but..." It looks like she is literally biting her tongue.

"But?" I urge her.

"But, you may need to start considering that you may not acquire the funding to attend a college Lizbeth applies to." I knew she was going to say it, but actually hearing the words makes my chest go a little hollow. I nod.

"I thought getting into Warren Academy would open so many other doors for me." I mutter but she hears me.

"Sometimes, the world doesn't work the way we want it to. I hate to say it, but the students that succeed after Warren Academy are the kids that spend your semester tuition on handbags and sunglasses. Being financially destitute often closes doors for those that don't have the capital to decide otherwise."

***

My meeting with Mrs. Bailey weighs on my heart for the remainder of the school week.

As Liz and I wait at the gates of Cash's family mansion, preparing to meet his family. I find myself wondering: how the hell did I get here?

Not too long ago I was actually hearing Liz out and agreeing with her that this entire plan was unnecessary madness added on to how stressful my life already is. Yet, somehow, things took a crazy turn to the left after my meeting with Mrs. Bailey.

I found myself depressed and shifting through options and ideas in my head that could get me to the end of this tunnel I seem to be blindly driving in. Unfortunately, my best friend decided that the best way to get out of my gloom would be to drag Tyler and me to a party at Marley Evans' house last weekend.

After much fussing, some clawing, and Liz yanking my wild, dark curls into a decent hairstyle: we arrived to the turmoil that was drunken teenagers. The DJ was awesome, some drugs were passing through here and there and there was free liquor. I should have been having the time of my life but I couldn't focus on anything except how crappy I felt for myself. My mood took a nosedive when I saw Cash and Marley trying to suck each other's faces off. For some reason my stomach clenched.

I knew that he wouldn't be all heart broken when I told him I'd changed my mind about helping him, but I hadn't been aware that he would immediately fall back into Marley's clutches. Something about that bothered me so much that I had finally stopped refusing the shots that were being passed out like candy on Halloween.

I remember feeling the burn of the tequila as it traveled down to my stomach and the excitement on my friends' faces when they saw that I was done sulking. Following the drinks and dancing I noticed that Liz and Tyler were getting closer. I excused myself and stumbled outside where I was shortly sought out by Cash.

I huffed in annoyance. "Shouldn't you be with your girlfriend?"

"You know she's not my girlfriend."

"I don't know anything anymore." I wanted to get away from him before I made an idiot out of myself. On impulse I turn to him. "Actually, I do know that just the other day you were asking me to marry you! Yet here you are, trying to suck Marley's tonsils out through her mouth." I ground out.

His eyebrows hit his hairline as he came closer. Causing me to have to tilt my head back slightly because of how close we were. I could feel the heat radiating off of him. He was so close I could smell whatever soap he wore and it took more than I'm willing to admit not to lean closer to him to get a better whiff.

"Pardon but, didn't you turn me down."

"Okay, that meant you had to go right back to who you were doing before? I can't believe that for a second I thought-" I stopped myself and realized I'd maybe had too much to drink if I'd just almost let some pretty embarrassing stuff slip. I shook my head, trying to organize my thoughts.

"You thought what?" He asked softly before reaching for my forearm and dragging me closer to him so that we were pretty much pressed together. I couldn't stop staring at him. He reached up with the other hand and pushed some stray curls out of my face and his face was so close to mine that I could imagine how soft his lips would feel if we-

"I need to go." I said yanking my arm from him and heading back towards the house to look for Liz, ready to leave. As luck would have it, Marley was also exiting the house and she looked back and forth between Cash and I before a sneer marred her pretty face. Marley has always hated me but since Cash befriended Liz and I immediately upon his arrival she has made me public enemy number one.

It's hard not to hate Marley. Although she is a total snob, she's actually really pretty. Not in a plastic way but in a you-can't-be-rich-and-pretty-but-she-is way. Her long dark hair hung almost to her waist, her make-up was flawless as usual and her piercing blue eyes were narrowed on me.

"Why is it every time I see you, you're hanging off my boyfriend?"

Cash said, "Marley don't start." She pouted.

"What? I think it's cute that you show such interest in the lower class." She replied while she gripped onto his arm, angling her body so that she was partially between us.

"I'm a senior."

"Oh, poor Penny. That's not what I meant." Her answering smile was more of a sneer mixed with a grimace. I rolled my eyes, the nickname wasn't very creative but the way she uses it to torment me often is.

Luckily Liz and Tyler came out at that moment. I almost sighed in relief. As I walked towards them I heard Marley say, "Like you could ever get someone like Cash anyway. Penny, stick to your lane. You're embarrassing yourself." I remember my spine going unbelievably rigid and my heart pounding in my chest. I wanted to hurt her more than physically, I wanted her to feel the mental strain she constantly put on me. As I turned around and met her smug smile all I could do was let my lips tug into a dangerous smile that made Marley uncertain. I flitted my gaze to Cash.

"I changed my mind." I said watching his eyebrows shoot up again. "I'll do it."