“Yeah I know,” I said, dropping the hose out of reach on the lawn in front of me. “It’s just the last few years of any sort of school for the rest of our lives. I wouldn’t mind doing them with my best buddy you know.”
She got up on her knees in front of me and placed her hands on my legs, looking at me seriously. “David, I mean it. If you get into Sydney, you need to go. We’ll still see each other. It’ll be fine.”
“Sure Trina, whatever,” I said, looking at the street as I saw the flash of yellow from a car driving past.
“Promise?”
“I promise.”
“Good, because I don’t want to go to uni with a drowned rat anyway.”
“What?” I asked turning my attention back to her as she pulled down on the trigger and squirted a burst of water in my face. She then continued to spray me until I was completely drenched.
“Little girl, you’re asking for a world of pain here.”
“No I’m not,” she said dropping the hose on the ground and spinning on her feet. “I’m going home!” She took off down the street toward her house, and I gave a half-hearted chase until she rounded the corner and then went back home.
When the university acceptance letters came, I received two. One for Sydney Uni and one for UWS. Without giving it a second thought, I went into my mum’s home office and sent the Sydney Uni one through the shredder. I then called Trina to let her know that I was going to UWS with her.
Chapter Thirteen
University was a whole other world for me. I still spent a lot of time with Katrina as we had all of our law classes together, but where she had chosen to do humanities, I had chosen to do commerce. So we weren’t together all the time.
Katrina had been doing really well in her triathlons and was asked to join the national team for under 19s, so she didn’t have a lot of time for a social life. So while she was busy training, I immersed myself in uni life, visiting the campus bar with friends every Wednesday and Friday and going to a lot of parties and nightclubs with them on the weekend.
I always asked Trina if she wanted to come, but she would only go out when she wasn’t training for an important event, and with worlds coming up, that was all the time. She assured me that when she got back, she’d ease up on training to focus on uni, and then she could come out with me a bit more.
I think the separate social life was something that I really needed to make a clean break from my feelings for Katrina. At the end of the day, I’d prefer her in my life as a friend than to risk losing her by forcing a relationship on her. Because, let’s be honest here - I had no clue how to be the right kind of guy for her.
My relationships with girls consisted of hooking up at a party and screwing each other’s brains out until we either stopped, or she started hinting that she wanted more from me.
I really don’t think I was being mean. I was always clear that I wasn’t interested in a relationship. Although, I guess that some girls agreed to it, thinking that maybe they could change my mind some time later.
Monica was my favourite girl in the circle I ran with. She only ever wanted me when she was drinking or in between boyfriends. When we saw each other at Uni, we’d say hi and maybe hang out a bit, but she never went up to Katrina acting like she owned me, and she never acted all clingy with me at other times either. We had a pretty good thing going on until she met this guy, Jake, at a nightclub. He was a tradie, I think a plumber or something like that. But one night, after Trina had finished up her world travels and was out at a nightclub with a bunch of us, I was introduced to him and his mates.
I shook hands with each of them and was perfectly nice – no hard feelings on my side. I didn’t consider Monica my girl anyway, but he and his buddies didn’t seem to like me very much. They did, however, like Trina.
One guy in particular, Christopher, took a great liking to her and showered her with his attention all evening. There wasn’t any one thing that he did that bothered me, because when I think about it, he was completely respectful of her. He bought her drinks, listened to her all night, danced with her and then when he was about to leave he actually asked her if he could kiss her.
She blushed like crazy and agreed, while I stood there watching, quietly seething.
“Wow,” Katrina said, when she joined me after he’d left. “That guy was something else.”
“I don’t like him,” I told her flatly.
“Oh come on David! You haven’t liked any guy that I’ve liked.”
“Sure I have. I used to be friends with Ben, and I always got along fine with Ethan.”
Placing her hands on her hips, she looked at me. “Yeah, and you beat the crap out of Ben and then insinuated to Ethan that you and I sleep together all the time. Do you think you could just stay out of this one for me? Play nice for change?”
“I don’t know Trina, there’s just something I don’t like.”
“Whatever, you’re just jealous because he’s bigger than you.”
“Yeah, I wish I was a muscle-bound meat head. That's why I spend so much time pumping iron at the gym,” I told her sarcastically.
She placed her hands on either side of my face and held me, so I was looking right at her. “I have never said a word about all the girls you have chasing after you all the time. Please, if he calls. Don’t go all protective big brother on me, just be nice and let me try to have a normal relationship. Ok?”
“Fine Trina. If you start dating the guy, I’ll stay out of your way, and I’ll be nothing but nice. But I don’t have to like him alright?”
“Alright.”
At that moment, a girl I’d been seeing on and off, called Linda, came bounding over and pulled me away from Trina. Normally, I don’t like girls inserting themselves in between us, but this time I let it slide. Maybe Trina was right, and I was jealous of the guy – I didn’t even know him, and I was making a judgement on him already. But there was just something…something I couldn’t put my finger on.
Chapter Fourteen
Unsurprisingly, Christopher called Katrina a few days later, so they started dating, and of course, she wanted us all to get along. I went out with them a couple of times in a group setting, but I always kept my distance outside of that. He was very possessive of Trina, always holding her close and never letting her out of his sight. I was barely even allowed to touch her anymore, and we’ve always been close like that, so I felt sidelined around them.
I’d like to pin point one particular thing that Christopher did that gave me the creeps, but I couldn’t. Outwardly, he was this really charming, well liked guy. Katrina’s mother thought he was wonderful. Her dad would spend hours talking to him about cars and sports, and Katrina was over the moon with his attentions.
As a couple, they looked fantastic, she looked really athletic these days after years of training, and he was a great deal taller than her, and was broad and muscular. You could tell he spent a lot of time at the gym, which was ideal for Trina, she was backing off her training and just competing in local competitions, so they would go to the gym together.
The only person who seemed to be in agreement with me was Katrina’s brother. Tom seemed to have a permanent scowl on his face whenever Christopher was around.
“Just look at him,” he said to me quietly while we sat outside their house watching Christopher help Mr Mahoney light the barbeque. “He puts on this perfect boyfriend act, but it’s all fake. How can none of them see through him?”
“I don’t know mate. I didn’t like him the moment I met him,” I replied. “Whatever it is he does - he’s good at it. They all think he’s amazing.”
We watched through the kitchen window as he walked inside the house and took the tray of meat from Mrs Mahoney. It was like watching one of those happy family tv shows, where everyone can’t stop smiling at each other.
Perhaps we should have gone inside and helped too, but I guess we were too busy judging.
I found myself trying to be pleasant and act friendly out o
f respect for Trina, but quietly I stood by, hoping that eventually she’d see in him what I did and break it off.
A few months into their relationship I was at uni on my own for one of my commerce lectures. I was sitting outside on one of the brick walls that lined a garden bed, talking to a couple of class mates when Monica came up to me.
“Hey Dave,” she said, standing in front of me, dropping her hip to the side. “Looks like I’m free on Friday night. Will you be at the bar?”
“What happened to your boyfriend?” I asked her, not wanting to tread on some other guy's toes.
“Oh, that’s been over for a couple of weeks. Those guys are dickheads. I was glad to see the back of him,” she told me, flicking her long blonde hair over her shoulder.
“Does Christopher count as one of those dickheads too?”
“Yeah Dave, Christopher’s a dickhead too. Although, I’m guessing you already know that since he’s dating your girlfriend.”
“She’s not my girlfriend. You know that better than anyone.”
The others I was talking to got up and left. So Monica took the opportunity to sit down next to me.
“Don’t you see how your life works? Katrina is the girl in your life. The rest of us are all just fill ins because you aren’t sleeping with her. You’re a good-guy Dave. If you could just let go of Katrina a little, you’d see that you and I could actually have a pretty good time. We wouldn’t have to restrict it to drunken rebound sex.”
“I don’t know about that Monica. I'm really not into relationships.”
“That’s because you already have one. But where is she now? She doesn’t seem to have any trouble being in a long-term relationship and stringing you along. Why can’t you have just a fun relationship? We don’t have to get serious, just know that it’s each other’s beds we go to until we both agree it’s over.”
“So you want me to only see you? But not actually be in a full-on relationship?”
She shrugged her shoulders. “Yeah. Why not? I think the fact that we keep coming back to each other should tell us something.”
“I think it tells us that I’m an easy lay,” I told her, grinning slightly as I looked around the grounds at all the people walking past us while I thought. “I’ll tell you what. I can agree to this as long as it doesn’t turn into something like that,” I stated, nodding towards a couple laying together on the grass and holding each other lovingly.
She stood up and held out her hand for me to shake. “It’s a deal. And don’t worry. I’m not going to start calling you my boyfriend or anything. This makes you more of an official ‘fuck buddy'."
“Alright, but if even one term of endearment comes out of your mouth, it’s over.”
She laughed. “It’s ok David. I promise to only want you for your cock.”
With that she left me sitting there laughing to myself as I watched her walk away, while I wondered if this agreement of ours would really work.
On that same day, I got home to find Trina waiting for me on the front porch, her face etched with a troubled expression.
“Hey baby girl, what’s got you looking so sad?”
“Baby girl? Did you forget my name?"
“No, it’s a term of endearment, reserved only for someone I care enough about to give one to.”
Her cheeks flamed red briefly as she stood up to follow me in the house. “Sorry. I guess it’s kind of nice that you’re giving me one after all these years. Did it take you nine years to work that one out or is it a new thing?” she asked sarcastically.
“Don’t be a bitch baby girl, it just popped out 'cause of the sad look on your face. But I’m keeping it now. Consider yourself renamed.” I stood aside and let her walk past me as I hung my keys on the hook beside the door. “What’s up anyway?”
“Oh, it’s just mum and Christopher,” she said, screwing her mouth up in a grimace.
I grabbed the OJ from the fridge and poured us both a glass, placing hers in front of her where she leaned on the bench top while I waited for her to continue.
“Christopher is moving out on his own, and he wants me to move in with him. He’s even taking me around to help shop for furniture because he wants to buy the things I like. Mum’s totally on board with the whole idea, but I’m…” she shook her head and took a sip of her juice before sighing heavily. “I’m nineteen. Moving in seems like such a big deal, you know? I said I want to finish uni first and honestly - I’d like it if we were dating for a bit longer than six months before we moved in together. I just don’t feel ready.”
“Sounds to me like you already know your answer.”
“Yeah but, how do I tell them that? Christopher and mum are practically planning my life. I’m worried if I go, I’ll never finish uni, and I’ll start popping babies out before I’ve even had my 21st.”
“Trina, you are the smartest and strongest girl I know. If you aren’t comfortable with something, then you should just say no. Blow the consequences.”
“What if he dumps me?”
“Then it wasn’t meant to be. No guy is going to break up with you because you need more time – unless of course, he’s a jerk. The way I see it, you only move in with someone if you actually think you’re going to be together for good. Is that the way you see your life with Chris?”
“Don’t call him Chris, you know he hates that.”
“Christopher then, whatever! Trina – please just make the choice that’s right for you. Don’t listen to your mum, or Christopher, or anyone else. Just do what’s right for you. Please.”
“Hmmm, you know, I kind of wanted you to yell at me and tell me not to be a fucking idiot.”
“I can’t make your decisions for you Trina.”
“I know,” she said, downing the last of her drink and setting the glass on the bench. “I’m going to head off. Thanks for the chat. I’ll think on it.”
“Alright baby girl, you do that.”
She grinned at me and headed toward the door. The next I heard on the matter was that she had decided to move in. Obviously, things were more serious between her and Christopher than I thought.
After that, I went on a bit of a bender. Monica was a great partying companion and together, we travelled around to different clubs and parties, doing things to each other that would make most people blush.
Between working at the supermarket and partying with Monica, I didn’t have a huge amount of time outside of uni to spend with Trina. For me, it was better that way. While I missed hanging out with her, I didn’t miss hanging out with Christopher and the fact that he had become more of a permanent fixture in Trina’s life had really pissed me off.
A couple of weeks after they moved in, Trina invited me over for dinner. She'd heard that I was hanging out with Monica a lot and asked me to invite her along too.
“No,” I told her.
“What? Why not? Aren’t you seeing her?”
“She’s not my girlfriend Trina. If I start inviting her to people’s houses for dinner, she’s going to start thinking I want more from her.”
“Would that be such a bad thing?”
“Yes Trina, it would. I’ll come and check out your place, but I’m not bringing a date.”
“Ok,” she said defensively. She jotted her apartment number and the street address on a piece of paper and handed it to me.
“You’re not going to cook are you?” I asked jokingly, knowing that Trina wasn’t particularly talented in the culinary arts.
She laughed, shaking her head. “No, Christopher will barbeque and I’ll just make a salad. I think I can handle that,” she smiled. “I’m glad you’re coming David. I’ve missed you lately. I’ve been so busy with the move that I’ve been a really shitty friend.”
“Don’t worry your pretty little head about it Trina. I’ll always be around some way or another.” I leaned over to her and kissed her cheek. “I’ve gotta go. My tutorial starts in about ten minutes.”
“See you at my place around seven?”
“I don’t know. This is the first dinner I’ve hosted,” she laughed. “If you do, just don’t cook it yourself.”
“You’ve no fear of that,” I laughed over my shoulder as I headed to class.
***
I got to Trina’s new place at around ten minutes past seven. She buzzed me in through the security door straight away, but before I could even knock on the front door, Christopher opened it and just said, “You’re late.”
“Um, Hi, how’s it going?” I said, holding out a hand in greeting while balancing the cake I’d bought from the bakery in the other. He looked at it for a moment, and I thought he wasn’t going to shake it, but when Trina appeared, his demeanour changed and he smiled at me and took my hand, shaking it like we were long lost friends.
“David! Thanks so much for coming,” she said, relieving me of the cake and kissing me hello.
“Any time. Thanks for the invite.” I said, nodding at Christopher and following past him behind Trina to the kitchen.
“Do you want the tour?” she asked, setting the cake on the counter top. “Christopher? Do you want to show David around while I finish up in here?” she asked, looking the picture of domestic bliss as she stood in the centre of the kitchen.
“Sure,” he said. “Follow me. There’s not much to see though. This is the lounge and dining room,” he told me about the room we were standing in. “Obviously that’s the kitchen, and that’s the patio.” He pointed to each one on either side of the living areas. The patio was a big square balcony that was accessible by a large glass sliding door. It overlooked Jamison Road, which was fairly busy at this time of night, but once we got out there, I could see all the way to Jamison Park as well.
Next, he took me around to the other three doors saying ‘spare room’, ‘bedroom’ and ‘bathroom’ in quick succession, before returning me to Trina, collected the tray of meat she had prepared and walked out onto the patio.
The Beauty in Between: Too Close (A Beautiful Series Novella) Page 9