I owe him an apology, so I walk straight up to him and say sincerely, “Hey, I’m really sorry about what I said earlier. It was kinda mean of me.”
“You were sticking up for my brother because of what I said about him being the imitation, right?”
“Yeah. He looked sad when you said it, and I just reacted. I’m sorry. Really.”
“Don’t worry about it. It was kinda mean if you don’t know us, but he and I joke about stuff like that all the time. Plus he’s my little bro. I have to give him shit.”
I nod.
He lowers his voice and says, “And you’re right about Whitney. I do like her. Speaking of that, the guys told me Riley said you didn’t really do anything in your dorm room.
“Yeah, I was trying to stand up for him.” I laugh.
“You should be careful of him. He’s got a way with the ladies.”
“So I’ve heard. I told him I’d do my best not to sleep with him, so we could stay friends.”
“Riley with a girl for a friend? Hell, if you can manage that, I will be thoroughly impressed. Congrats on dance team. It’s a big honor. All the hottest girls are on dance team, well except for Whitney.” He leans in close to me and whispers, “She doesn’t like to sweat.”
I can’t help but laugh and think about Vanessa. And then home.
And then I sort of feel like crying.
“Thanks.” I say, but what I’m thinking is I just want an Ambien and my pillow. I’m so tired and so on stimulatory overload.
But then Aiden saunters up to me, gives me a big hug — which nearly stops my heart from beating — and says, “Congrats. You looked really surprised. I pretty much told you that you made it on the Ferris wheel.”
“The Ferris wheel is sorta a blur,” I say without thinking.
“A good blur, I hope. Hey, there’s all your friends, worshipers, whatever. I think they all want to congratulate you.” He stops and kisses my hand.
Yes.
You heard that right.
He kissed my hand. Like freaking Prince Charming.
Then he says, “Don’t forget, you owe me a dance or two tomorrow.”
“I won’t,” I say breathlessly.
And then poof, he disappears into thin air.
And I wonder for a minute if he was actually real.
Can anyone else see this demigod?
Dallas, Riley, and all the freshmen boys I made friends with at orientation give me hugs, congrats, high fives, and pats on the back.
Dallas says, “You looked great up there. You hungry?”
I realize suddenly just how hungry I am. I was too stressed to eat dinner. “I’m starved! Let’s get something to eat.”
While I’m eating a freshly grilled Philly cheesesteak and homemade potato chips, Morgan comes trudging up to me, pushing a girl in front of her. The girl is also decked out in feathers.
“Meet your new roommate, Katie.”
Katie gets a big grin on her face and gives me a hug. “Oh, thank God! You made it. When they told me it was some girl that tried out, I was afraid she wouldn’t make it and would hate me. You cool with this? I sure as hell am.”
“Absolutely.” I turn to Morgan. “But I’m almost completely unpacked, so she moves into my room, right?”
“Yep. Molly and I will get everything moved tonight. Sorry, it just didn’t work for me.”
“Thats okay, no hard feelings,” I say.
Katie is adorable. Perky, bouncy brown hair with expensive highlights, button nose, and a sweet smile.
I introduce her to the boys.
“You guys want to go on the Ferris wheel?” she asks. She bounces a bit when she says this, and her ample boobs shake just a bit. She is really quite peppy, and the boys are enthralled.
“You go. I’m gonna finish eating.”
Dallas says he’s gonna stay with me, and then he sits down and says, “Plus, you already rode the Ferris wheel.”
“I did. Have you?”
“Yeah, I rode it, but I don’t think I had as much fun as you.”
“I take it you saw Aiden kiss me?”
“Yeah. And I’m okay with it. Last night was just, you know, we got high, we kissed. It was just chill, right?”
He reminds me of Brooklyn even more with that comment.
“Right.”
“Now my friend, Riley, on the other hand, he didn’t look too pleased. You kiss him too?”
I purse my lips and look up at the sky.
“Look at me,” Dallas says. “The answer to that question is not in the sky. And don’t lie to me. I hate when people lie to me. And I can tell we’re gonna be friends. Good friends. I’m talking TIGHTTTT,” he laughs. “So just tell me.”
I spill my guts. The boy parts anyway.
“So I dated this guy for most of high school, but I always crushed on my best friend. We broke up this spring, and finally this guy, that B that texted me, kissed me. And I thought it would be amazing. But then he invited me to go like camping with him and his friends, but then they left me. Like completely ditched me, and he acted like it was no big deal. And I thought he was hooking up with other girls that night. And I went to a party with this other friend of mine from school. And that same night, he told me he’d had a crush on me and asked me to go out with him. And I ended up losing my virginity to him, instead of the B guy, who I always dreamed it’d happen with. But then that didn’t work out. That’s an even longer story. And so then I got back with B and we had an amazing summer together, but then he told me he was going away for like a year. And then the whole thing happened with the, uh, with my parents moving, and I ended up here. He said we are young, that if we’re meant to be together someday we will, that we should date other people, that he will be dating other people. And I was kinda crushed. But then last night at the cave was fun. I mean, I’d go there with you anytime, and I’d kiss you again, for sure. You kiss good. Like sweet.”
He smiles.
“And really, I thought Riley was kind of a conceited jerk, but in a hot way, you know. And then when I kicked the ball in the goal and saw the God of all Hotties.”
“Who?”
“Oh, that’s what I called Aiden before I knew his name. He like does something to me. It was love at first sight. Seriously. But then you guys told me he’s a player, and he pretty much told me the same. But when he talks to me, he’s not all smooth, like I would think a player would be. He’s nothing like Riley. I mean at least with Riley, you know he’s a player. He doesn’t try to hide it. But then Aiden brought me lunch after soccer, and I thought it was sweet, but then he said this awful pick up line, and I was like whatever. But then right before I went to dance tryouts, he handed me a four-leaf clover, like a real one, picked from the ground. And I wondered if he stood there looking for it or what. But I kept telling myself, no players. No players. Then Riley came to walk me to dinner, and I wasn’t quite ready and....”
Dallas says, “Riley already told me how you stood up to his brother. He really liked that you did.”
“Good. Riley is like hot. And if anything happened with him, at least I’d know what I was getting into. Like I would know it’s just a thing. Just a hookup. But then Aiden kissed me on the Ferris wheel, and I swear, I couldn’t even breathe. Like I have never felt like that before. And this time, he didn’t say anything stupid or cheesy. He was sweet, and I think I’m falling in love with him. No. I am in love with him. But I know that I can’t be. So I won’t be seeing him anymore. I mean, I’ll probably see him around, but I’m not gonna fall for him and then have him decide I’m not it. So basically that’s it. I’m done with boys.”
Dallas laughs at me. “You’re funny. I didn’t know I was gonna hear your life’s story. So, I hear you’re supposed to go to a party with Riley tonight.”
“Well, if he saw the kiss, he probably won’t want to take me anymore.”
“Oh, no. I think he will. Dawson told him that he heard you two hadn’t really done anything and that if Riley didn’t make a move, he was, tonight. So just know, Dawson is interested. And be careful.”