“Wait, what?” I said. “What is it?”
“Don’t change the subject.” Layla steepled her fingers like a supervillain. “And trust me, it’s best if you come quietly.”
*
The Rebel Yell tattoo parlor was a small cube of brick sitting in a rutted gravel parking lot. As we entered, a happy little bell chimed, just barely audible over Molly Hatchet blasting at full volume.
“Hey, Riley!” Layla called. A rail-thin girl with shorn green hair and gauges in her ears crushed Layla in a hug.
“This is my cousin Riley,” Layla said, smiling, an arm around the girl’s shoulder. “She’s basically the biggest badass ever.”
“Naw,” Riley said, smiling back. She turned to face us. “So who’s today’s victim?”
“Right here,” Layla said, hooking her arm around mine. “Amanda.”
“Nice to meet you, Amanda. You’ll be with Rod today—he’ll take good care of you.” Riley yelled across the tattoo parlor and a man with a shaved head and flannel shirt came over.
“Hey there.” Rod smiled, motioning to the chair. “Whatcha interested in? Upper cartilage, maybe get a gauge started?”
“Oh, no,” Layla said. “Her ears aren’t pierced at all.”
“A virgin!” Rod said, smiling. I felt my cheeks flush. “Well, don’t worry, y’all came to the right place. I know it’s probably a little intimidating in here, but we’ll take good care of you.”
Layla eyed my nervous face. She pointed at me and then pointed at the chair. I gripped the armrests like I was riding a roller coaster and closed my eyes, trying to keep my breathing under control.
“Don’t tell me when it’s coming,” I said, listening to the crinkle of plastic as Rod unwrapped the needle. I focused on happy things instead—how just this moment, the boy of my dreams was preparing a birthday surprise, how friends who knew me well were dead set on getting me what I wanted, and not taking no for an answer. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d wanted to celebrate my birthday, but for the first time in a long time, I felt like I had something to celebrate. “Do something to distract me.”
“Okay,” Layla said, sounding mischievous. A quiet moment passed, and then she said, “You know how Anna and me are on the homecoming committee?”
“Yeah?”
“Well, we nominated you for homecoming queen!”
I didn’t even notice when the needle went in.
25
My ears still stung when the girls dropped me off near the trail to the tree house. I knew better than to try to find out from them what Grant had planned, so I got out of the car without protest, smiling to myself as Layla wolf-whistled and screeched down the street. Once they were out of sight I made my way down the trail, my hoodie providing minimal protection against the chill blowing off the lake.
The undergrowth was mostly dead this far into November, and inches of fallen leaves obscured the path. I heard distant music and followed it to its source. When I stepped out of the trees and got my first glimpse of the lake glittering like crystal in the late-afternoon sun, it took me a moment to realize that Grant was there, leaning against the tree, fiddling absentmindedly with a lighter.
He wore a slightly threadbare black suit with buttons that shimmered in the light. His hair was combed and slicked back, and he had shaved. I loved the feel of his stubble on my face, but his smooth cheeks made him look princely and dashing. I took a small step forward.
“Wow,” I said. “I mean, hi. Apparently you’ve been getting something ready?” I recognized the music as the soundtrack to Amélie and grinned.
“Your birthday present,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck and smiling sheepishly. He nodded toward the ladder. I climbed up and saw the tree house floor covered in a white blanket, with two plates of food. Candles flickered on the window ledge. “Surprise!”
I hugged him and gave him a kiss.
“What’s that smell?” I said. “It’s wonderful.”
“Sole Meunière,” Grant said. “Hope I pronounced that right.” He hadn’t, but he had gotten it wrong in a cute way. “And there’s a hot potato salad and some baked zucchini with olive oil too.” He laced his fingers in mine and I felt so good, like lying in a sunbeam on a spring afternoon and falling into cold water after exercising all at once. “I remembered what you said when we watched Amélie, about wanting to live in Paris one day, so I thought I’d bring France here for a night.”
“Grant,” I said, turning to him, “this is wonderful. I don’t know what to say.”