“Hell yeah!” Maria shouts. “Three!”
“What are you doing?” Christina asks, backing herself into the wall.
“Two,” Chris says, turning to my professor. “Sorry about the mess. I’ll pay for any cleanup costs.”
“Want to see some live art?” Maria yells to the guests behind us. “It’s a piece we’re calling
Screaming Skanks. One!”
I throw a hand to my mouth as Chris and Maria squirt red and yellow paint all over the girls who tried to ruin my life.
Laughing her head off, Maria grabs my hand and rests a can of paint on my palm.
“It would be rude not to,” she says, winking at me.
This is wrong.
I can’t do it.
But I so will…
TWENTY-EIGHT
Chris
Grabbing a can of yellow paint from my hand, Harper Reeves straightens her shoulders and steps closer to the two girls who have made her life a misery lately.
Christina cowers against the wall as Becca King sobs beside her on her knees.
“Don’t you dare!” she yells.
“This is for ruining my paintings!” Harper snarls, spraying both the girls with streaks of paint.
The art professor attempts to get involved, but I extend my arm to keep him back.
“I told you I’d pay the cleanup costs,” I tell him. “Let her do what she needs to do.”
Twisting the lid off the red paint, Harper tosses it to the ground.
“And this is for being mean about my mom!” she screams, lifting the can.
Maria throws a hand to her mouth, and I just smile as Harper tips the paint over Christina’s head.
“My dress!” she squeals. “This is Versace. You’re going to pay for this.”
Harper tips the rest of the paint over a hysterical Becca before handing me the can.
“You know what you two are?” Harper says to the girls. “You’re vacuous airheads who think money and power give you permission to do whatever you want.”
Mumbles of agreement behind me make Christina’s eyes grow wide.
“And maybe I’m not as pretty or as popular as you two,” Harper adds. “But at least I’m honest and kind, so I’d rather beme thanyou
! And?-“
The rapturous applause behind us silences Harper, and she turns to me in shock.
“Why are they clapping?” she mimes at me.
Smirking, I drop the paint can and join the applause.
“Because we all think you’re amazing,” I mouth as her cute cheeks turn rosy red.
“You’re all screwed!” Christina yells. “This is assault! I have two hundred witnesses! And the evidence will be right there on those cameras!”
Harper gulps, but I wink at her and turn to the crowd.
“Anyone see an assault?” I shout.
“Not me!” a middle-aged lady yells.
“Nor me,” agree half a dozen other guests.
“Oh dear,” I say, turning back to Christina. “Looks like there are no witnesses. And unfortunately for you, I have a sneaky suspicion that those cameras stopped working just after you ruined Harper’s painting. Shame.”
“Sir!” Christina gasps, pointing at the professor by my side. “You saw what happened here! This is assault.”
The elderly man tilts his head, a smirk tugging at his lips.
“I think you and Becca need to be more careful,” he says. “Because all I saw was a clumsy accident after you vandalized my star student’s painting.”
“This is bullshit!” Christina shouts, turning her attention to Becca. “They won’t get away with this. We’ll…we’ll sue.”
“Just shut up,” Becca tells her, scrambling to her paint-soaked feet.
“What did you just say to me?” Christina gasps.
“Shut up,” Becca repeats. “Shut up, shut up, shut up. We’re not friends anymore. I’m done.”
Leaving red and yellow footprints behind her, a distraught Becca storms to the exit alone.
“That’s what happens when you treat people like shit,” Harper tells Christina. “You end up alone. And it’s nothing more than you deserve.”
With Christina’s tears diluting the paint on her face, she looks like a melting clown.
“You bastard,” she says, shaking her head at me.
I wink at her. “I aim to please.”
With nowhere left to turn, Christina tries to gather a final shred of dignity and wipes the paint from her cheeks.
“This isn’t over,” she huffs.
“I respectfully disagree,” I tell her, waving my fingers. “See ya.”
“I’ve got to get this on camera,” Maria says, pulling out her phone. Then she follows Christina to the door.
Smiling at the most stunning young woman I’ve ever seen, I turn away from Harper and shake the professor’s hand.
“Sorry about that,” I say.
He shrugs. “It’s fine. My position won’t allow me to condone such behavior…but let’s just say I think this day has been a long time coming.”
“Agreed.” I glance back at Harper’s painting and the dam behind my eyes threatens to break. “She’s incredible, isn’t she?”
Harper looks at the floor when her smiling professor says, “One of the best I’ve ever taught. A true credit to Columbia University.”
“Hear that?” I shout, staring at her stunning figure through my aviator sunglasses. “This man knows what he’s talking about.”
“Thanks,” a bashful Harper mumbles. “It looked better before it got graffitied.”
“Yeah,” I say, gesturing to the corner of the room. “Can we talk?”
“Depends on what it’s about,” she says.
“Bill me for the cleanup,” I tell the professor.
He lifts the check. “I think we have enough here, Mr. Collins.”
“No,” I say. “It’s worth every cent. Bill me.”
Nodding at the professor, my heart gallops as I walk over to Harper.
“Come with me,” I tell her.
Harper sips her champagne and glances around the room.
“Talking tends to involve words,” she says.
We’ve been standing here for what feels like an eternity, and I just don’t know how to articulate what’s bubbling inside me.
“I know,” I say. “Just give me a moment.”
Harper rolls her eyes. “I can’t do this again, Chris. It’s too stressful and awkward. You’re a scorpion and you’re running away to London. I’m going to find Maria.”
Just tell her the fucking truth! my heart screams.
“Stop.” She looks down at my hand on her wrist. “Please…”
Sighing, Harper lowers her drink to the table and folds her arms.
God, she looks so beautiful in that sequin dress.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.