by Nicole Dykes
He pulls me into a tight hug, “I’m gonna miss you, Cass.”
I lift my arms up slowly to hug him back. That’s not what I was expecting. “I’ll miss you too, Luke, but I’ll probably be home in a couple of weeks.”
He pulls back, “Yeah, I know. And I’ll be around.”
That sounds like a threat, but a brotherly one. “I know.”
He looks around my new room, “You sure you don’t want to go with us? Trust me, that first night is tough.”
“You mean the first night for most people, but not badasses like yourself, right?”
He grins, “Yeah, you got this. You’re a Monroe. See ya around.”
I nod my head and he leaves. I sit down on my new bed, the room empty and quiet. I’m definitely ready for Dani to get here.
I’ve got this.
Right?
Chapter 4
Cassie
My half of the closet is already overflowing and I still have half of my clothes left to unpack. This is not good.
I hear the lock click and then see my best friend, Dani walk through our door. “Hey, Cassie!”
She’s followed by her extremely uptight mother, who is clutching her purse to her body and looks like she’s afraid she could catch something from our dorm room.
I walk to the middle of the room to greet them, “Hey. You made it.”
She nods, “Yeah, my parents weren’t in a huge rush.”
Mrs. Miller looks over at me, “Hello, Cassandra.”
I give her a quick smile, “Hello, Mrs. Miller.” I’m not a huge fan and I hate that she insists on calling me by my full name.
She looks around the tiny room and then turns to Dani, “Oh Danielle, I really wish you would have let us get the suite for you.”
Dani plops her purse down on her bed, “Mother, this is perfect for us.”
She looks like she is about to object, but then Dani’s father and brother walk in carrying some boxes. After they put them down her brother, Austin looks shyly at me, “Uh, hello, Cassie. How are you?”
I give him a tight smile and wave, “Hi, Austin. I’m good. How are you? I thought you were going to MIT this year.”
“I move in next week.”
I nod my head and Dani comes and stands next to me, “Geez, this is awkward. I have a lot more to move in. Let’s go.”
I can’t help, but to laugh at Dani’s bluntness. It’s awkward because Austin is that nice guy I dated right after Brent ended things the first time. Dani and I started hanging out and that’s how I met him. He was so different from Brent, he treated me like a princess. I am so messed up that I was bored and he just didn’t give me that feeling. The tingling, can’t breathe when they are near, makes you stupider kind of feeling I desperately want in my life. So, I broke his heart.
Dani and I join Austin and her dad in carrying more of her stuff up, while her mom stays in our room. They are walking ahead of us and Dani whispers, “Almost free.” Before we climb into the elevator.
She can’t stand her parents and I can’t blame her. Austin is their golden child. He can do no wrong, but because Dani is more outspoken and doesn’t follow the rules they don’t get along. They are only like a year apart and since Austin was held back for health issues they were both in my class in school.
After two trips, everything is unloaded from Dani’s car and her dad’s truck and we all stand in our dorm room. Her mother looks around the room filled with boxes, “Danielle, I don’t think it’s all going to fit in here.”
Dani rolls her eyes, “It will be fine, mother.”
Mrs. Miller plays with a strand of Dani’s super long, naturally black hair, “I really wish you would have gotten a trim before coming.”
“I like my hair, mom.”
She’s lucky it’s not purple. Mrs. Miller sighs, “Shall we go to dinner? Surely we can find somewhere clean around here, what do you think Steve?”
Dani’s dad looks up from his phone. He works in finance and is hardly ever around, but when he is, he’s on that damn phone. “Oh, huh? Sure.”
Dani shakes her head, “No thanks. Cassie and I are just gonna order a pizza and unpack.”
Her mother purses her lips tight, but doesn’t argue. “Alright. If that’s what you want. Do you need anything else?”
She shakes her head, ushering them out of the door. Her mother pats her shoulder and then exits. She’s a sharp contrast to my own mother, who was warm and caring. Austin waves a quick goodbye to me and then hugs Dani before leaving. Her dad, who still has the phone in his hand, gives her a quick hug and a couple hundred dollars before leaving.
She closes the door, waits a beat and then says loudly, “Fucking finally!”
I laugh. “They aren’t so bad.”
She rolls her eyes and flops down on her new bed that is partially covered with boxes. She props her head up on her elbow lying on her side, “No they are fucking terrible. I know you think your family is embarrassing, but I would take them any day over mine.”
So would I. “So, what the hell are we going to do with all of this stuff?”
She shrugs, “I have no idea, but I’m ordering that damn pizza now.”
I nod. I’m starving and she pulls out a coupon book they were handing out downstairs. She doesn’t need to ask what kind of pizza I want. She just orders and then hangs up. “Okay, it’ll be here in thirty minutes.”
“So, did you, Jax, and Luke carry all this shit up yourselves?”
I continue to take things out of boxes on my bed and try to find a spot for them, “No, Hannah and her friend Vanessa helped and Luke’s friends, Cam and Hunter helped also.”
Her eyebrows shoot up, “Cam and Hunter? The ridiculously hot football players? They were here?”
I forgot she met them at the wedding and was at Brooke and Dylan’s New Year’s Eve Party. “Yes. For a little bit.”
“Holy shit. I’m so pissed at my parents for getting here late!”
I giggle. Dani is a little boy crazy sometimes. I know I’ve been described that way too. It’s why we are such a good fit. We are both the fuckups in our families. The thing with Dani is she dated one guy throughout high school. Tanner Williams. She wasn’t exactly a good girl, considering the parties we went to and things we did, but she was only with him. A couple of months before graduation she found out he’d been cheating on her since day one. It totally broke her heart and she went off the deep end for a bit. Instead of hating men she went the opposite and slept with three guys from our class this summer alone.
I have to admit I’m a little worried about me trying to change my image this year with her in this state. “Well it was no big deal. They just carried in some boxes.”
And looked hot doing it. I don’t say that out loud though. No need to egg her on.
“Shirtless?”
I laugh, “No. Fully clothed.”
She giggles and rolls to her back, looking up at the ceiling. “So, will we be seeing more of them?”
I hope so. “Probably. I think they may be my brother’s spies.”
“Nice.” She rolls excitedly to her side again, “This year is going to be so fucking awesome, Cassie. We are free! We can stay out late and do whatever the hell we want.”
“As long as we’re still going to class and doing our homework.”
She waves that off, “That’s a given, but these are our years, Cass. We have to make the most of them. Ride as many dicks as we can.”
I look at her, stunned. It’s not like we haven’t talked about sex before. It’s a common topic with us, but damn. “Dani.”
“What? I’m serious. I wasted so much time with Tanner and trust me there is so much better out there. While I’m in college there is no way I’m going to be tied down. I’m going to sleep with whoever I want, whenever I want. I call the shots.”
I sit on my bed, “I know he hurt you, but you don’t have to sleep with hundreds of guys to get back at him.”
She sits up on her bed and looks ov
er, deadly serious, “Fuck him. It’s not about him, it’s about the fact that we are young, single girls and we can do anything we want. I’m so sick of the bullshit rules where girls have to be a virgin and the guys can sleep with fifty girls and be seen as a God. It’s total bullshit and it should change. Who says we can’t sleep around and still be desirable?”
Did I mention she’s a women’s studies major? “Right, we can sleep with whoever we want, but that doesn’t mean we have to be slutty.”
She cringes at my word. “See that word, right there, it should be removed from the English language. There’s nothing wrong with finding what we like and making memories. As long as we’re safe who cares?” She adds, “These are the years, Cass. The years we will go back to in our minds while we are staring up at the ceiling, thinking about picking up the kids and going grocery shopping while our fat, boring husbands are pumping away.”
Gross. She’s paints a lovely picture, doesn’t she? “Damn, Dani.”
She sighs, “You know it’s true. It’s these years and the hot memories from them, that will make all of that okay.”
God, I hope she’s wrong about that.
Chapter 5
Cassie
Luke was wrong. It wasn’t really the first night that was rough. It was the following night. The night before my first day of college courses. I was so anxious about being late or getting lost that I don’t think I slept more than two hours.
It’s day two of classes and I slept a little better last night. Since Luke and Jax have left I have literally had at least one text from every member of my family. Even Shriller sent me a text to check in. I act annoyed, but really I find it endearing that they all care so much.
Or is it because they don’t trust me?
I’m done with classes for the day and plop down on my bed, going through my phone.
Dylan: How was class?
Cassie: Fine.
Dylan: Damn, don’t talk too much. Save it for when you come home.
I shake my head at his obvious sarcasm.
Cassie: I had two classes today and they were both interesting. Still the introduction phase.
Dylan: Good. Call sometime. Got a meeting.
Cassie: TTYL
I open the next text message.
Brooke: So was it fun?
Cassie: A blast.
And the next.
Alex: So any hot guys?
I laugh to myself. That’s so an Alex question.
Cassie: Too busy paying attention.
Alex: Ya, okay.
I move on to the next message. Seriously. I just talked to all of them yesterday.
Jax: Need my expertise?
I’m assuming he means kicking someone’s ass.
Cassie: Not yet. Stand down.
I close my texts and then pull up my Facebook app just as I hear the lock turn and Dani walk in, “Hey. How was day two?”
I smile over at my friend, who tosses her back pack on her bed and sits down. I answer her question, “Pretty good. I have some interesting classes. You?”
“Oh I fucking love college! There are so many hot guys just walking around campus. I mean not in my Women’s Studies class, but all of the other ones.” I’m about to retort when my eyes scan Facebook and then stop. I can feel my heart beating so fast it feels like it’s going to pound out of my chest. Dani must notice my freak out because she’s in front of me snapping her fingers, “Cassie. What’s wrong?”
I hand her my phone and she hands it back to me, with one hand on her hip, “That fucking asshole.”
Brent. According to Facebook, he is now “in a relationship” with Heather McDaniel from my class in high school. I shrug my shoulders. Calm down, Cass. Play it cool. Breath. “It’s fine. I mean, it’s not like he’s cheating on me or anything. We aren’t together and haven’t been for a while.”
She sits next to me on my bed, “Bullshit. He led you on and used you for sex whenever it was convenient for him. I know you were hoping he would want to be your official boyfriend again, Cass.”
Damn she knows me too well. I shrug, “It’s fine.”
“Cassie, it’s me.”
I throw my hands up, “Okay, it sucks! Even when we were dating he didn’t want to change his Facebook status. He said it wasn’t anyone’s business, like he was ashamed of me or some shit and now literally one month after our last hookup, he’s Facebook Official with Heather Fucking McDaniel!”
She pats my shoulder, “There. That’s so much better than this passive aggressive, playing it cool bullshit. He’s an asshole and you deserve better.”
I stare at his profile. His picture has recently been changed to a picture with her on his back out at the lake. He’s shirtless and wearing swim trunks and you can mostly just see her bare arms and legs wrapped around him. That and their smiling, happy faces. I want to punch them both.
Heather always hated me. We never got along even in grade school, so it really doesn’t surprise me she went after Brent. Or maybe he went after her? “I don’t want anyone.”
She rolls her eyes, “Please. We are going to find you not only one, but several. There are a ton of parties this Friday. We are so going to at least one of them.”
It’s only Tuesday, but I feel the need to put my foot down now, “No. I’m not going to any parties. Especially my first week here.”
She stands up and walks over to her bed. She reaches under it, going through one of the many storage totes we bought at a late-night Target run the night we moved in. “Oh we are going. This is the first of many we are going to attend. Trust me, Cass. You know what they say.”
She’s still riffling through her totes and I know I shouldn’t ask, “What do they say?”
“Something about the best way to get over someone is to get under someone else or some shit. It’s brilliant.” I shake my head and she pulls two glass bottles out and walks over to me, “Peach or Peppermint?”
I realize they’re schnapps bottles, and good sized ones at that. “Where did you get those?”
“I took them from my dad. No worries, they are the only ones he doesn’t religiously drink. He won’t even know they’re gone.”
We’ve snuck a lot of alcohol from her dad over the years. I should have known. I shake my head. “No. I’m good.”
She shakes her head and holds the peppermint bottle out to me. “Trust me. Whatever a hard body on top of you can’t fix, this can.”
We are both so screwed up. I know it’s a flawed logic, but I take the bottle anyway and take small sip. She nods her head approvingly. “Nice. So, I met two really cool girls in my Women’s Studies class and we are going to get coffee and go over this article we are supposed to read. We may even get dinner. You want to go with?”
I shake my head, “No thanks. I don’t really feel like going anywhere.”
She sits next to me and wraps her arms around my shoulders, pulling me into a hug. “You sure? It’s going to be fun.”
I laugh, “I’m sure. Go, have a good time.”
She gets up, reluctantly. “Okay. Call me if you need anything! Promise?”
I nod. “Yes.”
With that she leaves our room and I stare at Brent’s Facebook profile while taking an occasional swig, straight from the bottle. It sure doesn’t feel like I’m making progress. After an hour of feeling sorry for myself and fantasizing about nut punching Brent I’m a little buzzed.
I start going through my contacts on my phone. Who could I call? Who could possibly make me feel better?
Brooke usually has good advice, but honestly I don’t want any of them knowing I’m still hung up on Brent. That leaves Hannah out because even though I trust her I don’t want her to have to keep anything from my brother. I look at the name under hers.
Hunter Thompson.
Yeah right. I’m going to call Hunter and talk to him about my pathetic high school relationship. I stare at the massive television he and Cam carried in a few days ago. It’s still in the box and sitting
against the wall.
Before I can talk myself out of it, I send a text.
Cassie: Hi, Hunter. I hope I’m not bugging you. I’m sure you are super busy, but I was wondering if you could help me out with something.
Oh shit. I blame the schnapps.
Maybe if I send a never mind text he will forget I ever sent it?
Too late my phone dings.
Hunter: I’m not busy. You okay?
Cassie: Yes. I was just wondering if you could help me set up my new TV.
Lame.
It takes a minute and then I get a reply.
Hunter: Of course. You home now?
Holy shit.
Cassie: Yes
Hunter: Alright, I’ll be over soon.
Cassie: Thank you
I stand up and kick a box in the middle of the floor to the side of the room. This place is still at total mess. What the hell was I thinking? I invited Hunter over to my messy dorm room when I’m buzzed and kind of heartbroken. I straighten up my bed and try to fix my windblown hair from walking to class earlier.
Nice, Cassie.
Chapter 6
Hunter
I knock on Cassie’s dorm room door. I have to admit I was really surprised to see her text asking me to come over. Most of the times I’ve been around her, she’s been quiet. The only time she ever opened up was when we danced together Dylan’s wedding and a New Year’s Eve party last year.
She answers the door, “Hi!”
I smile at her, taking in her outfit. I shouldn’t even look, but she’s wearing a pair of black cloth shorts and a v neck K-state t-shirt. Her long blonde hair is down and blown by the windy day. If she were anyone else I would admit she’s gorgeous. “Hey, can I come in?”
She nods her head and moves away from the door allowing me to walk inside. The room has less boxes in it than the last time I saw it and is starting to gain some of Cassie’s personality.
I hear her door close and then notice Cassie’s cheeks have a red tint to them. It’s not hot in here. “You okay?”
“I’m fine, why?”
She seems a bit off, but I can’t put my finger on it and honestly it’s not like I know her that well. I shrug, “Just making sure.”