His studies my face. “Are you fucking with me?”
“Nope. I'm serious.”
He nods his head. Smiles at me, just like Riley does, and shakes his head. “I'm gonna like you. Since these douches haven't invited you yet, you come stay with us this summer. As long as you want. You can be my wingman.”
“Your wingman?”
“Yep, I have my arm around a hot older chick at the beach, all the other hotties are gonna want me. Proven fact. Girls always want what they can’t have.”
“Now that sounded very mature. And as long as it’s okay with Riley and Dawson, I'll be there. Nice to meet you. I have to get to dance. We’re having a pizza party with some of the alumni before the game.”
Riley says, “I’ll walk with you. I’ve got to get to the locker room too.”
On the way there, he asks me about tonight. “So Braxton is spending the night with me and Dallas. I’m worried about sneaking to your room.”
“It’s been three days, Riley. I think you’re right. It must not have been him.”
“But what if he was waiting for Homecoming? There are going to be a lot of people coming and going this weekend. It’s kind of a security nightmare. Caterers. Foodservice. Delivery trucks. Rental companies. Alumni. Families. If you didn’t belong here and wanted to get in, this would be when you’d try to do it.”
I sigh. “Shit. I didn’t think of that. You’re right. Maybe I just won’t sleep?”
“That won’t work. Maybe you could go stay with Dawson? No, I have a better idea. I’ll send Braxton to stay with him. It might mess up some of your fun, but it’s worth it, right?”
“Yeah, it is. Thanks, Riley. I know it’s a pain for you to have to get up every night, sneak out, and then sleep on my floor.”
“Your rug and I are having a hot affair.”
“I think I’m going to give you that rug when this is over.”
“If we get through Homecoming weekend then I think you’re safe.”
I can’t eat anything at the pizza party because I’m feeling a little sick.
Riley brought up an extremely good point about security this weekend.
It makes me worry about Katie. What if Vincent did come in my room? What if I screamed and she woke up? What would he do to her?
And what about this weekend? All these people here? What would he do? How would he try and take me? Would he cause a commotion like he did at my party?
Or would he try to catch me when I’m alone?
I’m deep in thought when I get a text from Aiden.
Aiden: Quick. Come outside.
Me: I don’t think I can.
Aiden: Make up an excuse. Trust me, it’s worth it.
I make up a lame excuse in my head, but don’t end up having to use it. I just slip out unnoticed.
Aiden is waiting for me outside the dance room.
He tells me to close my eyes.
Once we’re outside the doors, he puts his hands on top of my shoulders and turns me so that I’m facing another direction. Down toward the football field, I think.
He leans his face over my shoulder. His lips lightly touch my ear as he whispers, “Open.”
I open my eyes and see a brilliant sunset. It’s gorgeous. Today was cloudy, kind of dreary, the sky threatening rain. Now the bottoms of those puffy clouds are multiple shades of pink, gold, and blue all radiating out from a red ball of fire low in the sky.
“It’s beautiful,” I whisper.
“Yeah, I thought so too. I’m glad you like it.”
I turn away from the sunset to face Aiden. The view in this direction is just as brilliant. The colors of the sunset are bouncing off Aiden’s green eyes.
I turn back around and look at the sunset again, remembering what Aiden told me about his mom.
I say a quick thank you that I made it through another day. That I’m still here.
I start to get tears in my eyes.
Aiden has no idea how much seeing this sunset helped me. How it calmed me down from freaking out about Vincent.
For some reason, this sunset gives me hope that I’ll win.
Somehow, I have to win.
“Thank you. I was having a rough day. Showing me this sunset helped put it all in perspective.”
“Do you want to talk about it?”
I shake my head. “Remember the stuff we talked about in the chapel?”
“Is your friend having more trouble?”
“Yeah, she had a scare, I guess you could say. Something weird happened recently and she thinks he might have discovered where she is. But he hasn’t come for her yet. Like, to get her. So she’s waiting. And waiting is scary.”
“I bet.”
“But the sun just set on another day of her being safe. So that’s a good thing.”
Aiden touches my arm. “I’m glad I could help.”
“You always help,” I say before I think better of it.
Aiden smiles at me and gives my arm a little squeeze. “What have I told you before?”
“When I need you, you’ll be there?”
“I mean it.”
“I know, it’s just that . . .”
“You have a boyfriend.”
“Yes.”
“Doesn’t matter. I’m still here. Besides you helped me yesterday.”
“I did?”
“Yeah, in French. What you said about only caring about what the people you love think. It was something I needed to hear.”
I smile big. “Really, I actually helped you?”
“Yeah, you did.”
“Thanks. I, um, better get back in there.”
I walk towards the door to the field house, but glance back to look at Aiden bathed in the light of the setting sun, and I can’t help but wonder what he’s going to do for the person he loves.
Friday, October 7th
A little tail.
6:27am
Today is School Spirit Day. Everyone is dressed in lots of red and yellow. As I get in line for coffee and a muffin, I realize that our Cougar Kitty outfits really stand out. I’ve got on a black spandex tank and a flirty black dance skirt with a leopard tail attached to the back. I straightened my hair, teased it up big, added the ears headband, and then drew kitty whiskers on my face with black eyeliner.
Someone pulls on my tail and says, “Here, kitty, kitty.”
I turn around and see Dallas and Riley grinning at me. They are wearing their red football jerseys and each have a red E painted on their cheek.
Riley says, “I was hoping to get a little tail at Homecoming.”
Dallas laughs and adds, “That, or some pussy.”
“Oh my gosh, you guys. Grow up.”
Dallas gives me a once over. “I’m digging the outfits for today. You all dressed that way?”
“Yes, we are. Including Katie, your new obsession. I swear, if it weren’t for classes, I don’t think I’d have seen you this week.”
Dallas grins. “We’re having fun. It’s new.”
Whitney walks by, gives me a completely different kind of once over and says, “From glitter whores to kitty whores.”
I suck in a deep breath.
“Don’t let her bait you, baby,” Riley says. “She’s just jealous she doesn’t look as hot as you. For god’s sake, she’s wearing a turtleneck.”
I laugh. “And pearls.”
“What are the cheerleaders wearing today? Ariela gonna be dressed as a kitty too?”
“No, they’re wearing their sporty warm ups today.”
“Phew,” Riley says, while fake wiping his brow. “That’s good. I don’t think I could have resisted the temptation. No offense, but guys are going to be having some kitty fantasies today. I’m just saying.”
Catcalls.
Pep Rally
The dance team does a fun skit for the pep rally and, later, performs a dance.
There are lots of cheers, speeches, and honoring of alumni, but you can tell everyone is waiting for what is sure to be the highlight of the afternoon.
The Mr. Eastbrooke contest.
I helped Dawson get ready and his face looks pretty good. His cheer still kinda sucks, but I don’t think he cares. It sounds like it’s almost more of a popularity contest anyway.
Maggie and I roar with laughter when he sashays his way across the gym. He can’t zip up the cheerleading skirt that he’s wearing, so it’s gaping open in the back, and he’s completely stretching out Ariela’s cheerleading sweater with a hugely stuffed bra that his mom bought him. He says it’s the boobs that will win, not his cheer.