Getting Schooled (The Wright Brothers Book 1) (7 page)

“Yes,” I lied, for the second time in less than five minutes. “I’m fine.”

“See you in class Friday?”

I smirked. “What, did you miss me or something?”

“Nah,” he said, after sucking his teeth. “Nobody missed your mean ass. I just noticed you weren’t there is all.”

“Uh huh. Sure.”

“You gonna answer the question?”

I let out a little sigh, then brought my gaze up to meet his, forcing myself to smile. “I… don’t know yet. I
never
know useful information. Remember?” I winked at him, and then turned away, finishing my trip down the hall to my mother’s office.

That little flirting had stripped the last of my emotional energy, and I unlocked the door with what felt like the last of my physical too. I closed it behind me, and then dropped into the chair at the desk I used, resting my head on the desk with a sigh.

After a few moments had passed, I pulled out my phone, navigating it to a particular number. I waffled for several moments, knowing I couldn’t call it, but wanting to anyway. Finally, I tucked it away. Pulled out my laptop, started it up, and dove into my work.

Anything to absorb myself in and make it through the next few days.

six.

I didn’t make it to class Friday.

Not my class, not my mother’s class, and I didn’t even bother explaining, because she already knew why. I slept in as late as my body would let me – nine in the morning, even after I’d been up at midnight the night before to go for a run.

As soon as the sunlight pulled me from my sleep, I got up, drank a cup of Valerian tea, took more melatonin, and climbed my ass right back in the bed to toss and turn. By the time 2pm rolled around, it was clear that my body wasn’t on board with my idea to sleep away the cognizance that this day even existed.

Logic said that a bottle of wine would easily solve my problem, but I wasn’t interested in dealing with the hangover after. Instead, I pulled myself out of bed and showered until the water ran cold, and I had to get out.

2:42.

I pulled an oversized tee-shirt over my head and made my way into the kitchen, searching for something that would spark an appetite. Almond milk, wheat bread, special K, tomatoes, rice crackers, apples, dried lentils, chicken breast… I pushed out a heavy sigh.

Nobody wanted any of that shit.

I let the refrigerator swing closed, and then just stood there, looking… crazy. Another heavy sigh, and I made my way into the living room, grabbing the remote before I flopped down on the couch. I’d just turned the TV on when my doorbell rang, and I debated about whether or not I planned to answer. It sounded again, with a little more urgency, and I drug myself up from the couch to get it.

The same delivery guy from a few weeks ago stood on my doorstep, holding what I
knew
were Thai spicy wings, even through the closed box. That sweet, piquant aroma drifted up to my nose, making my stomach rumble with hunger. I didn’t even know the circumstances – I just thanked God for provision, and signed the little slip confirming I’d gotten them. He waved me off when I said I had to grab my wallet, telling me the bill was already paid.

I lit into that box before the door was even closed, licking sticky red-brown sauce from my fingers as I kicked it shut. I stood there in my foyer eating, and was through half of the set of ten wings when I figured I should probably see which one of my love ones had rescued me.

My cell phone was off, and had been all morning. I hadn’t planned to turn it on at all today, but it probably wasn’t the best idea in the world to be completely unavailable. As soon as it powered on, it began pinging and vibrating, informing me of social media notifications and new texts.

There were a couple from my mother, which I immediately returned, because I didn’t want her worrying about me. Same with Devyn, who was at work now, but had sent me a picture of herself with a box of wings, captioned “
Twin with me boo! I know Auntie makes you keep all that health-nut stuff in the house, but I had a feeling you might need something a little different today. Let me know if you need me. *hugs*”

I smiled. Of course my bestie had thought to take care of me. I sent her a message back as well, thanking her for the wings and assuring her that I was fine, even if it wasn’t completely true. She didn’t get off from her shift at the hospital until two in the morning and I didn’t want
her
worrying about me either.

The last message surprised me.

“Dani Renee at Refill tonight… you wanna go? – Grayson”

Hmm.

I still hadn’t said anything about him being at the library and not bothering to try to see me, because we hadn’t been in touch. He’d been busy doing whatever the hell he was doing, and I was busy trying not to have an emotional breakdown. But really, I wasn’t even interested anymore. Once I was past my funk, I would make it official, but we were so far past expiration date that our milk was turning to yogurt.

“No, sorry. Not in the mood.”

“No surprise there. – Grayson.”

I tilted my head to the side, staring at my phone, because what the whole entire fuck? No “hey, what’s wrong?” or “do you need anything?”, just a smart ass remark. Even Jason’s rude ass had the decency to ask what was going on with me when he could tell I wasn’t myself, but not the guy that was supposed to be my boyfriend?

I dropped the phone in my lap, disgusted, and picked up the rest of my wings. A few minutes later, I went and opened that wine, pouring half down the drain to make sure I didn’t drink it. Back at the couch, I realized just how intuitive that was. I turned the bottle back, and didn’t let it down until half of what was left was gone.

I finished my wings, finished my wine, and about an hour later, I was passed out sleep again in front of the TV.

- & -

I woke up with a jolt.

My mouth was dry, and the tiniest hint of a headache was needling into my brain until I sat up, and life began to flow back into my limbs. I felt groggy, but through the fog, I realized that Dani Renee, a pretty neo-soul singer known for her haunting voice and red locs, was on my TV. She was giving an interview, but as I watched, it cut to a clip from one of her shows. Her distinctive voice sliced right through my morose attitude, hitting me in the gut, and I knew right then that yeah… I
was
going to Refill tonight.

Fuck Grayson.

I texted mama and Devyn where I would be, and then turned the TV off and hooked my phone to my sound system, blasting Dani’s CD as I took another shower. Summer was cooling into fall, so I had a perfect excuse to wear the cute combat boots I’d purchased on sale back in June, paired with a short, flowy pink long-sleeved dress that hung off my shoulders.

My phone chimed, and I checked it, noticing a message from Olivia, asking if I was going to Refill tonight. I already knew
she
was, because she
always
was, so I didn’t even bother responding. I’d see her when I got there tonight.

I pulled my braids back from my face and secured them with a clip, then brought some of them forward over one shoulder. I put on the biggest hoop earrings I had, plus some bracelets and the engraved nameplate necklace I never left home without. Some bb cream, liner, mascara, and a little lipstick, and I… still felt like shit.

I’d slept for damn near five hours after my wings and wine, so it was already nine at night before I left my house. I climbed into my little purple Audi and made my way across town, fighting the Friday night crowds to find a place to park.

I had to walk a bit to get to Refill, but the vibrant energy of the city was doing me some good. No matter how much I wanted to stay home and sleep the day away, now that I was out, I actually did feel better. It was nearing ten o clock by the time I made it into Refill, and the dynamic was beyond hype inside. According to the bartender, Dani was taking a little break but would be back on stage in a few minutes. I ordered a cranberry vodka and sprite, and sipped it while I walked around, looking for familiar faces.

It didn’t take me long to find one.

I saw Olivia, sitting down at one of the elevated bar-height tables along the perimeter of the club. The room was dark, brightened every few moments by the flash of a strobe light, but those tables each had a little individual spotlight, thanks to the sconces on the wall.

She was grinning hard as hell – smiling bigger than I’d
ever
seen. As much as she came out, Olivia wasn’t really a party girl. She forced herself to do it to be seen. When we first met, I’d had to drag her out after one too many complaints about being bored with just doing work and school. She’d attached herself to me – going out when I did, getting her nails done at the same place, shopping where I did. She took that little push I’d given her and ran with it – hell, she even dressed better than me now. I didn’t mind it, but it bugged the shit out of Devyn. I just saw it as her blossoming.

And blossom, she
had
.

Her grown ass had been painfully shy about men when we met, but now here she was, half-shrouded in shadows, giggly pleasure illuminated on her face while some dude whispered in her ear and kissed on her neck. In public.

I shook my head, even though the sight brought about one of the very few smiles I’d been able to summon today. Student had unquestionably surpassed the master, because I was nowhere near bold enough for that.

I kept sipping from my drink as I weaved my way to her through the crowd. The emcee announced that Dani was about to get on the stage, and I wanted to be front and center for that. I could say hi to Liv first though.

“Olivia!” I called over the din of the crowd when I was a couple of feet away, and realized there was a rail separating me from the area with the tables. I would have to walk around to a short staircase to get to where she was. She looked up, and I waved, then wiggled my eyebrows at her as I cut my eyes toward the guy she was with, who was apparently a vampire and trying to suck her damn neck off.

Her eyes went wide when they landed on me, and I giggled, and nodded. “
Busted
!” I mouthed at her, and laughed. “Fast ass!”

That crazy wide eyed look still hadn’t left her face, but she slid her eyes away from mine and over to her new boy toy. Her lips moved – she said something, but not to me, and just as Dani Renee’s band played their first notes, he detached himself from her neck, turned around, and looked me right in the face.

My smile died on my lips, and I hopped that fucking railing with my drink still in my hand.

“Well this is
cozy
.” I stopped right in front of the table, looking back and forth between her and Grayson. “When exactly did this happen?”

“When you decided to stop being a good gir—”

“Shut the hell up,” I snapped at Grayson, who’d taken it upon himself to answer a question that wasn’t directed at him. “I’m not talking to you.
Fuck you.
I’m talking to the bitch that’s supposed to be my friend.”

I turned my scowl back to Olivia, who looked like she wanted to crawl in a hole and die. At that moment, I wanted that for her too.

“Reesie, I—”

“Don’t call me
Reesie
. Friends call me Reesie. It’s Reese for you.”

She swallowed hard, her eyes darting around like she was looking for an escape. “Okay. Okay. I… um… I didn’t mean for this to happen, I’m sorry! He just started coming to the library after you introduced us, and… and… ”

“And
what
? You slipped and fell on his dick? Come the hell on, Olivia! I mean… I know we aren’t
best
friends, but come on! I’ve never been anything but cool with you, and you do
this
?”

“Why are you so mad?” Grayson drawled, and when I looked over at him, he was wearing a dumbass smirk. “You barely wanted me anymore anyway. Consider this moving on… no harm done.”

“No harm done?! You could have given me something from this…
ugh!
”

I took a deep breath, calming myself from screaming for everyone to hear that Olivia had screwed a good 10% of the male population in our city. For one, she was within her rights to screw whatever
single
men she wanted. For two, that was her business, and unlike her, I wasn’t a grimy enough bitch to spread her information just because I was pissed.

Directing my voice at Grayson, I sneered. “Your corny ass better hope like hell that
no harm done
is true.”

He chuckled. “Your prissy ass isn’t going to do anything.”

“Keep thinking that,” I nodded, giving him an ugly smile, and then turned back to Olivia. “Let me give you one last little tip - I hope you don’t think you won some sort of prize with this fool. He did this shit to me? He’ll do the same to you.”

Finding the nerve from somewhere to get an attitude, Olivia scoffed. “But I’m not
you
Reese. You taught me some stuff, yeah, but you can’t teach what you don’t know… how to keep your man. I’m good.”

On the other side of her, Grayson laughed, and in front of me, a sly grin crept onto Olivia’s face. Behind me, the emcee announced the end of Dani’s set, and the realization hit me that I’d missed the whole reason I came out. On today, of all days.

And these jackasses thought it was funny.