Chapter 23
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
BLAIR
The Boy Is Mine - Ariana Grande
I'm sitting at my desk studying and bored into oblivion, wishing I was doing literally anything else. I have been so consumed with Emmett and school that I haven’t gotten the chance to make many friends on campus, minus Aspen . As my first semester drags on, I notice I've gotten much closer to Aspen but not so much the other girls.
By the other girls, I only mean Verena . I don't think there's any room in my life for a girl like Lorelei . Any time she speaks to me, it’s laced with bitchiness and I’m not sure if it’s just how she is or if she reserves it for me.
I guess it might be owed, seeing as I left our last girls’ night early while I was on the brink of possibly being kidnapped. Chewing on the skin of my lip, I text our group chat to see what their thoughts are on a girl’s night in.
Me: Hey girlies, what are your plans for tonight? I was wondering if anyone is up for a chill girls night at the house?
Of course, my trusty and reliable Aspen is the first to respond.
Aspen: Always in with you girl! What are you thinking? Movies and snacks are a must. I’ll pick up everyone's favorites after my last class today.
The chat is quiet for a few more minutes and my anxiety heightens, fearful that the other girls don’t want to join. I was really hoping to at least attempt to bond with them below the surface level.
I place my phone down on my desk and let out a sigh. Continuing to study, I toss glances at my darkened phone screen, eager to receive a message from the others agreeing to a night filled with snacks, movies, and bonding.
My phone buzzes and from the way I jump to retrieve it, you’d think I was waiting for a life or death call. Verena’s name flashes on the screen and I click open our message thread.
Verena: Fuck yes, I desperately need a girl’s night. I can run and grab drinks after work! What do you drink Blair?
Aspen: She doesn’t know V, she drinks whatever you put in front of her. Lol. Get our usuals and some seltzers.
I laugh at Aspen’s text, feeling excited for the night ahead. Relieved that I’ll get to spend some more time getting to know the girls, I try to focus on studying some more, knowing the fun will come later tonight.
Two hours later, I’ve gathered enough information on the credit crisis for my upcoming paper. Shutting my books, I do a little happy dance in celebration. I slip on my shoes and grab my wallet before heading out to make a quick trip to the party store.
Back home, I start to decorate the main living area for our girls' night. The house is still empty since it’s still early afternoon, so I take advantage of the time to add a little bit of razzle dazzle.
I venture off to our garage that’s attached to the side of our house. I don’t own a car of my own, so I’ve never had much use for this room, but I know there’s a ladder in here somewhere.
It takes thirty minutes to lug the ladder inside the house on my own. The thought comes to mind of calling Emmett for help. Hell , he’d probably watch me struggle with the ladder for the fun of it. I let out a small laugh and wonder how the hell I got so comfortable with being watched unknowingly by that man .
The fact that I’d prefer him watching my every move sends a warm chill throughout my body. My heart skips a beat remembering the feel of his hands roaming over every inch of my skin and I can feel the blush spread on my cheeks in response to the thought. I know I’m playing a dangerous game by tempting him, but being watched by the devil is addicting.
My phone buzzes with a text, snapping me out of my daydream and back to reality. I reach into my back pocket and pull it out. The face identification method opens it up to my text thread with the girls before I have a chance to see who the message is from.
Lorelei: I’ll be there.
Ugh . I am not looking forward to spending time with an unenthusiastic Lorelei , but maybe this is our chance to really understand each other. It’s possible she’s been hurt and has a wall up. Hopefully , tonight is my chance to take a piece of that wall down.
Dropping the phone on the couch, I focus on my task at hand. I set up the ladder, climb all the way to the top, and begin to hang the hot pink and white streamers, decorating the ceiling.
Matching balloons are inflated and litter the floor. I set up the plastic plates and cups on the kitchen island, then step back to see the final product.
“ Perfect !” I squeal, my voice bouncing off the walls.
As I wait for the girls to arrive, I head to the bathroom and freshen up. I fix my hair and makeup and change into cute pajamas. I’m sliding on my slippers when I hear the front door open and two feminine voices yell out, “ Party time!”
I laugh and round the corner into the living area. Verena and Aspen are in the kitchen, setting down our snacks and drinks. I scurry over giving them welcome hugs and help them remove our party supplies from the bags.
“ I figured since we’re home, we could do a comfy pj theme?” I suggest with a twirl.
Aspen and Verena nod in agreement and Aspen heads to her room to change while Verena gets us started with some drinks. She pops open a seltzer for each of us and we cheers. “ To girl’s night!” She squeaks. We each take a sip, the fizzy but fruity beverage coats my throat, and to my surprise, it’s not as bad as I was afraid it would be.
Sometimes , Verena’s bubbly personality takes me by surprise. Everything about her look says, “ I will cut you and set you on fire if you look at me for a second too long.” She’s got dark hair, dark eyes, and meticulously sharp eyeliner. Her dark clothing and tattooed skin would make one hesitant to get too close, but she’s just as bubbly as Aspen , if not more. It makes sense why they get along so well.
Aspen returns to the living room in her hot pink sleep shorts and matching tank top. It makes perfect sense she’d have the attire to match the decorations.
“ Go get changed, V ! Blair and I will set up the snacks in the living room,” Aspen says.
Verena takes her seltzer and nods her head. “ I shall return, m’ladies.” She responds with a giggle. I grab the snacks from the island and begin moving them to the living room.
“ Thanks for suggesting a girl’s night, Blair . This semester has been kic king my ass and I haven’t been out a lot lately. I’m happy to spend some time with you and the girls. But , I haven’t heard anything from Lorelei .” Aspen says.
“ I mean, she does live here. She’ll show up eventually.” I respond with a light laugh. I’m praying my underlying hope of Lorelei being a no-show isn’t completely obvious, but I take this moment to be honest with Aspen .
“ I’m happy you guys were up for it though. I was hesitant because I know I haven’t gotten as much time with them as I have with you. Which I want to say thank you for, by the way. Since day one, you’ve been my saving grace. I know you have your own life and friends outside the house, plus studying and your crazy class schedule. Thank you for making me feel welcomed and…at home.” I say with a smile.
Aspen holds her hands over her heart and pouts her lips out. “ Blair ! You are the sweetest. I’m the oldest of six girls. Nurturing comes naturally to me. I promised myself a memorable college experience full of parties, boys, and most importantly, friends. I’d finally get to experience a different side of myself. One that was carefree and spontaneous. My first two years here are a blur. It makes my heart so happy that I was able to make you feel welcomed and included.”
She crosses the living room and envelops me in a warm hug. “ Verena will always be there for you too. She looks scary but she has the biggest heart, I promise. Lorelei is a different story.” She says, pulling back and chuckling.
“ I’ve noticed I’m not her favorite person. Does she always have such a cold demeanor? Or did I do something to rub her the wrong way?” I question, knowing Aspen will give me complete honesty .
“ It is definitely a Lorelei thing. She’s been that way since the day I met her. I know she’s had some heavy stuff happen in her past and I’m sure it adds to the facade she puts up. Verena and I have learned how to get along with her, slowly but surely. We’ve had two years of practice, you’ve only had a couple of months. Once you get to know her, she’s a lot more lax.” Aspen reassures.
I nod, hopeful for the night ahead. Verena waltzes into the living area at the same time the front door swings open.
Lorelei bursts through the door hollering. “ Whoo ! What’s up bitches! Time to get fucked. Where are we going tonight?!”
My mouth drops in shock. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her in a good mood.
“ Uhh , hey! We’re actually staying in tonight. Jammies and movies type of night, ya know?” I stutter afraid to burst her bubble and get kicked out of her good graces.
Her smile fades instantly. “ Oh , how nice.” She deadpans.
Closing the door behind her, she slides her bag off of her arm and steps out of her shoes. The bag gets tossed beside the entryway table and her shoes are chucked on top. Lorelei beelines for her room and I’m afraid I just fucked up our chance of kindling any type of relationship tonight.
Aspen is in the kitchen mixing drinks. Verena and Lorlei took the liberty of collecting all the pillows and blankets in the house to create the ultimate cozy zone for our movie.
Surrounded by the girls, there is still this part of me that feels left out, like I don’t belong. Why is it so hard for me to just be myself and enjoy my time with them? I don’t remember friendships ever being a packaged deal with anxiety .
I take a deep breath and walk to Aspen , offering my assistance.
“ Anything I can help with?”
Aspen whips her head in my direction and her infectious smile spreads across her face. One appears on mine too, and I automatically feel at ease.
“ Oh my gosh, yes! I’m going to show you how to make pi?a coladas! Pull out the blender for me, por favor.” She says rolling her R’s .
I salute and slide the blender with white and gold marble detailing out onto the counter. I unwrap the wire and plug it into the outlet on the wall. Aspen lines up the ingredients next to the blender and starts to give me instructions.
“ Okay ! When making your drinks, you make them for you. If you want more alcohol, dump it right in, babe. If you want to enjoy the flavors a bit more, don’t make it as strong. We can add for the other girls, but let’s focus on yours first.”
I nod in agreement, pick up the bottle of rum next to the blender, and begin to pour. A heavy stream comes out and Aspen rushes to my side, laughing. I straighten the bottle, a confused look on my face. “ Is that too much?” I ask.
“ Not for us, but maybe for you. At least we’re staying at home.” She giggles.
We throw the remaining ingredients into the blender and mix it up. While it’s blending, Aspen opens the cupboard and grabs four stemmed glasses. She asks me to pour while she grabs a fresh pineapple from our fruit bowl and begins to cut thin slices as toppers. Once the drinks are poured and topped, we carefully place them on a tray and head to the living room, with cheesy grins on our faces. I’m proud of myself for making my first round of drinks and Aspen is already tipsy from the number of seltzers she’s had.
Verena sees the tray and jumps up excitedly. “ Oh ! These look delicious. Thank you!”
Lorelei takes a glass and mumbles a thank you. I roll my eyes slightly, retrieving my own glass and sitting next to Verena , creating as much distance as possible between myself and Lorelei . I sip on my drink and it’s actually really good. I take a few more sips, in hopes that the alcohol will loosen me up.
Finishing my drink, Aspen and I decide on making a second batch. I have two more and by the time our first movie is done, we are definitely all headed towards being hungover tomorrow morning. But we’ve been laughing and enjoying ourselves which was the main goal after all.
Aspen pauses our movie night to refill on drinks, and she states that she wants us to get to know each other more.
“ I would like for us all to share a little bit about ourselves. Blair doesn’t know much about us and we don’t know much about Blair besides her major and her swelling crush on Emmett .” She says with a laugh.
I can feel my cheeks redden and I notice how Lorelei’s eyes slightly narrow towards me. My eyebrows pinch and I don’t understand why she looked at me like that. I attempt to brush it off as Aspen speaks,
“ So , I grew up in a small town called Chugwater . It’s a funny name I know, but it's a beautiful place. I’m the oldest of six, and we’re all girls.” She giggles. “ I grew up horseback riding and c aring for the animals on our land. When I came to Blackwood , I wanted to live a completely different life and I have, but I’m a natural nurturer. I am using my assets and studying education. I had so many wonderful teachers who made time for every single child. I want to be just like that.” She finishes.
“ Aspen , you will make a great teacher one day,” Verena says leaning in for a small hug. Sitting up, she takes a sip of her drink and then shimmies in preparation to share.
“ Okay , my turn. Sorry in advance if it gets awkward, I promise I’m okay.” She starts with a plastered smile on her face.
“ I am from sunny California . I have the type of parents who should have gotten divorced but chose to stay together “for the kids,” but it was for fear of what others would really think of them.” She continues, air quoting for the kids with her fingers.
“ I’m the oldest. I had a little sister but she passed away when we were younger. She was diagnosed with Leukemia when she was eight and fought as hard as she could for two years. She died a couple of months after her tenth birthday. She was really creative. She loved reading, writing, and drawing so in order to keep her spirit alive and well, I’m double majoring in Art and English to keep me connected to her and broaden my options career-wise. It’s a win-win. I don’t keep in touch with my parents too much. We work better together when we aren’t living under the same roof, and I’ve learned to accept that. They are your basic rich fucks from Cali with the rebel daughter.” Verena finishes letting out a laugh .
“ Oh wow. I’m sorry, Verena .” I offer but her hand is up and she’s shaking her head.
“ No need, all good.” She says with a smile. “ Lorelei ! You’re up, our little ball of sunshine.”
Lorelei gives Verena a fake smile and lets out a big sigh. “ Alrighty , let’s see. I am the youngest of three. I aim for nothing less than perfection and my grades show for it. I study my ass off because my parents would never accept less than what I give. My older sister just earned her doctorate in psychology and the eldest, my brother, just became the CEO of an investment company at thirty years old. My competition is tough. I’m studying to become a lawyer so we’ll see how that goes.” She explains, blowing a raspberry.
Aspen draws the attention back to me a bit too quickly, prompting me to share, and the irritation on Lorelei’s face is prominent. I let out a deep breath, preparing to share a part of my life that I had planned to keep behind lock and key for fear of pity and sympathy from friends.
“ Well , a few years back, my dad was diagnosed with cancer when I was sixteen. It wasn’t long after his diagnosis that he passed. Before he was sick, he opened up a restaurant. It was his dream and it finally came true. I felt like it was my purpose to keep it running for him. But I was a teenager and didn’t know anything about running a business.
I had applied and was accepted to Blackwood after I graduated high school, but I couldn’t leave with my dad’s health situation and abandon the restaurant or my mom. After his death, she fell into a deep depression and I extended my stay at home a bit longer than planned.
When I saved up enough money for one semester, I also decided to a pply for a scholarship, and by the grace of God or whoever you believe in, I got it. I’m studying business so I can take over the restaurant and do things the right way.” I breathe out.
Verena is the first to respond, arms wide open in understanding of losing someone in such a heart-wrenching way. “ My goodness, Blair . I can absolutely imagine how hard that was for you and your mom. I was broken when my little sister passed. It was years before I was even able to speak about her. I’m sure he’s really proud of you for pushing yourself and chasing your dreams while also holding onto his.” She reassures me, the smell of the pi?a colada still lingers on her breath.
Aspen joins in on the hug and just as I’m about to respond, Lorelei cuts in, her voice roaring through the living room.
“ Oh , fuck this!” Lorelei snaps out. My head whips in her direction as my brows start to furrow.
“ What’s wrong?” I ask her.
“ Oh , I don't know, Blair . Maybe the fact you already went after the guy I liked. Now , you're trying to steal my friends, too!” she shouts. “ Everything was perfect before you showed up. What a perfect sob story to make yourself relatable. What happens next? Did you build a shelter for the homeless too?”
Ignoring her rude comments, I focus on the one thing that makes the least sense.
“ Are you talking about Emmett ? I had no idea you liked him. I’ve never even seen you guys speak to each other. He didn’t exactly give me the impression he was interested in anyone else.” I say truthfully.
If I had known she had feelings for Emmett , I would have never though t about getting involved with him. I cannot believe she is spewing her anger at me over some guy as if there aren’t a million others on campus who would give her anything just to spend the night with her.
She shakes her head and laughs manically. “ Mhm . Sweet innocent Blair didn’t know a thing. Well for your information, sweetie , Emmett and I were pretty much an item before you came along.” Her face is glowing red with rage and I wait for the steam to blow out of her ears, like in cartoons. As much as I would love to get along with all of the girls I’m living with, I refuse to be treated this way.
“ I will not accept you talking to me like that. I have done absolutely nothing to you.” I say, standing. “ Maybe , if for just one second, you stepped outside of the Land of Lorelei , you’d be able to pay attention to reality instead of the warped version of the world that lives inside your head.”
I walk closer to her, blinking back tears because I refuse to let her know she hit a nerve.
“ You want Emmett ? You can have him. Go fetch, dog.” I finish. I pick up my unfinished drink, say a quick goodnight to Aspen and Verena , and retreat to my room.
In bed, I sip on the rest of my drink and wonder if coming here was the right decision for me. The disappearances on campus, Emmett’s undying obsession for me, and now Lorelei’s relentless hate towards me. What else could this semester possibly have in store?
Shutting my door, I make my way over to my bed and throw myself down onto the comforter while releasing a heavy sigh.
Obviously , she can't have him. But I wasn’t about to have that fight w ith her. I know where I stand in his life. Emmett has made it crystal clear, from day one, that I’m his.
And he’s mine.