by Paige Steele
“You can stay tonight if you like.”
“Thanks, sexy, but I’m headed to the beach with a few of the girls tomorrow, so I need to get home and pack.”
“Damn, what beach is that exactly?”
“Why would you want to know that, Cooper?” she asks, looking at me through her eyelashes.
“Maybe the guys and I will visit. I mean, we do have off next week and you in a bikini, now that I could stand to look at all day.”
“Well, it’s girls only . . . so I’m not telling,” she teases.
“K, fine. I guess I’ll just have to find something else to play with for the week,” I say, joking with her.
“Oh, I’m sure your dirt bike will keep you company.”
“Yeah, you’re right. She is . . . fun to ride,” I say, wiggling my eyebrows at her.
She throws a pillow at me, as she stands to pull up her dress. I catch it and start laughing. She picks up her thong as she struts across the room to me, grabs my hand, turns it over so my palm is facing up, and then she places it in my hand, closing my fingers around it.
“Maybe this will help you remember what you were riding tonight,” she says, as she walks out the door and down the stairs.
The next morning, my roommates and I start cleaning up. The house isn’t as trashed as it’s been in the past. We’ve all grown up a bit. We don’t invite just anybody to our parties anymore. You either need to know someone that we know or we better have invited you ourselves.
“Damn, Cooper, your girl last night . . .” That is all Trey can get out of his mouth before he stutters over his words.
“I know man, she’s fine as hell, huh?”
“Shit . . . I don’t know how you do it, but you seem to nail all the hot ones.”
“Oh Trey, I left you three a few on campus to pick from.”
“Haha, you’re so kind to us.”
Adam and Cole both throw a red Solo cup at me, when I start laughing at them. They are great guys; they fill the void that was in my life, the one I felt when I came to college. Without Ryan and Ansley, I really thought I’d be lost. Both of them have been my best friends, forever. Staying in touch seems to be more difficult than we thought it’d be. Things haven’t been the same with Ansley since our stupid kiss. And Ryan . . . over the last month or so, he’s been so busy we’ve barely spoken either. I don’t really know what the hell is going on with either of them. But I intend to find out.
Right after graduation, I’m moving to California. I’m lining things up, so I can train with a couple of the top guys out there. I’m hoping to hang with Ryan for a bit, when I arrive. Hopefully, figuring out what’s been up with him first, then he can help me tackle my Ansley problem.
I have a huge paper due, as soon as I get back from break, so I decide I’m going to finish that up tonight, to get it out of the way. Then, it’s track time for the rest of the week. By the end of the night, I’ve had enough of school and writing; I pick up my phone and shoot a text off to both Ansley and Ryan, separately.
Me-Hey, Ans what’s up?
I wait, and wait, and wait. Still nothing comes. What the fuck? I don’t get it. Next, I send Ryan’s to him.
Me-Ry man, what’s going on?
After about ten minutes of not getting a reply, I decide I need a shower and go to bed. I want to get some good riding in before this break is over. As I walk back in my room, I see my phone is lit up with a message. I grab it off my desk and look at it, hoping it’s from one of them.
Ryan-Sorry man, it’s been crazy here. I feel like I’m on the go all the time. Can’t wait to hear of your plans for after school. Hopefully, I’ll be seeing you soon. Can’t talk now though . . . off to work out.
Me-Yeah, looking forward to moving and getting together as well. I want to talk to ya sometime about Ansley. I need to tell you something important. So, call when you can this week.
Needing to catch up on some much-needed rest, I hit send and then climb into bed. We are all going to head out to one of the local tracks for practice tomorrow at nine. I need to nail down some good lap times and the only way I am going to do that is by busting my ass in the dirt. I have two and a half months before I move across the country to turn my dream into a reality. Hopefully, by showing the right people what I’m made of, it’ll happen. California is going to be here before I know it, so from now till then, when I have downtime, I’ll be riding. Who knows, it may be the one place that will change my life forever.
Ansley
“I CAN’T GO,” I YELL out to Cara. We’ve shared the same dorm room since we both arrived, almost four years ago. We are lucky this year; we live in a two bedroom suite that Georgia Tech offered just to seniors. Our living room and kitchen are in one big room but we positioned our couch and chair to make it look like two. We only have one bathroom to share between to the two of us, but since she’s the girly girl, I give her the bathroom to get ready in and I stick to my room. I’ve changed over the years, thanks to her. Though I will never be the kinda girl that needs to have her hair and makeup done every second of every day; I mean getting dirty is still in my blood, but I do enjoy the occasional dress up and get pretty nights.
“Why not?” she shouts from her bedroom over to mine.
“Because you know I have my marketing project that is due when we come back from break.”
“Umm, need I remind you that break just started? Going out to have a good time tonight won’t stop you from finishing your project on time.”
She is begging for me to go with her and a bunch of others to the local club, where they are having a kick off to spring break party. My marketing class isn’t easy; you have to work for every grade you get. So knowing that, I know I need to kick ass on this project or my grade will drop.
“Seriously, Cara, I think I should stay in tonight.”
“Seriously, Ansley, I don’t think you should.”
“Grrr, you drive me crazy.”
“And you love me.”
“Fine, if I go, I’m not staying long. When I’m ready to go, I’m ready to go. Got it?”
“Scout’s honor, I won’t yell at you for leaving. I mean, as long as you don’t leave after an hour of being there,” she says, standing in the hallway so I can see her. She’s holding up two fingers like she’s in the freaking Girl Scouts.
After yelling back and forth for about an hour, I walk out of my room and over to hers.
“Now, smart ass, what am I wearing?”
“Funny you should ask. I just happen to have this outfit all picked out for you. I figure better to be safe than sorry,” she says, as she winks at me and points to the edge of her bed, where there is a pile of clothes.
“What a shocker that you would have thought of this.” I reach over, picking up the jean mini skirt and see-through shirt and tank top that she has picked out. I swat her ass as I walk out of her room and into mine, across the hall.
“Hey, girl, there is no need for violence.”
“I’ll give you violence,” I say, as she laughs out loud at my comment.
The club is hopping when we walk in. There’s the usual crowd, as well as some new locals. Walking past the bar area, we see a bunch of people that we’ve hung out with when we’ve come here before. They already have drinks in their hands as they are chatting back and forth. Two of the girls walk over, giving both Cara and I a hug, as they wave to one of the waiters. After Cara orders us both a drink called, ‘Sex on the Beach,’ we sit. I don’t hate it but I don’t love it either. I mean, there’s some sort of peach liquor in it and getting sick on it once makes you dread drinking it again, and that’s exactly what happened with me.
The waiter hands out the drinks as I whisper in his ear to bring me ‘A Day at the Beach,’ instead. It has coconut rum, amaretto, orange juice and grenadine in it, which is more up my alley tonight. I set the drink down next to Cara’s; I know she will start drinking it without even realizing it.
With a few drinks in my system, I find myself dancing
on the dance floor with a hot guy, while Cara is next to me making out with one of his friends. His hands are all over her, clearly she is enjoying herself. If I don’t suggest we leave soon, I think they will start ripping off each other’s clothes. The four of us head out and back to our dorm. Now that we are seniors, we are allowed to have guests overnight, without any problems.
Once inside, I head to the bathroom, then make my way back out to the kitchen, where the guy I brought home is standing, holding a beer.
“Sorry, your roommate told me to help myself.”
“No worries.”
“Thanks.”
I’m really not sure what I should do with him. It’s one in the morning and I already know I’m going to regret whatever happens. Looking around, I notice my lovely roommate is missing, along with her new friend. She is much more carefree when it comes to men, while I’m the conservative one. Taking his hand, I lead him to my room. Walking in, he immediately goes and sits on my bed, taking his shirt off.
“I’m just going to grab something to sleep in, I’ll be right back.”
“That’s cool, I’ll just wait here, if that’s okay?”
“Yeah, sure.”
I walk down the hall thinking, I really need to figure out what the hell I’m going to tell him. I’m certainly not going to sleep with him. I can tell that is exactly what he is thinking. Walking back into the room, I’m wearing a baggy t-shirt and my shorts. He is lying in my bed in just his underwear. I climb in next to him, and he immediately turns toward me and pulls me on top of him. Feeling his hardness between my legs makes me regret that I invited him into my room; I should have shown him the couch.
He starts kissing me slowly, while his hands travel to my hips. Slowly he starts pulling me back and forth, rubbing my lady bits against his man bit. Lord, what have I done? I need to put a stop to this now before it goes any further.
I pull back so I can look at him. “We need to stop.”
“Really?” The shocked tone in his voice made me feel more like a tease than ever before.
“Yes, I’m sorry, but I’m not going to sleep with you. You are more than welcome to sleep in here with me, or you can take the couch if you prefer.”
“Umm, Okay. I guess I’ll stay in here, if that’s okay?” he said, with a sound of shock still in his voice.
“Sure, no problem.”
Rolling over in the morning, only to find my bed empty, is a relief. I didn’t really want to see him this morning; what the hell would I say . . .”Oh, sorry I teased you last night and then didn’t put out.”
As I walk through the living room, I head straight to the kitchen. I need to wake my ass up, which means I need coffee, pronto. I see Cara looking in the fridge as I enter; her overnight guest is nowhere to be found.
“Thank God they left. I felt like an idiot for giving the guy a hard on but not putting out.” I look up to see Cara’s eyes bug out of her head, then she nods her head to the side toward the living room.
I don’t even turn around, I know what that means. Both guys are still here, in the living room, and I just stuck my foot in my mouth again. Damn it! How could I not have seen them when I walked through? Oh, that’s right, stupid me was eyeing the coffee pot and clearly not paying attention. Squeezing my eyes shut, I count to ten then slowly turn my head toward them. My “new” friend is sitting on the couch with his coffee in hand, smiling a big ass smile, and there sits Cara’s last piece of meat, right next to him, trying not to laugh out loud.
“Morning?”
“Morning to you,” they both say in unison.
“Well, this is awkward,” I mumble under my breath, but loud enough for Cara to hear me, since she is standing right in front of me still.
Trying to hold my composure, I head for the coffee pot as I ask, “What’s for breakfast?”
“Clearly not sausage,” she states, as she giggles at me.
“You’re an ass, you know that?”
“Yep and you love me.”
“That’s debatable, right now.”
She leans forward, kissing me on the cheek, as she tells me that she’s got cinnamon buns cooking in our small oven. Perfect, now we can just hang out till they’re done . . . NOT!
“I’m going to take a shower while they’re finishing up,” I say, scurrying back to my room.
“You need help in there?” I hear the guy from last night say. Shit, really, dude . . . no I don’t want your help.
“No, I think I can manage by myself.”
“Well, just thought I’d offer. I’d love a shower myself.”
Ok, he was beginning to piss me off . . . take the hint. “Well, it’s probably a good thing you own a shower at your place . . . wherever that may be.” I try not to sound like such a bitch, but I’m over this situation.
Cara and both guys start laughing out loud as I continue walking to my room. I’m not going to come out until they are gone; I have my coffee and at this point, that is all I need. About an hour and half later, I walk out and the place is quiet. I see a note on the counter that says she is going to hang with the guys today. Whatever, I know I have my project to dive into and having no distractions around is going to be perfect.
Out of the corner of my eye, I catch my phone lighting up. I look over to see Ryan on the screen. Reaching for it, I immediately swipe my finger across the screen.
“Hey there, stranger, how are ya?”
“I’m good, Peanut, how are you these days?”
“Just at home today, I have a huge project due as soon as I get back to class next Monday.”
“So, I take it school is going good?”
“Yeah, I can’t wait for it to be over with. Once I graduate, I have a couple interviews lined up.”
“That’s cool. Anywhere big?”
“An energy drink place and an advertising firm.”
“You better keep me posted.”
“I will, so you’re off today?”
“No, not really, just had five, so I thought I’d call to see how you were and ask what the hell is going on with you and Cooper? He says he needs to talk to me, so I’m wondering if you want to shed some light on the situation before he tells me?”
“Umm, well, umm . . .”
“Ansley, what is going on?”
“He hasn’t told you anything?”
“Told me anything about what?”
“Nothing really, forget it.”
“Nope, too late, girl, spill it.”
“It’s really no big deal, and it happened a long time ago.”
“What happened exactly?” he asks, raising his voice slightly.
“You swear you aren’t going to call him up and yell at him?”
“Yes. Christ, girl, just say it.”
“Fine . . . right before we left for college, I went over to say goodbye to him and we kissed. And it wasn’t like a, ‘we’re friends kiss.’ It was a . . . ‘we better stop before this goes any further kiss.’”
“Oh . . . and now you can’t talk to him?”
“Not really, I don’t know what to say to him.”
“He misses you, ya know?”
“I miss him too, but it’s awkward now.”
“It doesn’t have to be.”
“Well, it is.”
“Maybe you both just got caught up in the moment. I think you guys should talk to each other about it.”
“Yeah, maybe, but I’m not ready to deal with it yet.”
“Why Ansley, did it mean something more to you?”
“NO! . . . I mean, I don’t think so . . .”
“Really?” I could hear the surprise in his voice. Ugh, how did this all get so complicated?
“Ryan, look I’ll talk to Coop about it sometime, but right now I have a project to get back to and finals coming up. K?”
“Ok, as long as it’s not anything more serious than that.”
“No, that’s it. I promise.”
After we hung up I laid back on my bed, looking up at the
ceiling. I need to talk to Coop at some point. I know it. But I want to do it face to face. I need to know if what I was feeling after that kiss was just because of the kiss, or if my heart rate started to speed up like it had after I ran to the car that day.
Falling asleep, I wake to Cara walking into my room and telling me she is going to grab some lunch and then lie out.
“Join me, girl?”
“Huh, what?”
“I asked you to lunch?”
“Oh, yeah, sure.”
“What’s got your mind racing?”
“Racing, why would you say racing?”
“Nothing, geez, girl, it’s a figure of speech.”
“I’m sorry. I talked to Ryan today. It just got me thinking about things. I miss both him and
Coop. I miss watching them ride and the fun we had together.”
“Well then, let’s have lunch, lie out and find when the next local race is and go to one.”
Looking at her in disbelief, “You’d go to a race with me?”
“Hell yes, I would! The way you talk about it and the guys there, I need to see it with my own two eyes.”
“Deal, let’s go.” I jump off my bed, grabbing my cell and we head out the door.
THE NEXT COUPLE days are spent working on the project for my media class. I also have a video
presentation, so I will be doing that next. On Sunday, Cara and I are heading to a local race and I’m excited. I may not know anyone racing but by going, it’s going to make me feel like I’m back with the guys and right now I want that feeling back.
We arrive at the track shortly after ten in the morning. Since we aren’t here to see anyone in particular, there is no reason to get up at the ass crack of dawn. We sleep in, get prettied up a bit, she more than me, and then stop for a bite to eat.
Parking is interesting with a car. I’ve never been to a track in one. You park in wide open fields that aren’t always mowed, so having a car can be difficult. This was never even a thought when I went with Ryan and Coop.
Stepping out of the car makes me feel like I’m home. Putting my feet on dirt and grass is just what I need. My cowboy boots are going to enjoy the day as much as my cut offs and hot pink FOX tank top. Cara is sporting her favorite camo shorts and Army green halter-top; thank goodness she finally listened to me.