Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 71915 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 360(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71915 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 360(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
“No worries,” I replied as she hesitated, making me wonder if the bump was accidental. She was pretty, and we’d had a good time, could probably even recreate our night again. But somehow, I couldn’t find it in me to care. I was enjoying having Alex here at my place, and that was a problem.
“How are you?” she asked with a knowing grin.
“Good. You?” My voice sounded mechanical, and I felt guilty about that, but I didn’t want her to think I was interested again. Her friend grabbed her arm and pulled her toward the group of lacrosse players who’d just arrived. No way to compete with that, and I was glad for it. But I also wanted to kill Derek for opening his mouth all across campus. In high school, we wouldn’t have been caught dead associating with the jocks, but apparently, college was a free-for-all.
“You wanna talk to her?” Alex asked, and my gaze snapped to his. “None of my business, but guess I noted a hint of something between you.”
“Just a one-off,” I replied as some emotion crossed his face. Was it jealousy? I almost teased him, but instead, I opted for honesty. “I’m perfectly fine right where I am, thanks.”
“If you say so.” He took a sip of his beer. “This is a cool place, by the way. Must be nice to have actual rooms to move around in.”
“You’re feeling how small the dorms are, huh?”
“Definitely.”
Moving back home during my first year in the dorms hadn’t been a hardship for that exact reason. Plus, my roommate at the time wasn’t someone I’d ever warmed up to.
We chatted about random topics even as Bailey passed by us with a scowl. “You should probably go hang with your friends.”
“You’re my friend too.” Alex shrugged. “But yeah, you’re right. First, I gotta take a leak. Where’s your bathroom?”
“I’ll show you. C’mon.” I turned toward the staircase, wondering if there was a line, given the number of people crammed into this place.
Alex hesitated only a moment, his eyes tracking Bailey across the room, and then he followed me up the steps.
“Here it is,” I said as a guy exited the bathroom and skirted by us.
“You and Derek share a bathroom?”
“Yeah, and he leaves it a pigsty sometimes.” Thankfully, that was the worst of his habits. Well, that and inviting the entire university here tonight. “Hopefully, he cleaned it before the party.”
Alex chuckled as he stepped toward the door. “Not sure it would really matter, given the traffic.”
“True.” I looked down the hall. “Damn it, I told him to shut my bedroom door. No way I want anyone using it.”
Distracted by the thought of anyone hooking up on my bed, I made a beeline for my room while Alex shut the bathroom door behind him. I was going to kill Derek.
And I was right. There was a couple inside my darkened room, making out.
“Sorry to interrupt, but get the hell out of my room.”
The girl yelped and practically ran out of the room, the guy on her heels. I was probably being a dick, but I didn’t even care. I flipped on the light and looked around to make sure all was still in order.
“Everything all right, Ted?” Alex asked, standing just outside the door.
“Yeah, no harm done.” I straightened my own mess by picking up a T-shirt and notebook I’d left on the floor, suddenly embarrassed about what it might look like. “Not that my room is anything special.”
“I get it, though.” He stepped inside and glanced around. My bed and dresser were secondhand, but my sheets were new and freshly washed. At least I kept up with some things. “I wouldn’t want anyone touching my stuff.”
“Exactly.” With my luck, this party would last until morning—unless I kicked everyone out before then—and I’d need my own space.
“Cool art,” Alex said, pointing to a couple of Salvador Dali posters before his gaze swung to the top of my dresser. “Do you still draw in those notebooks?”
“Maybe,” I admitted. “It grounds me.”
“Like the water feels to me. My safe zone.”
My stomach squeezed. “I never thought of it that way, Chlorine Boy. Makes sense.”
“I recognize that one.” He motioned to the notebook with a kaleidoscope design on the cover. “Mind if I flip through it?”
Suddenly nerves got the best of me. “Uh…”
“Never mind.” His cheeks pinked. “I didn’t mean to infringe on your space.”
When he turned to leave, my voice rang out. “No, it’s okay. I was just surprised you’d be interested.”
“To see what my high school crush was up to?” he said with a laugh, and my stomach fluttered with excitement as much as nerves.
“I was up to ditching class and ignoring my responsibilities.” I lifted the notebook and brought it to him.
“Which makes it even more interesting,” he mused as he began paging through. Glancing into the hallway, I gently shut the door behind him, hoping nobody else planned on finding a room.