"Good, then maybe she'll divorce him and we'll finally be rid of her. Finally, some good news."
"Hey, have you heard back from any colleges?"
"Not yet. I'm still waiting."
"If you end up coming down here, I was thinking we could live together. College room and board cost a fortune. It'd be way cheaper for you to live with me."
"You only have a one bedroom and it's really small."
"My lease is up soon and I'm thinking of moving to a two bedroom. I applied for a better paying position at work and my boss hinted that I'm going to get it. If I do, I can easily pay for a bigger apartment that would have enough room for both of us. What do you think?"
"That would be awesome! I'd love to live with you. It'd save me a ton of money."
"I still think you'll get a scholarship. Oh, my friends just got here. Can we talk later?"
"Yeah, I'll call you tomorrow."
"Brook, I know you're really sad right now but things will work out. I don't know how, but they always seem to. You just have to stay positive."
"I'll try. Have fun tonight!"
Chelsea keeps telling me to stay positive, and I'm trying to, but it's hard when I know what's coming. I'm leaving behind a place where I have real friends, people who actually care about me, and going back to a place where my friends only care about how much money I have and how I look. How can I be positive about that?
Chapter Twenty-Three
Brook
Someone knocks on the door to the apartment. I race out to answer it before they wake up my mom. It might be the maintenance guy. Our kitchen sink has a leak and my mom said they might send someone over to look at it.
The person knocks again and I run over and open the door. Chad is standing there.
"Chad, what are you doing here?"
He smiles. "I'm here to take you out." He walks past me into the apartment. "I wanted to surprise you and celebrate you coming back to Haverhill."
"There's nothing to celebrate." I shut the door but remain by it, hoping he'll get the hint that I want him to leave. "I don't want to go back. I'm being forced to, thanks to you brainwashing my dad."
"I didn't brainwash him. I told him the truth." Chad folds his arms over his chest. He looks so thin and scrawny compared to Dean. I can't believe I was ever attracted to Chad. Looking at him now, I find him repulsive. He has on his usual tan dress pants. He rarely wears jeans. I always found that annoying, even when I liked him. I felt like I couldn't wear jeans because he didn't. Since moving here, I've worn jeans almost every day.
"I'm not going out with you, Chad, and I'm leaving soon. You need to go."
He steps up to me, standing way too close. "You don't seem to get it. You and I are back together. I've already told everyone at school."
"Why would you tell them that? You know I have a boyfriend."
"You mean the guy you pretended to date to make me jealous?" He chuckles. "Didn't work. I'd never be jealous of a guy like that. But I appreciate your effort. Trying that hard to get my attention? It's cute."
He's so condescending, and sexist. He thinks women are stupid and need to be told what to do.
"I need you to leave," I say.
"I'm not leaving. We're going out." He backs me against the door, putting his hands on each side of me. "You should be thanking me for all I've done."
"I should thank you for ruining my life?" I push on him to move but he pushes back. He's standing so close I can't even lift my leg to knee him in the groin.
"We're going to go have a nice dinner, and then we're going to the hotel room I got for tonight to celebrate us being back together." He grins. "I even got you a little gift. Something I've been dying to see you in. Red. Lacy. Extra padding around the breasts since you're lacking in that area." A quick laugh follows, which is what he always does after insulting me.
"I'm not going to a hotel with you," I say, glaring at him. "Or to dinner. I'm not going anywhere with you. We're not getting back together. And if you don't move, I'm gonna scream. All my neighbors will hear me. This place has really thin walls."
