It Had to Be You

by Lizzy Charles

  The door opens again. I rinse off, shampoo, and condition in under two minutes before the masses arrive. Don’t want to be known as the girl who used up all the hot water.

  “Hey,” a low voice says sharply. My pink luffa slips out of my hands to the floor.

  There’s no way a girl’s voice could be that baritone. “I heard a rumor a girl is in here.” The voice is undisputedly male. How did a guy get in here? Of course there’s a girl in here. It’s the girls’ bathroom!

  Footsteps patter toward my shower stall. I freeze, my nakedness taunting me. I cover what I can, taking a deep breath and forcing myself to take two steps to face the back corner.

  “Naw, that’s my shower prepping, man.” The front stall door outside of my curtain opens and closes, a pair of huge guy feet poke under my curtain.

  An additional g-force tanks my stomach through the floor.

  This is the boys’ bathroom!

  A hushed whisper follows with a tap on the curtain. “Up on the bench.” His hand jets through the curtain, handing over my towel, bra, and underwear.

  I snatch them up like they’re a lifeguard’s ring. Emma lied to me! I scrub the towel over me, frantically slip on my undergarments, and wrap the towel corset-tight.

  “On the bench if you don’t want to get caught.”

  I clutch my towel, carefully stepping on the small bench. It’s not more than six inches wide and looks like a place designed to hold shower caddies, not 135 pounds of bones, flesh, and soul.

  It’s challenging to squeeze myself up there, but I make it. As I do, I brush against the curtain, and my heart does a flip-flop when I recognize James, wearing only gym shorts. I pull my eyes away, but not before noticing a tattoo on his shoulder.

  Death lies on her like an untimely frost

  Upon the sweetest flower in all the field

  My throat tightens while reading the Shakespeare quote, and a memory I’d long forgotten of my parents mentioning James’s tragic birth grips my heart. When he entered the world, his mother exited.

  How could I have forgotten?

  “Parson! What have you got going on in here? Or, maybe better I ask, who?” A voice of authority booms off the tiled walls, shaking me back to my senses. Right now is not the time to pity James or get too emotional. This is about survival.

  “Mr. Davvy, hey, in here. What’s up?” The latch on the stall door clinks. “It’s just my water, man.” The curtain shakes, then slowly James pulls it back so Mr. Davvy can view the empty shower stall, leaving just enough curtain to cover me up.

  I suck in my belly, holding a steady breath.

  “Sorry to make such a brash assumption, son. You know I’m required to check when these sorts of rumors roll in.”

  “Don’t sweat it, coach. We’re good.”

  The diminishing smack of sneakers on the tile and the sound of the swinging bathroom door are heaven to my ears.

  “So,” James says with a chuckle on the other side of the curtain. “How does a girl like you end up in the boys’ bathroom?”

  “Emma told me she’d show me the showers.” My face burns while I say it, realizing how foolish I was for not heeding Tuti’s warning. Of course they also told me to avoid James, and—well—here I am.

  “She can be a little mischievous sometimes.”

  “Is this one of the reasons you like her?”

  Self-assured laughter follows. “Who says I like her?”

  “Everyone I met at dinner tonight.”

  “We used to be a thing last year, but it broke off before the summer.” He taps against the tile of the stall. “She’s not worth talking about. What we need to worry about is getting you out of here.”

  “Right.” The grip of my towel loosens so I grasp it tighter and turn my back to him, even though a curtain separates us.

  “Well, do you want help getting out of here, or what?” He tugs on the curtain.

  “Is there a way out?” I squeak.

  “There is.”

  “Thank God.”

  “I wouldn’t thank God quite yet. The only way out is not exactly approved for child safety.” He chuckles again, and I like it. His laughter is gentle, like waves brushing over the sand on a hot day. Soothing. Reassuring.

  “Maybe being caught is better? We can tell them the truth—that I was tricked and you were trying to help me.”

  “No one will believe us with our late appearance at dinner tonight and my lengthy track record. Being discovered here will land you in expulsion territory. Actually, it’ll land us both there.”

  Even my lips begin to tremble. Expulsion? I haven’t even been here twenty-four hours and this place has chewed me up. Mom and Dad’s plane left an hour ago. Where will I stay if I get kicked out? “Will you really help me?”

  “We need to move quick. Everyone’s going to be in here soon, which will make it pretty hard for me to hide you.”

  “Right.”

  He tugs again on the curtain. “You ready?”

  “Sure.” I turn off the water and pull open the curtain. My face heats but whatever. This underwear set is less revealing than my swimsuits. “What do I need to do?”

  He cocks an eyebrow. “How are you with heights?”

  “They’re tolerable. I took rock climbing classes for a gym credit in Cape Town.”

  “You’ll be thankful you did.” He opens the stall, takes my hand, and leads me through the bathroom to the last stall on the left. The moment he latches the stall door, the bathroom door squeaks open again and sandals slap on the wet floor.

  My arms shake as another set of footsteps enter. I’m going to get caught!

  James’s eyes grow wide, and he rubs my upper arm for a split second. “You can’t be shaking if you’re going to pull this off,” he whispers. He motions for me to move beyond the curtain into the showering area. As I pull open the curtain, the light from the setting sun nearly blinds me, pouring in from a small, fogged-glass window in the corner. My throat squeezes in on itself. That can’t be my escape plan.

  I spin around with a harsh whisper, clutching my wet towel. “You’ve got to be kidding me. We’re three stories up.”

  “True.” He yanks the window open and leans out. “There’s an eight-inch ledge, which will be more than enough for your small feet. If I can do this, you can. Walk down five windows to hit the lounge. I’ll meet you there and help you in.” He sticks his head out and points up to the stonework of Brockmore Hall. “These stones jut out a bit for hand holds. Use them for stability.” He cups his hands to boost me.

  He’s out of his mind. “The entire school will be able to see me if I’m in my underwear scaling a wall!”

  “No one’s out there right now. They’re either chilling in the lounge or crying alone because they’re just now realizing that no matter how hard they work they won’t be able to finish their summer essays by midnight.” He reaches out, touching my wrist. “You’ve got to get out of here, Edelweiss. This is the only way, trust me. I promised my father, and your father for that matter, that I’d look out for you. Get moving.” Those gorgeous dark eyes speak to me on a level his words can’t. The way his eyes search my own with those enchanting flecks of gold is like they’re asking for access to my soul. “You can do this. I promise.”

  It’s absurd, but I believe him. He’s right. Eight inches is plenty of space to walk on. I place my foot in his palm, and he lifts me up. The towel around my middle catches against the wall.

  “Sorry, girl. You’re going to have to ditch the towel.”

  I grunt, trying to pull it up with me, but it won’t tie tight enough. It’s useless.

  “Hurry.” There’s urgency in his voice as the bathroom door opens again. “Guys don’t exactly respect privacy.”

  “Fine.” I turn away from him and drop the towel. Thankfully I chose a matching set of solid black underwear and bra this morning.

  He gives me a good boost, and I swing my legs out over the window’s ledge. “Five windows to the lounge?” I f
ocus on his eyes, ignoring his bare torso and his abs to the best of my ability.

  “I’ll meet you there.”

  “James!” Someone whoops as they bang on our stall door.

  “Go.”

  I step out onto the ledge and find a hold on a stone. There’s just enough space to allow a good grip, helping my balance. There’s a loud squeak as James yanks the window closed behind me.

  I press my toes into the ledge to get acquainted, the sun’s warmth still pulsing on its surface. A broken branch in a tree becomes my focal point.

  You’ve got this, honey. Mom’s key phrase of encouragement seems to blow in the wind. My movements are slow and calculated. Every two feet, a blessed jagged stone provides just enough of a grip for me to move forward, almost like the builders placed them there for this exact purpose.

  My fingers grip stonework around the fifth window. “Yes!” I say in a hushed cheer. I peer in, looking for James to open the window, but he’s not there yet. Instead, a group of guys with video-game controllers are staring at a giant TV and—of course—Emma and her groupies sit in the corner playing on their phones. I pull back, pressing myself against stone. This will either be the most humiliating or the coolest thing I’ve ever done.

  Too bad this isn’t something on my to-do list.

  Emma’s giggle pierces through the three-paned glass window.

  Something in me twists and burns, aching for retaliation. Always choose grace, baby. I take a deep breath at Mom’s words. I will not let Emma get the best of me.

  So I’m in my underwear. So what? I need to crawl through this window acting like the hottest girl in school, or she’ll destroy me. My only defense is utter confidence. One crack and I’m doomed.

  I steal another glance through the window, and this time James is walking through the door. Thank God.

  He waves at the guys, sauntering toward the window with my towel draped over his shoulder, still shirtless.

  All the girls ogle his six pack, and I groan. Way to keep a low profile.

  Emma climbs over her friend on the couch and bounds over to him, but he blows past her, coming straight for the window. The way he doesn’t even stop to look gives me the strength to put on a show.

  If I can pull this off, Emma won’t win. I can do this.

  I have to do this.

  With a wink, he unlatches the window. “Ready?” he mouths.

  I give him a thumbs-up, studying him as he lifts the window. “Follow my lead,” he whispers. Those deep, chocolate eyes lock into mine and suddenly a gentle calmness overwhelms me.

  “Got it.”

  “Hey, Edelweiss.” His voice is loud, and he takes my hand to guide me in through the window. I jump down.

  The room gasps, and I force myself to smile, gazing only at James. I sweep my bangs out of my eyes and stand up straight.

  He opens my towel and wraps me in it, his arms lingering around me in a close embrace.

  “You’re killing it,” he whispers.

  I press my shoulders back to stand tall, and I swear Emma gasps as James touches my lower back.

  “Anyone else having a great night?” James asks the room with a giant smile.

  Chapter Four

  James

  I play it cool, studying the unraveling video game on the screen while all the guys worship me with half-opened mouths.

  “Watch out for the dudes behind the water tower.” I nod to the screen, and Jordan turns just in time to catch five guys blowing him up.

  Emma’s glare may as well contain lasers. It’s too bad she cares so much about who I date, because I haven’t put any thought toward her since I broke things off.

  “James?” Edelweiss nudges me.

  I gaze down at her. So close, her thick eyelashes and naturally blushed cheeks somehow make her more beautiful. I need to get us out of here before we’re caught.

  “Later guys.” I toss out, praying I seem calm. I take Edel’s hand like it’ll break—the way they do in old movies—to lead her off our little stage.

  Tuti jumps up from the bench outside the lounge, arms open to receive her wet roommate. “Are you all right? James texted me.”

  “Yeah. I’m good.” Edel spins around the moment the lounge door shuts, pointing her index finger into my face with a heated glare. “What was that?”

  “Umm, I saved you.”

  “No, you made everyone suspect we were a thing.”

  I laugh. “Edelweiss, you need to relax. Who cares if they think we fooled around a bit?”

  “I do.” She pulls her towel tight.

  Tuti sighs. “James is right, Edelweiss. Everyone already thinks you guys fooled around because you snuck into dinner late.”

  “Are you serious?”

  She nods. “I’ve been trying to dispel the rumors all evening, but this.” She nods to both of us, her in a towel and me shirtless. “It erases everything I’ve said.”

  Edel’s jaw drops. “I thought you guys were kidding at dinner about James.” She looks over at me. “How many girlfriends have you had?”

  “None.” I cross my arms.

  “Which is exactly his problem.” Tuti reaches out and pulls Edelweiss away from me. “He won’t commit.”

  Edelweiss focuses over my shoulder toward the lounge. “So they all think I’m a slut?”

  “I wouldn’t go that far,” I offer. “It shouldn’t matter anyway. It’s your body, your choice what to do with it.”

  “All too true. But, yes, they do.” Tuti shrugs. “Give it a few days, and it’ll blow over. Once they get to know you, they’ll redefine you.”

  “So that’s why that guy asked me to watch a movie with him tonight.” Edelweiss shakes her head. “God, I was so clueless.”

  “What guy?” I wasn’t kidding when I told Edelweiss I’d promised to look out for her.

  “I don’t remember.” Edelweiss presses her palms into her eyes. “It was something that sounded like Chase, but it wasn’t.”

  “Jace Michaelson.” I nearly growl as I say his name. What if she’d said yes? That guy’s got to be the horniest kid in the junior class. There’s no way I’ll let Edelweiss near him if I can help it. “Surprised he even let you out of the conversation, to be honest.”

  Edelweiss winces. “Emma sort of sent him off. Told me to stay away from him.”

  Tuti adjusts her hair, miraculously transforming it from a ponytail into a knot on top of her head with only a pencil. “Well, if there’s ever proof that Emma isn’t heartless, there it is. At least she protected you from Jace.”

  “It’s hard to be thankful for that when she tricked me into a situation that could’ve gotten me expelled,” Edelweiss mumbles.

  “It’s better than being alone with Jace. He smells like he did eighty-two takes of an Axe Body Spray commercial.” Tuti wraps her arms around Edelweiss’s shoulders, giving her a hug. “It’s all going to work out, Edel. I promise.”

  I step up. “Forget about Emma. She’s just jealous because I paid attention to you today and blew her off.”

  The lounge door behind us squeaks open. “Tuti?” Jordan sticks out his head. “Betcha can’t beat me at Grand Theft Auto IV.”

  “You okay?” Tuti asks Edelweiss.

  “Go play,” she says. “I’ll be fine.”

  With Tuti gone, the hallway feels larger. Admittedly, I’ve never stood idly next to a girl in a towel. My hands don’t know what to do with themselves.

  “Listen,” Edelweiss tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “This is going to sound weird, but bear with me.”

  “Shoot.”

  “I noticed at dinner that girls kept bothering you. You even moved outside. Is that normal for you?”

  Moving outside to get away from girls? No. Definitely not normal. This whole not-dating thing is going to be way more challenging than I imagined. But I can’t tell her that.

  I slide my hands into my pockets. “Now that I moved on from Emma, it seems I’m like a light for bugs.”

&nb
sp; “Really, bugs?” She scrunches up her nose. “Please don’t tell me you’re the type of guy who lumps insects and women into the same category.”

  “Sorry. Poor choice of words.”

  “Do you like the attention?” She cocks her head to the side, gazing at me. Her blue eyes are brilliant yet soft.

  “I’m not gay, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

  “That’s clear to me, don’t worry.” She laughs. “I mean, do you like having girls around? Every time I looked at you tonight, you seemed annoyed.”

  “I was. My senior year needs to be low key so I can focus on graduating. My dad has high expectations for me this year.”

  “Well,” she takes a deep breath. “What if you dated me?”

  Her? I laugh before I can stop myself. “Sorry. I mean, we just met.”

  “I know, but if we dated—not even for real, just like, fake dating—it’d solve our problems. Girls would leave you alone, and I could have some time to figure out the social climate around here without guys hitting on me. Figure out who is a friend and who I should avoid. Plus, my mom will be thrilled if I have a boyfriend. I think she cares more about me having that experience than my GPA.”

  “I…” I step back, raising my eyebrows.

  “You said you were here to help me. I don’t know how I’ll ever get stable feet here at Brockmore as Emma’s target without your help.”

  “Are you serious?”

  “Yes.” She shrugs. “It’s like a business deal. This way I won’t have to try navigating dating here, which I’m obviously not ready for, and you can have a secure, drama-free relationship that will allow you to focus on school, make our parents happy, and keep other girls from distracting you.”

  “Listen, it’s not that you aren’t pretty but…” My words can’t find their way off my tongue. How do you reject a girl who is offering a fake relationship?

  She grins lightly and punches in the code to access the girls’ dormitory. “Forget I said anything. It was just a thought.”

  “Most girls don’t approach me off just a thought. It’s always calculated.”

  “That must be exhausting for you to navigate. Anyway, good night, James. Thanks for your help.” She pulls the door shut behind her, leaving me alone and shirtless in the middle of the corridor.