Char Read online

  This pisses my mom off. “Modeling is art. It takes a lot of talent and skill. It isn’t a waste of brain cells, as you say.”

  I grab Aaron’s hand. “Come on. We’ll go grab something somewhere else. We have like no junk food.”

  “We’re having dinner at seven. Don’t eat too much!” My mom yells after me. “And put on a cover-up!”

  Gah. My mom really does think I’m a slut. I’m obviously not going to a restaurant in a bikini.

  7pm

  Dinner with the fam…

  Candi is late for family dinner. As always.

  Tonight’s family dinner is at a fancy restaurant in Beverly Hills. On the way inside, paparazzi snap a bunch of photos of me. Which I don’t get. I’m not the celebrity. WHY PHOTOGRAPH ME?

  At least I look cute tonight. I actually fixed my hair. My dirty blonde hair is naturally wavy. I usually don’t worry about fixing it, because I’m always surfing. It gets frizzy in the water, but I don’t care. Tonight, I put mousse on it to keep it from frizzing. I decide maybe I should care more often.

  I’m wearing a new dress. It’s a beautiful aqua color, and it goes off my left shoulder. I’m also wearing a matching pair leather pumps. They’re open-toed. I just got a pedicure, so my toes look good. Maybe I’m not as pretty as Chloe and Candice, but still… It is a requirement to look hot at all family dinners. I swear my mom scores us.

  “You look very pretty tonight,” Mom tells me.

  Uh oh.

  This is like the second compliment I’ve gotten from my mom today. She must want something.

  “You do look adorable, Char,” Chloe tells me. “Seriously, I miss my teenage body.”

  I laugh at this. Chloe has a great body. She works out like five hours everyday. And she does have a teenage body. Well, except her boobs are bigger than the average teenager. I’m jealous of her boobs. She’s the lucky one in the family that didn’t have to have surgery. But I’m not jealous enough to actually have surgery. I’d rather keep it real.

  Finally, Candice walks in.

  She’s wearing a super-short dress. Like it’s so short that when she sits down I’m sure the whole world will see her vagina. It’s tight, and hugs her curves in just the right spots. She’s also wearing a pair of six-inch heels, and I’m wondering how she hasn’t broken an ankle in them.

  “Please tell me you’re wearing underwear,” Chloe says to her. “I really don’t want to be seen with you when you pull a Britney Spears.”

  I laugh. Hard. I can’t help it. I swear Chloe and I are kindred spirits.

  Candi glares at the two of us.

  “Don’t listen to them. You’re beautiful,” my mom tells her. My mom always sides with Candi. She will drag the family name to the ground, and my mother will be cheering her on the whole time.

  My phone vibrates, so I pull it out. Candi and Mom are too busy talking about how beautiful Candi is to notice anyway. Not that it would matter. Before this dinner is over all four of us will have our phones out texting other people… We’re close like that.

  Landon: Hey, babe. Sorry about earlier. I was joking about your ass. It’s really nice.

  Me: Whatever. I’m sure you’ll find a way to make it up to me.

  Landon: Are you coming to the show tonight?

  Me: Sure. I’ll be there right after family dinner. More centerfold talk I’m sure. (Eye roll).

  Landon: LOL. Have fun. See you soon. And be prepared to stay the night.

  Me: Not the whole night. I am surfing early tomorrow. But I will make up for earlier.

  Landon: Works for me. See you soon, sexy.

  I smile at his text. That’s the Landon that I know. He’s sweet. And totally head over heels in love with me. He usually treats me like a princess, so I will overlook his behavior lately. I’m sure it’s just a phase.

  “You texting Landon?” Chloe asks me.

  “Yep. He was asking if I was going to come to his show tonight. His band is playing.”

  “Oh right. I forgot about his band,” Chloe says. “Following in his big brother’s footsteps…”

  I nod.

  “Is it bad that I’m jealous of a seventeen year old’s relationship?”

  “You’re too busy for a boyfriend.”

  “It doesn’t mean that I don’t want one.” Chloe sighs.

  “Boyfriends are overrated.”

  She changes the subject. “So I heard Mom has big plans for you.”

  This makes me roll my eyes. “Mom’s not happy unless she is controlling and living out her own dreams through all of us.”

  “What do you want to do with your life?”

  “I don’t know. I’m seventeen. I want to graduate high school, maybe go to college, then I’ll figure it out. I do know that being an actress or a model isn’t my dream.”

  Chloe grins, and I can tell she’s proud of me. “You were always the smartest of us all. You could follow in Dad’s footsteps and become a lawyer. He would be very proud of you.”

  “That would totally piss Mom off.”

  I look over at Mom. She’s hanging onto every word that Candice is saying. And I so wish that my mom was like that with me. But she’s not. And I’m not about to take off my clothes to get her attention.

  Well, I guess I technically did take off my clothes to get her attention. The sad part is it worked.

  Ugh.

  My family is all kinds of screwed up.

  11pm

  Private show.

  After dinner, I go to Landon’s show. I miss the first half, but I get there in time to watch the last half.

  Landon’s band really isn’t that good, but I’m too good of a girlfriend to tell him that he sucks. So I lie and I support him. I tell him that he’s awesome. Because one day, with a lot of practice, I think he could be. Though, I don’t think he’s dedicated enough to apply himself. Either way, I’ll be here for him.

  After the show, we go straight to Landon’s house. We usually hang out with the band, but Landon says he simply can’t wait any longer to have sex with me.

  “Are you ready for your private show?” Landon asks as we get up to his bedroom.

  I’m trying to remember the last time Landon and I hung out without having sex. And I can’t. It’s been quite a few months since we’ve just hung out and talked. And it makes me sad to admit that. I hope that we aren’t drifting apart.

  He pulls me closer to him, and puts his arms around me.

  “Let’s go outside. We can dance under the stars on the beach,” I say.

  Landon and I have never danced together. Even when we went to homecoming together he wouldn’t dance with me. Then he complained when I danced with Aaron.

  Maybe Aaron was right. Maybe Landon has always been a jerk, and I’m just now noticing.

  “You know I don’t dance,” he says. “Can’t we just have sex? I’m horny and I’m tired.”

  “Can we talk first?”

  Landon rolls his eyes, but sits on his chair. “Sure, Char. What do you want to talk about?”

  “Us. Why don’t we ever do anything besides have sex?” I ask.

  “What are you talking about? We totally went to lunch today. And last week we went to dinner three times.”

  “That’s not what I meant. All we do is eat and have sex. We don’t ever really go on dates. Or talk.”

  “I’m not seeing the problem.” Landon sounds annoyed. Like really annoyed.

  And maybe I am being stupid. Maybe I am expecting too much out of a relationship. I’m honestly lucky that I have Landon. He’s sexy. He’s a great kisser. And he’s not overly clingy like my last boyfriend. He lets me hang out with all my friends.

  Well, at first he did have a problem with Aaron. He said I shouldn’t spend so much time with him. But I set him straight pretty quick. He doesn’t complain as much as he used it.

  Screw it.

  Landon wants to have sex. And it has been a couple of days. I’m kind of horny.

  I take off my dress, and pull Land
on onto the bed with me. I kiss him hard, showing him just how bad I want him.

  And then he shows me how bad he wants me too.

  SATURDAY, JULY 27

  9am

  Surprise.

  The next morning, I decide I should be a good girlfriend. I skip surfing and instead decide to surprise Landon. I run by his favorite coffee shop and get us both a coffee before showing up at his house. He will probably be asleep, but I know the perfect way to wake him up.

  I don’t knock on Landon’s door. His mom and dad are never home, but when they are they don’t mind that I come and go as I please. They love me. And I really like them too. They’re always so nice. They’re what I always picture when I wonder what my life would be like if I had normal parents.

  I look cute today. I’m wearing a layered sundress. The top layer is white, the middle layer has a thin black pattern, and the bottom of the dress is blue with white and orange roses. I am also wearing a pair of Toms. Landon says he despises flip flops. Which sucks, because that is what I normally wear, but today is about him — not about me. And today I am going to be a good girlfriend. Because despite how crappy our relationship has been lately, I still want to be with him. I want to work it out.

  When I get to his bedroom door, I walk right in.

  But Landon isn’t in bed alone.

  His arms are wrapped around another girl. Not just any girl. It’s Ashlee Vernon. The school slut. They’re both asleep, but more importantly, they’re both NAKED.

  “Surprise!” I yell loud enough to wake them both up.

  Landon sits up, and looks at me.

  “Shit,” is the only thing he says.

  “I thought I would surprise you with coffee.” I take both cups of coffee and chunk them as hard as I can against the wall. To say that I’m pissed would be the understatement of the century. I am absolutely fucking furious.

  “Char…”

  I turn and run down the stairs. Landon gets up and runs after me, naked.

  “I’m sorry, baby. Please don’t go. Let’s talk about this.”

  I turn to him. “What is there to talk about? You fucked Ashlee!”

  “Just once,” he says. “And she means nothing to me.”

  Just then Ashlee comes out of the room. She’s now fully clothed, and carrying her shoes. Her bleach blonde hair is a mess, and her day old make-up looks terrible. And for a second, I’m jealous. Jealous that this slut was with my boyfriend… Ex-boyfriend… Jealous because she looks rougher than I ever did after having sex with him.

  “See you later, Landon.” She winks at him, and then walks out the door.

  “Seriously, Char. Don’t turn this into something that it’s not. I just wanted to hook up. You can understand that, right? Ashlee means nothing to me. But you do. Are you really going to throw away our one year relationship over something so stupid?”

  Seriously? He’s going to turn this on ME?

  “One — I obviously mean nothing to you. You slept with another girl. No. Not just another girl. You slept with Ashlee Vernon. The school slut. That’s like the ultimate insult to me. And two — I didn’t throw away this relationship. You did. I hope you’re happy with her.”

  With that, I walk out the front door. I slam it a little harder than necessary. With my head held high, I get in my car.

  I drive to Aaron’s house… The second I see Aaron, I burst into tears. He holds me close as I cry, and it’s an UGLY cry. I actually took the time to do my make-up this morning, so eyeliner and mascara and running down my face. They’re all over Aaron’s shirt. But he doesn’t complain. He just lets me cry while he strokes my hair.

  He should be saying I told you so, because he did warn me about Landon. But he’s not. He’s not saying anything, except the occasional ‘I’m going to kill that motherfucker.’ Which actually makes me feel better. Not that I want Landon dead, because I don’t. But the fact that Aaron is willing to kill a guy because he broke my heart is comforting. And sweet. He’s definitely the best friend I could ever have. Ever.

  Once I finally stop crying, I tell Aaron the whole story from the beginning. Starting with me walking in on him and Ashlee naked, me throwing coffee at his wall… and ending with what Landon said.

  “Of all the idiotic things Landon could have said, he said that…” Aaron shakes his head.

  “I feel so stupid.” I take a shaky breath. “Do you really think that was the first time he cheated on me?”

  Aaron tries to smile at me. But he can’t. I know he wants to tell me yes. But he can’t. “I’m sorry, Char.”

  “I’m never going to trust another guy as long as I live.” Okay, so MAYBE that’s a bit dramatic. But I’m hurting. I know eventually, I will get over Landon. Probably sooner than I think… but right now, my heart hurts.

  Heart break sucks.

  “Don’t let that asshole ruin you. You’re so much better than that.”

  “Can you make my chest feel better?” I ask. But I know the answer.

  “I wish I could.” He pulls me closer to him. “I don’t want you to hurt, Char. It kills me to see you hurting.”

  “I just want to not think about it.”

  “Let’s go do something fun today,” Aaron says. “We can do anything you want.”

  “Anything?”

  4pm

  Stupid. Evil. Boy.

  “Out of everything in the world that you could have chosen to do, this is it?” Aaron questions my sanity.

  We’ve been chilling at his house since I came over this morning. I stole a pair of his sweat pants and a baggy t-shirt. I washed all the make-up off of my face, and put my hair is in a messy bun. We ordered Chinese food, and now we are having a Twilight marathon.

  I know, I know. Twilight. They have got to be the worst movies ever. Yet, I can’t help it. I love them. And I don’t care what anybody says, Jacob has some nice abs in New Moon. And he’s hot. Especially after he cuts his hair.

  Aaron sits down with a pint-size of Rocky Road, and we split it.

  “Thank you for hanging out with me. It’s went from the worst day ever to tolerable.”

  He smiles at me. “Good. I’m glad you’re not crying anymore.”

  “Sorry I ruined you shirt.”

  “It’s okay. So tell me what is so great about Edward.”

  I think about his question for a minute. “Well you really have to read the books to get it. Book Edward is different. He is actually attractive. And Bella is different in the books. She isn’t quite as lame as movie Bella.”

  “Right.” He nods his head like he knows what I’m saying. But I know Aaron. He’s clueless.

  “I just think people are fascinated by vampires in general. Who doesn’t want to be immortal? I’ll be eighteen in a couple of months. If I could freeze time right now, and stay seventeen forever, I totally would. Spending the rest of my life in eternal bliss with the love of my life. It’s so… romantic.” You know, if I actually had a love.

  “An eternity with one person? Sounds miserable. I can’t even imagine spending a lifetime with somebody.” Aaron shakes his head. “No thanks.”

  “I think if you found your true love, you would totally change your mind.”

  “Do you believe in true love?”

  “Of course I do,” I answer. But the truth is, I’m not so sure anymore.

  Ugh. It’s the heartbreak talking again.

  Stupid. Evil. Boy.

  “Who is your dream girl?” I ask him.

  He thinks about it before answering. “Well, my dream girl is smart. Because I don’t want to spend my life with somebody stupid. I hope she can surf, and if not, she has to be willing to learn. I want to be able to share surfing with her. It would be fun. And, on the same note, I would do something that she likes. Even if it’s watching stupid chick flicks.”

  I roll my eyes, but smile. Someday, Aaron is going to make a girl very happy. And if said girl breaks his heart, I WILL cut her.

  “She’s beautiful. And I’m not just tal
king about the outside. Because beauty fades, but love doesn’t. And when my girl and I are old and wrinkly, I still want to think she’s beautiful. She’s got to be from California, because there is no way I am leaving. It’s too amazing here. And she has to be totally and completely crazy in love with me.”

  “That sounds nice, Aaron. I know you will find her.”

  “Oh. And that’s another thing… She definitely has to like you. Because I am not spending the rest of my life without my best friend.”

  “Aww… I wuv you too…”

  “I hate the baby talk,” he says. “Candice always talks like that. It’s a major turn off.”

  I stick my tongue out at him. “Good thing I’m not trying to turn you on then.”

  “Oh I already am. From yesterday.”

  I hit him with my pillow. “You’re never going to let me forget that you saw me naked, are you?”

  “Never. It was super hot.”

  “Whatever.”

  Aaron and I watch all five of the Twilight movies, then I crash in his room. I’m so thankful that Aaron is my best friend. I honestly don’t know what I would do without him. And I so don’t want to figure out.

  SUNDAY, JULY 28

  8am

  Very hard body part.

  I wake up with a very hard body part pressed against me. Aaron has his arm around my waist, and it’s dangerously close to my boob. Every inch of our bodies are touching, and there is currently something very hard poking my ass. I’ve stayed in this very bed with him hundreds of times. I stay over here at least two to three times a week, and never once has he cuddled me. If it wasn’t Aaron, this would be nice. But it is Aaron.