Heartless (Enemies to Lovers 1)

I feel deflated as I walk out to the classroom where I just wrote my final exam.

I don’t know what I expected my last day here to be like, but it wasn’t this. Fireworks would’ve been nice. Hell, anything but this deserted silence.

I finished my last shift at Rameses on Tuesday. Yesterday I spent the whole day studying for today. Now I have to go pack. I want to be on the road first thing tomorrow morning.

I’ll help Sue at the diner until Jamie’s finished with school. We’ll use the summer break to move to Raleigh, where I can enroll her in middle school.

When I walk into the apartment, I’m surprised to see the girls all here for a change. They’re running between rooms, and there’s a huge bundle of clothes on the couch.

“Are you all going home as well?” I ask as I eye the mess in the living room.

Evie comes hopping out of her room as she finishes slipping on a heel. She grabs my hand and pulls me in the direction of the couch.

“We’re going to a party. They guys are having one last one to celebrate us all finishing our exams.”

I start to shake my head, but then Willow joins in. “You’re coming with.”

Leigh comes out of the room, pulling a brush through her long blonde hair.

“We’ve lived together for three years, hardly spending time with each other. The party will be a nice way to say goodbye to each other and the guys.”

She’s got a point. I’d love to say goodbye to the guys, but mostly I’d love to see Carter one last time.

“Fine, let me just change into a clean pair of shorts and a shirt that doesn’t smell like I was sweat

ing through my final exam.”

Willow steps in front of me and waves a hand at the couch. “Your usual shorts and t-shirt won’t do for tonight.”

I glance back at the couch and start to shake my head. “I’m not wearing a dress.”

“You are and you’re going to look gorgeous,” Leigh says as she picks up something that looks more like a hairband than a shirt. Thankfully she tosses it to the side.

Soon Evie, Willow, and Leigh are digging through the heap of material, discussing what would make my ass look best.

They make me try on a dress that hardly covers my butt. I hardly have it on when I start to yank if off.

“I’m just going to wear some shorts,” I say, rushing into my room. I grab a one that I’ve made from a pair of old jeans I had lying around. I think it looks cute.

The girls seem to be happy with the shorts, but they won’t let me wear any of my t-shirts. I’m told to wear a black bra, then they shove a piece of chiffon in my hands. I shove my arms through the flimsy sleeves, then try to figure out what to do with the rest of it.

Evie takes the two long points and crossing them over my breasts she ties them at my back. The sleeves are wide and really pretty. The dark blue of the material matches my eyes, and I actually feel pretty. I finish the look off with some mascara.

I insist on taking my own truck. I’m not going to stay that late. I still need to pack most of my stuff before I leave early in the morning.

I follow behind Evie’s Mini Cooper and when we pull up to the guys’ house, I’m surprised to see that I’ve been walking by it every time on my way home from work.

Nervous excitement starts to bubble inside of me. I haven’t seen Carter in almost two weeks. There were many moments I regretted telling him that the timing is wrong. A couple of times I almost phoned him. But I held out and finished my exams.

I take a deep breath and check my reflection in the review mirror. When I go home to Jamie, I’m going to have to be the adult. There won’t be time for parties. For tonight I’m going to let my hair down.

There’s a huge smile on my face as I cross the road and joining the girls. When I walk into the house, my eyes dart everywhere. It doesn’t look like a frat house. It smells of expensive taste.

There are a lot of people already standing around. The girls all head in their own direction and I decide to go left. I walk into a huge room that opens up to a veranda and pool.

I smile as I watch everyone having fun. Some are dancing while others are swimming.

A girl with black hair and clear green eyes comes to stand next to me. We both stare at the people swimming.