Page 23 of Dare to Fall

I always hoped that someone would snag Paulina’s interest so she could finally move on from Brent. Even if he decided to leave Caroline for her, I didn’t think they would be a good match. Paulina was sensitive when it came to her self-esteem. Given Brent’s flirtatious manner, I knew that Paulina would struggle if they were together.

“Have you ever been with an older guy?” I asked, trying to get her to spill.

Her face dropped slightly, and I had my answer. She shook her head. “No, I haven’t. But the idea of it sounds amazing, doesn’t it?” Her voice trailed off, and I could sense she was retreating inward like she often did when something was on her mind.

I nudged her arm and leaned against her. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

She looked at me and then shook her head as the corners of her lips dipped even further.

“You can tell me, Paulina. I’m here for you.”

She let out a long sigh and flipped over onto her back, eyes glued to the ceiling. “I just don’t know how to get him out of my mind.”

My heart sank for her because I knew exactly who she was talking about. “You still feel the same way for him?” I asked gently, careful not to push her to the edge.

Her eyes glossed over, and I could tell she was trying to stop herself from crying.

“I just don’t understand how he could be with her after everything she’s put him through. I’ve been here this entire time, waiting for him to finally see me. But he runs back to her every single time.”

A single tear escaped down her cheek. I wiped it away with the sleeve of my sweatshirt and entwined my arm around hers. Our hands clasped together, and I gave her a gentle squeeze. “Have you talked to him about how you feel?”

“You know that would just mess up everything. He’s clearly not leaving Caroline anytime soon. And I don’t want to fuck up our friendship or make anything awkward or weird for all of us.”

She was right. Confronting Brent would definitely throw a wrench in our group dynamic, and if Caroline were to ever find out how Paulina truly felt, there was no telling what would happen. But I couldn’t help but feel that Paulina deserved to speak her truth. Years of flirtation and flickers of hope kept her engaged with Brent, and if he were to treat her just like a friend instead of a side fling, she probably would have moved on by now.

Another tear streamed down her porcelain cheek. My heart ached for her. She deserved to have someone fawn over her just as she did over Brent.

“I know you’re nervous about how it might change things for us all. But you’ve been so unhappy about this for a long time, Paulina. You deserve to get it off your chest and at least tell him that he needs to stop stringing you along by flirting with you unless he plans on moving on from Caroline.” I gave her hand another gentle squeeze. “At least tell me you’ll think about it. Okay?”

Rolling toward me, Paulina nodded and then wrapped her arms around my neck in a tight hug. “Thank you for always listening.”

“Of course,” I whispered. “I’ll always be here for you.”

We lay there for a few minutes like we used to do when we were young during our countless sleepovers. I wanted so badly for my best friend to be happy, to find someone who saw all the beautiful pieces of her. If she decided to talk to Brent, I hoped that he would either make the decision to move forward with her or finally let her go. But something told me that he would never be capable of being the knight in shining armor that she hoped he would be. And I had an even worse feeling that he had no intentions of letting their flirtation die until Caroline decided to stop her own side-quests.

So, I just held my best friend and hoped that someone else would come along and steal her heart away.

12

Garth

Bloom 31 wasthe newest club in downtown Orlando and by far the most crowded. Lucas and I had walked past countless establishments that we had frequented over the years. But he wanted to go to Bloom because they apparently had an array of bourbons that most of the bars didn’t bother stocking because college students’ palates weren’t developed enough to tell the difference. The line was insanely long, wrapping around the building and almost reaching the other side. Thankfully, Lucas and I happened to know the owner, and we were able to walk right in, much to the disgruntlement of everyone waiting in line.

I blinked against the radiant purple lighting that lined the black, shimmering walls of the club. Long stems of delicate orchids draped from the four columns that outlined the dance floor. The pulsing beat of the music pounded against my chest as I took in the sea of dancing bodies around me. An aroma of sweat, cologne, and perfume hung in the air as we weaved our way to the bar. We found an empty spot, and as Lucas ordered us each a round of Woodford Reserve, I leaned against the wood lining of the bar and took in the scene.

Beams of psychedelic colors shifted about the room as the lights from the DJ stand rotated. Small groups huddled together in the crimson velvet booths along the far wall. Waitresses in lacy bralettes and short leather skirts glided through the mass of people, handing out clear shooters as people threw their money at them. Closing my eyes for a moment, I let the beat of the music wash over me. It had been a tense week, especially after seeingherin Samson’s class. It didn’t matter what I did, I couldn’t get her out of my head.

The sweet lilac scent of her hair as I had walked past her desk almost brought me to my knees. And how those luscious lips parted when she started interrogating me…it took every ounce of my self-control not to close the distance between us and press my mouth to hers.

Those lips haunted my every moment of today.

“Jesus, brother. What the hell has gotten you twisted up like this?” Lucas nudged me with his elbow, and I took the tumbler of bourbon he extended to me.

“What do you mean?” I asked before taking a gentle sip of the Woodford Reserve. My taste buds danced as a sweet hint of honey and smooth oaky vanilla coated my tongue. Savoring the burn, I took my time with the amber liquid before letting it fall down my throat. Lucas was right. The owner of Bloom 31 certainly had a step up on the rest of the downtown bars when it came to serving fine liquors.

“I’ve known you since we were kids, Garth. I can tell when something is eating you up. So, go on. What is it?”

I shook my head. “It’s nothing really.”

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