Chapter 9
I rolled to the side of my bed, banging at my alarm clock, but that didn’t seem to stop the persistent chirping that was interrupting my sleep. After throwing it across the room and still no silence, I finally realized that my phone was the cause of waking me up.
I crawled across the floor, searching through piles of clothes before I finally found it buried under a stack of books. I had been keeping true to my word about studying, and last night had been a late one at the library with Zoey. So far, this was a lot more challenging than MCCC.
“Hello,” I muttered into the phone, scrubbing at my eyes that just didn’t want to open.
“Adelaide, are you still sleeping? It doesn’t seem as if you are making too many changes.” My mother’s frigid voice was like a splash of cold water, and I sat up abruptly, suddenly wide-awake.
“Well, apparently I’m awake or I wouldn’t have answered. And besides, it’s one of my late days, I think I can sleep past,” I glanced at the clock, groaning when I saw the time, “seven a.m.”
“Yes, well I’m on my way out, so I just wanted to check in and make sure you made it. I don’t expect any sort of updates from your grandparents, so I guess I’ll just have to rely on your word.” She let out a very unlady-like snort.
“Oh, how nice of you to check in on me after almost two weeks of me being here. I’m doing just fine by the way. Behaving myself and everything. Don’t worry I’ll call to inform you the minute I get into trouble.”
“I’ve missed your sarcasm so much,” she replied. “Well, anyway, just wanted to check in. Have you talked to any of those so-called friends of yours since you left?”
“No, why would I? Most of them are off at school and forgot about me anyway.”
“I wish,” she mumbled. “Apparently your leaving without a word sparked a massive debate on the reasoning behind that. It is truly embarrassing, and I’ve had to work hard to cover up for you. I believe you owe me a thank you.”
“Right, I totally do.” My silence following must have clued her in that a thank you wasn’t coming anytime soon. If she was covering up for anyone, it was herself. I was tired of having to lie about everything.
“Well, then. I guess we have nothing else to discuss. It seems as if you haven’t had any kind of magic transformation that I was hoping for. Call me with any updates.” Before I could even say goodbye, the line went dead.
I tossed my phone on the empty spot next to me and squeezed my eyes shut, hoping I could find sleep once again, but what my mother said was gnawing at me. I knew I said I was done with everyone back home, but I was still curious. I grabbed my phone and tapped on the Facebook icon. I had hundreds of notifications and a few friend requests from people I had met on campus.
One of Marley’s posts popped up right away, so I quickly scanned it. Apparently, I had gotten knocked up and had been whisked away to an undisclosed location until the baby was born. As one of my best friends, she felt necessary to inform everyone. Right.
I tossed my phone back onto the bed. I really didn’t want to look at it anymore. I was done with those people, and I had a life to live here.
********
“Hi, I saw that you were hiring. I was wondering if I could get an application.” The bartender at the sports bar I had stopped by on my way to the bus stop did a double take, looking me over with a tight smile at least three times before finally answering me.
“Honey, I’m sure this is a little more grueling than what you’re used to. Why don’t you look at a tanning salon or something? I’m sure that’s more your…style.”
I pursed my lips at the guy. He clearly had a stick up his ass and was judging me based on what I was wearing. Sure, my makeup and hair were done perfectly, and what I was wearing wasn’t really waitress material, but I needed a job. My limited funds were slowly dwindling, and I knew that waitressing would boost those up quickly.
I wet my lips, giving him the most flirtatious smile I could muster, even though I didn’t think it would really work on him in the first place. “Please, could I have an application?” I repeated sweetly. He let out a loud huff before opening a folder and yanking out a paper to shove at me.
“RJ, are you giving someone trouble again?” A tall, tan man, probably in his thirties, came walking out of the back, patting RJ on the back and giving me a shockingly white smile. RJ muttered something before moving farther down to put glasses away, all while glaring at me.
“Sorry, he likes to be the hottest thing in here, so he tends to be a little rude when girls like you come in,” he quietly told me as he handed me a pen. “My name’s Brian, I’m the manager here. We really are looking for waitresses, in fact, I’m sort of desperate. What’s your availability?”
“Well, I have classes during the day, so mainly at night time. I’m really looking to work as many hours as possible. I really need the money.”
“Uh-huh,” he said, not convinced as he studied me just like RJ had done. Okay, just because my clothes were designer did not mean I was rolling around in the dough, at least not anymore. I finished filling out the application and he quickly looked it over, before looking up. “Think you can come in for training Thursday night? If I could have you ready for the weekend that would be excellent.”
“I don’t think that would be a problem at all.” I gave him a wide smile, mentally patting myself on the back for scoring my first job ever so easily.
“See you then, Della.”
I practically skipped to the bus stop in glee after leaving Shorty’s. Sure, I was going to be kept pretty busy with school, studying, and now a job, but I think I could handle it.
“Well, don’t you look happy? I’m sure it doesn’t have anything to do with going to visit my boyfriend.” I stopped abruptly when I heard that icy tone directed at me and turned to see Mariah glaring at me with both hands placed on her hips.
“Um…well…I just-”
“Don’t try to deny it. I know all about your little ‘hang out session’ tonight. Nash might be excited that you’re back in town, but he still tells me everything.” I was just about to argue that he didn’t mention who he was meeting up with the other night, but I decided to keep my lips sealed. No need to get Nash in trouble for no reason.
“You’re more than welcome to come. I was actually just heading over that way.” She looked like she was really considering just that, before she sharply shook her head.
“I think I’ll pass, but trust me, if I wanted to be there, I would, I don’t need an invitation from you. So how much catching up have you and Nash done? Has he learned about your dirty little secret yet?”
My stomach rolled at her words, and by the evil smile she was giving me I knew, I just knew that somehow she had found out about my past. “Excuse me?”
“Oh, I know all about you, Della,” she replied leaning in to whisper in my ear. “And I don’t think Nash would like how much you’ve really changed. You do know about his little sis getting knocked up when she was sixteen, right? It was a little bit of a family secret, but Nash never acted that way. When she wanted to get an abortion, Nash did everything in his power to make her change her mind and she did. He’s now a proud uncle,” she added in a spiteful tone, leading me to believe she wasn’t exactly happy about having to share Nash’s attention.
“Look, Mariah, I don’t know what you think you know but it’s really none of your business. Everyone makes mistakes, and unfortunately I have a few of those. I don’t see why you had to go and stick your nose in my business. That really just makes you a little pathetic.”
The bus pulled up and I moved to get on, but she stopped me, pulling on my elbow so I couldn’t go any further. “I know everything, Della. Social media is a real bitch, you know? And I’m making it my business because you just had to involve yourself with my boyfriend. If you try anything with him, I guess I’ll just have to tell him what a bad, bad girl his perfect Della is. We wouldn’t want that to happen, would we?”
I didn’t reply, just yanked my arm out of her claws and jumped onto the bus before it took off. I watched her stand there through the window until the bus started up, and she disappeared out of sight. I wasn’t proud of what I had done in the past and now knowing about Nash’s stance, I’m sure he wouldn’t be so welcoming if he found out, but I wasn’t about to let Mariah spill my story to him. Sooner or later, I would have to relive my past whether I wanted to or not.
I got off at the stop Nash had instructed me to. It was an older neighborhood with giant houses that looked to be occupied by mostly fraternities. I checked the address again when I reached a large brick house with a small front porch. The outside was littered with beer cans and food wrappers and it made me cringe at the thought of the inside.
Before I could even knock on the door, it was whipped open, and Nash came out in nothing but a pair of blue athletic shorts, pulling me into a hug. I let myself get lost in his comforting soapy scent for just a few seconds before I pulled away, placing my hands against his hard chest to push back. That was a mistake because the contact just made me tingly all over, but Nash didn’t seem to even notice.
“I’m glad you could make it, Della. Let me show you around.” I walked cautiously behind him as he tugged on my hand, pulling me through a wide space that made up the living room and kitchen. Well, I guess that’s what you could call it.
There was a large flat screen centered above a fireplace, with at least three different gaming systems set out on the mantle. Two overstuffed and overused chairs were set right in front of the TV and right behind it was a pool table and a ping-pong table.
A pin ball machine stuffed in the corner completed the living room/ game room and then he pulled me into the kitchen which about made me hurl. Dirty dishes were everywhere, the counter was pretty much nonexistent and something resembling spaghetti sat in a pot on top of the stove.
“Sorry,” he said sheepishly. “Really, I clean up after myself, but Nick and Steve tend to be a little messy. C’mon, I’ll show you my room just to prove it.” He led me up a winding staircase, pushing open the door at the end of the hallway to reveal a room that surprisingly was clean, I mean like overly clean.
Nothing was out of place and it looked like he even dusted around the picture frames that were organized on his shelves. I walked over, looking at each one, most of which contained him and Mariah. I noticed a little girl with him and a girl, who looked like his younger sister, Serena.
Serena had never really hung out with Nash and me much when we were younger. She was a little too girly for playing in the mud or trying to catch tadpoles; instead she would stay inside playing with dolls. It was weird to see her all grown up and with a kid.
I turned around, finding Nash sprawled out on his bed, one hand resting on his flat, tan stomach and the other tucked behind his head as he watched me with a grin. I stood there awkwardly until he patted the empty spot next to him, and I hesitantly sat down, closest to the edge as possible.
“What’s the matter, Della? You look extremely nervous. I know this is a different room, but don’t you remember we used to have sleepovers all the time? Nothing to be nervous about, I promise I won’t bite.”
I kicked off my shoes, easing myself in next to him. “I know, Nash, but we’re a little bit older now. You have a girlfriend, and I just don’t want things to be awkward. Things change, you know?”
“Sorry, Della. I guess I never thought of it that way, I just see you as my best friend.” He reached over to pat my arm and I felt my stomach drop just a little. All he saw me as was his best friend? I guess I should feel better that he didn’t have any feelings for me so I didn’t have to worry about Mariah, but the years we had spent apart seemed to change both of us.
I was now looking at Nash in a different light; if he weren’t taken I would practically be head over heels in love with him by now. I shook my head clearing those kinds of thoughts. “So weren’t you going to challenge me to a game of pool or something? I think you really need a good ass kicking.” He jumped up quickly, rolling over my body to stand up and tug me along with him. “How could I forget?”
I followed him down stairs where two boys were now occupying the chairs in the living room. “Hey guys, this is Della. Della, Nick and Steve. They’re the causes for the mess around here.” He picked up a pool stick, handing it to me before pulling out the rack to set the balls up.
“This is the famous Della?” The one Nash had pointed out as Nick, stood up, studying me with his eyes. “No wonder you talked about her all the time. I wish I had grown up with someone like you.” He gave me a big wink as he grabbed a pool stick. “How ‘bout we play against you?”
I shrugged my shoulders even though Nash was giving him some kind of look that I couldn’t quite figure out. “Sure, just be prepared to get your ass kicked.” The guys let me break, and the balls only scattered slightly. I was a little rusty since the last time I had played had probably been with Nash.
“Think we should have done a practice game first,” Nash whispered in my ear as I leaned over the table, looking for my shot. I jumped at the warmth of his breath that tickled my ear, which only caused me to run into him, our bodies colliding.
“Here, let me help.” He positioned himself behind me, wrapping one arm around my waist and the other around to help me position the stick. My hands were shaky as his covered mine at the closeness of our bodies, but somehow I managed to actually hit a ball this time with his guidance and made it into one of the pockets.
“There you go, just needed some of my magic touch to get you all straightened out.” He pulled away, our bodies losing contact, and I instantly missed it. I stood up straight and looked up only to find Nick and Steve staring at me with a look of shock on both of their faces. We managed to finish out the rest of the game without any more help from Nash but ended up getting beat in the end.
“Hey, Della since we won and all, I think you owe me something.” Nick, the flirtier of the two, commented as I was gathering up my stuff to leave.
“Oh, really?” I replied casually, even though I really didn’t care that he thought I owed him something. He reminded me of the guys I went to high school with, and those were definitely the kind to avoid.
“Yeah, I could take you out tomorrow night. Best date of your life.”
“That is not going to happen,” Nash interrupted, putting his hand at the small of my back to guide me towards the front door. “Della all ready has plans with me, and even if she didn’t, she’s too good for you.”
He opened the door for me, and I looked back at Nick who had a dumbfounded expression on his face. “Dude, not cool.”
I laughed as I followed Nash out to the driveway, and he helped me into his truck. “What was that all about? I didn’t know we had any plans tomorrow night.”
“Well we do, that is, if you want. Plus, you need to stay away from guys like Nick. Trust me, he has a different girl over almost every night. I have to hear that shit all the time.” His hand landed on my thigh as he backed out of the driveway and turned down the road back towards the dorms. It remained there the short drive back and even when he pulled the truck into park outside of my dorm I had directed him to.
“So if I was looking for a guy and since you think all of them are too big of a*sholes for me, who exactly would you recommend,” I asked through the darkness, the glint of the overhead light reflecting off of his glimmering eyes as he stared back at me.
“Della…” All he said was my name before he slid across the seat, bringing one hand up to cup my chin as he stared back into my eyes. “I don’t want to see you with any of those guys, because I wish it was me.”
I sucked in a deep breath at his admission, never breaking the intense stare he was giving me. I could tell he was going to kiss me and I did nothing to stop it. Kissing Nash was like nothing I had ever experienced before. It was like time stopped the moment he gently touched his lips to mine. Nothing else mattered except for the two of us.
I threaded my hands around the back of his neck, pulling him closer as he gently pried my mouth open, and I sighed when our tongues met. It was like this explosion of stars when it happened, and I reveled in the sweet taste of him as we explored each other’s mouth. He grabbed my waist with both hands, never breaking our kiss, as he pulled me on top of him to straddle him. Our groans filled the small cab of the truck and when I felt a hardness beneath me, I began to rock back and forth slowly.
“Whoa.” We both pulled back abruptly when we realized exactly what was happening. All that was separating us from going any further was the thin leggings I had on and Nash’s athletic shorts. “Nash, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to get so carried away.”
“No, Della. It’s not your fault, its mine. That shouldn’t have happened.” His hands gripped my waist again but this time to set me back down gingerly onto the passenger seat. I instantly missed the feel of his body beneath mine. “And It won’t happen ever again,” he said, staring straight ahead out the front window.
“Okay,” I replied quietly, feeling rejected, even though I knew I shouldn’t feel that way. What we had done was wrong. Nash had a girlfriend and although I thought she was a royal B, did not mean it was all right for Nash and me to mess around behind her back.
I moved to open the door but Nash covered my hand quickly with his. “Della, I don’t want this to change things between us. I still want us to be friends even if we…have these feelings for each other. Do you think we can do that?”
I looked back at those big brown eyes that were pleading with me. I knew I should just tell him to forget it but I couldn’t. “Sure, Nash,” I answered weakly. “I’ll see you later.” He finally dropped his hand, and I made my way out of his truck. My mind was numb as I pulled my keys out of my purse and pushed open the door to my dorm.
“Hey, Della, have a nice time with -” Callie’s perky voice caught off abruptly as I kicked my heeled boots off and dropped down onto the couch. “Oh no, something happened between the two of you didn’t it?”
She sat down cross-legged next to me and gave me a concerned look. “I knew this was going to happen, I could just tell Nash had more than just friends feelings towards you. And you do too, right?” She reached over to tuck a piece of hair behind my ear that had escaped my high ponytail.
I quickly shook my head, not even wanting to think about it “You know what? It really doesn’t matter. Nash spelled it out pretty clearly tonight that we would only be friends, so I’m not going to waste my time dwelling on the what-ifs.” Callie opened her mouth like she was going to argue with me but quickly shut it, jumping up to clap her hands.
“All right then, well I hope you’re starving because Zoey practically ordered everything off the Chinese menu and should be on her way back by now. We are in need of some major pigging out.” I smiled at her enthusiasm and let her pull me up and into the kitchen. At least I had these two girls that seemed to always be there for me, even in the short time we had known each other, more than pretty much anyone in my life ever had.