Chapter 6
My mom helped me the next morning. I couldn’t put on the liner because my hands shook. What if Lucas got mad? What if he refused to let the photos get posted and we had to pay back the money for the camera? Technically, Dad hadn’t cashed the check yet, but I’d already bought it, opened the box and put things together. Spent the evening in the backyard taking pictures of James in different rays of light. He picked one he planned to use as his new social media avatar. The new camera was amazing, but I still needed to learn all its little tricks. After I got through this nerve-racking day of course.
“Look up,” Mom instructed as she applied the eyeliner like a pro. The mascara was difficult too. “I remember when you were little. You always wanted the sparkly barrettes in your hair, and the pretty princess clothes.” She let out a long breath. “Someone said something once, and we made you stop. They said it wasn’t fair. That we were making you that way. Your autism already made you different and we were making it worse. We shouldn’t have listened to that. We just want you to be you, Tory.”
“I’m okay, Mom. Happy. I love photography and I do my best which seems okay most days.”
“Every day,” Mom corrected, “you are amazing.” She ran her fingers through my hair. Washed and curled with only a bit of mousse it didn’t feel as stiff or heavy. “Maybe you’ll let me buy a dress or two for you? The pictures…” She let out a long sigh. “I always wanted a girl to give pretty things to. But maybe I can give you pretty things.”
“I like pretty things,” I agreed. It was why I took pictures of stuff I found pretty. Flowers, people, a ray of sunlight on water; pretty appeared in a lot of things in life.
“You like this boy? He won’t try anything if you go someplace with him?”
“He thinks I’m a girl,” I admitted.
She hesitated.
“We’re meeting in public. I’ll be safe.” He could still hurt me, there were a lot of bullies in the world, but it would be where people would see. I hoped it didn’t go that far.
She finished styling my hair, mostly down, with the front sides pinned back and away from my face. She touched my chin to turn my face toward the mirror. The eye makeup not nearly as intense, but still giving the color of my eyes a bit of pop. If I wanted to see much beyond five feet in front of my face, I’d have to wear my glasses. The dress, the jewelry, and makeup made me look pretty. I tugged on my glasses and they instantly made me feel like boring old Tory.
I wrinkled my nose at the glasses.
“It’s fine,” Mom said. “Let me give you a ride.”
“Okay. I’ll leave my glasses with you when we get there. Don’t follow me.”
“There is nothing wrong with your glasses.”
“I could try contacts again?” I hated the whole eye touching thing.
“Maybe once you’re a bit more used to eye makeup,” Mom offered. She tugged me downstairs and out toward the car. The ride into town quiet but not strained. Mom hummed a little to the radio, and I watched the world go by. Sunday mornings were usually pretty slow.
She pulled up outside the restaurant, and I tugged off my glasses, putting them in the center console. “Do you need cash?” She asked.
“I have money, and my cash card,” I said holding up the small clutch Jenny had purchased for me. It fit my phone and only a few cards and some cash. “I’ll call for a ride home if that’s okay?”
“Of course.” She reached out, hand hovering over mine for a minute. I took her hand and squeezed it. She smiled. “Be safe.”
I got out and waved goodbye, waiting until the car was gone before turning toward the restaurant. It was ten thirty on the dot. Would Lucas be waiting inside? The streets were clear. Maybe he wouldn’t be coming at all? My heart sank a little.
“Tory?” His voice broke me out of my daze. Lucas stood a few feet away, near the door, casual in blue jeans and a nice T-shirt. His hair was brushed to the side today, more a normal mess than the styled look he had worn for the shoot. His clear blue eyes were the same though. Something I longed to capture with my new camera, and was sad I hadn’t brought it. Bright and clear as the sky above, intense and warm all at the same time. Eyes were my new obsession, and I was sure my face turned a dozen shades of red as I floundered for what to say.
“Hi,” I finally managed.
He smiled. The real smile, not the camera smirk. “You hungry?”
“Yes. Of course, sorry.” I jumped and barreled toward the restaurant. He beat me to the door and held it for me. “Thanks,” I whispered, stepping in, wondering if I should have held the door instead.
“Two?” the hostess asked, “Menus or buffet?”
“Buffet,” Lucas and I said in unison. We laughed. The hostess smiled and led us to a table. The buffet spread across six counters, everything from eggs, to pastries to fish to soup. The smell of curry wafted through the building, making my stomach grumble with hunger.
“Heaven,” I whispered, practically salivating over the food.
Lucas smiled. “Do you want to talk first, or eat and then talk?”
“Can we eat and talk at the same time?” Was that not something girls did? I ate and talked with Jenny all the time. But we’d never been on a date together.
