I can’t stop the sigh that passes my lips. I don’t want to go to a party but I really don’t want to disappoint Shelby either. The guys will be there, there’s no doubt about it, and if I show up they’ll most likely follow me around. On the other hand, I can’t keep hiding out in my dorm doing nothing every weekend because of them.
If I stay home, they win. Plus, parties are part of college life, right? I should enjoy this time of my life to the fullest.
Shelby crosses her arms over her chest and gives me the look. What look you ask? The one that shows her annoyance and precedes an hour-long lecture about how I won’t always be young, and able to make dumb choices. Her mouth pops open as if she’s about to start talking but I cut her off.
“Okay, I’ll go,” I say and watch her face turn from stern to surprised, and then to excited.
“Holy shit, I was prepared to do some major sweet talking, and a whole lot of persuasion to get you to go, but this thing where you agree so easily is much better. If only you could be this easy all the time.”
“If I was that easily convinced then it would be no fun.”
“True, and since you didn’t take up all my time with talking, we now have more time to pick out dresses,” she giggles and runs to the closet. As She starts dragging one dress after the other out of the closet and creating a line up on her bed, I take a seat on the edge of mine.
Crossing my legs, I wait for her to give me my choice for tonight. My phone starts to buzz in my pocket. I dread even looking at it, somehow the guys got my phone number and when they are not busy walking me across campus, they send me text messages or call me. They’re the worst.
“I can hear the phone vibrating from over here,” Shelby says over her shoulder, “who is it? One of your Romeos?”
“Romeos? Not you too. You know I’m not actually with any of them, right? They are just stalking me to get on my nerves and under my skin.”
“Sure, they are.”
My brows furrow together in a frown. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
She whirls around, a mini skirt in her hands. “Why do you let them stalk you? Did you even try to talk to campus security or the dean’s office, or even the police? I mean, they are legit stalking you, but you don’t do anything about it, so maybe you don’t want to be with them, but it’s not like you’re stopping them either.”
Because I deserve it. I think to myself, but the words won’t actually leave my mouth, I’m too ashamed to admit how I feel. Instead, I tell her the other reason I haven’t said anything yet. “You know how it is, Shelby. They have tons of money, do you really think they haven’t thought about this? Haven’t made a sizable donation to the school to make sure that they can do no wrong? Plus, the second I say something they’ll retaliate by doing something even worse.”
“What could be worse than what they’ve already done? It’s not like they would physically harm you. They’re a bunch of ankle biting dogs.”
“Says the one not being followed by them everywhere she goes.”
“Do you want me to say something to them?”
Scrubbing a hand down the front of my face, I mutter, “God, no. Let them do their thing. They only win if I let them. Once they see that I won’t react, they’ll just give up and move on. I mean, how fun can it be following a girl around all day? Surely they’ll get bored of this soon enough?”
She laughs, “No idea. Now put this on, I need to make sure we have enough time for me to do your makeup. If the Bishop Brothers are going to be following you around all night the least I can do is make them want you more than they already do.”
“They don’t want me. They want to ruin my life. There’s a difference.”
She tosses a sundress at me, “Don’t you remember back in school when they said boys only pick on girls that they like?”
“This isn’t elementary school.”
“No, you’re right, we’re adults, so the stakes are higher. They want you, Harlow, and I think you are playing into that.”
Before I can think too much about what she is saying, my phone buzzes again in my pocket, too annoyed to let it go on, I finally take it out to see who is calling. I swear to god, if they don’t stop tormenting me I’ll be forced to do something drastic.
When I see my father’s number lighting up the screen I almost gasp out loud. What the hell is he calling me for? Not once has he tried to talk to me since I left. Not once and now he’s blowing up my phone?