Chapter 5
Scarlett lives in the Del Lago Estates. Both her parents are lawyers, and own their own firm. Scarlett's mother is much nicer than her dad. I've never understood what they saw in each other. They are so different. Mrs. Jansen is polite, and understanding, while Mr. Jansen is very arrogant and self centered.
Scarlett and I wouldn't be friends if Mr. Jansen had any say in the matter. He's made multiple statements about my dad being an owner of a mechanic shop that I've chosen to ignore for my friendship.
He only started liking Conner recently when he found out he got a scholarship to play football. Now he has something he can brag about.
Thank God Conner see's past that. He tells me not to let him get to me, but sometimes I can't help it. I guess in some ways I can be just as judgmental as Mr. Jansen.
As soon as you walk in Scarlett's house there's a beautiful staircase on the right, and around the corner is a massive dining room connected to a sitting area that has a monumental white marble fireplace that is brightly lit.
"Parents of mine, where are you?" Scarlett teases them as we go inside. Her mom is deep into her laptop, while her dad sits reading a book. He doesn't look up to acknowledge us.
"Hey sweetie." Mrs. Jansen say's, then she looks at me. "Hey Mora, how are you doing tonight?"
"Hey Mr. and Mrs. Jansen. I'm good. How are you?"
"We're doing good sweetheart." She responds
"Mora is staying the night." Scarlett peeps up.
"Do you want me to fix any treats or food for you girls?" her mom asks, while Mr. Jansen continues to read.
"I'm okay." I answer, and Scarlett copies my answer
"We're going upstairs now." Scarlett say's then goes over to her parents and kisses them both on the forehead. "Goodnight momma, Goodnight daddy."
"So Mora, stop holding out on me." She says before she gets the door closed all the way. I look up stunned. "What?" and she snickers at me. "Oh come on Mora. Conner told me you have a crush on Aiden Bryant." she doesn't let me talk. "Why haven't you told me, and how does Conner know before me? Huh?"
Damn it Conner.
"It's seriously nothing Scarlett. I've hung out with him a couple times. Not near enough time to make much of a changing opinion on him." I dig in my gym bag for my pajamas, and Scarlett plops up on the bed, stuffing her pillow under her chin.
"I think you two would be super cute Mora."
I look at her now. "Oh you do, do you?" I smile, and she chunks a pillow at me.
"He's so hot." she declares, and I can't argue. I fall down next to her, and cross my feet in the air, laying on my stomach. "He is, isn't he?" We both laugh. "But honestly, he looks like he's still in a relationship with Sophie, and even if he wasn't, why would he be into me. I've seen him in a thousand relationships, and like Conner says... he just leaves them crying." I sigh, and say slowly. "I'm sure I wouldn't be any different."
"But you could be different. Honestly Mora, the girls I've seen him date, I've also seen date a number of guys too. It's more physical relations, and you're not like that, and he knows that."
I just eye her "How do you know he knows that?" and she snorts out loud. "Mora, you've kissed maybe two boys in your whole life. All of us have known each other since we were little kids. You're just too busy to notice guys like Aiden Bryant looking at you."
"Oh Scarlett, if you ever would have seen Aiden Bryant looking at me, you would have told me right away." We both laugh, and she looks up for a minute, then responds laughing "Yeah, I guess you're right."
"He's totally cute though." I say, ending the conversation.
She gets up and grabs her nail polish box, and we go sit on her pale pink rug. As I pick out a color, she gets still for a minute.
"Mora, can I ask you a serious question."
I look up at her. "Sure."
"Has Conner said anything about us recently?" He has, but that is a conversation between my brother and I, and I just can't repeat what he's said. This is when it gets tricky being put in the middle of the two of them. I can't fully commit to being her best friend when I have to always choose his side. "No, Why?" I lie.
"He's been acting distant the last few days." Her voice is shaky. "After the party the other night he's been more quiet than normal."
I give her a blank look. "I don't know. I think he's probably getting sad that he'll be leaving in a few weeks."
She sighs out loud. "I hope he'll try to make it work. I just don't know what I would do without him."
I exhale "Scarlett, you can't think like that." I pause for a second to think of what to say next. "Listen, he loves you, but don't forget that you are your own person, and if for some reason you two can't make it work, you have to find a way to be okay with that."
"Why do you say that, has he said something Mora, I promise I won't say anything." She's begging for more information.
"I promise that he hasn't said anything." I lie again, but speak from hope. "But honestly, even if he did say something, I just don't want you putting all your hopes in someone when they are over a hundred miles away." I start to say "You two will be fine. He loves you, and he hasn't said anything to me that would make me concerned about your relationship. He is sad, but we're all sad that he's leaving." I say, and lean over giving her a side hug.
"Okay, but you will tell me if something comes up?" She eyes me carefully.
"Sure I will". I lie again.
We're about an hour into a movie when Scarlett says "You should text Aiden."
"Yeah right!" I huff out loud
"Come on! Why not?" she eagerly says.
"Because. He has a girlfriend, and I don't even have his number." I roll my eyes some, but she doesn't care.
"I can get his number Mora." of course she can. That's not the point.
"No Scarlett. Seriously. I'm not going to text him. He's cute yeah, but that's it. I wish everyone would just leave me alone about him."
She laughs. "I just want to see you take a chance on someone Mora."
I roll over where my back is to her hoping she'll shut up. "What are you talking about? I've taken chances."
"Not really Mora, but you always puss out."
I jerk up, turn around, and my mouth is wide open. I can't believe she just said that. "Whatever Scarlett!"
She smiles back. "So you had a chance with Zach last year. He wanted to go to the junior prom with you."
"And?" I ask, and she sits up staring at me
"And you said no. You said no to one of the most popular guys in our class. He is so cute, and a really nice guy, and you said NO!" she is starting to integrate me "and the time that Johnny Lavose kissed you when we were all at that paintball party freshman year. He had the biggest crush on you." How did she even know that?
"What is your point?" I demand
"My point is, two great guys, and you were too chicken to say yes, or to call them. I just hate that you miss out on a great guy because you are scared." She looks at me with concern.
"Scarlett, it's not that I'm scared but I just wasn't interested."
"But why?" she asks, and I don't know how to answer it. Why didn't I say yes to Zach. Even as a friend. It's because I knew it wouldn't be just as a friend. He would want more. I didn't want to define myself with a relationship like Scarlett.
"Look, I just have bigger things to focus on like grades, and picking out a college. If I'm going to waste my time on a guy, I want him to be the one. You know?" she stares at me waiting for me to continue. "You found your "one" when we were young. I want to find someone to love as much as you love Conner, and a guy to love me as much as he loves you."
She gives me a gratifying look, and crosses her hands over her heart. "Ahh, Mora. He loves me that much huh?" I laugh out loud. I always know how to direct her away from my life by showering her compliments about how much my brother is in love with her.
"I know what you're doing Andrews, trying to change the subject and all, but I'm okay with that." She giggles, and turns off her lamp.
We drop the subject then, and both go to sleep.