Page 90 of Steeling Her
Grabbing my things and shoving them into my bag, I drag the door open and make my way to the elevator. Once reaching the lobby, I walk through the area occupied by people walking to and from their rooms and past girls that look ready to walk the runway at any moment.
The fresh air is slightly colder since the year is heading towards winter. The grass has light dew on the surface and the flowers are fading. Leaves have fallen, clogging some drains for water run off. There has been a little more rain than usual but it doesn’t last very long anyway.
Couples kissing each other and friends messing around beside tree trunks and picnic tables. Footballs airborn and frisbees floating across the open area. Laughter fills the open damp air as I pick my feet up one by one to get to my classes. I haven’t been here for about three weeks or so. To be able to sit in the rows in the auditorium again is what I’ve wanted for the past three weeks of just lying in bed and sleeping.
“Carter! Carter! How are you feeling?” A crowd swarms me as I’m blinded by flashes of cameras going off. I start to panic and push past them, ignoring the stares I’m getting from people. I don’t need them drawing any attention to me. I don’t need the media in my face. I’m not the famous one. My brothers and my dad are, not me. I haven’t done anything in my life that’s significant enough to be famous. Running into the building, I head towards the ladies restrooms and feel some sort of panic dampen. I pull open a cubical and sit on the toilet seat to calm my nerves down.
It reminds me of the last time when I ran in here with Nick and TJ hot behind me. Hot being the keyword.
Nick.
Ugh, why did he have to do that? Why did I have to bring him up. It’s so frustrating when I hear girls in my classes talk about him about how sexy or hot he is. I know I haven’t been here recently so I can only imagine what they’re saying about him now. Yes, he’s all that, but he’s so much more and it kills me to think he’s getting with her again.
‘But you don’t know the full story’ I hear my moms voice in my head telling me to listen to what he has to say. She’s right, but I’m so mad at him that I don’t want to see him until I cool down. I’m afraid I might say something I don’t mean and end up losing him as even a friend. He’s a good guy, but that photo hurt me like a bitch. The sting is still there and I can’t believe what I saw.
“ . . . I know, he’s so good in bed though! Like, he’s rough, but the sexy kind of rough.” I hear a voice enter into the restroom, stalling my thoughts, and I pull my feet up to my chest and control my breathing. I don’t want anyone to know I’m here. Not to eavesdrop, I just don’t want someone to ask if I’m alright. I don’t want to see anyone.
“How rough are we talking?” That voice is so familiar. I peek my head into the gap of the door to see who it is. I see a blonde hair, but it’s not Maya. It’s that friend of hers, what’s her name? Haley hates her too. Understandably so, she dated TJ and wants to get back with him, so Haley is really not happy with her.
“Like, he pinned me down by my hands and cuffed them to the bed. Then went down on me long enough to make me have four orgasms . . . Kelly, four fucking orgasms! The guy had stamina too, we were at it all night and all morning. I literally left his room this morning. I’ll be back for round three tonight, I need some more of Rob Averman. He’s quiet, but damn can that boy please me!” The brunette giggles along with Kelly rolling her eyes, and the door swings open on the last part.
“Who are you blabbing on about now?” Now I know that voice. Maya. The serpent. The heartless serpent sent by the devil himself. Just great.
“Rob Averman. Apparently, he’s quiet but a freak in the sheets.” Kelly smirks to her friend that just walked in to fix her lipstick.
“I would say beast in the sheets.” The other girl smiles and starts to fix her own makeup.
“Well, nothing beats Jackson! He’s a man, not a boy, and man, can he ride me good!” They all laugh with how pleased their sex life is.
“What are you going to do about that girl though? Nick seems to have a thing for her.” The brunette is now talking about me. I know it’s me, because we have a thing for each other. He told me he liked me. I heard it with my own ears.
“Who? Carter? Or Cassie? Or whatever her name is? Meh . . . I’ve got Ryan on her. He’ll wine and dine her, and I’ll have Nick all to myself. Not that she was a threat. I just wanted her out of my way, that’s why Ryan took that photo.” I lean forward, causing the seat to creak a little, but they’re too caught up in their own gossip to even notice the sound. “It was too easy.”
“But didn’t he yell at you? He knows he was set up. Rob told me.” Their brunette friend protrudes her hip, staring at Maya.
“He doesn’t know he was set up, he’s only guessing. I made it look like we were about to have sex. Simple as that. Although if he said yes, I wouldn’t have protested. He belongs with me, always has and always will. That bitch can take a hike and go drown herself.” Maya purses her lips to apply the lipstick. Once she’s done, she fluffs her hair. “Besides, she’s got nothing on me. I’m way hotter than her. She’s such a wannabe, it’s really sad. Nick only talks to her because he feels sorry for her.” She smiles and they all leave out the door behind her like little lost ducklings. I stay where I am. I haven’t moved a fraction of an inch from the toilet seat.
My legs drop down, not believing what I just heard. She and Ryan set him up so it looks like they were together to stop me from liking him. I don’t mind the insult as much as the thought of her being so malicious enough to set him up to make it look like they had sex and were caught. That’s messed up.What a bitch.
“What the fuck?” I whisper to myself, and my brows slowly start to furrow at the mere thought of them doing that to him and me. They’re such assholes. I stand up and decide to make my way to my class. Once I get inside, I sit at the back, away from everyone, while I think about what I need to do.
I need to apologize to Nick.
The lecture couldn’t go any slower. I should’ve just skipped it and went to find Nick. He’ll be at home, hopefully. I hope I get there before she does.
I’m sitting in the lecture room, impatient and ready to bolt out as soon as it ends, but the hands of the clock is torturously slow. I’m about to lose my mind.Come on, come on.
“Alright, that’s enough for today. I’ll see you all tomorrow,” the professor announces, and I’m out of there. As soon as I reach the doors, I’m greeted by half of the football team crowding around the entrance. I push some out of the way and start to run. I probably shouldn’t be running right now, but I need to see Nick.
I need to see him.
I quickly look out of the doors to see if there are any cameras around, and I smile, noticing there’s nobody in the area with one.
Running past people, I run away from campus and towards the guys’ house, past the shrubs and trees lining the streets. The next five minutes are like hell. I’m sweating and panting like I need a tank of oxygen to fill my lungs.Maybe I do, I’m so unfit.
I see their door and jump over the football on the lawn, making my way to knock. Once the wood meets my knuckles, I rest both hands on my knees, trying to get the air back into my lungs. Nobody answers the door, so I knock again. I see somebody saunter down the hallway without at care in the world through the windows and then it opens.
He's standing there in a black fitting shirt and grey sweatpants hanging loosely off his hips. I can see a band of tanned skin just above it, and I can feel myself nearly drool at the sight of him. It’s Nick. His lackadaisical expression morphs into one of surprise. Dropping the water bottle in his hand, his eyes widen at the sight of me.
