“Oh, come on. Roman told me he was taking you away last night! How did it go?” She looks excited, even anxious.
“I didn’t realize he told you. You aren’t upset with me?” I recoil automatically, waiting for her to strike. Everything I know about her leads me to believe she’s vindictive and oh-so-angry.
“I was, at first. Last night came as a little bit of a shock, but I knew he was seeing someone else. You didn’t try to be friends with me just to flaunt your relationship, did you?” She eyes me warily as we take our seats.
“No. I actually like you, and I don’t want to flaunt anything. I just really like him, and I don’t want to lose our friendship. I think we could actually have a real friendship. This thing with me and Roman just kind of happened.” I tell her everything, from our weird sexual interaction in his dorm room to our romantic, un-sexual night last night.
Our conversation is cut off in the middle as our professor starts the class, but Hazel passes me a note, something I know she hates, asking me for the rest of the story. I write it all down for her, keeping it short and simple, but enough for her to get the point.
When we finally get out of class, she stops me in the hall. “I’m really happy for you, Miranda. It seems like you are exactly the kind of girl he needs. I wasn’t the one for him. Besides, I was planning on breaking it off with him in another week or so. I was just using him to get the guy I like to break it off with his girlfriend.”
“Ooh, gossip! Who’s the guy?” I’m immediately intrigued.
“I can’t say. Not right now, anyway. But the point is, I’m very happy for you and Roman. And I think you’ll be good for each other.”
With tears in my eyes, I hug her, another thing she doesn’t like. To my surprise, she hugs me back. When we pull apart, tears are running down my cheeks, but I smile through them, happy that I still have a friend.
I wipe the tears away. “Okay, new subject! What’s up with the rumors going around?”
Hazel smiles, but I see something in her eyes, something I can’t fully identify, but in a blink, it’s gone and her smile goes all the way to her irises. “I’m not sure. It’s crazy, right? So far, unfortunately, everything is true, though, from what I’ve discovered. Even me and Andre.”
“You guys did it on the beach? Was it romantic?”
“Not as much as you’d think. Sand gets everywhere. Everywhere. But, it was an experience…”
“Wait! Is he the one you’re pining for? The mystery guy?”
“No, he’s not. He’s really nice, but I have my eyes set on someone else. Don’t worry about him. It’ll happen, eventually. I just have to be patient.”
I smile at her. “Good for you. Patience is a hard thing to have.”
“But speaking of gossip, have you heard anything about anyone? I’m dying to know who it is. And maybe if we get ahead of the rumors, we’ll be able to outsmart the person responsible,” she insists.
I do know a secret, one Audric let me know on our date, but I’m still unsure about telling her. Hazel might be my friend now, but she could turn in an instant. I bite my lip as I deliberate.
“What is it? I can tell you know something…”
“I do. But I don’t know if I should tell anyone. It’s kind of big,” I say.
She only gets more excited as we walk together. “Oh, I won’t tell anyone, I swear!”
I look around. “Don’t you have a class to get to?”
“Only on Mondays. I’m free for two hours right now. Please tell me, Miranda,” she begs.
I consider not telling her for another minute. Then I give in and tell her what I know.
Thirteen
Hazel’s face contorts in horror as I explain to her what I know about Audric. When her horror turns to worry, I seriously wonder if I shouldn’t have told her. She’s kind of a loose cannon, and something like this could spout from her mouth during one of her tirades in an instant.
“Are you sure?” she asks in a whisper. She grips her hands together so tightly her knuckles fade to white.
“You can’t tell anyone, Hazel. No one. Promise me,” I demand.
She blinks for a few seconds and then looks at me. “Of course I won’t tell anyone. That’s not the sort of thing you go around telling people, especially when he’s trying to keep it quiet.”
“Thank you. I need you to keep this a secret until Audric is ready to tell the world – however long that takes.”
“Feel like a shopping trip this afternoon?” Hazel holds up her credit card with an evil smile and I smile back, ready to forget that I just told her a huge secret.
I breathe a sigh of relief and nod.
* * * * *
We opt for a cab instead of borrowing a car. We direct the cabbie to the huge outlet mall on Route 501 and then schedule a time for him to return. He promises to meet us in hour and then we shop.
I’ve never been one to overindulge, but being around people with money is exciting, exhilarating. I know I can never afford any of the things Hazel picks out and buys for me, but it’s so wonderful to have nice things. After forty-five minutes, we’ve only been inside three stores. Hazel checks her cell for the time and then demands we hit up the shoe store.
“If you’re going to be with Roman, you’ve got to at least look like you belong together. He comes from money, and that means he has expensive things. Granted, I’m sure he knows you don’t have the kind of cash flow he does, nor does he expect it, but won’t it feel amazing to surprise him with some designer stuff?” She explained this to me while she purchased a Coach bag for me in the last store. I only glanced at the price tag, but it had four digits in front of the decimal point, so I stopped looking.
The shoe store is actually kind of normal, and I have shopped there before. Hazel bought me six pairs of shoes, declaring I needed them all. I could tell something was bothering her, since she only bought herself a few things, and was spending most of her money on me. Maybe she was trying to distract herself from Audric’s secret. It makes sense, but I still worry about her telling someone.
The cabbie loads all our purchases into his trunk. “You ladies had fun today.”
We both smile at him and nod. He opens the door for us and we slide in, ready to get back to school. I don’t have another class until four, but Hazel has one in another hour, so she’s got to be back for that. I’m anxious to get back and try everything on again. Some of the clothes Hazel picked out are items I would never wear, but I know Roman will like them.
Roman has the whole afternoon free, so I wonder what he’s up to. As the cabbie pulls out into traffic, I grab my phone to text him, but realize he’s already texted me and I missed it.
Hey beautiful girl. Got plans before your 4 o’clock class?
The time stamp says he sent it half an hour ago. I type out a quick reply.
No plans at all. What did you have in mind?
I wait impatiently as Hazel answers a call. I listen intently to the one side of the conversation I can hear.
“Hey! Yeah, everything is set. No, not at all.” She pauses. “I think I have something to add, but I’m not sure it’s going to pan out, so we can talk about it tonight.” Another pause, longer this time. I strain to hear the other voice, but get nothing. “Oh. Well, that’s fine, then. No, really. Go have fun.” Before the person on the other side can answer, Hazel drops the phone to her lap and presses end.
“Everything okay?” I ask.
She forces a smile. “Of course. I just get to spend the night alone. Again.” She sounds so lost, so desolate.
“I’m sorry,” I mumble, unsure of what else I can say.
“It’s not your problem. Eventually, he’ll come around,” she sighs.
Fourteen
By the time I get to my dorm, Roman is waiting for me. He’s leaning against my door, looking so sexy. He's changed out of the surfer shorts and is now wearing a pair of khaki cargo shorts with a fitted black tee. His muscles all but ripple underneath the soft cotton, m
aking my knees buckle slightly. I trip into him, but he’s quick. He catches me and sets me straight.
“You okay?” He looks at me like I might fall down again. He keeps his hand on my back as he turns so I can open the door. Once it’s unlocked, he surprises me by lifting me into his arms and carrying me into the room.
The wedding reference isn’t lost on me, but I remain silent. I refuse to get roped into a love situation before I’m ready. To my relief, Roman treats it like a joke and drops me, unceremoniously, on my bed. I bounce a few times and then laugh. The bags I was holding fall lifelessly to the floor.
My laughter disappears as he follows me onto the bed, his fists on either side of my head, creating a cage from which I don’t want to escape. I smile as his head descends to mine. When our lips meet, all thoughts of the stressful day disappear. His presence consumes me. I run my fingers through his hair, gripping the short strands between my fingers. I pull and he growls, a menacing sound that only serves to turn me on.
“God, you’re gorgeous,” he mutters against my lips, pressing himself more firmly against me between my thighs. He presses just the right spot and I arch into him, loving the feel of his body on top of me.
“Oh shit! Sorry!” I hear from the doorway.
We were so caught up, we didn’t hear my roommate open the door. Unless we didn’t close the door… I’m too distracted too remember. Either way, it doesn’t matter. Roman sits up and hauls me up with him.
“We were just leaving,” he says and then drags me out of the room. I have to run to keep up with him as he pulls on my arm.
“Hold up,” I call, out of breath and feeling like my arm has been removed from its socket.
He stops and turns to me. “Sorry. Will you make it?”
“I’ll be fine. I just need a minute to breathe.”
“You’re roommate has to worst timing,” he whines.
“That she does,” I agree.
“Let’s get somewhere more private,” he suggests.
“No more hotel rooms,” I beg.
“You didn’t like it?” He looks crushed.
“No, it’s not that. I just like to live in the real world, not the one where we can have a water fight at the hotel.” I wink at him.
“Fine. No hotels. But Audric is in my dorm for the afternoon, so I don’t know where we can go for privacy.”
Perfect. “Actually, I wanted to talk to you about Audric.”
“What about him?”
“How well do you know him?” I ask.
“Pretty well. I mean, we aren’t super close, but I know him,” he explains.
I decide to just come out and ask him. “Umm, what do you know about his sexual preferences?”
“He’s bi-sexual. Why?”
“Well, he told me that, and although I don’t have any problems with it, we decided not to be together. You know that. But today, Hazel kind of got me to tell her about it and she seemed surprised. So I’ve been worried all day that she’s somehow a part of the rumors going around, and I’m afraid it might get out. He’s only told a few people. Not even his family knows the truth.”
“It’s shitty that you told Hazel. But she won’t tell anyone. Not if she knows what’s good for her,” he mutters. “I need to go talk to her, just to make sure. Can I meet you in the lounge in an hour?”
“Of course,” I agree, grateful he’s going to help me with this. I don’t want Audric getting hurt. Roman smiles, gives me a quick peck on the lips, and then he’s gone.
* * * * *
An hour later, I’m waiting, impatiently, for Roman. The lounge is quickly filling up, and I have a class in ten minutes on the other side of campus. Instead of being late for class, I decide to start walking and shoot a text to Roman, saying I have a class.
I don’t get a reply, but it shows that he’s opened the message, so I figure he’s just busy. I go into the hall and take my seat. Cheyanne is in this class, and usually, we sit together. She’s nowhere to be found when I sit, so I decide to let the ball be in her court. I pull out a notebook and start a doodle, just to pass the time.
“Hey,” Cheyanne says as she sits next to me a minute later. “How’s it going?”
“Just peachy,” I reply, more sarcastic than I intended.
“I know you’re dating Roman,” she accuses.
“So?”
“Stay away from him. He’s bad news, Miranda. He’ll only hurt you,” she promises.
“What is your deal? Just because you couldn’t keep him doesn’t mean someone else can’t. And as far as I can tell, you were just a money-hungry bitch who got pregnant on purpose.” I give her a look of disgust and pick up my notebook and textbook. “Stay the hell away from me.”
I move to the far side of the class and seethe in silence. I want to make a big scene, but now is definitely not the time or place.
“I can’t believe you said that to her,” a girl says as she sits next to me. Her pink hair is off-putting, but I smile at her. There’s kindness in her bright green eyes.
“Yeah, she deserves it. Roman isn’t her personal property,” I whisper as our professor comes into the classroom.
“I agree. I’m Claire.” She puts out a hand and I shake it.
“I’m Miranda,” I say.
“Duh. Everyone knows that. You’re dating Roman. He’s kind of a big deal around here. He’s so dreamy.”
She reminds me of a little sister, and she definitely seems too young for college. “How old are you?”
She laughs. “Yeah. I’m sixteen. I’m taking college courses while in high school. It’s a new program for our school and only the five best GPAs are invited to do it.”
“Sounds exhausting. It’s nice to meet you, though.”
“Ladies! Quiet please,” the professor admonishes us and we both giggle.
* * * * *
After class, Roman is waiting for me. He pulls me into an empty corridor before I even have time to greet him. Instead of talking, though, he presses me against the wall and kisses me. He doesn’t wait for permission to take it further and thrusts his tongue into my mouth. My hands grip his shirt and I can’t help but love the way he kisses me.
When he finally lifts his head, we’re both breathless. “Hi.”
“Hi,” I sigh, my chest heaving as I try to catch my breath.
“Sorry I missed you at the lounge,” he says.
“No problem. I figured you ran into a snag.”
“Actually, I didn’t,” he chuckles. “But you know Hazel. She’s eccentric. Anyway, she won’t be telling anyone about Audric,” he assures me.
“How can you be sure?” I worry that she’s just told him what he wanted to hear.
“Trust me.”
And I do.
Terms of Endearment
Andre
One
Death is calling me.
Standing at the top of one of the hotels downtown, I look out at the ocean, ready to end this so-called life. I inhale deeply, enjoying the last few seconds of my time here. With my eyes closed, I mentally prepare to end it.
A buzz in my jeans pocket distracts me and I step back from the ledge, ready to ignore whoever it is. I slide my phone out of my jeans and glance at the caller ID.
Destiny.
“Hello?” I say after I slide the green bar across the screen. I didn’t mean to answer it, but it’s Destiny. She’s the one person I would do anything for.
“Andre! It’s Des. I have a question for you,” She sounds nervous but excited.
I take a deep breath to calm my racing heart. “Sure, what’s up?”
“Well, I need some help with the Intro to Lit assignment. Do you think we could meet at my dorm room in an hour and you could help me? You have a much better grasp of the text than I do.” I can hear the smile in her voice and my entire body reacts to it.
I step back from the ledge, back toward the light. “Of course. I’ll see you there,” I tell her. I turn away from the side of the building and make
my way toward the door that will lead me down into the hotel.
“You’re a lifesaver, Andre! I don’t know what I would do without you!”
And just like that, my life isn’t a path of destruction anymore. I mumble my goodbye, but internally, I’m crumbling. Everything is different now, after hearing her say those words. She’s one of very few people who actually likes me. And even if it’s not in the same manner that I like her, I don’t mind. I’m just grateful for someone who appreciates me.
Ugh. I even sound like a loser in my own mind. How could anyone ever love a guy like me?
It’s not like I don’t have friends… Our little group is mostly supportive and friendly, but I still feel like the odd man out.
After I found myself partially naked on a beach with Hazel, I pretty much decided that I should stay out of the dating game for a while. Especially since I have a major crush on Destiny, who is thoroughly in love with Nolan.
That night on the beach was amazing, and Hazel is a great girl, but I knew, the moment I walked onto the sand, that night would be a mistake. She was just getting over a breakup with Roman, who is, in my opinion, a total ass. Add to it that I was feeling lonely after hearing that Nolan and Destiny were hitting it off, and it was an evening meant for disaster.
Luckily for me, Hazel played it cool, and we were both in agreement that it never should have happened. But secrets have a way of coming out, and ours came out a few weeks ago, letting the whole world (well, the whole school, anyway) know about our sleeping together on the beach. Hazel has been handling it well, which surprises me, since I was positive she would claim I tried to ruin her life by telling people – which I didn’t. Until it came out via text, I hadn’t told a single person.
Destiny is the one person who I didn’t want to find out about me and Hazel. She and I were friends in high school, our parents are close friends. But when the text went live, there was little I could do to stop it. To my irritation, she claimed it didn’t bother her.
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