The Wrong Way: Hanson University: One

by McKenna Kerrick

  “It's cool, we don't mind,” Alex answers cheekily.

  Dear God. We're all walking towards my apartment, ready to hang out and shoot the shit until Lila comes over tonight. If she decides to come over.

  “Hey look,” Ian shoves my shoulder. “It's your lovebird now.”

  I squint across the street, and sure enough, Lila is standing at her front door trying to jam a key into her lock with her left hand.

  What the hell?

  “Oh, shit,” Alex breathes. “Is that a cast?”

  I'm moving, dodging cars without a care in the world as I run towards Lila. I hear Alex and Ian curse behind me and several cars honk, which means they're following me.

  “Lila!” I call out as I jerk to a stop in front of her.

  She yelps and the keys fall out of her hand and onto the floor. She smacks her left hand across her chest and breathes in deeply. “You scared me half to death, Killian!”

  “What's that?” I hear Alex wheeze behind me.

  “I got hurt,” Lila winces and moves so her right arm is further away from us.

  “Really? I couldn't tell,” I snap and grab her shoulders so I can turn her to face me. From her fingers down over her wrist is a chunky black cast. It's not wrapped like a normal cast, instead more like a piece of plastic with Velcro straps to hold it together.

  “It's not a big deal,” Lila says quickly. “It's okay.”

  “Is it broken?” I ask.

  “More like severely sprained,” she mumbles.

  “What happened?” Ian asks.

  “So,” Lila coughs and glances around, but we're all crowding her so she has to look at one of us, “you remember Brad?”

  “Yeah,” I stress the word.

  “The wannabe emo kid,” Ian nods his head. “What about him?”

  “Why didn't I get to meet him?” Alex frowns. “It's not fair when you two get to dislike someone and I'm left out.”

  “Anyways,” I cut in and look down at Lila. “What about him?”

  “I, ah, punched him.”

  No one talks as we all stare at Lila. I can't tell if she's serious or messing with me, but she looks serious. I scratch the back of my neck. “You punched Bradley?”

  “He was being mean and getting into my face,” Lila defends. “And while I don't think hitting people is an answer, it felt really good after dealing with him.”

  “Did you give him a black eye?” Alex asks her.

  “I think I broke his nose.”

  “Yes!” Ian says and high-fives Alex.

  “Guys!” I scowl at them. “That's not the point. Be proud of her after we figure out if her hand is okay.”

  “I already told you about my hand,” Lila says.

  “So we can high-five?” Alex asks hopefully.

  “Oh my God,” I groan. “Are you sure your hand is okay?”

  “Yes,” Lila nods. “I already got it checked out at the clinic. How do you think I got this thing?” She raises her hurt hand in the air and waves it in a small circle. “Two to four weeks,” she frowns, “then I can take it off.”

  “Here,” I bend down to swipe her keys off her front mat and stick them in my pocket.

  “You can't say here and then not give them to me,” Lila stomps her foot.

  “I didn't say here, I'm getting these for you to have,” I shrug. “Come on, you're hanging out with us before you go off and break your leg over something.”

  “Maybe I'll break my foot kicking you in the shin,” she glares.

  “Then I'd have to carry you everywhere like a petulant child,” I grin and stick out my leg in front of her. “Go on, do it. Make my day.”

  Lila gives me a scowl as she moves around my leg and over to my door. I grin triumphantly even though she can't see me.

  Turning the lock, I let everyone shuffle in before they all flop down onto the couch and reclining chairs that make up my simple living room. My dad let me take a bunch of the old game room’s furniture when I moved out.

  Lila’s dad sent her cash when we first got our apartments at the same time. Her dad’s usually off somewhere working for the government as a contractor, so he's rarely home now that she's older.

  Not that her mom seems to mind since my mother and her’s like to hang out all the time. They were probably separated at birth, at least that's the running joke between everyone.

  Lila shimmies off her backpack and sits down on the couch. She props her feet on the coffee table and leans back into the large cushions.

  Ian and Alex have taken over the reclining chairs, probably on purpose, which leaves the only open seat next to Lila on the couch.

  Flopping down next to her, I pick up the remote to turn the television onto a recap of last weekends football game that I had missed and recorded.

  “More football?” Lila groans. “Don't you guys ever get tired of talking about football all the time?”

  “Who talks football with us?” Alex frowns. “Besides Coach?”

  “Don't your bimbos talk football with you?” Lila asks. “Why do I have to be subjected to this? I want to watch a movie.”

  Alex looks appalled while Ian looks like he's fighting back laughter.

  “Uh, no girls talk football with us,” I answer her calmly. “They don't know anything about football usually.”

  “Yeah,” Alex coughs uncomfortably, “and they're not usually big talkers in general.”

  Lila wrinkles her nose. “That's so gross.”

  “You asked,” Ian snorts.

  “It's just a few hours,” I say and pat her leg closest to me. “You'll survive until later and you can pick a movie then.”

  “Aw, look how nice he is,” Alex teases.

  “How come we don't get to pick out movies when we come over?” Ian gapes.

  “Yeah,” Alex fakes an outraged look. “Why don't we get to watch movies?”

  “Because that's mine and Lila’s thing,” I roll my eyes. “Go watch movies with each other.”

  “Not as fun, no offense Ian,” Alex grunts.

  “We're way too manly for that shit,” Ian adds.

  Lila starts laughing at their conversation and smiles at all of us. “You're all nuts. Every one of you. You want to watch a movie, but not with each other. So what's the difference being here?”

  “You're here,” Alex grins. “And you're so pretty to look at.”

  Lila rolls her eyes.

  I toss a couch pillow at Alex. “Stop trying to hit on Lila.”

  “Yeah, if you're going to try then at least make it better than whatever sad attempt that was,” Lila says.

  “That is not what I meant,” I scowl at her.

  “What? It's nice to be appreciated,” she shrugs her shoulders and tries to look all innocent.

  I'm tempted to make a comment, but I refrain. She has no idea that Alex and Ian know about how I feel. Or that I kissed her.

  “So how's this year going for football?” Lila asks. “I haven't been able to make it to a game.”

  All of us turn to stare at Lila. I've worn her out of football making her come to all my games since we were little, so it's not a surprise that she doesn't know that we're undefeated.

  “We’re doing really well,” Ian says.

  “As in, we haven't lost a game,” Alex chimes in.

  “So, I'd say we're doing pretty good,” I finish.

  “You haven't lost a game?” Lila looks over at me with blond eyebrows raised. “That's pretty good.”

  “Thanks,” I shift uncomfortably. “But it was a team effort.”

  “Aw, did you hear that Alex, we get some credit,” Ian smirks.

  “I feel so flattered,” Alex grins.

  “Don't you two have somewhere else to be?” I ask. “I feel like I'm babysitting the two of you.”

  “Rude,” Alex points at me.

  “Sometimes I wonder what'll happen to you guys when you go pro,” Lila laughs.

  “Shit talk each other on the field, then grill out in the offseas
on,” Alex immediately replies. “Already got that part figured out, Lila.”

  “Well, that's good,” she chuckles. “It's hard to imagine all of you playing on different teams. But I doubt that would make a difference to your friendship.”

  “Nah,” Ian shakes his head. “Bros for life.”

  “Bros before hoes!” Alex says then winces. “Excluding you, Lila.”

  “Gee, thanks,” she snorts. “Glad to not be a hoe.”

  “So what movie are you going to watch tonight?” Ian asks. Thank God someone changed the subject.

  “Wasn't it my turn to pick?” I ask her.

  “Uh, no. You said I could pick earlier,” Lila shakes her head. “I'm holding you to that.”

  I grunt.

  “So maybe a girly chick flick with lots of romance and crying,” Lila grins evilly.

  “Veto,” I shake my head.

  “You can't veto me, I have a hurt hand!”

  “So?”

  “So, that gives me veto power to veto your veto,” she tells me.

  God save me from confusing women.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Lila

  It takes me a moment to wake up.

  I'm not lying in my own bed, but in Killian’s. He's stretched out on the bed beside me, his back in the air for the early morning sunshine to reflect off of.

  I raise my throbbing hand in the air, the reason I woke up, and slide as gently as I can out from the side of the bed I claimed.

  It's not the first time Killian and I have decided to crash in here. In fact, all I remember from last night was falling asleep on the couch to Die Hard somehow, Killian lifting me up gently, then depositing me in his bed.

  Screw a four foot walk to my own place.

  Going over to my bookbag, I crouch down and dig out the painkillers the doctor prescribed me. After that, I go into the small kitchen to fill a cup with water and take the medicine before the throbbing starts to ache more than it already does.

  “Lila?” Killian's sleepy voice says, followed by a yawn as he appears in the doorway of his bedroom.

  The jeans he had on last night are unbuttoned and he's not wearing a shirt. I'm suddenly having a flashback to the night that Jared dumped me a few weeks ago.

  My goodness, how time changed things so quickly.

  “Hey,” I lift the cup of water to take another sip. “Morning.”

  Killian rubs his hands over his face, comes into the kitchen and punches a button on the coffee machine.

  I barely have a chance to sit my cup down before I'm hauled into Killian's arms, his body molding around me so that there's no escape.

  “Mm,” he rumbles into my hair.

  “What are you doing?” I squeak.

  “Giving you a hug,” he says in a tired voice.

  “Oh.” Well, okay then. I reach up and wrap my arms around his waist. But this just seems to be one long, drawn-out hug to me. Not that I'm going to complain, he's awful cuddly and warm standing here in the kitchen.

  I'm pretty sure that Killian has fallen asleep with his head resting on top of mine, but when I go to slip away from him, he tightens his hold on me. “Not yet, baby doll.”

  “Since when are you a cuddler in the morning?” I ask. “Or in general?”

  “I've cuddled you,” Killian snorts softly and pulls me even tighter.

  “I'm not going to be able to breathe much longer if you keep doing that,” I wheeze.

  “You'll be fine,” he says as he relaxes his hold.

  “We should probably talk,” I announce, knowing I'm about to blow this nice moment to smithereens.

  “About what?”

  “About what happened between us.”

  “Yeah,” Killian shakes his head, “I'd rather come back to that later on.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “It means we’ll talk about it later. I need to get some caffeine into me before I head off to workout this morning.”

  “Oh, okay.”

  “So after classes today we’ll talk about it.”

  It could be worse. He could be blowing me off, but he isn't. Killian looks towards the timer on the oven and sighs.

  “I'm going to get dressed and head out,” he says as he pours himself a cup of coffee.

  “Sure.” Now I feel all awkward, being in his space first thing in the morning.

  “See ya, Lila.”

  And then he does the unthinkable, bending down to brush his lips across mine. Similar to the way he did it the first time. Firm enough to be felt, but over all too soon.

  I'm left stuck in the kitchen as he disappears into his room. My feet don't want to move and all of me is at war with wanting to follow him and wanting to leave.

  I snag my backpack and sneak out the door. Though, I guess I didn't have to tiptoe since he knew I was leaving.

  Once I get back to my own apartment, I shower and change clothes. I had to put my hand into a plastic baggie just to get into the damn shower. Punching Brad was starting to not be worth it.

  And this is why assault is illegal.

  Usually, at least, since the cops let it go. Not that I'm going to be ungrateful to them about it.

  Nina comes strolling out of her room about forty-five minutes later. She looks like she's already ready for it to be the weekend.

  “Did you come back last night?” she squints at me. “I don't remember hearing you come in.”

  “This morning,” I shrug.

  “Hmm.”

  “What?”

  Nina sighs. “I wasn't going to say anything, because I wasn't sure if they were being serious, but I guess I should let you know. I heard the guys talking about you.”

  “What?” I frown.

  “Back after we watched football practice on Monday. At the Union, after you left, the guys were teasing Killian about you. I think he might like you.”

  My mouth goes to open but no words come out.

  “As in like you, like you,” Nina adds.

  “Oh.” Wow, for someone who wanted to talk to Killian about this not even two hours ago, I'm certainly terrible at doing it now.

  “Maybe he does want to date you,” Nina says thoughtfully. “It would be perfect, since you're into him, too.”

  “About that,” I wince. “I think I already knew.”

  “What?” Nina’s jaw drops as she looks at me. “What do you mean by you think you knew?”

  “Killian came here afterwards,” I sigh, knowing there's going to be hell to pay for not telling her sooner. “And, I don't know, one thing led to another and I just snapped and told him I liked him.”

  Nina's jaw might be permanently unhinged from her face now.

  “And he kissed me.”

  “He did what to you?” she asks in a squeaky voice.

  “Kissed me.”

  “Like on the head? Or the cheek? Or the neck again?”

  “No, no, and no.”

  She stares at me a little more in shock. “On your mouth?”

  “Yes.”

  “So he actually came over here and kissed you?”

  My whole face flushes red. “I mean, we talked a little first. And then I busted my hand.”

  “Your hand?” Nina gapes at me before realizing the monstrosity covering my right hand. “Oh my God, I don't see you for one day and you're already getting kissed and breaking things.”

  “It's not broken, just sprained.”

  “What did you do?”

  “I punched Brad in the nose.”

  Nina starts to laugh before she quickly stops and starts to collect herself. “We're tabling that conversation so I can hear more about the fact that you were kissing Killian the other night.”

  “And this morning,” I mumble.

  It's like I've lit a rocket under her butt as she starts hopping up and down in the living room. “What happened this morning?”

  “I just told you,” I sigh. “He kissed me again.”

  “So are you two a thing now?”

&nb
sp; “No.”

  She stops hopping up and down. “What do you mean no?”

  “I tried to talk to him about it this morning, but he had to get to the gym. He said we would talk about it after classes let out for the day.”

  “You do realize that by tomorrow you could be Killian Blane’s girlfriend, don't you?” Nina asks in all seriousness.

  “Maybe. I told you that I didn't want to have a boyfriend again.”

  “Babe, you wouldn't know how to do single if it bit you on the ass and left a note with detailed instructions.”

  “I want a break.”

  “Okay. So take a break and enjoy Killian.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You don't have to have a boyfriend to have fun. And Killian, while he may like you, may want exactly what you want. To get whatever this is out of your systems. Or maybe take it slow. You don't have to have a boyfriend to date, you know.”

  “So you're saying I should date Killian without dating him?” I ask.

  “Yes.”

  Sometimes I hate the way people phrase things. It's like when she says jiggy instead of sex. Or how going on a date isn't the same as dating. There's too many variations of one word nowadays.

  “We aren't living in 1919, you can approach a guy about the idea of having fun without all the seriousness.”

  I arch an eyebrow at her. “Where did you come up with 1919?”

  “We're going over basic rights in history and that's when we got the right to vote as women.”

  “You got that backwards, we won the right to vote in 1920, and it's the 19th amendment.”

  “Dammit,” Nina groans. “I'll probably have to do an extra credit assignment now to make up for failing the test.”

  “You got that many answers wrong?” I ask.

  “It was an essay on when women got the right to vote,” she says and slaps her forehead with her palm. “Now I'll have to go to one of the tutoring sessions for extra points.”

  “That sucks.”

  “Enough about my failing grade in history. So, you punched Brad?”

  “It felt good at the time. Not so much anymore.”

  “Did you break his nose?”

  “With how bad my hand hurts, I hope so.”

  Nina starts laughing. “I can't believe you hit him. Not that he didn't deserve it, I'm sure he did. But that's usually the guys’ M.O. to hurt people, not yours.”