Page 19 of Your Side of the Offense

Hazel protests as she stumbles next to me.

"Wait, Summer." Logan jumps behind me. I don't know but I feel a little violent.

I don't stop when Logan runs after me and stumbles up next to me too.

"I'll walk you guys back to your residence."

We stay another five minutes saying goodbye to the gods of the school and Trevor pecks Hazel on the lips. The girl is red in the face by the time we leave. I almost wish it was from rage, but no it is from being a horny teenager.

Logan and two other guys walk us to our res. I do admit it is a bit chivalrous and the further we walk from the house, the better I feel. The more distance I put between me and them, the lighter I feel.

"Alright, fellas, this is us," I needlessly announce when we get to our dorm.

"Yup," Hazel pops the 'p' and I snort. She's really a lightweight.

Although I don't drink that much, I am not a lightweight, and that says a lot because I'm a vodka drinker. I'm a shot girl. And even when I'm drunk, I stay in control of my faculties. I only ever used to let my guard down when I was with them because I knew I was protected, but being with girls doesn't afford me those luxuries. I can't just drink and be drunk anyhow anywhere with anyone.

"We can walk you to your rooms. We are not going to grab you," Dave says and I don't find it amusing at all.

"No. We good." I take Hazel's hand.

"Um, Summer, can I talk to you for a second?" Logan scratches the back of his neck and I want to groan loudly.

The night is fucking over, and I want to go be in my room. But I stay because the guy hasn't actually done much but be nice.

"Yeah, sup?"

"Can I have your contact? I really like you. I want to do coffee sometime, or a movie or the beach if you're into that." He looks nervous, and suddenly I feel like a bitch. He literally hasn't done anything to me but just be chill.

"Um, sorry. Not today." I give him about as honest an answer as I can.

He looks surprised, but nods in understanding. "Alright, I guess I'll ask you again next time."

I raise an eyebrow, not believing he wasn't saying I go fuck myself like most guys would. Well, that's definitely a point for him. Sad, I know, but we live on this earth, and sometimes we must applaud fish for swimming.

We part and me and Hazel go to our rooms. I help her settle in, change her into her pajamas, and remove her makeup. After, I go to mine, shower and prepare for bed.

My insides are still flared. I’m a myriad of emotions. On one end I fucking miss them, on another it’s fuck them. But I miss a lot of things about them.

A lot of things I've been missing for months. After dating four guys, I guess it's hard to go back to anything 'romantically normal.' Even as I think of my future romantic life on campus, it poses the questions, who can I date that will give me what I am used to getting?

I think about Logan, he seems like cool people. Maybe if he's serious, I’ll give him a chance.

6

DICK JERKY

Summer

My sister calls, and I am happy it's her, but fuck it’s early. My first class doesn’t start till 11am. But school starts early for her. At least she pulled me out of that nonsense of a dream. I can't believe I still have to deal with such dreams. It must be the devu, Brandi, my Nigerian high school friend would say and I smile a little to myself.

"Hey, baby Blue."

"I'm so jealous of you, sis." Her very awake voice greets me from the other side, and I smile. I can imagine how many times dad must have yelled at her by now.

My sister is not a morning person. She’s a noon person. But because parents are enemies of everything we love, they terrorize her out of bed every morning. And though I’m not a morning person either, she is much worse. So I feel her pain.

"Five years isn't that long. Just study hard so you can be out of that Egypt like me."

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