Tory’s POV
After school, I decided to hang out at Rachel’s house.
I didn’t feel like going home just yet because I honestly dreaded seeing Toni these days, especially since she was still seeing Nate – it just made me want to hit her on the face or worse.
” Hey, Tory!” Rachel’s mom said as she opened the door. She was dressed as though she was heading somewhere fancy.
” Good afternoon Mrs. Smith” I said a little too energetically and both Rachael and her mom stared at me and then I smiled sheepishly.
” How are you?” Rachel’s mom said as she removed some of her curly hair from her face, I don’t know why she did that, maybe it was obstructing her view. Her brown skin was glowing so much that I envied her youthfulness in her middle age. There and then, I told myself that that’s how I want to be when I grow older.
” Uhh Tory… zoning out already?” Rachel said and I sighed and smiled at both Rachel and her mom before I said, ” I’m great, thanks”
” Y’all are here to hang out yeah?” Her mom asked and I was going to ask where she was headed but…
” Yeah, mom. See ya” Rachel said as she pulled me inside, excited to know what made me start dressing more radiant.
” You look beautiful Mrs Smith!’ I managed to say before Rachel pulled me inside the house.
“Thanks Tory. Alright, have fun girls.” She said before Rachel shut the door. As we were about going to her room, we heard a knock, and Rachel scoffed.
” Forgetting something already? Oh… Janelle, Joanne, come in!” She said turning to me with a pleading smile. She knew I didn’t like talking to other people, but she doesn’t know that I don’t mind anymore.
” Hi Tory” Janelle, the chatterbox of the two said and I smiled and said ” hi ”
” You guys didn’t say you would be coming” Rachel said looking really pleased that they came.
” Sorry, we just thought we should surprise you. Hope you don’t mind” Joanne said but it seemed as though that question was directed to me rather than Rachel since I was the one who don’t really like too many people around me.
” Nah, it’s cool by me, Rachel?” I said and Rachel stared at me probably wondering if I was being sarcastic or not.
” No… I don’t mind” she said still looking at me as if that would tell her if I was being honest with my response.
” Cool let’s go” Janelle said as she rummaged through Rachel’s fridge for some fruits and vegetables, they were all vegetarians. I wasn’t exactly a vegetarian, but I was trying to become one.
” So Tory, first of all, we want to tender our apologies for not being friends with you sooner.” Janelle said when we sat on Rachel’s bed, it wasn’t as big as ours because they weren’t as wealthy. Rachel was being sponsored by her mother’s admirer which was why she was coming to Oakwood.
” It’s okay, I was too stiff for anyone to be friends with me anyway” I said after I ate some berries.
” Well, Rachel was your friend still. She told us how fun you were but we didn’t believe” Joanne said as she removed the band from her braided hair.
” Besides, we were scared of you” Janelle said and I looked at her, wondering how true that was.
” You see that look you’re giving me? It’s very frightening” she said and Rachel and I laughed.
” I can’t help it, okay. I don’t even know how I looked at you” I admitted and Janelle giggled as she said, “Like you were gonna pounce on me and eat me or something”
” If I was going to do that, I certainly wouldn’t frown before doing it” I said smiling as I thought about how scary I could be when I am mad at someone.
” As we saw yesterday, girl you’re awesome! ” Joanne said and I laughed remembering how I dealt with Penny.
“Yeah, I wasn’t gonna take any shit yesterday. ” I said with a hair flip and everyone hyped me up making me shy as I covered my face wondering why I even did that in the first place.
“It’s Tory 2. 0 and she’s a firecracker” Rachel said and I sipped my can of Coca-Cola while trying to hold back the shy smile that was threatening to show itself. ” Tory 2. 0″ I really liked the sound of that.
” You and Nate have a lot in common” Joanne said and I spat out my drink on the rug.
” Ewww! Tory!” They all said and I cringed seeing that some of it got on Janelle and Joanne who were sitting on a small couch.
” I’m sorry, but I just don’t like that boy” I said, trying to defend my abrupt behavior.
” She has a reflex repulsive reaction to hearing Nate’s name” Rachel said as she got up to give them napkins to clean up.
” Sorry” I said again but I didn’t mean it this time. I mean, how could she say Nate and I have ANYTHING in common – like what does that even mean?
” It’s ok, I’ll forgive you. It’s not like I wash my clothes by myself anyway.” Janelle said and I remembered that they were fraternal twin sisters, born to a filthy rich African politician in Ghana, and have lived all their lives in America.
” Why don’t you like Nate?” Joanne asked and I felt genuinely pleased that she finally asked me because I was dying to answer that question.
” Uhh… he’s a douche?” Was all I managed to say in the end.
” Not to everyone” Janelle said and I scoffed as I said, ” He is to me.”
” I think he likes you” Joanne said and I grimaced wondering what rubbish they were saying.
” He’s dating my sister”
“Girl, please! Everyone knows it’s not gonna last” Janelle said laughing and I laughed too because it was true.
” Tory here prefers Rex to Nate” Rachel said, exposing my very unpopular preference.
” Rachel!” I said and she shrugged as she held back her laughter. She knew that I was definitely going to get eaten by both Janelle and Joanne.
” Is that so? Rex is hot though, but he’s with that bitch Isabella” Joanne said and I blinked wondering why she didn’t attack me the way I expected.
” Joanne, how about we help Tory with some tips on how to seduce Rex huh?” Janelle said, smiling at me mischievously and I panicked. Not a lot of people know about my feelings for Rex and I don’t want people knowing about it either.
” No thanks I’m good” I said with a nervous laugh.
” So you’re just gonna stand there and watch Isabella make out with Rex every single minute?” Rachel asked staring at me like I’m some idiot.
” I… Don’t know what to do. At Least he talks to me now” I said uncertainly and Rachel rolled her eyes.
” He does, and that’s saying something” Joanne said agreeing with me.
” I guess Isabella isn’t threatening him to stop talking to you anymore” Janelle said.
” What?” I asked.
“Uhh … Two years ago, at the three-day excursion to Lagrippa museum – which you totally ditched, Isabella and Rex got into this huge fight. I vividly remember her threatening to end their friendship if he ever brought up the issue of talking to you”
” Seriously?” Rachel and I asked and she nodded.
” You see, after that she started telling people crazy stuff about you and warned anyone who chose to be friends with you that they’ll have Nate to deal with. It’s weird how she has both of the hottest guys in school wrapped around that finger of hers” Joanne said with a scowl.
” But Rachel…”
” Rachel didn’t get the memo, she didn’t come too remember?” Joanne pointed out and I nodded.
” Besides, she knows better than to mess with Jake’s girl” Joanne said with a smile on her face and they grinned.
“I see… So that’s why you are my only friend? If this is true then, why is Rex suddenly talking to me?”
” Have you looked in the mirror lately, how could he resist you?” Joanne said and I blushed.
” Besides, then you looked too hideous for him to care”
” Rachel!” I whined and they laughed.
” Good thing you’re now nominated as a member of the students’ committee, Isabella won’t be there so you and Rex can stare at each other and maybe even get down and dirty when we leave”
” Oh my God,” I said as I buried my face in embarrassment.
” Awww, she’s blushing” Rachel teased.
” You guys CANNOT tell anyone about this, please!” I begged and they all burst into spasms of laughter.
” We cross our hearts baby” Janelle said as she winked at me and I laughed.
*********
It felt amazing to make friends with Janelle and Joanne, those girls are crazy. I left there when they started talking about all the guys at school they’ve slept with, feeling a little embarrassed over the fact that I’m a virgin.
The only person permitted to sleep with me is my darling Rex and it’ll happen, they’ve already given me some very useful pointers on how I’ll make it happen.
As the Uber driver drove into our mansion and stopped in front of our house, I got down and paid him, giving him way too much extra money.
” Thank you”
” Yeah, sure ” I said, distracted by the BMW car I saw parked just outside, it looked like one of Rex’s cars.
Was he here? I wondered as I rang the doorbell and the door automatically opened, it had a fingerprint scanner when you touched it.
Trudy was the first to welcome me with an excited bark, I laughed as I pet her and scratched her belly, the large dog lay down enjoying the whole thing as she stuck her tongue out.
” So this is literally your best friend not Rachel, pathetic.” I deep masculine voice with an overtly posh British accent said and I immediately got so angry knowing exactly who owned that voice.
” Nate” I growled as I saw him seated on our couch, shirtless. With only really tight boxers that did no good in hiding his large penis! Why did I even look?!
What the hell is he doing in the house?!