understand, Reese. Is some creep bothering you?”
“N…no. It was probably my brother or something. He might come for a visit soon. But, uh, Jeremy, if he calls again, don’t tell him—just tell him to leave a name. Thanks.” This time as I walk across the lawn in the direction of the dormitory, I don’t feel light and happy. I am scared, and not knowing what you are scared of is the scariest feeling of all.
Chapter 6:
Tinley is wearing her bra and underwear when I walk into our room. I have never been so grateful to see a familiar face. “Hey, sunshine,” she says as I lie down on my bed after kicking off my heels.
“Hey,” I say.
“Rough day?”
“You have no idea, but I don’t want to talk about it.” Tonight is Tinley’s big night with Murphy. She doesn’t need it ruined by worrying about me, and though Tinley is one of the most self-centered people I know, she also has room in her compassionate heart for me, and this isn’t the time to occupy that space. “What are you wearing for the big night?”
“Well, you tell me. I can’t decide.”
“This is a first,” I say, sitting up to look at the assortment of clothes, all with new tags, that litter her bed. “Are you going for the sexy diva angle or the wholesome temptress look?”
“Is that all these choices are saying to you?” she asks.
“Kind of. No offense. I mean, I know it’s hotter than hell out tonight, but maybe you should show a little less skin if you’re taking yourself off the market and committing to one guy for the rest of your life.”
“Oh my…” Tinley sinks to her bed, wrinkling the clothes beneath her. “One guy…it sounds so permanent.”
“That is kind of the purpose of marriage, Tinley.” I laugh, but Tinley sits stone-faced. “You don’t have to do this. Who cares what your parents think? You shouldn’t marry or not marry Murphy to prove a point to them. You’re twenty-one years old. You should marry because you’re in love with Murphy and can’t think of spending another minute without him.” I laugh. “I guess maybe I read a few too many fairy tales when I was little. Sorry.”
“No, Reese, you’re right. I’ve been thinking so much about shoving my relationship with Murphy in my parents’ faces that I’ve lost sight of how much he means to me. No one has ever made me feel the way Murphy does. Sure, he follows me around like a puppy, but he’s also assertive when I need him to be and won’t let me get away with crap. Why would I want to marry anyone else? Thanks, Reese.” Tinley hugs me so tight I feel like I’m suffocating.
“Maybe you should put some clothes on before someone walks in and gets the wrong idea.”
“Ha! You’re so funny. I know exactly what to wear.” She stands up and pushes the hangers out of the way, pulling out a short purple dress. She slips into it and admires herself in the mirror, every bit of her perfectly toned body being held in place by the band-aid dress, though to Tinley’s eyes she looks virginally conservative and angelic because her shoulders are covered. I suppose she wouldn’t be Tinley without a skewed view of reality. “Well, what do you think?” she asks, spinning around in front of me?
“Perfect, Tinley,” I say. She wrinkles her face. “No, really, you look beautiful.”
“Thanks, doll. Now, tell me why the sad face when you came in. Ted cracking the whip too hard?”
“No, it’s not that—at least not today.” I lean against the wall next to my bed and scrunch up my pillow, clinging it to my chest.
“Then what? Come on, spill.”
“There’s just some weird stuff happening. I suspect Lawson is behind it, but I can’t prove it.”
“What weird stuff?” She sits in the new polka-dot arm chair she bought me for her going away gift a couple of days ago. She’d said, Reese, you need to spruce this place up, and without me here, you’ll be even more in dire need of fashion help.”
I sigh. “First it was some weird
“N…no. It was probably my brother or something. He might come for a visit soon. But, uh, Jeremy, if he calls again, don’t tell him—just tell him to leave a name. Thanks.” This time as I walk across the lawn in the direction of the dormitory, I don’t feel light and happy. I am scared, and not knowing what you are scared of is the scariest feeling of all.
Chapter 6:
Tinley is wearing her bra and underwear when I walk into our room. I have never been so grateful to see a familiar face. “Hey, sunshine,” she says as I lie down on my bed after kicking off my heels.
“Hey,” I say.
“Rough day?”
“You have no idea, but I don’t want to talk about it.” Tonight is Tinley’s big night with Murphy. She doesn’t need it ruined by worrying about me, and though Tinley is one of the most self-centered people I know, she also has room in her compassionate heart for me, and this isn’t the time to occupy that space. “What are you wearing for the big night?”
“Well, you tell me. I can’t decide.”
“This is a first,” I say, sitting up to look at the assortment of clothes, all with new tags, that litter her bed. “Are you going for the sexy diva angle or the wholesome temptress look?”
“Is that all these choices are saying to you?” she asks.
“Kind of. No offense. I mean, I know it’s hotter than hell out tonight, but maybe you should show a little less skin if you’re taking yourself off the market and committing to one guy for the rest of your life.”
“Oh my…” Tinley sinks to her bed, wrinkling the clothes beneath her. “One guy…it sounds so permanent.”
“That is kind of the purpose of marriage, Tinley.” I laugh, but Tinley sits stone-faced. “You don’t have to do this. Who cares what your parents think? You shouldn’t marry or not marry Murphy to prove a point to them. You’re twenty-one years old. You should marry because you’re in love with Murphy and can’t think of spending another minute without him.” I laugh. “I guess maybe I read a few too many fairy tales when I was little. Sorry.”
“No, Reese, you’re right. I’ve been thinking so much about shoving my relationship with Murphy in my parents’ faces that I’ve lost sight of how much he means to me. No one has ever made me feel the way Murphy does. Sure, he follows me around like a puppy, but he’s also assertive when I need him to be and won’t let me get away with crap. Why would I want to marry anyone else? Thanks, Reese.” Tinley hugs me so tight I feel like I’m suffocating.
“Maybe you should put some clothes on before someone walks in and gets the wrong idea.”
“Ha! You’re so funny. I know exactly what to wear.” She stands up and pushes the hangers out of the way, pulling out a short purple dress. She slips into it and admires herself in the mirror, every bit of her perfectly toned body being held in place by the band-aid dress, though to Tinley’s eyes she looks virginally conservative and angelic because her shoulders are covered. I suppose she wouldn’t be Tinley without a skewed view of reality. “Well, what do you think?” she asks, spinning around in front of me?
“Perfect, Tinley,” I say. She wrinkles her face. “No, really, you look beautiful.”
“Thanks, doll. Now, tell me why the sad face when you came in. Ted cracking the whip too hard?”
“No, it’s not that—at least not today.” I lean against the wall next to my bed and scrunch up my pillow, clinging it to my chest.
“Then what? Come on, spill.”
“There’s just some weird stuff happening. I suspect Lawson is behind it, but I can’t prove it.”
“What weird stuff?” She sits in the new polka-dot arm chair she bought me for her going away gift a couple of days ago. She’d said, Reese, you need to spruce this place up, and without me here, you’ll be even more in dire need of fashion help.”
I sigh. “First it was some weird
Similar Books
