if I think you deserve to have some
fun.”
Maybe I did, but being with Kate was
more than that. She deserved a lot more than a good time, though I certainly
wasn’t against showing her one.
“I saw the way she was looking at you on
moving-in day. She likes you and, considering how much you’re trying to deny it,
you must feel the same way.”
“How about we get off me and talk about
you for a change,” I said, proving his point without even meaning to.
We hit the cement porch of the dorm.
Tristan stopped. “Your romantic foibles are so much more fun, Chazzy,” he said,
playing air piano with his fingers to wave good-bye before walking inside.
I guess I couldn’t blame him. It hadn’t
been only years since I’d been with anyone, but years since he could give me
shit about it.
As my best friend, he had a lot of time to
make up for.
Chapter Ten
Kate
It was finally Friday. I’d
survived a whole week following my rules and not getting kicked out for being
closer to middle age than teenager. I was even comfortable enough to go to the
Student Financial Services office and fill out the application paperwork
necessary to try for the scholarship I’d specifically chosen Hudson for. If I
was accepted, I’d be able to carry on my charade for at least another year.
Without even the slightest
apprehension, I signed my name and handed over my doctored transcripts to lie
about something I wanted yet again.
I had a cautious contentment
about things when I stepped out of the dorm elevator and headed toward my room
to lock myself inside all weekend. That is, until I found the girls with
insanely shiny brown hair and white teeth who had come to the floor meeting
drunk splayed out in the hallway. They were drinking vodka straight from the
bottle and laughing.
Oh sweet nectar.
I glanced down the hall
hoping for the first time since class on Monday to find Carter so he could
confiscate their bottle, get them the hell out of the hallway, and out of my
line of sight, but he was nowhere to be found.
I guess that was what I got
for not admitting I’d actually been hoping to see him all week long.
I headed toward my door
trying to ignore the girls and the bottle they held so casually. I’d made it a
week as a freshman without having one drink. That had been easy considering
alcohol hadn’t literally been blocking my way—so close it could trip me.
Every muscle tensed, my skin
seemed to scream as I fumbled with my key. It was slipping in my cold, sweaty
fingers.
I could say I didn’t want to
drink all day long, but my body knew different. My body knew saying no was never enough.
“Hey,” one the girls slurred
as she stood.
“We locked ourselves out,”
the one still splayed on the floor added. I guess she figured the one standing
was talked out.
Crap.
“Can we hang in your room
till maintenance gets here?” the standing one said.
I guessed these girls shared
the same brain. Inspecting them it was obvious they also shared the same
body—long, lean, and athletic, the kind of girls who, in high school, would
have made Dawn’s life hell.
She would not want them in
our room. I didn’t want them in our room.
Fuck.
“Um,” I said, searching the college-take-two
part of my brain for an excuse. “My roommate wouldn’t like it,” I tried. That
was safe. Not my fault you can’t come in my room with your bottle of stupid,
delicious vodka.
“You mean Twilight,” the one
sitting on the floor said, laughing.
“Yes, Dawn,” I corrected. Twilight, funny, but also mean; not like Dawn had probably been anything but to these
pink-bubble-gum girls.
“Is she home?” the standing
one asked. She was so drunk she was swaying.
“She means in her coffin,” the
sitting one said, bending at the waist with laughter.
“Not yet,” I said, deciding
to ignore the coffin comment, because she could have had one under her bed.
It’s not like I’d checked.
“Then what’s the problem?”
the standing one
fun.”
Maybe I did, but being with Kate was
more than that. She deserved a lot more than a good time, though I certainly
wasn’t against showing her one.
“I saw the way she was looking at you on
moving-in day. She likes you and, considering how much you’re trying to deny it,
you must feel the same way.”
“How about we get off me and talk about
you for a change,” I said, proving his point without even meaning to.
We hit the cement porch of the dorm.
Tristan stopped. “Your romantic foibles are so much more fun, Chazzy,” he said,
playing air piano with his fingers to wave good-bye before walking inside.
I guess I couldn’t blame him. It hadn’t
been only years since I’d been with anyone, but years since he could give me
shit about it.
As my best friend, he had a lot of time to
make up for.
Chapter Ten
Kate
It was finally Friday. I’d
survived a whole week following my rules and not getting kicked out for being
closer to middle age than teenager. I was even comfortable enough to go to the
Student Financial Services office and fill out the application paperwork
necessary to try for the scholarship I’d specifically chosen Hudson for. If I
was accepted, I’d be able to carry on my charade for at least another year.
Without even the slightest
apprehension, I signed my name and handed over my doctored transcripts to lie
about something I wanted yet again.
I had a cautious contentment
about things when I stepped out of the dorm elevator and headed toward my room
to lock myself inside all weekend. That is, until I found the girls with
insanely shiny brown hair and white teeth who had come to the floor meeting
drunk splayed out in the hallway. They were drinking vodka straight from the
bottle and laughing.
Oh sweet nectar.
I glanced down the hall
hoping for the first time since class on Monday to find Carter so he could
confiscate their bottle, get them the hell out of the hallway, and out of my
line of sight, but he was nowhere to be found.
I guess that was what I got
for not admitting I’d actually been hoping to see him all week long.
I headed toward my door
trying to ignore the girls and the bottle they held so casually. I’d made it a
week as a freshman without having one drink. That had been easy considering
alcohol hadn’t literally been blocking my way—so close it could trip me.
Every muscle tensed, my skin
seemed to scream as I fumbled with my key. It was slipping in my cold, sweaty
fingers.
I could say I didn’t want to
drink all day long, but my body knew different. My body knew saying no was never enough.
“Hey,” one the girls slurred
as she stood.
“We locked ourselves out,”
the one still splayed on the floor added. I guess she figured the one standing
was talked out.
Crap.
“Can we hang in your room
till maintenance gets here?” the standing one said.
I guessed these girls shared
the same brain. Inspecting them it was obvious they also shared the same
body—long, lean, and athletic, the kind of girls who, in high school, would
have made Dawn’s life hell.
She would not want them in
our room. I didn’t want them in our room.
Fuck.
“Um,” I said, searching the college-take-two
part of my brain for an excuse. “My roommate wouldn’t like it,” I tried. That
was safe. Not my fault you can’t come in my room with your bottle of stupid,
delicious vodka.
“You mean Twilight,” the one
sitting on the floor said, laughing.
“Yes, Dawn,” I corrected. Twilight, funny, but also mean; not like Dawn had probably been anything but to these
pink-bubble-gum girls.
“Is she home?” the standing
one asked. She was so drunk she was swaying.
“She means in her coffin,” the
sitting one said, bending at the waist with laughter.
“Not yet,” I said, deciding
to ignore the coffin comment, because she could have had one under her bed.
It’s not like I’d checked.
“Then what’s the problem?”
the standing one
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