XOXO, Violet by Ginger Li
7Violet
“Ican’t believe her,” I said under my breath as we got into Wesley’s car.
“Something the matter?”
“Nothing. Sorry about that. Joy’s kind of…”
“Hilarious?”
“That’s one way of putting it.” My cheeks heated as I remembered my aunt’s suggestion. As if Wesley and I could ever date each other. The idea was utterly absurd.
The corners of Wesley’s lips curved upward. “It’s cool that you’re so close with your family. How many brothers do you have anyway?”
“Just the two. Micah, who you’ve met, and Marcus. And trust me, that’s plenty. I also have two young cousins, Jasper and Leo. When we have family get-togethers, things get loud really quickly.”
Wes nodded. “I can imagine. Big table, full of people.” He looked almost wistful at the thought, and for a moment, I could visualize the nostalgic scene he imagined. I guess to someone not used to a large family, mine would sound rather impressive.
We looked at each other and smiled.
As Wes pulled out of the parking lot, my stomach growled.
Oh my gosh. I wrapped my arms around my waist, hoping he hadn’t heard. I’d meant to eat something after school, but work had gotten in the way.
“I hope Space Donuts is okay with you?” Wes pulled his eyes from the road long enough to glance down at my stomach.
Great. So he had heard.
“I was there earlier this week,” he continued. “They’ve started offering sandwiches and soup.”
Piper’s larger-than-life grandmother, Tellie, owned the café. The woman was a true pastry artist, concocting scrumptious, hilariously named treats. If her other food was even half as delicious as her donuts, we’d be fine. “Sounds perfect,” I murmured.
Thankfully, my stomach remained quiet after its earlier outburst. After we’d driven in silence for a while, I realized Wesley hadn’t mentioned his family at all. “I’m guessing you don’t come from a large family?”
He shook his head. “It’s just my sister and my dad right now. My parents divorced less than a year ago, and Mom’s away most of the time, traveling for work.” Wes shrugged and tapped his long, tapered fingers on the steering wheel. “It’s no big deal. My parents both work a lot, so they were hardly ever home anyway.”
He said it so casually, but I couldn’t imagine my parents being apart for more than a couple of days. College sweethearts, they’d been married for over twenty years.
“I love my family, but sometimes it’s hard having so many noses stuck in your business. Can you imagine several relatives talking to you about your love life? Or trying to set you up? Not that you need setting up, since you’re…well, you.”
My eyes met his, and Wesley held my gaze. “You mean a cad? A ladies’ man? A rake?” He arched a brow.
I inwardly cringed. “I’m so sorry. It’s not like I meant those things in a bad way. I was just trying to tell my aunt—”
All thoughts fluttered away when Wesley placed a hand on mine.
“No need to apologize. I know how other people see me. But I never trick girls. They all know up front that I’m not interested in a serious relationship. And they’re okay with that. Well, most of them.”
I assumed he was referring to his last girlfriend: Taylor. She pretty much fell apart when she and Wes stopped dating. Last I heard, she transferred schools. “It must be hard, though. Girls probably go into it thinking they’re okay with ‘just for fun.’ But then they fall for your charms.”
Wes pulled his hand away, and I missed its warmth. “I love it when you say I’m charming, Violet.”
I rolled my eyes, refusing to let him flirt with me. “Like I said before, girls obviously swoon over you.”
“How about you?” he asked, lowering his voice. “Do I make you swoon?”
One thing all my science teachers stressed over the years was the importance of making observations before coming to conclusions. I took a good long look at Wesley. Broad shoulders, a jawline that could cut rock, gorgeous blue eyes that peered straight through me. Wesley made my throat dry and turned my insides to melted butter.
Yeah, I’d say he definitely made me swoon. In a purely objective and scientific way, of course. But no way would I give him the satisfaction of knowing that.
“I could see why some girls might find you appealing. But I go for a different type of guy.” Like Chad. No, wait, I meant Chase.
“Let me guess—you prefer a guy who’s brainy and plays the cello?” Wes had a thoughtful expression on his face.
“Different strokes for different folks, right? Chase and I are alike. And you and I, well, we’re completely different. You’re handsome, athletic, and popular, while I’ve got average looks, above-average intelligence, and only a handful of friends.”
Wesley pulled into the café’s parking lot and turned off the engine before facing me. “Oh, Violet, what am I going to do with you?” His tone was playful, but there was a seriousness in his eyes. “Remember what I said before?”
My mouth twitched as I fought a smile. “Right. I’m beautiful, intelligent, and funny,” I recited, ticking off the qualities on my fingers. “Yes, I remember.”
“Good.” He flashed me one of his megawatt smiles, and my heart burst to life, fluttering like a bird trapped in a cage. “Now, let’s grab some dinner. I need to make sure my tutor’s well-fed, so we can have a productive session.” As Wes stepped from the car, I hesitated before grabbing my bag.
This wasn’t good. Spending this long in Wesley’s presence? Experiencing his charm firsthand? I pressed my hands to my warm cheeks, trying to suppress the giddiness blooming inside. This. This was what Wes did to girls. He knew what to say to make them feel special. And after spending more time with him, I was beginning to feel the effects. I was like Madame Curie, and he was radium. Basking in the wonderful glow of Wesley’s smile, my body was turning to goo.
No. This wasn’t good at all. I couldn’t fall for his wiles.
I’d already learned how dangerous falling for someone who’d never care for you could be.
“Here you go.”Piper placed a grilled cheese sandwich, tomato soup, and a falafel stuffed pita on the table. “Enjoy, guys.”
She winked at me before returning to the counter.
I picked up my falafel wrap and took a bite before letting out a small groan. Its savory and tangy flavors sure hit the spot. “Wow. This is so good.” Humming quietly to myself, I took two more massive bites.
From across the table, Wesley gave me the strangest look.
“Do I have something on my face?” I wiped my mouth with a napkin. Noticing his food was untouched, I motioned to his plate. “Aren’t you hungry?”
His cheeks reddened slightly, and he glanced down, seeming almost embarrassed.
Weird. What would he have to be embarrassed about?
Wesley dunked his grilled cheese in his soup and took a bite.
“That’s how my cousins eat their grilled cheese too.” I smiled at the similarity. “Jasper sometimes dunks his sandwich so much that it becomes a huge soggy mess. It’s gross, but that’s how he loves it. Swears it’s better that way.”
Wes grinned. “Sounds like a cool kid.”
I pulled a notebook from my backpack. “So, I was thinking about that quiz you showed me today, and I have some ideas on how to help. Do you mind if we work while we eat?”
“Efficient and intelligent? That’s a heck of a combination.” He grabbed his textbook and placed it on the table. “Okay, show me your mathy ways.”
It took all my self-control not to smile. Was everything that came out of his mouth designed to make girls like him?
Pushing that thought from my mind, I quickly found the pages in the textbook that addressed the topics I wanted to discuss. “A lot of the questions asked you to find solution sets for these systems of equations. Once you learn the algorithm, those questions become a piece of cake.” I then explained how to solve the problems by eliminating the variables.
After struggling through two sample problems, Wesley sighed and scrubbed his face with his hands. “Please don’t hate me, Violet, but I still don’t get it. Can you explain that again?”
I scooted my chair over to his and pulled his notebook closer. As I did so, my hand brushed against his, and goose bumps fanned out across my skin. I pushed my chair slightly away.
Calm down, hormones. Let’s keep it together. You’re tutoring the guy. Not testing him out as a possible match.
We worked through several more sample problems before finally going over each question on his failed quiz. After two hours, I’d developed a severe crick in my back from my awkward sitting position, and scraps of paper covered every inch of our table.
Wes looked up from his practice problem and scrunched his nose. “Does x equal negative three and y equal negative eight?” He tapped his foot on the floor while I scanned his work with a critical eye.
He’d done it! Grinning, I raised my hand above my head.
Wesley stared at me blankly.
I leaned closer and wiggled my fingers in his face. “Don’t leave me hanging here. You’re a mathlete now. Give me a high five for solving a problem.”
“A mathlete, huh?” Amusement sparkling in his eyes, Wesley placed his palm gently against my hand before sliding his fingers between mine. “Is this what mathletes do with each other?” Wes rubbed his thumb along the back of my hand. Each movement seared my skin, and I eyed the glass of water beside me, wishing I could toss it over my head.
I swallowed hard. “Not exactly. I was more thinking of a high five, but I guess this weird midair hand rubbing’s good too.”
“Can I interest you in some freshly baked snowflake donuts?” Piper strolled over and placed two intricately iced blue and white donuts in front of us.
“Bas is into Frozen at the moment,” she continued as if us holding hands was completely normal, “so Grams designed these snowflake donuts for him.”
I tore my hand from Wes’s.
“Does he still like animals?” I squeaked. Not wanting to look at Piper or Wes, I glanced over at Piper’s younger brother playing with Frozen dolls at the counter.
What in the good green earth just happened there?
“That came and went. Now it’s Frozen. All the time.” Piper chuckled. “I can’t complain, though. The music’s loads better than BINGO. That song almost drove me insane. So, how’s the studying going?”
I braved a glance at Piper and found her eyeing me knowingly.
What was up with that weird hand-holding thing?she asked with her raised eyebrows.
I know, right? I responded with raised eyebrows of my own.
Guys!Am I right? she communicated with a slight shake of her head.
Wesley leaned back in his chair and draped an arm across my shoulders. I stiffened and leaned forward in my seat. What was he doing? Was this another of his womanizing ways?
The intimate act wasn’t lost on Piper either. Her eyebrows raised again as her lips curled into a smile.
“Violet’s a great tutor,” Wesley said. “She’s managed to teach this dumb jock how to do math.”
I shot him a sharp look. “You’re not dumb.”
“Just joking, Vi.” Wesley tapped me gently on the shoulder.
“No. Remember what you said? This won’t work unless you believe in yourself.” If he wouldn’t let me put myself down, then I wasn’t about to let him do it either.
Wesley removed his arm and lowered his gaze. “You’re right, Violet. I’ll believe in myself.” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before opening them again. “I’m the perfect package. Handsome, charming, and now exceptionally good at math.”
His contrite expression disappeared, and the self-satisfied grin returned.
Ugh. I grabbed my glass of water and chugged down several gulps.
Piper chuckled. “Enjoy the rest of your tutoring session, guys.” She waggled her eyebrows at me, then turned and walked away.
Wesley closed his textbook and slid it into his backpack. “Now that you’ve helped me with math, it’s time for your tutoring session.”
“Great.” I grabbed a pen then flipped through my notebook until I reached a clean page. “Okay. Teach me how to be irresistible to Chase.”
Wesley shook his head and gently tugged the pen out of my hand. “You don’t need to take notes. The first lesson’s easy. All you have to do is be interesting.”
Be interesting? Be interesting? I scowled. What did that even mean? Was I not interesting enough?
Wesley waved a hand in front of my face. “Whoa, there. I can already see where your thoughts are taking you, and I want you to stop. Remember how I described you before?”
“Beautiful, intelligent, and funny,” I mumbled, dragging myself out of my downward-spiraling thoughts.
“Exactly.” He gave me a soft smile. “And to get Chase to like you, you need to be comfortable talking about yourself. Be interesting. Share your interests with him. Show him what makes Violet special. Let’s practice. Pretend I’m Chase. Tell me, Violet. What are you interested in?”
That was easy. “Plants,” I said, feeling slightly embarrassed. I loved plants, had since I was a little kid. But would Chase want to hear about them?
“Go on,” Wesley encouraged. “When did your love of plants start?”
I took another bite of my donut. “I’ve always enjoyed growing things. Mom and Joy both have green thumbs.”
Wesley nodded, his eyes totally focused on me, as if nothing else were important. This was probably just his way of making me comfortable, but it worked. I felt myself relaxing.
“Plants are fascinating,” I continued. “It’s fun figuring out what they need. And when they thrive, you feel so proud of yourself and the plant. It’s the best feeling in the world, seeing a plant you’ve poured love into for months finally grow a new leaf. All your hard work made that little bit of life happen.”
“Do you have a favorite type of plant?” Wesley asked.
I snorted. Was he serious? Does Mars have two moons?
Yes, it does. And, of course, I had favorites. “Succulents. Definitely. Did you know you can chop the head off a succulent, and it will keep growing? Or that you can rip the petals off one, and given the right conditions, new baby plants will grow from each of the petals? It’s crazy, like Frankenstein mixed with a drop of weird sci-fi coolness. Succulents will always figure out a way to survive, no matter how harsh or unforgiving the environment. I love them so much that I have this whole area in my backyard that I…”
Uh-oh.Wes didn’t want to hear about that. He was only being polite. “Sorry. I get kind of carried away when I talk about plants. But I get your point. I need to talk to Chase about my interests. You don’t have to listen to me go on about plants anymore. No doubt I’m boring you.”
Wesley tilted his head closer to mine. His face was so near that I could make out the faint scar above his lip. “Violet, I could listen to you talk all night. You are anything but boring.”
Tingles floated across my skin. Great green moss balls! I jerked away. Climate change must be real because the room had just become about ten degrees warmer. As sweat pooled everywhere, including the backs of my kneecaps, I took another long sip of cool water.
“Thank you, that’s very kind. But I know I’m not really interesting. At least not to everyone.” I focused on the tablecloth’s floral pattern, tracing the shapes with my finger. “Going back to your first question, I think I became obsessed with plants in middle school. That was a pretty tough time for me.” I stopped tracing the design and lowered my hand to my lap.
I chewed on my lip, wondering how much to tell him. What would Wes know about these things when he lived an almost fairy-tale existence? Things came so easily to him. Me, not so much.
“Did something happen?” His concern seemed genuine, so I allowed myself to continue.
“I suffered from a serious ear infection when I was two, and it affected my speaking. Seeing a speech therapist helped, but sometimes, I still pronounce words differently or s-stutter when I’m nervous.” I wrung my hands under the table, trying to calm my nerves. “Some kids in middle school thought the way I spoke was funny, and they had no problems letting me know.”
“I’m so sorry, Violet,” Wes murmured.
I tried to smile, but hot moisture filled my eyes. “It’s fine. Kids can be mean sometimes.” There was much more to this story, but perhaps I’d already said too much. Seeing him look at me as though I were something fragile made me feel like I was still that girl in middle school, the one who kept silent and didn’t speak up when the cruel taunts and insults came her way.
I began collecting our pieces of scrap paper, not wanting to share anymore. “We should wrap this up. Micah’s picking me up soon.”
“Why don’t you and your brother go to the same high school?” Wesley asked.
Surprised that he remembered that detail, my brain worked to recall the reason I’d come up with years ago. “East Beach has great science and math programs. And Hollister High has an awesome art program. So it worked out for Micah and me to go to different schools. Plus, you know how it is with twins—we need time apart to grow into our own separate people.”
“I see.” But Wes’s expression suggested he didn’t quite believe me. I was worried that he wouldn’t drop the topic, but thankfully, his phone buzzed at that moment. When Wes pulled it out of his pocket, I noticed it was another message from Ophelia.
A strange feeling came over me. I had no idea who Ophelia was, but obviously, she and Wesley were close. Yet another girl hoping to be his girlfriend, perhaps?
That thought bothered me, and I made a supreme effort to look away. None of this was any of my business. Wes and I were friends. I pulled out my own phone and shot my brother a quick message.
Me: I’m done. Will wait for you outside Piper’s cafe.
Micah: In the neighborhood. Be there in a few minutes.
Wesley was still typingwhen I’d finished tossing out our trash. I zipped up my backpack and slung it over my shoulder. “Thanks for dinner. I’ll try to remember your advice and be more interesting.”
He glanced up from his phone. “If you give me a couple of minutes, I can drop you home.”
As tempting as it was to take him up on his offer, Micah was already on his way, and I needed some space. Things were getting a bit too heavy too quickly, and I wasn’t sure how to process that. “Don’t worry about it. Micah’s waiting outside. I’ll see you at school tomorrow.”
“Okay, cool. Thanks for your help today. I owe you one.” He gave me that smile again, the one that turned my insides to Jell-O.
And that was my cue to leave. After waving goodbye to Piper and her grandmother, I rushed outside. By now, it was well and truly dark, and a cool breeze sent a shiver down my spine. Only a handful of cars drove by, their headlights shining bright in the darkness.
Alone and with nothing better to do, I began checking out Shy Plant Girl’s Instagram feed while waiting for my brother.
I can’t believe she’ll be there.
#WallflowersRock
I’m going to ask her to sign my pot.
This will be epic!
I grinnedand made sure to like a lot of the comments. Plants were awesome, but the community that had grown from my channel was what made it truly worthwhile.
Knee-deep in analyzing my latest video’s statistics, I heard a familiar voice.
“Violet? Is that you?”
I looked up and found myself staring into the dark brown eyes of the boy who’d made my middle-school experience an absolute nightmare: Jason Richman. My breath caught in my throat, and I took a step back, finding it difficult to breathe.
“It is you.” His grin widened as he eyed my outfit up and down. I wrapped my arms around my chest, trying to hide from his mocking gaze.
Granny Violet.
Your clothes smell like dead people.
Why don’t you go back to kindergarten, so you can learn to speak properly?
As Jason took a step closer, I took another step backward. “Heard you’re at East Beach High now. I see you’re still wearing those ugly outfits. You have gotten hotter, though. Almost makes me feel bad for what I did to you.”
I glanced around the parking lot, but no one was there. Panic surged through my veins, and my insides were a jumble of nerves, but I refused to show him any fear. I wasn’t helpless anymore.
My hands tightened into fists. “G-get away from me.”
I mentally kicked myself. Why did I have to stutter?
Jason’s grin widened, and he took another step forward, forcing me to back up against the café’s brick wall. “Same old st-st-st-stuttering Violet. You might be hotter, but you’re still a joke.” He leaned in so close that I could feel his hot breath against my skin. “You’re a freak. It’s better that I don’t have to h-h-h-hear you anymore.”
There was a grunting sound accompanied by a whoosh of air. I blinked as my brother shoved Jason to the ground.
“Stay away from my sister,” Micah growled. “Do you hear me?” His expression was thunderous, his mouth twisted into a snarl.
Jason grabbed his baseball cap, which had fallen off his head, and scrambled to his feet. “Fine. Whatever, man. Violet and I are cool now, right? We were just talking.” There was a hint of warning in his tone.
A maelstrom of emotions swirled inside, but I refused to let him bully me into silence again. “No. We aren’t.” I tugged my brother’s arm. “Come on. Let’s go home. He’s not worth it.”
Micah didn’t move, and for a moment, I honestly thought he planned to fight Jason right there in front of Space Donuts. But Micah took a step forward and gave my childhood bully one final glare before allowing me to lead him to our truck.
The moment I climbed inside, I began trembling uncontrollably. It was as though all my self-preservation instincts had evaporated.
Micah glanced over at me anxiously from the driver’s seat. “Violet, are you okay? I’m so sorry I didn’t get here sooner.”
“I’m fine,” I whispered. My breath hitched, and I struggled to hold back the tears. The last thing I needed was for my brother to worry. When he’d found out about my bullying last time, it had nearly destroyed him.
Micah’s eyes swept over my face. “Did he do anything?”
I shook my head and wiped away a tear. “Jason was just saying stuff. Honestly, I’m over it. Let’s go home. I never want to think or talk about him again.”
Micah ran a hand over his fauxhawk. “Are you sure? Maybe we should tell Mom and Dad about this.”
I knew he was thinking about what happened last time. But I was no longer that girl. Switching districts for high school had allowed me to make a fresh start, and I hadn’t seen or spoken to Jason for years.
Until now.
I drew a rectangle in the air with my finger. “We’re inside the Rectangle of Silence. Please don’t tell Mom and Dad. I can handle it.”
“What are we? Eight? Come on, Violet. This is serious.”
I stared at him with pleading eyes. “Draw it, Micah. Promise me you won’t tell them. I’ve only a few months left at high school, and then I’ll never have to deal with Jason again. Remember how I kept your tattoos a secret? You owe me.”
Micah let out another sigh before he, too, traced a rectangle in the air. “I don’t like it, but I promise not to say anything to Mom or Dad.” His eyebrows drew together, and his expression darkened. “If that idiot ever approaches you again, I’m dealing with it. And we’re definitely telling them.”
“Deal. And just so you know, I’m fine,” I said, desperately trying to convince my brother. “He didn’t hurt me. I’m a different person now.”
Micah glanced down at my hands, still trembling in my lap. He frowned.
“Sure, Vi. Whatever.”