Chapter 24
It's confirmed. The world is against me.
The moment I reach the parking lot to commandeer Jordy's SUV, I see the security guards making their rounds.
Hell, they even stop two classmates and reprimand them for being out, giving them a slip of paper.
A ticket, I think. So much for using a vehicle to get me to the corner store. A walk is good for me, right?
Damn.
I need a strawberry margarita, ice cream, cookies, and a whole lot of pain medication. All in that order. And immediately. Why can't teleportation exist? Ugh.
I rub my temple when I enter the slightly busy convenience store, which is strange for the middle of the night.
The bright fluorescent lights buzz above me.
Several people move through the aisles with snacks in their hands.
The lone worker resting behind the counter greets me with a tight smile as I enter.
Yeah, buddy. I don't blame you. It's way too late to be perky and welcoming.
Especially after the long walk here.
It took me ten minutes to get here when it could have taken seconds with Jordy's car.
Mentally, I'm sending bad vibes toward the police officers for car-blocking me.
Sure, they're there for our safety. But ugh.
I just want to sleep and get this little trip over with.
Listen, I get it. They want to keep everyone alive.
Thankfully, no one else was on the road.
Not a driver. Walker. Nothing. Just me and the night sky getting acquainted once again.
It was oddly silent and comforting to my psyche after being surrounded by people all night, bumping into me.
Oh, and the asshole who fought me. Can't forget him.
I wonder how old Brutus is holding up after going limp against me.
Speaking of, my jaw twinges with pain as I walk down the aisles, searching for everything I might need.
With the long list of stuff in my head, I grabbed a small basket to hide it in.
Hopefully, no one else from the fights has the same idea and comes here.
Although it's pretty quiet and emptying out.
A few rogue murmurs here and there float through the air, but they're aisles away.
A sharp cramp in my guts almost takes me out, zinging like lightning through me.
Fuck. I hold a hand to the side of my stomach and grimace, eyeing the space around me.
I'm not regular by any means. Even the birth control pills I take don't make me any more regular like they were supposed to.
One month, it'll show and nearly kill me.
And then not show up for another three months.
It's chaotic at best. So, I knew this day would come.
I didn't expect it to happen so soon. The only indication I ever get is the slight bloating of my stomach and the twinges of pain in my uterus.
I should have known it was on the horizon. But with all the craziness of this new job, I didn't even notice. Maybe I need to wear baggy pants and t-shirts more often. They're way more comfortable, and my bloat is less noticeable.
That's the only thing that will be unnoticeable.
How the hell am I supposed to hide pads and tampons from my manly roommates?
Not to mention, there are no locks on our doors, and I'll be curled up in the fetal position for at least two to five days trying to find relief.
You know what? Add a heating pad to my list. I grab one from the shelf and toss it into my small basket, heading straight for the feminine products aisle.
I keep my eyes peeled, but no one my age is out right now. Especially not here.
"Finally," I mutter, grabbing a box of super tampons and tossing them into my basket. As my eyes browse the other sizes, the hairs on my neck stand on end like someone is watching me. Before I can turn to look, my watcher speaks.
"You," a familiar, gruff voice says behind me, startling me until I turn around. I blink several times, watching Dane stand there with a scowl and several pints of Rocky Road ice cream under his arm.
"You," I automatically say back with a startled look. I'm sure I look like a deer caught in the damn headlights.
Get your shit together, Olivia. You're a man in the tampon aisle. Dane looks me up and down with a weird expression twisting his face. Great. He's thinking the same exact thing.
"The fuck are you looking at tampons for?"
That's rude as hell. I don't know why he hates me so damn much, but I need to figure it out.
He thinks I'm a waste of space because of my scholarship student status.
Now, he's going to think I'm an even bigger freak for buying tampons and pads.
This whole remaining under-the-radar thing isn't working out, especially with my roommates.
Case in point—Dane.
"My girlfriend," I spit out quickly, attempting to put my basket behind my back and out of his sight. Too bad he follows the movement with even more suspicion.
I am a seasoned agent of Veritas. But you certainly wouldn't know that right now. I feel like a noob. This shouldn't be that hard. Easy peasy. But not lemon squeezy.
"Girlfriend," Dane laughs under his breath mockingly. "Really?"
Again. Rude as fuck. "Uh, yeah. She's in town for the weekend.
" I cock my head. "So, remain away." Please.
Stay the hell out of our room until my period is done.
Or I might bite his head off and hide his body in the nonexistent closet.
Besides, the last thing I need is him and all his pissy glory ruining my weekend.
Not to mention the party I have to drag myself to tomorrow while pretending my body isn't attempting to murder me from the inside out.
Ugh.
This mission blows.
"Well, now I want to come back and see this invisible girlfriend." He laughs more at my expense, browsing the tampons with pursed lips.
"What the fuck are you doing buying tampons?" I ask, raising a brow when he plucks a variety pack off the shelf confidently and places it under his arm.
"I have a real girlfriend," he says, gesturing to the Rocky Road ice cream and chocolates piled in his arms. "Who happens to need these. You on the other hand?" he laughs, throwing his head back and snorts.
Right. His girlfriend.
I shrug. "Well, looks like we're on the same page again." Do not blush. Do not let your face heat while he's staring you up and down. Don't embarrass yourself.
He snorts. "Whatever, Scholarship Boy. Have a good night with your hand." With that, the asshole struts away toward the cash register, laughing the entire way at my expense.
Is it against the law to smother your roommate while he's sleeping? Yes, yes it is. But it doesn't stop me from fantasizing about it. Besides, I could get away with it. I am the authority in this situation.
"Dick," I mutter, shaking my head. Turning back, I grab a small box of regulars, too. And then some thick pads for the worst of it. With my periods being so damn ridiculous, I have to make sure I have everything before it hits and I bleed through all the clothes I wear. Because I definitely will.
With my selection in hand, I make my way through the store. Although Dane's rude appearance in the tampon aisle made me want to punch him in the nose, he had the right idea. Ice cream. Cold. Chocolatey. It'll soothe all the hurt I'm about to endure over the next week.
My mind wanders as I cruise the aisles, picking up anything and everything I'll need to survive and throwing it into the basket.
Hopefully, I'll still be able to make it to class.
I don't know how I'll pull off the whole "I'm sick; leave me alone" schtick for long.
Simon will get concerned and want to baby me, which sounds delightful.
I'll figure it out when the time comes. For now, I want to make the walk home, crawl into my bed, and never leave.
A line has formed when I make it up front to the cash registers.
Dane is at the front of it with his ice cream and tampons.
He smirks at me when he picks up his bags and meanders out of the store with a laugh.
Fucker. For the most part, it's mainly college students, from the look of their condom purchases.
Mixed with a few bottles of wine, vodkas, and whiskeys.
They're ready to have a good rest of the night.
Me too, guys. Me too.
I blow out a breath. This night has been so weird.
First, I get called out for a fight. Thanks for that, Macklyn.
Revenge will be so sweet when I finally get my hands on him.
Not only for the fight, but the fuckery from five years ago.
Every time I see one of them, it's a knife to the heart.
The hurt is still there, like it happened yesterday.
Looking into their eyes and knowing they looked down at me when I was at my lowest and most desperate, sends rage through my blood.
I'm a professional, though. And being that, I have to keep my wits about me.
I am the calm. Will revenge come later? Oh, you betcha.
I'll bring it so hard, they won't know what hit them.
It'll be me—I'll hit them where it hurts.
Until then, I'm being a good undercover agent because there's more to this case than meets the eye.
This school is a hotbed of illegal activities.
I just have to figure out where it's all coming from.
Franco, probably. Or hell, maybe the mysterious other gang leader.
Whoever it is, I'll find them. And when I do, they'll wish they never fucked with me or anyone else.
I sigh, moving forward in line, smiling at the older woman who is working the register. When I return to my dorm, I still need to send in my weekly notes and attach the footage from my glasses. I can only imagine what they've caught.