“Really. I’ll call you as soon as we check into the hotel. You be careful going home and if asshole calls me again, I’ll tell him off.”
“Hutch calls him asswipe.”
“I like this guy already.”
“Did he tell you why he called me?” I ask hesitantly.
“I think he wanted to tell you about the draft. Stupid has it in his head you’re still his girlfriend. I told him how insane he was.”
“He thinks I’m still his girlfriend?” I shout, causing Christa and Donnie to look my way.
“I know how you feel. Be careful, Daisy. I didn’t tell him where you are, but he has friends on a lot of teams. Someone might see you. Stay away from the football fields.”
“You couldn’t pay me to go there,” I mutter, feeling the shaking start to come back. “I’ll be careful. Get some sleep. I know you have to be up early.”
We hang up and I go back over to Christa. “Can you drive?”
She nods and takes my keys. Donnie looks concerned.
“You okay, Daisy? You don’t look so good.”
“I’ll be fine,” I assure him as we walk out and into the cool air. It’s not cold enough for a thick coat yet, which I’m told is unusual for the fall around here. My jacket works fine to ward off the physical chill, but it does nothing for the chill setting up in my soul.
He thinks I’m still his girlfriend.
He’s insane.
I buckle my seatbelt and text Hutch to please come over. I do it without thinking and regret it as soon as I hit send, but he makes me feel safe. Right now, I don’t feel so safe.
“Daisy?” Christa glances over at me as she’s driving and quickly back to the road. “You’re shaking. Did the ex call again?”
“No, he called my best friend from back home. Lucy said he thinks I’m still his girlfriend.”
“What?” she screeches.
“Exactly what I said. He’s insane.”
Hutch and Collin were true to their word. They spoke with Dylan and Jenny as well as a lot of the hockey team. Jenny talked to the other girls in the house. I’ve gotten a lot of looks, some of which I can’t decipher, but no one has been mean. Jennyand Christa have taken it upon themselves to make sure I’m never alone either, unless I’m upstairs in my room with the door locked. Even Hailey has taken to walking with me to and from the same classes we have. She usually ignored me before, but since she found out what happened, she’s thawed a little bit.
“He doesn’t know where you are, though, right?”
“As far as I know, he doesn’t. But Lucy pointed something out I didn’t think about.”
“What’s that?” Christa pulls into the drive and cuts the car off before turning to look at me.
“He’s a football player. He knows a lot of people from a lot of teams. If one of them sees me…they might tell him where I am. Then I won’t be safe anymore.”
“Mitch already warned the entire team no one is to talk to him. He’s persona non grata.”
“Really?”
She nods. “Everyone at the house adores you, Daisy. They got your back.”
Or they have Hutch’s back, but either way, I’m grateful. The house is a party house with tons of football players over at all times of the day and night. Any of them could snitch me out. I hope Mitch can enforce that decree. Maybe I should think about moving.
“Let’s go in. I need a shower before I go to bed.”
“We do smell like beer and grease.”
