by Mina Thorne
Or even worse, Elaine.
Kit had popped in to tell me that our plan was a go, and starting in the morning one of the girls in the kitchen would be adding a few thousand calories of meal replacement powder to Elaine’s smoothie. So that felt a little thrilling at least, but I wanted to avoid her because of it.
I wasn’t ashamed by my plan, in fact it made me happier than I’d been in days, but I worried that she’d know something was up. She was a sharp minded woman who liked to manipulate those around her, she was crafty and I was not.
Rome was waiting for me in an older pickup truck and I was surprised when he helped me in.
“What, no fast car or luxurious SUV?” I teased him.
“Naw, I’m a little more down to earth than my friends,” he grinned and his blue eyes shone with humor. He was broad shouldered and filled the doorway of the truck, he felt to me like he should be tossing a rope around a cow’s head or riding a bull. He felt like a cowboy more than a fashion model.
He hopped into the truck and we started to drive. It rumbled under me and it felt more familiar than anything else I’d been in since getting to Harrisburg. It felt like Reg’s truck back home and I was suddenly struck with a sense of longing for my home.
Maybe that’s what it was, Rome’s blond hair and blue eyes and easy, friendly smile gave him that California sun-kissed beach look in the midst of this town filled with elegant, thin people with dark hair and magazine style fashion.
“I was thinking we could study at the library,” I told him and he agreed.
Not before he said, “Dang, I was hoping we’d go study somewhere private, Steph. I’d love to get you alone some time.”
“Are you being coy?” I asked with a grin.
“Not coy at all,” he laughed and glanced at me. “I’m being very open about my attraction to you. There, the cards are on the table.”
“All righty then,” I laughed and blushed, but I was really pleased at his confession. I needed something like this right now, something new and just for me. “Maybe the private spot after you can show me some marked improvement on your math skills.”
“I’ve never had better motivation,” he laughed. “I’m guaranteed to get an A on Monday.”
We kept up laughing and talking like that until we got to the Harrisburg library. I hadn’t been there yet, but I was surprised to find it was called the Montgomery Memorial Library and Exhibition Center.
“Is this my family name?” I asked him as we walked through the front doors. It was very modern, the design was beautiful and sleek with glass and metal everywhere curving into itself like the shell of a snail.
We kept walking along the first floor, curving towards the front desk and Rome said, “Yeah, after your grandparents. Didn’t David tell you anything about it?”
“No, I heard about the fire but he’s never talked about it,” I said.
“The library was his was to memorialize them. He had it built after they died. I’m really sorry about that, by the way. My family wasn’t as close to yours as most old money families in Harrisburg but from what I knew, they were really awesome people.”
“Thanks,” I replied. “What is it your family does?”
“My dad is Chet Stone,” he said and actually blushed.
“Wait, why does that name sound familiar?” I asked and stopped in my tracks.
He stopped and turned around. His cheeks grew redder and I adored him for being shy about this. “He’s a country music star and actor,” he said. “We settled in Harrisburg to keep me far away from that lifestyle though. My mom was a model and wanted to keep out of the spotlight as much as possible after us kids were born.”
“Ahhhhh, okay, I think I saw him in that movie a couple years ago with Felishity, the pop star,” I said. “He was really good and I can see where you get your looks.”
“Are you saying my dad’s hot?” he asked with narrowed eyes and a smile playing on his lips.
“No, I’m saying you’re hot,” I replied and gave him a wink.
He liked that reply and we kept talking and walking until we found a table in a quiet, private part of the library set aside for students studying and discussing at a respectful level.
We sat at the table next to each other, our chairs pulled together and turned slightly to face each other. We were on the seventh floor and were facing the window overlooking Harrisburg. It was a pretty little town, and as we studied, the sun went down and the lights came on one by one across the landscape.
We actually did get a lot of studying done and I helped Rome with some of his worse issues. He hadn’t been able to make the connection between the Y factor in an equation when we had to solve for Y…but he did with me.
Once he finished up the last practice test I had for him, I marked it and he did get a good solid A grade.
“What’s my reward?” he asked with a crooked grin that melted my insides with the heat and promise it contained.
“Oh I don’t know, how about the knowledge that you have a job well done?” I teased.
“How about this?” he asked and leaned towards me.
And it was so strange, just a few months ago I’d never been kissed. Josh was my first real make out session and the first dick I’d ever held or seen up close. I’d since kissed Whitt and made out with him, and then lost my virginity to Barrett.
But knowing that Rome was about to kiss me sent my stomach into a fluttering spiral of nervous butterflies that felt more like the first time than this, the fourth boy I’d been with.
And when our lips met, I could barely catch my breath. It was the sweetest sensation, like the way Whitt had once kissed me with those little butterflies in my stomach….before the darkness of his betrayal had taken that away.
And I realized that was what I needed just then, that was what I wanted. I had been so hurt by Barrett and Whitt but had never given myself the time to process it.
I’d never given myself permission to be angry.
And I was mad.
I didn’t know how mad until Rome kissed me and it all felt fresh and new again.
I closed my eyes and he pulled his chair closer until our knees touched, and then my knee went between his legs and we were interlocked with our limbs and our mouths.
We probably would have kissed for hours, just letting the exquisite sensations flow through our nerve endings, but I heard somebody clear the throat near us.
I jumped back and my eyelids snapped open. I turned my head and found Barrett standing there with a dark, murderous look on his face.
“What are you doing here?” I asked.
I thought to myself don’t be guilty, you have nothing to be guilty about. Don’t act guilty, this isn’t anything wrong, you haven’t done anything wrong.
“My tutoring session,” he said and frowned. “What are you two doing here?”
Rome was silent and seemed like he was about to bolt. I remembered that Barrett had been the top dog around Westview Academy, especially on the football team.
“She was helping me with math,” Rome said, and in his defense, he didn’t shrink from Barrett’s simmering gaze. He sat up straight and draped his hand on my thigh like it was natural, like he was exactly where he was supposed to be.
“Okay,” Barrett said with a threatening tone, his voice filled with intended violence. “Any reason you’re all over my girl?”
“You mean your sister?” Rome asked and defiantly stared him down.
I swear if they had horns, they’d be butting them against each other like little goats. They might be as bad as Barrett and Whitt if I let them.
“I’m right here, by the way,” I said and stood up, facing Barrett. “If you need any questions answered, you can ask me you know.”
“He’s the one going after you though, when he knows—”
“When he knows what? That you and Whitt have both let me down, and even though I can forgive you I can’t quite forget right now? That maybe having somebody interested in me who is com
pletely free and clear of drama and bullshit makes me feel pretty damned good right now?”
Barrett winced as if I’d hit him and I immediately felt bad about my words. I motioned for him to come towards me, when he did, I took his hand in mine.
He looked down and said, “I’m sorry, Steph. I’ll tell you a million times until you believe it. I never meant to hurt you, boo.”
“I know,” I replied. “It’s just a little intense sometimes.”
“Because we live together?” he asked.
I nodded and beside me, Rome stood up. “Well, I don’t know what’s going on here but I get the hint. I’ll leave now.”
The thing was that he didn’t seem petulant about it. He wasn’t throwing a tantrum or being pouty. He was genuinely hurt.
Which is why it felt so good as his face lit up when I reached out for his hand, squeezed it in mine and said, “No. I want you to stay.”
Chapter 51
The weekend was spent with Whitt, Rome and Barrett in almost equal measure.
Of course Barrett had that home court advantage, as he loved pointing out, and I loved curling up with him at night, but we didn’t have sex again.
I was still feeling too vulnerable to go there yet.
That was one of the most unexpected things about having sex and losing my virginity. I’d assumed I would be like Maddy or Brie and dive right into the deep end of dicking, but I wasn’t like that at all.
I had to have an emotional connection, or at the very least, emotional trust.
It turned out I was a little less slutty than I’d always wanted to be.
Brie and Maddy teased me about it, but they came to the conclusion that I liked sex, I just liked smaller amounts of it spread between three boys.
So still slutty, they reassured me, as if that was something I needed to hear. Although it did make me laugh and miss them yet again.
I hadn’t told Sienna any of it, about any of them. She was a good friend but not one of my squad just yet. Besides, Chase had her distracted most of the time so we didn’t get as many chances to talk.
Monday morning was hilarious as fuck, I had to take pics to send to Maddy and Brie who actually messaged me during my lunchtime to laugh so hard that they both had tears streaming down their faces.
You see apparently the dye that Becca had chosen for me didn’t come off that easily. She hadn’t been at school on Friday, but I guess she was forced to come on Monday for a Biology test.
And she was blue.
She had managed to get most of the vibrant color off her skin, but there was a distinct blue hue to her.
When she came on on Monday morning, the school erupted in uncomfortable titters as people didn’t quite know how to respond to their mean girl leader looking like she did.
And then a tenth grader yelled out, “Looks like you went to a Smurf bukkake party on the weekend!”
And the school broke down laughing at her.
She shrieked and stomped off to her locker, but not before finding me in the crowd and screaming, “You fucking whore! I’ll get you for this!”
“And your little dog too!” Sienna yelled and we all started laughing again.
It was awesome.
At lunch I sat at the cheerleading table in my usual spot and Sienna was practically bouncing up and down waiting for me to set my salad on the table.
“Oh my god, I have the best news!” she said.
“Uh oh, usually that means you need me to sponsor you for some school event or buy a hundred boxes of chocolate covered almonds,” I laughed and looked up and down the table.
Every one of the girls was looking at me, including Marie and Agnes who I still didn’t trust.
“No,” Sienna giggled. “Becca’s off the team for now. Apparently her blue is worse under her top and she can’t wear the uniform.”
“Oh that sucks. Wait, does that mean you’re the new captain of the cheer squad?”
“Yes!” Sienna squealed and clapped her hands together. “So I want you!”
“Ha, I’m not a cheerleader.”
“You always wanted to be one though, and I’ve seen some of your moves. You’re athletic and you could learn the routines really fast and then I wouldn’t have to interview any new girls.”
“You’re crazy,” I snorted and lifted my lettuce wrap to begin lunch.
But all of the girls at the table were still looking at me expectantly.
“No,” I reiterated. “Come on.”
“You come on, you’d be perfect!” one of the girls, a beautiful Asian girl named Helen said and then grinned broadly at me. “And it counts as physical education cred. I’ve seen you running around the track and can tell you hate it.”
“Ack, you found me out,” I replied. I sighed and said, “Okay. I’ll come to a couple practices and see how it works out.”
“Yay!” Helen and Sienna said and the rest joined in.
I finished my lunch and followed the girls towards the locker rooms to find a uniform.
We found one that was almost my size, if not slightly too small, but everybody insisted it was perfect.
Then again, I felt like I would have been more comfortable cheering in a hoodie and sweat pants instead of the short plaid skirt and little sweater shirt we had to wear.
And you know what? I rocked it. I kicked ass at their routines. It turned out all those years of practice had paid off, even if I’d never qualified for the squad back in California.
I learned a couple new moves and was able to keep up by the end of the hour.
Becca’s self-own was perfection, not only had she turned her skin blue, but she’d left me a spot on the squad.
I almost wanted to thank her for it, but watching her stew in her blue skin during Biology was too much fun.
Things might come together after all, especially now that Becca was off the team and I was seemingly out of her target range.
The weeks finally fell into a rhythm like that, school, dating my three guys, cheer practice and settling into my routine.
A few days before Halloween I was laying in my bed reading a book when I heard Elaine shrieking like she was being murdered.
I jumped up and ran out into the hallway. Barrett was there looking just as confused as I felt.
Dad came running up the stairs taking two at a time.
“What’s going on?” I asked him as he raced past me.
“No idea,” he replied.
Barrett and I followed him into their master bedroom and we found Elaine standing in front of the mirror in a beautiful red velvet dress that was torn at the seams down one side.
“What is it, my love?” Dad asked and put his hand on her shoulder.
“Nothing!” she shrieked and tugged at the fabric.
“You’re clearly upset, what’s going on?” Dad asked.
“This dress! It’s the wrong size!” she howled. “I ordered it in a zero and it’s falling apart on me. This is my costume for the masquerade party tomorrow night at the club!”
“We can call the designer,” Dad said calmly. “We can get this settled.”
“No, they’ll insist it’s a zero but it isn’t. I take a zero and this is much too small for me!”
“Are you certain you’re a zero?” Dad asked and looked her up and down. “Have you perhaps put on weight?”
“Fuck you, David!” she screeched.
I stood back with Barrett, he watched her with bemusement over her tantrum.
I was amused though.
No, check that…I thought it was freaking hilarious. I could barely contain my laughter.
Barrett noticed and glanced at me, shook his head and whispered, “She’s insane.”
“That she is,” I giggled. “So insane.”
He looked at me closer and studied my face. “Do you know something?”
“Not at all,” I grinned.
He grabbed my arm and pulled me from the master bedroom into the hallway. “Come on, Steph. I know you’re up to somet
hing.”
Now that I was out of earshot of Elaine and her frantic outburst, I could speak freely.
Just then Roland came bounding up the stairs and stood with us. “What the hell is going on? I was just finishing up a date and heard screaming.”
“It’s Elaine, Steph was just about to tell me,” Barrett said.
“A date?” I asked and felt slightly possessive. I adored Roland and didn’t want him to date the wrong people here in Harrisburg.
“Yeah, with some guy I met online. Now tell me what you did,” Roland said in a scandalous tone.
I was still jealous that somebody else was taking Roland’s time away from me. Since he’d been back we’d become close friends and I didn’t want him to have anybody who would eat up his attention.
But I wanted him to be happy, and nothing made Roland happier than jumping from date to date.
Besides, he was one of the only people in the world who knew that I was seeing three different boys at the same time, and he didn’t judge me for it.
“Okay, but don’t hate me,” I said and leaned in towards the two of them.
“I could never,” Barrett said and took my hand.
“Oh please,” Roland said and rolled his eyes. “Just spill.”
“I’ve been getting a couple of the girls in the kitchen to add weight gain powder to Elaine’s morning smoothie,” I said with a sly grin.
“You what?” Roland gasped. “That’s diabolical!”
“That’s brilliant,” Barrett laughed and pulled me close to him as he wrapped an arm around my shoulder. “My god, babe, you’re more devious than I thought.”
“Wait until you see what I have planned for Becca,” I smiled. “And more for your mother. I’m sorry, but it still upsets me that she’s been cheating on my father for so long.”
“We don’t like it either, we never have,” Roland said and scowled. “Not since she cheated on our father in the first place and ended that marriage.”
“Has she always been so…well, self centered?” I asked them.
They both nodded. “I don’t even think she ever wanted children. She had us to maintain her hold on our father and his fortune,” Roland said. “She never cared that much for us, preferring the social status of being married to a Hollywood director more than the actually family ties.”