The Wanderers Beginning: The Wanderers, Reborn, & Unforgiven

by Jessica Miller

  “No. I can handle him, but thank you. Why don't you head back? I'm going to wait for Josie.”

  “I can wait with you. I don't mind.”

  “Go back. I know Josie's not going to want to leave anytime soon. We'll be fine, I promise.”

  Jack reluctantly waved goodbye and I watched him stick his hands in his pockets as he walked off. Then I took another deep breath and turned around to face Tristan who had now closed the distance between us. I stood there with my arms crossed and eyes glaring waiting for him to tell me what he wanted.

  “Wow, I haven't seen a look of such distaste since Bailey caught me in bed with her sister.” I let out a sarcastic laugh and turned to walk away. Tristan put his hand on my arm stopping me. “I was just kidding,” he said.

  “Why do I find that hard to believe?” I said hoping my tone of voice would give him the hint that I was not interested.

  “You’ve got a bit of an attitude. I like that,” he grinned, letting me know I needed a new tactic.

  “Is there something you want?” I said, annoyed. He smiled that cocky smile and took a step closer. I put my hand on his chest stopping him and keeping him at arm's length.

  “I heard you were joining Theta Kappa and I wanted to officially welcome you.”

  “I haven't said yes, yet, and now that I know it would mean seeing more of you, I will be declining the offer,” I said, dropping my hand.

  “Don't say no on account of me. Theta Kappa is one of the most prestigious sororities on campus and can do great things for your future.”

  “Trust me. I don't need some dumb sorority to help me with my future.”

  “Ah...I see,” he said as if he just figured me out. Noticing he was losing me he laid on the charm. “Still they could use someone like you. They don't know it yet, but they'll be lucky to have you.”

  “Did they send you out here to try and convince me? Let's send Tristan, he can convince anybody. All he has to do is bat his long eyelashes and look with those dark blue eyes.” I tossed my hair mocking the sisters.

  He cracked a smile and took a step closer to me, leaving our faces only inches apart. “You think I have beautiful eyes?” he asked, his breath getting heavy.

  My heart started to quicken as I stared into his dark blue eyes. Then reality struck when the wind blew hair across my face. I took a step back. “I never said that.” My arms crossed into a hasty barrier again and I struggled to stay composed.

  He chuckled. “Why Ella, I do believe you're blushing,” he said. His cocky smile returning. I glared at him, shoving past as I walked back into the house. “Oh c'mon,” he said laughing.

  “Hey Josie, you ready?”

  “It's like only twelve.” I looked back to see Tristan was reentering the house and heading in my direction.

  “Don't mind Tristan. He's harmless,” Cadence said. “He was actually the one who suggested I extend the invite for you to join.”

  “Of course,” I said under my breath.

  “Please don't let him discourage you from your decision. You really don't have to worry about him. The most you'll see of him is at the parties. That's it. He doesn't do anything else.” I turned and looked at him over my shoulder. One of the sisters had walked by taking his hand and pulling him to the dance floor. His eyes met my own and for a second I thought I saw something different, something deeper, but then he threw me his cocky smile again and grabbed Skylar's ass, making all that fade away.

  Determined not to let him ruin my night, I decided it was time for me to have some fun. “Hey you!” I shouted at the guy with the shots and signaled for him to come over. “Shots?” I asked the girls. We each had two and I took a third before he left. I caught a glimpse of Tristan watching me and smiling. God he's annoying.

  I took Josie's drink and chugged it. “Whoa, what happened to you?” Josie asked.

  “Let's get another drink,” I said pulling her along.

  “Okay,” she said, dragging out the word. I ordered a drink, something strong, and had another shot. “Ella, maybe you should slow down.”

  “I'm just trying to have fun. This is a party isn't it?”

  “Don't say I didn't warn you,” she said knowing this could end badly considering I wasn't a big drinker.

  We walked through the house meeting and greeting new people. We passed a group of guys doing keg stands and I stopped. “Can I try?” I asked one of the guys.

  They all looked at each other. “Yeah!” the one guy shouted.

  “Ella, do you know what you're doing?” Josie asked looking at me like this was a bad idea.

  “No,” I admitted. “Here,” I handed her my cup.

  “You might want to tuck your shirt in,” warned one of the guys. I took his advice not wanting to flash the entire party. “Ready?”

  “Uh-huh.” I put my hands on the edge of the keg and two guys lifted my legs into the air. When I couldn't do anymore they let me down. I stumbled slightly from the head rush. They all watched silently until I threw my hands in the air and cheered, and then they did too. Josie decided to give it a whirl and handed me the cups as I cheered her on.

  I was pretty hammered by the end of the night and that little gnat Tristan was but a distant memory. My lack of intelligent speech made Josie declare I had enough for one night and decided it was time we headed back to the dorms.

  On the way out Josie stopped. “Shit! I think I dropped my phone. Ella wait here, I'm gonna run in and check real quick. Don't go anywhere!”

  “Where am I going to go?” I said between hiccups. I took out my phone to check and see if I had any messages and noticed I had no signal. I held it up walking in different directions trying to get a signal when I bumped into someone. “Oh, I'm so...oh, it's you,” I frowned.

  “Had a good time tonight I see,” Tristan said.

  “No thanks to you,” I said, poking him in the chest with my finger. “And why you keep following me?” I asked in a drunken slur. “Do you really think you have a chance? Because you don’t? And just ‘cause you’re hot doesn’t mean anything.” He smiled, crossing his arm over his chest and resting his chin on his hand fueling my irritation. “I’m not interested. Take the hint. I’ve only spent ten minutes with you and that was enough to know I don’t like you.”

  He stared at me, contemplating his next move, like this was some kind of game to him. “You’re an interesting character Ella,” he smiled. “But I like a challenge.”

  I was ready to open my mouth when I heard Josie yell, “I got it!” running out of the house.

  I spun around so fast, I got dizzy and tripped. Tristan caught me before I hit the ground. “Whoa, be careful there.”

  I pushed him away from me. “I don't need your help,” I said stumbling.

  “Clearly,” he said, mocking me. I shoved him out of my way and started to walk back to the dorms. “Ella wait.”

  Josie and Tristan chased after me. “You guys shouldn't walk back by yourselves, it's not safe.”

  “Please, we can take care of ourselves,” I said, tripping and falling on my butt, not helping my case.

  “That's it.” Tristan bent down, picked me up, and threw me over his shoulder.

  “Put me down!” I yelled, hating feeling helpless.

  “I'm just trying to help you. It's for your own good.”

  “I don't need your help. Now put me down!”

  “Fine,” he said, putting me down.

  I felt better now that my feet were firmly planted on the ground. “Thank you,” I said, straightening my shirt.

  I turned around and collided with a lamp post, knocking myself unconscious.

  When I opened my eyes, I was lying face down on my bed. I lifted my head and the room started spinning. “Oooh,” I groaned, gripping my head, sitting up very slowly.

  Tristan was in my room sitting on Josie's bed, with his one legged crossed and sipping a coffee. Making this officially the worst morning ever. “How are you feeling this morning?” he asked.

 
“What are you doing here?” I grumbled.

  “Just checking to make sure you're alive.”

  “You can see that I'm fine. So you can leave now.” When he didn’t make a move to leave I asked, “How did you even get in here?”

  “Josie let me in.”

  Figures, I should have known. I sat there, with my hand on my head, watching him studying me. I got a strange fluttering feeling and I subconsciously touched my stomach. I looked back up at Tristan. He smiled cockily at me taking another sip of his coffee. Then he stood up and moved in closer to me, so close I could barely breathe. “You know that feeling you're getting in the pit of your stomach? You know what that is?” he asked.

  “Yeah, it's called nausea,” I countered with a smirk.

  He chuckled lightly. “When you're ready to admit it, just let me know.”

  “Admit what?” I asked, clenching my stomach.

  “That you want me.”

  “Don't hold your breath.” He moved back and took a seat on Josie's bed. I glared at him not in the mood for his company. “What do I have to do to get you to leave?”

  He flashed me one of his killer smiles and stood up. “I bid farewell, la mia bella stella,” he said, doing a bow and walking out.

  “What does that even mean?” I shouted, annoyed. He ignored me and kept walking. “Ugh!” I screamed lying back on my bed and clutching my pounding head.

  “Well good morning. I see sleeping beauty is finally awake,” Josie said coming in.

  “Why did you let Tristan in here?”

  “He wanted to make sure you were okay.”

  “He was probably hoping he'd catch me naked.”

  “If it wasn't for him, your ass would still be lying in the grass unconscious.”

  “Did I really run into a lamp post?” I asked, touching my forehead and feeling a small lump.

  “Yep,” Josie said, trying to hide her smile. “You really know how to make an impression.”

  “Whatever...don't let Tristan in here anymore.”

  “I thought you liked him?”

  “No I don't. Why would you even think that?”

  “Because I never knew my best friend to get so worked up over a guy that she had to down shots and beers all night.”

  “Yeah, remind me of today the next time I decide to do that,” I said throwing myself back on my bed. “And I wasn't drinking because of that jerk, just so we're clear.”

  “Okay, whatever you say,” Josie sang. I rolled my eyes and put my pillow over my head not ready to get up yet. “I'm going to let you get some rest. I'll come back and check on you later.”

  “Don't forget to shut the door,” I reminded her.

  “I won't,” she replied and actually listened.

  I ended up staying in bed all day and sleeping off my hangover. When I finally got up, I headed straight to the bathroom and took a shower. That's when I noticed the giant black and blue mark on my forehead. Great, I thought, just what I needed to start the new school year. At least it was a big school, probably no one will notice, hopefully.

  “Ella, what happened to your head?” Jack asked as I headed back to my room from the bathroom.

  So much for no one noticing. “I had a fight with a lamp post last night, the lamp post won,” I joked.

  “You alright? Maybe you should go to the clinic and get that checked out,” Jack said worried.

  “It's just a little bump, it's fine. Sorry about last night,” I said, feeling a little guilty.

  “Sorry about what?”

  “Dragging you to that party. If I would have known it wasn't your thing...”

  “Nah, don't worry about it. I could have said no.”

  I wanted to ask ‘why didn’t you then?’ but decided against it. Instead I opted for what I originally came here for. To start over, make new friends, and to get past the nightmares. And I thought I would start with Jack. He seemed harmless. “How about I make it up to you, a movie, tonight?”

  “No parties?”

  “No. I think I'm good for the semester,” I laughed. “Just let me get dressed and we can check out what's in.”

  I texted Josie to tell her Jack and I were going to see a movie and asked if she wanted to join. She declined, saying she ran into one of the boys from the party last night and was going to hang with him tonight. That's when I noticed I had a voice mail and I checked to see who it was.

  “Hey Ella, it's mom. The courier tried to drop the keys off with you, but no one was there, so I told him to leave them with the resident advisor. You can pick them up from him. Love you honey, talk to you soon.”

  I had totally forgotten about the car being delivered today. I quickly changed and half dried my hair. I had no idea where the resident advisor's room was, but I'm sure Jack did. When I got to Jack's room his door was closed. I knocked and waited.

  Nothing.

  I knocked again, harder this time. “Jack?” The door swung open and he quickly stepped out closing the door behind him.

  “Sorry,” he said. “You ready?”

  “Yeah, I just have to pick something up first. Do you know where the RA's room is?”

  “The last one at the end of the hall,” he pointed.

  “Great, I'll be right back.”

  I walked down to the end of the hall and knocked on the door that read resident advisor. When the door opened, I took a step back in surprise. “Ella, I knew you'd come around,” Tristan said with a cocky smile.

  “You're the RA?” I asked, shocked.

  “The one and only. Now, what can I do you for?”

  I fought the urge to punch him. “You're holding something that belongs to me.”

  He looked me over. “Not yet, but if you come in I'll gladly hold some of your belongings.”

  “Tristan, I don't have time for your bullshit. There was a package delivered to me but I wasn't there to sign for it. I was told it was left with you.”

  “A package…hmm...let me see,” he said closing the door on me. I was about to barge in when he came back with an envelope addressed to me. “This isn't anything illegal? ‘Cause as your RA, I am obligated to report...”

  “Give me that,” I said, ripping it out of his hands. He just smiled at me and casually leaned up against the door. I’m not sure what he was expecting, but I surely had nothing to offer him besides more blatant dislike.

  “Tristan, what are you doing?” a girl's voice called from inside the room.

  “Ah...if you excuse me, I have some business to attend to,” he said, wiggling his eyebrows. I looked at him disgusted. “You're more than welcome to join us.” I didn't even respond. I just walked away trying to keep my temper intact. “Goodbye Ella.”

  “What's wrong?” Jack asked, clearly noticing a shift in my mood.

  “Nothing,” I said, letting out a breath so I wouldn’t take my anger out on Jack.

  “Well we better get a move on. The closest theatre is about five miles and it will take a cab at least a half an hour to get here.”

  “No worries,” I said opening the envelope and dumping out a set of keys. “I have a car,” I smiled holding up the keys.

  Chapter seven

  I had no idea what kind of car my mom had gotten me. There was nothing else in the package. I walked through the parking lot pressing the key-less entry until I found it. The lights flashed on a brand new Ford hybrid SUV. “There it is,” I said.

  “Nice car,” Jack commented getting in the passenger side. It was fully loaded, complete with the On-Star system - nothing but the best. “How did you manage a car like this?”

  “My mom is a little over protective. She had it delivered today.” He was speechless. “So where's the theatre?”

  “Make a right over there.”

  I followed Jack’s directions to the theatre. We decided to see a comedy. After the movie, on the way back, Jack didn't say much. I figured maybe he was shy, so it looked like I'd have to be the one to strike up the conversation. “Did you like the movie?”

/>   “It was good.”

  “What else is there to do for fun around here?”

  “There's a student center. People hang out there sometimes.”

  “Wanna stop by and check it out?”

  “Sure,” he replied. Okay this might be harder than I thought. He doesn't seem to be much of a conversationalist.

  In the student center there were only a few people sitting, chatting, or reading a book. “Want some coffee?” Jack asked.

  “Sounds great.” He ordered two cups of coffee and we sat down at one of the empty tables. Jack sat quietly staring at his coffee cup. “So, where are you originally from?” I asked.

  “I'm from here. I only live a couple miles away, but I prefer to live on campus. It's just more convenient this way.”

  “Have any brothers or sisters?”

  “Nope, only child. You?”

  “Two older brothers and I can't tell you how glad I am to be away from them.”

  “Where are you from?”

  “California.”

  “That's a long way from home.”

  “That's kind of the point.”

  “Things not so good at home?”

  “No, the opposite actually. My family is great, I just needed a change.”

  It turns out once we got going, Jack was a real talker. He told me about his parents. His mom was a single parent and he had no idea what happened to his dad. We compared the classes we were taking and found out we had a few together even though he was a sophomore. Jack did most of the talking, while I sat and listened. He seemed like a really nice guy. Shy, but goodhearted. I could tell already we would end being good friends and was happy I was taking the chance to get to know him.

  After we finished our coffee we headed back to the dorm. “Thanks, Jack, I had a nice time.”

  “Me too,” he said with that crooked smile.

  “Okay, I'll see you later,” I said, not sure what else to say. I wanted to keep things on a friendship level so I smiled at him and walked back to my room.

  Josie was there when I got back. “Didn't expect to see you home so early.”

  “Me neither,” she sighed.

  “What happened?” I asked curious.