Mia smiled. “I like guys in black eyeliner. You’ll be like a rock star.” She was only half joking.
The pencil clinked against the tabletop when Alexi sat it beside the box. “No. Girls shouldn’t wear so much makeup, and guys never should wear any.” He eyed her face. “You don’t need any makeup.” So firm with his opinions. “But when you do wear it, you wear just enough.”
She’d do as she liked, so she rolled her eyes, but was rather pleased at the compliment. Another layer of tissue paper flew away, revealing a micro-mini skirt. He looked between it and Mia.
“I’m guessing that’s mine now?” Mia asked.
“Did you think I would need to earn extra money on the streets?” Alexi tossed it to her and removed more tissue paper. Cautiously staring at what it revealed, he stuck his hand into the box and lifted out the pile of wobbly lace in his big hand. The water bra.
Chapter 10
“What?” Alexi held up the bra. His eyes widened, erasing his frown. After shaking it, he squished it between his fingers. He repeated this several times, becoming rather focused. “How do you…”
Ms. Joellen entered the room, setting down a tray of small sandwiches and cut fruit. She nodded at them.
Alexi stopped talking, dropped the bra back in the box, slammed the lid, and shoved it toward Mia.
“Are you sure, Pandora?” Mia didn’t try to contain her smirk.
“It’s girl stuff.”
“I know that, Sacha. I mean Alexi.”
“There are things guys shouldn’t know.” He frowned at the box, but smiled when Hope walked into the game room. Odd, because he never smiled at Hope. His gaze landed on the box. Mia got it. In the Greek myth, Pandora shut the box after all the evils had escaped and only hope remained.
Alexi gave her a quick private grin.
***
That evening, Mia sat in her window seat, trying to read. She usually could lose herself in a book, but she kept thinking about food costs, laundry, and room costs. When she had moved in with Hope, there’d been about $500 in her account. She’d spent sixty on movies and stuff with her friends, plus she’d dropped three hundred at the mall on Alexi’s clothes. She smiled at the memory. Money well spent. He looked great in those clothes. Not quite American, but not so foreign either. That left less than two hundred dollars. She assessed her plush room and thought about the limo. Even if she gave the rest of her money to Niko, it wouldn’t be enough. She’d still be living off him. She’d have to ask Hope if their parents left any other money.
Tap, tap, tap.
Mia looked from the door to the clock, 7:30 p.m. Well, at least he wouldn’t want to go for a jog. Would he? “What?”
Alexi opened the door. “Your light’s on.”
“Yeah, it’s only seven-thirty.”
“Let’s watch a movie.”
“You know what has to happen.”
Alexi looked left, then right. “Fine.”
“Cool.” Mia joined him on the couch and dimmed the lights with the remote. Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants appeared on the plasma. Mia smiled over at Alexi. He sat still and didn’t talk during the movie. Excellent, she hated to watch movies with fidgety talkers.
They watched the character Lena visit her grandparents in Greece and meet Kostos. Greece was beautiful, blue water and ancient curved paths. Mia checked out his expression. She hoped this didn’t make him homesick. The character Tibby remained at home and fell for a guy who played video games all day. Bridget, the lively one, seduced her soccer coach then went through a terrible depression. Carmen visited her dad and threw major tantrums when she learned about her new stepfamily.
When it ended, she turned to him. “Who’d you like best? Bridget?”
“No, she was easy and whiny.”
Harsh. “Tibby?”
“She falls for a guy who plays video games constantly. How’s he going to take care of her?”
“She probably can take care of herself. We’ll probably agree on Carmen. She went a little crazy about the stepfamily, right?”
“No. Carmen is the only one who showed sense. Those people were too perfect, and the stepkids always will come first. Carmen was right to be wary.”
It was weird to see the same show and come away with two completely different takes on it. Weird and fascinating. “How about Lena? She fell for the Greek guy.”
“No, she’s an artist. Artists are bad.”
No, they aren’t.
“Though, yes, it was smart of her to fall for the Greek guy.”
***
Mia paired her fitted purple cheer skirt with a long-sleeved purple crop top with the high school’s initials, THS, emblazoned across the white background. The skirt’s hem was white with a gold stripe border and a thin purple stripe in the center. Not bad. Her hair was tied into a ponytail with a big gold bow, and her glitter makeup was in place. She displayed school spirit from head to toe.
Alexi waited for her in the game room. She breathed in; he smelled like her favorite cologne. Would he notice she was wearing her new powdery perfume?
His eyes widened and moved from the short fitted skirt to the midriff-baring top. After a moment of silence, he said, “Absolutely not.”
Mia looked behind her. “What?”
“Where are the rest of your clothes?” Alexi asked, no smile on his face. His gaze lowered to her legs. The V-shaped notch in the hem of her skirt made one of its sides shorter than the other.
Mia laughed, walked over to the couch, grabbed her warm-up pants and pulled them on over her skirt. “Let’s go.” She grabbed her backpack. Taking the bag from her hands, he carried it for her. He has lovely manners.
Alexi didn’t say another word until they reached the breakfast room, then he let loose a stream of Greek directed at Niko, far too fast for Mia to follow. In between sentences, he gestured at Mia.
On Mia’s plate rested a perfectly cooked omelet and slices of toast without the crust. What was that, a twenty-dollar breakfast? Looking from the plate over to Niko, her stomach clenched. Did it bother Niko that she’d just been taking from him and never even had said thank you? It was difficult to swallow the juice past the lump in her throat. Dicing up the omelet on her plate, she shoved it around under the toast so it appeared somewhat eaten.
Niko listened to Alexi then addressed Hope. “Do you let Mia wear that?”
Mia’s jaw dropped, and she put her fork down. Really? They’re going to debate the high school’s cheer uniform? Hope glanced from her sketchpad to Mia then touched her ponytail. “She looks cute.”
Alexi insistently spoke more Greek to Niko.
“OMG.” Mia zipped on a jacket. She liked that Alexi cared, but this ‘what’s appropriate for Mia to wear’ conversation was crazy. She was wearing a school-sanctioned uniform. The day she’d let a guy determine her clothes was the day she bought herself a ticket to the get-a-backbone doctor.
“You will wear that all day?” Alexi asked, his accent apparent.
Mia sat back in her chair, drank her juice, and looked at him, but didn’t respond. She’d indulge Niko’s sense of modesty, but she wasn’t taking it from someone her own age.
Alexi must have read her expression correctly because he turned to Niko. “Mia set up a plan to help Americanize me.”
Choking a little on the pulp and his words, Mia sat her glass of orange juice down. Dirty pool. Alexi could be sneaky to get his own way. There was no way she wanted to explain that poster to Hope or, heaven forbid, Niko.
“Hmm,” Niko said, his attention on his papers.
Alexi reached for his phone, and she knew he was about to pull up the photo of the poster.
“All day, Alexi,” she said, thinking not a chance. Mia laced her fingers together and stretched them over her head. Time to go. She stood and said “Bye” to the table.
Vincent pulled the car up to the front door. Mia gave him a little wave. She thought the limo would get old or embarrassing after a while, but nope. She was going to mis
s it. She passed the limo then called back to Alexi, “I’ll take my car. I have practice after school.” Mia opened the garage door in front of her red car. Choosing Trallwyn High red may not have been the best idea now that the school colors had changed to purple and yellow. But she was not driving a purple and yellow car.
“I’m too tall for that.” Alexi eyed her car with a frown, turned, and strolled back to the limo. Did he expect her to follow? Snob. She tossed her backpack onto the passenger seat before sliding into the driver’s side to start her car. Warm air surrounded her like a blanket. She cranked on the air conditioner.
Alexi leaned on the open door of the limo, as if she’d change her mind and get in.
Mia waved. “See you at school.” She drove away.
The jacket’s polyester collar scratched at her neck. Her uniform top was scratchy enough, without the polyester jacket closing it off from all air. She shrugged off the jacket. It was such a short trip to school that the car barely cooled off, but driving herself to school felt normal. Everything will be fine. I can drive my own car, and I can buy some groceries to make lunch. I just need to talk to Hope about room costs and find out how much Mom and Dad left to take care of things. Done. Problem solved.
***
It was pizza day. Oregano overlaid yesterday’s fried food smell in the cafeteria. Alexi frowned in disgust as students used napkins to soak up the top layer of grease prior to eating their slices. He unfolded his thin napkin and laid it across his pizza. The yellow grease saturated the one-ply instantly. “The Italians should see this. Kristnaldo must be weeping.”
Mia snickered.
He raised the napkin, but it was so weighed down by the grease it ripped and curled toward a small pool of remaining oil. After shoving his tray away, he looked at Mia. She gave him half her sandwich and pointed her bag of chips his way. “You have to leave it folded double, or it can’t take the oil’s weight.” Next she liberated pudding from her bag. “Yum. Chocolate.” After peeling off the lid, she dipped her finger in and waved it at him. “Sorry, can’t cut pudding in half.”
He reached over and placed her finger in his mouth.
Chapter 11
Holy cow. Mia’s eyes cast downward, and her mouth parted. Wet. Warm. Wow.
“Mouth off the other students, Mr. Ariastassios,” a passing teacher said.
Not one for public displays, Alexi pulled back quickly. “Where are the clearers?”
“You’ve asked that before, and the answer remains the same.” Mia pointed to the tray return alcove.
Alexi scrunched his face into a dissatisfied expression and carried his untouched meal to the tray return. Mia tilted the dessert cup left and right. She wanted to tease him some more.
“Watch the chocolate.” Lauren flinched backward, keeping her purple cheer top pristine. “Heave it that way if you want to start a food fight. Maddie’s wearing junior white, throw it her way.”
“Nah.” Mia straightened the pudding cup and wiped her fingers off on her napkin. “Purple hides chocolate.” Her words trailed off as her gaze followed Jake going over to Alexi. Her ex was accompanied by another new guy. The new guy wore black jeans, a concert T-shirt, and had purple streaks in his hair. They all walked back to the table together.
Jake stood at the end of the table, wearing one of the new purple and yellow jerseys. “Yo, this is Quinn.”
“Hi.” Quinn stared at her, his gaze on her hair. “Who’s she?” he said, continuing to look at Mia.
Mia played it cool and ignored him.
Jake and Alexi both frowned. “Mia,” Jake said after a pause. Alexi didn’t respond at all.
Mia stuck the chocolate-coated spoon in her mouth. Lauren responded with a jerk backward like she’d flick it at her. Mia took a bigger scoop and held it in aiming position.
“She can flick that at me if she wants.” Jake spoke as if she couldn’t hear, but he knew she could. “I wouldn’t regret that.”
Dump her and then flirt? Not a game she was playing. Jake had his shot and now he was restricted to the friend zone. No one got out of the friend zone with her. No second chances.
Alexi stiffened.
Quinn muttered something she couldn’t hear, and Alexi’s fists clenched. Quinn didn’t notice. He strode directly to her and held out his hand. Mia checked her fingers for chocolate. They were clean so she shook his hand.
Quinn held on and didn’t let go.
Alexi pulled her hand free, a move she didn’t acknowledge except to take a quick glance at his frown.
“I’m Quinn. Want to go out Saturday?”
Flattering. Too soon. She didn’t want to face the other reasons she wasn’t interested. “Uh, I have plans.” Mia stared at Quinn’s eyes. Was that eyeliner? He had an indie rocker vibe.
“How about Sunday?”
“She said no.” Jake stood with his feet braced apart and his arms crossed over the number on his big chest.
He thought he could speak for her? Mia frowned. That wasn’t happening.
***
Alexi made up for his lackluster appreciation of school pizza by filling a heaping dinner plate.
Mia took a sip of her fizzy soda, while Alexi reached for the wine bottle. Right in front of Hope and Niko, he poured a glass, breathing in the aroma, and took a sip. “A hint of cinnamon.”
Mia took another sip of soda. “Hint of sugar.”
He mouthed ‘barbarian’ at her. Her lips quirked.
Hope’s eyes widened. She turned to Niko, tapped his papers, and shot the red wine a pointed look.
“What?” Niko wore a blank expression.
“Look at what Alexi’s drinking.”
Alexi swung his gaze toward Hope and tilted his head.
“The drinking age in Greece is sixteen,” Niko said.
Oh. Yeah. Finally, some progressive attitudes. Mia grabbed an empty crystal glass from her place setting and pushed it toward Niko, eyes bright. “Fill ‘er up.”
Hope reached up and slapped his hand. “The drinking age in the U.S. is twenty-one. Neither of them is twenty-one.”
“Then it is good I’m not a U.S. citizen.” Alexi took a drink of the smooth wine while staring at her. He could be such a starer. Not that he did it to other girls. Just her. Did that make her special? Family? What?
Hope looked over at Mia. “Why aren’t you eating?”
Had they chipped in for groceries? She needed to talk about funds. Mia flushed. “Oh, uh, I grabbed something after practice.”
Alexi shook his head.
“Are you girls on one of those crazy diets?” Niko forked up a big bite of potato. “You don’t need to diet.”
“No.”
Niko nodded and returned to his meal. It wasn’t the worst time to figure out their situation. Mia leaned toward her sister. “Did Mom and Dad leave money to take care of me?” Alexi watched closely so she kept her voice low, not wanting him to know how much the dependent remark had skeeved her out.
“Did you go through the spending money they left you? Just write a check at the gallery.” Hope resumed drawing. Her charcoal pencil made soft brush sounds against the paper.
“No… Yes… Well, some.”
“What did you spend it on?” Niko asked. “What do you need money for?”
Mia shifted. “I have some left. I was thinking maybe we could give some to the household budget for all the food and stuff.”
“Clothes, she bought clothes for me,” Alexi said. “And she didn’t ask me for money.” He tilted his head. “I thought she would, but she didn’t.”
“I won’t take your money.” Niko waved his hand in the air. “That’s not necessary. We’ll pay you back for Alexi’s shopping.” Clearly the matter was resolved in his mind.
He didn’t get it. Mia’s stomach tightened more. She looked away, then at Hope. “Hope.”
No response.
Mia leaned o
n Hope’s shoulder and tapped the drawing pad. Hope looked up with unfocused eyes. “Hmm?”
“Mom won’t think this is okay,” Mia whispered. “Niko can’t pay for everything. Picture Dad’s face when he finds out. Or worse, Mom’s.”
Hope’s eyes widened, and she set the drawing pad down, straightening. “Oh, okay, you’re right. What amount do you think?”
Mia shrugged and held up her hands. Niko frowned. Alexi took another sip of his wine.
“I’ll write a check,” Hope said. “What did the painting of the blue trees go for? You know, the one that sweet guy bought.”
“What sweet guy?” Niko asked.
“This man came in and just fell in love with the blue trees. You remember the painting? I was trying to capture the trees at midnight.” Hope’s eyes unfocused, the way they did when she talked about art.
Niko frowned. “I remember you going on about which blue-black color did I like better, but I don’t remember anything about a sweet guy.” He said sweet like it was the worst trait a guy could possess.
“Oh, well, he said the moonlight through the darkness reminded him of his ranch. Evidently it’s lovely. What did that bring?”
“One hundred thousand,” Mia said. “I remember him. He wanted you to paint a picture of his ranch.”
Niko shook his head. “He wanted you.”
Hope tilted her head and blushed. “No, no, he just liked the color.” She patted Niko’s arm. As he continued pouting, she rose and whispered something to him. He pulled her onto his lap and kissed her. Hope broke the kiss. “I know. What did you and Mom find out about dorm costs?”
“Room and board is between four and eight thousand, depending on where I end up,” Mia said.
“There you go.” Hope leaned into Niko. “Stop by the gallery this week and write out a check to Niko for eight thousand. And we’ll have covered the costs for the year. That’s fair, right?”