you keep mute about something so simple that could have avoided all this bullshit chatter?” My face went tight, hella confused. “Tori’s man is taking her to the concert.”
Gasps ignited all around me. Even Al and the guys to the left of him reacted to that announcement.
“See!” Andrea cried. “That’s what I meant. Her dude is a fucking baller! How do you think she’s still poor?”
Still poor?
“Shut the hell up, Andrea,” Aivery hissed.
“Shhh! Shhh! Shhh!” Ashton demanded. “The movie’s about to start.”
Sure enough, the random BSU logos popping up on the screen had ended and darkened, then the usual Paramount Pictures introduction rolled. Uncomfortable, I sat tightly, legs crossed, trying to slow the anger stirring in my belly. I was still deciding if I would stay.
“Here ya go!” a loud whisper sounded over my shoulder. The guy, Alex, had returned with a tray of food. Ashton turned and plucked popcorn, a bag of Skittles, and a water bottle, handing them over to me. Then he took the whole tray from him and placed it on his lap. “And here’s your change.”
Ashton’s hand went into the air. “Keep it.”
I turned my attention back to the screen when Ashton began speaking to Aivery about her pizza. Ashton lied to these people, which meant I was forced to lie again, too. I didn’t want to do the whole fake boyfriend thing again. It was exhausting. But this crew. They made me fight for my pride. Their stuckupness was hard to ignore. How was this going to work? Just when I thought I’d struggle with needing to leave, my attention got lost in the movie. Africa. I always wanted to visit there. People said it wasn’t as wild and uncivil as seen in movies and pictures. And these Africans were rich.
How familiar…
Suddenly, I couldn’t remember if I’d seen this old movie before.
I had to—
A big, hot hand covered mine. I didn’t realize, I’d stretched back, sitting on my hands like Ashton earlier. It was him. His face to the screen, but I caught his eyes rolling over to me. I whipped my head back ahead. Why did heat flash through my whole body at that simple touch?
This was messed up.
And I…liked it.
But I’m not a whore…
After the movie, I was tired by the time I made it back to my dorm building. Samantha went over to her friends’ dorm to hang out, so I walked by myself. But so many people were out, leaving the lawn movie, so I wasn’t exactly alone. Still, my eyes were heavy and the thought of my bed was more appealing than it had been since my last fight.
The movie was good and after the first twenty minutes or so, I realized I’d never seen it. But I also realized Prince Akeem’s character’s privilege reminded me of a certain Panthers QB. The difference between the two guys was that the prince was a romantic. Spencer was a bully human. A moody, controlling one.
“Hey, McNabb,” the security guy called me as I passed the booth for the elevators. “You’ve got a package.”
Another one?
My mother finally sent something!
When he handed me an envelope, my heart roared with excitement. But when I saw a large box with the huge Tessie’s logo, I knew the sender of at least that. The ride up to my floor was long. Why hadn’t my mother called to say she was sending something? Or was it Cut? Did Ragee talk him into sending me money? Would I be happy?
The walk to my room seemed even longer, but as soon as I kicked the door closed, I dropped the box on my desk and ripped the envelope open. It was about more than money. I needed to feel like someone cared for me. I needed the connection to something. Somebody.
But… Inside was a sleeve type of folder with a company logo on it. Something I didn’t recognize. Then I pulled out perforated stationery. It was a ticket. Brielle’s name was large on it. There were numbers and letters I didn’t understand until it dawned on me. It was a ticket to her concert next week. And not just next week; the show was four days away. The ticket was over four hundred dollars. Processing that made my pulse race. So, next Tuesday, I’d be going to see Brielle then the next day flying out to Jersey with Ashton Spencer?
My eyes went to the Tessie’s box. This was Ashton. It was all Ashton! And that pissed me off. He’d