Dizzy

Chapter 10

~ Ziah ~

Every time I think about the museum, I get all smiley. It's ridiculous. I'm not the kind of girl to get smiley, especially over a guy who is guaranteed to break my heart. I'm staring off into space as I sit on one of the bar stools when Lora walks in.

"What are you doing here?" I ask.

Dad's napping, and Mom's at work. The house is quiet, and I figured she'd still be with her attachment.

"Have I...missed something?" she asks, her head cocked to the side and her voice quiet.

"What do you mean?" I ask, heart pounding.

"I mean, I felt like a bad sister earlier when someone said there might be stuff going on with you that has nothing to do with the wedding." She sits on the barstool next to mine, still watching my face.

Dylan must have said something. I hate that he did, but it's more because that's what it took for my sister to stop and realize it's not just the wedding that's thrown me.

"Who said that?" I ask, even though it's obvious.

Maybe part of me just wants to hear he's looking out for me. I almost leaned over and kissed him last night, and I don't want to kiss him. I mean, I don't want to kiss anyone. He would probably be a great kisser if I did want to kiss someone, but at the same time, my guess is he's had way too much practice.

"Dylan said you seemed upset, and he wasn't sure if it was wedding stuff or not." She rests her chin on her hand as a show she's not going anywhere.

The total suckiness of the past couple weeks slams into me, and I suddenly have to blink back tears. The thought of going back to school with them makes me sick all over again.

"Ziah. I'm so sorry. Whatever it is. I just assumed it was the wedding because you were so upset about that, and I didn't stop to think it might be something else." She puts her arm around me.

I start from the beginning, with the party and seeing Dylan and James and Alyssa, and how it all just got out of control. How James got weird after the party, and he and Alyssa were never in the same room. And how I didn't see any of it. It feels like I just lost them both.

"God, Ziah. You should have told me first thing."

I wanted to, but I didn't know how. Instead of answering, I shrug.

"Is there more?" She cringes. "You look like you're not done."

There's no point in trying to hide anything now that I know she's going to be watching me, so I tell her about Dylan at the party. The way he looked at me, and the way I felt.

"Whoa, whoa." She stops rubbing her hand across my back. "You noticed Dylan? That way?"

"Yeah, but—"

"Okay. So Derrick even said if you were at all interested in Dylan, not to be. He hasn't grown up yet." Lora's voice is all authoritative. "I knew Derrick was a long-shot when I first started dating him, and he's four years older than Dylan.

I'm suddenly defensive. "Well, Dylan saw something was upsetting me when you didn't."

Now I wish she'd just run back to Derrick.

She sighs. "I'm sorry, Ziah. I know you're smarter than to get involved with someone like him. And I don't want to fight with you anymore, okay? Let's be happy. Tomorrow's cake day, yay!" She's talking quietly, but still manages her Lora enthusiasm, and she's trying really hard to lighten the mood.