Only Skin Deep

Book Two in
'CHANGING SCENES'

Vicki Modine's new life in Westlake was definitely not boring, but she wasn't quite sure how to handle the problems that she faced friendship with Wil Davis was like nothing she had before. Wil begins to question his heart, but will she be able to tell him how he can change? Will she be able to show him how to put his past behind him and live as a new person? Will she be able to prove to him that beauty is only skin deep and God can see so much more?

When tragedy strikes, will she be able to help Cora, Wil's twin sister, through the hardest time in her life?

Author's Note: Please excuse the rough writing style of this second book in the series. More chapters are to be inserted to more completely introduce conflict, and I may actually completely rewrite it, as I've been doing with The New Road. It's just a matter of getting to it among my other projects....

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"You don't look too good, Cora. Are you all right?"

Cora Davis noticed her mother's concerned look and sat at the kitchen table with a stifled yawn. She hadn't slept well. What a surprise, she thought sarcastically, considering I've been having those stupid dreams-- She cut herself off. I don't want to think about it. "I'm fine, mom. I just had a short night. I'll be okay after some breakfast."

"What would you like?"

"A cheese omelet would be great."

"Coming right up, honey."

Cora heard some scuffling behind her and turned to stare at her brother. At least, she thought it was her brother. He looks worse than I do, she thought to herself. His hair wasn't combed. His eyes were foggy from lack of sleep, and his flannel robe was wrinkled like he'd tried to sleep in it. He didn't paint a very pretty picture. She watched him shuffle to the table and held back a laugh when he fell into his chair with a grunt. It was a good thing it was Monday. The kids at school knew enough to leave him alone.

"Did you have a bad night, too?" Their mom gave them both worried looks and then turned away, her head shaking.

Cora turned back to Wil and rested her chin on her hand. "I take it you worried about me last night?" He crossed his arms on the table and laid his head on them with a groan. Cora nodded and took a long drink of her milk. "I kind of thought you would."

"I'm afraid I'm going to beat the corn chips out of him if I see him," Wil grumbled. His voice was muffled by the tablecloth. "I just keep seeing your face that day he lost his marbles and was yelling at you."

"I know. I kept thinking about it too." She stood and put her hands under his armpits to help him up. "Come on, little brother. We're going to get you dressed."

"Do I have to go to school?" he said in a little-kid voice. "Can't I call in 'sleepy'?"

"I don't think so. Don't you remember the big Geometry test today?" Wil moaned again, collapsing across his bed as Cora made her way to his closet. "I know you've studied for it, Wil, so don't give me that. Math is your easiest subject. That fact always irritates me."

"I know, but I'm so tired." He accentuated the statement with a large yawn. "I'll probably sleep through it."

"We'll stop and get you some coffee." She grabbed a dark blue, V-neck sweater and a white turtleneck then tossed them on to his chest. "A triple, now here. Get dressed."

"What about my pants?"

"I'll get those on my way out."

She opened his dresser and shook her head. He calls this organized, she sighed. She shrugged and sifted through the mess until her eyes focused on a pair of tan slacks. He'll probably hate me when he gets dressed, but he'll look good.

"Here you go. Now hurry up."

She closed the door with a little smile. The day was going to get better.

"Breakfast!"

Cora hurried into the kitchen and grabbed the warm plate from her mom. "Thanks. This will definitely hit the spot right about now. I'm starved."

"You look it, too." Her mom gave her a poke and gestured to the table. "Say grace and then get at it before you wither. What about Wil? Is he going to school?"

"I just gave him some clothes to change into," Cora told her after sitting at the table. She took a bite of her omelet and then reached for the salt. "He should be out in a couple minutes. Why? Is his breakfast done?"

"Yes, and I don't want it to get cold."

"It won't. I'm hungry." Wil sat at the table with a sigh and scratched his scalp before taking the warm plate from his mom. "This looks great, Mom. Thanks."

"Your welcome. Now, if you two don't mind, I'm going to go back to bed." She gave them a smile and then left the kitchen with a yawn. "See you this afternoon."

Silence settled over the room, and Cora had a hard time swallowing her omelet after a while. She reached for her milk with a sidelong glance at her brother before raising the glass to her lips. She knew he was watching her. He was probably asking himself why she was going to school after the dream she'd had. She'd asked herself that same question when she'd gotten up that morning, but then she'd gotten to thinking. Why shouldn't she go to school?

"Stop staring at me, Wil. I'm trying to eat."

"Sorry. I was just thinking." He stuffed a sausage into his mouth and then took a long slurp of his orange juice. "I don't see why you don't stay home from school. It's not like they would miss you or anything."

"Thanks a bunch, but even so, I'm not going to let this get to me," she said, sighing. She wiped her hands and finished her milk. She knew him too well. "Why shouldn't I go to school, Wil? What am I going to do, admit that he scares me and then let that ruin my life? I don't think so." She left the table and gathered her stuff before slipping into her lightweight, forest green jacket. "I'm not going to let him win."

"Who cares if he's winning or not? At least you won't have to keep looking over your shoulder." Wil pushed away his plate and threw his napkin onto the table. "I wish I could beat the you-know-what out of him. Who cares if he got the message or not, it would make me feel better."

Cora shook her head and tossed his black leather jacket at him. "Wil, violence doesn't solve anything. It just makes matters worse."

"Yeah, so Vicki says, but I still think it would make him think twice before talking to you again." Wil closed the front door and then followed Cora to his car. "And isn't that what you want? Him to leave you alone?"

"Yes, but not because he's afraid for his life. That's the same thing he's doing to me. I don't want you to go down to his level like that. I'm just going to trust God. That's the best thing any of us could ever do."

Cora felt Wil give her a look and sighed. He was learning, but she wished he could do it a little faster. She didn't want to teach both him and Richard Stone about God. It was too much for her to handle. Too much for anyone to handle by themselves.