The Book Exchange

chapter two

I think sometimes I didn't want to be born. Now was such a situation.

Jane was dancing with a guy, and I was leaning against the wall, sipping a drink and playing my part as the dutiful best friend in case he got any ideas.

So far, being hidden in the shadows was going great since no one was approaching me.

I was drinking soda since I did not like the taste of beer. Jane had even dolled me up by doing my makeup and fitting me in a black dress that I could not breathe in. I had no idea what she'd done to my face but when I looked in the mirror, it was too sparkly like I'd bathed in glitter. No wonder I had gotten so many weird looks when we got here.

It was also itchy like my face was burning, so I headed for the bathroom. I knew where it was since I'd hidden there three times already until someone nearly brought the door down.

I washed my face and scrubbed the makeup out but then when I looked at my face I had the urge to scream like they do in exaggerated horror movies.

My face was orange. Like the Lorax's butt.

I scrubbed at it with a tissue but it wasn't freaking coming off. What was I supposed to do now?

The only idea in my head right now was to sneak out, kidnap Jane and get the hell out before anyone noticed me.

I'd left the bathroom when I tripped over the slightly raised slab and fell on my face. I could hear male laughter nearby and lifted my head to see a gorgeous blonde dude.

"Thanks for helping me up, I really appreciate it." Sarcasm oozed from my voice, but that didn't stop him from laughing.

I picked myself up off the floor and turned to face the guy. He finally stopped laughing.

"Oh my god, what is on your face?" His expression was what I could only describe as one of pure shock.

I rubbed my eye as I walked past. "That's what I'm trying to figure out too."

The guy moved closer. "C'mon, I have some moisturizer in my bag that might help you."

"Who brings moisturizer to a party?" I muttered as I let him lead me down the stairs and outside where there were sofas.

He headed to one where a guy was sitting, talking to some girl animatedly. The blonde dude unzipped a black backpack and handed me a glass bottle of clear, creamy moisturizer.

"Uh, who's this, Lio?" the other guy asked the blonde.

Lio ignored him as he inspected my face, lifting my chin with a single finger. "Did you use the knockoff makeup?"

"I don't even know what you're talking about." I sighed when he took the bottle from my hand, squeezed some onto his hands and began massaging it into my face.

"That feels nice," I whispered as he began massaging and smoothening out my skin. I really had to take care of my skin more often. Then it sunk in that a stranger's hands were on my face, but I didn't care anymore.

The other dude got up, took the girl with him and went back inside the house. But not before I caught the slight jealous look he sent in our direction.

I sat down on the sofa. "Is my face still orange?"

He narrowed his eyes, trying to tell. "Not so much orange. But it still looks like you have jaundice."

I nodded. "Are you gay?"

"What? Why would you assume that?"

"You have the word 'gay' in rhinestones on your backpack. That's some nice workmanship."

He grinned, tracing his fingers over the letters. "Thanks. I did it myself with my bedazzler. I am also gay."

The night was fairly warm, so I tied my hair back with a rubber band on my wrist. "It's not any of my business, but I sensed something with the other dude. He looked um kinda jealous."

"I wish. Ken has been chasing girls since the age of five."

"Ken? As in the barbie Ken?" I chuckled. "I always thought Ken was a little gay. Go for it, you might be surprised but you'll never know if you don't confess."

"Thank you, stranger." He paused like he was contemplating something. "Here." He handed me the moisturizer. "You need it more than me."

"Lorie!" Jane's voice reached me just as I took the bottle.

I stood up abruptly. "I have to go. See you around, stranger. And thanks for the moisturizer."

He nodded back at me before pulling his phone out. I tucked the moisturizer into my jacket before practically sprinting inside the house, thinking something bad had happened to Jane.

"Jane?" I yelled, hoping she could hear me over the loud music, but I couldn't even hear myself. "Jane!" I shoved through endless amounts of people and accidentally stepped on someone's toe.

"Sorry!" I shouted, only turning enough to see a tall guy before finally finding Jane, who was completely plastered.

"Lorie!" she grinned, wrapping an arm around the guy behind her as he kissed her neck.

I elbowed him in the stomach. "Leave her alone, dipshit, can't you see she's drunk?"

Her blonde hair was covered in what looked like beer and her green eyes were glazed over with a haze only alcohol could provide.

I grabbed her hand and led her through the front door as we headed down the street to my car.

"It's so hot," she muttered, hands going to the strap of her dress as I put her in the passenger seat.

I grabbed her hand, putting it in her lap before putting her seatbelt on. "No need to strip, I'll turn up the A.C."

After dropping a half-unconscious Jane back into her house and keeping medicine on the table next to her, I drove home.

Since it was late and I wasn't exactly expecting anything, I was surprised to see a brown-wrapped package outside on the porch with my name on it. I flipped it over, a frown etched onto my face.

It said it was from someone called Icarus.

Oh. Right. The book thing.

I tucked the book under my arm as I took out the key from my pocket and unlocked the door, locking it behind me before heading up the stairs in total darkness since Mom was probably already asleep.

When I was in my room, I turned on the light and nearly screamed when a figure in black turned in my chair.

"What the hell, Mom? You were two seconds away from taking me to the hospital!" I said, plopping on the bed and unwrapping the packaging for the book.

She smirked. "It's fun scaring you, you always get so terrified."

"Glad you found yourself a source of entertainment," I muttered, finally managing to get rid of all the brown paper to see a worn copy of the tale of Daedalus.

When I flipped through the book I could see annotations of handwritten notes, different colour tabs and comments of what the person had been thinking when they read a specific sentence.

She leaned forward, peeking at the book with me. "Huh. Seems like your type of guy to me, Lorie."

"My type of guy? What's that supposed to mean?" I asked absently, reading the back of the book for the blurb.

"A guy who likes to read, you know. Unlike that ass, Jon."

"I agree, he was an ass."

Mom stood up. "Well, I'm going to bed. If you want to eat anything, there's food in the fridge and you can explain why your face is orange tomorrow because I am too tired."

"Night."

She shut the door behind her just as a letter fell out from in between the pages.