"Hey, we're going to be late," he turned around.
"Then be quick about it."
He did what he was told, and we weren't late.
By the time I got out of Music Comp, Troy and the team had left for Tennessee. I found Darcy, Brooke, and Becca in the student center having lunch.
"There's my long-lost roommate." Darcy greeted me with a hug. "How was your night?"
"It was fine."
"That's what we heard," Becca said, and giggled.
"What?"
"Well, there was a reason the party wasn't at Troy's last night."
"Oh my God, what did you hear?" Trying to give nothing away and failing miserably.
"You and Troy made love last night," Darcy said.
"Ew, Darcy, made love, really?"
Seriously, who says that?
I gave Darcy my best “shut up if you know what's good for you” stare, but she didn't get it.
"It's so romantic. Troy defending your honor from his ex-girlfriend, and you were so grateful, you gave him your virtue."
"Do you hear yourself when you talk?" I said.
"Come on, Miranda." Brooke, always the peacemaker. "We're happy for you."
"I bet Troy's amazing in bed," Becca said.
"Don't go down that road, Becca, or any of you." I looked at each one of them daring them to say another word. I'd spent the last month listening to them discuss, dissect, and destroy their relationships, and when it came right down to it, I didn't see any of them in a relationship worth saving.
"Geez, don't be so sensitive, we just want to hear the details." Becca giggled but stopped.
"Troy's not some random guy I went home with after a party."
Darcy started to open her mouth, but I wouldn't let her.
"Geez, Darcy, you've hooked up with twenty guys since the semester started, and you call it looking for love. No offense, but I don't think I need your relationship advice any longer."
I meant to offend her, and by the look on her face, I accomplished it. I gathered my stuff, "What happens between Troy and me is off-limits. I don't need you to analyze my relationship to make you feel better about yours."
I got up and left them all sitting there with their mouths wide open. I knew I overreacted and should not have said what I said.
I hated speaking to Darcy that way, but after everything I shared with her, she should have known better.
I took my lunch to the music hall and practiced. I knew I needed to apologize to Darcy, but it could wait until later.
When I got back to my room, Darcy wasn't there. I sent her a text, but she didn't answer. I texted Brooke and Becca. The girls were at another frat party.
Didn't they every get tired of partying?
***
When I arrived, I found Darcy sitting on the couch hugging the armrest and mumbling, a drink away from passing out. The party continued around her drunk ass.
"Darcy," I said, but she didn't respond. "Darcy."
She sat up.
At first she reached up and gave me a hug, excited to see me, but then she pushed me away.
"I'm not talking to you." Darcy slurred her words, which diminished her southern accent. Darcy from small-town Arkansas turned into New York City, cosmopolitan Darcy after a few drinks.
"Okay, you don't have to talk to me, but I am taking you home." I put my arms around her and pulled her up. I let go for a second, and she fell back down on the couch in a heap.
"Oops," she said and started giggling. The giggles turned into a full on laugh fit, which seemed to give her more energy. She stood up on her own.
I grabbed her hand and headed towards the door.
When we cleared the front door, she yanked her hand away.
"You're not better then me, Miranda."
"I know."
"I mean it, you're just like the rest of us. You just got lucky."
"Okay."
"Screw you, Miranda Preston." She spit my name, turned back around, and headed in the opposite direction.
"Darcy, I'm sorry." She stopped, but didn't turn around.
"Sorry for what?"
"For what I said. I didn't mean it."
"Then why did you say it?" Darcy half-walked, half-stumbled over to the curb and sat down. She had tears running down her face, and she tried to wipe them as fast as they fell.
"I don't know." I sat down.
"Yes, you do." She had her head resting on her arms. "You and Troy aren't perfect, you know."
"I know." God, did I know.
"So why did you say it? Why don't you want to talk about you and Troy?"
"I don't know. I'm scared. Since I came here, I feel like I've been on the sidelines watching everyone play this game, but they forgot to tell me the rules. I'm figuring it out as I go along."
"Can I throw up before you start in with the sports analogies?"
"Brooke and her boyfriend never see each other, and they are okay with that. Becca complains about her boyfriend constantly, but when he's here, all they do is fight. It's pathetic. I don't know, maybe everyone feels this way about their relationships, but Troy and I aren't teenagers dating. We are different. Not better or worse, just different.”
"Well, you’re eighteen, he's nineteen, actually, you are," Darcy said. I watched her face as she tried to stop herself from laughing.
"Yeah, thanks. I got that. God, the pressure is going to drive me crazy."
"You are the most pessimistic person I've have ever meet. I didn't think people like you existed."
I didn’t think she meant to hurt me, but she did. I didn’t have anything to be pessimistic or negative about. With everything that was going on in my life, I should have been positive, hopeful, and excited about the future.
In the span of under three months, I started college, made some friends, reconnected with my oldest friend, and had the most amazing sex of my life. The sex made me feel loved and connected; not feeling ashamed and alone was a bonus.
The thing in the pit of my stomach was at its lowest weight ever.
Troy inspired me, and it allowed me to create some great music. Classes were manageable. Professors were nice. I should have been on freaking cloud nine. There was one problem. None of this was supposed to have happened. This life wasn't meant for me. It was intended for someone else. People like me didn't end up with it all working out for them.
***
Darcy and I made it back to the dorm without incident. She climbed in the shower as soon as we got home and stayed in there so long, I had to check on her to make sure she didn't pass out and hit her head.
I texted Troy.
Miranda: Hey, you up?
Troy: Yep.
Miranda: I miss you.
Troy: What's wrong?
Miranda: Dealing with drunk Darcy.
The phone rang.
"Hey," I said.
"You okay?"
"Of course, why wouldn't I be?"
"Oh, I don't know. You seemed down in your text message."
"How can you tell whether I'm down from a text messages? You can't determine emotions from reading someone else's words."
"I can read between the lines," Troy said and laughed. "Besides, I seem to have a sixth sense about these type of things. Especially when it comes to you. What's wrong?"
"Nothing, I just miss you. That's all."
"I miss you, too."
"Get some sleep, you have a game tomorrow."
"Yeah, I need to be well-rested to carry a clipboard all day."
"Well, to carry it properly, anyway." There was that laugh again that made the world seem like a safe place.
"I love you."
"You better," I said. "I love you, too."
I hung up the phone.
"So the great Troy and Miranda have moved on to the 'I love you' stage. That's just great," Darcy said. Her tone contradicted the words coming out of her mouth. I tried not to get defensive, but it was difficult when you're desperate to protect the best thing tha
t has every happen to you.
"Darcy—"
"I know. You don't want to talk about it." Her words came out muffled as she dried her hair with a towel.
I waited until she finished.
"Honestly, I don't mind talking about it with you. I trust you, but... for some reason, I feel like if I talk about it too much, I'll jinx it or something. Like as long as it stays between Troy and me, I can protect it."
"I understand that." Darcy sat across of me on her bed.
"When Troy told me he loved me, I was actually saying it to him in my head at the same time."
The last twenty-four hours made me blush, and I was not a blushing kind of girl. "I thought I'd made him say it by the pure suggestion floating around in my mind. It was bizarre."
"Did you say it back?" Darcy asked.
"Not at first; it freaked me out. No one's every declared his love for me."
"Did he say it during sex?"
"No, well, yes, kind of."
"Did he scream it at the top of his lungs as he was in the throes of an orgasm?" Darcy asked as she threw herself on her bed.
"I was on the dresser, and he was standing."
"Wow, hot."
"And he finished and kissed me and then whispered it in my ear."
"Oh, that's so romantic." I could see her heart flip beneath her nightgown, and she placed her hand over her heart.
"Don't get mushy on me, Darcy Albritton."
"Okay, sorry." Darcy sat up, "But why did you freak out?"
"I don't know. It seems to be my go-to reaction when I'm surprised or uncomfortable."
"Yeah, I bet that dresser was getting hard," Darcy said, and giggled.
"That's not what I mean."
"I know. Seriously, can you try to look at things more positively? I know it's a stretch for someone as deep and artistic as you, but try. You might be surprised how much you like being an optimist."
"I'm sorry, I don't know what that word means."
"Look it up," Darcy said.
"I'm really sorry about what I said." I hugged her.
"It's okay. I get it." Darcy hugged me back. "I'm so happy you trust me. What's said in this room stays in this room."
"Thanks, Darcy."
"Of course, but now that you've fallen in love, can we concentrate on my love life? Contrary to what you might think, I don't hook up with every guy I meet.”
"I know."
"Although this long-haired dude hit on me tonight."
"Oh yeah? Was he cute?"
"Gorgeous," she said while stifling a yawn. "But Daddy would kill me if I brought home a hippy."
At the start of the third quarter with the Longhorns down by two touchdowns, Michaels absorbed a helmet-on-helmet hit from the opposing team’s weak side linebacker and collapsed on the turf. He didn't move for two minutes.
Darcy, Brooke, Becca, and I watched the game on The Six Pack, again. When Michaels didn't get up right away, the park went silent.
A girl sitting in front of us began to cry. I covered my mouth to hide my grin. It may seem heartless, and I would never wish for anyone to get hurt, but with Michaels out cold, it meant one thing.
Troy Anderson was going in.
The camera cut between the group of people attending to Michaels, and Troy warming up on the sideline. They designed football uniforms to protect the players, but with the same uniforms and helmets, it was hard to identify one player from another. Yet I could always find Troy. He looked different in his uniform. It exaggerated his best features. The shoulder pads made his broad shoulders broader. The fitted jersey he wore to prevent the opposing team from getting a good grip accentuated his slim waist. Don't get me started on the way his butt looked in those pants. Now if I could only think of a reason for him to have to wear those pants home.
Troy spoke to his coach and ran out into the huddle. He barked in the huddle while moving his hands. The guys stayed in the huddle longer than usual. When Troy finished, he stood up; the guys all clapped in unison and headed to the line of scrimmage at the Longhorns’ forty-yard line.
Ryan stood in the backfield behind Troy. Troy under center tapped his right foot. Ryan went out in the flat to the right. The wide receivers and the tight end were set on the opposite side.
Troy grunted once, and the play went in motion.
Ryan took off down the sideline and out of the picture frame. Troy looked to his left, pump-faked, rolled out to his right, and tossed a perfect spiral. The pass found Ryan in stride at the twenty, and he jogged into the end zone for a touchdown.
The park erupted. Darcy and I screamed so loud at each other, we had to cover our ears. Everyone jumped up and down. We all cried, but now for a different reason.
Troy jogged down the field, and he and Ryan hugged, hit each other on the helmets, and walked to the sidelines side by side as if they did this all the time.
I sent Troy a text so he'd read it as soon as he got back to the locker room.
Miranda: Troy and Ry scoring touchdowns, together again. All is right with the world. I am so proud of you. Love you.
Ryan scored a five-yard rushing touchdown on the next possession after Troy marched them down the field. The defense added another in the middle of the fourth quarter, and the Longhorns won twenty-eight to fourteen.
During the post-game press conference, a reporter asked Troy and Ryan what it was like playing together again.
They both looked at each other.
"Troy and Ry scoring touchdowns again,” Troy said.
"All's right with the world," Ryan finished.
The whole pressroom laughed.
***
The celebrating continued all over Austin.
We headed to The Loop. While we ate, I held my phone waiting for a text or call from Troy.
When he called, I stepped outside. The noise level in the bar made it impossible to hear. It wasn't much better on his end of the line.
"Hey, babe, can you hear me?" he asked.
"Not really."
"Yeah, the guys are a bit wound up still. We’re about to take off. I wanted to hear your voice."
"Baby, you were amazing today, I'm so proud you."
"You see the press conference?"
"You two are going to be impossible to live with."
"I gotta go. Love you."
"Love you too. Call me when you land."
"Okay."
We headed back to the dorm around eleven. Everyone had been drinking well before the four o’clock kickoff. To execute my plan for tonight, I needed to stay sober. As soon as I put Darcy to bed, I grabbed my bag and walked over to Troy's house before they got back.
The phone rang. I practiced my tired voice before answering it.
"Hi, Babe."
"Hey Randa, you sleep?"
"Yeah. You home?"
"On my way, we landed about ten minutes ago."
"Okay."
"Babe, how about I drive by and pick you up?"
"Oh, that sounds nice, but I'm tired, too much celebrating. See you tomorrow." I made kissing noises. "Bye-bye," and hung up the phone.
Maybe the kissing noises were a little over the top
***
Fifteen minutes later, they pulled up in front of the house and parked. I sat on the porch and watched them file out of the car. The guys grabbed their stuff out of the back and headed toward the house.
Ryan, Todd, and David reached the door first.
"We spent the last ten minutes dissing you for not wanting to see your boy after the greatest night of his life," Ryan said.
"Did you defend me?" I asked Troy.
"I told them this wasn't the greatest night of my life. The day you walked back in my life was."
"Oh God," Ryan said.
Todd and David groaned.
"He's so far gone," Todd said as they headed in the house.
I jumped into Troy's arms and wrapped my legs around his waist. He pressed me up against the door and held me up with one hand while tou
ching my neck and chest, and working his way down with the other.
"I think we're on the wrong side of the door," I said while Troy kissed my neck.
"Come on, no one can see us." As he spoke, a truck full of kids in the back drove by yelling, "Troy's the man," and "Go, Troy, Go."
"That was purely a coincidence."
"Oh, you can't perform unless you have people cheering you on." I giggled and then couldn't stop from laughing.
"You think you're so funny." Troy set me down and opened the door. We ran to his room. Once on the other side, Troy picked me up again and pressed my back against his bedroom door. "This suit you better?"
I didn't have time to answer. I was too busy pulling his shirt over his head and unbuttoning his pants. He did the same to me, only setting me down long enough to grab a condom from the nightstand as I shed the rest of my clothes.
He lifted me for the third time and entered me.
"Oh God," I said trying to stay as quiet as I could, but soon I didn't care. This was our fourth time having sex. Each time better than the last, but this time trumped them all. I think it had something to do with his on-field heroics, or maybe my attraction had increased because of his on-field performance. Either way, I vote for more wins if it meant more amazing sex.
I knew it was a myth, but I swore the mysterious and elusive tandem orgasm hit us both with force. Troy grunted and I screamed, and we both twitched uncontrollably. Thank God we didn't collapse on the floor, or we could have seriously injured ourselves.
I might have passed out for a second. When I regained consciousness, I found Troy staring at me. His soft lips kissed my face. He pulled away, but I wasn't having it. I pressed my lips harder to his. He carried me over to the bed, and we both fell into it.
I moaned as he rolled over and collapsed on his back, trying to catch his breath.
"I knew you were here," Troy said.
"Your sixth sense again."
"No, it was the kissing noises." Troy made the sound.
"Not me?"
"Not my Miranda."
***
The next morning, Troy struggled to sit up. "Ugg."
I rolled over.
"You okay?" I placed my hand on his back.
"Yeah, sore."
"From me or the game?" I leaned over and kissed him between his well-defined shoulder blades.
Another New Life Page 13