Page 6 of Trusting You

“Can we not do that?” I shook my head. “I’d like it to be a surprise.”

“Sure, why not?” he slid his card across the bar to start a tab. “Oh, this classic. I never thought I’d be witness to you chasing a girl.”

“I’m not chasing her. She just doesn’t know what she’s missing yet. I’ll have her begging me by the end of the weekend.”

“Right,” he mumbled around the lip of his bottle as he rolled his eyes again.

Melinda

“Where are you?” Emma was flopped across her bed talking on the phone when I stepped through the door. I knew it was Brock just by the goofy look on her face.

“You know you’re pretty disgusting at times,” I rolled my eyes as I tossed my backpack on my bed. It bounced once before spilling open, causing papers and books to fall out. “Great,” I muttered as I crouched down the pick up what fell on the floor.

“Come on up,” she giggled as she scrambled to a sitting position. She bounced a few times before there was a knock on the door.

“That was fast,” I grumbled. I was in bad mood today, and watching Emma and Brock get all lovey dovey was not going to help. I had a project due at the end of the next week, and my mom was late coming to pick me up. I went home every Friday, and I didn’t have a car on campus. I wanted to get one, but I also didn’t have a job. My parents wanted me to concentrate on my grades, so they paid for school. They weren’t some rich couple, but they did well enough to make things better for me. With everything they did to help me, I felt like I owed them to do well. “I need to head downstairs and call my mom. Find out what’s taking so long,” I flipped my hand in the air as Emma opened the door to our room.

I don’t think she really heard me, or put two and two together because all I heard was squealing before she launched herself into Brock’s arms. “Hello to you too,” he chuckled as he gripped her around the waist to keep from dropping her.

“Later,” I waved as I attempted to get around them.

“Hey. Where are you going?” his voice caused me to freeze. Why the hell would he be here? “Are you not even going to say hi?” Aaron was leaning against the wall in the hallway with his arms crossed over his chest.

“Nope,” I pulled the strap to my backpack higher onto my shoulder as I kept my eyes pinned to the floor and sped up my pace. I wanted to get to the stairs before he caught up to me.

“Can I ask why?” I felt a tug on my bag just as I got the door open.

I sucked in a deep breath and blew it out in a hiss as I remembered the last time I’d seen him. He’d been leaning against the snack bar after one of his lifeguard shifts and some beach bunny had been on her knees in front of him. I’d spent the entire day there keeping him company, and he’d blown me off just so he could get blown. “What’s the point?” I glared up at him. “There’s nothing going on here,” I motioned between us as I stepped away from him. His eyes widened like he couldn’t believe that I was pushing him away before his feet jumped into action. The faster I ran down the stairs, the faster he chased me.

“That’s not true,” he called out. “If you’d let me explain…”

I turned around as I burst through the door at the bottom of the steps and rushed outside. I didn’t want anyone hearing me. It was none of their business. I liked to keep my life private now. My past taught me that. “I don’t need whatever it is you’re offering. I’m busy. I have more going on in my life than you could ever know. You aren’t what I need, and you never can be.” I stormed toward the corner where I always met mom, praying that she’d show up. She’d never been late before, and I was beginning to worry. The sun was setting, and it was starting to get cold out.

“Where are you rushing off to?” Aaron was right on my heels. “You need a coat. It’s cold out here,” he started to remove his and give it to me.

“What I need is for you to pretend that you never met me,” I wrapped my arms around myself and shivered. Right at that moment I saw my mom’s car round the corner. She weaved through the parking lot as she made her way to our meeting spot. I was saved at the last minute.

“I came here for you,” his eyes looked hurt as he stared down at me.

I looked up at Aaron one last time before opening the door to climb in. “You shouldn’t have. I can’t be with you,” I climbed in and forced myself not to look back. I made a mental note to check with Emma before I came back Sunday night. I needed for them to be gone and back in Wilmington before I came back. If I ran into Aaron again, I might not be strong enough to tell him no.

Chapter 3

Aaron

My weekend was spent drinking and sulking, but mostly drinking. I couldn’t believe she could just walk away like that. I thought we’d had a connection last summer. At least, she’d acted like we did. Now, it all seemed like some elaborate fantasy that I’d dreamed up.

I’d stood there on the sidewalk in front of her dorm staring at the taillights of her mother’s car until I couldn’t see them anymore. Students were milling around, some staring. It was then that I remembered that I was trapped. I’d come here with Brock. Brock was the one with the car, and as long as Emma let him stay, I was staying too.

My head dropped as I shuffled back inside, in no hurry to go back to the love fest upstairs. I slowly climbed the stairs, and when I reached Emma’s door I leaned against the wall. I put off the inevitable for as long as possible, but when the neighbors began to stare, I knocked.

Emma didn’t answer the door, but the knob turned, indicating that it wasn’t locked. “I’m coming in. You two better have your pants on,” I called out as I placed one hand over my eyes. It had been three weeks since these two had seen each other, and I knew the weekend was going to be spent mostly in bed for them.

“You better stay just like that then,” Brock chuckled, followed by Em’s giggle.

“I’m serious here,” I grumbled.

“So am I,” Brock returned, but then I heard the bed squeak and knew they were sitting up.

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