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I could point out that I shouldn’t be doing it at all.We were sixteen. Shouldn’t we only be thinking about school and extracurriculars, like our peers?
Maybe not, since we never stayed at a school for more than a year or two. What did it matter what I did, if I’d never have a chance to live a normal life?
“I don’t like the way the flash makes my eyes feel.” I shook my head. “I see spots after a while.”
Layla finally turned around. “I don’t like it either, but what choice do we have?”
I slumped down in my seat, my reflection revealing my defeated spirit beautifully. “None. No choices whatsoever.”
The door was flung open, and Justin entered the room with a lopsided grin. He looked a little bit wobbly, like he couldn’t quite stay upright without holding onto the door or the wall. Was he on drugs again? It seemed like he was on something all the time lately. When would he stop?
“What?” Hope rolled her eyes at him. “What do you want?”
“Did you hear? Dad got you some kind of security. I guess there are some kinds of threats against you guys. Men who want to do nasty things with you.” He rolled his eyes then threw himself down on my bed on his stomach. “Why would anyone want to mess with you? You’re just three ridiculous nothings with red hair.” He propped his fists under his chin and smiled at me.
Security? What does that even mean?“Off my bed.” I got to my feet, shooing him with my hands. “Now. Out.”
He stared at me for a second before he rolled unsteadily to his feet and then wobbled his way to the door. “I’m much more interesting than any of you are, so enjoy your fame while it lasts.”
I shut the door in his face with irritation. “I don’t want fame. I just want to read my book.”
Hope put her arms around me. “This is just what our life is now. Dad got us security, so it’ll all be fine, and we don’t even have to stay very long, if you don’t want to.”
A knock rattled the door, and I swung it open expecting Justin to still be there. I should have known better; he never knocked.
No, this time it was Father. He loomed above me like a giant, and I felt as if I shrunk within my own skin. He stared at me a second before he strode into the middle of our room, his hands tucked into his pockets comfortably. Our father almost never came to our room, like he’d become allergic to interaction with us lately.
Maybe always.Why was I always trying to give him a break in my thoughts? He was pretty much an asshole.
Maybe it is because he is the only parent we’ve ever had. It might explain why I never even thought badly of him in my mind. Our mother killed herself when I was a year old, so I was the only one who could ever think about that, too. Everyone else thought she accidentally overdosed on something, but I knew the truth. She hadn’t. I was sure of it.
“Girls, I’d like your attention for a second.” As he spoke, I noticed another figure waited in the hall. I didn’t even notice him at first, since my father’s presence erased everything else in the room. But he walked toward us, stopping in the frame of the doorway, where he regarded us quietly with the steadiest, calmest eyes. He was handsome, in an older guy kind of a way, but his eyes were what really captured my attention.
We all looked at my father when he spoke. “This is Michael Li. I’ve hired him to look after you three. He’ll be with you from now on. That’s all.”
That’s all?Almost in unison—sometimes we did that without meaning to—we looked at Michael. I’d already checked him out—handsome? That was for sure. I wasn’t very interested in what men looked like normally, no matter how old they were. I wanted to read my book, study stocks, work on math theorems, and consider how the universe was expanding. Normally, I couldn’t be bothered noticing how attractive strangers were, especially not if they were security.
“Hello, ladies.” Michael said, and I noticed his tone matched that easy steadiness in his gaze. He nodded at us, but his gaze rested on me the longest, I was sure of it. “As long as you follow just a few easy rules, we’ll all get along fine.”
I hated rules. I especially hated following rules if it meant going to a party in a dress I hated—black, and it tugged tightly in places that made me uncomfortable—on a school night, when I should be in bed by nine.
“Well,” I said with a shrug as I turned back to the mirror. “Good luck with that.”
Hope and Layla both gasped before Layla started laughing. My father’s face started to turn red, which I saw in the mirror.I miscalculated.I shouldn’t have said anything. He would punish me for the attitude in some way later. It was stupid of me. For someone as smart as everyone claimed I was, sometimes I was just so fucking stupid.
“Are you planning on being difficult, Bridget?” Michael laughed. “At least you’re up front about it.”
I blinked. He could tell us apart? We were just known as the Redheads online, and most people just called me that or one of the triplets. At best, they would call meGirl Next Door, whatever the hell that meant.
“No, I don’t plan on being difficult, Michael.” I rose, meeting his steady gaze with my mask firmly in place. “I’m always very good at following directions, I swear it. Let’s get this done. The sooner we go, the sooner we can get back home.”
Hope shrugged. “I think it could be sort of fun. Don’t you, Layla?”
She sighed, meeting my gaze before glancing at Hope. “I can see both your opinions being valid, but we’re going, so let’s just try to be happy about it. Does this dress make me look fat?”
Hope and I both turned toward her as my father stormed from the room. It would probably be a long while until he visited again.
“No,” I shook my head. “You could never look fat.”
