Something in her expression and tone of voice warned me against mentioning the necklace just yet. But she continued to stare hard at me, waiting for more.
“Don’t you have something else to tell me about my father?” she asked. It suddenly occurred to me that Jordan might have told her.
“He bought me a present to celebrate my high school grades, if that’s what you mean,” I said, trying my best to make it sound like nothing. “I told him it was too soon. I could still not be the valedictorian.”
“A present? My mother thought it was quite beautiful and expensive. How come you didn’t tell me about it before this?” she asked, but before I could try to come up with an answer, she gave it. “You thought I would be jealous, upset?”
“Yes,” I confessed.
“He’s bought me plenty of expensive things. I’m not jealous as much as I’m surprised. When they bought you that car, I was amazed, but then I realized these things are so minor to my parents. We’re so rich.” She laughed. “I don’t blame you for getting as much as you can.”
“I’m not. I didn’t ask for the car or for the necklace or anything.”
“You’re like me. You don’t ask in so many words.”
“I don’t understand. How do we ask, then?”
“Forget about it,” she said sharply. “None of that is important now. Cars, jewelry, expensive vacations are just taken for granted among the girls at this school. No one would be impressed if you drove up in that car and you were wearing the necklace.”
“Where did all of your friends go for the weekend? I thought I might meet some of them.”
“Oh, for what?” she said. “I just told you that they’re a bunch of spoiled rich kids. You don’t need to meet any more of them. You have me.”
“What about the girls you went to Europe with?”
“What about them?”
“You hardly mention them anymore.”
“They’re all . . . jealous of me and Richard now. Isn’t that the way with your plain-looking girlfriends, too, back in Pacifica? My girlfriends don’t want to hear or know about my good times, so they deliberately avoid me.”
“It’s not that way back at Pacifica. They’re constantly asking questions, but I try not to make them jealous,” I said, and sat on the chair by the small desk.
“That’s you, not me. You’re more considerate. Oh, I don’t want to talk about girls!” she cried, looking like someone with a mouthful of sour milk. “I want to talk about Ryder Garfield. What have you done with him? What sort of dates? Where have you gone? What kind of lover is he?”
“I told you, he was at your house, and then I went to his. That’s all we’ve done together so far. He wasn’t easy to get to know or like.”
“And?”
“And what?”
“C’mon, Sasha. I’ve been sharing all of my intimate details concerning me and Richard with you. It’s only fair that you describe all of yours.”
“Quid pro quo,” I muttered, thinking about Ryder.
“What? What’s that?”
“Nothing. A Latin phrase that means an equal exchange.”
“Huh? Stop with the dictionary, and get down to the sex,” she said.
I looked at my watch. How far behind me was he? I hadn’t been with Kiera five minutes, and already I was tense and nervous. I hoped she was telling the truth when she said she would give us plenty of time alone.
“Stop looking at your watch and worrying about the time and talk,” she said.
“We haven’t done the big I yet, if that’s what you mean.”
“Big I? What’s that?”