by Helen Cooper
“What?” I screeched and looked down at my outfit. “I don’t look butch.” But I didn’t look particularly feminine, either. I was wearing baggy blue jeans, a big T-shirt and had my hair back in a bun. I certainly wasn’t in any seduction-mode outfit, but that was by design. I wanted to look scruffy now, so that when I went into full-on seduction mode in the evening, TJ would be taken by surprise. I had to plan differently, now that I knew I had a Barbie to deal with.
“I’m not a lesbian, asshole.” I turned around and walked towards my bedroom. “I told you I’m seeing a guy.”
“Oh yeah, you did say something about some putz,” he said, following me into my bedroom. “Where is he? Hiding under your bed?”
“He doesn’t need to hide under the bed.” I turned around and glared at him.
“Oh?” His eyes narrowed and he looked at my unmade bed and then back at me. “Don’t you make your bed anymore, Mila? It looks like a mess.”
“You’re not my dad and yes, I do make my bed. Just not today. I had a late night,” I said, which wasn’t technically a lie. I did make my bed. Every time I knew my parents were coming over, or when I was having friends over— except for Sally. I didn’t bother making my bed every time I knew Sally was coming over. She didn’t care that I was messy. Well, at least not now that we didn’t live together.
“A late night?”
“Yes, with my man,” I said emphatically and fell down on the mattress and closed my eyes, letting out a loud sigh as I rolled around on the disheveled sheets. “We had a really late night. Sorry if I didn’t make the bed this morning, but I was worn out,” I croaked out, lying like crazy. I had gone to bed late, but not because of any guy. I’d stayed up all night watching episodes of GRΣΣK on Netflix, while simultaneously stalking one of the actors on Instagram. If things weren’t going to work out with TJ, they might work out with Scott Michael Foster. He was a decent second option, if I ever had the chance to meet him.
“Hey,” I squealed as I felt TJ pulling me up abruptly from the bed. My eyes flew open and I stared at his angry face with an emotion akin to glee. “That hurt,” I said as I stood next to him and rubbed my arms.
“Do you think it’s appropriate for you to be talking about your casual sex with your unknown man-friend and then to be reliving the memories in your mind while rolling around on your bed?” His green eyes flashed at me. “Do you think your parents would approve of your behavior?”
“Huh?” I said, my jaw dropping. “What are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about the little moans you were making as you wiggled around on the bed just now.” He frowned. “I don’t want the image of you having casual sex in my mind, thank you very much.”
“It’s not casual sex,” I said with a glare. “We’re in a loving relationship.”
“Really?” TJ said with a smirk. “A loving relationship? Yet no one in your family has ever heard of this guy?”
“Of course they have.” I put my hands on my hips and stared at him.
“No, they haven’t,” he said with a self-assured smirk. “I asked Cody last night if he had met your boyfriend. And he seemed very confused and he asked your parents and none of them had any clue you were dating anyone, let alone in a loving relationship.”
“Whatever, jerk.” I turned away, fuming. I should have known he’d ask my parents about my boyfriend. TJ was the sort of guy who knew exactly what he was doing. You could never get the best of him in any situation. He was always ten steps ahead of me, even before I knew to start counting.
“I’m not a jerk. I just wanted to meet this new guy in your life. See if I thought he was going to be a good addition to the family.”
“Yeah, right.” I rolled my eyes, knowing that everyone was going to be calling me soon to get more information on my paramour. I was surprised Nonno hadn’t shown up already and done his “I have Mafioso friends” bit.
“I see I had nothing to worry about.” TJ ran his hand through his dark hair. “Your relationship isn’t that serious.”
“Yet,” I said as I released my bun and tossed my long blond hair, which I’d spent a lot of money getting highlighted at my local hairdresser’s. I tried not to think of the money I’d spent, especially because Cody hadn’t gotten back to me about the advance yet. “You’re correct, of course, Troy and I were merely bedroom partners in the beginning, but now it has become more.”
“Bedroom partners?” TJ’s eyes narrowed again, but he looked unconvinced as he surveyed my face.
“Fuck-buddies, friends with benefits, hook-up pals—you get the drift,” I said with a sweet smile as his chin hardened. TJ was starting to look pissed, and I loved it.
“You’re telling me you have a fuck-buddy?” he said, his tone edgy, and he stepped towards me again, his brow furrowed as his eyes darkened.
“What’s it to you?” I said softly. “Isn’t that exactly what Barbie is to you?” I said softly, and he growled and turned away from me.
“I’m not playing these games with you, Mila. Grab your stuff. I’ll be in the living room.” He stopped at my door and turned back to look at me. “And call Sally. I’m not going to wait around all day for your best friend to show up. We have places to be. And I’m not planning on arriving late. You’re the one who confirmed the time with me.”
“Well, it’s not like anyone will be up waiting for us,” I said, annoyed at his tone. “My parents, who still haven’t called me, won’t be there and Cody’s not arriving until tomorrow, right?”
“Barbie and I have plans for the night.” He grinned. “I want to make sure they happen and I don’t fall asleep as soon as we arrive.”
“Well, maybe I can ask Troy to drive Sally and me up,” I said, snapping at him. “I’m sure he won’t mind.”
“Troy?” He lifted an eyebrow.
“My boyfriend.”
“So Troy is coming on this trip?” he asked, his right eyebrow still raised. “Cody didn’t tell me that.”
“It was going to be a surprise,” I said churlishly, fiddling with my hair again and wondering where I could get a ‘Troy’ from at this late notice.
“Am I giving him a ride as well?” he said, his tone annoyed. “And is he chipping in for gas?”
“Is Barbie going to be chipping in for gas?” I said, annoyed. “And no, he’s not riding up with us, he’s driving his own car up. His Mercedes-Benz sports car, to be exact.”
“So, why aren’t you riding in his sports car, as well?” TJ asked in that matter-of-fact way that let me know that he wasn’t buying in a million years that there was a Troy or that he had a Mercedes-Benz sports car.
“Because…” I stammered, trying to think of a reason. My mind was going blank and I tried not to glare at TJ. He was hot, but sometimes he was just so annoying. It was as if he deliberately tried to taunt me and make me feel like a loser. I wondered if he had any idea of the plans I had for him and the weekend. He wouldn’t be looking so cocky and self-assured then. He had no idea that ‘little Mila’ had grown up. I wasn’t some little innocent girl that he could put down and make fun of. I was going to show him exactly how grown up I was now. I was going to show him that I was all adult. That would wipe that smug smile off of his face.
“Because he doesn’t have a Benz?” He smirked. “What does he have? A Honda? Hyundai?”
“What’s wrong with a Honda? I have a Honda.”
“Yeah, you do,” he said, smirk still on his face, and I wanted to punch him.
“We can’t all afford Range Rovers,” I said and then smiled sweetly. “We don’t all have rich parents.”
“Nice try, Mila. You know I bought this car with my own money.”
“Whatever,” I said, feeling very much like a little girl again, or at least a petulant teenager.
“So what’s going on? Is RoboTron coming? Where’s Sally?” TJ looked at his watch and then back at me. “I don’t have all day.”
“His name is Troy and I already told you that no, he is not c
oming. Let me call Sally and see where she is.” I grabbed my phone and tried to keep my cool.
“Yeah, that would be good. I’d like to get out of here sometime this year.”
“Cry me a river,” I sang and he laughed.
“Call Sally, dork.”
“Hold on.” I unlocked my phone and punched in Sally’s digits and listened to the phone ringing.
“Wassup,” she said happily as she answered the phone.
“I’m here with King TJ and he’s wondering where you are,” I said and gave TJ a look.
“I’m on the way.” She giggled. “I had to make a pit stop.”
“Pit stop?”
“Lingerie.” She giggled.
“What?” I kept a straight face, but my face was burning. “You too?”
“Yeah, you gave me the idea,” she said. “It’s going to be game-on this weekend. I’m going to be on Cody like a tornado hitting the Midwest.”
“Sally,” I groaned, but I couldn’t stop myself from laughing. TJ was looking at me with a weird look and I couldn’t stop the sly smile from crossing my face. He had absolutely no idea what was going to happen this weekend. I stared into his eyes and wondered what his face would look like when I sauntered into his room in my silky negligee and asked him what he thought of the look. He’d be drooling. I could almost picture the saliva falling from his mouth, like a dog that had seen a big, juicy bone.
“You okay, Mila?” TJ frowned at me.
“Yeah, why?” I blinked at him, feeling like an idiot. I’d totally spaced out.
“Why?” He raised an eyebrow. “You’re standing there with a dumb look on your face and I still haven’t heard when Sally will be here.”
“TJ’s in a good mood, isn’t he?” Sally said in my ear and laughed.
“Yeah, you know him,” I said in a snide tone. “Life of the party.”
“Well, we both know that you can change that.”
“True.” I giggled. “Oh, by the way,” I said softly, looking at TJ as I spoke, “Troy said he might be able to make it up there this weekend.”
“Who?” Sally said loudly and I quickly lowered the volume of the speaker from the buttons at the side.
“He’s just getting his Mercedes-Benz out of the garage.”
“Who’s getting their Mercedes out of the garage?” Sally sounded confused. “And who the hell is Troy?”
“Yes, they said it was an engine issue. Apparently, he was driving too fast when he went racing the other day,” I continued on, with a small smile on my face. TJ was staring at me with a concentrated expression and I just stood there talking like some fool.
“Earth to Mila,” Sally said, “I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.”
“I told Troy that he can sleep in my bed tonight,” I said and giggled. “I told him to make sure that he—”
“Oh, is Troy your fake boyfriend?” Sally said, laughing.
“Why yes, I think that is true,” I said, trying not to give anything away to TJ.
“You’re trying to make TJ jealous? Am I right?” Sally said, acting like Sherlock Holmes. Sally was a district manager for a local cable company and was applying to get her MBA, so she liked to act like she was super intelligent, which she was.
“Yeah, I think that is right,” I said and pressed the phone closer to my ear to make sure that TJ really didn’t hear anything.
“You’re so bad, Mila.” She giggled. “Only you would think of a Troy.”
“Yeah, so I think it could get serious with Troy and me,” I said with a smile and I saw TJ’s eyes narrowing. “I think he is going to ask me to move in with him this weekend.”
“No way.” Sally screeched and I laughed. She was really playing her role well. “Oh wait,” she said sheepishly. “I forgot Troy was made up for a second. I thought you really were going to be moving in with your boyfriend.”
“Sally.” I tried not to roll my eyes. “So, we’ll see you soon?”
“I’ll be there in about ten minutes,” she said. “See you then.”
“See ya,” I said and then hung up. “She’ll be here in ten minutes,” I said to TJ and he just nodded. I watched as he pulled his phone out and made a call.
“Hey, sweet lips,” he purred into the phone and this time I did roll my eyes. “My best friend’s sister is waiting on her best friend, so we’re running a little late. Yeah, Cody’s sister.” He turned around and looked at me as he listened to whatever Barbie was saying. “She’s not dressed up, so don’t worry about it.” He looked me up and down and I felt my body shivering as his eyes stayed on my breasts for a little bit longer than was necessary. “No, Barbie. We’ve never hooked up.” He spoke into the phone, but his eyes gazed into mine. “She’s my best friend’s kid sister and she still acts like she’s a teenager. You have nothing to worry about.”
I glared at him as he spoke and then pushed past him and headed towards the bathroom, my face a bright red. Kid sister, my ass. And how dare he say I act like a teenager? Who the hell did he think he was? Father Brown or something? I was furious as I slammed the bathroom door and splashed my face with some water. I took a couple of deep breaths and finally calmed myself down. I wasn’t sure if I was so angry because he was essentially calling me immature, or if I was angry because he made it seem as if he would never be physically interested in someone like me. Like I was some sort of slob or something. I’d show him—and Barbie—that I, Mila Antonia Brookstone, was not someone to be taken lightly.
Chapter Four
Mila
September 18th, 2008
Dear Diary,
My life ended today. Officially ended. Like, I cried so many tears that I thought I was going to cause a flood in my room. I was going to be solely responsible for the end of the Earth. Noah wasn’t going to be able to build an ark to survive the flood I was going to cause. Why did my life end, you ask? Why? Why? Why? I found out that TJ Walker has a girlfriend. And that¸ as he said to Cody, she has the ‘biggest tits’ he’s ever seen on a girl. And he knows they are real. Can you believe that? I was shocked. He’s there at college playing with girls’ boobs and I’m here, basically telling Harry I can’t go to Homecoming with him because I’m saving myself for my true love. And my true love isn’t even thinking about me. I also hate Cody, too. He was encouraging TJ. He even asked TJ if she was a good fuck. I nearly went and told my mom, but then Cody would know I’d been listening at his door and then maybe he and TJ wouldn’t come over so often. Anyway, that’s my life now. TJ is going to marry some girl with big boobs and I’m going to be alone for the rest of my life. As long as it lasts, anyway. I swear my tears will be the end for everybody.
Mila
XOXO
P.S. I’m thinking about getting breast implants, but only if TJ doesn’t marry his college slut of a girlfriend.
Friday, One Week Ago
“I’m sorry I was late,” Sally said from the back seat as soon as TJ got out of the car to go and get Barbie. “Why did he have such an attitude?” she asked softly, her dark brown eyes curious.
“You know TJ.” I rolled my eyes as I looked back at her. “He’s as melodramatic as a girl.”
“Hey, I take offense to that,” Sally said and laughed. She leaned back in the seat and stretched before continuing. “You are not going to believe the outfit I got. It is hot, hot, hot.”
“Well, I hope it’s not the same outfit that I got.” I grinned. “That would be weird.”
“I can’t believe that you’re going to seduce him. With his girlfriend still in the picture,” Sally said, her jaw slack as her eyes sparkled. “This is going to be a crazy weekend.” She paused and grinned at me. “Notice anything different?”
“Different?” I said, unsure what she was talking about, and then I noticed her long, silky black hair, hanging straight down her back. “Oh, my God, your hair! What did you do to it?”
“I got a keratin treatment.” She beamed. “That’s why I was really late; don’t tell TJ. I
mean if he knew I was getting my hair done and shopping, he’d have a fit.” She laughed. “Doesn’t my hair feel silky?” She leaned forward and I ran my fingers down her locks.
“Wow, yeah,” I said, impressed. “You didn’t want to be curly this weekend?” Sally had gorgeous curly hair and I was always jealous that I couldn’t get my straight hair to have any sort of wave or curl.
“Well, I might go curly if we go skinny-dipping in the lake. Me and Cody.” She giggled. “Not you and me.”
“Duh.” I rolled my eyes and shuddered. “And that’s gross, by the way.”
“It’s totally not gross.” She grinned. “I told my parents that we were going to the lake this weekend and my mom just winked at me.”
“Oh, funny,” I said.
“And let’s be real, Cody and I would have such cute kids.”
“Sally!” I raised an eyebrow at her. “You’re meant to be the reasonable one.
“I am.” She giggled. “Well, most of the time.” She leaned back and I stared at her caramel complexion affectionately.
“You look like you’re glowing,” I said. “Makeup, or have you been in the sun?”
“Oh, it’s some glow stick I got at Sephora.” Her eyes sparkled at me. “I wanted to make sure I looked my best.” Her eyes narrowed as she looked me up and down. “I guess you had a change of mind.”
“No.” I laughed. “A change of plan, but not a change of mind.”
“Oh, we’re so bad.” Sally laughed, her eyes sparkling as she looked at me.
“Would we have it any other way?” I laughed and then she leaned forward.
“No.” She laughed again. “I blame it on the Italian blood in both of us.”
“Yeah, I would agree.” I grinned. “It’s the crazy Italiano.”
“Yup.” She grinned. Sally’s father was second-generation Italian and her mother was from Guyana, a country situated on the continent of South America, just south of the Caribbean. She’d gotten the best qualities from both parents and was gorgeous. Men used words like ‘exotic’ to describe her, but she hated that term. As far as she was concerned, her looks weren’t as important as her brains. Though I don’t think any of the guys she dated cared about her brains.
