“It’s complicated,” I say, which is becoming my default response to everything lately. Because it’s true.
“Complicated how?” Lexy presses, clearly taking pleasure in my discomfort. “Like, are you taking turns? Scheduling? Do you flip a coin? Do they watch each other while you service them?”
“Seriously, Lexy?” I hiss with a threat laced in there somewhere.
“What? I’m genuinely curious about the logistics. It seems very, you know, time-consuming.”
Emily nods at the thought. “The scheduling alone would be a nightmare. When do you fit in homework?”
“Homework,” Michelle scoffs. “Who has time for homework when you’re living in a porn video?”
“Some of us still care about our grades,” I point out. I really did pay attention to my homework. Or at least as best as I could. Mostly.
“Please.” Lexy waves her hand. “Your grades are fine. You could probably skip half your classes and still graduate valedictorian.” She nods to the others. “She’s sleeping with Dudley.”
Michelle gasps as if she just found out I was running a brothel out of my locker. Clearly, she’s the only one here who is scandalized by this news. Actually, that whole brothel thing would scandalize her less. Marshall and the appendage that lives in his pants are her chief concern. That, and keeping me away from it.
“That’s not the point,” I shoot back. Then shake my head. “I mean no, I’m not sleeping with anyone.” Yet.
“What is the point?” Michelle asks with a growl. “Because from where I’m sitting, you’ve got two gorgeous guys fighting over you, and you’re worried about algebra homework.”
“Dudley’salgebra homework,” Emily adds with a smirk. “Which adds another layer of complexity to this whole situation. Face it, you’re one hot teacher away from your own harem.”
“Don’t even go there,” I warn.
“Go where?” Michelle’s eyes light up with a newfound fury. “Tellit to me straight, Messenger. Is there something happening with you and Mr. Dudley?”
“Trust me, there’s nothing happening with Marshall and me.”
“Right,” Lexy says with a healthy dose of skepticism. “You just spend a lot of time after class talking about...math.”
“We do talk about math.” It’s usually laced with innuendo, but still.
“And you do seem to be the only one who feels comfortable calling him by his proper moniker.” Lex goes on.
“It’s his name,” I say with a weak defense.
Michelle gasps. “But even I don’t call him that. I still call him Mr. Dudley.”
“And I’m sure he appreciates it in a sick and twisted way,” I shoot back. “Look, you all have very active imaginations that happen to be stuck in the gutter.”
“Do we?” Lexy grins. “Because you’re blushing.”
“I’m not blushing. It’s hot in here.” The Harrisons clearly do not approve of turning the AC on. Even the ultra-wealthy have their limits.
“It is pretty warm,” Emily agrees with a snarl. “All these bodies packed together. It’s so very intimate, so very hot and bothered. Just like you and Dudley.”
“Can we please talk about something else?” I ask, blowing a stray curl out of my face while I try to ignore the boob sweat happening.
“Like what?” Michelle demands. “I want to get to the bottom of things. And this is way more interesting than anything else happening at this party.”
“Speak for yourself,” Lexy says, glancing around the room. “That’s because you’re obsessed with Dudley. There’s plenty of drama to go around tonight.”
“True.” Emily nods toward the table next to us, where our generous host is lying on his back and begging some chick from East for something. “Ellis is currently trying to convince some poorsophomore to do shots off his crotch. She says she will, but she wants to light the liquor on fire first. This should end well.”
“Or in the ER,” I add. The burn unit specifically.
“And Drake’s been hitting on every girl here, including the ones with boyfriends,” Lexy adds.
