Living with the Player

Chapter 28

"Oh my gosh, Jen. That looks AMAZING on you!" Samaya gushes as I stare at myself in the mirror.

The sequins on the mini dress sparkle in the changing room light. I doubt any other girl will be wearing gold to a Valentine's day dance but it's rose gold and I'm kind of obsessed with the way it looks pink in some lights. I've been just shifting it back and forth to see the dress change colors for a good ten minutes now.

"It's so expensive, though," I say, still staring at the dress. And it's non-returnable.

Samaya practically glares a hole through me from where she's sitting in her dance outfit. It's a red, long-legged romper with a sweetheart neckline that fits her like a glove, and she hasn't taken it off since buying it.

"You can't put a price on beauty, Jennie. If you don't buy this dress, I'm buying it for you."

I let out a snort. I highly doubt Samaya has any more than $4.00 left in her bank account as a shopping addict but I appreciate the thought.

"It is pretty," I admit. And it fits perfectly. How often does that happen?

"It's GORGEOUS. Theo's gonna have trouble keeping his hands off you," Samaya says with a smile.

I let out a scoff. "Yeah, that's not gonna be a problem."

"You know what this dance is known for, right? I'm just saying you should make sure you and Theo should make sure you're on the same track," Samaya says.

If most high schoolers hook up on prom, our school is so horny that we can't even wait until then. The Valentine's Day dance means booked hotel rooms, white limos we can't afford, and roses on bed sheets.

The thought makes my throat close.

"We've only gone on a couple dates," I say. "We're not even exclusive so... Nothing's gonna happen."

Samaya seems to note my seriousness because she forces out a laugh. "Of course not! If he tries anything, I'll beat his ass."

I smile at her and stare at my reflection in the mirror. "I like this dress," I say. I don't have to make responsible decisions all the time.

Samaya smiles as she hooks her arm in mine. "Me too."

---

"What are you doing here?"

A smile is on my face as I jog out of the house to meet Theo. Ten minutes ago, he texted me telling me to be ready for our surprise date. My plan for the day was to lay in bed and watch true crime so the second he said that, I had to force myself up and change into real clothes.

He has a bouquet of pink roses, which he holds out to me, causing my smile to lift even more. "I'm here to take you on the best date of your life."

I stare down at the roses in shock. All of this, out of the blue?

"Ready to go?" he asks and I nod. A bright smile crosses his face and he walks ahead to his car.

He turns on the radio in the car, in a great mood, and I'm still in disbelief. "Where are we going?" I ask.

"Just a spot I know," he says, still smiling. Maybe it's because I just finished watching a kidnapping documentary but my body starts to freeze up.

"What spot?" I ask carefully.

He seems to notice the discomfort in my voice because he says, "Just relax. This is gonna be fun, I promise."

I reply with a small smile but still share my location with Samaya because I'm not trying to get killed the weekend before Valentine's Day after I spent all that money on my dress.