The First Son's Spy (PUBLISHING)

Chapter 16

Fall used to be my favorite part of the school year. Now it serves in my memory as that time Sterling refused to even glance in my direction. After the night we broke up, he hasn’t tried to call or text. He passed me on campus without as much as a greeting. I continued to stew in my own misery. In one week Yale would be going on Thanksgiving break. That meant that Sterling and I would be going back to the same place.

                I couldn’t escape him anywhere.

                Jane and I were still not the same after Halloween night. Jeremy was back home enrolled in community college courses. She never mentioned him. I remained neutral towards her. It wasn’t like she could have avoided the scheme Luke and Jeremy were going to pull. As far as I could tell, she had tried to stop the boys. They just didn’t care to listen. Their main intent was to ruin Sterling’s reputation.

                I glance at my appearance in the mirror. My hair is falling down my back and my eyes have distinct bags underneath them. If my mirror is any indication, I haven’t slept in a couple of weeks. Nights were fitful. I awoke early in the morning to do homework or clean up around the dorm. The dorm had never been cleaner until a few weeks ago. Even my room was sparkling opposed to other college student’s dorm rooms. Taking out a pair of scissors, I hold my hair in front of me. I hold the scissors in line with the bottom of my shoulder blades. With one snip, I watch as black hair tumbles onto the bathroom floor. I finish trimming the loose ends on my hair. My hair now falls a little below my shoulder blades. It makes me look more mature like this. Calling the nearest hair salon, I make an appointment for highlights. She schedules me for after classes tomorrow afternoon. I plan to put a few streaks of caramel in my hair.

                Jane drops her pencil when I walk out of the bathroom. “Piper, did you chop off you hair?”

                “Sure did. Tomorrow I’m getting caramel highlights in my hair. I thought it was time for a change. Does it look bad?”

                “No!” Jane says, “in fact, I think this is the perfect tactic to make Sterling jealous. Now all you need is some hottie and you are good to go!”

                “I don’t think I’m ready for another relationship yet. Believe it or not, I still love Sterling and I’m pretty sure he still loves me. At least cares for me.”

                “Probably.” Jane returns to studying for her anatomy quiz. Her teacher said it is the biggest quiz of the year.

                Waking up the next morning I run my hair through my newly cut hair. At first it’s still a shock that my long hair is no longer there. I shower and throw on some skinny jeans and a hoodie. Zipping my boots, I grab my beanie but decide against it. If I see Sterling I want him to see my new hair. Straightening it to perfection, I smile in satisfactory with my hair. I push it off to the right side.

                Sterling is on the quad with a few other boys playing a round of Frisbee. I walk around the edge as to not disrupt the game. I let the wind hit me as I stand watching the action on the quad. Someone throws the Frisbee near me. I start to pick it up when another hand tries to pick it up as well. I snatch my hand back when I realize the boy is Sterling. His blue eyes are sad, not like any other time. He smiles at me, but behind the smile I sense some nervousness. “You cut your hair.”

                My hormones scream that he even noticed my hair change. The stoic side of me gives him a measly smile. “I did. I think I needed a change with everything else around me changing. It felt right.”