XOXO, Violet by Ginger Li
5Violet
Me: A friend offered to drive me to work.
Micah: Olivia or Piper?
Me: Wesley. He needs help in math. We’re studying after work too. Can you pick me up after we’re done?
Micah: Sure. But be careful. That dude is a player.
Me: Seriously? I thought you liked him.
Micah: That was before he started driving my little sister around.
Me: You’re only 2 minutes older.
Micah: So? I’m still older.
Me: Don’t worry. Nothing romantic will happen between us. I’m not his type.
Micah: Yeah. You’re probably right. Not sure you’re anyone’s type.
Me: Jerk!
Ireturned my phone to my bag with a chuckle then walked through campus toward the parking lot. Wesley and I had planned to meet there after school, but I’d stayed after class to ask my AP Bio teacher a few questions, so I was running late.
I spotted Wes leaning against a bench, his back to me while he stared down at his phone. Deciding to try sneaking up on him, I tiptoed over. But before I could get close, Bianca, a cheerleader I recognized from choir, reached him first.
I stilled, watching the scene playing out in front of me like a nature documentary. Except, instead of a panther hunting a deer, I was watching Bianca hunt Wesley.
It was mesmerizing: Her predatory smile. The flick of her blond hair. The cock of her hip. Was this what it took to snag a man? If so, I had so much to learn.
“Hey, Wesley,” Bianca practically purred.
Wesley looked up from his phone. “Oh, hey.”
The huntress approaches her prey.
Bianca flipped her unnaturally shiny hair over her shoulder and pulled out a small tube of pink gloss from her bag, which she ran over her already slick lips. “Isn’t Mrs. Cox such a beast? I mean, assigning us an entire play to read by tomorrow? Doesn’t she realize we have lives?”
The huntress draws attention to her lips in the hopes of attracting her target.
Wesley chuckled. “Can’t say I mind. Much Ado About Nothing is actually one of my favorite plays.”
“Really?” Bianca stepped closer, appearing to hang on his every word.
The huntress enters her prey’s personal space.
Wes must have flashed her one of his million-watt smiles, as she practically swooned.
The prey turns the tables, drawing the huntress in with tricks of his own.
“Seriously,” Wes said, leaning in closer. “Only a fan could quote this: ‘Sigh no more, ladies, sigh no more. Men were deceivers ever, one foot in sea and one on shore, to one thing constant never.’ That Shakespeare really knew his stuff.”
Wait a second. Pause the show. Wes knew his stuff. He’d just said that men shy away from commitment. Interesting. He was giving off clear “get away from me” vibes. But would Bianca take the hint?
Ooooh. This was more exciting than a K-drama. All I needed was a tub of popcorn, and I’d be good to go.
“Oh my gawd.” Bianca playfully swatted his arm. “Coming from your mouth, the words sound so romantic.”
Yikes. I couldn’t help it; a giggle escaped me. Guess she hadn’t got the hint.
Wesley looked back, and as our eyes met, his mouth quirked into a smile.
“S-sorry for interrupting,” I called out. “Please carry on. Just pretend I’m not here.” Then, spotting a lamppost a few feet away, I edged in that direction. Hiding behind it wouldn’t be too weird, right?
Wes’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “Where are you going, Violet? Come join us.” He waved me over.
Judging by the look Bianca was shooting me, I wasn’t too sure she’d appreciate that, but okay, whatever. He’d invited me. Rearranging my face into what I hoped was a friendly smile, I approached the pair cautiously. I’d watched enough nature documentaries to know you don’t proceed toward a predator with guns a-blazing.
“Do you two know each other?” Wesley asked.
Oh goody. Small talk. My favorite thing in the entire world.
Not.
“We’re in choir together.” Bianca took a step closer to Wesley and hooked her arm through his.
Someone was marking their territory. Any closer, and she and Wesley would be on top of each other… Which, given Bianca’s clear intentions, may have been exactly the point.
“So,” Bianca continued as if I weren’t even there, “if you’re free later, maybe we could work on that homework assignment together. I have so much trouble understanding what Shakespeare’s saying, and you’re so good at this English stuff. I bet you’d be an awesome tutor.”
Oh brother. She was laying it on thicker than avocado on toast.
I thought I was being discreet, but Wesley caught me mid-eye-roll. “Actually, I can’t. I’m getting tutored myself. Violet’s helping me with precalc. Maybe next time.”
Bianca turned to me, finally registering my presence as something more than irritating background noise. She slowly scanned my clothes and smirked, which I took offense at. This was one of my favorite outfits. My mother crocheted my sweater vest—it was pretty and cozy, perfect for these cooler days.
“Sure.” Bianca gave Wesley a saccharine smile. “I’ll see you around.” Without so much as a goodbye to me, she turned and strutted away.
Wow. That girl even knew how to leave them wanting more. I briefly wondered whether I had the equipment necessary to make my hips move like that.
“Violet?”
I pulled my eyes from the departing Bianca. “Yeah?”
“Why are you swaying your hips?”
I glanced down. Swaying might be a bit of an exaggeration. It was more of an awkward jerking, but I’d take the compliment. “I’m practicing.”
Wes chuckled. “Okay. Thanks again for agreeing to tutor me. You ready to go?” His phone buzzed, and I saw that he’d received three messages from someone named Ophelia.
Seemed Micah was right. Two girls at the same time? Wesley was a player. Which was perfect in this case, because that meant there was much he could teach me.
I fought the urge to peek at his messages. “So,” I said, trying to distract myself, “did you mean it when you said that Much Ado About Nothing’s one of your favorite plays?”
Wes looked up from his phone. “Why? Surprised to hear that a jock appreciates the Bard of Avon’s words?”
“Of course not,” I answered honestly. “Just because a person has big muscles doesn’t mean they can’t love classical literature.”
Wesley made a show of raising his arms over his head before placing them behind his neck. “So, you noticed my muscles?”
And now I was back to staring at his arms again. Dang it. Wes turned me into some kind of arm addict. I dragged my eyes away. “You’d have to be blind not to notice. Especially when you’re in a swimsuit. They leave so little to the imagination.”
Wes rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah. You’re right there. So, are you reading Much Ado About Nothing too?”
I shook my head. “I read it in eighth grade and loved the play so much I watched the movie version over and over again.”
“The one with Emma Thompson? That’s one of my sister’s favorites. We must have watched it a dozen times after…” Wes’s eyes took on a faraway look. “Never mind. We should go. Where am I taking you?”
“Do you know Blooming Queen?”
“Sure. They donated some arrangements to Piper’s fundraiser.”
I knew that, as I’d made those arrangements. “Well, that’s where I work.”
Understanding crossed Wesley’s features. “So that’s how they heard about the event.” He began walking across the parking lot, and I followed. “I wondered why a store would randomly decide to donate items when I hadn’t contacted them.” He turned and gave me an appraising look. “You read Shakespeare, know your way around social media, and have a green thumb? You’re like a triple threat.”
I snorted. “Hardly.” Sure, I’d managed to get some publicity for the fundraiser. But it was no big deal since I had tons of experience doing social media stuff for my YouTube channel. Of course, Wes didn’t know that. “Besides, none of that will get me a date with Chase. Unless he happens to be crazy about succulents. Or English literature.”
Wesley stopped in front of a powerful-looking blue Camaro. “Well, I think you’re amazing. And don’t worry about Chase. You’ll get your date.”
He walked up to the passenger side and opened the door. “Ladies first.”
“Thank you, good sir.” I curtsied before climbing in.
Wes went around the back and then slid into the driver’s seat. But as he stuck his key into the ignition, his phone buzzed again.
“Everything okay?” I asked.
He stared at the screen with a frown. “Fine.”
Noting the way his jaw clenched, I wondered what he was hiding. Was it another message from the mysterious Ophelia?
Wes started the car, an uncomfortable silence filling the space between us, and as he navigated the busy streets surrounding the school, he remained unusually quiet. That message must have been bad to upset him this much.
Using my right index finger, I traced a large rectangle in the air.
Wes gave me a sideways glance. “What are you doing?”
I lowered my hand to my lap. “I just created a Rectangle of Silence.”
We stopped at a flashing yellow light, and a group of students crossed in front of the car. “A rectangle of what?”
“A Rectangle of Silence. It’s something Micah and I used to do when we were little and wanted to share a secret. We’d trace a rectangle in the air, and whatever we said after that couldn’t be shared with anyone else. Otherwise, we’d have to eat a worm.”
Wesley laughed, immediately erasing his stern expression.
I gently slapped his arm. “Don’t laugh. That was the consequence for anyone caught breaking the sacred oath. Micah had a huge mouth, so I needed to make sure he didn’t blab all my secrets.”
Our car moved forward again. “I’m learning so much about your family right now. So tell me, what sort of secrets did young Violet need to keep? An old crush perhaps?”
“I can’t tell you. Rectangle of Silence, remember?” I chuckled, but my stomach tightened. Some secrets were meant to remain in the past.
Using my pointer finger, I drew another rectangle. “Now you do the same thing.”
If Wesley had thought I was strange before, he probably thought I was downright unhinged now. But he took his hand off the steering wheel to draw a rectangle in the air.
“Sloppy, but acceptable.” I raised my arm and twisted it in the air, pretending to turn a doorknob. “Now we’re both inside the Rectangle of Silence. I’ve invited you here because you seem upset, and I wanted to give you this safe space. You can tell me anything, and I promise to listen and not tell a soul.”
“Or you’ll eat a worm?”
I nodded solemnly and placed a hand over my heart. “Of course. This is a sacred space.”
“Try telling the worms that.” Wesley’s lips twitched as he glanced over at me.
I dropped my silly expression. “I’m being serious, Wes. You looked upset after reading that last text message. And I don’t mean to be nosy, but if you need someone to confide in, you can talk to me.”
As my offer hung in the air, Wes kept his eyes on the road. He remained silent, and with each second that passed, I became increasingly concerned that I’d done something super embarrassing again.
I can’t believe I said that out—
“Thanks, Violet. It’s just some personal stuff, but it should get resolved soon. That last message just threw me a bit.” Wes flashed me a small smile and then returned his attention to the road.
The silence between us stretched and roared like a starving animal. Desperate to fill the emptiness with something, I tapped my fingers against my seat belt. “So,” I began, making one short syllable last almost an eternity, “let me guess what you want me to do to win Chase over. You want me to take off my glasses, put on more makeup, get a new haircut, and start wearing dresses so I become drop-dead gorgeous, right? Well, if that’s the case, I gotta point out the obvious. One, I already wear skirts, and two, I don’t need glasses, and three, I hate wearing a ton of makeup. So, unfortunately, this is what you have to work with.” I motioned to my face.
Having expected a chuckle, I was surprised when Wes quietly studied the road instead. “Why do you keep doing that, Vi?”
My smile fell. “D-doing what?”
“Putting yourself down.” His tone was uncharacteristically sober.
That wasn’t where I’d expected this conversation to go. I grabbed my floral skirt, twisting and bunching the voluminous material in my hands. “Out of habit, I guess.”
Wes said nothing more until he pulled into the parking lot of my aunt’s florist shop. “Look, I’m not sure this will work.”
It wouldn’t? I scrunched my skirt tighter. No, of course it wouldn’t. All this time, I’d thought Wes and I were connecting. But yet again, I misread the situation.
That’s Violet, the plant-obsessed weirdo, for you. Still strange as ever. No wonder she doesn’t have any real friends.
I hadn’t seen Jason since middle school, but I could still hear his taunts in my head four years later.
But that was the past, and I was a different person now. Wasn’t I? Olivia and Piper liked me. And I had tons of online fans who appreciated my plant knowledge.
Pull yourself together, Vi. You’re not that girl anymore. You’ve changed.
Had I? My eyes prickled as I drowned in shame and self-consciousness. Maybe I wasn’t so different. Wes obviously thought I couldn’t get a date with Chase. I released my skirt’s soft fabric and reached for the door handle. Better he told me now than later. “Okay. Well, thanks for letting me know. And sorry for wasting your time.”
“Violet? What are you talking about?”
“You don’t want to help me with Chase. And I get it. I’ve never been kissed or gone on a date before, so I’m basically a lost cause.”
Wes gaped at me. “You’ve never been on a date? Like ever?”
Could this day get any worse?“F-forget what I just said. This was a bad idea.”
“Violet, would you look at me? Please?”
His gentle tone coaxed me to peer over.
Wesley studied my face, his smile wide and earnest. “It’s cool that you haven’t dated or kissed anyone before. I totally respect that. It just means that your date with Chase will be extra special.”
I sniffled, and my mouth fell into a frown. “Yeah, right. Then why did you say it wouldn’t work?”
Wes’s eyes widened. “Sorry that I wasn’t being clear enough before. I meant our arrangement won’t work if you keep putting yourself down. You’re funny, intelligent, and beautiful. Give other people the chance to see that.”
For someone whose presence often seemed larger than life, Wes said the words slowly and carefully. Like tiny golden fish, they glided around me—nudging and nipping.
My bag buzzed against my leg, but I ignored the incoming texts, still attempting to wrap my head around what he just said. “You think I’m beautiful, intelligent, and funny?”
Wesley’s eyes peered into mine. “You’d have to be blind not to notice.”
My mouth formed an “O” before curving into a smile. “Oh, I see what you did there. You’re bolstering my confidence, so I’ll feel brave enough to talk to Chase. Clever move, Stirling. You’re a great motivator.”
Some indiscernible emotion flickered across his face as he pulled back. “You got me. Did it work?”
I stepped out of the car and smoothed my skirt. “Totally. I feel much braver already.” I flashed him a big smile. “Can you pick me up about five? I finish around then.”
“Sure. And maybe we can grab a bite to eat before you tutor me.” Wes tilted his head and gave me one of those heart-stopping smiles he used on other girls.
Great fluffy sunflowers, I could see why it worked.
But not on me, of course. No matter how impressive his arms were, Wes wasn’t my type. Chase was. Plus, I knew better than to fall for someone well out of my league.
“Sounds perfect. Thanks for the ride.” As he drove away, my phone buzzed inside my bag again. Already knowing who it was, I pulled it out to check my messages.
Micah: Did you make it to work?
Micah: Violet?
Micah: You there?
Me: Yes. I’m here.
Micah: Good. Did Wes try anything on with you?
I flushedas I recalled our conversation. Complimenting me to help raise my self-esteem didn’t count as flirting, right?
Me: Of course not.
Micah: Good. I’d hate to have to break the guy’s nose.
Me: Violence is never the answer.
Micah: It is when a guy hurts my sister.