Page 4 of Too Sweet
By the look of her, she’s five-foot-nothing and less than a hundred pounds, making the nose-breaking incident hard to comprehend. Snapping a bone requires strength. I’d know.
“How did she manage that?”
A proud smirk crosses Cody’s face as he turns to Mia, a warm glow in his eyes. The bitter stench of beer wafting in the air tells me he’s had a few, but he’s sober enough not to swoon. And yet, here he is, dangerously close to looking like a love-sick puppy.“We’re teaching her some self-defense moves. She’s getting good.”
Good? Great, if you ask me. Taking on Brandon Price is an accomplishment. Especially for a pocket-sized girl like Mia. Bragging rights earned until the end of college and every reunion going forward.
“Where’s Colt and Conor?” I ask, watching Mia’s hands flit down the keyboard. She wears at least a dozen gold rings, some low where they’re supposed to be, others higher, above the middle joint.
“They’re kicking Brandon out.”
As the song nears the end, I wait for Mia to turn around, but she morphs the melody into another: “Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Elvis Presley.A nagging curiosity burns me up from the inside out, leaving a smoke of question marks behind.
Who is she?
A pastel pink skirt she wears, sprawled over the stool, falls to her knees, and the white of her blouse peeks between her thick, wavy hair. I glance at the cream rug where she rests her feet, dressed in pink heels with little bows at the back.
Seriously,whois she?
She’s at a Spring Break party. Ninety percent of girls in attendance wear bikinis, and she’s dressed in pink.
Fuckingpink.
“What did Brandon do to scare her?”
“He’s got a thing for Mia. She keeps shooting him down, so he’s growing impatient. He forced her onto his lap, and she elbowed his face.”
“Colt told me that much.” My voice is almost a whisper. “I’m asking what got her scared enough to throw up.”
“She always pukes when she’s scared.” He shrugs like it’s not a big deal. “She doesn’t do well with confrontation.” He looks at her, his voice back to normal level when he says, “I’ll get you a drink, okay? We should head out soon, Bug. Will you be okay to go back on stage?”
She must be one of the dancers hired for the party. It’d explain her pink skirt.
Cody grabs a bottle of wine from the drinks cabinet, pours half a glass, and tops it up with Sprite.
White wine spritzer at a Spring Break party?
Beer in red solo cups is what college kids got me used to. Mia might’ve soothed my agitation with music, but it’s back twice as strong. I can’t make a single assumption about her. It’s unsettling... the not knowing. Curiosity sprouts inside me like a magic bean, growing fast until I think I’ll crawl out of my fucking skin if I don’t see her face.
Turn around, Mia.
“Last one,” she utters quietly, the words like both a plea and a promise.
“Yesterday” by The Beatles reverberates through the living room. My skin breaks out in goosebumps as pleasant shivers slide down the length of my spine. She’s too young to convey the emotions as if she’s McCartney himself.
The melody is overcome when someone calls my cell. Mia doesn’t startle, doesn’t flinch, and doesn’t stop playing at the interruption. Nothing calms my fucked-up mind like piano music, and that’s probably why I remain rooted to the spot instead of taking the call out in the hallway.
“Rise and shine!” Theo booms. “You ready yet?”
No.I need to see this girl before I leave. “Five minutes.”
“Hurry up, bro. We don’t have all night! Logan’s got a two am curfew, so move your ass. We’re waiting outside.”
I cut the call, watching Cody cross the room with purpose, shoulders tense, eyes not veering from Mia. The newly acquired muscles on his back flex when he pumps his fists. It’s a nervous gesture. I know because I do the same fucking thing when I’m trying to compose myself.
He stops on Mia’s right, a step behind the stool: an oversized shadow ready to protect her. The melody fades. The room falls silent save for the techno beat blaring outside, and Mia slowly rises to her feet.
Too bad Cody’s blocking my line of sight.
