Love Is An Action (What Love Is #1) Page 3

  “Why on Earth would some billionaire cosmetics heiress be lecturing you about your behavior?”

  “Because Lena Le Roux is my mère.” I stop walking abruptly and almost knock him down to keep him from walking. Mère, French for…mother.

  “Excuse me?” The words are said too casually. He makes this announcement as though we are discussing an English project. I stand still for a minute and then start laughing, really, really hard.

  “Oh God. That was almost funnier than Lizbeth throwing popcorn all over the movie theater.” I say as I snatch my hands away from him. I look up at Cash and although he does look amused, I’m more perplexed by the beholding look in his eyes.

  I scoff, “I mean come on Cash, seriously?”

  “I have my papa’s last name, as does Theo, Castille. But, my mère kept her maiden name after marrying my papa.”

  “I think I’m going to be sick.” I mutter to myself. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve always known Cash had money. Everyone at Warren Academy has money unless you’re attending on a scholarship. But, the Cash I thought I knew, my Cash doesn’t have that kind of money. Liz and I always joke with him about how he pays his academy tuition. We asked if he secretly belongs to French mobsters who sent him to the states so they didn’t have to make him sleep with the fishes. We’ve asked if he is a secret underwear model that stole too many Calvin Klein samples and was banished. We’ve even asked if he is some kind of French spy although we couldn’t come up with a good reason for why he would be attending our school.

  The thought that Cash comes from a family of billionaires makes him seem so much more like everyone else who is mean to me and taunts me for my lack of finances. Worse than them because no one at our school comes from a background like his family.

  “I’m the same person I’ve always been to you Khloe.” I shake my head to disagree but I can’t get any words to come up my strangled throat. “My family has put me in a precarious position. My mère considered my behavior an embarrassment to her. Apparently my dating habits were inappropriate for someone with a family name to protect. I am usually well versed at ignoring my mère’s manipulating ways but when she brought up my papa-“ He cuts himself off clenching his jaw tightly.

  I’m shocked but seeing Cash like this is something that’s never happened before. I shake myself out of my daze enough to rest a shaking hand on his shoulder. He looks at me with tormented eyes.

  “After my papa passed, I handled my grief differently than everyone else. I found comfort in numbing that horrible hole in my heart, that empty feeling. I wanted to be out of the house, away from anything that reminded me of him—which was difficult. I wasn’t the perfect kid that could just get over it and get back to pursuing a career like my brother. After my family and Leo, our publicist sat me down and gave me an ultimatum that I refused, my uncle offered to take me in. I thought it would be perfect, get away from them and come to another country. What I didn’t count on was them pursuing the ultimatum anyway.”

  “What did they ask you to do?”

  “I can’t be photographed with more than one girl until my brother’s bid for senate is up. If I am, there are things of my father’s that will never see the light of day. Or at least not by my eyes. They want to see me in a committed relationship.” His jaw clenches again. “And so that is what I am going to give them.”

  “As eye opening as all of this has been for me Cash, I’m not sure what exactly this has to do with me.”

  “I want them to know they can’t just back me in a corner like this. If they want me to be in a committed relationship, then that is what I am going to give them. I want to give them the most daring commitment ever, a fiancé. And I want it to be you, Beauté.” He replies candidly. My brain is on overload; my head feels fuzzy, like it is filled with cotton balls and I pray that I don’t pass out. There is no way this is happening to me. These things do not happen in real life.

  “Cashel, this is crazy! There are so many things wrong with this conversation. Even if I did plan to get married, like ever. I wouldn’t want my marriage to be a joke.”

  Cash lifts our hands together to brush his knuckles over my face, bringing me out of my contemplation and heating my skin in an amiable way.

  “Don’t look at it as a joke then, Khloe. It’s highly unlikely that my family will even let us get married. You’re taking this more seriously than is probably even necessary. Look, going through with this can open many opportunities for the pair of us…”

  He trails off and I scoff. “Cash, you can’t even remember to complete homework assignments yet you want me to believe you would be a responsible husband?” Insert eye roll. “Besides, what opportunities could this-“ I gesture between the two of us. “-arrangement open for me?”

  “I know you’re worried about college and whether or not scholarships will be enough to get you into the school of your choice…” He starts but I interrupt.

  “What? Who told you-“

  “None of the students know. I promise. I’m not trying to blackmail you. I just want you to think this over. I can guarantee you an income to put on record for those schools. That combined with your grades should make you a sure thing. Your tuition, no matter what it is won’t be a problem.”

  I can’t say that the offer doesn’t sound like a life line. Liz has been raving about the schools she is considering and she seems to be narrowing in on a school out of the south and away from her mother. She has been talking about us sharing a dorm or being close to each other and each time she brings up the subject, I can’t find the words to tell her that she hasn’t really considered the fact that I don’t have the last name, money, or opportunities that she does.

  Liz is the closest thing to a sister I will ever have. In fact, she is more than that to me; blood couldn’t make us any closer. And no matter what kind of front I put on, I am absolutely positive that my life would be quite miserable if we go our separate ways. I would have nothing and no one. And being alone is a very real misgiving of mine.

  Can I really afford to turn this opportunity down? He did say we probably won’t even have to go through with it. Is Cash even attracted to me? I never imagined he was.

  In all of the Disney movies and fairytales I have ever read, I have never imagined that this is how I would be proposed to. By a somewhat nemesis, who is essentially being punished by his family. I would be someone’s punishment. Mrs. Tucker would get a kick out of this. What if Cash grew to resent me for being his ‘ball-and-chain’? Then our friendship would be over and that would upset me. I may not show him the way other people would, but Cash is an important fixture in my life. As hard as it is for me to let people into my life, once they’re in, they’re in. Losing his friendship would absolutely cause me some type of emotional distress. Moreover, what about my father? Would he allow this? Would he even care?

  “Cash, why on Earth would you pick me? And what do you mean we probably won’t have to… get married?” He would have it way easier with Marley or even Liz, but I guess my life is more screwed up than theirs so I have a lot more riding on this.

  “Why wouldn’t I? You have always intrigued me. Since the first day I saw you and you put me in my place. I knew you would give my family a run for their money. Plus, I am confident my family will force us to call this engagement off immediately. If they thought me sleeping around was causing a media buzz I can’t imagine what the media would do with this information.”

  “This is crazy. Would this be like a real relationship? We despise each other!” I bring my fingers to my temple and rub.

  “You say despise, I say sexual tension. Monogamy isn’t something that I’m used to but, we can figure this out together.” He replies nonchalantly. I glare and try to think around his ridiculous response.

  “Basically you want me to drive your family crazy?”

  He seems to think this over before answering. “Just be yourself.” We both smile at that, knowing what it means. “So you’ll do it?” He asks hopefully. I need to
be more rational. This is a crazy idea. In America, we have a name for a wedding involving teenagers…shotgun.

  “I’ll think about it.” I say slowly, a slow smile breaks over his face as if he’s already won the battle. I put up a finger. “Maybe we can do like a trial run of everything and see how it goes.” His smile gets bigger.

  “Oh thank you, Khloe! You have no idea what this means to me!” He howls as he picks me up and starts twirling me around, nearly giving me a heart attack.

  “Cashel, I will seriously throw up on your back if you don’t put me down. Plus, I said trial run.” I tell him before he places me back on the ground still grinning.

  “Anything for you… fiancé.” He exclaims as he looks me over. I roll my eyes. It’s apparent that he thinks I’m going to go through with this wholeheartedly already, and maybe I will. Cash is so used to getting his way that I kind of want to drag this out more to make him suffer a little.

  “Yeah, yeah…” I mutter, blushing as we head for Liz’s front door. “Liz is going to have a field day with this.” I open the door and we walk in to face the beast that is Lizbeth.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  As expected, Liz was not at all happy about the plan. Of course, it took her awhile to hear what we were saying because, she was too busy questioning Cash like a hostage. I guess he and I both underestimated her enthusiasm towards all things fashion and luxury cosmetics. Finding out one of your best friends is the offspring of one of your idols took her a moment to get over.

  When she did though, she lectured us. Ostensibly, Liz had assumed that Cash and I were finally confessing our undying love. I don’t get her obsession with getting us together. I have a school girl crush on a hot guy that sometimes makes me want to yank his hair out. I don’t think that translates to the devastating kind of love Liz is imagining. She told us we were both crazy and then demanded that we come up with another plan to get Cash what he needs from his family.

  I made him swear that he wouldn’t mention anything to Liz about me needing the money. He agreed and has so far kept his word. When Wednesday rolls around and Mrs. Bailey, the student counselor calls me into her office I’m starting to see Liz’s perspective. I’m trying to figure out how to tell Cash this won’t work when I sit in the cramped office.

  There are piles of paper and envelopes everywhere and Mrs. Bailey gives me a consoling smile before folding her hands on top of the mahogany desk.

  “How are you Khloe?” She asks me casually. I have been in contact with her since before I was actually accepted into this school last year. And I am here so often looking into new scholarships and such that we have become very familiar with each other.

  I shrug, “A little stressed.” She rolls her eyes.

  “Teenagers. Wait until you grow up and have real problems.” She says playfully and then twists her lips up.

  “Another no-go on that last application, hon.” She tells me and my heart sinks.

  “What? I worked on that essay for weeks.” I feel like someone just knocked my sundae onto the ground. Her eyes show her futility.

  “I know, kid. I’m sorry. There are plenty of other scholarships to try.” When I don’t respond she sighs and reaches over, placing one hand on mine. “I know this feels like the end of the world right now, but, I promise it isn’t okay? I will do my best to get you into the school of your choice but…” It looks like she is literally biting her tongue.

  “But?” I urge her.

  “But, you may need to start considering that you may not acquire the funding to attend a college Lizbeth applies to.” I knew she was going to say it, but actually hearing the words makes my chest go a little hollow. I nod.

  “I thought getting into Warren Academy would open so many other doors for me.” I mutter but she hears me.

  “Sometimes, the world doesn’t work the way we want it to. I hate to say it, but the students that succeed after Warren Academy are the kids that spend your semester tuition on handbags and sunglasses. Being financially destitute often closes doors for those that don’t have the capital to decide otherwise.”

  My meeting with Mrs. Bailey weighs on my heart for the remainder of the school week.

  As Liz and I wait at the gates of Cash’s family mansion, preparing to meet his family. I find myself wondering: how the hell did I get here?

  Not too long ago I was actually hearing Liz out and agreeing with her that this entire plan was unnecessary madness added on to how stressful my life already is. Yet, somehow, things took a crazy turn to the left after my meeting with Mrs. Bailey.

  I found myself depressed and shifting through options and ideas in my head that could get me to the end of this tunnel I seem to be blindly driving in. Unfortunately, my best friend decided that the best way to get out of my gloom would be to drag Tyler and me to a party at Marley Evans’ house last weekend.

  After much fussing, some clawing, and Liz yanking my wild, dark curls into a decent hairstyle: we arrived to the turmoil that was drunken teenagers. The DJ was awesome, some drugs were passing through here and there and there was free liquor. I should have been having the time of my life but I couldn’t focus on anything except how crappy I felt for myself. My mood took a nosedive when I saw Cash and Marley trying to suck each other’s faces off. For some reason my stomach clenched.

  I knew that he wouldn’t be all heart broken when I told him I’d changed my mind about helping him, but I hadn't been aware that he would immediately fall back into Marley’s clutches. Something about that bothered me so much that I had finally stopped refusing the shots that were being passed out like candy on Halloween.

  I remember feeling the burn of the tequila as it traveled down to my stomach and the excitement on my friends’ faces when they saw that I was done sulking. Following the drinks and dancing I noticed that Liz and Tyler were getting closer. I excused myself and stumbled outside where I was shortly sought out by Cash.

  I huffed in annoyance. “Shouldn’t you be with your girlfriend?”

  “You know she’s not my girlfriend.”

  “I don’t know anything anymore.” I wanted to get away from him before I made an idiot out of myself. On impulse I turn to him. “Actually, I do know that just the other day you were asking me to marry you! Yet here you are, trying to suck Marley’s tonsils out through her mouth.” I ground out.

  His eyebrows hit his hairline as he came closer. Causing me to have to tilt my head back slightly because of how close we were. I could feel the heat radiating off of him. He was so close I could smell whatever soap he wore and it took more than I’m willing to admit not to lean closer to him to get a better whiff.

  “Pardon but, didn’t you turn me down.”

  “Okay, that meant you had to go right back to who you were doing before? I can’t believe that for a second I thought-“ I stopped myself and realized I’d maybe had too much to drink if I’d just almost let some pretty embarrassing stuff slip. I shook my head, trying to organize my thoughts.

  “You thought what?” He asked softly before reaching for my forearm and dragging me closer to him so that we were pretty much pressed together. I couldn’t stop staring at him. He reached up with the other hand and pushed some stray curls out of my face and his face was so close to mine that I could imagine how soft his lips would feel if we-

  “I need to go.” I said yanking my arm from him and heading back towards the house to look for Liz, ready to leave. As luck would have it, Marley was also exiting the house and she looked back and forth between Cash and I before a sneer marred her pretty face. Marley has always hated me but since Cash befriended Liz and I immediately upon his arrival she has made me public enemy number one.

  It’s hard not to hate Marley. Although she is a total snob, she’s actually really pretty. Not in a plastic way but in a you-can’t-be-rich-and-pretty-but-she-is way. Her long dark hair hung almost to her waist, her make-up was flawless as usual and her piercing blue eyes were narrowed on me.

  “Why is it every time I see y
ou, you’re hanging off my boyfriend?”

  Cash said, “Marley don’t start.” She pouted.

  “What? I think it’s cute that you show such interest in the lower class.” She replied while she gripped onto his arm, angling her body so that she was partially between us.

  “I’m a senior.”

  “Oh, poor Penny. That’s not what I meant.” Her answering smile was more of a sneer mixed with a grimace. I rolled my eyes, the nickname wasn’t very creative but the way she uses it to torment me often is.

  Luckily Liz and Tyler came out at that moment. I almost sighed in relief. As I walked towards them I heard Marley say, “Like you could ever get someone like Cash anyway. Penny, stick to your lane. You’re embarrassing yourself.” I remember my spine going unbelievably rigid and my heart pounding in my chest. I wanted to hurt her more than physically, I wanted her to feel the mental strain she constantly put on me. As I turned around and met her smug smile all I could do was let my lips tug into a dangerous smile that made Marley uncertain. I flitted my gaze to Cash.

  “I changed my mind.” I said watching his eyebrows shoot up again. “I’ll do it.”

  Once again I let my own pride get in the way of my rationale. I was just so tired of Marley and her talking down to me that I had finally had enough. I wanted to prove to her, and anyone else who thought I was below them, that I could get someone like Cash. Even if they weren’t aware of the terms of our relationship. Still, remembering how I reacted to Cash reminds me that I am not as inaccessible to him as I had once imagined. I can do this and keep my distance. I have to.

  I try to calm my jittery stomach with deep breaths. Now that we’re here all of this is becoming more real for me; too many questions and thoughts are running through my brain. Additionally, I’m not sure that I can handle Cash rubbing against me —much less kissing me — and be able to keep my barriers up. In my heart it may be harder than I thought to keep this imaginary relationship just that.