Page 3 of Leather & Lace

“Jenny SaintAnne,” she says while her cheeks flush a light pink. “Well, Dane Carter,” she starts, “We are in the eastward dorm rooms.” Pointing over her shoulder, taking a sip of her flask, smiling at him slowly. He quickly picks up her remaining bags and they start off ahead of us. Chase starts to walk towards me and leans in to get my suitcase when I stop him.

“It’s fine, I don’t need any help.” I say shyly, picking up my suitcase and shutting the trunk. His eyes meet mine and then looks away quickly.

“Sorry about all that,” he says while his cheeks start to flush. “He is very forward, always causing attention to us. Iswear he can’t help himself.” Chase says while shaking his head and then turning to walk with me.

“It’s okay,” I say quickly, “Jenny is also a lot like that as well, those two would be a perfect match!” His eyes meet mine once again as we both share a little laugh.

“Well, if she is Jenny, can I have your name? I mean, you already know mine.” He says with a bit of hesitation in his voice.

“I’m Brooklyn.” Smiling, he looks at the ground and then back up to me again.

“You hail from New York then?” he says, making a small joke. I give out a little laugh like it is the first time I have heard that joke to ease him a little.

“I wish, but no. I’m from a small town just a few hours from here.” Looking back up to me, he smiles again. He is handsome. In that boy-next-door kind of way. I can tell he must have been raised with great parents or in the suburbs. He’s got that squeaky-clean, ivory feeling about himself.

Walking up the steps to our dorm, we make our way through the large wooden doors. The hallways are cluttered with students. Loud music playing from different rooms as we walk past. One rock, one reggae, and another hip hop. Smoke fills my lungs with what smells like a skunky fume that travels up into my brain. Making me feel a little dizzy and causing me to cough.

I wave my hand around my face to clear it away. I have never tried weed. Sure, I have drank at parties, but with weed I was always too afraid to let loose. Too afraid of the unknown. Always afraid I would make an utter fool out of myself.

I just turned nineteen over the summer and still feel so inexperienced, so young. Walking down these halls makes me feel like a stuck-up girl, gripping her grandma’s vintage pearls from the sight of it all. I am sure most students here have experimented with so many kinds of drugs. Thinking about itmakes my stomach sink and fills me with more insecurity that I just won’t fit in.

We make our way to the fourth floor and turn into the small room. Two stained twin beds sit on either side, blank concrete dark walls with some tape still stuck on them surround the room. A small sink and fridge sit in the back corner. One tiny bathroom with a standing shower and toilet connects towards the back of the room. This place is not what I was expecting.

I swear it’s smaller than a prison cell. Maybe I am being a bit dramatic about that, but it sure looks like one. How in the world am I going to be able to share a living space, if there is no space? The first thing I will be doing is getting a new mattress, causeyuck! I don’t even want to think about everything that has gone down on that bed.

“Welcome home, babe!” Jenny beams from the twin bed she sits on to me while Dane peers out of the window to the bustling courtyard below.

“Man, I am glad I've never had the experience of staying in dorm rooms. This shit would drive me crazy.” Dane says while looking around the tiny room that feels even smaller now with their large bodies taking up so much space.

“Wait, are you guys not in college?” Jenny asks with a quizzing glance.

Dane gives her a sly smile, “I’m not in college Dollface, I never needed to go, but Chase does attend this prestigious hell hole.” Chase shoots him an annoyed look.

“Ok, so you just walk around college campuses looking for women to pick up then?” She teases raising a perfectly sculpted brow at him.

Looking back at her, Dane lets out a small laugh, “Oh you’re new here, you will learn very quickly that me being on this campus is a blessing.” She scoffs at him and shakes her head.

“A blessing huh? Well, we will see about that one.” She smiles and starts to unpack her belongings. I think he has made her speechless. Interesting. I make my way over to the crusty, disgusting hard bed and throw my suitcase on it. The bed doesn’t even sink in. Great, guess I will be sleeping on a rock tonight.

“Ok, so what are we getting into tonight?” She giggles, turning towards me then focusing her attention on the boys again. It's Friday night,“any parties?”

Dane turns to her, a gleam in his eyes. “Well, our place. We throw some pretty big ragers every Friday night. The entire campus usually shows up.” He says while smiling and taking a swig out of her flask that lays on the bed.

“Perfect!” She says, “Now give us your number and let us get ready. I will text you for the address soon.” She says while pulling out her phone.

They exchange numbers quickly as I feel Chase’s gaze on me.

“Would you like to have my number?” he asks quietly.

Before I can answer Jenny blurts in, “Well of course she wants it!” Laughing she snags my phone from my sweat gripped fingers and hands it to him.

Fucking Jenny!

He quickly adds his number and gives me a shy smile when handing it back to me. Our fingers gently brush while I grab my phone, sending tiny little shivers up my spine. I feel my face start to heat.

His eyes widen a little then look away brushing his smooth hand in his styled hair.

“Ok ladies, just send a text when you are ready. Gonna have a crazy night!” Dane shouts as he leaves the room, turning around again he points his gaze at Jenny, “oh and make sure to dress to impress.” Winking at Jenny, he turns and walks downthe hall. I can hear a gasp as her mouth opens beside me. Chase smiles and shakes his head.

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