Late to the Party - Kelly Quindlen Page 0,36

I’d be trying to create something with two people watching me, one of whom was the cutest girl I’d ever met.

As if she could read my mind, Lydia asked, “Are you comfortable, Codi?”

“Oh, um, yeah,” I said, trying to play it cool. “Just trying to get in the zone.”

“I can leave if it’s distracting.”

“No, no, not at all,” I assured her. It was a blatant lie, but they didn’t know me well enough to sense it. If Maritza and JaKory were here, they’d be smirking behind their hands, able to feel every wave of nervousness radiating off me. Maritza would crack some dry joke like, Distracting? Why would you worry that you’re distracting her, Lydia?

Natalie was now rummaging in a tote bag, pulling out clothes and a makeup kit. Without warning, she stripped out of her restaurant polo and stood there in a neon-pink push-up bra, showing Lydia the shirt options she’d brought. I averted my eyes, busying myself with setting up my materials.

Natalie seated herself back on the chair, now dressed in a navy silk top, her hair freshly sprayed and angled perfectly over her face. At first she looked poised, but then I noticed she kept fidgeting with her hair. Her eyes were flitting around like she wasn’t sure where to rest them.

Lydia had noticed, too. “Nat,” she said firmly. “Look alive.”

Natalie rolled her eyes and crossed one leg over the other, her posture tight. She was trying to play it cool, but I could tell she was uncomfortable. It gave me an idea.

“Hey, actually…” I said to Lydia, “could you sit next to Natalie and talk?”

“Talk?”

“Yeah, just have a natural conversation. Bring out the authentic Natalie.”

Lydia raised her eyebrows, her expression mischievous as she turned to Natalie. “Codi thinks I bring out your authentic side.”

It made my stomach swoop, hearing her say my name. I’d never liked it as much as I did in that moment.

Natalie rolled her eyes again. “Shut up, Lyd, just come talk to me.”

They sat next to each other, two best friends making each other laugh, and I began to paint.

* * *

“Codi, this is insane,” Natalie said, eyes wide as she took in her portrait. “I’m, like, creeped out by how good it is.”

The time had passed in a flowing, meditative way. Lydia and Natalie had talked and laughed about everything imaginable, from how they’d run late to their own graduation to how much they loved Lydia’s grandma Mimi to the day last October when they’d gotten caught leaving campus in the middle of third period (“We got three days of detention for that one,” Natalie snickered). I’d painted Natalie with all the vibrancy I could see in her. The bright red hair was the easy part; it was her confident, sunny face I had truly wanted to capture, and Lydia had coaxed it out.

“Codi, this is just … wow,” Lydia said. “I love that you painted her midlaugh.”

I smiled self-consciously. “It felt right.”

She looked intently at me. “You have really good instincts.”

I could actually feel my face turning red, and I hastened to look away from her. “Thanks.”

We traipsed out to the parking lot, Natalie carrying her portrait in front of her like a treasure. “I can’t wait to show Cliff,” she said in an awed voice. “He’ll love it. He’ll want you to paint me naked.”

I snorted, hoping to god she was kidding.

We waved Natalie off, and then it was only Lydia and me, standing together in the bright, scorching parking lot, completely alone for the first time.

“You really are talented,” she said, her warm arm brushing against mine as we plopped against her car. “Oh, sorry,” she said, scooting away. “I probably smell like grease.”

“No, you don’t,” I said hastily. My skin buzzed from where she’d touched it. “I like grease, anyway.”

It was the stupidest thing I’d ever said, and I fought hard to keep my face neutral.

“I mean, you know, like hash browns and french fries,” I muttered.

Lydia laughed. “Yeah, and bacon.”

“Yeah, bacon, exactly.” I paused, trying to think of a subject change. “I’m surprised Natalie wanted to do the portrait here.”

Lydia frowned, and I could tell she was going to reveal something about her best friend. “Yeah…” she said hesitantly. “She doesn’t really like being at home. Her family situation is kind of shitty.”

I wasn’t sure what to say to that. Natalie was such a cool, outgoing person; it was hard to believe she struggled with anything.

“But I also think she low-key loves the café,” Lydia went