Riane couldn't believe what she had just said to Blake. Her heart raced in her chest as she passed through the crowd, but it wasn't do to her anxiety but instead the overwhelming fear that she had implanted in herself with just a few words.
As she approached her first classroom, she stopped and stared at the door. She wouldn't be able to concentrate on the subject at hand, not today. Her thoughts went immediately to the area behind the gym, where she knew Julian would be sitting. However, she couldn't tell him what had happened not with Blake and certainly not with Bryce.
When her mind remembered what Bryce had said before her argument with Blake, her heart ached more. She did not know what Bryce had intended, but she had a feeling that something was about to happen. She couldn't tell if he was asking for himself or really for his mother, but if it was for the latter a darkness grew in her gut.
Running away from the classroom, she pulled her cellphone from her pocket and found her friend's number. It rang a couple times before Joe finally picked up.
“Hey, you are on speaker. I am on the freeway.” Joe told her immediately.
“Uh, some bad things have happened.” They were the only words she could thing of in that moment.
Joe was quiet for a moment, “How bad? Like physically bad or socially bad?”
“Socially, I think.” Riane was fighting a quiver in her lips as she didn't want to be seen crying into her phone.
“Do you want me to come get you?” Joe asked with concern in her voice.
Riane thought of what Blake had said about having to give up everything for her, and she realized that Joe was on her way to school. She couldn't ask her to give up her education. “Uh, no. Go to school. We will talk later. I just needed to hear your voice.”
Joe didn't sound convinced, but seemed willing to let to issue die for now. “Oh, ok. I'll see you at three.”
Riane forget to say goodbye and merely hung up the phone. She pressed herself against the building and placed her hand on her forehead. There was no where to go and no one to speak with about this issue. Her friends either hated her, were busy, or thought she was a boy. For the first time in her life, she was truly alone.
Slowly she slid down the brick wall with her backpack catching spots here and there, until she was finally sitting. She held her knees against her chest and pressed her forehead against her knees.
“Are you really a girl?” A voice spoke to her right.
Riane lifted her head and looked at Dalen, who seemed disheveled. Riane closed her eyes tightly together and dropped her head back down to her knees. It was now truly over, everything would come to an end.
“I went to get you at the gate and I heard you talking to Bryce... and to your friend.” Dalen told her. “I've been looking all over for you since you charged off.” With those words spoken, Dalen walked over and sat down beside her with his back against the wall. “You are really a girl?”
Riane nodded her head with her forehead still laying on her knees.
“Thank goodness.” Dalen chuckled.
It was not a reaction that she had expected and she raised her head to look at him. “What?”
He laughed, “I was starting to think I was obsessing over a guy. Julian told me that I talk about you and wanted to invite you with us too much. I must have just known deep down that you were a girl all along.” Suddenly he cleared his throat. “And I just admitted that I might have a crush on you. My humiliation is complete.” He patted himself on the back.
“What?” It was the only word that came to her mind.
“Oh, don't worry. It isn't even a real crush, just like a feeling. I like Jolene more. Wait, I don't mean that...” He took a deep breath, “Ok, let me try this again. Why are you pretending to be male?”
Riane stared at him for a second, “Why are you taking this so well? I lied to you.”
He shrugged, “Seems to me that we made the assumption and you just didn't correct us. I guess that is lying by omission though. You didn't answer my question.”
“I've always dressed as a boy; it's how my mother tried to make up to my dad that I was born a girl.” She explained.
“Wow, that is... I thought my family was fucked up.” He said trying to lighten the mood, but he started to giggle.
“What is so funny?” Her heart sank with his laughter.
“Julian has been close friends for the past couple of weeks with a woman.” He chuckled, “He would die if he knew the truth.”
Riane's face looked stunned as she didn't want to ask him to lie for her, but she didn't want to lose her friends either.
“Ah, don't worry. I still need you around so I can see Jolene, also I like you. Platonic-like. I mean not that I am taking my words back from before, I just want you to know...” He went silent again. “You know what I mean, so I'll stop talking.”
“You aren't going to tell Julian?” She watched him shake his head, “Why not?”
Dalen shrugged his shoulders. “Ah, Julian could use a good lesson, I guess. Plus, if he kicks you out of the group that would mean not being able to hang out with you. That would be a downer, so we can keep a secret. You know, however, that Bryce's mother might be zoning in on you to be Julian's fiancee.”
The fact that he overheard the conversation and come to a similar conclusion as she did made her whole body ache in fear. “I was scared that was what that was all about.”
“Well, hopefully your father wants you to marry an heir to something and not some spare. He seems the type that would want to use his daughter as a chip for more power. Right?” He stared at her as she nodded her head.
They were silent for a moment as Riane hadn't even allowed her conversation with Bryce to sink in enough to bother her.
“So, unrequited love? That's shit. I have been on the losing side of that feeling more times than I would like to count.” Dalen could see that his friend was hurting, but was running out of material to speak to her about.
Riane slowly nodded her head, “Yeah, he didn't know I was a girl for a few years, so I think he sees me as his brother.”
“Might be the choices in wardrobe.” He teased.
She giggled, “Of course.”
“Why not start dressing like a girl? Other than the obvious of not wanting to lose your new friends.”
She shrugged her shoulders, “I am not comfortable in them. I have never worn them outside of my house before, so I feel weird. I already have anxiety, I don't need to add to the feeling by wearing clothes that I feel judged in.”
“You know what you could do?” He watched her stare at him for a moment. “You go to another city, where you don't know anybody, in these clothes, but bring some other clothes with you. Go into a shopping mall or something to change in the bathroom. Just walk around in them and find out that you are just a face in the crowd.”
“I don't like crowds.” She replied with humor in her voice.
“Joe and I can go with you.” He bumped her shoulder with his own. “See what I did there? Help a friend and get to spend time with your driver. It's a win win for me.”
Riane pressed her lips together for a moment, she was terrified of the idea but she didn't want to reject her new partner in crime by not even trying his idea. “The plan makes me nervous, but... I guess if you two are with me, I can try. You just can't run off with her and leave me alone, got it?”
“Wouldn't dream of it.”
Lunch came quickly and Blake got his meal from the cafeteria as Adonia stood up from the table she had with her friends. She walked over to him before he could leave and head for the usual place he ate lunch.
“Why don't we eat with my friends? They are dying to meet you.” She said with a smile on her lips even though she knew he was in pain.
Blake slowly shook his head, “No, he... she might go to our spot to talk to me.”
“Do you think she will suddenly take it all back, and you two can live ignoring the truth again?” Adonia asked and watched Blake simply leave the crowded room.
She returned to her table and looked down at her friends. Kalei was on the cheerleading squad with her, while Parker was a friend from high school, who enjoyed video games, board games, and who was definitely going to graduate with honors in a lucrative field. Parker was a burnette with black thick rimmed glasses who always wore jeans and a printed t-shirt. While Kalei was her opposite with her hobbies being boys and fashion. She always had her blonde hair perfectly curled and whatever flavor of fashion that month was had to be worn at all times. They didn't seem like two people that would get along, but Kalei was so likable that she didn't really have any people that disliked her.
“Isn't this getting kind of rude?” Kalei asked her as she looked to Parker for verification. There were other girls sitting at the round table with them, but they weren't really part of their friendship triangle. The whole cafeteria had a murmur around them as others discussed their matters over lunch with friends.
Parker nodded in argument, “I am starting to take it personally.”
Adonia sighed as she picked up her tray. “He is dealing with something difficult right now. Look, I can't explain it, because it is his personal business. As soon as it is dealt with, I will tell you both everything.”
“She is picking up her tray. Why is she picking up her tray?” Kalei asked sarcastically.
Leaning back in her seat, Parker frowned. “I guess we are being put aside again?”
“I'm sorry. Let's go shopping this weekend, and I'll make it up to you. I really don't think he should be by himself.” Adonia wasn't really begging for their approval, but she didn't want to leave them hurt.
“Fine, let her go.” Kalei waved her friend away.
Parker followed the gesture with the same.
“Thanks.” She said with a grin, before hurrying out of the cafeteria to find Blake.
He was sitting exactly where she thought he would be; on the stairs which were a couple buildings away from the cafeteria as there would be very little traffic. A place that Riane would love and did at one time.
Sitting down next to him, she began to eat the mixed fruit from her plate. “So, what bothers you the most about what happened?”
Blake snorted, “That every girl I have ever dated was right, and I called them jealous and ended my relationship with them. How blind I must have looked to everyone.” He had a bowl of clam chowder on his plate and a piece of french bread. Eating a spoonful he then returned to talking. “I also feel so bad for Riane.” He said her name carefully and he tried his best not to call her Ryan. “I must have seemed like an oblivious, heartless jerk to her for all these years.”
“I don't know if that's how you seem to her, but it certainly isn't how I see things. I think Riane liked you and stayed so close to you, because she knew that was the only way she was going to have you in her life. She obviously knew that you did not see her that way, and she feared telling you the truth for fear that you wouldn't be her friend anymore.” Adonia looked down at the Caesar salad with grilled chicken on her plate. It suddenly didn't seem appetizing anymore.
“Then why tell me now?” Blake asked as she turned his attention to her. “Am I so easily replaced by those other guys?”
She shrugged, “Maybe it took finding new friends in order for her to realize she didn't need to rely on you so heavily. When she finally told you and walked away from you, it might have been because that was how she always envisioned it. She thought she would lose her friend.”
Blake continued to eat his chowder as he thought over her words. “I guess I need to figure out what I want then. Do I prove to her that I am still her friend despite it? Or do I prove she was right about me all along?”
“Or you can give her time to ease away her feelings, before you approach her. She might have told you, because she doesn't want to feel that way anymore.” Adonia reached out her hand and rubbed his shoulder briefly.
A noise came from down towards the cafeteria. It was Julian being very loud as he laughed while he returned his tray. Seth, Dalen, and Riane were with them. Dalen had his arm over Riane's shoulder and was basically hugging her neck.
“Speak of the devil.” Adonia whispered under her breath.
Riane was laughing as Seth shoved Dalen who was still holding onto her. They were talking amongst themselves but the words were inaudible to the onlookers.
Dalen noticed them in the distance first and pointed it out to Riane, who looked in their direction. Both Adonia and Blake gave her a wave, but she did not offer one in return. Instead, she said something to the group as they moved out of eyesight.
Blake pressed his lips together tightly as annoyance built up in his chest, before turning back to his half eaten soup bowl.
“Hey, giving her a wave is a good idea. Acknowledging her but giving her space might be the best thing to do right now.” Adonia tried to be encouraging, but she didn't know if Blake would actually believe her.
“Adonia, I know you have a good heart, and you are trying very hard to help me in this situation. A situation that you saw coming before it happened, I am sure. Right now, your words are really making me question whether you are trying to sabotage my friendship with Riane.” Blake shook his head immediately, “Sorry. I'm sorry, I should not have said that. I know you are not that kind of person.”
She nodded her head, “I would hope so.”
He exhaled loudly, “Well, mopping around about it won't fix anything. You are being so kind and understanding. Maybe we should go out this weekend?”
She smiled, “Actually, I really wish you would do something for me. I am going shopping with the girls. It would mean a great deal if you came and spent the day with them. They really want to meet you and are starting to think you dislike them.”
“I... I don't know, Adonia.”
“Please!” She placed her hands together and begged, “Pretty, please. It would mean everything to me. They are my best friends.”
He chuckled at her actions, “Fine, I can't say no when you are being so cute.”
“Yeah!” She clapped in celebration. “I have never shopped for clothing for a guy that I wasn't related to before. It will be fun.”
“Shopping is not my idea of a good time.” He continued to eat his meal.
Adonia leaned forward and kissed his cheek. “For a guy, it never is, but what comes after when he makes his girl happy makes him very happy.”
“Oh, does it now?”
She nodded with a cheeky grin right as the bells began to ring. “Damn it. I toyed around for so long making my decision on what to eat, and now I have had only two bites of my salad.”
“I'm sorry. Do you want my bread?” He offered it to her.
She took it with a smile. “Thanks, it will hold me over until after classes at least.”
With that they both stood up and walked their trays back to the cafeteria. Blake was in a slightly better mood than he had been before Adonia decided to comfort him.
The weekend was upon them more quickly than Riane would have liked. In no time at all, she, Joe, and Dalen were driving in his red Ferrari to an unknown mall. When he had picked them up, he told her it would be a surprise. She didn't know what would be so surprising about a mall.
Joe had sat in the front with Dalen and the two chatted the entire trip, but Riane remained silent as she looked over at the bag beside her. She hadn't picked out anything too daring. A simply yellow floral pattern summer dress with brown sandals and matching belt. Joe had packed for her some eyeliner, foundation, and lip gloss. She didn't want too heavy of make-up on her first outing.
Once they were in the mall, they moved through the crowded food court to the bathroom. Joe held her hand the entire time so Riane would be comfortable. As they were heading into the bathroom, Dalen took their smoothie orders and went to buy them while he waited. Joe had come in less than flattering clothes as well, so that her friend wouldn't be the only one changing in a public bathroom. Riane hadn't even asked her to do so, but she insisted it would help.
Inside the stall, Riane inhaled several times over. She could hear Joe changing next to her and the sounds of other women using the rest room, washing their hands, and leaving.
“Are you alright?” Joe asked when she could see under the stall that Riane still had her tennis shoes on.
Riane had hung the dress up on a hook as she stared at it. “I don't know if I can do this.”
“At least put it on, and let me do your hair and make-up. If you simply can't go to the food court, then we were take it all off and call it a good first step.” Joe had finished changing and had stepped outside her stall to lean against her friend's. “You can do this, Riane.”
“Alright.” Riane began to take off her clothing and shove it into the duffel bag at her feet. She slid the dress over her body and immediately noticed her bra strap was showing. “You can see my bra strap.”
“That's not unusually in those types of dresses. Don't worry, people know females wear bras.” Joe was partly teasing and partly encouraging.
Sitting on the toilet, she put on her sandals and placed her shoes in the bag before stepping out into the main room of the bathroom.
Joe smiled at her immediately. “You look adorable. Next time, I can give you hair extensions if you want.”
“Julian has longer hair, maybe I could get away with growing it a little.” Riane said under her breath as she half hoped that her friend wouldn't hear her.
“I don't think your father would object.” She told her before motioning her towards the sink where Riane got a first look at herself.
“I look stupid.” She said flatly.
“Hold on. I have some hair clips that will help, and then we will put on some make-up.” Joe told her as she dug through her make-up bag. “Must be weird wearing an actual bra instead of a sports bra that is a cup size too small.” She said as she put make-up on her.”
“I am not very big to begin with. I suppose I have been lucky so far in that, otherwise I wouldn't have gotten away with this as far as I have.” Riane looked in the mirror once Joe finished putting on her foundation and eyeliner. “I still look stupid.” She watched her friend clip back her hair with a flower clip that looked like a small yellow rose.
“You look beautiful. Do you want to take it all off?” Joe asked when she saw how disappointed her friend looked, but to her surprise Riane slowly shook her head.
“This was Dalen's idea. I should at least walk around a little bit.” She tossed the handle of her bag over her shoulder and they both made their way out of the bathroom, where they found Dalen sitting at a table by himself with three smoothies.
He smiled when they approached, “I can barely recognize you, Ryan. You look very nice.” He motioned for them both to sit down. “Kiwi strawberry for Joe, and a raspberry for Ryan.”
“Riane.” Joe corrected.
“Oh.” Dalen smiled at her, “I just assumed your name really was Ryan after you told me about your mom.”
Riane shook her head as she took her first sip, “You can keep calling me Ryan for now. It is better so you don't slip up in front of Julian.”
“Good plan.” Dalen looked at his buzzing phone. “Speak of the devil.” He answered the phone. “What?”
Joe looked over to her friend, “How are you feeling?”
“Weird, but no one is staring at me. I am just some nobody. It's rather horrifying because I keep waiting for someone to tell me that I am not suppose to be dressed like this.” She inhaled, “Nobody cares.”
“No, that is not Ryan in the background. No, I am not in town. I am out on a date.” Dalen snapped and motioned for the girls to be quiet. “None of your business. Go play with Seth, he's probably at my house.” He sighed, “Yes, fine, Ryan and I are hanging out, are you happy?” Dalen chuckled and looked over at Riane, “He's not happy. He wants to know why he and Seth weren't invited?”
“What we can't hang out without them?” Riane asked, “Does he need us to hold his hand whenever we go out? Can't do anything on his own then?”
“You hear that? Go play with Seth.” Dalen hung up the phone, “Sorry, he knew it was you but I don't think he understood what you were saying. Mostly, because he was talking over you.”
The group chuckled and continued to drink their smoothies.
“There is an arcade, do you want to do that when we finish up here?” Dalen asked.
“I've never been to an arcade.” Riane admitted sheepishly and slowly took another sip of her smoothie so she wouldn't have to give further explanation, although Dalen already understood why.
Joe grinned, “Well then, it's about time you rode that pony. I haven't been to one since I was a little kid.”
“You'll have to teach me. I have never played video games before, remember?” Riane sighed as she stared down at her floral dress. “Feels weird to not have pants on in public.”
“Sounds like my worst nightmare.” Dalen joked and got a laugh from the two of them.
“Joe?” A voice came from the crowd and immediately the group of three had their heartbeat rise at the name.
Riane knew the voice immediately and Dalen noticed him first as he made his way over to them. Reaching under the table, he took Riane's hand and squeezed it gently. She thought perhaps he knew she wanted to run away and was trying to keep her there. She wanted to shove his hand back and call him an ass, but she thought perhaps he was just trying to keep her calm and she was over thinking his intentions.
“Blake.” Joe stood up and put herself in a position to hide Riane from him. “What are you doing here?”
“Adonia and her friends are shopping and I tagged along. I am hungry, but they are all filled up on big deals. So, I came to get a bite.” He noticed Dalen and gave a nod to him. “Who is your friend?” He noticed Dalen holding the hand of the girl who had her head down.
Joe swallowed and stepped out of the way so he could see her clearly. She didn't have to say anything before Blake recognized his best friend.
“Ryan... I mean Riane. Hey. I didn't recognize you.” He said softly.
“Blake!” Adonia's voice could be heard in the crowd.
Riane's grasp of Dalen's hand tightly grew until she felt herself being yanked away, and the two ran through the crowd of people abandoning Joe to the others. Riane laughed for several moments until the two were hidden inside a shoe store.
“What about Joe?” Riane chuckled.
“She has a phone on her. I'll text her and tell her were to find us.” Dalen said with a smile across his lips. “That was scary for me just watching you. I guess the arcade is off then?”
Riane continued to smile, “Maybe, just the one in this mall.”
“Ok, I know of another close by. Let's collect Joe.”
Julian sat at the dining room table as he stared down at the phone in his hand. His father had informed him that a marriage contract had been made, but he did not inform him as to who it would be with. He tried to ask questions about the girl, and his mother said she believed that he would like her. That did nothing to raise his confidence.
He had wanted to call his friends together to rant, but Seth was not answering his phone and now it seemed like Ryan and Dalen were out together. He had to sit in his anger and fear alone.
He tried to imagine what all this would look like in the end. Would the girl at least have sex with him so that he could get something out of this? He had heard many times that these marriages ended up as just business deals, and as much as he didn't like the idea if he did get married he wanted a relationship closer to his parents. He wanted two people that loved each other, not some sham for the cameras.
His mother had such a cheeky smirk on her face when she told him. He wanted so badly to smack it off of her and make her feel as badly as he did. She was so happy in the face of all this happening to him and he decided that his unhappiness made her thrilled.
“I met her.” Bryce entered into the room and sat down in the wooden chair beside his brother. “She's nice.”
“Is she hot?” Julian asked immediately.
“That's your question?” His brother scoffed, and when Julian continued to stare at him, he sighed. “She's cute.”
“So, not hot.” He lowered his head to the cool surface of the table and laid his forehead upon it. “I knew it. I knew they were going to stick me with some fucking ugly bitch to teach me a lesson.”
“She's not ugly, and it would serve you better to ask about her as a person anyway.” Bryce leaned back in his chair.
“Why?”
“Considering you are going to have to spend a great deal of time with her.” He waited for his brother to say something, but he was silent. “Mom is preparing a room for her. She is coming to live with us for a few months to see how she fits in.”
Julian lifted his head and looked in horror at his brother. “What the fuck did you just say?”
Before Bryce could say anything else, Julian jumped from his chair and scurried up the stairs to find his mother. His older brother was behind him and followed him to the empty room at the end of the hallway. Bryce and Julian had bedroom across the hall from each other and Zachary got a room in another direction. His parents shared the large master bedroom, then there was a play room, a music room, and a place for his mother to practice her ballet.
This room had been the play room which was mostly unused now that the children were too old to play with toys. It did not surprise Bryce that his brother knew exactly what room to head for as their mother had been talking about changing it to something else for years.
Julian flung open the door to find his mother making up a pink bed with his father standing nearby. They had been discussing something, no doubt the girl coming to live with them.
“What the shit!” Julian barked. “Are you two fucking out of your minds?”
Colin frowned at his son's choice of words and he was about to snap at him, when his wife began to speak instead. “I know!” She chuckled. “I really shouldn't have picked pink, but I have never had a girl live here with us before so I had no idea what I should do. I figured if she hates it, we can always change it to something else.” She smiled at her husband. “It is so much fun to buy things for a girl. I hope she loves shopping as much as I do.”
Her husband realized she was trying to distract Julian so he played along. “I am sure she will. It will be nice to have someone else around here, especially someone who doesn't laugh at their own farts all the time.”
Bryce was standing behind his brother and chuckled at the comment, while Julian stared in utter disbelief.
“You aren't even going to let me date her first?” Julian whined the question. “She is going to be a live in girlfriend before I even meet her?”
“We felt it would be better for her to see you outside of a dating atmosphere, and more as part of a family before we sent her out alone with you.” Colin explained.
Nanette nodded in agreement. “She should get to know us as well.”
Julian punched the door frame, before heading back down the hallway.
“I asked you not to say anything to him for the time being.” Colin reprimanded his eldest son who leaned against the door frame that his brother had just assaulted.
“This isn't right.” Bryce told his father. “It's cruel to him, and it is cruel to her.” He lowered his voice. “He thinks she is his friend, and you are about to destroy their friendship for your own gains.”
“It's a girl that he actually likes to hang out with, whether he knows it or not. I am sorry about their friendship, but I believe in cracking a few eggs to make an omelet.” Nanette explained and watched her son shake his head disapprovingly.
“They haven't been friends that long, so we aren't really destroying anything.” Colin continued to justify their reasonings.
“Which makes it worse. It might hurt a lot more to find out in the future that she is a girl, but there will be friendship and a bond. Right now, they are new friends and she will be easily cast aside.” Bryce sighed audibly. “You two are being so incredibly selfish right now. You are so worried over what other people think of Julian that you are forgetting to think of Julian. He doesn't have many friends, and doing this will cost him one. Pick another girl.”
Colin walked over to his son and placed his hand on his son's shoulder. “I know you are looking out for your brother, and that's commendable but we are as well, Bryce. All his life, he has been self absorbed and believing he was superior to everyone that I worry he might not have any real human emotion. I worry that he might not make bonds with others. I think everyone is expendable to him.”
“So, what is this just some mad science experiment? If you think he is a psychopath then take him to a shrink, don't fuck up both of their lives.” Bryce stepped away from his father's touch.
Nanette stood quietly next to the bed she was only half way finished making.
“The way your brother treats women is terrible, and if we have to force him to stay amongst a woman then we will. If she can take him acting like an ass when he thinks she is a male, then she has to be able to take him when he knows she is a female.” Colin shook his head. “Son, I know you think this is cruel, and yes, I agree, but surgeons have to cut to heal.”
“So many excuses, I am not sure which one you actually believe.” Bryce growled before turning around and heading down the hallway.
“He's always been a man of conviction.” He told his wife as she returned to making the bed. “Are you still alright with this?”
She nodded her head slowly. “I am terrified that even she will hate me for ruining what they have now. Deidra said that her father treats her terribly and if we moved her in here she might be willing to take whatever Julian throws at her in order to have a comfortable family around her.”
“I can't believe we are resorting to emotional manipulation of an eighteen year old girl.” Colin exhaled and ran his hand through his hair.
“We should view it differently. Simon had no terms on sending her here. He was more than happy to rid himself of his daughter, and we are going to provide her with a real family.” She sat down on the bed and looked at her husband. “Deidra says she has never even watched television or played a video game. He locks her away in her room and makes her study all day every day. She is barely allowed out only school and shopping with her driver. Her mother abandoned her for money. Maybe she will be happy here, despite Julian.”
Colin slowly nodded his head, “Maybe. All I know is when she finally arrives here, Julian will cause a scene so we best prepare how we should handle it.”
“I know.”
Joe and Riane pulled up the the house after Dalen had taken them to his home to switch cars. Riane had worn the dress all day and even on the ride home, only to change back at Dalen's home. They were still laughing about their day, as Joe retold the story of what happened after Dalen and her friend ran away.
“At first, I was like 'Did they just ditch me?' and then I looked at Blake and he was just staring at where you two had run off. His eyes all wide and his mouth hanging open.” Joe told Riane who was sitting in the passenger's seat beside her as she put the car into park.
Riane laughed alongside her even though she had heard this story several times, but something about it made her proud of herself.
“He says, 'That was Riane, right?' as Adonia walks up to stand next to him. She has this stupid smile on her face that fades as soon as she hears your name. 'Riane is here?'” Joe spoke Adonia's parts on a high pitched voice. “Blake is all, 'Yes, I think so.' and I am just standing there dumbfounded and trying to figure out what I should do. It so incredibly awkward so I just turn around and walk away.”
Riane burst out laughing, “No words said, just turned around and left the scene?”
She nodded her head as they both stepped out of the car, “I didn't even look back to see what they were doing, I just wanted to get out of there. They didn't come after me, so that was a plus.”
They continued to giggle as they walked up to the door and entered into the foyer, but their laughter was halted when Deidra stepped out from the living room with a deep frown on her lips.
“Hey, Deidra, you won't believe what I did today!” She was about to tell her when Deidra walked over to her and hugged her tightly.
“Your father called a couple hours ago.” She told her softly, before stepping back. “He found you a fiance and he wants you to go live with his family.”
The smiles on both girls' face slowly faded away as horror set in.
“I can't live with strangers, Deidra.” Riane could feel the panic settling into her chest. “I can't do it. Tell him, make something up. I can't do that.”
Deidra held onto her shoulders as Joe stood behind her.
“Let's go sit down.” Deidra told her as they walked into the living room that had no television and dark red couches with a white carpet.
Sitting down, Joe stood beside Riane with her hand on her shoulder as Deidra sat next to her and placed her hands on Riane's knees.
“I begged him. I asked him not to do this, but he says it is the best for everyone. He seems to think putting you in this situation will be good for you. He said he is tired of your anxiety lies and it is time for you to move forward; away from your family as any adult woman should.” Her stepmother explained.
Riane swallowed, “Who?” It was the only word she could manage as her heart raced in her chest.
“His name is Julian Swithin and...” She stopped speaking when she saw the look of horror on Riane's eyes. “What? What's wrong?”
Riane looked over her shoulder at Joe, “Dalen warned me that they might be plotting this, Joe. He said...” She stopped talking as she tried to breathe more naturally.
Joe pulled out her cellphone and texted Dalen. “They are making Riane move into Julian's house.”
Dalen immediately texted back, “Yeah, Julian told me just now, and I thought it might be Riane. Is she alright?”
Joe looked at Riane, “Julian knows.”
“He knows I am not a guy now?” Riane stood up and started pacing the room as she tossed her hands in the hair.
“I don't know. Dalen had to assume it was you, let me ask.” She began to text again. “Does he know about Riane?”
“He doesn't know who it is, yet. He does know that next weekend, she will be moving in.” Dalen explained. “You didn't answer; is she alright?”
“What do you think?” Joe wished he could hear her snapping at him but put her phone in her back pocket and looked at Riane. “He doesn't know it is you, but he knows she'll be moving in next weekend.”
Riane ran her hand through her hair and opened her mouth as if she were silently screaming. It was a habit from years of frustration to quietly scream in her bedroom.
Deidra seemed confused for a moment, “You know him? He thinks you are a boy?”
Joe nodded at the stepmother; who then sat back on the couch and placed her hands over her eyes as she tossed her head back. Joe remained standing and watching her friend.
Riane's phone buzzed and Joe picked it up to see who had texted her. “It's Julian.” She held out the phone to Riane who immediately snatched it out of her hand.
“Did you hear? My mom is fucking making the bitch she picked move in here.” Julian wrote, “She won't even tell me who it is.”
Riane swallowed, “I heard. Sorry.” She looked up at the two women in front of her and read what he had sent her.
“Bitch is a little harsh. He doesn't know the girl's circumstances.” Deidra started the sentence mumbling but spoke louder with each word.
Julian texted back, “Be fucking careful. If my parents would do this, just fucking imagine how your dad will do it.”
She decided not to respond to that text message and sighed. “Should I just tell him? Maybe spending another week lying won't help anything.”
Deidra nodded in agreement, “Your relationship has now changed. It is for the best to just rip the bandaid off and move on.”
Joe disagreed, “If you give him another week of being his friend, maybe it won't be so bad. He'll rant about this and you'll literately be able to give him first hand advice.”
“No, more lies only cause more resentment.” Her stepmother explained quietly, “When you see him on Monday, just tell him the truth. He might be upset but at least you won't shock him when you are suddenly moved into his home.”
“Tell him on Monday?” Riane asked.
“Yes, face to face. It is harder to get angry at someone when you can see their guilt clearly, then if they just write it. When you do that, you are at the mercy of whatever way they decide to read it.” Standing up, Deidra sighed. “Whatever you decide, you have one week and your father will not change his mind. His mother is coming over tomorrow to speak with you about all of this while your father is out of town. He will be here next weekend though.”
They watched her leave the room before Riane sighed, “Telling him on Monday, at least gives me more time to decide.”
“Don't use it to procrastinate. You either need to know what you are going to say, or prepare to lie to your friend until Saturday.” Joe sat down on the couch which she was afraid to do while Deidra was in the room.
Standing in the middle of the room, Riane stared down at her cellphone as another text from Julian came along. “My mom took the old play room and made it pink. She bought her a bunch of shit. She is so fucking excited about having another girl in the house. It's bullshit. My misery in exchange for a daughter.”
“What he say?” Joe assumed it was Julian again.
“Sorry to hear that.” Riane replied to him, before answering her friend. “Apparently his mother is very excited to have a girl in the house. My room is pink, I guess.”
She chuckled, “Well, at least there will be one ally. When she comes over tomorrow, we will talk about keeping me at your side and explain your anxiety. Let's just take this one step at a time, ok?”
As she approached her first classroom, she stopped and stared at the door. She wouldn't be able to concentrate on the subject at hand, not today. Her thoughts went immediately to the area behind the gym, where she knew Julian would be sitting. However, she couldn't tell him what had happened not with Blake and certainly not with Bryce.
When her mind remembered what Bryce had said before her argument with Blake, her heart ached more. She did not know what Bryce had intended, but she had a feeling that something was about to happen. She couldn't tell if he was asking for himself or really for his mother, but if it was for the latter a darkness grew in her gut.
Running away from the classroom, she pulled her cellphone from her pocket and found her friend's number. It rang a couple times before Joe finally picked up.
“Hey, you are on speaker. I am on the freeway.” Joe told her immediately.
“Uh, some bad things have happened.” They were the only words she could thing of in that moment.
Joe was quiet for a moment, “How bad? Like physically bad or socially bad?”
“Socially, I think.” Riane was fighting a quiver in her lips as she didn't want to be seen crying into her phone.
“Do you want me to come get you?” Joe asked with concern in her voice.
Riane thought of what Blake had said about having to give up everything for her, and she realized that Joe was on her way to school. She couldn't ask her to give up her education. “Uh, no. Go to school. We will talk later. I just needed to hear your voice.”
Joe didn't sound convinced, but seemed willing to let to issue die for now. “Oh, ok. I'll see you at three.”
Riane forget to say goodbye and merely hung up the phone. She pressed herself against the building and placed her hand on her forehead. There was no where to go and no one to speak with about this issue. Her friends either hated her, were busy, or thought she was a boy. For the first time in her life, she was truly alone.
Slowly she slid down the brick wall with her backpack catching spots here and there, until she was finally sitting. She held her knees against her chest and pressed her forehead against her knees.
“Are you really a girl?” A voice spoke to her right.
Riane lifted her head and looked at Dalen, who seemed disheveled. Riane closed her eyes tightly together and dropped her head back down to her knees. It was now truly over, everything would come to an end.
“I went to get you at the gate and I heard you talking to Bryce... and to your friend.” Dalen told her. “I've been looking all over for you since you charged off.” With those words spoken, Dalen walked over and sat down beside her with his back against the wall. “You are really a girl?”
Riane nodded her head with her forehead still laying on her knees.
“Thank goodness.” Dalen chuckled.
It was not a reaction that she had expected and she raised her head to look at him. “What?”
He laughed, “I was starting to think I was obsessing over a guy. Julian told me that I talk about you and wanted to invite you with us too much. I must have just known deep down that you were a girl all along.” Suddenly he cleared his throat. “And I just admitted that I might have a crush on you. My humiliation is complete.” He patted himself on the back.
“What?” It was the only word that came to her mind.
“Oh, don't worry. It isn't even a real crush, just like a feeling. I like Jolene more. Wait, I don't mean that...” He took a deep breath, “Ok, let me try this again. Why are you pretending to be male?”
Riane stared at him for a second, “Why are you taking this so well? I lied to you.”
He shrugged, “Seems to me that we made the assumption and you just didn't correct us. I guess that is lying by omission though. You didn't answer my question.”
“I've always dressed as a boy; it's how my mother tried to make up to my dad that I was born a girl.” She explained.
“Wow, that is... I thought my family was fucked up.” He said trying to lighten the mood, but he started to giggle.
“What is so funny?” Her heart sank with his laughter.
“Julian has been close friends for the past couple of weeks with a woman.” He chuckled, “He would die if he knew the truth.”
Riane's face looked stunned as she didn't want to ask him to lie for her, but she didn't want to lose her friends either.
“Ah, don't worry. I still need you around so I can see Jolene, also I like you. Platonic-like. I mean not that I am taking my words back from before, I just want you to know...” He went silent again. “You know what I mean, so I'll stop talking.”
“You aren't going to tell Julian?” She watched him shake his head, “Why not?”
Dalen shrugged his shoulders. “Ah, Julian could use a good lesson, I guess. Plus, if he kicks you out of the group that would mean not being able to hang out with you. That would be a downer, so we can keep a secret. You know, however, that Bryce's mother might be zoning in on you to be Julian's fiancee.”
The fact that he overheard the conversation and come to a similar conclusion as she did made her whole body ache in fear. “I was scared that was what that was all about.”
“Well, hopefully your father wants you to marry an heir to something and not some spare. He seems the type that would want to use his daughter as a chip for more power. Right?” He stared at her as she nodded her head.
They were silent for a moment as Riane hadn't even allowed her conversation with Bryce to sink in enough to bother her.
“So, unrequited love? That's shit. I have been on the losing side of that feeling more times than I would like to count.” Dalen could see that his friend was hurting, but was running out of material to speak to her about.
Riane slowly nodded her head, “Yeah, he didn't know I was a girl for a few years, so I think he sees me as his brother.”
“Might be the choices in wardrobe.” He teased.
She giggled, “Of course.”
“Why not start dressing like a girl? Other than the obvious of not wanting to lose your new friends.”
She shrugged her shoulders, “I am not comfortable in them. I have never worn them outside of my house before, so I feel weird. I already have anxiety, I don't need to add to the feeling by wearing clothes that I feel judged in.”
“You know what you could do?” He watched her stare at him for a moment. “You go to another city, where you don't know anybody, in these clothes, but bring some other clothes with you. Go into a shopping mall or something to change in the bathroom. Just walk around in them and find out that you are just a face in the crowd.”
“I don't like crowds.” She replied with humor in her voice.
“Joe and I can go with you.” He bumped her shoulder with his own. “See what I did there? Help a friend and get to spend time with your driver. It's a win win for me.”
Riane pressed her lips together for a moment, she was terrified of the idea but she didn't want to reject her new partner in crime by not even trying his idea. “The plan makes me nervous, but... I guess if you two are with me, I can try. You just can't run off with her and leave me alone, got it?”
“Wouldn't dream of it.”
---***---
Lunch came quickly and Blake got his meal from the cafeteria as Adonia stood up from the table she had with her friends. She walked over to him before he could leave and head for the usual place he ate lunch.
“Why don't we eat with my friends? They are dying to meet you.” She said with a smile on her lips even though she knew he was in pain.
Blake slowly shook his head, “No, he... she might go to our spot to talk to me.”
“Do you think she will suddenly take it all back, and you two can live ignoring the truth again?” Adonia asked and watched Blake simply leave the crowded room.
She returned to her table and looked down at her friends. Kalei was on the cheerleading squad with her, while Parker was a friend from high school, who enjoyed video games, board games, and who was definitely going to graduate with honors in a lucrative field. Parker was a burnette with black thick rimmed glasses who always wore jeans and a printed t-shirt. While Kalei was her opposite with her hobbies being boys and fashion. She always had her blonde hair perfectly curled and whatever flavor of fashion that month was had to be worn at all times. They didn't seem like two people that would get along, but Kalei was so likable that she didn't really have any people that disliked her.
“Isn't this getting kind of rude?” Kalei asked her as she looked to Parker for verification. There were other girls sitting at the round table with them, but they weren't really part of their friendship triangle. The whole cafeteria had a murmur around them as others discussed their matters over lunch with friends.
Parker nodded in argument, “I am starting to take it personally.”
Adonia sighed as she picked up her tray. “He is dealing with something difficult right now. Look, I can't explain it, because it is his personal business. As soon as it is dealt with, I will tell you both everything.”
“She is picking up her tray. Why is she picking up her tray?” Kalei asked sarcastically.
Leaning back in her seat, Parker frowned. “I guess we are being put aside again?”
“I'm sorry. Let's go shopping this weekend, and I'll make it up to you. I really don't think he should be by himself.” Adonia wasn't really begging for their approval, but she didn't want to leave them hurt.
“Fine, let her go.” Kalei waved her friend away.
Parker followed the gesture with the same.
“Thanks.” She said with a grin, before hurrying out of the cafeteria to find Blake.
He was sitting exactly where she thought he would be; on the stairs which were a couple buildings away from the cafeteria as there would be very little traffic. A place that Riane would love and did at one time.
Sitting down next to him, she began to eat the mixed fruit from her plate. “So, what bothers you the most about what happened?”
Blake snorted, “That every girl I have ever dated was right, and I called them jealous and ended my relationship with them. How blind I must have looked to everyone.” He had a bowl of clam chowder on his plate and a piece of french bread. Eating a spoonful he then returned to talking. “I also feel so bad for Riane.” He said her name carefully and he tried his best not to call her Ryan. “I must have seemed like an oblivious, heartless jerk to her for all these years.”
“I don't know if that's how you seem to her, but it certainly isn't how I see things. I think Riane liked you and stayed so close to you, because she knew that was the only way she was going to have you in her life. She obviously knew that you did not see her that way, and she feared telling you the truth for fear that you wouldn't be her friend anymore.” Adonia looked down at the Caesar salad with grilled chicken on her plate. It suddenly didn't seem appetizing anymore.
“Then why tell me now?” Blake asked as she turned his attention to her. “Am I so easily replaced by those other guys?”
She shrugged, “Maybe it took finding new friends in order for her to realize she didn't need to rely on you so heavily. When she finally told you and walked away from you, it might have been because that was how she always envisioned it. She thought she would lose her friend.”
Blake continued to eat his chowder as he thought over her words. “I guess I need to figure out what I want then. Do I prove to her that I am still her friend despite it? Or do I prove she was right about me all along?”
“Or you can give her time to ease away her feelings, before you approach her. She might have told you, because she doesn't want to feel that way anymore.” Adonia reached out her hand and rubbed his shoulder briefly.
A noise came from down towards the cafeteria. It was Julian being very loud as he laughed while he returned his tray. Seth, Dalen, and Riane were with them. Dalen had his arm over Riane's shoulder and was basically hugging her neck.
“Speak of the devil.” Adonia whispered under her breath.
Riane was laughing as Seth shoved Dalen who was still holding onto her. They were talking amongst themselves but the words were inaudible to the onlookers.
Dalen noticed them in the distance first and pointed it out to Riane, who looked in their direction. Both Adonia and Blake gave her a wave, but she did not offer one in return. Instead, she said something to the group as they moved out of eyesight.
Blake pressed his lips together tightly as annoyance built up in his chest, before turning back to his half eaten soup bowl.
“Hey, giving her a wave is a good idea. Acknowledging her but giving her space might be the best thing to do right now.” Adonia tried to be encouraging, but she didn't know if Blake would actually believe her.
“Adonia, I know you have a good heart, and you are trying very hard to help me in this situation. A situation that you saw coming before it happened, I am sure. Right now, your words are really making me question whether you are trying to sabotage my friendship with Riane.” Blake shook his head immediately, “Sorry. I'm sorry, I should not have said that. I know you are not that kind of person.”
She nodded her head, “I would hope so.”
He exhaled loudly, “Well, mopping around about it won't fix anything. You are being so kind and understanding. Maybe we should go out this weekend?”
She smiled, “Actually, I really wish you would do something for me. I am going shopping with the girls. It would mean a great deal if you came and spent the day with them. They really want to meet you and are starting to think you dislike them.”
“I... I don't know, Adonia.”
“Please!” She placed her hands together and begged, “Pretty, please. It would mean everything to me. They are my best friends.”
He chuckled at her actions, “Fine, I can't say no when you are being so cute.”
“Yeah!” She clapped in celebration. “I have never shopped for clothing for a guy that I wasn't related to before. It will be fun.”
“Shopping is not my idea of a good time.” He continued to eat his meal.
Adonia leaned forward and kissed his cheek. “For a guy, it never is, but what comes after when he makes his girl happy makes him very happy.”
“Oh, does it now?”
She nodded with a cheeky grin right as the bells began to ring. “Damn it. I toyed around for so long making my decision on what to eat, and now I have had only two bites of my salad.”
“I'm sorry. Do you want my bread?” He offered it to her.
She took it with a smile. “Thanks, it will hold me over until after classes at least.”
With that they both stood up and walked their trays back to the cafeteria. Blake was in a slightly better mood than he had been before Adonia decided to comfort him.
---***---
The weekend was upon them more quickly than Riane would have liked. In no time at all, she, Joe, and Dalen were driving in his red Ferrari to an unknown mall. When he had picked them up, he told her it would be a surprise. She didn't know what would be so surprising about a mall.
Joe had sat in the front with Dalen and the two chatted the entire trip, but Riane remained silent as she looked over at the bag beside her. She hadn't picked out anything too daring. A simply yellow floral pattern summer dress with brown sandals and matching belt. Joe had packed for her some eyeliner, foundation, and lip gloss. She didn't want too heavy of make-up on her first outing.
Once they were in the mall, they moved through the crowded food court to the bathroom. Joe held her hand the entire time so Riane would be comfortable. As they were heading into the bathroom, Dalen took their smoothie orders and went to buy them while he waited. Joe had come in less than flattering clothes as well, so that her friend wouldn't be the only one changing in a public bathroom. Riane hadn't even asked her to do so, but she insisted it would help.
Inside the stall, Riane inhaled several times over. She could hear Joe changing next to her and the sounds of other women using the rest room, washing their hands, and leaving.
“Are you alright?” Joe asked when she could see under the stall that Riane still had her tennis shoes on.
Riane had hung the dress up on a hook as she stared at it. “I don't know if I can do this.”
“At least put it on, and let me do your hair and make-up. If you simply can't go to the food court, then we were take it all off and call it a good first step.” Joe had finished changing and had stepped outside her stall to lean against her friend's. “You can do this, Riane.”
“Alright.” Riane began to take off her clothing and shove it into the duffel bag at her feet. She slid the dress over her body and immediately noticed her bra strap was showing. “You can see my bra strap.”
“That's not unusually in those types of dresses. Don't worry, people know females wear bras.” Joe was partly teasing and partly encouraging.
Sitting on the toilet, she put on her sandals and placed her shoes in the bag before stepping out into the main room of the bathroom.
Joe smiled at her immediately. “You look adorable. Next time, I can give you hair extensions if you want.”
“Julian has longer hair, maybe I could get away with growing it a little.” Riane said under her breath as she half hoped that her friend wouldn't hear her.
“I don't think your father would object.” She told her before motioning her towards the sink where Riane got a first look at herself.
“I look stupid.” She said flatly.
“Hold on. I have some hair clips that will help, and then we will put on some make-up.” Joe told her as she dug through her make-up bag. “Must be weird wearing an actual bra instead of a sports bra that is a cup size too small.” She said as she put make-up on her.”
“I am not very big to begin with. I suppose I have been lucky so far in that, otherwise I wouldn't have gotten away with this as far as I have.” Riane looked in the mirror once Joe finished putting on her foundation and eyeliner. “I still look stupid.” She watched her friend clip back her hair with a flower clip that looked like a small yellow rose.
“You look beautiful. Do you want to take it all off?” Joe asked when she saw how disappointed her friend looked, but to her surprise Riane slowly shook her head.
“This was Dalen's idea. I should at least walk around a little bit.” She tossed the handle of her bag over her shoulder and they both made their way out of the bathroom, where they found Dalen sitting at a table by himself with three smoothies.
He smiled when they approached, “I can barely recognize you, Ryan. You look very nice.” He motioned for them both to sit down. “Kiwi strawberry for Joe, and a raspberry for Ryan.”
“Riane.” Joe corrected.
“Oh.” Dalen smiled at her, “I just assumed your name really was Ryan after you told me about your mom.”
Riane shook her head as she took her first sip, “You can keep calling me Ryan for now. It is better so you don't slip up in front of Julian.”
“Good plan.” Dalen looked at his buzzing phone. “Speak of the devil.” He answered the phone. “What?”
Joe looked over to her friend, “How are you feeling?”
“Weird, but no one is staring at me. I am just some nobody. It's rather horrifying because I keep waiting for someone to tell me that I am not suppose to be dressed like this.” She inhaled, “Nobody cares.”
“No, that is not Ryan in the background. No, I am not in town. I am out on a date.” Dalen snapped and motioned for the girls to be quiet. “None of your business. Go play with Seth, he's probably at my house.” He sighed, “Yes, fine, Ryan and I are hanging out, are you happy?” Dalen chuckled and looked over at Riane, “He's not happy. He wants to know why he and Seth weren't invited?”
“What we can't hang out without them?” Riane asked, “Does he need us to hold his hand whenever we go out? Can't do anything on his own then?”
“You hear that? Go play with Seth.” Dalen hung up the phone, “Sorry, he knew it was you but I don't think he understood what you were saying. Mostly, because he was talking over you.”
The group chuckled and continued to drink their smoothies.
“There is an arcade, do you want to do that when we finish up here?” Dalen asked.
“I've never been to an arcade.” Riane admitted sheepishly and slowly took another sip of her smoothie so she wouldn't have to give further explanation, although Dalen already understood why.
Joe grinned, “Well then, it's about time you rode that pony. I haven't been to one since I was a little kid.”
“You'll have to teach me. I have never played video games before, remember?” Riane sighed as she stared down at her floral dress. “Feels weird to not have pants on in public.”
“Sounds like my worst nightmare.” Dalen joked and got a laugh from the two of them.
“Joe?” A voice came from the crowd and immediately the group of three had their heartbeat rise at the name.
Riane knew the voice immediately and Dalen noticed him first as he made his way over to them. Reaching under the table, he took Riane's hand and squeezed it gently. She thought perhaps he knew she wanted to run away and was trying to keep her there. She wanted to shove his hand back and call him an ass, but she thought perhaps he was just trying to keep her calm and she was over thinking his intentions.
“Blake.” Joe stood up and put herself in a position to hide Riane from him. “What are you doing here?”
“Adonia and her friends are shopping and I tagged along. I am hungry, but they are all filled up on big deals. So, I came to get a bite.” He noticed Dalen and gave a nod to him. “Who is your friend?” He noticed Dalen holding the hand of the girl who had her head down.
Joe swallowed and stepped out of the way so he could see her clearly. She didn't have to say anything before Blake recognized his best friend.
“Ryan... I mean Riane. Hey. I didn't recognize you.” He said softly.
“Blake!” Adonia's voice could be heard in the crowd.
Riane's grasp of Dalen's hand tightly grew until she felt herself being yanked away, and the two ran through the crowd of people abandoning Joe to the others. Riane laughed for several moments until the two were hidden inside a shoe store.
“What about Joe?” Riane chuckled.
“She has a phone on her. I'll text her and tell her were to find us.” Dalen said with a smile across his lips. “That was scary for me just watching you. I guess the arcade is off then?”
Riane continued to smile, “Maybe, just the one in this mall.”
“Ok, I know of another close by. Let's collect Joe.”
---***---
Julian sat at the dining room table as he stared down at the phone in his hand. His father had informed him that a marriage contract had been made, but he did not inform him as to who it would be with. He tried to ask questions about the girl, and his mother said she believed that he would like her. That did nothing to raise his confidence.
He had wanted to call his friends together to rant, but Seth was not answering his phone and now it seemed like Ryan and Dalen were out together. He had to sit in his anger and fear alone.
He tried to imagine what all this would look like in the end. Would the girl at least have sex with him so that he could get something out of this? He had heard many times that these marriages ended up as just business deals, and as much as he didn't like the idea if he did get married he wanted a relationship closer to his parents. He wanted two people that loved each other, not some sham for the cameras.
His mother had such a cheeky smirk on her face when she told him. He wanted so badly to smack it off of her and make her feel as badly as he did. She was so happy in the face of all this happening to him and he decided that his unhappiness made her thrilled.
“I met her.” Bryce entered into the room and sat down in the wooden chair beside his brother. “She's nice.”
“Is she hot?” Julian asked immediately.
“That's your question?” His brother scoffed, and when Julian continued to stare at him, he sighed. “She's cute.”
“So, not hot.” He lowered his head to the cool surface of the table and laid his forehead upon it. “I knew it. I knew they were going to stick me with some fucking ugly bitch to teach me a lesson.”
“She's not ugly, and it would serve you better to ask about her as a person anyway.” Bryce leaned back in his chair.
“Why?”
“Considering you are going to have to spend a great deal of time with her.” He waited for his brother to say something, but he was silent. “Mom is preparing a room for her. She is coming to live with us for a few months to see how she fits in.”
Julian lifted his head and looked in horror at his brother. “What the fuck did you just say?”
Before Bryce could say anything else, Julian jumped from his chair and scurried up the stairs to find his mother. His older brother was behind him and followed him to the empty room at the end of the hallway. Bryce and Julian had bedroom across the hall from each other and Zachary got a room in another direction. His parents shared the large master bedroom, then there was a play room, a music room, and a place for his mother to practice her ballet.
This room had been the play room which was mostly unused now that the children were too old to play with toys. It did not surprise Bryce that his brother knew exactly what room to head for as their mother had been talking about changing it to something else for years.
Julian flung open the door to find his mother making up a pink bed with his father standing nearby. They had been discussing something, no doubt the girl coming to live with them.
“What the shit!” Julian barked. “Are you two fucking out of your minds?”
Colin frowned at his son's choice of words and he was about to snap at him, when his wife began to speak instead. “I know!” She chuckled. “I really shouldn't have picked pink, but I have never had a girl live here with us before so I had no idea what I should do. I figured if she hates it, we can always change it to something else.” She smiled at her husband. “It is so much fun to buy things for a girl. I hope she loves shopping as much as I do.”
Her husband realized she was trying to distract Julian so he played along. “I am sure she will. It will be nice to have someone else around here, especially someone who doesn't laugh at their own farts all the time.”
Bryce was standing behind his brother and chuckled at the comment, while Julian stared in utter disbelief.
“You aren't even going to let me date her first?” Julian whined the question. “She is going to be a live in girlfriend before I even meet her?”
“We felt it would be better for her to see you outside of a dating atmosphere, and more as part of a family before we sent her out alone with you.” Colin explained.
Nanette nodded in agreement. “She should get to know us as well.”
Julian punched the door frame, before heading back down the hallway.
“I asked you not to say anything to him for the time being.” Colin reprimanded his eldest son who leaned against the door frame that his brother had just assaulted.
“This isn't right.” Bryce told his father. “It's cruel to him, and it is cruel to her.” He lowered his voice. “He thinks she is his friend, and you are about to destroy their friendship for your own gains.”
“It's a girl that he actually likes to hang out with, whether he knows it or not. I am sorry about their friendship, but I believe in cracking a few eggs to make an omelet.” Nanette explained and watched her son shake his head disapprovingly.
“They haven't been friends that long, so we aren't really destroying anything.” Colin continued to justify their reasonings.
“Which makes it worse. It might hurt a lot more to find out in the future that she is a girl, but there will be friendship and a bond. Right now, they are new friends and she will be easily cast aside.” Bryce sighed audibly. “You two are being so incredibly selfish right now. You are so worried over what other people think of Julian that you are forgetting to think of Julian. He doesn't have many friends, and doing this will cost him one. Pick another girl.”
Colin walked over to his son and placed his hand on his son's shoulder. “I know you are looking out for your brother, and that's commendable but we are as well, Bryce. All his life, he has been self absorbed and believing he was superior to everyone that I worry he might not have any real human emotion. I worry that he might not make bonds with others. I think everyone is expendable to him.”
“So, what is this just some mad science experiment? If you think he is a psychopath then take him to a shrink, don't fuck up both of their lives.” Bryce stepped away from his father's touch.
Nanette stood quietly next to the bed she was only half way finished making.
“The way your brother treats women is terrible, and if we have to force him to stay amongst a woman then we will. If she can take him acting like an ass when he thinks she is a male, then she has to be able to take him when he knows she is a female.” Colin shook his head. “Son, I know you think this is cruel, and yes, I agree, but surgeons have to cut to heal.”
“So many excuses, I am not sure which one you actually believe.” Bryce growled before turning around and heading down the hallway.
“He's always been a man of conviction.” He told his wife as she returned to making the bed. “Are you still alright with this?”
She nodded her head slowly. “I am terrified that even she will hate me for ruining what they have now. Deidra said that her father treats her terribly and if we moved her in here she might be willing to take whatever Julian throws at her in order to have a comfortable family around her.”
“I can't believe we are resorting to emotional manipulation of an eighteen year old girl.” Colin exhaled and ran his hand through his hair.
“We should view it differently. Simon had no terms on sending her here. He was more than happy to rid himself of his daughter, and we are going to provide her with a real family.” She sat down on the bed and looked at her husband. “Deidra says she has never even watched television or played a video game. He locks her away in her room and makes her study all day every day. She is barely allowed out only school and shopping with her driver. Her mother abandoned her for money. Maybe she will be happy here, despite Julian.”
Colin slowly nodded his head, “Maybe. All I know is when she finally arrives here, Julian will cause a scene so we best prepare how we should handle it.”
“I know.”
---***---
Joe and Riane pulled up the the house after Dalen had taken them to his home to switch cars. Riane had worn the dress all day and even on the ride home, only to change back at Dalen's home. They were still laughing about their day, as Joe retold the story of what happened after Dalen and her friend ran away.
“At first, I was like 'Did they just ditch me?' and then I looked at Blake and he was just staring at where you two had run off. His eyes all wide and his mouth hanging open.” Joe told Riane who was sitting in the passenger's seat beside her as she put the car into park.
Riane laughed alongside her even though she had heard this story several times, but something about it made her proud of herself.
“He says, 'That was Riane, right?' as Adonia walks up to stand next to him. She has this stupid smile on her face that fades as soon as she hears your name. 'Riane is here?'” Joe spoke Adonia's parts on a high pitched voice. “Blake is all, 'Yes, I think so.' and I am just standing there dumbfounded and trying to figure out what I should do. It so incredibly awkward so I just turn around and walk away.”
Riane burst out laughing, “No words said, just turned around and left the scene?”
She nodded her head as they both stepped out of the car, “I didn't even look back to see what they were doing, I just wanted to get out of there. They didn't come after me, so that was a plus.”
They continued to giggle as they walked up to the door and entered into the foyer, but their laughter was halted when Deidra stepped out from the living room with a deep frown on her lips.
“Hey, Deidra, you won't believe what I did today!” She was about to tell her when Deidra walked over to her and hugged her tightly.
“Your father called a couple hours ago.” She told her softly, before stepping back. “He found you a fiance and he wants you to go live with his family.”
The smiles on both girls' face slowly faded away as horror set in.
“I can't live with strangers, Deidra.” Riane could feel the panic settling into her chest. “I can't do it. Tell him, make something up. I can't do that.”
Deidra held onto her shoulders as Joe stood behind her.
“Let's go sit down.” Deidra told her as they walked into the living room that had no television and dark red couches with a white carpet.
Sitting down, Joe stood beside Riane with her hand on her shoulder as Deidra sat next to her and placed her hands on Riane's knees.
“I begged him. I asked him not to do this, but he says it is the best for everyone. He seems to think putting you in this situation will be good for you. He said he is tired of your anxiety lies and it is time for you to move forward; away from your family as any adult woman should.” Her stepmother explained.
Riane swallowed, “Who?” It was the only word she could manage as her heart raced in her chest.
“His name is Julian Swithin and...” She stopped speaking when she saw the look of horror on Riane's eyes. “What? What's wrong?”
Riane looked over her shoulder at Joe, “Dalen warned me that they might be plotting this, Joe. He said...” She stopped talking as she tried to breathe more naturally.
Joe pulled out her cellphone and texted Dalen. “They are making Riane move into Julian's house.”
Dalen immediately texted back, “Yeah, Julian told me just now, and I thought it might be Riane. Is she alright?”
Joe looked at Riane, “Julian knows.”
“He knows I am not a guy now?” Riane stood up and started pacing the room as she tossed her hands in the hair.
“I don't know. Dalen had to assume it was you, let me ask.” She began to text again. “Does he know about Riane?”
“He doesn't know who it is, yet. He does know that next weekend, she will be moving in.” Dalen explained. “You didn't answer; is she alright?”
“What do you think?” Joe wished he could hear her snapping at him but put her phone in her back pocket and looked at Riane. “He doesn't know it is you, but he knows she'll be moving in next weekend.”
Riane ran her hand through her hair and opened her mouth as if she were silently screaming. It was a habit from years of frustration to quietly scream in her bedroom.
Deidra seemed confused for a moment, “You know him? He thinks you are a boy?”
Joe nodded at the stepmother; who then sat back on the couch and placed her hands over her eyes as she tossed her head back. Joe remained standing and watching her friend.
Riane's phone buzzed and Joe picked it up to see who had texted her. “It's Julian.” She held out the phone to Riane who immediately snatched it out of her hand.
“Did you hear? My mom is fucking making the bitch she picked move in here.” Julian wrote, “She won't even tell me who it is.”
Riane swallowed, “I heard. Sorry.” She looked up at the two women in front of her and read what he had sent her.
“Bitch is a little harsh. He doesn't know the girl's circumstances.” Deidra started the sentence mumbling but spoke louder with each word.
Julian texted back, “Be fucking careful. If my parents would do this, just fucking imagine how your dad will do it.”
She decided not to respond to that text message and sighed. “Should I just tell him? Maybe spending another week lying won't help anything.”
Deidra nodded in agreement, “Your relationship has now changed. It is for the best to just rip the bandaid off and move on.”
Joe disagreed, “If you give him another week of being his friend, maybe it won't be so bad. He'll rant about this and you'll literately be able to give him first hand advice.”
“No, more lies only cause more resentment.” Her stepmother explained quietly, “When you see him on Monday, just tell him the truth. He might be upset but at least you won't shock him when you are suddenly moved into his home.”
“Tell him on Monday?” Riane asked.
“Yes, face to face. It is harder to get angry at someone when you can see their guilt clearly, then if they just write it. When you do that, you are at the mercy of whatever way they decide to read it.” Standing up, Deidra sighed. “Whatever you decide, you have one week and your father will not change his mind. His mother is coming over tomorrow to speak with you about all of this while your father is out of town. He will be here next weekend though.”
They watched her leave the room before Riane sighed, “Telling him on Monday, at least gives me more time to decide.”
“Don't use it to procrastinate. You either need to know what you are going to say, or prepare to lie to your friend until Saturday.” Joe sat down on the couch which she was afraid to do while Deidra was in the room.
Standing in the middle of the room, Riane stared down at her cellphone as another text from Julian came along. “My mom took the old play room and made it pink. She bought her a bunch of shit. She is so fucking excited about having another girl in the house. It's bullshit. My misery in exchange for a daughter.”
“What he say?” Joe assumed it was Julian again.
“Sorry to hear that.” Riane replied to him, before answering her friend. “Apparently his mother is very excited to have a girl in the house. My room is pink, I guess.”
She chuckled, “Well, at least there will be one ally. When she comes over tomorrow, we will talk about keeping me at your side and explain your anxiety. Let's just take this one step at a time, ok?”