in Trixie’s face. Usually I’ll side with Trix over just about anything, but I’m rather digging Harper’s response right about now, and I am completely on her side.
“You’re my problem.” Trix stabs her in the chest with her finger before I can flick her off.
“Keep your hands to yourself.” I shield Harper with my arm in the event Trixie goes psycho, which I’m suspecting will be shortly.
“I knew it!” she shrills, the veins in her temples quivering with anger. “You’re not wearing a bra!”
“And?” Harper scoffs at my sister’s boulder-holder based putdown. “I prefer not to. Big whoop. You want to poke at my crotch too? Newsflash, honey, it’s nobody’s business but mine if I decide to go commando. Or are you too uptight to know what that is?”
Crap.
Trixie jumps up, and so does Harper just as I wedge my body between theirs.
“Whoa, ladies. No need to take it to the next level. Trix—be nice to Harper. She had her heart yanked out of her ass just like I did. Who the hell cares if she’s not wearing any underwear? Who the hell made you keeper of the panties?”
Harper leans over my shoulder. “Maybe she’s hitting for the same team?” She sticks her tongue out at Trix, and you can see the steam pouring from my sister’s ears.
“That’s it!” Trix jumps back, red with rage. “I knew she was nothing more than a little tramp!” She kicks me in the shin and I buck. “Practice my ass! I know for a fact practice hasn’t started!” Crap. I give a sheepish smile to Harper. “This skank ho bag is trying to sleep with you! And to make things worse, you’re letting your prick do the thinking! Imagine how pissed I’m going to be when you end up with some venereal disease because you hooked up with some random chick on the fly! Yes, she’s beautiful, but so are half the skanks on campus! She’s using you! And the most disgusting part about this is that you’re using her! And don’t you give me any of that she’s just had her heart yanked out of her ass bullshit. Yes, it might be true, but you of all people should know how lousy it feels to be manipulated and had. And now you’re both essentially doing it to one another!” She picks up the donuts and lands the box over my head, one bouncing ball of sugar after the next rains down on me. “If you really think hooking up with one another is the answer, then be my guest!” she thunders as she opens the door. “By all means”—she pauses a moment to glare at Harper and me—“you deserve one another.” She pokes her head in one final time. “Have fun getting laid!” Her eyes bug out in my direction. “I hope you think of me and it kills your erection! I can’t believe you!” She lets out a scream as she heads down the walk.
“I can’t believe you said erection!” I shout after her and slam the door like a gunshot.
I lean my head back and close my eyes. I thought college would be fun. It would be a blast to be near Jen in addition to playing on the field, not to mention hanging out with Trix, growing up, growing apart for the very first time, and instead, every single part of my existence is slowly turning itself inside out.
I turn around to face Harper and her lips begin to twitch like mad. For a moment I’m convinced she’s about to cry, but soon enough a smile flexes on her lips, followed by another, followed by a laugh.
“What’s so funny?”
“You.” She wipes a tear from her eye before clasping onto my waist. “You’re officially the king of donuts.” She plucks one off the top of my head and I admire my sticky crown for a moment.
“Trix always did have good aim.”
“I’m sorry I’ve upset her. I know how close I am to my siblings. I can only imagine how much closer you must be with yours, seeing she’s your twin and all. Can you read her mind? Is she really going to kill me?”
“No—to the killing. Yes, I can read her mind.” I frown a moment, because Trix just so happened to suck every ounce of my good mood right out of me. “Truth or dare, what’s the suitcase doing here?”
She winces. “I happen to be temporarily homeless. I may or may not be petrified of heights, and my roommate—who