FoA S2 Chapter 3

They let you take a shower, but they don’t let you go home for a change of clothes. Your initiation was a temporary diversion, but there’s still business to attend to.

Dressed, but toweling off your hair, you return to the meeting room. They’re waiting for you, and a denim Free Gurls vest sits neatly folded on the freshly cleaned table in your spot. They all watch you pick it up and put it on, then sit down.

“OK,” Stef says brusquely, tapping her whiskey glass on the table like a gavel. “Adella, you know what it means to wear that.”

“I do.”

“OK. Getting the goods back was only step one, unfortunately,” Stef says with a sigh, looking to Carla.

“Right.” Carla leans forward, looking at you all intently. “There’s a problem. We can’t sell those goods in Gurlberg. They were cataloged as evidence. We shouldn’t have left anything behind that would let them connect what happened to us. But if we were caught selling or holding these goods… on top of our other charges, we would have that burglary which would mean serious time. It’s not worth the risk.”

“Can we exchange it with someone else?” Fang asks.

“I think so,” Stef replies with a nod. “We’ll get the bad end of the deal, but it’s better than nothing. So be ready for that. We’ll have to move it, and we can’t do it like we used to. We’ll have to make sure that we have eyes on Stark, and know that we’re safe. But before we coordinate, I have to find out who we’re trading with.”

“Sun Girls,” Vicky says with a shrug.

“Probably,” Stef admits.

Sun Girls is another Florida club. Their county is more liberal than yours, and they mainly sell ****—but with these laws getting passed everywhere, Stef can probably convince them to take the merch.

“Don’t trade it for weed,” you say.

“Or meth,” Fang adds.

Stef rolls her eyes. “In the meantime, I’m not proud of it, but we’re **** to do shameful work to earn our living.”

“We’re finally opening our own porn studio?” Vicky asks hopefully, eyes shining.

“No. Close, though. That evil little witch queen at CCL really liked whatever you guys did for them,” Stef says. “Fang, you still shacked up with the nerd?”

Fang shrugs. “She won’t leave.”

“Is it because you have such a cute place?” Vicky asks.

“Or does she just like getting dicked down every night?” Jan adds.

“I would guess both,” Fang replies, feigning a yawn.

“Kick her out and clear your schedule. CCL has a couple of film students who are side hustling with porn, and then the sorority as a whole is also about to start their own camgirl stream.” Stef sighs. “I don’t like dealing with a twenty-year-old like she’s my equal, but I’ve made a deal with Amy. If they need what we have, we’ll make ourselves available to help with those projects.”

Fang raises a hand. “Are our faces in this?”

“No. And neither are your vests.”

“So they only like us for our dicks is what you’re saying,” Vicky says. “That’s very shallow.”

“We’re shallow too, Vicky. Carla’s in charge of that. If she texts you, get over there and do what you have to do to whoever you have to do it to. It might turn out profitable. Amy thinks she’s a criminal mastermind, but we actually get the better end of this deal,” Stef says.

“Obviously. I mean, I’d fuck college girls for free,” Jan says with a belch.

“Shut up,” you, Fang, Vicky, and Caroline say in unison.

You had hoped that when this day came, you’d ride home, proudly wearing your new vest.

The vest feels good, but the news about the deal with CCL doesn’t. You still haven’t spoken to Riley, and now this? It’s a hot day, but it’s your anxiety that makes you sweat as you make the short ride back to your apartment.

There, you get your clothes off and shower again, then sit by your window in a towel, enjoying the breeze and wondering what to do. You look across the street at the coffee shop as two girls come out.

One of them is Riley. With her is a tall brunette that you don’t know. They’re both holding iced coffees. Riley glances in the direction of your building, and her gaze rests on your bike for a moment. Then she’s off, strolling alongside that girl. You check your phone. No new messages.

You could rush down there. Or call her right now.

You don’t do either of those things, but you can’t wait forever. This is more complicated than you thought it would be, and you have not forgotten that you got busted for a crime. It’s not a major crime, but you are still going to have a legal problem because of it.

You take your towel off and sprawl on your bed. It’s the afternoon, it’s warm and pretty out… you have nowhere to be. You should be able to just relax, but you can’t. You try to watch TV, but you don’t last long before you give in and call Riley.

She picks up.

“Hi,” she says, and you can tell that something is wrong.

“Are you OK?” you ask.

“Yeah,” she replies quickly. “Are you?”

“I’m out.”

“I’m glad. I saw your bike,” she says. “Listen, Adella.”

Oh no. You don’t like the sound of that.

“It’s my fault,” Riley says with a sigh. “You kind of tried to warn me, right? But I know what happened. With the police station and stuff. Like, I get it. I think.”

You lay your hand over your face. You really messed up.

“I should’ve listened when you said that you did this stuff,” she goes on. “I mean, it’s one thing to go out with a bad girl, but a criminal? Like… I just joined CCL, and some of the stuff that they do is too much for me. It’s a good thing they don’t **** us to do anything, but still. I get huge anxiety about some of it. If I can’t even handle CCL all the time, I don’t know…” She trails off, but she doesn’t have to finish her thought. You know what she’s saying: if she’s not comfortable with a horny sorority, how could she be comfortable with an actual criminal?

“I understand,” you say, hurt.

Is this a breakup? How can it be a breakup? Were you ever actually dating?

“It’s not that I don’t want to see you, because I do,” Riley says. “I just don’t know if I can. Or if I should. I need some time, Adella. I’m sorry.”