Page 15 of Eye Candy

Kelly must’ve realized she said the wrong thing there, because she stayed quiet after that.

“How are you? What have you been up to the last two years? Any boyfriends?” Steering Kelly to talk about boys was always a way to get things back on track.

“I’m a sophomore at ACC now,” she said. “No boyfriends, but let me say, college guys are way better than high school guys—and I mean that in every way. Although, seeing Kieran again makes me wonder if older guys are where it’s at—”

Something in me didn’t like hearing that, and I quickly said, “Please don’t. He’s family now. That would be weird.”

Kelly chuckled at that, thankfully not picking up on my teeny, tiny jealousy. “Oh, come on. He’s your… what? Uncle? And only by marriage. It wouldn’t be that weird for me to hook up with him. Stranger things have happened.”

I really, really didn’t want her to hook up with Kieran. “How is ACC?”

“It’s basically like high school, except my parents are paying out of the ass for it right now. And future me. Loans and all that shit. The parties, though, are way better. You should come to one. I could introduce you to my friends.” Still a partygirl, AKA the reason my dad never liked her. Good to see that much hadn’t changed.

“I’d love that,” I said.

She hadn’t been expecting that, because her eyebrows lifted, and she asked, “Really?”

“Yeah. I mean, I’d have to bring Kieran and Mike, but—”

“You really can’t slip out without them, just for one night? You’d be with me, so it ain’t like you’d be going anywhere alone.” She rubbed a finger on her chin, thinking and acting quite dramatic about it. “We’ll plan it out. Don’t worry, girl. I got your back.”

I chuckled. “Thanks. Maybe after I get out of this.” I waved my left hand between us, and I could tell by her face that things suddenly got serious.

Kelly’s voice was quiet as she asked, “Do you want to talk about it?”

“No. My dad has been trying to get me to talk to a therapist, but… I don’t need to.” No, in fact, if I talked to a professional about what I went through, I didn’t doubt they’d be able to pick up on my lies. They’d know I wasn’t telling the whole truth. Perhaps, even, they’d try to say I’d developed some form of attachment to my Devil, label me with Stockholm syndrome or something.

I went on, “I just want to go back to normal, back to the way things used to be.”

“I get that. Are they making you go back to high school to finish senior year?”

“Thank God, no. They gave my dad an honorary diploma for me, and I guess it’s the real deal.”

Kelly’s mood sprang up. “You could apply at ACC and start next semester. I could tell you what professors to avoid,what classes are cake, and what places hold the best parties. God, yes, yes, yes! You have to. It’s settled.” She clapped her hands together, as if making the decision for me.

Honestly, I thought it might be weird to hang out with Kelly after so long, that she’d act differently around me, but so far, she was the same Kelly. It made me feel good, like, at least in certain parts of my life, I could pick up where I left off.

“I was actually hoping you’d be free tonight,” I said. “I wanted to go out and have some fun downtown. Maybe one of those clubs you were always trying to sneak into?” Back when we were high schoolers and she wasn’t legally allowed to enter the clubs; you had to be eighteen to go in, but that never stopped her.

She inhaled, her green eyes widening. “For real? You want to go out tonight? Hell yeah! Let’s go. I can pick you up, if you want.”

If I was going to try to ditch my bodyguards for a college party, I probably shouldn’t try to ditch them right now. One shot was all I’d have, I bet, and then they’d be glued to my side, watching me like hawks.

“How about we meet there?”

“Okay, yeah. Where do you want to go?”

I slipped off my bed, getting to my feet. “Why don’t you pick and text me the name?” I walked over to the corner of my room, stopping before my walk-in closet. “I do need help picking out an outfit, though.”

Kelly was on her feet after that, rushing toward me with a smile on her face. She couldn’t hide her excitement now, and she pushed past me, walking into the closet and flipping on the light inside.

She started going through my dresses. “Girl, you need to go shopping, ASAP. Some of these are so out of style now, and half of them will totally clash with your hair—” She paused, glancing at me. “—which I love, by the way. I really do. You look like aBarbiedoll.”

Being up to date with the latest fashion trends wasn’t something I was interested in. I doubted I’d be able to pull off much of anything with my bandage, anyway—and after the bandage was off and my left hand could breathe once again, well, I’d be rocking nubs where my last two fingers used to be.

No, I’d never kill it, fashion-wise. I’d leave that to Kelly.

“I have to admit, I’m surprised,” Kelly mused as she went through my clothes. “You used to be all worried about how you could hurt your dad’s image. I guess now that he’s mayor, you don’t have to worry so much about it.”

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