Chapter 7

I have tried my best to keep my mind off of him. It wasn’t any easy task. Little things reminded me of him. Being in this room, lying in this bed flooded my thoughts with how he took me the first time. I know he’s bad news. Hence why I am trying my best to stay away from him. It’s hard but I’ve managed to ignore and avoid him since the night of his show.

Not only him, all of them. Adrienne spent most her time with Michael. The happy new couple. I’m excited for her, don’t get me wrong, but it was nauseating. I think she’s already in love.

Ashton’s no good for me. And according to Luke I am not good for him either. I still don’t know what the conversation was about. I tried not to care but I do. I want to ask so many questions but that means talking to them and I’ve been avoiding that for a few days now.

I came back from class and took a shower. I just want to put on my pajamas and relax. Amy will be at the library until at least midnight. Might as well enjoy a movie or something.

I step out of the shower, wrapping my towel around me. I go into my room and lock the door behind me. My towel falls to the ground when I bend over to open my pajama drawer. I shrug and think nothing of it.

My phone buzzes and I assume its Adrienne. It was a text from an unknown number.

555-8686: Nice view from the quad.

I stare at the message confused. I didn’t recognize the number. I slide my pajama bottoms on as I hear a loud laugh outside. I walk over to the window, covering my boobs as I do so; Calum, Luke and Ashton are watching me from outside. Calum and Luke are giggling like thirteen-year-old boys who just saw boobs for the first time. Ashton appears as if he is trying to contain himself from punching them in the face.

I glare at them out the window. I live on the fifth floor. I never really thought about anyone being able to see in my room. Note to self: close the blinds when naked. I wonder how many people have seen me naked or worse. How many people have seen me doing inappropriate things? I hope they at least enjoyed the show.

I throw on a tank top and plop on my bed. I open Netflix and browse through the movies looking for anything that would spark my interest. I’m not in the mood for anything romantic because that would remind me of Ashton. I don’t want that. My best bet is to watch a horror film but I’m too scared to do that. I watch one of the trailers just to see if I’ll be able to handle it.

A few light taps at the door almost cause me to fall out of bed. My heart’s beating out my chest. Don’t scare me like that. I open the door and Calum and Luke are standing in the hall. No Ashton. Figures.

They don’t say anything. They just wander into my room. They both take a seat on my bed. Why are they here? And why do they think they have the right to just take over my room? This is my night. I want some alone time. Or maybe them being here is a good distraction. I decide to go with the latter.

“Where’s Michael?” I ask.

“Don’t you mean where’s Ashton?” Calum jokes but I don’t find it quite as amusing as him.

“If I cared where he was I would have asked” I said matter-of-factly.

“Michael is out to dinner with Adrienne” Luke answers. Oh. I’m always a little envious of her. I want boys to take me to dinner or the movies. The food court on campus isn’t exactly a proper date.

“I love this movie” Calum says, ripping me from my jealous thoughts. Great. I guess we’re watching Insidious. Got to love possessed children. Not.

I sit between Calum and Luke on my tiny bed. I wrap myself in blankets so I can cover my eyes during the scary parts. In the middle of the movie I freak out and hide my face behind Luke’s shoulder. He laughs lightly and wraps his arm around me. I cuddle into his chest without thinking too much of it.

“Should I leave?” Calum teases.

“No” I say firmly and pull away from Luke but his arm is still draped around me. “I don’t think I’m going to sleep tonight.”

We go back to watching the movie and I’m trying not to pay attention. The door to the common room opens and there is a dark shadow in the common room. Definitely not one of roommates. Unless my roommates are now a 6 foot tall guy. Calum made me shut off all the lights so I don’t know who’s there.

In walks the devil himself. He takes a seat at my desk without saying a word. I look over at Ashton but his eyes are fixed on the laptop screen.

“We could just watch this in the common room” I suggest but no one seems to want to move. When Ashton walked in Luke removed his arms from me but remained next to me on the bed.

The movie ends and I sigh in relief. I flip the lights back on. Calum is passed out on my pillow. Drooling. Gross. Luke is playing with his phone and Ashton is watching my every move. His eyes on me make me nervous. I don’t know why he’s watching me so intently.

“How about another movie?” Luke asks.

“I don’t think I can handle another one” I laugh. Luke shakes Calum awake and he groans in response. He massages his eyes to get adjusted to the light. “Good morning” I cheer and jump next to him on the bed.

“Sorry I fell asleep. I’ll see you tomorrow” he yawns and heads back to his room.

“I should be going too” Luke says.

“Yeah” Ashton finally speaks up. “You should” he says irritated. They share a look and I’m not quite sure how to decode it. But it’s my room and I have the right to say who I want here and who I don’t. And frankly, I really don’t want Ashton here right now. I don’t want him around me. I’m trying to get over this, whatever you want to call it, that we had.

“Good night Shane” Luke says as he exits. “You coming Ash?”

“In a minute” he answers without looking at his roommate. Luke leaves and it’s just me and the man I’m trying to get out of my head. “Where’s Amy?”

“Where do you think?”

“Of course” he chuckles. “So where have you been?”

“Around” I shrug. “Adrienne give you my number?”

“Not to me.” I nod my head and turn back to my computer. I am trying to give off the impression that I don’t want him here. And I don’t. Anytime I’m around him sober things don’t go so well.

As if he read my mind, he gets up and heads for the door. “Wait” I say against my will. He spins around and stands there waiting for me to say something. “Could you stay for a little?” I ask quietly.

“Why?”

“That stupid movie. At least until Amy comes back.” He shakes his head and lays down on the bed with a huff. I lay down next to him, trying to keep some distance between us. “Or until I fall asleep.”

His hands rest behind his head. He looks irresistible. I try to push those thoughts out of my mind as I drift to sleep.

 ———-

I wake up in the morning and turn over into a hard body. He’s still here! Still sleeping next to me. I am shocked. Eyes closed shut. His lips slightly parted. I debate whether I should wake him or not. I probably shouldn’t. He’ll most likely be cranky if I do.

I do my best to climb over him to get out of bed. I have to go to class soon. He lets out a quiet moan in the middle of me straddling him, attempting to not fall out of the bed.

It takes all my might to not lean down and kiss him. I run off to the bathroom to brush my teeth. I come back in the room and Amy’s sitting on the couch in the common room with a pissed off look on her face. “What?” I ask her annoyed. She rolls her eyes and brings her attention back to her book. Pretentious bitch. “We fell asleep. Get over it.”

I change, brush my hair and apply make-up all while he’s still sleeping. I have to be in my first class in 15 minutes. To let him sleep or to wake him? I decide to let him sleep. He can show himself out.

I grab my sunglasses and head off to class. My first class is pretty boring. It’s a simple math class that I need for graduation. Keith’s in the class. After our horrible break up at the start of sophomore year we haven’t been as close. I told Michael and them that I only used to hook up with him.

Keith was my first boyfriend in college. We hooked up our first semester. Started dating the second semester. Attempted a long distance relationship over the summer but we weren’t exclusive. When we came back to school I guess he was used to the freedom. I didn’t hang out with any other guys over the summer but he apparently was with a different girl every weekend.

We decided to make if official again when the new semester started. It was good for a few weeks then I heard rumors that he was taking other girls home. I didn’t believe them at first. Then I saw it with my own eyes and broke it off with him. Like I said the break up was pretty messy. I would go out with Adrienne and get plastered. I’d end up calling him or bumping into him and we would just start screaming at each other. It was very unhealthy.

He apologized many times and it wasn’t until earlier this semester that I forgave him. He has been trying to make it up to me. He’s not trying to win me back or anything like that but we were really good friends before.

I’ve been avoiding relationships like that ever since. A main reason I can’t pursue Ashton any further. He has the potential to hurt me more than Keith.

My phone buzzes in my pocket in the middle of class. Another number I don’t recognize.

555-7112: Where are you?

Shane: Who is this?

555-7112: Where are you?

I roll my eyes at the message. Why is this person being so difficult?

Shane: In class.

555-7112: Which building?

“Is there something more important than my lesson Miss Lawson?” the teacher asks.

“Hmm what?” I respond. “No, sorry.” I put my phone in my bag and return my attention to the problem on the board.

My phone vibrates again. Same number.

555-7112: ?

Shane: Russell Hall.

I answer just to get the person to stop texting me. I put my phone away and start figuring out the problem.

“Hey! Wait up” Keith calls after me when class is over.

“Yeah?” I look up at him. We haven’t had much one on one time since we broke up. We have the same group of friends but we don’t hang out alone anymore. The only times I really see him is if I’m at his house for a party.

“We’re having a party tomorrow. You in?”

“I don’t know.”

“You can bring those guys if you want. Just not the one that started the fight.”

“He was just protecting me.” I felt the need to defend Ashton. Keith didn’t know the whole story. “Dan was a little out of control that night.”

“Fine. Are you in?”

“I’ll think about it” I smile. He continues to talk about the party as I see a familiar pair of eyes watching us. For my own entertainment, I place my hand on Keith’s forearm. He stares down at it. Ashton’s jaw clenches and his hands ball into fists at his side.

Seconds later Ashton is next to us, pulling me away from Keith. “What the hell?” I scream at him.

“What do you think you’re doing?” What happened to the sweet guy sleeping next to me this morning?

“Talking to a friend” I answer, though I didn’t owe him an explanation. His face was red with anger. Is this jealousy? Ashton is jealous of Keith? Not possible.

“So you leave me in your bed to meet up with another guy?” The vein in his neck is popping out. His voice is loud throughout the halls. Why is he being like this? He literally just said less than a week ago I am nothing but a good fuck to him.

“I went to class and didn’t want to wake you up” I answer and take a step back from him.

His jaw loosens and his fists unclench. He breathes out heavily. “Are you jealous?” I ask but immediately regret it. That scowl is back on his face as he takes a step closer to me. My back is now against the wall and for a split second I fear him.

His face lightens and lets out a sarcastic laugh. “No” he shakes his head and laughs again.

“Oh.” My eyes fall to floor, to anxious to make eye contact with him. “I have to get to my next class.” I duck under his arm and head for the next building. Luckily he doesn’t follow me.

What was that? Obviously he’s the one who texted me. He can deny it all he wants but that emotion he just showed was jealousy. Thought I really can’t imagine why. Keith is nothing but a friend. I guess he doesn’t really know that but I don’t owe him an explanation either.

I sit down at my usual desk and skim through my notes from last class. This is actually one of my favorite electives I’m taking this semester. The room starts to fill but the professor still isn’t there.

Someone sits at the desk next to me with thump. I look over and it’s Ashton. Great, he did follow me. It kind of creeps me out. What is he doing here? I shoot him a look and he just smiles.

“How are you?” he asks. I stare at him in disbelief. Two minutes ago he was yelling at me in the hallway. I don’t think I can handle this back and forth with him.

“Seriously?” I fire back.

“Just a question” he throws his hands up. “No need to get all pissy.”

“You’re not in this class. Why are you in here?” He shrugs and faces the front of the room. The professor walks in and puts down his briefcase.

“Did anyone do the reading on Jeffrey Dahmer?”

“What class is this anyway?” Ashton asks me. I tell him to be quiet as the professor tells us the case we will be discussing in class. It’s the History of American Serial Killers and it’s quite fascinating. I love learning about the way they think and what causes them to finally snap.

Ashton remains quiet the rest of class. When the professor dismisses us, I get up quietly and leave the room. See, I could ignore Ashton. But of course he follows me out into the quad.

“Should I be worried?” he jokes. “You seemed really into that lesson.”

“I find it interesting.”

“Should I be afraid that I could wake up one morning with my hands tied to the bed and a knife at my throat?” he continues on. There is a playful smirk on his face. Clearly he isn’t going to go away. Secretly I don’t want him too but I know it’s a bad idea to be around him.

“Some guys are into that.” I don’t know where that came from. He stops walking and pulls me back to him. He takes my hand, dragging me across the quad.

“Where are we going?” I ask him, trying to break free of his death grip on my hand.

“Just follow me.” I shake my head and continue to walk with him. We enter the gym building and he opens one of the doors. It’s an empty closet and he locks the door behind us.

He lifts me onto the empty desk. Now he wants to be playful. His hands fall to my hips and he pulls me closer to the edge of the desk. He stands between my thighs, his hands wrapped around my waist. My heartbeat quickens and I know he can tell.

He smirks, his dimples evident now. I bite my lip involuntarily as I stare at his. A telltale sign I want him to kiss me. And he does. The kiss is full of need. His hand slides over my collarbone, wrapping his long fingers around my neck. His other hands tangles in my hair, tugging at it.

I give into him and slide my tongue into his mouth. He tastes incredible. His kiss is intoxicating. It makes me forget about everything. Punching Dan in the middle of a party. Saying he must have been drunk to sleep with me. The girls he was dancing to get a rise out of me, or so I thought. Pulling me away from Frankie. All the rumors I’ve heard about him. The fight at the bar. His conversation with Luke saying that I was nothing more than a good fuck. And the fact that my next class is in 5 minutes.

I push him back and his eyes narrow in on me. “I have to go.”

“Go where?” he asks annoyed.

“I just have to go.” If I had spent even one more second in here with him we would be doing more than just kissing. I’ve had sex in strange places before but an old janitor’s closet just seems cheap. Especially with a guy who can’t stand me and doesn’t respect me.

“Don’t be a tease Shane.”

“I’m not” I shout back. I unlock the door and open it. He’s standing there with his hands on his hips. His face is flushed and that same vein is popping out of his neck.

He slams his palm on the door, forcing it closed again. “Ashton, let me out. Please” I huff.

“Not until you tell me what you were doing talking to him.”

“Because I can talk to my friends” I state the obvious.

“So he’s just a friend of yours?” his tone softens. Here we go again. He pulled the same shit when I was talking to Luke.  

 “Yeah” I sigh. “And if it makes you feel any better I was defending you.”

“Why?”

“Never mind. I have to get to class.”

He opens the door and allows me to step passed him. I can’t read his face. I don’t know what he’s thinking or feeling. But he won’t get the best of me. “Can I ask you something?” I turn to face him. He nods his head but avoid eye contact. “Why do you care that I was talking to Keith?”

“I don’t” he shrugs.

“Good” I smile. “I wouldn’t want to be more than just a ‘good fuck’ to you” I throw back in his face and walk off. I hear his fist slam against the desk but I ignore it. He needs to learn to control that temper.