by Xana Jordan
Noel sighs and his hands fall to his side. “Dammit. I guess you’d better check me out before they come through here.” Noel turns and walks to the front lobby and I check him out. He leaves the dorm quickly, and I almost run back to my room.
Before I turn the corner leading to my hallway, I can hear Jeff chewing Xana out, so I stop to listen.
“I thought we decided your hair looks better straight? You don’t want to look unprofessional, do you?”
“Yes, we did, but I…” Jeff cuts her off.
“Then you should be in the habit of keeping it that way,” Jeff scolds her.
“I will, I promise. I didn’t know you were coming today. You haven’t called…” Jeff cuts her off again.
“You know I’ve been very busy. Dad has me at the restaurant all the time. You should be thankful I’m even here right now.”
I can tell by how loud their voices are, that they are almost at the corner where I’m standing. I quickly snap out of it, and continue around the corner. I come face to neck with Jeff, and act surprised.
“Oh, hey guys. You scared me there. You’re leaving already?” I ask, pretending I didn’t hear them coming.
“Hey, Stacy,” Xana smiles at me. Jeff puts on his trademark smile, the one that makes me want to gag, and nods in my direction.
“Yeah, my friends are waiting on me. We’ll be back later.” Jeff grabs Xana’s hand and moves her along with him as he heads for the lobby. Xana gives me an apologetic smile over her shoulder, then follows Jeff as quickly as she can. I’m really starting to hate that jerk. He’s lucky Noel left on his own.
After leaving Xana’s dorm, I’m unable to make myself go back to my room. Instead, I find myself sitting on a bench across the street, watching for Xana and that douchebag she calls a boyfriend to leave her dorm. His car is parked in front of the building, in a handicapped spot, no less. What an ass.
I only have to wait for a few minutes before they walk out of the front doors, Xana trailing sadly behind him. Once they reach his shiny new car, douchebag leaves her to open her own door while he gets in the car and starts the engine. The jerk barely waits for her to close the door before he revs the engine and peels out of the parking lot.
What an asshole. How could he treat her like that? She’s the sweetest, kindest girl I know. Is that what she’s had to endure for the last year? No wonder she’s had this lost expression in her eyes for the past few months.
She’s always been so happy and free, but he’s killed that Xana. My Xana. All of this only makes me sure of two things.
Xana belongs with me.
And I’m going to make her mine.
We’ve been at this party for hours and I’ve barely spoken to Jeff. It seems like the only thing he wants me here for is to hang on his arm and look pretty. He’s been talking to his friends the entire time, and a few, well most, of the girls here are constantly giving me scathing looks. I don’t even know most of them, so I’m completely clueless as to why they don’t like me. Why did I even answer the phone tonight? I don’t belong here.
Jeff and a few of his buddies walk outside so they can smoke, and I’m confused by that habit. He doesn’t think twice about leaving me here, sitting on the couch, listening to three guys talk about some girl’s breasts. They’re comparing their breast size to various melons when Matt, one of Jeff’s fraternity brothers, sits down beside me.
“Hey, Alexandra! We didn’t expect to see you here tonight. It’s good to see you again.” Matt smiles at me and gives me a nudge on the shoulder. I forgot how he likes to do that. “We thought you two had broken up since the last few parties Jeff’s come down for, you haven’t been with him. We missed seeing what you were going to dress up as for the Halloween party. Your costume last year was fabulous!”
I take a drink of my Pepsi while trying to decide what to say. “Oh, well, I haven’t seen him that much lately. He’s always working at the restaurant,” I tell him, and pretend to watch the melon boys across the coffee table.
Matt gives me a confused look, then asks where Jeff disappeared to. “He went outside to smoke with a few other guys a little while ago,” I tell him. More like forty-five minutes ago.
“Wanna go outside and see what they’re up to? You look pretty bored just sitting here with these two idiots.” Matt stands up and holds out his hand to help me off the couch. Setting down my drink on the table, I take his hand and stand up.
“Sure. I could really use some fresh air.” I follow Matt through the living room and dining room to the French doors that lead onto the back patio.
Before I can make it outside, Matt stops in front of me, door open, and blocks me from going outside. As I move to look in front of him for what made him stop, I see Jeff and one of the girls who gave me dirty looks earlier, the one talking about me in the bathroom from the last party. My heart drops to my stomach and I try to convince myself it’s all a dream.
Matt tries to quickly move me backward into the house when I hear, “I’ve missed you, baby.” Mean girl rubs her hand down Jeff’s chest, and I almost gag. “Why are you even here with the little princess? I thought I was your girl,” she coos.
I’m frozen in place as Matt’s face turns apologetic, and he mouths ‘I’m sorry” as he drops his head.
“You are my girl, Brittney, but I had to bring her this time. Her brother was starting to ask too many questions,” Jeff apologizes to the bimbo sitting in his lap, his hand under her skirt.
I close my eyes when everything goes quiet. The only things I can hear are my heart racing in my chest and the voice in my head telling me to run away. I feel myself being picked up and carried somewhere, but I can’t process anything else. It has to be a dream. Let me wake up. It’s not real. I’m going to wake up and it’s just a dream.
I start to feel my body shake and my name being called in the distance. The voice gets louder, little by little, and I realize the person calling my name is the one shaking me. Slowly, I open my eyes to see Matt standing in front of me, one arm around my waist to support me.
“Matt? Where am I?” I look up at him, still not fully comprehending what is going on.
“You’re on the front porch. I carried you outside. Are you alright? Let me take you back to the dorm.” Matt looks me in the eyes, his face showing just how much he is concerned about me.
“Home,” I tell him and look down at the porch floorboards.
“Okay. Which dorm?” Matt asks, waiting patiently for a response.
“Beckner,” I say to him, not knowing what else to say.
Matt nods his head, and helps me to his car. After getting both of us in and buckled up, he looks to me and says, “I’m sorry. I had no idea that they were out there, much less that they had been together. Honest, Alexandra.” His voice is pleading for me to believe him. Fortunately, I do. I’ve gotten to know him over the past year. He’s a good guy.
“Xana,” I say quietly.
“What?” Matt asks, confused.
“Call me Xana. I hate Alexandra.” Matt nods and asks if I’m alright, again.
“I’ll be fine. Thank you for getting me out of there and taking me home. I couldn’t stay there.”
“I know. I’m really sorry. Jeff really has changed from the guy I used to know.”
We sit in silence for the remainder of the ride to my dorm. I’m very grateful he doesn’t try to talk anymore. I just can’t do it. Instead, Matt drops me off at the dorm, and gives me his phone number in case I need to talk about anything. His girlfriend is so lucky to have him.
Since it’s two in the morning, Stacy is asleep when I get to the room. I quietly grab a change of clothes and my toiletries, and retreat to the bathrooms so I can wash the stink of the party off me. I can’t stand cigarette smoke, and have no idea when Jeff started smoking. I stay in the shower for a long time, thinking about what happened at the party, and about my relationship with Jeff in general. Unable to think about it any longer, I leave the lukewarm shower and dress for bed.
Making my way back to my room, I grab my purple Wildcat hoodie, put it on with the sweatpants I’m wearing, and go to sleep.
Noel and I are getting ready to go to Texarkana to pay a little visit to Jeff the douche. After his little surprise visit last weekend, we’ve all been worried about Xana. Stacy said she’s back to being an emotional robot, and barely leaves her dorm room, unless it’s for class. She rarely goes to the cafeteria, that we know of, and there isn’t a lot of food in their room for her to eat, either.
After Stacy left to walk Noel out that night, I did a little prodding of my own. Jeff was so preoccupied with how Xana did her hair, he really didn’t pay attention to my questions. He told Xana he would be working every weekend until after New Year’s Eve, so he wouldn’t get to see her very much, if at all. With what he told us while she was changing, we all knew something didn’t add up.
A few days ago, Noel and I heard a few things from some of the upperclassmen on the baseball team with us. Apparently one of them was at the party last weekend, and he couldn’t stop talking about Jeff and some girl named Brittney making out. He couldn’t figure out why he even brought Xana since they had broken up months ago. Noel ended up slamming his locker and leaving the locker room without changing or showering. I am actually surprised he didn’t hit the guy.
With a few questions here and there, we discovered Brittney was supposedly going to see Jeff tonight, when he told us and Xana otherwise. With a little help from Blain, we were able to figure out where Jeff lived, and where the restaurant was located, so we could check it out for ourselves.
“You about ready, man? Stacy said Xana’s still saying Jeff is working this weekend, so we should be good to go,” I tell Noel, and grab my jacket, wallet, and keys.
“I’m ready to end this, one way or another.” Noel grabs his jacket and we leave the room. As we walk to the parking lot, I can’t help but wonder what’s going to happen to Xana if we’re right about Jeff.
“What are you going to tell Xana if we find him cheating on her? Do you think she’ll believe us?” Noel stops by his car, and turns to me.
“I don’t know, but if I find what we expect, I may just kill him. I may have been an ass about Blain in high school, but I could have never done anything to her like this douchebag. Why not just break up with her? It’s obvious he doesn’t care about her. Why the sudden change, and why the charade?” Noel rants, his hands clenched into fists.
“Who the hell knows what he thinks? Let’s just get there soon so we can figure out where he is before it gets too late. We don’t want to miss them,” I tell him, and we get into our cars.
Noel is watching Jeff’s house, and I’m going over to the restaurant since we’re not exactly sure where he’ll be. Noel may need me to keep him in control, but he may just need to stop me if I get my hands on Jeff.
Last year, when I would come and see Stacy on the weekends, Jeff was around a lot, at first. Sometimes we’d watch movies in the girls’ room, or go out together. I never liked him, he just seemed shifty, but Xana seemed to like him enough, so I went along with it. I guess I should have listened to my instincts.
Cade called twenty minutes ago to let me know Jeff was leaving the restaurant. Since it’s only five thirty, we’re assuming he’s coming home to shower and change. Mallory texted me to say that Brittney had left the dorm, all dressed up, about thirty minutes ago, so she should be here soon. Hopefully. Part of me wants to be wrong so that Xana doesn’t get hurt, but the other part wants to get her away from him, and fast.
I’m looking at my watch when Jeff pulls into his apartment complex. He looks like he’s in a hurry the way he rushes up the stair to his door. I call Cade and let him know that Jeff is here, so he can meet me over here to wait for either Brittney to get here, or Jeff to leave and meet her. Since we’re not sure what he plans to do, we’re going to stay in our own cars in case we need to split up.
Cade arrives at the complex and parks across from Jeff’s car. We sit in our cars for fifteen more minutes until we see Brittney park beside Jeff’s car, and walk up to his apartment. Douche answers the door and they practically tear each other’s clothes off before the door is closed. I knew it! My phone rings, and I answer to Cade growling into the phone.
“Did you see her go up to his apartment?! What the hell, man?”
“I know,” I reply through gritted teeth.
“I’m glad I had my phone already out so I could video that shit,” Cade says.
“Let’s hope we get this over with soon. I’m not sure how long I can sit here and do nothing. That son of a bitch…..” I can’t even finish my sentence I’m so angry.
“I know. What do you want to do now?” I take a few moments and think about how this needs to play out.
“Give them ten more minutes, and follow my lead, okay?” Cade agrees and then we hang up.
Ten minutes goes by quickly when you’re waiting for something you really want. Cade follows me over to Jeff’s car, if you can call it that, and watches as I make the alarm go off on it. I am standing at the trunk of the car, turned sideways so that he can’t quite see who I am, and Cade comes to stand beside me. We can hear douchebag running down the stairs toward his car. Cade raises an eyebrow, asking what I’m going to do, when I smile back at him.
“Hey, you! What the hell are you doing? Get away from my car!” Jeff yells at us as he approaches his car. Cade and I stay put where we are, so he has to come to us. “I said, get away from my car!” Jeff grabs my arm to turn me around and face him.
“Hey, Jeff,” I greet him with a smile. He drops my arm like he’s been bitten, and takes a step backward.
“Noel, Cade, what are you two doing here?” He looks from me to Cade and around us anxiously, like he is looking for someone.
“We thought we’d come say hello while we were in town,” Cade replies, rather pleasantly, but I know that look on his face. Cade just figured out my plan.
“Yeah, we just stopped by to have a little chat.” I cross my arms and take a step forward, causing Jeff to take another step back. “You see, we came to let you know that we’re in on your little game with Xana and Brittney,” I say as I point to his apartment.
“And if you ever call Xana or give her another surprise visit again, you’ll live to regret it. You’ll lose her number, and forget she even exists.” I poke him in the chest to get my point across when Cade chimes in.
“You see, there’s this funny thing called video evidence, that we happen to have, that shows your little greeting with Britt up there...and I’m sure you’d hate for Xana’s brother to see it, wouldn’t you?” Jeff’s face pales, and his eyes open wider.
“We know that frat brothers don’t appreciate it when a fellow brother messes with his sister. Right, Jeff?” That really makes the jerk mad.
“You have no right to come here and tell me to do anything! You don’t have any evidence that Mike would believe, so you’re just wasting your time. Why don’t you go back home and leave my girlfriend alone. You weren’t man enough for her then, and you aren’t man enough for her now.” And that does it.
Something inside of me just snaps, and I grab him by the shirt and punch him in the stomach as hard as I can. He doubles over in pain and falls to the pavement, gasping for air. “If you ever come near MY girlfriend again? I. WILL. END. YOU.” I hope he can hear just how serious I am.
Cade reaches down to help douchebag stand, only to punch him in the gut again when he is standing. “That’s to make sure you understand, asshole.” Cade shoves him with his foot, and asks, “Got it?” Jeff raises his hands in defeat, and we leave him to think about what we’ve said.
I haven’t heard from Jeff since that awful party we went to last weekend. He never called or texted me that night to see where I was, or if I was alright. I had thought he was a little pre-occupied with his girl to worry about me, but I was wrong, sort of. I ran into Matt a few days later and apparently he told Jeff I got sick and he took me home because we didn�
�t know where he was. Jeff wasn’t worried about me after that. Matt also promised me that no one else knew what I walked in on. At least I don’t have to worry about that.
Stacy and I stayed in last night. Cade and Noel had other plans, and I really enjoyed having a little time with her. Mallory came by with Chinese food and brownies. Stacy rented both Thor movies, and we had a good time ogling Chris Hemsworth. I know we just watched it, but what girl doesn’t like watching him more than once? Who wouldn’t want a big, strong man to come and rescue her? It was nice to be able to turn off my brain for awhile. I really needed that.
I fell asleep during the second movie, so I didn’t realize Mallory had spent the night on our floor. I almost stepped on her when I woke up to use the bathroom. She was asleep on the carpet by my bed. She had gone to get her pillows and comforter at some point after I fell asleep. The three of us slept through breakfast, and the only reason I woke up when I did at eleven o’clock was because my bladder made me. I tried to sneak out as quietly as possible, but Mallory woke up anyway.
When I returned from freshening up in the bathroom, Stacy was on the phone with Cade and Mal had gone to her room to change clothes. I had already changed into sweats and a hoodie when Stace tells me the guys are in the lobby waiting on us to go to lunch.
I try my best to get out of it, but there’s no point in arguing with her. Mallory even shows up during my protests and drags me out of the room with her. I look over at Stacy for help, but she is smiling and following us through the door, my student ID in her hand. I can’t believe they double-teamed me.
I’m worried I don’t look good enough to leave the dorm when I meet Noel’s gaze. He isn’t frowning at me, or even upset by my appearance. In fact, he’s smiling widely at me, and wastes no time in wrapping his strong arms around me, hugging me tightly.
“You look beautiful,” he whispers in my ear, and kisses my neck. I can feel him inhale slowly and squeeze me again.