Stalk Me (40 page)

“You can’t control when you’ll fall in love.”

I ignore her comment because hell yes I can. And I will. 

“And I’m going to stay alive,” I add.

Mom’s face turns white. “I can’t believe I’m allowing this. I don’t know if I can. I think you should just come to Vancouver with us.”

I shake my head. “No, this is for the best. I’ll be fine, Mom. Like Avery said,
I’m going on a new adventure.
And it’s not like we can’t still talk and text. That’s why getting into your phone is like getting into Fort Knox.”

She laughs. “I’m still having a hard time putting in those passwords.” She tilts her head at me. “So, we were talking about you and Brook. You changed the subject.”

“There’s really nothing else to say.”

“Are you okay? I mean, you’ve been through a lot the past six days. Almost being kidnapped. Breaking up with your boyfriend. Going to a new school. It would be hard for anyone to handle. You seem a little too composed.”

“Almost being kidnapped was horrible. Being kidnapped would have been worse, so I’m thankful. Brooklyn wasn’t my boyfriend, so we didn’t break up. He’s going surfing. I’m going to school. If we’re supposed to be together in the future, he says fate will intervene.” I roll my eyes. Sometimes his karma and fate talk sounds a lot like bullshit. “So do you have any advice for me? You made it through high school, were prom queen and all that. What do I need to know?”

Mom runs her hand across the top of her perfectly coiffed hair. “Just be yourself, Keatyn. And be confident. You’re worldly, mature, well-traveled, well-spoken, and confident. You’ve always acted older than you are. Kids are drawn to that. And if I were you, I would make friends with a few boys first. It takes some time to figure out how girls are going to behave. And I know you have to tell a different background story, but you’re still you. The you you’ve always been, with your father’s gorgeous eyes, my killer smile, and your own individual grace. You are unstoppable. Don’t worry, everyone will love you.”

“Mom, seriously?”

“What?”

“You just told me what Elle Woods told her dog when they got to Harvard in
Legally Blonde
.”

Mom’s mouth starts out in a little smirk and then beams into her famous megawatt smile. She laughs. “You’re right. I did. Well, everyone
will
love you. And I love you very much.”

I hope Mom’s right about that. For the first time in my life, I have to totally rely on me. And what if me is really a loser? What if no one likes the real me?

When we land, Mom hands me a manila envelope. It looks just like the one that the photographs were in. Only it has my name on it.

My heart starts racing. What didn’t they tell me? What else is there? 

“Keatyn, your face just went completely white. What’s wrong?”

I shakily point to the envelope in her hand. “Did the stalker send something else?”

Mom’s eyes get teary. “Oh, no, honey. This is . . . this is something we should have talked about yesterday, but I couldn’t bear to.”

“What is it?”

“You’re not my daughter anymore,” she says, then she breaks down crying. 

Tommy pulls her into his arms and says to me, “One of the ways you could be tracked is through a money trail. If our financial people paid your bills like they do now, too many people would know where you are. We had you emancipated. Legally, you’re an adult now. You can sign yourself in and out of school. Legally, you can do whatever you want.”

I grab Mom’s hand. “Garrett told me all this yesterday. It was necessary. I’m still your daughter, Mom. It’s just that I’m legal a year sooner than planned.”

Mom looks like she’s going to puke, but she squeezes my hand and smiles. “Your grandpa wants you to call him before you open this.”

“Like now?” I ask. 

Mom and Tommy nod.

I pull up my scrawny contact list and hit Grandpa. He answers with, “Remember our talk this summer?”

“Yeah.”

“I know the situation is different, but it still applies. You understand?”

“I’m fixing to become my own man?”

Grandpa laughs. “Exactly. I’m not gonna beat around the bush. You’re going to be on your own for a while, and you’re gonna need cash. You know I set you up with a trust fund, right?”

“You told me you did, but I don’t know anything about it.”

“When your dad died, I set one up to take care of you. Pay for college, things like that. When I sold my company, all your dad’s share of stock went into your fund. You weren’t supposed to get this until you were older, but with the present circumstances, I’m giving it to you now. I should tell you to spend it wisely, but after all this, I’m gonna say life is short. Have fun while you can. The paperwork for your new accounts is in the envelope, along with new credit and debit cards. You’re a very rich young lady.”

“Rich enough to skip school, buy my own jet, and travel the world?”

“How bout you go to school, be safe, and let us deal with this mess.”

“Okay.”

“Take care, hotshot. Grandma and I love you.”

“Thanks for setting everything up in such a short time, Grandpa, and I love you both too.”

I open the envelope and look inside. 

There’s another copy of the legal document stating I am emancipated. 

And there’s a black American Express card. Tommy doesn’t even have one of those, and he’s rich. I pull out the financial statement and I have to blink a few times. 

Did I read that right?

I turn to Mom and hand her the statement. “Did you know about this?” 

She and Tommy look at it. Their shocked looks answer my question. “Wow, baby,” Tommy says. “You wanna finance my next movie?” 

Mom shakes her head. “I had no idea, Keatyn. I knew your grandfather was wealthy, but I had no idea.”

All of a sudden it dawns on me. Why he gave me the money now. Why my very conservative grandfather would tell me life is too short. Why he would suggest I spend irresponsibly. “You don’t think I’m going to make it until I’m eighteen, do you?” I cry out. 

Mom looks horrified and wraps her arms around me. “We don’t think that, honey. I promise. Grandpa is just trying to keep you safe. If you have your own money, he can’t find you through us.” 

I’m not sure if I believe her.

Garrett says, “Tommy, we need to get you and Abby off the plane as scheduled. We need to make this look as normal as possible, so say your final goodbyes.”

Mom stands up, then sits back down. Then her eyes fill with tears again. I stand up and pull her into a hug. 

“It’s gonna be okay, Mom. I’ll text you. It’ll be just like when you go film a movie, but I’ll be somewhere new. Off on a new adventure.” I try to be brave for her. I try not to cry, but when I say adventure, it makes me think of the girls. And I can’t help it. I start to cry too. 

Actually, I kinda bawl. 

Mom hugs me tightly while I cry into her shoulder.

I try to soak in the feeling of her hug. The hug I’m going to need to remember. The hug that’s going to get me through this. The hug that gives me the strength to go on.

Tommy says quietly, “Abby, we need to go.”

Mom nods her head, lets go of me, and kisses me on the forehead. “I love you.” 

“I love you too.” 

Tommy gives me a big hug and says, “I love you too, baby. Be safe.”

And then they are escorted down the stairs and off the plane. 

I’m used to Mom leaving, traveling, but this feels very different. 

I suddenly feel very alone.

I told them I’d be okay, but I’m not really sure if I will be.

Garrett sits down next to me. “They are going to park the plane like they normally do. You and I will get off shortly and board a different plane. It’s time to get you to school.”

Keatyn Douglas is no more.

2:15pm

“Kym dropped some things off for you earlier,” Garrett says to me as we board another plane. He points to a couple suitcases sitting by the leather couch. “Everything else already got shipped to school and should be in your room waiting for you. She said you’d need these things right away.” 

I glance down and notice a note attached to one of the suitcases with my name on it. It says there is an outfit for me to change into hanging in the closet. 

I go change, fix my makeup, and join Garrett back in the main portion of the plane. He hands me another manila envelope, and I try not to shudder when I take it from him.

I let the contents fall out onto the table. 

I now have a fake, but apparently legal, passport, driver’s license, birth certificate, and social security card. I put the license in my wallet next to my new ATM and credit cards and run my fingers across the raised name. 

Keatyn Monroe. 

I am now Keatyn Monroe. Keatyn Douglas is no more.

I practice my lines.
Hi, I’m Keatyn Monroe. Nice to meet you. My parents? Oh, they moved to France. I refused to go with them, so they sent me here. 

No, that sounds bitchy. 

Hi, I’m Keatyn Douglas. Shit. I mean, Monroe. 

Monroe. Monroe. Monroe.

Me? Oh, I’m not that exciting. Tell me about you. Do you like going to school here?

No, that sounds lame. 

I am exciting. I’m amazing!

Like not in a bitchy popular way, just in a confident way.

Hi, I’m Keatyn. 

That’s it. 

I’m Keatyn. That’s all anyone needs to know. 

After we land, Garrett drives me to school. 

“Notice the security features,” he says as we pull up to a gated entry. 

I expected it to look prison-like, the way everyone described it, but instead it looks like the kind of grand gated entrance you would find going into a private country club. It has a thick black iron gate and a pretty bricked guardhouse. I look closer and notice more detail. A tall, prison-style fence is mostly obscured by trees, as are the security cameras I see aimed at the fence and beyond. 

We wait in line behind a couple of other cars, then pull up to the guardhouse. 

“Student’s last name?” the guard asks. 

Garrett looks at me, but I’m busy staring at the bank of security televisions that I can see inside the guardhouse. They all appear to be for protecting the perimeter of the school, not for monitoring activity within the fence. 

“Name?” the guard says again.

“Monroe,” Garrett finally answers.

“Sorry,” I say quietly. “Is that fence electric?”

Apparently the guard has very good hearing because he replies, “You already planning your escape?”

“Uh, no, I just wondered.”

“It is electric,” he says. He stands up straighter. “We have a senator’s son here this year. We take security very seriously.”

“Excellent,” Garrett replies. I can tell he’s ready to get on with it. 

As we’re waiting for the gate to open, he says, “I personally picked out your dorm room. It’s on the first floor, backside of the building, next to the fire exit. Don’t change rooms with anyone. You have multiple escape routes from that room. The window, the fire exit, and the main hallway. It’s also next door to the boy’s dorm that I’m told houses many of the male athletes. It should be the first place you run to if you’re in danger, okay?” 

“Okay.”

He grins at me. “It’s also been newly remodeled, has it’s own bathroom, and a small walk-in closet.”

“You’re a man after my own heart, Garrett,” I laugh. But then I say seriously, “Thank you. Really. For all you’ve done.”

The big gate opens, and we drive through. The road winds through some trees and then you see it. All sprawled out like a college campus. We pass a golf course and athletic fields. Farther up the hill is a large field house, recreational facility, tennis courts, and more playing fields. We pass brick colonial homes that I know are the dorms. Beyond that I can see the big pillar-fronted library, a chapel, and classroom buildings. We stop in front of a modern glass building with a discreet sign that says,
J. Huffington Social Center. 

“This is it,” Garrett says. “Your new home. It’s pretty great, isn’t it?”

“It’s beautiful.”

My door is opened by a very cute guy with adorable freckles and really nice shoulders. He’s wearing a red polo shirt with a cougar embroidered on it. 

“Welcome to Eastbrooke. Name?” he says without even bothering to look at me.

I slide my legs out of the car and notice that all of a sudden he’s looking at me. Well, looking at my legs anyway. “I’m Keatyn Monroe.”

He gives me a crooked grin. “Monroe. Very nice to meet you.” He reaches out to shake my hand.

“Nice to meet you too. You always so formal here?” 

He chuckles and points to his shirt. Under the cougar are the words,
Senior Prefect
.

I laugh. “What is this, Hogwarts?” 

Garrett pops the trunk, and I walk around to retrieve my bags. 

When we’re standing by the trunk, he whispers to me. “Prefect means I have to be on my best behavior.”

“Does that mean you usually misbehave?” 

“You know it.” His arm muscles flex as he pulls my bags out of the trunk. “I’m in charge of getting these to your room.”

“And what am I in charge of?”

“You, Monroe, need to check in at that table over there. Cute boots. Where are you from?”

“California.” 

He nods his head like that explains it all. “I’m Jake, by the way.”

I watch Garrett and my old life pull away, turn around, and walk to the check-in table. I get a big packet of information and am told to head to the small gym for New Student Orientation.

I glance at my phone and see I have a few minutes to spare, so I walk down the wide pathway and take it all in.  

My first thought it that the campus is even prettier than the pictures. 

All the trees look like they’re just on the verge of changing to their brilliant fall colors. I can picture the grounds covered in snow and feel a twinge of excitement at the prospect of spending a winter here. Getting to see snow every day, not just for a week of skiing in St. Moritz.