He Picked My Roommate, I Picked a PhD Instead Chapter 04
Next morning, I carried the box of Keaton’s things to the shipping store.
When I tried to pay, my phone just kept saying “Insufficient Funds.”
I checked my statement. Yesterday afternoon, Keaton drained our joint account—every cent I had. Two thousand three hundred and fifty dollars. Two months of my part-time job, gone.
“Miss, hurry up! People are waiting.”
The clerk sounded annoyed. Other students in line stared. Someone recognized me and whispered.
“Isn’t that the girl who broke up with her sugar daddy? Heard she used to spend all his money. Now he dumped her and she’s broke.”
Another voice, louder and meaner, “Sugar baby, more like a straight-up hooker. I think she even won some award or something…”
The words drilled into my ears.
I clutched my phone and told the clerk, “Give me five minutes.” Then I ducked into the alley behind the store to call my mom.
“Mom, can I borrow some money…?”
Her voice blasted my eardrum. “You ungrateful little—I told you not to mess with rich guys, but no, you wouldn’t listen. Now he dumped you and you come running to me? Good. That’s what you get. You little—”
I bit my lip and said nothing. Didn’t get the money. So I picked up the box and started walking toward Keaton’s place. The cardboard dug into my arms the whole way.
Just as I got to his neighborhood, his car pulled up. Sierra was in the passenger seat, holding several luxury shopping bags. She lifted them higher when she saw me.
Keaton rolled down his window. His eyes flicked to the box in my arms. I saw a tiny flash of relief on his face. Then he smirked.
“See? You can’t stay away.”
He pointed to a bench nearby. “Wait there. I’m gonna go buy Sierra a bag up the street. I’ll come back for you.”
Before I could say “I’m just returning your stuff,” he hit the gas and the car shot off.
Sierra stuck her head out the window and gave me a smug little wave.
I dumped the box on his doorstep and walked away.
