Who Is Lucas Ryker O'Riley?

47. RECOGNIZES ME

Standing in the shower, letting the warm water flow over my body, I thought about the news mom had gave me, until I began to recall a dream I'd had during the night.

In my dream we; myself, Dave, Jeremy, and Lisa, had all been swimming in the grotto. The entire time I kept watching Jeremy, thinking about what I'd told him the day before and the more I watched him the more I felt an arousal envelope my body and felt like I was missing out on experiences I should be having.

Why, I asked myself. Why did I having this dream and why did it make me feel sad?

I wasn't missing out, I told myself as I worked the shampoo into a lather. I'm just not ready to take that step yet. I have plenty of time.

I continued trying to reason with myself, yet, by the time I stepped out of the shower I still wasn't wholy convinced.

I got dressed and spent some time in my parent's room, in front of mom's makeup mirror trying my hand at lipstick, eyeliner, and eye shadow.

After several failed attempts, I wiped it all off and went with a simple lip gloss and a thin black line along the edge of my upper eye lids.

Beck showed up around nine and when she came in, this time I was ready to go.

On the way out the door, Beck complimented me on my outfit.

I had chosen my new metallic, shiny shimmer, flared, knee-length skater skirt, my new pumps and an off the shoulder neon blue blouse. My hair was pulled into a high pony. My legs, which I had shaved without nicking myself even once this morning, were bare.

A warm breeze was in the air that morning as I crossed the lawn. I felt bare, due to my exposed legs and the breeze blowing underneath my skirt.

Once we were in her Hummer, Beck asked me where it was I wanted to go.

An hour later we were on our way to an outlet mall that was about thirty minutes from the one we had been to previously. In the back seat was my new motorcycle riding outfit; black, feminine, and accented in hot pink and aqua. Our first stop had been a motorcycle showroom with an apparel shop.

I found riding boots, gloves, and a helmet to go with my awesome new outfit, but I didn't buy them. Oh no, I'll be sweet talking daddy into buying those for me, later.

In the mall Beck wanted to shop for more shoes while we waited for the salon appointment she had scheduled online before we left this morning.

We had an hour to fill, so Beck led me towards the shoe store. On the way there we passed a doughnut shop. At the same time several boys were exiting the shop.

I wasn't paying particular attention to the boys, but one of them was paying rapt attention to me.

As we walked past them, I heard one speak.

"Hi," he said.

I looked up to realize it was the same group of boys from yesterday.

Oh my, what do I do? A boy is trying to talk to me. Beck, get me out of this. I mentally begged in a panic.

If I didn't say something quick this was going to get awkward, but what do I say because I don't want any part of it.

"Hi," I replied to the boy, the same one who had been checking me out and caught a glimpse when I inadvertently exposed my panties yesterday.

I then looked away, desperately hoping he'd move on, but he didn't.

"I'm Jake," he introduced himself as he walked beside me.

Crap, now I gotta talk to him?

"Carla," I replied.

"Weren't you at the Prime Outlets Mall, yesterday," he asked.

Do I tell him yes and risk having him continue to try talking to me or do I tell him no and hope he moves on?

I can't lie to him. What if knows I'm lying? It's obvious he recognizes me.

Feeling defeated, I replied, "Yeah, I was."

"I knew it. My buddy said I was wrong. I told him I'd ask you and he said if I was wrong I had to ask you out. But I was right and well, I'm still gonna ask you for your number."

"I'm sorry but I don't have a cell phone," I had to tell him.

That was easy. Now he can go.

His head dropped. He looked disappointed as he turned to leave and replied, "Okay, maybe I'll see you around, Carla."

"Yeah, bye," I told him and he walked away in the opposite direction.

I turned back and watched him walk away. He was being teased by his buddies. I genuinely felt bad for him.

When I caught up to Beck, she was waiting outside the shoe store with a grin on her face.

"So, did he ask you out?"

"No but he did ask for my phone number."

"Did you give it to him?"

"I don't have one."

"Oh, yeah. Well, you could have given him your home phone."

"Yeah, I guess," I told her, even though I knew I didn't really want to do that, couldn't anyway.

What would happen if I had, then he called and my dad answered the phone?

I shuddered at the thought.

I guess I could have given him my Skype number, but I don't really want to talk to him, so no.

We went into the shoe store and Beck ended up buying me a pair of shiny red leather sandals with two inch high block heel, thin toe straps, and thick wraparound ankle strap with a large, red, plastic buckle.

I loved them from the moment I saw them and knew I wanted them. In my head I saw a vision of how I wanted to dress for school in the fall and I immediately knew those shoes were crucial to that look.

When I tried them on, Beck described them as edgy and said the one thing that would complete my look with those red heels, was French-tipped toenails.

I looked down at my toenails which were still coated with the soft, cotton candy pink, mom had put on them before the BBQ.

For a second I pictured what Beck was suggesting and had to admit she wasn't wrong, but I also told myself I couldn't allow her to spend more money on nails, too. I had already told her no to more shoes, but she wouldn't hear it and here we are.

I hoped she wouldn't suggest paying for the nails, that way I wouldn't have to keep telling her no.

I kept the shoes on since the narrower, higher heeled pumps I had been wearing were starting to hurt my calves and feet. Once they were paid for, we headed back to the salon and waited there until our names were called.