Mismatched

Chapter Seven

The rest of the week went by fairly conflict free. I still ate lunch with Bryony and the new entourage that came with her, I ignored Axl, just like I said I would. Ivy flirted with every male under the sun and my mother only scolded me twice for embarrassing her in front of other people.

It was now Friday and I just got home from school and was preparing to jump in the pool. Ivy was at Ashlee's house and Bryony had plans to go out with Shale tonight. I was definitely not going to crash her date so I was in and out of the bathroom as quickly as possible so she could get ready. Today I was wearing my red and white striped bikini. I quickly apply my sunblock and give my body my usual once-over. Sigh, still no mark. I shake off my disappointment and grab my towel, leaving the bathroom.

"All yours, beautiful." I tell Bryony with a wink and she laughs.

"It doesn't quite mean the same when it comes from your twin." She scolds playfully. "You basically just called yourself beautiful, so that makes you narcissistic."  I shrug At her reasoning.

"Maybe. But it was still true." I smile. I flip my hair over my shoulder over dramatically and sigh. "I can't help that I'm so gorgeous that there had to be two of me. Blame nature. I'm just a victim of my own allure."

"Oh, yes. I'll get right on that." Bryony giggles. I move out of the way and she goes in the bathroom as I head downstairs. I find my mother in a tizzy of excitement running around the house.

"Mom, what are you doing?" I ask and she doesn't even stop when she replies.

"I'm meeting your sister's Match tonight, Dahlia! What do you think I'm doing?" She scolds as she runs past me holding a stack of her magazines from the living room and quickly hiding them in the hall closet.

"You have nothing to worry about mom, Shale is a great guy. They are very evenly tempered. He won't care if you read Cosmo." I call after her as she races past me. She ignores me, muttering to herself about not having time to wash the baseboards. I just roll my eyes and head for my backyard sanctuary before she attempts to pull me into her madness.

The water is cool and refreshing against my skin and I can feel the autumn chill starting to come in on the passing breeze. Not long now before it will be too cold and we cover the pool for the winter. I have to enjoy this while I can.

After I finish my laps and I float blissfully in the water for a while, I decide to climb out of the pool and soak in some of the sun's warmth before wrapping my towel around me and walking back inside. Just as I step inside I hear my mother's excited voice greeting someone at the door.

"Why hello there! I'm Mrs. Clark, Bryony's mother. You must be Shale!" Her operatic voice tells me she's been practicing saying this many times before he arrived and I hold back my laugh.

"No ma'am, I'm Shale's friend," a deep baritone voice booms through the foyer. I stop in my tracks at the surprise at hearing Axl's voice at my house. "Shale called me, his car broke down and while he arranges for another vehicle, he asked me to come pick Bryony up so she wasn't kept waiting. He sends his apologizes for not being able to meet you himself yet but said he wanted to invite you and Mr. Clark out for dinner tomorrow to formally meet you." I think that is the most I have ever heard him say...ever. It was practically a filibuster. I peek around the corner and see Axl in his usual jeans and dark long sleeve shirt, standing awkwardly on my front stoop.

"Well," my mother stutters at a loss for words. She didn't plan on this and it's thrown her for a loop. "Thank you for picking Bryony up then. It would have been a shame to leave her waiting, that was... very considerate of you to do for Shale." Without thinking I find myself walking toward the door, Axl's eyes flicker toward me but move away quickly. My mother, noticing his glance, turns and sees me.