“Rate the O?” I repeated.
Summer fluffed her curls. “Yes, but I think it’d be more than one O. Oh, girl, you’re going to see heaven.”
I glanced down at the lilac pink vibrator that was egg-shaped, but it seemed somehow bigger with its bulbous part, making me feel…strange. It was odd, and I wasn’t sure if I liked the strange feeling or not.
“You mean… I’ll get multiple orgasms from this tiny thing?” I asked, dangling it between all three of us. It was made of body-safe silicone and had a little loop of string at the end.It’s even rechargeable, Emma had said excitedly when I opened the gift box that they handed me.
“Caleb is extremely jealous that I have a few toys like these,” Em said, flipping her blonde curls over her shoulder.
“He doesn’t mind?”
“Why would he? TMI, but he sometimes likes to use them on me.” Her cheeks flushed and my mind wandered to James and his dark eyes. His filthy words crooning in my ears while the electric buzz of the vibe is pressed against me and he makes me—
Oh.
“I don’t think this is a good idea.”
“Are you sure?” Summer asked, frowning at me. “You don’t have to use it right away if you don’t want to, but keep it with you.”
“Mhm, also it has this remote if you are into that and all.” Emma pointed at the tiny black remote in the box and continued as if my eyes weren’t wide as saucers, “I wooed Summer to come shopping with me—”
“Bribed,” Summer added, “She bribed me with a bookstore gift card.”
“You should come with us. We can shop clothes for your birthday and spend some time together!”
I had not told them about how I was low on cash and James had already bought me everything I needed for the birthday. Because if I did, they would try to gift me something more expensive or write me a check and start calling James my sugar daddy. Which he wasn’t.
“Sorry guys, I don’t think I’ll be able to come with you.”
Emma frowned. “How about a sleepover?”
“Sure, sleepover sounds great!”
“I can come with you and we can go to Em’s house together,” Summer added, looking up from her phone, already adding it to her reminders.
I closed the lid of the gift box and said, “It’s alright. I can get a cab.”
Emma leaned closer and smiled with a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Or ask James to drop you.”
“James,huh?” Summer wriggled her eyebrows at me.
“Hush, you two. It’s nothing! He’s my dad’s best friend… and our teacher.”
“That wouldn’t stop me.” They both said in unison and I rolled my eyes at them, turning around, ready to leave the washroom.
“What? It’s true. Half of our class is drooling over him. Both guys and girls. I’m sure he already has a secret fan club.”
We discussed more fan club theories about James over their burrito bowls and my chicken salad lunch that James had packed for me. It made me smile because I loved his cooking and how he could make something like quinoa taste so delicious.
* * *
“Are you sure about this, Mia?”Aaron asked, raising his brows and handing me two one-hundred-dollar bills. I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded.
“I’m sure. I’ll help you out, don’t worry.” I pocketed the money and tried my best to hide my shaking hands. “See you in class.”
I quickened my pace and headed straight towards the washroom to splash my face with cold water. I had to do it. I couldn’t pay my dad’s bills with a few thousand dollars. I’d need a few more grands for his bill, and his recovery and medication when he would come back home.
Taking a deep breath, I straightened myself and heard the bell ring for the last class of the day. Lucky for me, it was Design and Colors,hisclass. I fiddled, holding the gift box in my hand.