DEAD INSIDE

(3)

Loud cheers erupted as yet another girl appeared on the red carpet that had been unrolled on the long stage at the back of which the fifteen members of the White Tigers and their five pledges were seated. I'd asked to stay elsewhere for the duration of that third step of the harvest but Milo had been adamant I wasn't to leave his side all evening.

After what had happened to my car, they thought it wouldn't be long before the Black Devils turned up to snatch me so they wanted me nearby at all time.

I had already suffered through four hours of their farts, burps and crude comments during both the football game and the dinner that had followed with the entire football team at a local diner and I was literally counting the minutes till I could go home and sleep that awful day off.

My eyes almost popped out of their sockets when Marla entered the stage wearing a skimpy white bikini that left little to imagination with the highest heels I'd ever seen.

She'd arranged her tight afro curls so they fell all around her face, her make-up highlighted her delicate features and made her light brown eyes look golden.

She looked outrageously fabulous and from the awed looks most boys had around me, I gathered that they thought the same.

I'd never have thought I'd be applauding during such an event but my best friend looked awesome as she walked in front of us confidently. In fact, it looked like she owned the freaking stage.

When she paused to wink at me I couldn't help but smile big and I'm sure I looked like an otter as I clapped with maybe too much enthusiasm while she headed back to the curtains.

I chanced a look toward Marvin and sure enough, he looked smitten but I frowned when I saw him furrow his eyebrows and then shake his head as if to dismiss a thought.

"He'll never choose her..." Milo murmured in my ear.

He can't know... I thought, feeling silly for even thinking that.

"Marvin..." He added as if to show me that he, in fact, could read what was on my mind.

I'd promised myself to ignore him but decided to make an exception for the sake of Marla.

"Why's that?" I asked, bracing myself for the snide comment that was sure to follow.

"He likes her..." His answer left me speechless.

Not only had he answered me normally but he'd also volunteered personal information about one of his closest friends.

"Isn't it the point?" I thought I'd chance it.

"None of us are looking for a girlfriend. We can't afford to give that much power to a girl..." I was tempted to roll my eyes at that but then I remembered how depressed I'd been because of Hugo and my decision never to let somebody hurt me like that again. "Especially Scott, Niall and Marvin who need to keep their head into the game if they want to get picked by the college of their choice..." He went on, which made sense.

To me, at least.

Marla would probably be crushed.

"That's why we only pick safe girls..." He concluded. "They need to be hot, eager to put out, but also and more importantly to know their place. It's not because we f*ck them every day for the whole school year that we're together or exclusive..."

I grimaced at that.

"I imagine you tell them that from the start?" He nodded. "And you don't mind if your... What do you call them?"