Bad Rep (Bad Rep #1)(40)
Author: A. Meredith Walters

“Well, it doesn’t look like you have a bald spot. With the amount of hair she pulled out of your head, I wasn’t sure.” Gracie tried to crack a smile but I just gazed at her numbly.

“Maysie, I’m so sorry,” she said, putting her hand on top of mine. We sat like that for a few minutes but then I got achingly to my feet. There was no doubt I’d be feeling shitty in the morning. And not just from the bitch fight.

“I want to go to bed,” I rasped, my voice sounding like I had been gargling with glass. Gracie got to her feet as well.

“Do you want me to stay? I mean, I could keep you company,” Gracie offered, looking worried about leaving me by myself.

But I just wanted to be alone. I didn’t want to talk. I didn’t want the looks of sympathy and concern. I only wanted to sleep and pretend that this was all a bad dream. At least for a little while.

“No, that’s okay. You head on home. Riley will be here in a bit I’m sure,” I told her. Gracie gave me a quick hug.

“Olivia was wasted. I’m sure she’ll feel like shit in the morning for attacking you,” Gracie said. I shook my head.

“I hooked up with her boyfriend. I’m sure she’ll just regret not doing a better job.” I touched the scratches on my neck and grimaced.

Gracie sighed. “You’ll ride this one out. Give it a few days and everyone will move onto another scandal. It’s the nature of the college gossip chain. You’ll see,” Gracie promised. But I didn’t believe her.

Though I tried to smile, for her sake. “Thanks, Gracie. You’re a good friend.” Gracie hugged me again.

“Okay, well then, I guess I’ll talk to you tomorrow. If you need anything, call me, okay?” I nodded, following her to the front door. “You’re one tough cookie. You’ll come out of this swinging. I know it!” I wished I shared just a fraction of her positivity. But I was all tapped out.

“Sure thing,” I replied, closing the door behind her. I went to my room, not bothering to turn on the light. I took off my dress and threw it on the floor. I lay down on my bed, too exhausted to turn back the covers. I stared at my ceiling, my mind going a thousand miles a minute. My life was over. I was sure of it.

My phone chirped from my bedside table. I wanted to ignore it, but instead I leaned over and grabbed it, turning the screen on. A text from Jordan waited for me. I didn’t even have the energy to wonder how he got my number.

Are you alright? Please let me know you got home safely! I’m so sorry about all of this. We need to talk. ~Jordan

I debated whether I should respond. But finally, I caved.

I’m fine. Talk soon.

Then I deleted his message and turned my phone off. Because right now, I was done with talking.

Chapter Thirteen

It was day one of “Maysie goes into hiding.” It felt like being in a leper colony. Or having some sort of serious social phobia. But I had to stay in my safe little bubble. Off the grid. Until everything blew over. Or the world ended in a fiery apocalypse. Whichever came first.

I woke up Sunday morning, my body aching and sore from my brief stint as a WWE wrestler. I debated whether I should turn on my phone. Then even more strongly debated whether I should just chuck it out the window. But I wanted to make sure I answered it if Gracie called. She was my lifeline to the outside world at the moment.

So I powered up my phone and chewed my thumb nail while I waited to see what would greet me. And I was both relieved and depressed to see that there were no missed texts. No new voice mails. Nothing. It was like I had fallen off the face of the Earth.

I had really thought that Jordan would try and contact me again. No, let me take that back. I had wanted Jordan to be blowing up my phone, desperate to get in touch. I had told him we’d talk but then I’d heard nothing. His disturbing silence was all the proof I needed that our brief saliva swapping was a complete mistake. One that would be much harder for me to come back from than him.

I was pretty sure Olivia had already forgiven Jordan of our little transgression. They were probably back to being the most perfect couple ever. And here I was, in my Scooby Doo pajamas looking like I had lost a round with Rocky Balboa. If that wasn’t karma, I didn’t know what was.

Tucking my phone into the pocket of my jammie bottoms, I went to the bathroom, refusing to look at my reflection. No need to depress myself. There would be enough time for self-recrimination later. Now, I just wanted a bowl of Cocoa Puffs and hours of Gossip Girl on the DVR.

I parked myself on the couch with a mixing bowl full of my favorite chocolate cereal and I loaded up the first eight episodes of my running guilty pleasure. And that’s how Riley found me two hours later. Well, at that point I had curled into a fetal position on the couch. I was so miserable I was practically comatose. And all I could think about was that I had f**ked up everything in my life for a guy who didn’t bother to call me again.

Sure he had texted but if he really cared about me, wouldn’t he have responded to my last message? No, he had only been doing the decent thing. I’m sure he and the tragically betrayed Olivia were all wrapped up in each other while he made up for allowing himself to be tempted by the evil skank in Chi Delta clothing.

I would not cry damn it! I was chanting this to myself over and over again to little avail when Riley breezed in, looking happy. I felt like the shittiest best friend on the planet because I couldn’t think about what it was that put that huge smile on her face. My only thought was that I wanted her to comfort me.

Once she got a good look at my tear stained face and the fact that it was almost noon and I was still in my pajamas, her smile faded. “What the hell happened to you?” she asked in concern, coming over to the couch. I tucked my knees up to my chest and gave a shuddery little sob.

“Mays. What is it?” she asked, putting her hand on my leg. I pulled up into a sitting position and looked at her, feeling the tears slip down my cheeks.

“I f**ked up, Riley. Fucked up big time.” And then I unloaded everything. The whole horrible night.

When I was done she looked at me in shock. “Well, damn. Maysie, that’s some messed up shit,” she said matter-of-factly. I couldn’t help but laugh a little maniacally. Because she had hit the nail right on the head, as always.

“I can’t believe I was so stupid! I had told myself time and time again to leave it alone. To stay the hell away from him! And what do I do? I jump in lips first!” I growled, throwing a pillow across the room in frustration.

“Now, now. No sense in destroying the decor. First things first, you need to get a shower because I am not going to sit here and smell you a moment longer. You reek of desperation and b.o.” She tugged on my hand, pulling me to my feet.