Daphne
The fast-food dinner my dad dropped off for me earlier is not settling well in my stomach. I’ve been out of it and not myself ever since the horrifying shock of last night’s humiliation. Here, at home, I don’t have to hear any of the whispers or gossip. Don’t have to look into the eyes of anyone who has seen and heard me in what was supposed to be a private moment between me and Micah.
I’m Rosehaven Academy’s newest amateur porn star.
I’ll never forgive Alora for that. Never.
Taking a deep breath, I mull things over in my mind. Hiding out at home may be what I need right now, but is it really what I want for the rest of my high school career? To hole up in my room, all by myself? Max offered to come by and have a movie night with me to take my mind off of things, but I told him I didn’t feel well and was going to bed early. He flat out told me he didn’t buy it and, being the good friend that he is, let me be.
He’s worried about me. So’s Scarlett.
I appreciate that they understand my need to process this in my own way. I’m not sure what Max ended up doing tonight, but I know Scarlett is with Xander at Beau’s house. She’d sent me a goofy photo of the two of them earlier.
How far will news of our erotic video go? The thought that every person I know will find out about it—or worse, actually see it—has me close to vomiting up my dinner. Things will have to die down eventually, but will I graduate before it happens?
My brow furrows. I hope Micah is getting the support he needs from his friends, too. Because I wasn’t the only one on that video. It’s so messed up that his reputation probably got a boost, while mine has tanked. I’d already been called a slut. This is absolutely going to make things worse.
The real question I have to ask myself is, do I want to deal with this alone or with Micah by my side?
I pull up at Beau’s house about thirty minutes later, leaving my poor little Civic at the side of the road behind Xander’s sleek black Escalade. I’ve been punishing myself and Micah for no real reason when the truth is, it’s his comfort I crave.
Not wanting to waste another minute, I hurry up the drive and front steps before ringing the doorbell. I look down at my feet, waiting with impatient nervousness. I hope I can make him understand why I needed some time to myself.
No more than thirty seconds later, the door swings open. Beau’s face lights up when he realizes it’s me. “Sweetness!” He holds his arms out to me. “Come on in!”
Giving him a small smile, I step inside, and he wraps me up in a big bear hug, lifting me off the ground for a split second. “We thought you were staying home tonight.” He lets me go, shutting the door. Before we can move, Xander and Scarlett are there, both also pulling me in for hugs.
Scarlett grins, taking my jacket from me and hanging it with hers on a fancy coat rack by the door. “I thought for sure we were never getting you out of your house again. What made you change your mind?”
I give an uncomfortable chuckle. “I kind of thought the same, and—” I shrug and close my eyes for a few seconds before finishing. “I didn’t know if I’d ever want to leave my house again, to be honest.” I give a furtive look around. “It’s only you guys?”
“Yeah. Well, Griff’s with a couple friends out back.” Beau gives me a kind smile. “But we were hoping you’d come over, so when we decided on a do-over, we only invited a few people.”
I blow out a hard breath, nodding. “It took me a bit, but I don’t see the point in holing up at home when everyone who was there last night saw everything. The damage is already done, and it wasn’t anyone’s fault but Alora’s. I have a right to be upset, but I’d feel better if—” My breath hitches, and I clamp my teeth down on my lip to stop myself from tearing up.
Scarlett puts an arm around me. “You need Micah.”
I nod, grateful that she’s able to read me so well. When my gaze meets Xander’s, he winces a bit. “I’m afraid your man is a little indisposed at the moment.”
“What?”
Beau wrinkles his nose. “He did a bunch of shots and then started … let’s call it lamenting your absence, so we took him upstairs to sleep it off.”
“Oh.”
“That doesn’t mean you can’t go up and be with him.” Scarlett grins. “You know you want to.”
I wet my lip and nod. “I do.”
“He’s in the first room on the right, probably still upright on the couch in front of the fireplace where we left him. Something about needing to sit up because he had the spins.”
“Oh, man. Okay.” I huff out a little laugh, putting my hand on the dark-stained wood bannister. “I’ll see how he’s doing, then maybe come back down if he’s sleeping.” I pause for a second on the first step. “Thanks for not making me feel weird about everything.”
At the top of the stairs, I stop outside the door to the room Micah is in, gathering my thoughts. With a deep breath, I open the door a crack and poke my head inside.
It’s dark, so it takes my eyes a few seconds to adjust as they scan the room. The fireplace is on the far wall, the previously mentioned couch placed directly in front of it. Micah’s head and shoulders are visible from where I’m standing. Poor guy.
“Micah, baby, I’m going to make this so good for you.”