Stealing Bradford

They just sat there looking at each other in silence. Suddenly DJ felt uncomfortable. What had she been thinking to make a confession like that? But then so had he. Still, it was awkward. Fortunately their food arrived and they could both focus on eating.

“Man, this tastes so good,” said DJ.

“Oh, yeah.”

After a while, it seemed safe to return to their conversation again. DJ decided to initiate it. “Okay, I still have some questions, Conner.”

“Go for it.”

“If you were so convinced that I wasn’t who you thought I was, what made you change your mind?”

“A couple of things.”

“Such as?”

“For starters, I still liked you—or the old you—and I was kind of questioning myself. Plus Harry kept telling me I was acting crazy. But then when I saw you hugging that weird-looking girl in the courtyard today—”

“That’s Casey.”

“Well, that just seemed like the old DJ to me. I didn’t think an Eliza clone would reach out to a loser chick like that.”

“She’s not really a loser, she’s just mixed up…and she happens to be my roommate.”

“Yeah, that’s what Taylor pointed out…that and something else that wasn’t too nice.”

“I can only imagine.”

“But Eliza actually came to your defense.”

“She did?”

“Yeah, she said that Casey was pretty unhappy, and that no one at Carter House had been able to get through to her. She thought it was nice that you were trying.”

“Eliza said that?”

“She did,” said Conner.

“Wow.”

“Then, not long after that, I saw you with Rhiannon, and I could tell you guys were still friends, and it made me think that I really was wrong…that you really hadn’t changed. You weren’t a superficial snob. You might look like a rich witch chick, but you were still the same sweet DJ on the inside.”

“So my looks are a problem?”

“No, not like that. But I suppose it was kind of intimidating. I mean the DJ I’d been into was just a regular girl. Not a high-maintenance fashion diva.”

“I am not a high-mainten—”

“No, I didn’t mean that you were. I only thought that you were. What I’m trying to say is that I was wrong, DJ. I was wrong—wrong—wrong. And I’m sorry.”

She nodded as she picked up another piece of cod. “Okay, then…”

“Okay, then…” Conner repeated.

“I’m sure you didn’t mistake me for a fashion diva after practice today,” she said as she picked up a fry.

He laughed. “No, and that was the moment I knew I needed to win you back.”

“Go figure.”

6

DJ FELT LIKE SHE WAS walking on air as she waved good-bye to Conner and went into Carter House. Who would’ve thought that they would get back together again? And yet, just like that, it happened. She wondered if God had something to do with it. Maybe she’d ask Rhiannon if that was possible. But she was barely inside when she felt jerked back to earth. Her grandmother stepped out of her office and, with a grim face, pointed a finger at her.

“I need to see you, Desiree,” said Mrs. Carter. “In my office, please.”

“Okay…” She followed her grandmother into her office and sat down. DJ had no idea what she’d done, but she braced herself for whatever was coming.

“First of all, can you tell me why you missed dinner tonight?”

DJ considered this. It might be easier to just make something up, but maybe it was time she started telling her grandmother the truth. Isn’t that what a Christian was supposed to do? So she told her about Taylor’s Vespa, the town trip, and being stopped by the police for not having helmets, and how she was forced to walk home.

Mrs. Carter blinked. “You cannot be serious.”

“Totally. If you don’t believe me, you can call the police, I’m sure it’s on record. Taylor got off with just a warning, but she’ll be in trouble if she does it again.”

“She never said a word about this to me.”

“Why would she?”

“Well, I don’t know, Desiree. I suppose because I am trying to treat you girls with respect and dignity, I expect a certain measure of respect and dignity in return.”

“You don’t know much about teenagers, do you?”

“What?”

“I mean, I know that my mom went to boarding school in Europe when she was my age. You were busy with your work, didn’t have time to be around her. Consequently, you really don’t know much about real teens, do you?”

“Really, Desiree, what is there to know?”

DJ shrugged. “For starters, some teens like to act out and break the rules…some of the teens living in this house.”

Mrs. Carter waved her hand, as if to shut her down. “I did not ask you in here so that you could tell tales from school, Desiree. I do not think that’s an honorable way for a young lady to behave, do you?”

“Whatever.”

“Whatever is not a polite response, Desiree.”

DJ just nodded.

“Now, you told me that you were left in town, but that does not explain why you did not make it home to dinner, or why you didn’t inform me of your whereabouts.”

“I called,” protested DJ. “I spoke to Inez and she said she’d tell you.”

Mrs. Carter’s eyes looked stern, but DJ noticed that her brow was not creased. Perhaps she’d gotten her Botox freshened up today. “Inez did not tell me.”

“Is that my fault?”