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Blinking from my thoughts, I ask, “Think about what?”
Cami’s eyes just about blow out of her head. “Are you coming to the gala with me? As my plus one?”
“Listen, Cami—”
“It’s Carly,” she interrupts me, a hardness to her voice. Close enough.
“I don’t do dates, or dances, or any of the likes. I mean, I didn’t even remember your name. What makes you think I would go out with you?” Carly’s cheeks turn bright red, either with embarrassment or anger, or maybe both. Either way, I don’t care. I can be a smooth-talker when I need to be, but since I can barely remember her, I know she wasn’t a good lay, so no reason to keep her around.
“You’re an asshole,” she says like that’s going to hurt my feelings. “Let’s go, girls.”
“You got that right,” I murmur.
Carly and her crew get up and walk away, but not before one of her goons kicks over Stella’s water bucket. The three hyenas giggle and leave. I lean back and watch the whole scene unfold, wishing Stella would grow a spine and hit that chick upside the head with the mop.
Stella tries her best to ignore me while she starts the cleaning progress all over again.
“Stella!” Some guy calls for her, and I’m pretty sure it’s the same guy from the other night. She flinches at the sound of her name but still takes her cleaning supplies and heads toward the guy. I watch her scurry behind the register where a heavy-set guy with slicked-back gray hair is waiting for her.
I can’t make out what he is saying to her, but he is yelling at her for something. Her head is lowered, and she just stands there, taking it. Doesn’t she know how to stand up for herself? And doesn’t he know only Easton and I get to mess with her?
My phone vibrates in my pocket, interrupting my thoughts. I fish it out of my pocket and find a message from Parker lit up on the screen.
PARKER: NOT COMING TO CLASS TODAY?
Shit. I’m late for class.
7
Stella
Opening and closing the cupboards, I realize it’s time to go grocery shopping, which is a shame since I don’t have much money left over from paying bills this past week. I make a quick list of the absolute essentials and head out the door.
As I’m walking out to my car, there is a woman standing on the sidewalk, stapling something to a nearby light post. She’s dressed far nicer than most in this neighborhood, so I know right away that whatever reason she’s here isn’t good. People like her wouldn’t come here unless they have to.
The nameless woman locks eyes with me and walks over to the car carrying a stack of papers in her hand. Her heels clack against the concrete loudly. My eyes dart down to the stack of papers, and the air in my lungs evaporates.
Oh, god.
“Hi, have you seen this man?” The woman asks a crack in her voice as she shoves a flyer into my face. I can barely breathe, and my response to her question lodges in my throat. “Please, have you seen him?”
All I can do is shake my head and unlock my car and climb inside of it.
Before I can shut the door, she continues, “If you see him, please call the police. He is missing. He is a good kid, but he gets into trouble sometimes. Are you sure you haven’t seen him?” The hope in this woman’s eyes makes me think she must be his mom or sister.
“No, I’m sorry,” I say, finally managing to close the door. I start the car and slam it into drive, pulling away from the curb, watching while the woman stares at my taillights in horror as I drive away without helping her.
It doesn’t matter though. Even if I did want to tell her, I couldn’t. I wouldn’t. Grams’ life, hell, my own depends on my silence, and I can’t risk that, so forcing myself to calm down, I push the lady’s face from my mind and head to the store. I can’t change what’s already happened, only where I’m going now.
“Can you please try one more time? I don’t know why it would be declined. I’m sure I still have thirty bucks on this card.”
“Ma’am, I already tried four times. It keeps saying the same thing… insufficient funds.” She whispers the last thing as if the three people behind me in line didn’t already get what’s going on.
Looking down at the bags full of groceries I can’t buy, it takes a lot not to cry. I really need this stuff, but I’m not about to beg. Nodding to the lady behind the register, I put my useless debit card back in my otherwise empty wallet.
I feel someone’s presence behind me before I see his arm come around me. He slides his shiny black credit card in the machine in front of me, and the word approved comes up on the screen a moment later. I don’t have to turn around to know who it is. He stands so close I can feel his body warmth on my backside, the smell of his cool aftershave surrounds me in seconds. A scent I won’t ever be able to forget.
