Page 7 of In a Pickle
Why did Liana suddenly look so sad? “James,” she said softly, brushing his fingertips with her own, mirroring his action from before class when she’d told him about her surgery. “I had a great time in class. See you next week.” And then she walked away.
Chapter 5: Liana
“Mom!” Liana turned on Deb as soon as they had reached the safety of the car. “Why didn’t you tell me thatJames Alonsowas the class instructor?”
“I figured it wouldn’t be a big deal,” said Deb, though she shifted uncomfortably. “You’re both adults. It’s been years since you saw each other. You two kind of circled each other in high school, but as far as I knew, you never really interacted. I thought you didn’t really know each other that well.”
“We didn’t — we don’t,” Liana said quickly. “But if it wasn’t a big deal, why not tell me?”
Deb had the good sense to look sheepish. “Well, I was so excited that you were leaving the house, and to exercise no less, that I didn’t want to give you a reason not to come. I was afraid you’d decide to stay home if I told you James was the teacher.”
“You’re right about that. I would have stayed home.” Liana buried her face in her hands. “I can’t believe he saw me,” she groaned. “What if he’d asked me about my job, Mom? My supposedly big-shot Hollywood career? Oh God — what if he’d asked me if I had a boyfriend?”
“Did he?” Deb asked, suddenly looking far too interested.
“No,” Liana said, although she wasn’t entirely sure that was true. “But that’s not the point. The point is that you should tell me these things!”
“Well, I think it all worked out just fine. Besides,” her mom waggled her brows, “I saw the way you two were talking after class. You and James had a moment! He likes you! I can see it!”
“Calm down, Mom. We did not have a moment. He was complimenting me on surviving my first class. That’s all.”
“Pssh,” her mom replied. “I know what I saw. He’s interested in you.”
Liana shook her head but said nothing. Internally, though, she was reeling. James Alonso! James fucking Alonso, Pine Heights School prom king and all-around golden boy, had asked her out! If only her high-school self could see her now! Sixteen-year-old Liana would keel over dead.
She still didn’t entirely understand why he’d asked her to dinner. She’d assumed he meant it as a date, but maybe she was just making assumptions. After all, the James Alonso she knew from high school would never have asked her out. She wasn’t unpopular, per se, but she certainly didn’t run in the same circle as James and his equally beautiful girlfriend, Mary Grace. In fact, as far as Liana knew, James and Mary Grace were still together. A few months ago, the high school sweethearts were happily celebrating nine years together. She’d assumed engagement photos would follow soon.
James wasn’t wearing a wedding ring during today’s lesson, but that didn’t mean he and Mary Grace weren’t still dating, or possibly even engaged. If he were still in a relationship, Liana reasoned, he probably wouldn’t ask her out. But maybe she’dread the situation wrong, and he’d simply wanted to grab a meal as two high school sort-of-friends who hadn’t seen each other in eight years?
Yes, that was far more likely than any sort of romantic meaning behind his question. James probably wanted to hear about the post-high school life of the Pine Heights valedictorian. Maybe he even hoped to get some dirt on her to bring back to Mary Grace.
Liana thought Mary Grace would probably rejoice at the downfall of her so-called academic rival, a title Liana had never bought into. Mary Grace had made it known to anyone who would listen that she “called BS” when Liana was declared valedictorian. The valedictorian title was given to the graduating senior with the highest GPA. The principal announced that Liana had their class’ top grades, with Mary Grace second by 0.01 points.
The principal had meant the announcement as a way to celebrate both Liana and Mary Grace, saying how proud he was that two females were top of their class, but Mary Grace went into a rage. Mary Grace insisted that Liana’s mom, being a teacher at the school, had somehow manipulated GPAs to ensure her daughter came out on top. Whenever Liana walked by Mary Grace in the hall after the valedictorian was announced, Mary Grace shouted taunts and asked if Liana was going to go cry to mommy.
Liana never thought her mom influenced how teachers looked at her, but she tried to see things from Mary Grace’s perspective and imagined that she’d be upset at any perceived unfair advantage. But Liana still couldn’t quite understand Mary Grace’s resentment. Sure, Liana was valedictorian, but she and Mary Grace had both gotten into their dream colleges. What dida useless title and a graduation speech matter, especially when Mary Grace had already given a (far too lengthy) speech to their classmates upon accepting her crown at prom?
Mary Grace was beautiful, popular, and dating the equally beautiful and popular prom king. Plus, her family was uber-wealthy, all but guaranteeing her a good job after college through family connections. Liana could claim none of those things. Wasn’t it pretty clear that if there were a competition to “win” at high school, then by any measurement, Mary Grace had won?
Liana had to admit that James had never seemed to buy into the academic rivalry stuff, shutting down his girlfriend every time she heard them talking about her. James had been nothing but gentlemanly during high school. Still, it was one thing to shut down false rumors Mary Grace instigated, but another thing entirely to ask Liana on a date. She had to have misread the situation.
“Liana,” Deb said gently. “He’s a nice boy. And it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world for you to try dating again. They won’t all be like Oliver.”
“I need to focus on my recovery before I can think about dating.”
“Nonsense. If you’re well enough to attend an exercise class, then you’re well enough to go on a date.”
“Nobody is going to want to go on a second date with me once they realize I can’t do anything fun. Plus, most first dates are at a bar. You know I can’t drink.”
“Lots of people don’t drink,” her mom reasoned, “and anyone who thinks drinking is a requirement for a date is someone you don’t want long-term, anyway.”
“It’s not that I can’t drink. I can’t eat. What am I going to do: insist that every date be at a coffee shop only? I can’t get dinner, can’t get lunch. I can’t get a damn acai bowl. I can’t even go to a movie and split a bucket of popcorn. I can’t go to a baseball game because I can’t go four hours without eating, and I sure as hell can't eat some peanuts or a hot dog.”
“Oh, my baby,” said her mom sorrowfully. “You know that anyone worthy of you will understand. You’re not one of those crazy Hollywood types who only drink green juice by choice. You have a lifelong medical condition. It’s not like you’re making things up.”
“I know,” Liana sighed, and she knew that both she and her mom were remembering the last few years, before Liana had received her Crohn’s disease diagnosis, when Liana was convinced that the symptoms she felt were “all in her head.”
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