Page 23 of Soul Mates: Hercules Valentine and I

“Dang it.” I sit up and then swing my legs over the edge of the bed. I hold myself as I shiver. It feels like someone is playing my head like a conga drum.

It’s apparent that I’ve been out of commission for a while. I’m hungry and thirsty too. If only I could disappear behind closed doors for days without biological needs getting in the way.

Standing, my legs feel like jelly. I stay still and listen really hard for movement beyond my door. It sounds like no one is here but me. I tiptoe to my closet to get my robe and then quietly walk to the door, open it a crack, and look up and down the hallway. Not a creature is stirring, not even a treasonous roommate or another I probably can’t trust with my boyfriend either. What if I’m lucky enough to have Hercules as my next boyfriend? Will my roommates try to bang him too?

I tiptoe to the bathroom, my socks absorbing any sound my walking makes. There are strands of long brunette and blond hair all over the floor and sink. If it weren’t for me, the girl who ironically grew up with housekeepers, the suite would never stay clean. Suddenly, Eden and Dandi’s habits irritate me, maybe because their messiness is further evidence of their disrespect. While releasing my bladder, I think,There’s no way I can live with them anymore.If my parents won’t help me with an apartment, then I’ll squeeze making and selling apps into my busy schedule.

Washing my hands, I get a good look at myself in the mirror. The skin under my eyes is puffy. My face appears bleak. The sooner I’m away from Dandi, the better. Ready to step out into the hallway again, I stand still, checking for movement. There isn’t any. Famished, I head to the kitchen.

My eyes grow wide when I see Eden standing in front of the refrigerator, arms crossed, as if she’s been waiting for me. “Hello there,” she says.

I let out the breath I’ve been holding. “You’re home.”

“Yeah,” she whispers. “And I heard about what happened at the library.”

The memory of Dandi and my ex going at it like rabbits plays in my mind.

“We need to talk,” Eden says.

Eden talksme into letting her drive me downtown so that we can grab a bite to eat at a place where no one has ever seen me. I feel paranoid, like everyone is pointing and laughing at me for dating a guy who bangs my fake friend and roommate. After all, a random girl in my class who I barely speak to was the one who led me to their love lair.

I put on my for-comfort-around-the-house black stretch pants, an oversized T-shirt, and my red Adidas jacket, the one that makes me feel like it’s hugging me. I usually wear it to bed when I need comfort. I forgot to put it on yesterday before I tried sleeping away my woes. It doesn’t work today. I still feel like crap.

As usual, Eden has parked illegally in front of our building. The fact that she so flagrantly breaks the rules still irritates me. Regardless, I climb into the passenger seat, and she drives too fast down the campus roads, not coming to a complete stop at stop signs and honking at pedestrians who have the right-of-way. Nate, my parents’ chauffeur, is a careful driver who follows the speed limits and other traffic laws. Riding shotgun with Eden is always a stressful affair, and when she makes it to the main streets, her driving turns more reckless.

“I’ve been meaning to tell you,” she says, whipping her vehicle around the corner like a madwoman.

I clutch the door handle. “Could you slow down, please?”

She glances at me as if I’m speaking a language she doesn’t understand. “I’m already slowed down.”

“No, you’re not. You’re speeding.”

She huffs. “It’s you, Paisley, not me. Calm the hell down, relax, and you’ll be just fine.”

I look at the speedometer in the dashboard.Dang it, she’s right.Eden’s only driving forty miles per hour, which is the speed limit. Maybe I am unnecessarily reactionary and overcautious. Thinking about all the ways I might demonstrate that behavior makes me a bit distracted as Eden tells me that she and Dandi were never friends before Treasure introduced them. Her words are gushing, as if she’s confessing her sins.

“Treasure wrote an announcement on Plug-in. The group was called Badass Bitches Only. Not just anyone can get an invitation, but I have a friend who has a friend who’s part of the group.”

Eden’s eyes are glued to the road as I stare at her profile. I’m mildly distracted by the name of the group. Would a scaredy-cat like me be extended an invitation to Badass Bitches Only? Do I even want an invite? I don’t know.

“My friend Theresa, who’s friends with Kara, a TV producer in LA, told Kara that I was attending AIT. And the message Treasure posted said I would have to be hot, a lot of fun, and able to peel a wallflower off the wallpaper.”

“A wallflower off the wallpaper?” I ask, insulted.

“Admit it, Paisley. You are a bit of a wallflower. But that’s okay. I like that about you. I mean, you’re into your studies and your computer. But up until recently, you’ve been into a loser like Boyles Bellingham.”

“A loser? How long have you thought that about him?”

She steels a glance at me. “I’ll get to that. But Treasure Grove, you know, she’s a legend, so I hopped on the opportunity to be your fun guide. And she chose me and Dandi, who I never met before the party on Treasure’s private island.”

I stifle an instinctual response to roll my eyes. I forgot about Treasure’s Island. Treasure had been talking about her own kingdom of pure fun for years. Her parents would never buy her a private island, but when she landed her reality show, she bought it for herself. Looking at Treasure from the outside, one would think that she's narcissistic and shallow. I used to think the problem was that she never thought she was as smart as the rest of us. But I'm no longer sure about that. I've watched Treasure become famous in her own right, and you can't be stupid and garner so many fans.

However, our relationship has always been weird. In her eyes, I’ve never lived up to some sort of potential that she thought was more important than my academic and professional accomplishments. “How can you be Heartly Rose's daughter and not have guys falling at your feet?” she once said.

I didn’t respond. The answer was evident.Look at me, I thought.I’m not my mom on the outside, even though I am on the inside.

“But you guys kissed on the lips,” I say to Eden. “I’ve only seen Treasure do that with her good friends.”