My High School Revenge

Chapter 3

My alarm sounds at 6:30 A.M. Reaching over to turn it off, the sunlight streaks blind me in through the curtains. Shielding my eyes with my hand, I look over to the other side of the room to see that my roommate has finally arrived and is sleeping.

I quietly get up from my bed. I grab my flip-flops, slip them on, grab my shower caddy, and towel to get ready for classes. Opening the door and shutting it slowly so as not to wake her, I make my way to the showers. Already, five of the eight showers are being occupied. Closing the privacy door, I then set down my stuff to turn on the shower.

Moments later, the steam builds up. It’s a luxury I have not known. To have the water heat up in less than a minute is beautiful. The feel of it hits my hair and shoulders, rolling off my body and releasing the tension that built up unpacking yesterday.

I spent every second I had available to me putting things where they belonged. Putting up my dark green blackout curtains first, then fixing up my bed, and putting away my clothes. Those three hours after Tate and Eli left flew by. A knock came from the door to remind me of the meet and greet.

All twenty-one of us sat on couches, accent chairs, and stools, looking at one another awkwardly. More than half of us were female. A few of the guys were cute, but the one who sat right next to me was incredibly handsome. Which was unfortunate, because the number one rule of living in college dorms was to never, ever date or hook up with your hallmates.

Haley instructed us to go around the room and say our name and a fun fact. Sitting right across from me, she asked me to go first. Icebreakers have never been my favorite. I always dreaded having to go on and on about myself to a group of people who could really not give a s**t or less to know about me.

So, I just gave my name and said that I had once met Colin Farrell in a coffee shop one summer when I was visiting my grandmother. It was the truth; I had met him when I was in Middle School. It was the summer after my eighth grade; he walked in jeans, a T-shirt, and a leather jacket. That’s when I discovered what hot truly looked like. He said hello to everyone there, giving autographs. He was on tour after filming Fright Night, and of course, I had to go home and watch it right away.

After showering, I dry off and wrap it around my body so that I can fix my hair. I brush through my curls, starting at the bottom and making my way to the top. Then apply my curl cream and oil mix, covering each strand. Margaret stands there beside me, blow-drying her hair. As soon as I go to leave, she looks over to me.

“Hey, you're Cherry, right?” she asks.

“Yeah.” I turn to her, looking at a bombshell of blonde.

“I just had to say you’re gorgeous. I love your hair.”

“Thanks, you too. You’re a business major?” I ask.

“Yes, and you’re pre-med from what I remember. Seriously, damn girl. Props to you. I know business can be intense, but having to take physics and chemistry would ruin me. Hey, there’s a term kick-off party at one of the fraternities on Friday night, you wanna come with me?”

I smile at her, trying hard not to hide how excited I am. “Yeah, that sounds fun.”

“Awesome, here, let’s exchange numbers so you have mine. It starts at nine, but I was thinking of getting there a little past that.”

She hands her phone over and grabs mine, putting her number into mine. Waving bye to her, I leave the bathroom and head to my room, still smiling as I approach my door. It’s wiped from my face when I see Eli Richardson leaning against it.

“Good morning, sweet Cherry,” he says as he looks me up and down, staring longer than normal at my chest.

“What the hell are you doing here, Eli? And how did you even get in?”

“I have my ways,” he says. “I just wanted to stop by and bring you coffee before your first class. I knocked on your door, but no one answered, so I waited after one of your hallmates said they saw you heading to the shower. Being the gentleman I am, I waited for you to get out.”

“Why would you bring me coffee?” I ask, thinking about how I didn’t see it as being nice to Cherry on his bingo card.

“I wanted to do something nice for you. I know that you have a full schedule ahead of you. With Biology, Chemistry, and having to work your research case study shift this afternoon. Thought you might need a pick-me-up. It doesn’t hurt that I got to see you in nothing but a towel; it’s the cherry on top of such a beautiful day.”

Fuck me, coming from literally anyone else's mouth would have me melting. Still, it has warmth pooling low in my stomach. He tries to hand me the cup, as I go to grab it, my towel loosens, revealing more of my cleavage. His eyes find their way to them, and he licks his lips.

The door to my room opens. I pull my towel tighter around myself. Eli tries stepping in as I back into it. I quickly set down my caddy and snatch the cup out of his hand.

“You are not allowed to come into my room.” As I go to shut the door, I say one last thing. “Make sure Tate gets the message too, please no more coffee drop-offs, and coming into my hall to surprise me.”

“Gotcha, see you around, sweet Cherry.” And then the fucker winks at me as he strides off.

“Was I interrupting anything?” my roommate asks.

“No, you were saving me,” I confess.

“No problem. I’m gonna get ready for classes. But we should have lunch together. I left my phone number on your desk. Shoot me a text with your name.”

It takes me another fifteen minutes to allow my hair to air dry, throw on a pleated mini skirt, a camisole, and sandals. I grab my bag off the desk and head to Biology. It's a nice day; the leaves are changing color with fall's arrival. People are either heading to their classes or studying outside.

I pass by the dining hall to grab a bagel and cream cheese and make it just in time for the doors to unlock at 7:45 A.M. I’m early, of course. But I wanted to give myself enough time to find an ideal spot for lecture and to eat before the professor said no food allowed. Minutes go by when the guy who sat next to me at our meet-and-greet comes in.

He recognizes me right away, waving and smiling. He sits right next to me. He sets out his laptop and notebooks. Then he settles himself into his chair and looks over to me.

“Morning,” he says in the most sexy, velvety voice.

“Good morning.”

“It’s good seeing a face I know. I thought I was gonna go through my first day having to sit next to random people. I'm glad it’s you in one of my classes. I’m gonna be honest, if we weren’t in the same hall, I totally would have asked you out eventually. But then I saw your boyfriend outside your door this morning, and I definitely shot myself down from asking. There’s no way that I’m gonna go after Eli Richardson's girlfriend.”

“Oh no, we are not together.”

“Really?” He asks, his eyebrows furrowing with confusion. “Because he said he was looking for you. I told him you already headed for the showers. I knew who he was, of course. I mean everyone on campus knows who he is. But he introduced me as your boyfriend. Also, kind of threatened me not to try hitting on you. It was a compliment, really- someone that is ripped and successful who's threatened by me. Yeah, I’ll take it as a compliment.”

Before I can even speak up for myself, the professor walks into the class. I noticed during the time we had been talking, the classroom filled up. The people closest to us overheard us, and now they are gossiping about mine and Eli’s fake relationship.

Not even at another school and years between us could they give up their games of making a game out of my life. Well, I’m not a kid anymore. I know how to speak up for myself. I just would need to find some way to do it so it doesn’t blow up in my face.