I nodded my head quickly and ran towards the closet, sliding the wooden door closed. I sat on the floor and pressed my knees to my chest.
I heard Dylan open the door. Leah started talking immediately.
"I have been waiting outside your door for ten minutes!"
Dylan laughed and I could tell he was annoyed. "So?"
"How much do you sleep?" Leah spat.
Even though I couldn't see Dylan's face through the closet door I knew he wasn't taking this whole 'fight' seriously.
"How much do you try and manipulate people, huh?" Dylan spit right back at her. The words cutting through her like knives. "I know what you did to Emily last night and because of you she was in jail last night."
I wanted to see the look on Leah's face so I quietly and slowly reached over and cracked open the door just a little. I could see Leah perfectly. She was standing by the door holding her purse and crossing her arms. Her face looked priceless, she was so embarrassed.
"I-," She tried to find the words, but she was speechless.
"Exactly, Leah. Nothing to say. You never think things through. You hurt people just to get to the top." Dylan retorted.
Leah stepped backwards with a frown on her face. "Are you saying we're done?"
Dylan laughed in annoyance, "We never started."
Leah shook her head and stepped towards Dylan, bringing her hand to his face, and slapping him.
Dylan stood still, his face red and his jaw tightened.
"Fuck you." Leah said, stepping out of the room and walking down the stairs.
Dylan sighed and fell onto the seat at the end of his bed.
I slid the closet door opened slowly and walked over to him.
"Are you alright?" I asked, it was a stupid question but I didn't know what else to say.
Dylan pressed his hand to his cheek, "Her ring scratched my cheek but other than that, yeah I’m fine."
I walked over to his bathroom and grabbed a few tissues, pressing them to his cheek.
"Want to go somewhere?" Dylan looked up at me, as my hand held the tissue to his cheek.
"Where?" I asked.
"Out to eat, a club, I don't care." He shrugged his shoulders.
I shook my head. "Don't you have homework?"
Dylan laughed. "Bring it with, I’m sure you can do it for me."
I narrowed my eyebrows. "Is that a joke?"
"Dead serious." Dylan winked, grabbing my hand and handing me my pants that I wore yesterday. I slipped them back on and kept his hoodie on.
I stood by the door holding my phone as Dylan slipped on a shirt and kept his Nike workout shorts on. I checked my phone and saw multiple texts from Jasmine but the thing that startled me was that I received a call from my mother. My mother never talked to me unless she was having trouble with my father. She knew I left for a reason and that reason was to get away from our terrible family drama. She left a voice mail but I didn't bother listening to it. I pressed the home button on my phone and let the app carry the number on top of the phone button.
"Ready?" Dylan asked, grabbing the door handle and slipping out into the hall.
I walked out after him as Michael and Max passed us in the hall. Dylan gripped my arm as we passed them and made me step in front of him. As we walked out the front door Dylan pulled out his keys and unlocked his car. I slipped into the passenger seat as Dylan opened the driver’s side door.
"Can I stop and get my car washed first?" he asked, putting the keys in the ignition.
I nodded my head as I pulled out Dylan's sheets of homework.
He drove down the road and turned on the radio. The soft rock played in the background as he drummed his thumbs on the steering wheel. As we pulled into the car wash, Dylan paid and we pulled in. The car began to roll on its own as Dylan put the car in neutral.
"This is math right?" I pointed to one sheet and he nodded his head.
"Why do you have math? Don't you major in English?"
He shrugged his shoulders and pressed the button on his door. The windows rolled down and water from the machines squirted inside. I screamed and held the papers over my face. Dylan laughed next to me as the car filled with colorful soap.
"What the hell are you doing?" I shouted, as water squirted inside all over to dashboard and the seats.
Dylan laughed as his hair filled with soap. "Did you really think I was serious when I asked you to do my homework?" I tried to save the papers from getting wet but it was no use. I watched as a little boy inside watching through the window as the cars passed. He was laughing and jumping up and down as he grabbed his mother’s arm. I turned to Dylan as the car rolled towards the huge dryers. He smiled as he shut his eyes.
"This is the best part, Emm." he said, smiling. His eyes still shut.
I looked at him as if he were crazy.
Suddenly, the papers began to fly everywhere and I tried to grab them but the window was wide open and they escaped my grip.
Dylan opened his eyes and rolled the windows up.
"What did you just do?" I tried to yell but I stifled a laugh.
Dylan stopped his car and turned towards me.
"Who needs homework when you can do other things that are more fun?" He put the car in drive and we pulled out onto the street again.
And Dylan had a point. Not your whole life has to revolve around school or work. You need some fun every once in a while and I think that is the one thing I need. I need some fun. Some excitement like Dylan gets.
But for some reason my mother kept slipping back into my mind.
"H-harry," my lips parted before I could comprehend.
"Yeah?" He looked over at me his eyes full of concern.
"M-my mom called me last night." I told.
Dylan raised his eyebrows. "Did you answer?"
"No."
"Did she leave a voice mail?"
"Yes."
Dylan looked back towards the road and began to drive as the light turned green.
"Did you listen to it at least?" he asked, exchanging glances between me and the road.
I shook my head and looked down at my phone in my lap. "No."
"Emily," he started, "I think you should listen to it."
I sighed and rested my head on the passenger seat.
"She could need you right now." He looked towards me as his hand rested on my thigh.
Chapter 14
I sat stiff in the passenger seat as I stared down at my phone in my lap.
"Do you want me to unlock your phone and play it?" Dylan asked. He seemed a little too anxious.
I nodded my head and told him my passcode. He typed in the numbers and tapped on the phone app. He pressed play and I suddenly heard the sound of my mother’s voice.
"Hi, Emily. How are you, sweetheart? I miss you. The house has been awfully lonely since you left. If you could call me I would like that. Your father and I have something to share with you-" I reached over across the seat and grabbed the phone out of Dylan's hand and shut it off.
"What the hell? Weren't you going to finish the message?" Dylan yelled.
I shook my head, "No. She only wants me home because my father probably has a new girlfriend. She's lonely." I answered as Dylan pulled away from the side of the road and started to drive towards the Starbucks on campus.
"Then you should talk to her, Emily. Don't leave her alone like that." he said, turning on his turn signal.
"No. If my mother and father have been talking something is happening."
"Why do you say that?" He asked.
"They can't stand each other!"
"Let me just drop you off." Dylan changed the subject and turned into the parking lot outside my dorm, "You need some time to think about this."
I thanked him and walked up towards my room. I unlocked the door and inside on her bed stood angry Jasmine.
"Where the hell have you been? I almost called campus police!" she yelled, standing up from her bed.
"I was with Dylan. I got arre
sted last night."
Jasmine's jaw dropped, and she shook her head. "What how?"
I dropped my bag onto the floor and walked over towards her, "Dylan didn't necessarily get me arrested. His girlfriend did."
"What happened?"
"We went onto private property, and smoked." I answered, grabbing my things to get ready to shower.
Jasmine laughed.
"She tripped me and I hit my head pretty hard. The police grabbed me and I was sent back to the station. Dylan then came and bailed me out."
"What happened to his girlfriend then?" she asked, grabbing her things to go downstairs together.
"Well," I began to figure out how I would word what I was about to tell her, "They weren't really even dating. They just kind of liked each other."
Jasmine nodded her head understandingly. "So you went back to his house and slept with him?"
I playfully slapped her arm. "No!" I lowered my voice, "We just, kinda, slept in the same bed."
Jasmine smirked before shouting, "Go, Emm!"
I tilted my head back and blushed.
"Can I just take a shower now?" I changed the subject.
Jasmine nodded and I started walking out the door and down towards the showers.
I turned on the shower head and stood waiting while the water began to warm up. Jasmine had come down now and was already washing her hair.
"Jas?" I quietly asked.
"Yeah?" she responded.
"My, uh, my mom called me last night."
I heard the water from her shower turn off as I stepped into mine.
"Seriously?" she sounded annoyed.
I've known Jasmine for such a long time that she knows every little detail about my family. She was there for me throughout my whole parents’ divorce and she was the first person I told when I witnessed my father having an affair.
"What did she say?" Jasmine asked, concern in her voice.
"She wants to see me." I responded curtly.
"Are you nervous to go back?"
"Kind of, yeah. What if my dad is there? I don't want to see him."
There was silence for a few seconds.
"I think you should go, Emm. One of them could have something important to say."
I nodded my head as I stood underneath the hot water. She was right. It could be good news or it could be bad news.
"You're right." I answered, and even though I couldn't see facial expression through the wall, I knew she was happy I took her advice.
I walked into class the next day to find Dylan sitting in the usual spot. I took a seat next to him and he immediately began to ask questions.
"Did you talk to her?"
"Who?"
He looked down at the professor before continuing, "Your mom,"
"Oh." I bit the inside of my cheek.
Dylan sat there, looking at me, waiting for a response.
"I'm going over after class, today."
Dylan smiled. "Good."
"I'm just nervous. Her and my father haven't been in the same room for years. They must have something really important to tell me." I whispered, pretending to write down notes.
"Do you need someone to be there with you?" he asked, "Because I’m not doing anything tonight."
I couldn't possibly imagine bringing Dylan along with me later to meet my parents. If they broke out into a fight it would so embarrassing if he witnessed it, especially if it got too out of hand. But, I could use someone else there. Maybe if he came along my parents would calm down and realize they couldn't fight in front of a guest.
"Are you trying to ask me if you can come with me tonight?" I asked, smiling.
He smiled back, his white teeth sparkling and his dimples showing.
"Maybe I am." He smirked, fiddling with his pen.
I nodded my head. "I'll pick you up at four."
He nodded. "I'll be ready by three."
Chapter 15
I pulled into Dylan's driveway as my heart beat in my chest. I was so nervous my stomach was twisting into knots.
I hadn't even opened my car door when Dylan swung open the passenger door and sat down on the leather passenger seat.
It was raining outside, drops of water covered the windows of my car and the ground was covered in puddles.
Dylan readjusted his hair then turned to me smiling,
"I didn't think we would get storms today, it was so nice earlier." he started conversation, eager to go.
"It's a sign." I mumbled.
Dylan shook his head. "You know, Emily, you should be happy both your parents are still in good health," Dylan said sounding a bit angry. His teeth grit together as he spoke, "My mum suffers everyday. Does my dad help? No."
I shook my head. He was right. I should be grateful that my mom is fine. Yes, she is annoying and self-centered, but she is still here and healthy.
"I'm sorry." I couldn't think of anything else to say.
"Yeah, okay." he responded curtly, staring ahead as droplets of rain hit the wind shield.
Wonderful. I thought. I had already made him mad and we weren't even half way there yet.
We sat in silence for a few minutes until Dylan began to search through my glove compartment. He pulled out a few albums and studied them.
"The killers. Really?" he asked shaking his head.
I pulled the album out of his grip and frowned. "Hey! They're a good band!"
"No, no, no. You need to listen to some good bands. All of these suck!"
"Fine. What are these 'good bands' you speak of?" I went along, trying to make him in a better mood. I knew how he worked. You could get him mad easily but almost anything could make him happy again.
"The 1975, Panic! At the Disco, One Republic, Coldplay." He went on and on and I couldn't help but smile as he plugged his phone into the radio and played one song.
"The 1975 is classic!" he yelled over the loud music as he tapped his hands on his thighs to the beat.
I lowered the volume as I pulled into my parents’ driveway. I turned off the engine and my heart ached in my chest. I felt like I couldn't breathe, I was so nervous.
"Ready?" Dylan asked, reaching for the door handle.
I nodded my head and walked outside, locking the car behind me.
"One thing before we go inside, if my parents--"
I was interrupted by the front door swinging open, revealing my mother.
"Emily, sweetheart!" She grabbed me into an embrace. I hugged her back uncomfortably.
She looked me down from head to toe before speaking, "Did you gain some weight?" she asked. I blushed due to embarrassment.
Dylan stood there, trying to hide his laughing.
My mom turned towards him and her smile disappeared.
"Who the hell is this?" she asked, rudely.
I knew this was going to happen.
Dylan stepped in front of me and introduced himself politely, "I'm Dylan. Nice to meet you, ma'am."
My mother stared at the tattoos on his arms and frowned in disgust.
"Is this your boyfriend?" she turned towards me and asked.
I wanted to say yes just to spur the moment and make her even angrier but I shook my head. I didn't know what Dylan would think of me saying that.
"Good." she answered rudely, stepping back inside.
I walked in after her, trying to finish this as fast as possible so Dylan and I could leave. He must have felt terrible right now. His tattoos weren't that bad. He had many but at least they didn't cover his whole body.
"Mom?" I asked, looking around for her, "Is Dad here?"
She stood by the bar, pouring herself a glass of scotch.
"God no, sweetheart."
I felt Dylan's presence close behind me as my curiosity rose.
"Then what is the news you're telling me?" I asked.
She looked from Dylan to me then over towards the kitchen island.
She didn't answer me for a few minutes and Dylan and I stood there in silence.
I a
sked again, "What is the news?"
"Sweetheart,"
"What is the news, mom. I didn't come here for nothing!-"
"I lied!" she yelled over me.
I shook my head. This is exactly what I expected to happen. She knows I’ve always liked my father more than her but ever since that day when I came home from school to see him sleeping with a women that wasn't my mother I’ve hated both of them. My mother never cared about me. She just liked having someone here so she could complain to them.
"I wanted to talk to my daughter is that such a bad thing?" she questioned, taking a swig of her drink.
I shook my head. "You lied to me. I thought something was really wrong."
"Something is wrong, though. Your father is getting remarried." she said rubbing her lips together to fix her lipstick.
"Mom, I am not your therapist!" I spit.
I knew one day this would happen, my mother or my father would find someone new and I would have a step-mother or step-father.
"That's great," I said, curtly.
My mother nodded her head and walked towards Dylan and me, her heels clacking against the tile floor.
"I thought, maybe, I could have some alone time with my own daughter but you seemed to have brought some low life with you who only cares about getting tattoos and having girlfriends-"
"Don't talk about him that way!" I stepped towards my mother. I was ready to push her.
"Actually," Dylan stood up from the bar stool, "I am her boyfriend. We're madly in love and you can do nothing about it."
I tried to hide my laughing. Dylan was trying to piss her off even more. I liked where this was going.
"One day, we're going to get married and not get a divorce or cheat on each other," I started.
"Or use our kids as therapists." Dylan finished for me.
My mother face was furious, "I'm disappointed in you, Emily Nicole Marshall. Leave right now!"
Thunder clapped outside and Dylan grabbed my arm, walking back towards the door.
It was pouring as we ran towards my car in the driveway. We both slipped inside and started laughing.
"Okay, you're right. Your mother is self-centered." he said, starting my car. He pulled out of the driveway, and I let him drive.
"She really didn't like you." I leaned my head back on the seat and he looked over towards me, his hair dripping wet and his shirt damp.
Party Boy Love Story Page 6