The Sophomore (College Years #2) - Monica Murphy Page 0,20

to actually live it, versus sitting around, waiting for Jackson to notice me.

Forget that. Forget him. I’m going to move on from Jackson.

Even if it kills me.

“Ellie, please go. Invite whoever you want. All of your friends. Let’s make this thing a rager,” Gracie says, her voice soft and pleading. “You need to let loose and have a good time. You’re so uptight, worried about a guy who clearly doesn’t care.”

Ouch. Her words hurt. But they are also the slap of reality I need. Jackson has proven he doesn’t care. It’s been a month. No calls, no texts, not even a glimpse of him on campus. I don’t hang out at his apartment anymore since Ava left. I’m not hanging out at Tony and Caleb’s condo either because I know I’ll run into him. Plus, I’ve been busy with work and school. My new job at the restaurant near campus is practically full-time, because I need the money.

It’s a lot. I don’t have time for him. Though he haunts my thoughts still.

Constantly.

Ugh. Whyyyyy?

“Fine,” I say, sitting up straighter. “If I run into Carson again, I’ll invite him to the party.”

“Good,” Hayden says with a firm nod. “Come over early and we’ll glam you up.”

“Glam me up?” I ask cautiously. “I don’t like wearing a lot of makeup.”

“Don’t worry about that. We want you to look your absolute hottest. You’re so cute, Ellie, but you don’t emphasize it.” Gracie points directly at my chest. “You have good boobs. You should show them off.”

I glance down at the front of my very plain, very boring T-shirt. “How do you know?”

“Look at them!” Gracie rolls her eyes. “Girl, you need to work it, and work it right now. You will have two men potentially vying for your affection tomorrow night. Give them something to think about later when they’re jerking off in the shower.”

“Ew!” I say with a laugh.

Hayden and Gracie laugh too. “The way you just said that makes it sound like they’re jerking off in the shower together,” Hayden says in the middle of her laughter.

“Ooh, I watched some male/male porn a few weeks ago,” Gracie says, fanning herself. “It was hot.”

“Whaaaat?” I am so sheltered, I swear.

“Yes,” Gracie says, nodding and grinning. “Super hot.”

Hayden giggles. My mind wanders.

Whoa.

“What time is your last class tomorrow?” Hayden asks.

“Two o’clock,” I answer.

“Perfect. Come to our place first, say around three? We’ll have fun picking out an outfit and doing your hair, and then we’ll head over to Tony’s and set up for the party,” Hayden says with a firm nod.

“Okay.” I nod, excitement fizzing in my veins despite the fact that we’re a full twenty-four hours away from me arriving at their apartment.

It’s fun to think about though. Of getting ready. Of actually making real changes when it comes to myself. I’m tired of being sweet, dependable Ellie. I want to be something different.

I want to be more.

Seven

Jackson

“Are you really not even going to consider taking the phone call?”

I pull the phone away from my ear with a grimace. The booming sound of my dad’s voice is sometimes a trigger. Reminds me of when I was younger and I did something stupid, like break that expensive vase in the living room, or wrecked his car when I wasn’t even sixteen yet.

Yeah, that last one is true, and I paid for it dearly. But that all happened before we moved to California. Half the reason we came here, I think, was for me. Dad wanted me in a new environment. He doesn’t realize, to this day, I’m still up to no good. I just got smarter and know how to hide it.

“I don’t want to sign a record deal right now,” I tell him for what feels like the thousandth time.

“And why the hell not?” he retorts. Jeffrey Rivers is a force to be reckoned with. Most people cower when he talks normally. When he barks like the ferocious dog he can be? Forget it. They all fall at his feet—or run away screaming.

Except for me. I’m used to him. The yelling. The bark is worse than his bite. Plus, I’m his only son, his only child. He has expectations for me, and he’s fully embraced the rock star thing, which is surprising.

While I’m the one over here fighting it.

“I’m in school,” I remind him. “I want to get my degree.”

“Why? When you have the chance to make it big? Look, I’m not one to discourage my child from going to college. I went.