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Maverick
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BULLY ROOMATE Josie
Professor Howard’s class consisted of mostly girls, and it didn’t take a rocket scientist to know the reason. I felt like an intruder when I sat in the corner of the room and helped him with his handouts. Most of the girls didn’t seem to notice me, but the ones that did, tossed me dirty looks.I could taste their judgmental stares and whispers.I watched him carefully, taking notes, even though it wasn’t my class, and tried my best to keep quiet, but it didn’t last long. “Ms. Lee,” Professor Howard said. “Stand up.”Nervously, I stood, pulling at my cut-offs and tucking my hair. I looked relaxed compared to the majority of the class. They wore cute skirts, low-cut tops or jeans that molded to their curves, not to mention a full face of makeup in the evening. Who has time to go home and reapply makeup before class? Not me. Not that I even bother with it most days. “This is Josie Lee, she is going to intern for me this year.”Someone’s hand shot up in the back. He turned his attention t
BULLY ROOMATE Maverick
I don’t know why I even came. It wasn’t like the counseling from the week before helped. Now I sat in the too silent room, with too bright windows and all white furniture. Courtney cleared her throat after a few minutes.“I’m glad you came back, Maverick. How have you been?”I shrugged. I don’t know why her voice irritated me so much. “I’m okay.”Courtney smiled politely and adjusted her glasses on her nose. “Last time you were here, you had a memory and panicked. Anymore of those?”“No. I had a nightmare the other night.”She shifted her gaze to me. “What about?”“My childhood, one of my mother’s boyfriends beating me.”Courtney put her notepad to the side, and curled her laced fingers around her crossed legs. “Do you often have nightmares about that?”I shifted nervously, looking at the clock, which had hardly moved since I sat down. “Sometimes, yeah.”“Did you ever tell anyone about it?” she asked. “Your mother? The police?”I scoffed, scrubbing my palm down my face. “My mother did
BULLY ROOMATE Josie
“A virgin?”I pressed my palm against India’s mouth and tossed her a death glare. It was one thing to be a virgin, I wasn’t ashamed, but I didn’t need the world knowing about it.She chuckled, swinging her feet from where she sat on the computer desk beside me. The writing center cleared out for the day, but we still had forty minutes before our shift ended.India smiled while looking at her cuticles. “I mean, it’s not a bad thing, Josie, and to be honest, I’m not shocked. You’re so sweet—,”“Ugh,” I said. “I don’t want to be cute or sweet. I want to be sexy. I want him to really want me.”India lifted a pierced brow. “Josie, he does want you, he’s exclusive with you. I know so many girls that want him, and he is with you. You don’t have to change for him to want you.”I shrugged, playing with a string on the hem of my t-shirt. “I don’t know, India. I just don’t know what to do. All I’ve ever done is kissed, and only him.”“You’ve only kissed Maverick? Whew girl, you’re very inexperie
BULLY ROOMATE Maverick
The text message stopped me mid-step—mid-breath. I’d been jogging up the stairs to the apartment after work, and she flashed across the screen. Josie, looking at me over her shoulder, showing me nothing but a skimpy pair of underwear and everything I’d imagined.Carefully, I texted her back and walked the rest of the way. My blood pumped wildly in my veins at the thought of seeing her in person. I shoved my fingers through my hair as I opened our apartment door.Frankie looked up from the couch where he had all his schoolbooks scattered. He looked frantic. “Where is Josie?” he asked.I shut the door behind me, tugged off my t-shirt and wiped the sweat from my forehead with it. “On her way home, why?”“I need help with my math—,”“Let me stop you there, bro. Josie and I have plans tonight.”Frankie scoffed. “I don’t understand this. I need her help.”Really? I snatched his book from him and glanced over the section he needed help with. Math, I was good at, so I scooted him down and sta
BULLY ROOMATE Josie
In all my years of living, I never imagined myself being caught doing anything by the police. Especially not in the bed of a truck with Maverick Booker. If Waverly hadn’t crushed the mood before, the police officer surely did. And I mean crushed by a garbage truck and tossed into a landfill to die.Maverick was quiet on the drive back to the apartment. The distant look on his face grew the closer we got. It had to be King or Waverly that called, but how would they have known where we were if they hadn’t followed us?I glanced behind us on the road, seeing no one. Maybe it was a fluke. Zachary kids spent a lot of time in that field in high school, not that I ever went, but I knew they did. Maverick parked his truck, and sat still, looking out at the woods across from our apartment building.“I’m sorry,” he whispered.Turning to face him, I cocked my head. “Why are you sorry?”He sighed, scrubbing his face with the palm of his hand. “That was humiliating. My mother caused most of my pro
BULLY ROOMATE Maverick
“Why are you sleeping with your gay roommate?”What a way to wake up. The light blinded me as I rolled on my back and glanced at the ceiling. Josie sat frozen beside me, her gaze on the doorway, and I realized who said that. Her mother.Dear God.I jerked up, keeping the covers over me because I was in my underwear. Josie hadn’t said a word. I noticed her hair tied on top of her head and the love bites I’d given her the night before on display. You have to be kidding me.When I was brave enough to look over, I noticed her Dad stood in the hallway behind her fuming mother. She carried two bags of groceries in each hand and I swore I noticed her eye twitch.I cleared my throat. “We didn’t do anything.”It was a half-lie. We did, but not what they assumed. Her mother started to speak Chinese to her, shouting and pointing her finger. Josie covered her face with her palms, and I fought the urge to comfort her.Who even let them inside?“Paige,” her dad said. “Calm down,” he gripped her upp
BULLY ROOMATE Josie
The art studio was bright, with large glass windows and art hanging on the walls created by Derek’s students. I’d been happy to get an email about helping out with one of his classes during the week.I felt giddy sitting at the front of the room painting for everyone to see. After what my mother said, and how Maverick spent the entire morning holding me, I needed something to lift me up.Unlike Derek’s classes at the university, the ones at the studio were more diverse in gender. I hadn’t realized the hour passed so quickly when Derek tapped me on my shoulder. I glanced up from the distorted mess I’d created based around my mother’s harsh words and into Derek’s dark eyes.“I’m so sorry,” I said. “What time is it? Has everyone left?”Derek chuckled as he grabbed a stool and sat down. “This is different from the ones before. The ones about your … friend,” he said. “Are you two fighting?”I swiped a bead of sweat from my forehead. “No, actually it’s from my mother. She doesn’t understand
BULLY ROOMATE Josie
Of course, I remembered that night. The one and only time I’d gathered up the balls to sneak out of my house, I found him. I’d been mad at my mom for telling me I couldn’t take an art class downtown, so I decided to sneak out and bicycle to an abandoned alley where I could spray paint on a vandalized wall. It was stupid, and impulsive, but it saved a kid’s life.The dark night felt heavier than usual, humid and muggy, but I didn’t care. I peddled so fast, tears raced down my cheeks as I dumped my bike and hopped off. The alley was behind a bar that I knew better than to near, but my mood made me angry and careless.I shook the paint I’d found in our garage with my hand, mumbling obscenities I’d never have the nerve to say to my mother in real life, before I heard a trash can lid fall and I dropped my paint.Feeling brave I said, “Hello?”No one answered. It must have been a stray cat. I bent down to pick up my spray paint when I heard a moan. I stopped. Being young, I didn’t think it
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