by Anyta Sunday
Syd waggled his brows, his green eyes edged with mischief, making me bite my bottom lip.
“Shane?” Trey saiaidd, in a soft voice. “Would you give me a hand with some furniture back in the room?” What furniture? It’d looked all sorted out to me. But maybe he wanted to rearrange more stuff? I nodded, before I stood up from the table, though, I spoke to Syd, “It was very nice meeting you. I’d, um, like to again, if you want?” My palms sweated, and my heart raced as I said this. I’d never asked a guy out before, and it was both exhilarating and nerve wracking.
Syd checked his watch as if mentally calculating something. “You up for some coffee later?”
I relaxed a fraction, though I couldn’t entirely with Trey staring at the both of us. “Sure. When’s good for you?” “Say seven?” He pulled out his cell phone and I gave him my number. “Super,” he said, grinning. “Meet you out the front of the building here.”
I got out of my chair. Trey had already begun crossing the room. “See ya.”
“I’ll thank you properly for the milkshake later,” Syd said and winked. I trotted up to Trey, in a daze. I was so happy I could have, could have, I don’t know, hugged him. Finally I’d be moving on, I’d be done with these weird feelings Trey gave me. That thought was overwhelming relief tackling my guilt and shredding it to bits.
I almost had to jog keeping up with Trey’s long stride, but I didn’t care. I would’ve gladly skipped if I had to, because things were looking up. We didn’t say a word to each other until the door shut behind us.
Trey attempted a smile, at least that’s what I thought it was. It was either that or a grimace. “So, Syd seemed…nice.” But the way he said it sounded verynotnice, and I stepped back from him.
“He is, actually,” I said, placing my wallet on the side table. “Bit late for coffee though, isn’t it.”
“So what? And come on. You and I both know we won’t be going for coffee.” I waltzed passed him, thinking to grab my guitar to concentrate on something else other than him and me.
His hand fastened on my shoulder and spun me around firmly. “But you hardly know him.”
I frowned. “Hence the date. And with any luck, I’ll be getting to know him pretty good very soon.” He looked away from me to his arm. Startled, he dropped it to his side. “I,” he paused, “well, you’re my roomie. It’s like part of the job to look out for you. That’s why I said that.”
“Well,”—I walked to my drawers and pulled out a pack of condoms—“Just in case. I will be safe.” Wow! I so hadn’t just done that! This had to be a huge step, making it clear to myself that Trey and I could never—would never happen. Go me. “So, you needed help with some furniture?”
Trey narrowed his eyes as if trying to figure out what I was on about. Then he gave a sharp nod. “Oh, I wasn’t sure if I should move the flat screen from my side of the room to somewhere else, so you can have better access to it if I’m not around.”
“Nah, it’s cool. It’s yours keep it there.” Trey hesitated, and looked around the room. “Well there isn’t really any good place to put it, I guess. But feel free to use it, yeah? My bed is comfy as, so you can cozy up there to watch a movie if you’d like.”
I imagined myself cuddling into his pillows, smelling him all around me. I turned from him, and tried to focus on Syd’s face, his bright green eyes. But compared to what I felt around Trey lately, it wasn’t half as intense.
I slipped out of my shoes, rested them on the shoe rack I’d bought, and took myself and my guitar to the bed. Trey eyed up the shoe rack and shook his head. He kicked of his shoes and left them sprawled out over the floor. I gritted my teeth, but ignored it. I took the pick I’d placed on top of my side table and started playing.
In the music I drifted away, and all of my issues ceased. I loved the escapism it provided, I owed it so bad. After Id finished, and senses returned to me full force, I noticed Trey lying on his bed, his head propped up on his hand, watching me.
Heat swelled to my cheeks, and I looked down at the guitar in my lap.
“You’re not bad, you know.” Trey coughed. “Actually, that kinda rocked.”
“Thanks,” I mumbled. “Do you play an instrument?” He shook his head. “Nope. But I like that you can play.” I’d already noticed June’s note had disappeared from the dresser, so I guessed he said that to ‘be nice’. “Hey,” Trey’s voice lifted a notch, “you could entertain for dorm parties.”
I whipped my head to either side. No way was I going to open our room up to trashed, puked in, pissed on. “Actually, I play music for myself, you know. And as for parties, I don’t want—”
My cell phone buzzing cut me off and I forgot what I was about to say. Eagerly, I grabbed it thinking—hoping?—it was Syd. But the display said it was from Treewok Elementary. I flicked it open. “Hello, Shane here.”
It was Mrs. Rollins asking me if I’d be back to run the afterschool care club for third grade on Tuesdays and Fridays.
“Yup, that’s not a problem. I’m going to see if I can get someone to help out now that Ryan”—I shivered, now more embarrassed than sad when I said his name—“won’t be able to…of course, I’ll bring them by to meet you first.”
Mrs. Rollins said it would be enough to meet them before I started on the Tuesday. Then she continued making small talk about how exciting it must be for me starting college, and that her daughter was starting too, and maybe we’d meet up. I hmmed and ahhed whenever I got the opportunity, encouraging her. Normally, I’d be wishing I could come up with an excuse to politely end the conversation, but today I was hanging onto the conversation. Not for the chatting itself, mind you, but because it allowed me to procrastinate and keep my mind of other things. People. Okay,Trey, to be pedantic and painfully obvious.
But all too soon it came to an end. I slipped the cell into my pocket.
“What was that about?” Trey said, not even pretending he hadn’t been listening.
“Nothing.” Trey shrugged, and something about it annoyed me. Like, why did he even ask if he wasn’t bothered by getting an answer? For that matter, why’d he listen in at all if he wasn’t interested?
“It was just something for work was all,” I said, and made a mental note to see if maybe June wanted to help out.
I checked the time on the radio alarm clock I’d set up next to the bed, and internally sighed—groaned. I had hours to kill before my date with Syd. What was I going to do? I didn’t really know anyone yet. I glanced at my shoe rack. I could go for a walk, check out the grounds. But we’d only just got back here and-
“You wanna watch a movie?” Trey asked, sliding off his bed. “I have over a hundred here.” What? He wanted to actually spend time with me? I would’ve thought he’d have had better things to do. Like visiting my sister. Guess he really was trying tobe nice. I was soooo going to get June for writing that.
He opened a cabinet under the desk. “Come take a look.” With reluctance and a splash of nerves, I knelt next to him. Trey reached out and grabbed a Tarantino film, his arm brushing against mine. Although the touch was accidental, a stupid thrill still ran through me. I gritted my teeth against the feeling and focused harder on the movies.
“You can watch these anytime. If you’re not sure what to see, I’ve written a review of each movie and tucked it inside.” He opened up the Kill Bill DVD case, and to the left was a neat little note with a set of stars rating it. For someone who apparently was a slob, he still liked his organization.
I scrolled down some more titles, then stopped, the biggest grin I’d had all day stretched my face. >
As Trey reddened, I latched onto the movie. “I want to read the review to this one.” I laughed. Trey lunged to rip it from me, but I was already on my feet, and trying to pry the thing open. In my haste, I couldn’t seem to do it.
“Give it back,” Trey said in a scary voice, but his anger and embarrassment spurred me on. I stepped away from him, and finally managed to open the dang case. I’d just
started to read, when Trey tackled me. Unprepared for it, me, the DVD, and Trey went flying backwards; luckily his bed caught our fall. (Although if the bed hadn’t been there, Trey would’ve been just fine, and me?—probably out cold.)
Somehow, despite Trey’s crushing weight on me, I was still able to continue my belly laugh. Water blurred my vision and I had to blink rapidly to clear it.
Trey sat up, his knees either side of my waist, this thighs pinning me down. He leaned over to grab the DVD I held over my head. I tried stretching it as far from him as I could, but it was useless. He ripped it from my clutches. Actually, I might have let it go at that point, because as Trey leaned forward to take it, I ended up eye-level at his crotch.
Very quickly, I realized how fucking sexy this all was. I inhaled sharply. This guy had to get off me right now. There was no way I could handle what happened with Ryan to happen again. And I could already feel my dick begin to stir. I pressed my palms onto his thighs.His long, tight, hot thighs. Arghhh.“Get off. I can’t breathe.”
He sat back, and I prayed he wouldn’t notice. Then, keeping his intense dark eyes glued to mine he unprisoned me by moving one of his legs. Unfortunately, it dragged ever-so-lightly across my crotch—fuck me. I sat up into a hunched position, my feet off the bed and came in my pants.
If I wasn’t in damage control mode I would have bawled my eyes out. Why couldn’t I stop getting myself into embarrassing situations? And worst of all, I felt extremely guilty. I’d just jizzed at a light touch—from mysister’s boyfriend. My sister’s boyfriend!
With my back to Trey I took the opportunity to move to my side of the room. I grabbed my guitar—oh howye are my savior—and sat cross legged on my bed, hiding my predicament with my bright blue baby.
After sitting in my cum ten minutes longer than I’d have liked —Trey didn’t stop watching me play the guitar the whole time, which bugged me right out—I decided it would be safe to begin phase two of getting out of this, thismess. I reached over to my drawers and pulled out a towel, some pants and a t-shirt. “I’m gonna go shower,” I said without looking at him.
I dared to glance up at him—I had to make it sound realistic after all, and I had this weird fear if I didn’t meet his eye at least once, he’d justknow.
He smiled at me, and it arched over his face with a wicked edge making his eyes glitter dangerously. “Bit early for a shower, isn’t it. Your date’s not for hours.”
My mouth dropped open. I’d been pretty sneaky, and I hoped subtle, so was I just projecting more into that comment? Clutching my clothes and towel tighter in front of me, I managed a tight grin. “Well, I’m still all sweaty from the move. And I like to keep fresh.”
“Alright man.” And although he didn’t say it, I thought I detected a ‘whatever’ hanging from his partially opened lips.
Chapter Four
I CAME BACK from the shower dressed with my hair slightly wet. Trey lay sprawled over his bed, much the same way I’d left him. Only now he had a remote in hand. I glanced at his screen, but couldn’t tell what the movie was he’d paused.
“Dude, you took forever in there.” “Twenty minutes is hardly that long,” I said, rubbing mfthe towel over my head once more. “Well it felt like ages.” Trey’s voice grew a slight edge of authority. “Now get over here and watch this movie with me.”
Oh, wait? We were still on for that movie? Dammit. Like I really needed anymore up close encounters with this guy. “Uhhh—”
Trey grabbed a pillow and chucked it at my head. “And hurry up.” I complied. Mainly because I was too weak to do otherwise. Not to say no to Trey. But to say no to myself. I began dragging my desk chair to his side of the room.
“What the—seriously, man.” He patted the spot next to him on the bed. “It’s big enough for the both of us. Just get over here.”
I’d freaking just jizzed in my pants being on that bed with him. What screwed-up-ness was it that I willingly went back? My feet moved swiftly one after the other without any damn consideration of my feelings. Well okay, true, they were listening tosomeof my feelings, but only the ones waist down. This was a bad, bad idea.At least there’re plenty of pillows to cover up with—ha-ha.I grabbed a large one and sat down, but Trey—possibly thinking it was in my way?—took it from me and stuffed the rest of the pillows behind our backs.
I kept my eyes ahead, strong enough at least not to look at him. “What movie did you choose?”
Trey pressed play on the remote. “Die Hard, man. It’s a classic.” I sniggered and turned it into a cough. Trey punched me lightly in the side. Well, it might have been lightly for him, for me it was borderline. “This is awesomeness and must be respected.”
I laughed again and shielded my side. But instead of another hit, Trey leaned toward me, his face straight, serious,angry. I shivered, countering his movement by arching my back. Then out of nowhere, he cracked a grin. “We need chips!”
He reached over me, his upper torso hovering over my lap, and opened one of his side drawers. I sat perfectly still, hyper aware of the heat radiating from his body. His t-shirt had ridden up a bit revealing his toned yumminess, and his jeans clung to his ass like they’d been sown onto him, the white waist band of his briefs ever-so-slightly making an appearance.
Trey threw a packet of crisps over his head onto the bed. As he pulled himself back, he paused at my upper arm. So like, his nose was about an inch from my armpit. Then he breathed in.Ah hel-lo?What the hell? Oh, and about ten thousand other questions.
“You smell all perfumey, man,” he said, moving away. “Didn’t pick you for the type.” What on earth was he talking about? I lowered my head and sniffed.Ohhhhh.Warmth flooded my cheeks. I silently cursed my hasty leave before—not the leave itself, but the fact I’d forgotten to take my shower bag. “Uh, I didn’t have soap with me, so I pumped some from the dispensers. I don’t, uh, usually smell like this.”
“Dude,” Trey said, with an odd little smile, “you are so weird sometimes. You could have just come back for some.” Uh, no. No I couldn’t have. Trey flicked on the movie and it was onward with macho madness. Half-way through things blowing up, side characters being killed off without a thought, heaps of grunting interspersed with the occasional witty line, and Trey trying to prove his manliness—I mean, I wasn’t stupid. Why else would he have chosen this movie after our Princess Bride moment? —Trey finally opened the chips. I’d been hoping he’d do it earlier, because Die Hard just wasn’t my thing and I was so bored. But at least now I could munch my way through the rest.
Trey chewed loudly, and often stuffed a stack into his mouth at once, spraying crumbs everywhere. I was so glad we were on his bed and not mine. Sleeping in crumbs was just —ugh.
I dug my hand in to the packet at the same time as Trey. Instead of pulling out, I continued fishing for a chip, making ss. ure to keep bumping his hand. Each touch of his skin sending a jolt through me.
Trey grabbed for some crisps as well and it almost became a fight to get out of the packet again. And all this was happening while both of us have our eyes rooted to the screen. For me it was pretense, but for Trey, well, he was so hooked on the movie, he probably hadn’t even noticed our hands.
Near the end of the movie (finally, yay), Trey took another handful of chips. Actually, it might have been the rest. But he balanced them poorly and one fell onto the bed between my legs. (I was sitting cross-legged). In a movement so fast it may as well have blurred, Trey stuffed the chips in his mouth and shoved his hand down the tiny triangle of space in my lap.
I sucked in a hard breath, holding it as Trey moved about trying to find his chip. I should have found it for him, or moved or something, but I’d frozen. There was only one muscle was able to move now, and I was doing my best to avoid that happening. Trey was still glued to the screen, like he had no real idea what he was doing. Just a voice in his head whispering for him to find the chip. That delicious crunchy chip.Fucking chip!
Finally he found it and came out, ma
naging to brush his hand over my inner-thigh as he did. Bastard. I scowled, as he brought the chip to his mouth and began nibbling it. Nibbling it. Like fuuuuuuck, what was this guy doing to me? I would’ve stayed mad at him—haha, probably not actually —but he cracked a joke about the movie that really was funny, and suddenly we were both in hysterics. His deep rumbling urged my own to continue and, no kidding, we laughed our way through the last fifteen minutes of the movie.
As the credits rolled up, Trey rested a hand on my shoulder. I jumped a bit, and he squeezed, meeting my gaze directly. For the longest moment we stared at each other as if neither of us could think of anything to say, but were somehow okay with that. Well, it was weird. Nice. But, yeah, weird. “You look all happy,” Trey finally said, breaking the spell. “Guess it’s about time to get ready for that date of yours.”
Syd. Shoot! I sprung off his bed and checked the time. I had ten minutes before I was meant to meet him. I shrugged out of my t-shirt, quickly folded it, and slipped on a causal black shirt. Patting myself, I calculated what else I needed. I turned around, and Trey held my wallet out to me.
I shoved it in my pocket and found my keys, slipping those in behind my cell. “Right. I gotta run.” Trey opened the door wide, but as I passed him, he stopped me, one hand curled around my wrist. His warm breath tickled my neck, and, in the lightest of whispers, he said, “Don’t sleep with him.”
*** Don’t sleep with him? I wanted to grip Trey’s shoulders and shake him for making my mind swirl in dangerous territory. If it wasn’t bad enough the guy turned me on, now I was analyzing. Which was truly and utterly ridiculous and I hated my mind for making up the stupid, unhelpful fantasies where those words meant well, that he was jealous.
Of course I knew they didn’t. Trey meant he didn’t want me bringing Syd back to our dorm room was all. Didn’t want to be confronted with two guys heavily making out as I opened the door. He just wanted some warning so he could get out of the way. And he didn’t want me to go there tonight—not the first night in a new room.