Daddies Brat

Avery

“Like, O-M-G,” Sophie said while gesturing with her Smirnoff Ice. “Those little gummy bears are literally the cutest things I have ever seen in my life.”

“They’re just gummy bears,” one of the other girls said.

“No, they’re not just that,” Sophie replied, tossing her hair over a shoulder so more of her cleavage was visible. “They’re gummy bears that get you totally high!”

I had intended to spend my Thanksgiving break relaxing on campus without any obligations or responsibilities, but Sophie called with a weed request. Now I was sitting at the Kappa house on a Saturday night, turning down their offers of Smirnoff Ice while showing them my backpack full of goodies. Goodies that were now legal in the state of California, but that her sorority couldn’t purchase themselves.

Sophie had spent most of the time flirting with me. She had never been very subtle about it, but now she was outright overt. Leaning forward so I could see down her shirt. Batting her fake eyelashes at me like a lost puppy. In another time, with different circumstances, I might have decided to see where the night took us. I didn’t like her personality at all, but that wasn’t important when it came to mindless sex.

But tonight the thought didn’t even register as an option. I was with Leslie. She made Sophie look like a wet pile of dog food.

Okay, maybe not dog food. But, like, an appetizer that wasn’t appealing to me at all. Like zucchini fries.

“Want to take some of these gummies and go up to my room?” Sophie asked. “I want to listen to the new Kendrick Lamar album. I bet you’d like it.” She dragged her pink fingernail across my arm.

“I’ve got plans,” I said, handing her the bag of gummies. “Twenty bucks for the bag.”

Sophie bit her lip. “I don’t have any cash on me. Maybe I can repay you another way?”

“You can pay me when you get cash,” I said, shouldering my backpack. “Have a good night, ladies.”

“Bye, Avery!” the other girls said. The last thing I saw was Sophie pouting on the couch.

I missed Leslie. Even though it had only been four days since I saw her, it felt like four months. Besides, a lot had changed in the past week. Everyone was sleeping with her, and everyone knew. Me, Harper, and Riley weren’t in the dark anymore.

I didn’t mind sharing her. I had done it before, and it worked great. And although I was a little hurt that she didn’t tell me about the other two, it certainly wasn’t a deal breaker.

She’ll be home tomorrow, I told myself. Then we can all sit down and talk about it.

But she didn’t get home on Sunday. My roommates and I hung out in the living room, watching TV or studying, but we were all anxiously awaiting Leslie walking through that door. The hours ticked by, until eventually it was late enough to give up. So I texted her.

Me: Hey, are you still coming home today? We’re starting to get worried that something happened on the drive.

Leslie: I’m coming home tomorrow instead.

Me: Ah, okay. Drive safe, see you then.

I relayed the information to Riley and Harper.

“It’s an eight hour drive,” Harper said. “She’s going to miss her Monday class if she drives up tomorrow. Unless she leaves at midnight.”

“Those failed tests really rattled her,” Riley said. “I hope she’s not freaking out too much.”

I shook my head. “She’s probably fine. We’re all overreacting.”

“Considering how things ended,” Harper replied, “I’m afraid we aren’t taking this seriously enough.”

“Leslie just needs a little space,” I insisted. “We’ll all keep things casual, then talk about… the situation. But it only works if we play it cool, rather than scaring her off. We need to give her space to study and focus, without overwhelming her. Juggling three guys is a lot. So let’s all play it cool.” “I told her I love her,” Riley said softly.

I blinked at my friend. Harper put down his book. “You did?” Riley nodded.

“So much for keeping it casual,” I muttered.

“And you don’t?” Riley demanded angrily. “You don’t love her?”

I started to reply that I didn’t, then hesitated. I knew how I felt. Or at least, the feeling that was rapidly growing inside me every time I saw Leslie’s smile.

“I don’t love her,” I said truthfully. “But I’m not far off.”

Harper was staring off at the wall. “I can see myself falling for her. I haven’t felt like this since Jess. It might even be a stronger feeling.”

“Then we’ll make it work,” I replied, “no matter what it takes.” “We should throw her a birthday party,” Riley said.

“Again: that’s not playing it cool.”

“She will want to study,” Harper agreed. “Partying on a Monday night is just going to stress her out.”

“But it’s her twenty-first birthday! She can finally drink!”

“Maybe next weekend, we’ll throw a delayed party,” I said. “But only if she wants that.”

Harper nodded. Riley grumbled to himself, then finally grunted in agreement.

I woke up Monday morning, put on my running shorts, and went out for my daily jog. I usually turned left and started my run in that direction, but there was a car parked at the end of the street that gave me pause. It looked like Leslie’s car. But of course, it couldn’t be-she would have parked closer to the house, and there was plenty of street parking. I was tempted to run that way and see if it was her car, but then I forced myself to turn and run the other direction.

Obsessing over those little things isn’t healthy, I told myself while starting my GPS watch. I’m supposed to be playing it cool around her.

I got back from my run an hour later, and the car was gone. I nodded to myself, then went inside and made a smoothie. I had one class on Monday, which was filled with final exam prep. There was a tense mood in the air as everyone jotted down the subjects that the professor said would be on the exam.

When I got home, it was mid-afternoon. But Leslie’s car still wasn’t there. I went upstairs and found Riley in his room, putting on his baseball uniform.

“She’s still not home?”

“Doesn’t look like it,” Riley replied. “I just got back ten minutes ago. Her car’s gone.”

Before going back downstairs, I paused at her door. “Hey, you’re not watching porn in there, are you?” I asked, knocking gently.

The door wasn’t closed all the way, and my knock made it swing open a few inches. Wide enough to let me see what was inside.

Or rather, to see what wasn’t inside.

The room looked unoccupied. Her desk was empty, and the posters had been taken down from the walls. The closet held only empty wire hangers, and the dresser drawers were barren. The sheets had been stripped from her bed, and a single note was folded on the pillow. My hands trembled as I read it.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g

I’ll come get the rest of my furniture in January. I’m sorry.

-Leslie

“RILEY!” I shouted.

He came running, only half-dressed in his baseball uniform. His eyes widened when he looked around the room, and he slumped his shoulders when I handed him the note.

“Fuck. This is just like Jess.”

The door downstairs banged shut. “Anyone home?”

Riley and I shared a long look. This is going to break him.