Romance: The College Bad Boy: A Young Adult Romance

by Veronica Cross

“I don’t even want to think about food right now.” Tish rubbed her temples.

  “Want me to bring you a ginger ale?” Alex pulled off her tank top from last night and threw on a faded t-shirt. She wiggled into some basketball shorts and slipped her feet into her shoes.

  “Yes, please.” Tish propped herself up on her elbows, “Hey, Al?”

  “Hmm?” Alex had a rubber band in her mouth as she wadded her hair into a messy bun.

  “Thanks for helping take care of me last night.” The sincerity in Tish’s voice made Alex smile.

  “No problem.” She gathered her phone and I.D. as she headed to the door, “Try to get some more sleep, ok?” Alex closed the door as quietly as she could and headed towards the Rec center.

  It was Sunday morning, and the campus looked like a ghost town. Not even the squirrels were out today. Alex headed up the steps to the cafeteria. The smell of bacon filled the stairwell and made her stomach growl again.

  “Good morning!” A sweet-faced woman with white hair greeted her.

  “Hi,” Alex smiled and handed over her student I.D.

  “Have a good breakfast, Alex.” The woman glanced at the name on the I.D. before handing it back cheerfully.

  Alex laughed, “You too…” She paused, waiting for a name.

  “Charleen,” a dimple appeared as she smiled back.

  “Nice to meet you, Charleen.” Alex grabbed a tray and headed towards the buffet.

  She could smell lightly toasted bagels, sausage, and fresh doughnuts. Alex grabbed a blueberry bagel and smelled it, breathing in the richness of the scent. She placed the bagel on her tray with half of a grapefruit. Alex headed to the dining area. There were a few students scattered here and there eating breakfast. Some read while they ate, others played with their phones. Alex chose a secluded corner and sat down her tray. She smiled to herself as she sprinkled salt over her grapefruit.

  “May I join you?”

  The voice and the phrasing made Alex’s heart skip a beat. She looked up to see Liam watching her from the other side of the table. Alex bit her bottom lip and nodded.

  “How’s your friend doing?” Liam took a bite of his scrambled eggs.

  “She’s still hungover, but she’ll be ok.” Alex looked down at her plate. She paused for a moment and then locked eyes with Liam, “How’s Pasty Girl doing?”

  A smirk played across his lips, “Pasty Girl, huh?” Liam’s eyes lit up with amusement. “Took her back to her place. Haven’t heard from her since last night.”

  “How long ago did you guys break up?”

  “About six months ago. I really don’t want to talk about Jen, ok?” The light was gone from his eyes. It was like a cloud had suddenly passed over the sun.

  “Yeah, ok.” Alex felt a sadness creep across the table, “I’m sorry if I upset you. I didn’t mean to.”

  “Don’t worry about it.” He shook his head to clear it. “Is that your I.D.?” Liam snatched her I.D. off of the table before she could stop him.

  “Oh, please don’t.” Alex put her hands over her face. “It’s awful!”

  “We can’t let you walk around with this.” Liam ran his thumb across the piece of plastic.

  “The guy taking pictures said they only do new ones if your eyes are closed.”

  “Come on,” Liam scooted his chair back and grabbed his tray.

  “But I’m not done yet,” Alex looked down at her half eaten bagel.

  Liam shrugged, “Bring it with you.” He waited for her to grab her bagel and then took her tray and stacked it on top of his own.

  Alex followed him as he set the trays down on a cart near the exit. He held the door open for her. “Where are we going?” She laughed as he slid down the bannister next to the stairs. She took the steps two at a time trying to catch up to him.

  “You’ll see.” He wiggled his eye brows and Alex rolled her eyes as she joined him on the ground floor.

  They walked out into the morning sunlight. “It’s so quite. It’s like the birds aren’t even awake yet.” Alex looked at the trees as they swayed in the breeze.

  “Sunday mornings are the quietest times here. Everyone is sleeping off hangovers or just too lazy to get up when they don’t have classes. Half of them don’t bother to get up even when they do get classes.” He tossed Alex a sideways glance, “Why are you up so early?”

  She shrugged her shoulders, “I guess sleeping in a strange place has my internal clock messed up. I’m not usually a morning person, but I guess I better get used to it.”

  “Oh yeah? Why’s that?”

  “Seven a.m. yoga.” Alex hung her head as they continued walking.

  “Ouch.” Liam grimaced.

  Alex smiled, “Yeah, won’t make that mistake again.”

  They had stopped in front of the admissions building. Ivy curled up the side of the bricks. Flowers were blooming along the walkway. The heat of the day was starting to beam down on them.

  “Are they open on Sundays?” Alex looked at the darkened windows uncertainly.

  “They are for us.” Liam scanned his I.D. card against a reader by the door. The light flashed red repeatedly. “The trick,” Liam said giving the door a push between the flashes of light, “is in the timing.” The door swung open.

  Alex followed Liam as he walked into the shadow strewn lobby. Ferns decorated the corners of the room, and plush, velvet chairs were sprawled luxuriously around the center of the room. Liam opened the door to a glass office on the right and flipped on the light switch.

  “This way.” He pulled a tripod out of the corner by a filing cabinet and plugged it into a machine sitting on the desk.

  “Oh no,” Alex felt her hair, “I’m a mess.”

  “You look fine. Anyway, it can’t get any worse than what you already have.”

  “That’s the truth.” Alex cocked her head to the side. She looked around the room for a place to stand.

  “How about we do it on top of the desk?”

  “What?” Alex felt her cheeks flush and her breath quickened.

  “The picture? How about we take it with you on the desk?” Liam let his eyes glide over her body, “Unless there’s something else you want to do on top of the desk?”

  “No, uh, the picture’s fine.” Alex struggled to calm her breathing. She hopped up onto the corner of the desk and faced the camera.

  “Has anyone ever told you, that you have beautiful eyes?” Liam stood behind the camera.

  Alex smiled and looked down at the floor. She looked back up at him through her lashes. Liam pushed the button. Alex slid off the desk and waited for the card to spit out. “Well? How is it?”

  “Perfect.” Liam handed the card to her.

  Alex ran her finger around the edges of the card in her hand. Her face was frozen in a coy smile on the plastic. She looked up at Liam as she tapped the card against her palm, “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” He folded up the tripod and put it back in the corner where he had found it earlier. “So, what are you planning to do with the rest of your Sunday?”

  “Probably just finish unpacking. Maybe go try to find all of the buildings my classes are in so I’m not completely lost tomorrow.” Alex squinted as they walked back outside. The cicadas were starting to stir. Sweat started to bead on Alex’s forehead as they headed back towards the heart of campus. “How about you? Any big plans for today?”

  “Promised my little sister I’d drop by today.”

  “Does your family live close?”

  “About twenty minutes out.” Liam stopped under the shade of an oak tree, “Think you can find your way back from here?”

  Alex looked around. In the distance, she could see the Rec center. “Yeah, I should be fine.” She smiled and started walking towards the direction of her dorm room. She looked over her shoulder as she walked, “I guess I’ll see you around?”

  “Oh, you don’t have to guess about that.” Liam smirked as he walked off towards a nearby parking lot.

 
Alex’s head swam as she wandered back to her dorm room. Her body was on autopilot. She walked up the first few steps to the Garner building. Snap! Tish’s ginger ale. Alex turned around and headed back to the Rec center.

  To her left, Alex heard a female voice dripping in false sweetness that made her jaw clench. “Alex, it’s so good to see you.”

  Alex closed her eyes for a moment before responding, “Hi, it’s Jennifer, right?”

  “Call me Jen, I insist. Liam does.” Pasty Girl walked into the Student Rec center in front of Alex.

  “You know,” Alex could feel hatred starting to grow inside her, “I almost didn’t recognize you with your clothes on.”

  “Let me explain something to you,” Jen linked arms with Alex as they walked towards the coffee and snack shop on the first floor of the Rec center. A fake smile was plastered across Jen’s face, but all of the forced niceness in her voice had fallen away, “Liam and I may be on a break right now, but he’ll be back. He always comes back.”

  “Well, then I guess you have nothing to worry about.” Alex unhooked herself from Jennifer and entered the snack area. Pasty Girl’s mouth twisted into a sour pucker as she stormed off.

  The smell of flavored coffee swirled around the small snack area as Alex scanned the items on the menu. “Welcome to the Underground, can I get you anything?” The guy behind the counter had a green apron on over his clothes.

  “Ginger ale?”

  “Top shelf, case behind you.” He pointed to the glass refrigerated case plugged into the wall behind her. Alex grabbed two and handed them to him so he could ring her up. “Thanks,” She gathered the bottles and headed back to her dorm. Even the sodas were sweating by the time she made it inside.

  The rest of the day went by in an anxious rush. Alex packed her backpack for tomorrow and set her alarm. Seven a.m. was going to come too soon. She lay down for the second time in her dorm room. It seemed like hours before she finally fell asleep.

  Beep. Beep. Beep. Alex’s alarm blared incessantly.

  “Make it stop.” Tish groaned from her bunk.

  Alex fumbled around until she found her phone wedged between her pillow and her mattress. “This. Sucks.” She turned off the alarm and laid there for a moment with her head buried in the pillow.

  She slid her foot over the edge of the bed and found the top rung again. Alex dug through her dresser and pulled out a pair of black yoga pants and a gray tank top. She changed quickly and grabbed her I.D. from her desk.

  “Please, suffer in silence.” Tish rolled over and pulled her blanket over her head.

  “Sorry,” Alex tiptoed to her backpack and pulled it on over her shoulders. She eased the door shut behind her and headed off to her yoga class. She jogged across the lawn to the dance studio at the other end of campus. Dew on the grass made her sneakers slick. Alex paused outside of the door to catch her breath.

  “Good morning!” A cheerful lady in her mid-twenties greeted her as she opened the door. “Shoes off and grab a mat.”

  Her sneakers squeaked on the waxed floor as she walked over and set down her backpack. Alex slid her shoes off of her feet and grabbed a blue, foam mat from the corner. It smelled faintly of feet and sweat as she plopped it down on the glossy wooden floor.

  “Ok,” the teacher turned on some soft, soothing music, “let’s begin with our legs out in front of us. Just lean forward slowly and reach your hands out to greet your toes.”

  Alex yawned as the music relaxed her almost to the point of falling asleep. She struggled to focus on the stretching in order to stay awake. By the time class was over, Alex was having to bounce on the balls of her feet in order to keep her eyes open.

  She put her shoes back on and grabbed her bag. She had an hour until her next class started. Chemistry was the only class she hadn’t been able to find yesterday. She pulled her schedule out of the side pocket of her backpack. The slip of paper said it would be in the Mayes building. Alex unfolded her map and located the dance studio for a point of reference. The Mayes building should be right up ahead.

  Alex walked along the sidewalk. A few acorns dropped to the ground beside her. She looked up to see a squirrel scamper along a limb overhead. Alex ducked and hurried through the doors of the building on her left.

  Abstract paintings hung on the walls. Colors swirled and melted into one another in a cacophony of shapes. Alex walked down the hallway looking for her chemistry room. The hall ended in a short flight of stairs that led downwards. She could hear music and sawing coming from below. Alex walked down the steps, hoping someone would be able to help point her in the right direction.

  “Hello?” Alex called out as she stepped into the room below. There were splashes of paint on the floor. Chunks of scrap wood was piled against a wall. The sound of the sawing stopped.

  Liam leaned out from behind a table saw, “Hey there.” He pushed his safety goggles to the top of his head. “What are you doing here?”

  “I can’t find my class.” Alex looked around at the tools that lined the walls and the pieces of plywood propped against each other, “What is this place?”

  “Set shop for the Theatre department.” He brushed sawdust off of his clothes.

  “You do theatre?” Alex was surprised.

  Liam walked closer to her, “No, but I’m good with my hands.” Alex bit her bottom lip as she stared into his eyes. He watched as she nervously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Let me see your schedule.” He held out his hand. Her fingers brushed against his as she handed him the paper. “Come on, I’ll take you there, but first,” he paused, “you have something on your face.”

  “What is it?” Alex wiped at her cheeks.

  “Here, let me.” Liam cupped her face in his hand and ran his thumb gently across her cheek bone. He leaned in and let his lips lightly graze hers. The sensation sent shivers across her body. She moaned softly as he pulled away from her. “I think I got it.” He whispered as he smiled.

  Adrenaline coursed through her. Her heart raced against her chest. She wanted more, but Liam had already taken her hand and was leading her back up the steps. His thumb played along the inside of her palm. She could smell his cologne, deep and woodsy, as she walked behind him. He led her to the other end of the building.

  “This is it.” He gestured as they stopped in front of an empty classroom. “Hey, I know you’re not much of a party girl, but there’s this theme party this weekend at Marcus. Would you like to go with me?”

  “Hmm,” Alex leaned her back against the wall and pulled him closer, “that depends.” She smiled and bit her lip again, “What’s the theme?”

  “Moxie and Mayhem. Basically it’s gangsters, mobsters, flappers, stuff like that.”

  Alex laughed, “I have absolutely nothing to wear for something like that.”

  “Now that,” He leaned in closer, “I would like to see.” He paused, “Though maybe not in a party setting.”

  Alex punched him playfully and rolled her eyes, “Yeah, I bet.”

  “I’m sure you could find something. A lot of girls get stuff from Goodwill or just throw together something from what they already have.”

  “I’ll see what I can come up with.” Alex smiled at him as other students started trickling down the hall. “I should get inside.”

  “Friday at eight?” Liam asked as she walked into the classroom.

  “Sure.” She called back to him.

  The rest of the week flew by in a flurry of ice breakers, homework assignments, and unfortunately early yoga classes. Alex finished up with her English class on Friday and made her way back to her dorm.

  “No, no, no! Shut the door!” Tish yelled down from her bunk.

  Alex hurried inside and shut the door behind her. Towels were scattered around the floor. “What is going on?”

  “Put the towels back under the door!”

  Alex stuffed the towels back into the gap between the door and the floor. She looked up at her roommate expectantly.

  “
Ok, so don’t get mad,” Tish held out her hands defensively, “but I got a hamster.”

  “We’re not allowed to have pets!” Alex’s eyes grew wide.

  “Well, it’s a secret hamster.” Tish smiled meekly.

  “Why are you up on the bed?”

  “He escaped.” Tish’s eyes narrowed as she scanned the room. “I put him in his ball to let him get some exercise, and he kept ramming it into things. I thought he was just too dumb to go around stuff. Turns out he’s a criminal mastermind.” She picked up a pair of binoculars as she continued looking around. “The bumping loosened the lid, and the next thing I know, he’s gone!”

  “Oh my gosh.” Alex crawled up the side of Tish’s bed and plopped down beside her.

  “I know he’s still in here because I barricaded the door, and occasionally I hear tiny paws pitter pattering around.”

  “What did you name it?”

  “Walter.” Tish squinted, “Although, now I’m considering Houdini.”

  “Hey are you going to that party tonight?” Alex asked as she kept her eyes on the ground, looking for any sign of Walter.

  “I think I’m gonna sit this one out.” Tish frowned, “I’m not really too keen on a repeat of last weekend.”

  “Well, do you think you could help me find something to wear?” Alex could feel the butterflies flitting around her stomach as she asked.

  “Of course!” Tish crawled clumsily over Alex and made her way down to the floor. “Welcome to my costume collection!” Tish flung open her closet revealing a cluster of sequins, silks, and feathers. The Viking helmet she had been wearing when she was trying to hack the Wi-Fi password was stuffed on a shelf with a tiara and an Indian, feather headdress.

  “Holy crap.” Alex stared at the brightly colored outfits wedged together in Tish’s closet. “Why do you have all of that?”

  “Erika told me they do a lot of costume parties here, so I made sure to pack the necessities.” She shuffled through the hangers, sliding them down as she called them off, “You’ve got your Indian princess, your Greek goddess, your Catholic school girl, but for tonight,” Tish flipped through the outfits until she found what she was looking for, “I’m thinking this.” She held out a bright red dress as she motioned with a flourish.