Harper's Rules 1 & 2

Chapter 14: Harper

Dad and Grace stayed for two days, went on their Malibu vacation, then came back for another two days as a very welcomed distraction. After my Friday class ended, we played LA tourists, stepped on the Hollywood stars, and even went on a movie stars' house bus tour. Poor Dad nearly puked when we took a helicopter ride over the city, which was loud and stuffy with hot, stale air but showcased amazing views of downtown.

Suppose I've now seen under DTLA and above it.

The best part was I got to know Grace Hightower as more than a distributor of handsome male genes. Her lack of a filter left her unaffected by my 'colorful language,' and at one point she shrugged her shoulders and promised she really liked Dad's dry personality. I wasn't entirely sure I believed her reasoning, that his bland balanced out her spice of life.

Personally though? Externally I'd composed myself again into a bitch who looked like she cared less, but I was still an internal, fucked-up, hot mess. My emotions flopped between embarrassment that Jake had witnessed my broken-down moments, to anger at my mother, to guilty over the fact I'd burned my brother's pictures, to just... fucking hurt.

For the first time since Jake himself took my virginity at fourteen, I wanted nothing to do with sex. The hormonal switch that always hummed on like a broken air conditioner unit somehow cracked and chugged to an absolute standstill.

I still physically retained my sensations of touch, but my body's sexual reactions were nonexistent. For once, I had zero drive or even a flicker of interest. My lady bits were as numb as my brain while the rest of my body went through the academic motions of college life.

Probably for the best because everywhere else is a hot fucking mess.

The UCLA-USC pregame hype, which escalated the entire fucking week prior to the game, felt like a giant magnifying glass had been shone on Jake. At the risk I delayed sorting through the personal shit Jake had been exposed to, I deflected myself into near nonexistence. In what felt like the first unselfish act I'd ever done, I stayed quiet, tucked my head down, and stayed as quietly anonymous as possible.

By the time Dad patted me on the back and Grace choke-hugged me goodbye at their LAX drop off spot, I found myself actually convinced and relieved that she really wanted nothing more from him than what he could actually give. More than once, my mind drifted back to her non-Mom promise, which I appreciated more than words expressed.

In my distracted state, I'd completely forgotten what day it even was. Of all reminders, it took one of Jake's fucking smugass billboards along the 405 before I remembered that today that today was Saturday, the day of the UCLA and USC game.

"We're late!" Li chirped out in a high, squeaky voice when I burst through our dorm door. "Where were you? I've been calling!"

"Phone's dead," I groaned quietly.

Curse words rushed out of my mouth in my flurried pace. My hands flew as fast as they moved as I changed my clothes and grabbed my USC jersey off its hanger. My phone sat on my desk, left behind in its charger as we both hurried out. If I'd coordinated better, then I could've picked up Mrs. H. from LAX but assumed, or more like hoped, that she'd gotten her own ride to the stadium. While I wasn't comfortable sitting with her, I had promised that I would escort a particularly cranky, old man for his moment of pregame recognition.

The parking spot Jake had secured me was still open as my car lurched into it, with slightly squealed tires and a soft gasp from Li when the seatbelts gripped into our chests. I turned to her and shut off the car. "Do you know where we're -"

"I'll be fine!" she assured me and hopped out. "Go!"

"Thanks," I called behind me and rushed over the parking lot, one hurried footstep pounded into the concrete at a time. In my haste, the faint echo of my car lock's beep reminded me that I'd forgotten the USC jersey that I'd planned to wear tonight, still on the back seat of my car where I'd flung it before I got in and hauled ass over here.