This scene takes place as Lily realizes she's not in love with Tyler and that she's starting to have feelings for Jackson.
“Tell me a secret?” Jackson asked.
“A secret?”
“Yeah. Tell me something no one else knows.”
I shook my head and gave him a coy smile. “It won’t be a secret if I tell you.”
He crept closer to the mirror. “Please, Tiger Lily, I promise not to tell anyone.”
I giggled. “Who would you tell?”
“Exactly.”
“All right.” I took a breath. “I still have my baby blanket.”
He smiled at me. “Really?”
“Um hmm.” I got up and pulled open a drawer. Inside was my pink baby blanket. It was ratty and torn in a few places, but otherwise intact. I held it up. “See?”
He laughed as I tucked it back into the drawer and sat again. “That’s very interesting,” he said.
“Your turn.”
He thought for a second and then said, “My mom has this fake flower arrangement in the front room and she likes it to be just so and it drives her crazy if it isn’t. Every night before I go to bed, I turn it a quarter of a turn to the left. When I get up in the morning, it’s back to its original position.”
I burst out laughing. “Oh, that’s bad. Does she know it’s you who’s doing it?”
“Probably. Who else would it be?”
“True.”
“Give me another,” he said, sending me one of his heart stopping smiles.
“I count the steps if I’m going up the stairs.”
“Toilet paper has to be over the roll, not under.”
“I know what I’m going to wear for three days in advance.”
“I have to let my ice-cream melt a little before I can eat it.”
“I never step on sidewalk cracks.”
“Neither do I,” he gasped. We were both laughing so hard we couldn’t catch our breath or finish our list. Every time we’d stop, we’d look at each other and it would start all over again.
Finally, when we’d stopped laughing, he said, “Tell me another secret.”
“Another? Like what?”
“How about what do you secretly want to be? Every one has one.” He grinned at me.
I thought about it and then glanced at the door. “I’ve always wanted to be a singer.”
He raised an eyebrow and a strange look crept into his eyes. “A singer?”
“Yeah, but I’ve never been brave enough to do anything about it. That’s why you always hear me singing in here. It’s the only place I’m brave enough to do it. I never realized anyone could hear me. I’ve wanted to be a singer ever since I was a little girl and I heard Jewel on the radio. I know it’s the smart thing to go to college and get my degree, but what I really want to do, is audition for American Idol.”
“What is that?” he asked.
“Uh, it’s a show where people from all over the country audition in front of people who’ve been in the business awhile and then they go on TV and sing in front of the whole country and people vote. By the end of the season, whoever is last wins a recording contract.”
“So, why don’t you do it? Your voice is beautiful. You’d win for sure.”
I laughed “No. I doubt that. One of the judges is a real ass, but he’s good and he knows what sells. I heard him sing once. He was awesome. I’m sure he’d chew me up and spit me out.”
“I don’t think so, Lily. I’d bet he’d be singing your praises when you finished. No pun intended. You’d be rich and famous.”
I shrugged. “My parents wouldn’t like that at all. They’d never let me.”
“Yeah, I know the feeling. I tried starting a band once. My mom put the brakes on that one immediately.”
I chuckled and scooted my legs underneath me. “You tried starting a band? That’s so cool. ”
“Yeah, I wanted to be the next Ricky Solano.”
“Who’s Ricky Solano?”
“Only the best lead singer for a rock band there is. Hold on.” He ran over to his desk and a few seconds later music flowed from his speakers, a male voice crooning in direct contrast to the edgy beat
After a few bars, I found myself bobbing my head along with it. “Yeah, okay. I’ll agree with you. I think he’s better than a lot of the ones we have here,” I said when he turned it back off.
He walked back toward me, a huge grin on his face, but stopped when his mother poked her head in his room. “Jacks? It’s almost midnight. Why are you still awake? You have a meet in the morning.”
He glanced at me. “Nervous, I guess.”
She gave a light, tinkling laugh that made me smile. I’d never seen her before, and it was impossible not to stare. She was beautiful and he looked just her, down to the green eyes that sparkled in the lamplight. “I would be, too. This is a big one. You want me to make you some warm milk? It’ll help you sleep.”
My smile grew bigger. My mom made me warm milk too when I couldn’t sleep and it always worked. She reminded me of my mom, especially when she walked over and ruffled his hair. My mom always did that with Alder, but unlike Alder, Jackson only grinned up at her instead of batting her away.
“No, Mom. I’ll be fine. I’ll go to sleep in a few minutes.”
She kissed him. “You’ll be great. You always are.”
She glanced over at the mirror, and her eyes narrowed and she shot a look over at Jackson, but said nothing as she walked out the door.
When she left, he came back over. “So, you like the band?”
“Does your mom know about me?” I asked, ignoring his question.
He frowned and shook his head. “No, why?”
“She glanced over here and I would have swore she saw me.”
He twisted his head to look at the door. “I don’t know how and I’m sure she’d have said something if she had. I mean really, remember how you handled it. Do you think she’d have handled it any better?”
I drew my eyebrows together. “I guess not,” I mumbled.
He ran a finger down the mirror between my eyes. “So, what other secrets would you like to share?”
“Jackson,” I said, with a smile and a shake of my head. “You have a meet in the morning. Go to sleep.”
“No. I haven’t gotten to talk to you all day.”
“We’ve talked for over an hour. Besides, I’ll be here when you get back.”
“No, you won’t. I’ll bet Ty comes over and takes you somewhere.”
“Yes I will.” I reached over and pulled out my compact from my purse, opening it to show him the tiny mirror. “See, I have this. Even if I go somewhere, I’ll be able to see you.”
“Yes I will.” I reached over and pulled out my compact from my purse, opening it to show him the tiny mirror. “See, I have this. Even if I go somewhere, I’ll be able to see you.”
He studied it carefully. “You think it’ll work?”
“Sure. We’re starting to see each other easier, why wouldn’t we? Remember, I even saw you at Ty’s house. Twice.”
He yawned. “Okay,” he said. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Good luck! You better bring home the gold.”
“The gold? Why would I bring home gold?”
I burst out laughing. “Sorry, that’s what we say for the Olympics. People who win first place get a gold medal.”
“Oh. Okay. We just have places. We get a trophy. Not in this one though. It’s more of a qualifier.”
“Qualifier? For what?”
“Well, it’s kind of complicated, but basically it’s the first of six races. If I win this, then I’m considered a favorite, which is just a fancy way of saying I get a free ride into the next race. The others who place move on too, but they have to ‘qualify’ first to see where they should be placed in the next race. Each race gets harder and harder because only the best make it.”
“So, what’s it for? That Coubertin thing you told me about?”
“So, what’s it for? That Coubertin thing you told me about?”
He puffed out his chest. “Yep.”
“Okay, well now you know that when I say ‘go for the gold’, I want you to win. Which you will.”
He grinned. “I hope so.” He turned to walk to his bed.
“Oh, wait,” I said and waited for him to face me. “Does your mom take pictures?”
He gave me a “duh” look. “Doesn’t every mom?”
He gave me a “duh” look. “Doesn’t every mom?”
“Good. I want to see them.”
“What? Why?”
“Well, I can’t be there to see it, but I want to. So, I’ll have to settle for pictures.”
He looked dumbfounded. “You actually want to see me race?”
I nodded eagerly. “Yes. Why wouldn’t I?”
He came close to the mirror again. “I’ve never wanted anyone at my races before, besides my mom, but I really want you there.” He extended his hand and stroked the mirror where my cheek was. “I’ll bring the pictures.”
I put my hand on my cheek and could almost feel his hand under mine. “I’ll be waiting.”
His expression changed as the mirror glowed brighter and the feeling of his hand grew more intense. Our eyes met and I saw his widen as we rushed to touch the mirror, but it was just as sturdy as always.
“Damn,” we both muttered.
“I thought…maybe…” I said.
“Yeah, me too,” he agreed.
We gazed at each other for a few more minutes, until I sighed. “Go to sleep, Jacks. I’ll see you in the morning.”
He grinned. “Do you hear what you just called me?”
I thought back on it and bit my lip. “Yeah. Is that okay?”
“It’s fine. It’s perfect. Tiger Lily.”
“Go,” I whispered, secretly wishing he’d stay.
“I will.” He didn’t budge. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll come home straight after the meet.”
I closed my eyes and backed away. “I’ll be waiting.” He didn’t say anything else and I opened my eyes to see the mirror bouncing my image back to me.
