Down 'N' Derby by Lila Felix

that I was now serious about school.  Not that I wasn’t when I was a kid, but the drama of being with Simon messed with my head so much that I never had time for schoolwork or studying. I was too busy trying to keep him occupied.
                  I took the route that would lead me through Los Angeles so I could shop on Melrose Avenue.  There was a strip of the street on the Fairfax block that was nothing but vintage clothing and vintage remakes.  It was absolute heaven for me.  And I knew that with the summer closing in on me, it might be my last chance to shop there.  It took me about four and a half hours to get there from Vegas and by two in the afternoon, I’d arrived.  I shopped store after store finding more outfits than I could ever wear calling my name. 
                  I bought three pairs of shoes and two of the cutest vintage style bikinis I’d ever seen.  Tomorrow I would hit the beach right across the street from my apartment above a tourist t-shirt shop in Venice Beach.  It was the cheapest place I could find so close to the beach.  And really?  Why live in Venice Beach if you couldn’t walk to the beach?  It was perfect for me.  I shared my tiny apartment with another girl who was also a model, so most of the time her space was empty but she still paid half the rent—it worked. 
                  After another forty minute drive home, I turned the key to my apartment and after three trips upstairs I finally got all my luggage and shopping bags in.  I dragged them into the bedroom and unpacked and hung everything up in my closet.  The special show outfits went in a standalone wardrobe.  After finishing unpacking and taking a long, hot bath I ordered Thai food in and vegged in front of the TV.  I had missed some cheesy movies, the ones the claimed it was the worldwide premiere even though the movies had been released years ago. 
                  The phone rang just as I got settled and I nearly came unglued.  After composing myself I answered, out of breath.
                  “Hello?” The caller ID said ‘Unknown’ and that could only mean one of my roommate, Liza’s bill collectors, or Simon.  I would gladly speak to bill collectors anytime over him.
                  “Why so out of breath darlin’? You’re not screwing another guy, are you?  That wouldn’t be very smart.”  I hung up after hearing his demented voice and shuddered.  How he always knew where I was insanely creepy.  But somehow he always did.  I needed to cancel my home phone the next day.  I couldn’t take this crap anymore.  I had a cell phone but the only people who had the number were Renee and my parents.  They didn’t call very often anyway.  I think with all the Simon stuff coming to light they were embarrassed of me.  I’d shamed them.  Hell, I was a shame to the female species in general. 
                  I managed to be invisible all throughout primary school and all the way to middle school.  Then high school happened.  As a freshman I came in hoping to get the same treatment and I did for about five months until Simon Melancon took notice.  He was handsome, charming and relentless, constantly asking me out and showing up everywhere—my locker, my car, my house, my window.  I thought it was so romantic but in hindsight it was borderline stalkery—borderline my ass, it was full on obsessive, carve my name into his wrist, bang his head against a stop sign stalker.  I was blinded by his devotion. 
                  The first time we went out it was all roses and sweetness.  He called the morning after our first date claiming he couldn’t wait to hear my voice again.  And didn’t I just fall for that sappy shit. 
                  By the third date he was strongly advising me on what I should be wearing and who I should be hanging out with.  On our one year anniversary, I found