“She has you guys. She needs friends. We can be that for her. You don’t know what the other girls are really like.” Her eyes bounce up to mine for a second before looking down the hallway. Finally she sighs. “You gave the cheerleaders power, and they’ve capitalized on it. They control us. Keep us in our place.”
I kick off the wall and step into her space. She swallows but doesn’t look up at me. “You want to take their place.”
She’s not strong like Sidney and the others.
“Fuck no.” She steps back and finally dares to meet my eyes and hold them. “We don’t want their power. We just want some of our own.”
I nod. Power I can understand. “You don’t fuck with our girl’s head, or you’ll need to find an alternative way to graduate.”
Penny ducks her head and nods. “We don’t want to hurt Harper.”
I turn on my heel and walk to class. I need Jack to dig through these girls’ lives and find something we can use to keep them in line or something that could destroy them. Either way, it will make me feel better about this whole arrangement. I don’t trust them.
Harper
“Her name is Penny Wright,” I say for the fifth time, like it’s going to change in the last hour. Maybe Mom thinks I made up the name and will slip up. “Do you want me to pull out a yearbook and point out her picture?”
Mom lifts an eyebrow at the exasperation in my voice. “How do I know this isn’t just a ruse?”
“Honestly you don’t.” I swallow because it is a ruse. “But I’m eighteen, and being alone in this house while you work sucks. Especially after that night. So I’m being proactive.”
I also haven’t been alone in this house, but she doesn’t need to know that.
“I don’t know, Harper.” Mom sets her fork on the side of her plate. “Who is this girl again?”
Pushing my food around my plate, I sigh. “Penny. I’ve gone to school with her since kindergarten, just not in the same classes. We’ve been in art together and have gotten close. We’ve hung out at the football games. Do you want to see our group chats?”
I’m stretching a little, but only to make Mom feel better. It’s really not that big of a deal. “It’s no different than when I stayed at the party the other night.”
Actually, it’s exactly like that, with the exception I’ll only be sleeping with Caden and Luke, not all five guys.
“I guess this is what I’ll have to expect now that you run in the popular crowd.” Mom pushes from the table and takes her plate to the dishwasher. “I’m not sure if I miss the days you only had Kenz or not.”
“I’ll be fine.” Though I don’t know what Elihas planned for tonight. After the previous time he played with me, I’m excited to see what he has in mind. Before Jack drove me home, everyone took another turn kissing me until I almost needed a cold shower to cool down.
“Call me if you need to come home.” Mom gives me a pointed look.
Grinning, I shake my head. “How about I just come home and text you about the change in plans?”
“I guess that would work.” She leans back against the counter. “What’s the plan?”
“I’m going to hang out with the guys to study and then I’ll go to Penny’s.” Not daring to look my mom in the eye, I rise and busy myself with my plate. I’m still wearing Caden’s jersey and I know she knows that’s his last name on my back.
“All the guys? Not number thirty-four?”
Heat floods my face as I load the dishwasher. “Yes, Mom, all the guys. We’re just hanging out. It’s senior week, and the guys wanted me to wear their jerseys. It’s not a big deal.”
Unless you ask the Cheermonsters, and then it’s a huge deal.
“I’m serious, if you need more condoms and don’t want to buy them, I’ll get you all you could need.” Mom watches me carefully now.
I straighten and look her in the eyes. “I don’t need condoms, Mom.”
Not a lie. Not sure the guys would use them if I asked at this point. We’re clean and monogamous, so it’s fine.
“One of those guys will get under your skin. Passion can be overwhelming.” She’s not wrong. She shakes her head. “You need to be prepared for when it happens.”
“And with all the condoms you’ve gotten me, I will be,” I tease.
