Secrets, Lies, and Summer Skies

Chapter Thirty-Four

A small black line blinked expectantly on my laptop screen. My fingers hovered over the keyboard, waiting for inspiration to strike. Sadly, my inspiration had taken an impromptu trip out of the country and showed little sign of returning soon.

I sighed and backspaced across the keyboard until the pathetic opening lines of my email had vanished. I cricked my neck, flexed my fingers, and started over again.

Dear Sir/Madam,

I'm writing to inform you of my intention to withdraw from...

I groaned and dropped back on the bed. My phone bounced on the comforter; the screen illuminated with a call I'd left on speaker. I'd called Jenny for moral support as I contemplated my plans for university. Well, not only for support but also to get a break from the silent, anonymous calls. They were easier to ignore when I was in Grayson's company, but while I was home alone, the constant alerts grated on my nerves.

Honestly, I felt like a girl from a slasher film.

It was only a matter of time before I answered a call and heard some terrifying voice on the end of the line asking if I liked scary movies.

"You're thinking way too hard about this," Jenny's voice filled the room. "Seriously. Being a college drop-out isn't the worst thing in the world."

"Says the person who didn't even go to college," I reminded her.

"Look, worst-case scenario, you're forced to be a jobless sugar baby. Which, like, isn't even the worst thing in the world. Grayson wouldn't let you starve or anything, right? You can just live at his place."

"That's not even an option," I said. "I know you're kidding, but don't. I'm not going to become some useless old hag like Kelly. I need to do something with my life."

"Then just go back," Jenny said. "Or wait until your dad gets home. I don't see why you need to do this now."

She was right, of course.

Not about being a sugar baby.

That idea was going straight in the trash along with her opinion that Grayson punching Mark was hot. Thankfully, nothing had come of that night's incident. Grayson hadn't called the police which left Dad blissfully ignorant of what'd happened, and Mark hadn't pressed charges for assault. Grayson hadn't mentioned any drama at his workplace, so I assumed that things had settled there, too. All in all, everything had worked itself out in the best way possible.

If we could figure out college and get Dad to accept our relationship, we were on course for a perfect end to our summer.

I sat up on the bed and grabbed my phone. "If I go back, I could run into Trey and Anna."

"So? It's not like you care about them anymore."

Another good point.

It wasn't about caring for either of them. It was about the humiliation of what they'd done. It was facing all our mutual friends and not knowing whose side they'd take as their betrayal fractured our social circle. Then there were our shared classes. The forced proximity with people I so thoroughly despised. I didn't want to spend my final year of study feeling angry all the time. I just wanted to focus and graduate, and I couldn't do that around Anna and Trey. I desperately needed the fresh start that switching colleges would afford.

"Although..." Jenny mused. "I guess if you go to college closer to home, Grayson can pick you up from class and bone you every day."

"I'm gonna hang up if you can't take this seriously," I warned.