by J. M. Adele
Like Dakota had a choice. They were already halfway up the stairs before Chelsea had finished the sentence. Guiding them through her bedroom door, she shut it quietly before dropping Dee’s arm.
“Girl, is he just overly friendly or is there something goin’ on between you two?”
Dakota shrugged, seeming nonchalant, but something in her dark eyes told Chelsea she was irked by the question. “He’s a nice guy. He just likes to flirt.”
“And you like it when he flirts with you?”
Her shoulders bounced again, as she scratched at her eyebrow. “Yeah. It’s a bit of harmless fun. Why wouldn’t I like the attention of a gorgeous guy?”
Chelsea rested her hands on her hips and pursed her lips. Every woman liked the attention of a gorgeous guy. It’s when their attention wandered that problems began.
“You didn’t seem to like his eyes wandering over to me, and I can assure you, I didn’t like them on me either. Whatever he’s got goin’ through his head, I’m not interested. Are we clear?” She reached over to squeeze Dakota’s shoulder.
“Yeah, we’re clear.” Dakota laughed. “Why are you making such a big deal out of this?”
“I don’t want there to be any misunderstanding between us. I really appreciate you inviting me to live here. I’ve seen stuff like this break up friendships before. I’d hate for things to be awkward. Promise me you’ll talk to me first if you have any issues with our arrangement?”
“Yeah, okay. I promise.”
Dakota snorted, her bemused expression stopping just short of an eye roll. She wasn’t taking this seriously. Chelsea only hoped that Ryan would get the message and back off.
“Hey, if you guys are talking about Ryan behind his back, I’d like to join in.” Hannah’s tall, lithe body glided into the room, and landed on the edge of Chelsea’s bed. She flicked her light brown plait over her shoulder and leaned back on both hands. “Welcome to the family. Ryan’s roving eyes clearly found you interesting.” One cheek caved in with a dimple, as dark blue eyes assessed her from behind cat-eye framed glasses. “I can see the appeal. Love the accent. Nice rack.”
Chelsea’s brow shot up and she dropped her chin to inspect her T-shirt. It wasn’t like she’d dressed up to move house. She was in her sloppiest gear; yoga pants and an old Boston University tee. What was wrong with these people?
“Hannah.” Dee flopped onto the mattress beside her friend and crossed her legs. “Chelsea’s going to think we’re a bunch of deviants.”
“That description would be accurate of Ryan and myself, but I’m sure she knows you’re normal, Dakota.” Hannah tilted her head to the side, smiling at Chelsea’s confusion. “I’m bi. But don’t fret. You’re not my type. I go for quiet, bookish types. They’re usually wild cats in the sack.”
Oh. Go, Hannah.
“What’s Ryan’s excuse?”
“He’s just a horny college student intent on spreading his seed far and wide.”
Dee smacked Hannah on the arm, but giggled at her remark.
“Nice visual. Excuse me while I vomit.” If Chelsea hadn’t already been turned off, she certainly was now.
“I’m afraid our Dee has developed a little crush on him.”
“No, I haven’t. We’re just being friendly.”
“Mm hmm. Real friendly.” Hannah lowered her glasses to stare at Dee over the rim. “You were friendly about three times last Saturday night. Is that about right, Dee?”
“We were drunk.” Dee’s eyes went all dreamy, and a ghost of a smile tugged at her lips. “Three times? Really?”
“Yeah. I checked with the neighbor. He agreed.”
Dakota threw her hands over her face and giggled. “Shit. Sorry, Hannah.”
“It’s fine. You were just getting back at me for last year.”
Dakota groaned. “Don’t remind me. Dave. Then Mindy. Then Dave and Mindy.”
Chelsea’s hands stuck to her hips as her eyebrows rose higher and higher. “So, it’s true. All y’all are weirdos. Will ear plugs and an eye mask be enough to drown you out, or should I just start packin’ now?”
“Ear plugs and an eye mask? Interesting. We could do something with those,” Hannah piped in.
Chelsea’s hands slipped, dropping her arms to hang loosely by her sides. What the hell had she signed up for?
Her two housemates burst out laughing.
“We’re just messing with you!”
Chelsea wasn’t sure if they were just joking about her choice of personal protective equipment or the entire conversation.
“So, you haven’t slept with him, and Hannah hasn’t had a threesome?” Yeah, it was none of her business, but she wanted to know.
Dakota shook her head, a demure smile playing on her lips, giving Chelsea no clue to the truth.
“We weren’t joking about the threesome. Threesomes are the best.” Hannah stared off into space, a wicked smile playing on her lips.
It wasn’t often she met someone more outlandish and forward than she was, but Hannah had her beat. They’d all seemed normal when she checked the place out before summer break. Now, she was a little suspicious of just how close these three actually were.
One thing, she was sure of—living with these people was going to keep her on her toes.
They rifled through her closet, choosing what they were going to borrow for the night ahead. Chelsea joined in the impromptu fashion show, feeling a tiny bit of home click into place. She’d done this with Angel countless times. They were similar in size, Chelsea just an inch taller than her best friend. She didn’t know how Hannah and Dakota were going to fare, with Hannah being a foot taller, and Dakota, shorter by the same amount. But clothes flew everywhere as they threw themselves into the task. Hannah opted to show off her impressive shoulder tattoo with a halter top, while Dakota’s choice of a yellow dress set off her darker skin tone—the extra length sorted by the use of a belt.
Chelsea trailed the fashion queens into the bathroom, preparing to put on her mask for the night. Maybe prettying up her outside would get her insides in on the partying plan. She sponged on some foundation, smiling at the two ladies beside her as they bantered back and forth, hoping that the make-up would cover whatever funk she had going on.
Now, she was the newbie. It was natural to feel out of sync …
Hell, no, it wasn’t. Not for her.
Where the fuck had she gone?
She was still in Alabama, watching Greyson walk away. Half an hour in his presence and her world had flipped on its head. Maybe it was time to hang up her party skirt and get serious about being an adult. She’d never felt like she could let loose here, anyways. Not like at home. This was temporary, and she had something to prove.
“Hey. You okay?”
She snapped out of her troubled thoughts, taking in their reflections as Dee rested her head on Chelsea’s arm.
“Oh, yeah. I’ll be fine, sugar. Don’t worry about me. Just a bit tired, is all.”
“Are you sure you want to come? It’s okay if you want to sit this one out.”
“Naw. You’re sweet. It’ll be fun. Allston, here we come.”
Yay.
Ugh.
Ryan puffed out his chest when they all made their way out to the kitchen to find him. Beer in hand, he was already in party mode, spreading his arms wide in appreciation and welcome.
She had to admit that he was a good-looking guy, in a boy-next-door kinda way. Light brown hair that curled into loose waves, dark brown eyes, and olive skin. He had a certain appeal. Yeah, he was a terrible flirt. But then, so was she. She just needed to discourage him so he’d get the message. This was going to be fine, she thought, as she crossed her fingers behind her back.
_____
They turned up at the Silhouette, possibly the best dive bar ever. In Allston, anyways. She’d been here once, the year before, but they’d painted a mural on the exterior over the summer. A tribute to some famous Joes, in black and white on a red background.
&nbs
p; Cheesy Christmas lights and a rowdy college crowd greeted them with a warm, exuberant embrace. Chelsea was surprised to find that Ryan had followed her suggestion and invited a couple of friends—also college boys—she guessed, as they slapped each other on the back.
Tall, thin, and blond, Cameron was an engineering major. He seemed a bit shy—perfect for Hannah. Watching the way his face turned pink every time Hannah leaned in to speak in his ear, was entertainment enough for the evening.
The other guy, Jackson, had plenty of meat on his bones. He was probably fond of a barbecue rib or five, but he was tall too. His size became a little less imposing as they warmed a couple of bar stools. Jackson was studying business, like Chelsea. In theory, they had plenty to talk about, but the conversation was stunted by the lure of sports on the screen, and Jackson’s roving eye for the other ladies around the bar. She should have been offended. She wasn’t. Truth was, she was relieved. She kept imagining long, dark hair, a wicked smile, and tight Wranglers.
Chelsea sighed as she sipped her beer, and turned her attention to the game on the screen. After a minute of staring through it, she scrubbed the heel of her palm across her forehead, trying in vain to erase the memory of that kiss, and the stupid, meaningless conversation that had her body humming. As fleeting as their interlude had been, she couldn’t shake the weight of it. Not just the strength of the attraction between her and Greyson, but the way he’d simply walked away, taking a chip out of her confidence. It was completely idiotic, letting a stranger she’d just met do that to her. She wanted to kick herself repeatedly with a steel-toe boot.
Chelsea had sworn never to put herself in a position where a man had any power over her. But with the emotional tumble of her last day at home, she’d been a careless dumbass. What was she thinking, running off to meet a strange man at the diner? She thought she was being smart by picking a safe place, and then what did she do …?
She’d asked if he wanted to leave.
With her.
Alone.
She groaned and shook her head as a shiver coursed down her back. Thank God he left. She could be dead right now.
“Hey,” Dakota yelled in her ear. “Where're ya at in your head? ‘Cause it's not a good place, I can tell.” The words were barely decipherable. She was slurring so badly.
“Wow, Dee. Your breath could sterilize a hospital. How many shots have you had?”
Dee and Ryan had been heating up the dart boards for the last half hour, while Hannah and Cameron played pool. It was a testament to her mood that she’d chosen to sit out the fun and games.
Dakota waved a hand in the air, swinging her head around. “Oonly fweee.” Her fingers wiggled before she settled on holding up four.
Dakota’s dark hair and eyes morphed to blonde and crystal blue as Chelsea’s mind warped into her dark past for a second.
“Beth, honey, you are hammered. How many beers have you had?”
“Mm. Maaybeee fwee?” Beth held up a hand wriggling all five fingers as she giggled.
Chelsea snapped her eyes shut and prayed for amnesia before she did something stupid.
Ryan’s arm slid over Chelsea’s shoulder, his face coming close as he leaned down to talk in her ear. “Hey there, gorgeous. Are ya having a nice time?”
Ryan's articulation was more pickled than Dee's. He dragged out the 's' sounds. Heated breath laden with tequila wafted across her chin. She coughed as he leaned back, showing her a drunken grin. She turned her face away, cringing for Hannah and Cameron’s benefit as they rejoined the group.
“Yup, how ‘bout you? Did Dee whip your butt?”
“No, but I’d like to whip yerzz.”
She tossed his arm off, throwing him off balance so he stumbled backwards into Cameron, and shot to her feet.
“You ready to go?” she barked at Dakota, spearing Ryan with a look that could slice him in half.
Yeah, men were bad news. She’d needed a reminder. And now she’d had two in the course of two days. Lesson learned.
“Easy. I was just kidding around,” Ryan slurred.
“I don’t appreciate jokes about debasing me, or any other woman for that matter. And how could you let Dakota get so drunk? Are you a douche, Ryan? Because I’d really like to believe that my friend has better sense than to get mixed up with a douche. And that she’d never invite me to share the same roof with one. Do I have to worry about my safety? And Dee and Hannah’s?”
“Whoa.” He held up his hands, still leaning on Cameron for support, eyes as wide as his droopy eyelids would allow.
Chelsea uncurled her fists and dropped her chin as she took in the looks of shock on the surrounding faces.
Shit.
Okay, maybe she’d overreacted.
“Sorry. I’m sorry ... I’m gonna head home. Ladies, I’d feel a lot better if you were ready to leave too.” She crossed her arms and shrugged her shoulders, trying to defuse the situation with a smile.
“Yeah, I’d say we’re done here.” Hannah leaned up to give Cameron a kiss on the cheek, and left him pink-faced with one last message whispered in his ear.
They made their way through the crowd to the exit. Dee using Chelsea as support and Hannah helping Ryan. Chelsea checked her phone. They still had half an hour before The T finished for the night. She’d just saved them a taxi fare. Woohoo. Way to find the bright side. The small blessing didn’t ease the guilt and embarrassment she had churning in her gut. Let’s hope she wasn’t going to have to look for a new place to live tomorrow.
Dang, she missed home.
Back to Business
Chelsea’s fingernails clacked on the keys of her laptop, taking down notes while the professor droned on. Paying attention was proving to be a challenge, especially with the weight of Dakota’s questioning stare heavy on the back of her neck.
She’d managed to avoid Dee and Ryan that morning, both sleeping off their alcoholic binge session. But Hannah had given her sideways looks, pleading ignorance when Chelsea asked whether there was something on her face.
Sitting in class, she felt like a bug under a magnifying glass with a beam of sunlight aimed at her. Finally, the class finished, and the sound of students talking and gathering their stuff roared to life. Thank you, Jesus. She sat unmoving, hoping that Dee would need to be somewhere else in a hurry.
“What was with you last night?”
Chelsea’s shoulders tensed at the question. “I was really hopin’ you were so drunk you’d forgotten about that,” she whispered over her shoulder, not wanting everyone to know about her pitchin’ a hissy fit.
“Not a chance. So, what gives?”
Dakota wasn’t concerned that everyone would hear, drawing the attention of those around them with her loud mouth, as she wrestled her laptop into her bag.
Chelsea prayed for patience, closing her eyes for a beat. “You were late this morning. I’m surprised you made it at all. I thought you’d still be passed out in bed.” She focused her attention on packing up, pleased that she’d volleyed the surrounding questioning eyes back to her friend.
“Hannah’s hangover cure. Works like a charm,” Dakota announced to their audience before leaning down to speak in Chelsea’s ear. “Don’t think you’re getting out of explaining yourself.”
“Later,” Chelsea hissed, descending the stairs to the exit.
Dakota stuck to her tail like a blood hound. “Seriously, Chelsea? I vouched for you, and now you’re behaving like a crazy person. Ryan was just joking around.”
Chelsea ducked into an empty alcove, lowering her voice to a harsh whisper. “What he said was inappropriate. It made me uncomfortable. Yeah, I shouldn’t have snapped, but he doesn’t know me well enough to make jokes like that. We have to live together, Dee.”
“Exactly.” Dakota sliced a finger through Chelsea’s personal space, eyes blazing.
Chelsea groaned, dropping her chin to her chest. “Look. I’ll apologize for my outburst. Hell, I’ll even clean the kitchen for a month …” She raise
d her eyes and fixed them on Dakota’s. “… but I won’t put up with any crap from him. Or any man.”
The tense lines of Dakota’s face and shoulders unraveled instantly. “Oh. I get it … What happened to you?”
“Nothin’ happened to me.” Not exactly.
Turning her back, she moved into the corridor, hoping to leave this conversation behind. “I appreciate your concern. Maybe if we spent some time getting to know each other better, I’d feel more comfortable with all y’all, and you’ll get to know my … quirks.”
“Sounds like a plan. But you’re still on dish duty for a month.”
Leaning forward to open the door, Dee nodded for Chelsea to go first. It was a kind of truce even though Dakota's mouth was still pinched in annoyance.
“Thanks.”
With a sigh of relief Chelsea made her way outside, taking in the warm breeze and the hint of chromatic change on the horizon. Greens giving way to an array of yellows. It was beautiful. In another month, it would be spectacular. She didn’t want to spend her last year with animosity marring her time.
She savored the scene, feeling a mix of home sickness and nostalgia for this place. Guilt and worry tugged at her. Maybe she’d made the wrong decision, moving in with a friend. The good Lord knew she wasn’t an easy person to live with. She had enough baggage to fill a sink hole, and apparently, it was spilling over into her final farewell.
Turning to Dakota, she put on her best apologetic smile. “Have you got another class now, or can I buy you coffee?”
“It just so happens that I’m meeting Hannah for coffee in Washington Square. Why don’t you join us, and then you can say sorry for ruining her chances at getting some last night.”
“Hannah and Cameron? I couldn’t tell if he was really keen on her, or just trapped in her clutches. I bet he’s pissed at me too.”
They strode side by side through the throng of students and headed for the T stop. The ground seemed to firm up with each step, as they settled back into a familiar, easy camaraderie. The whole living together thing … that was going to take some getting used to.
“I think he was a little scared of Hannah. He had ‘virgin’ written all over him.” Dee spread her fingers and wiped her hand through the air like she was cleaning a mirror.