Chapter 13
After a small argumentabout stealing my keys, the boys got their way, and I reluctantly agreed that they could have spares for emergencies only. We picked up pizza and ate dinner before Knix dropped me off in front of my house with a new phone and a worriedlook.
“If she finds it, don’t worry about it,” he reassured me. “I don’t want you getting into any trouble, but we need to get ahold of you if we needto.”
I was half-tempted to tell him that he could just do what Marv did before, but I couldn’t picture it being as easy for him to crawl through my bedroom window as Marv had made itseem.
Walking up to the duplex after being with the guys all day felt strange. Like I didn’t quite belong here anymore, yet nothing had physically changed. I grabbed the mail peeking out from the stained mailbox at the end of our empty driveway, and jogged to our frontstoop.
“I’m home,” I called, quietly entering the foyer. There were a few low mumbles in the first bedroom and I followed the sleepy noises. Mom lay on her side, a fresh glass of water on her nightstand, and a plate with a few crumbs left. My phone lit up and I turned away from her bedroom before locking myself away in my room to pull it out and check the incomingtext.
Texas:You will have the same number. Marv said he would prefer I change it. I can get you another numbertomorrow.
Harlow:No need. This isfine.
I set the phone down, but almost immediately it buzzed to lifeagain.
Texas:I’m exchanging the phone number tomorrow. You will keep yourcontacts.
I grunted and slammed the phone down once again, this time without answering. The phone buzzed and buzzed again. I ignored it until it began vibrating with an incoming phone call. Without glancing at the screen, I flicked the green answer button and began to hiss through thephone.
“Don’t call me when I’m home, my mom could hear!” It was embarrassing enough to tell them about the first incident. If it happened again, I would refuse any phone they might try to giveme.
“Strict parents, huh?” The voice on the other end was not Texas. I pulled the phone away from my ear, but the caller ID read as an unknownnumber.
“W-who isthis?”
“Forgotten me already?” he replied. “That’s a shame. I was wondering if you were sick or avoiding me since you didn’t show up to schooltoday.”
“Grayson?”
“I guess you haven’t forgotten me then.” I could hear the smugness in his tone. “So, where were youtoday?”
“I was…nowhere, out…um…just doing errands. How did you get mynumber?”
“Your friend at the diner didn’t tellyou?”
A light went off in my head. “It’s not nice to steal phones,” Isaid.
“Ah, well. You’re not wrong. But who said I was a nice guy? Besides, being nice is overrated. I’m only nice to people who deserveit.”
“Yea? Then why are you talking tome?”
He paused. “I find you…interesting. I feel like we would make a good team and I’m a quarterback. I’m good atteamwork.”
“Well, I don’t find you interesting and maybe I already have a team. Don’t call meagain.”
I clicked ‘end call’ and threw the phone at my bed, standing over it, seething. I couldn’t leave it there for long, though. I needed to tell someone that he had called. Instead, I found myself picking the phone back up when it began vibratingagain.
“It’s not nice to hang up on someone. Seems like we have being ‘not nice’ in common, don’t you think?” Grayson asked with a dignified huff when I answeredagain.
“What do you want, Grayson?” Idemanded.
“Come out withme.”
“What? No!” I glanced around myroom.
He was a football player. He was used to cheerleaders in fancy uniforms, who did their nails every week, and didn’t have to scrounge for grocerymoney.