I would have to throw my shirt away if it got something like that on it. She shivered in disgust when she inspected it more closely.
Paul, seeing that she didn’t seem happy with him, did the dumbest thing I’d ever seen: he jumped into the dumpster to retrieve her shoe and purse.
“You’re not getting in the car if you got that crap on you,” I warned him.
I cringed a little because I sounded like my mother.
Then my phone rang. I looked at the caller ID and saw it was Tami. Frick! I’d totally forgotten that she and Sarah had planned to come to the hotel after they changed clothes. I hoped they were in the lobby and hadn’t gone upstairs yet.
When I answered, I heard crying on the other end. Could this day get any worse?
◊◊◊
Against my better judgment, I let Dumpster Girl and Paul get in the car so we could drive to Tami’s dorm.
“Why are we going to your friend’s dorm?” Dumpster Girl asked.
“Their boyfriends got lured into a threesome with Chloe Larkin …”
She began to shake her head.
“Stop right there. There is no way that is true. Chloe Larkin is a sweet girl who would never do something like that,” she said, obviously confusing her character with real life. “Plus, why would she be here? I think she lives in Hollywood or something.”
“She came to see me,” I said.
“Are you putting me on?” she asked and then looked at Paul in the front seat. “Is he putting me on?”
“Nope. She really did come to see David,” Paul assured her.
“Enough about my drama. Why were you dumpster-diving?” I asked.
“I went to that bar to meet a group of my girlfriends to celebrate the fact that men are a lower life-form, and we’re lucky to be rid of them. But then my ex showed up with his new girlfriend. I escaped to the bathroom so he wouldn’t see me. I figured I would climb out the window so I wouldn’t have to face him. Landing in the dumpster was an accident,” she explained.
“I can see that. I would rather climb out a window and into a dumpster than have to face some of my exes,” Paul said.
We pulled up to the dorm, and Paul parked.
“I need to move the car,” Paul said, pointing at the sign that said that only people with Wesleyan parking stickers were allowed to park there.
“Don’t worry about it, I’ll pay for the ticket if you get one. I just want to pop in, be supportive, and get out. While we’re there, maybe you two can figure out how to smell better,” I suggested.
“Is he always a dick?” Dumpster Girl asked.
“Pretty much,” Paul replied.
I flipped them both off and led them into the dorm. The girl at the desk recognized me and waved me in.
I found Harper consoling Tami and Sarah. The two wronged girls leaped into my arms and began to cry as soon as I walked in. I looked over their shoulders at Harper.
“Can you help those two out?” I asked as I tilted my head towards Paul and Dumpster Girl.
Once Harper figured out what was wrong, she became all business, and I could focus on my friends.
“So, what happened?” I asked as I led them back to the couch and sat down.
“We got the keys you left us. We first went into the adjoining room and didn’t find either Wolf or Tim,” Tami started.
“The door was open between the rooms, so we went into the suite,” Sarah explained. “Harper said it’s nice and that she’ll tell her parents about it for when they come down for graduation.”
“Wait. Harper was with you?” I asked.
“Uhm, yes,” Tami said and then blushed.
It didn’t take much to imagine what Sarah had meant when she said it would be worth my while to show up tonight. I was bummed the night hadn’t gone according to plan.
“We heard … well, you know,” Sarah stumbled over her words.
“We figured you were with someone,” Tami admitted.
I could imagine what happened next.
“You decided to spy on me,” I offered, letting them off the hook of spelling it out.
It seemed like people found ways to watch my activities. The last time had been when I was at the party in Cincinnati with Brook. I started to wonder if I might be some female voyeurs’ favorite target.
“I can’t believe they were with Chloe Larkin. How am I ever supposed to compete with someone like that?” Tami asked, and it looked like she was going to cry again.
Sarah also looked defeated.
“You have to be kidding me,” I said indignantly. “I would rather spend time with both of you than touch Chloe.”
Sarah looked at me disgustedly.
“Did you catch what he said?” she asked, looking at Tami. “He said
Harper came back in with Paul in tow. I guess Dumpster Girl needed more cleaning up. I noticed that Paul now smelled like girly perfume, but that sure beat freshly dipped dumpster.
Tami and Sarah looked at me suspiciously.
“Hey,” I said, holding up my hands. “What did we do when Harper dumped me?”
Sarah blushed. I turned to Harper.
“Sorry.”
“No problem. Sarah was just being a friend,” Harper said.
I almost believed her. I wouldn’t be quite as forgiving if Wolf or Tim had slept with Brook to help her get over me. Suddenly, I saw it from her side and felt horrible.
“God, Harper, I’m so sorry. I only now realized what a dick move that was,” I admitted.
