When Sh*t Gets in the Way

by Ines Vieira

  “I didn’t do anything wrong,” I groan still unsure if what I’m saying is true. I don’t feel as if I did but to Jess, I’ve misstepped in a major way.

  “You’re a guy. She’s a girl. Therefore, you’re the one who is always wrong, and she’s the one who is always right. Trust me. I have three sisters, and they drilled that shit into me long before I was able to talk,” he yells, already walking back into the dancing mob.

  I don’t want to, but I end up doing as Jason says. I brood, and I sulk because I’m where I don’t want to be. I yearn to go back to this morning when Jess and I were still a happy couple fooling around in my grandparents' gym. How did I get from being that content to this fucking miserable?

  Olivia. That’s how.

  Jess’s mood went from sweet and tender to cold and distant the minute she saw Olivia’s name pop up on my phone. I thought that maybe I was fast enough for her not to see it, but it seems not. Even the woman’s name is enough to upend my life. Turn it completely off its hinges with just one call. Imagine the damage if I had answered the call. Freezing her out has been my go-to mode with her, but lately, she’s been more insistent with her calls. Calling sometimes more than once a day and leaving little messages that make my skin crawl. I don’t want any of Olivia’s stench to even come close to Jess, but I think my girl has gotten a whiff of her existence this morning, as hard as I tried to prevent it from happening. I’ll deal with it when I have to and not a minute sooner. First I've got to get Jess to talk to me again like a rational human being. I knew she was upset the whole ride to the library, but she didn’t say a word. I thought for sure once she saw all those people in anticipation of wanting to help in all her causes her mood would brighten. Dead wrong on that one. She turned on me like I had just insulted her in the worst way possible. I guess the road to hell really is paved with good intentions. Because having Jess look at me with contempt in her eyes was like a dagger slicing my insides apart and throwing me into a fiery pit.

  “Don’t you look lonely?” It takes me a minute to acknowledge the sugary tone coming from the blond in front of me, but when I do, I step back a little further and lean against the wall giving me some added distance from her.

  “You’ve been standing here all night. Thought you might like some company,” she says and eats up the space I had gained a couple of seconds ago. She’s so close I can smell the flowery perfume on her and wish it was replaced by strawberry fields.

  “I don’t need company,” I reply in my no-nonsense tone. This is not how I want to end this night. Having to be rude to a girl just for the sake of being rude is not my default, however, whatever she wants, I’m not offering. Those goods are for a petite brunette with golden eyes, even if right now she would throw them right back in my face. They are still hers. Not sure when that happened, but this long-legged blond, just confirmed my suspicion that Jess had clawed her way much further inside me than I let on.

  “Everybody needs company, and I’m very entertaining,” she hushes. I’m sure she is, and any other brother would jump at the chance to have her company. Wearing a skimpy red dress that showcases her cleavage and her long straight blond hair that reaches to her waist, the girl is as close to a centerfold bunny as you can get. Still, she doesn’t hold a candle to my smart-mouthed girl, who rocked yoga pants and one of my t-shirts for breakfast this morning. Now that was a sight worth waking up to. The girl in front of me is fabricated to look like what guys would drool over, dressed to impress in every which way. Jess, however, demands that you impress her, not the other way around. The blond traces one perfect manicured fingernail on one of my shirt buttons and then again to the one below it. I stiffen my back against the wall and tighten the hold of my arms over my chest, showing I do not appreciate the sudden familiarity.

  “You’re a shy thing aren’t you,” she sing-songs not taking the hint.

  “Not much of a talker either,” she coos leaning closer, and I’m about two seconds from having to push her away from me.

  “Oh, don’t you fret your pretty little head about that, because I talk enough for the both of us,” Jess coolly states with her hands on her thighs. My eyes take her in immediately, and my whole body warms at the vision before me. Black turtleneck sweater, ending a little bit above her navel showing just a sliver of skin by her posture alone and ending it with a black and white checkered pleated skirt and black boots to match.

  Now there’s my Centerfold.

  The blond looks her up and down unimpressed even though my girl just blew her out of the water with the little number she’s wearing compared to the red vixen ensemble.

  “And who might you be?” the blond rolls her eyes but has the good sense to back away from me. Jess just gives her a condescending smile and walks in between the blond and I. She turns her back to me, and my hands instinctively go to her waist to bring her a bit closer. I feel her body melt into mine with this one touch, so even though we haven’t talked about our issues yet, our bodies know where they belong, and our brains better start getting the picture. I close my eyes and lean down further to the top of her head so I can get a trace of her sweet strawberry scent.

  Now I’m home.

  “Oh, so we’re doing twenty questions? That one’s easy. I’m his girlfriend. Now answer one of mine, will you dear? You like those long legs you're working with tonight? Of course, you do. They are fabulous! However, they won't look too hot in a mini skirt that short, if both are in casts, will they? I know Quaid here is too tempting to resist, and a girl can look, no harm making him your eye candy, if that’s what rocks your boat. But I see you touching him again without his consent I’ll break both those two stems in a heartbeat, m'kay?” Jess says sweetly. The blond looks like her head is about to explode, but whatever look Jess is sporting is enough to make her turn on her heels and run the other way. I hug her waist closer to me and lean down until my face is covered in plush satin locks.

  “Girlfriend, huh? I ask placing a small kiss behind her ear. She hums in my arms, and suddenly all my foul mood evaporates.

  “Yeah. Can’t fight something that’s already set in stone,” she whispers. I turn her around and place my hands on each side of her face.

  “You like me, huh?” I tease her looking into those dark brown orbits that ground me to the earth and lift me to the heavens all at once.

  “I guess so,” she shyly grins back and it’s too much to take. I lean down lower and feel her feet lift off the ground to meet me halfway and grab the kiss I so desperately need to give her. I know there is music around us. I know there are over a hundred kids talking and laughing simultaneously, and the noise alone would make it difficult to hear much of anything, but somehow I hear our two hearts sync at this moment. As if these past couple of hours were unbearable and only when we’re happily together, does the world make any type of sense. I hear her sigh in joyful complacency and I know she heard the same lock turn inside as I did. My lips leave hers too soon to be satisfied, but the need to put our grievance in the past is more urgent than self-satisfaction.

  “You didn’t seem to like me at all this afternoon?” I ask softly kissing her button nose. She scrunches her nose but continues to look at me with pleading eyes.

  “I’m sorry for how I behaved. I let something get in my head, and it tainted the incredible gesture you made. That’s my fault, not yours. You’re also right regarding asking for help. This afternoon was unbelievable with the contribution everyone put into it. In just a couple of hours, we were able to achieve what I would have struggled to complete in a month. Having an army behind me has its perks, after all, so thank you, Quaid,” Jess whispers and places another chaste kiss on my lips.

  “I’m sorry, too. I should have just talked to you about what I was thinking of than just spring it on you like that. It won’t happen again. You’re too important for misunderstandings to get in the way. I am sorry, Jess.”

  “Just shut up and kiss me, Quaid Stevens,” she goads, and I do just that. We only break apart wh
en someone consistently coughs to grab our attention.

  “Grasshopper. Quaid. Fancy meeting you two here. Shouldn’t you be off in some otherworldly penthouse in Manhattan wrecking some pristine pieces of furniture? Frat parties are a little below your pay grade, right Quaid?” Drew spits and I feel Jess tense up all over again.

  “Is Izzy with you? I didn’t know you guys were going to go out tonight?” she asks looking behind Drew trying to see if she can get a sight of her roommate in the crowd.

  “No Izzy is doing her pajama thing tonight. Rocking this party solo.”

  Solo? Really? You wouldn’t by any chance be here for another reason?” Jess asks her attention locked on the friend in front of her.

  “Ah well, grasshopper, maybe there is. Didn’t mean to interrupt the lovefest. You do you grasshopper, I’ll be sure to do me,” and with a wink and a wave, Drew walks away.

  “Something’s off with those two,” she states.

  “Who?”

  “Izzy and Drew,” Jess huffs out her eyes trailing where Drew is headed towards.

  “It’s not like Izzy to forgo a party and prefer to stay home on a Saturday night, and it sure isn’t like Drew to act so cagey. They’ve both been acting off, and I can’t put my finger on it,” she says biting her lower lip as if trying to solve a mathematical equation.

  “I’m sure that Malibu Ken and London Barbie will tell you what’s up sooner or later. They’re your friends after all. Maybe they just need time to sort stuff on their own before seeking your motherly advice,” I taunt.

  “Are you actually throwing shade on my friends? Considering you hang out with guys like Grant the Third, you really shouldn’t,” she teases back.

  “Grant is not my friend. He’s a brother, and unfortunately, like a real family we can’t pick and choose the people that belong to it.”

  “Valid point. My friends, however, I did choose, and I’m worried about them. Izzy hasn’t been her bubbly self recently, and every time I ask if something’s wrong, she just puts on a plastic smile and tells me she’s fine. Drew is also MIA most of the time, and I think it has to do with someone he’s met in this house. He’s usually very forthcoming with his hookups, but this one seems different. He’s all tight-lipped, and I don’t know if that’s a good sign or a bad one.”

  “Jess, again, they’re your friends. When they’re ready to come to you, they will. Don’t stress over it ahead of time. The truth always comes out in the end, and I’m sure they’ll be the ones to tell you eventually what’s going on,” I tell her and kiss her forehead reassuringly.

  “I guess,” she says still unconvinced, and I just can’t keep the smile off my face with the knowledge that this girl can be so protective of the people who mean something to her. Even perfect strangers in need get this same fierce preoccupation from Jess. Earlier she accused me of wanting to fix her and her life, but in reality, Jess is the one who actively seeks out to put her finger in bullet holes. To stop and fix anyone’s pain or misfortune. How can I not smile knowing the girl by my side is such a vigilant defender? A gallant warrior, standing tall in the face of anything that is thrown her way. My own brave knight, wearing red lipstick, knee-high boots, and a kick-ass smile. Even though she’s consumed with worry and I want to settle her unease, the feeling of pride that this extraordinary girl picked me to share her days with, her feelings and thoughts, is overwhelming. And to have her come out today and call me hers in front of anyone who would listen made me feel like my heart grew wings and flew straight into her hands, without any resistance whatsoever. I never stood a chance against her, did I? The moment I decided to give her a breach into my life, she came at me with everything she had and easily conquering everything in her path. Even if in the past giving my heart out so freely only brought with it misery, with Jess, I just don’t ever see that happening. Maybe it’s foolish of me to be this naïve considering how well I know people can make you believe what they want you to believe, but Jess feels so genuine that my heart can’t be wrong. She doesn’t try to hide her faults and she sure as hell is vocal showing others theirs. Even my own. But she is also humble enough to acknowledge when she’s wrong and seek redemption for it. Her warm brown eyes hide nothing. What you see is what you get, and for the life of me, I want to keep her any way I can.

  “Enough of that,” she says shaking herself out of her pensive mood. “This is a party, and I have yet to have any fun. You and I have a date with a dance floor, and by God, we are going to have some fun.”

  “Dancing? I was kind of thinking we could call it a night,” I tell her trying to convey a whole other fun scenario. She raises an eyebrow and puts her hands on my chest.

  “As much as what you’re proposing intrigues me, dancing is still on the table first.”

  “You are a handful. What am I gonna do with you?”

  “What do you want to do with me?” she asks biting her lower lip teasingly.

  “I feel like that’s a loaded question. If I answer truthfully we might not be able to leave like I want to,” I tease back.

  “Really? That good huh?” she whispers.

  “No Jess, that bad,” I tell her pulling her closer to me, so her small tight body is locked with mine, fitting perfectly even with the height difference.

  “Why do I always feel like I end up trapped when I’m with you? Are you the big bad wolf that I should be afraid of?” she asks not looking scared at all but as if all the lights in her have turned on to maximum voltage.

  “No, I’m the hunter. You can’t escape me. You can try, I’d love to see you try,” I tell her confidently, but she just laughs me off and takes my hand leading me towards the dance floor.

  Even though she didn’t take me seriously, I meant every word. Jess can try to pull away from me all she wants, but she wouldn’t get far. Something clicked into its final place within me today. Having her stake her claim on me tonight, also made it crystal clear to me what it was. I am a hunter, and I would raid the earth just to bask in the sunlight Jess exudes. I would chase every ray of sunshine and make it my quest never to leave its warmth. However, the grinning girl dancing before me, making me laugh with her attempts at getting me to move in time with her, is the true huntress. She didn’t have to do a thing but be herself to catch her prey.

  I’m caught in her web and she knows it.

  Chapter 20

  Jess

  Quaid is hunched over in his seat, scribbling away like a madman. He is so focused that he hasn’t said a word in the past two hours. Which is a good thing for me, otherwise I’m sure that he would have caught my blatant ogling. I can’t help it. I mean I can, but why would I want to? He’s so much in his own little world that I’d be a fool not to take this opportunity and look at him to my heart's content.

  “You’re staring, again,” he says not even looking up from his textbook and laptop.

  Crap, discretion really isn’t my strong suit.

  Busted.

  “Well, I’m just curious at what has you all uptight about over there. It looks like whatever you’re studying is pissing you off. I was just wondering what that big bad textbook ever did to you for you to look at it as if it just kicked a puppy or something.”

  A corner of his lips lifts up a bit and I can tell he’s trying to suppress one of those beautiful Quaid smiles.

  “We're studying different types of fevers. Until taking this class, I had no idea just how many existed.” He stretches back in his chair and runs his fingers through that dark hair. I’m sitting on his bed, Indian style, with my textbooks sprawled on his comforter, but I follow his example and stretch my arms over my head. I’ve been in this position for a couple of hours now, and I’m starting to feel my bones aching for a much-needed break.

  “But that’s not what I’m struggling with. We have to learn all of them in their Latin form as well. You’d be surprised how much Latin we have to learn in all my classes. If anyone ever thought that this was a dead language all they had to do was take a biology course
for them to see that Latin is alive and well.”

  “Maybe I can help. Portuguese is a Latin language, after all, maybe I can help come up with some tricks for you to remember. He looks over at me with a sudden brazen intent in his eyes and slowly stands up from his chair almost hovering over me with every step closer he gets to the bed.

  “You think you can teach me a few tricks?” There’s that grin again that he’s trying to conceal as he leans over me and I can’t help but fall back onto the bed with him following me in return. I swallow hard as I feel my heart leap into my throat. It’s so loud that I’m sure that he hears every beat.

  “Maybe. Try me,” I challenge back.

  “Hmm, what’s the word for fever in Portuguese?” he asks as he swipes my hair away from my face, spreading it over his pillow and starts to play with a single strand, entwining it through his fingers. His whole body covers me and there is nowhere to escape from his hold, but in all honesty, I wouldn’t run anyway. I focus on his eyes and hold his stare.

  “Febre,” my tone is strong and unintimidated, but my breath hitches as his nose runs over my neck to my ear and whispers his reply. “That’s close enough. In Latin, it’s Febribus.” He bites down my earlobe and embarrassingly, I sigh at the gesture. My whole face burns red, and he catches my blush instantly.

  “I like this game. Let’s try something else, shall we? I’ll say a word and you translate it, okay?” I must have nodded, but I’m too out of it to recall since the only thing I feel now are Quaid’s hands on my hips and his thumbs gently caressing the skin he’s found. Talking is going to be difficult if he keeps this up. He smells like sandalwood and amber spices all in one. It’s an intoxicating scent only heighten with his sweet breath on my skin. “What’s the word for shoulder?” As he asks, I feel him lowering the strap of my tank top and bra to the side as he peppers my naked shoulder with butterfly kisses. I close my eyes and just let myself feel his tender touch and delight in the fact that this will probably be the best study break I have ever had.