Page 5 of Surviving Lies

Seeing Xander made me realize how much I was missing my best friend. He was supposed to be here, by my side, doing all this stupid shit with me. We were supposed to have each other’s backs. But he didn’t return to school this fall.

Last year was rough for him. He brought some problems with him from home that resulted in him drinking too much. Most kids at college drink too much, but most kids when they drank didn’t get overly handsy with the girl they claimed to be in love with. That was Logan – with Lanie. Unfortunately, it happened before any of us knew the extent of Lanie’s abusive past, so it really hit her hard. But they worked it out, were even friends again by the end of freshman year. He turned it around a bit after that. Spring semester, he stayed dry and made it through. But apparently this summer did a lot of us in, him included. So, he’s taking this semester off.

“Hey, Ty,” Xander said as he appeared behind me. “Listen, don’t worry too much about what I said about Becca. You know her. She can be, um ...” He stumbled over his words, not wanting to offend me.

“Dramatic,” I offered.

Our joint laugh lightened the mood.

“Yeah, dramatic,” Xander concurred. “I’m sure Lanie is calming her down as we speak.” As he said those words, his head snapped up as if attached to an invisible tether. His eyes widened as they zoned in on something across the room, and his mouth turned up in a small smile. I watched him drop everything he was doing and move effortlessly toward Lanie, reaching her before she even closed the back door. They weren’t one of those couples that disgusted me; he didn’t start making out with her right there in the middle of the room. No, they were more subtle than that.

But everyone knew Xander loved Lanie.

And I wish everyone knew I loved Becca. Because I did. But timing was everything in life.

“Ty!” Lanie called out as she approached us, almost jumping into my arms giving me her hug.

“Hey, Lane, how are you?” I asked into her hair since she was refusing to give up on the hug.

Her mouth found my ear, and her words were soft. “I think I’m doing better than you are. You OK?” She pulled back, making eye contact. The sadness in her eyes, combined with a hint of accusation, told me everything I needed to know. As happy as I was to see her, I wasn’t ready for the inquisition. I started pulling back, but she held on. “Ty, I won’t pry. But you’ve been a significant support for me. Last year, I couldn’t have gotten through without all of you being there.” I looked away, my eyes trying to find something else to focus on, knowing where this was going and wanting no part of it. “I’m here for you, Ty. I mean, with Logan not here, and now this with Becca, this is a lot for you. Talk to me if it will help. OK?”

I nodded, my eyes still nowhere near hers, and pulled out of her grasp. “Yeah, I’m fine, really.”

Xander graciously interrupted a tense moment of silence. “Ty, can you work the bar? It’s getting crowded and we need a few guys over there manning the keg.”

I nodded – seemed it was all I could do at the moment – and started in that direction. But then I felt a small hand on my arm, holding me back.

“She’s excited to see you.”

I didn’t look at Lanie but didn’t walk away either, waiting to see if she had more to say.

She noticed my piqued interest and continued. “She’s back there still, trying to pick the best outfit to wear, knowing she’ll be seeing you.”

I turned to her. Her wide eyes held concern and told me I needed to be ready, ready for the tornado known as Becca Reynolds when she fucking came through that door.

“That bad?” I asked.

“Well, I’ve seen her worse, let’s put it that way. She’s not mad, if that’s what you’re wondering. She’s–” Lanie paused as she thought about what Becca was, making me even more concerned. “Becca is nervous.”

Shit, that was worse than mad. That meant today could involve tears and talking. And I didn’t have time for either. And she was going to read that completely the wrong way. I would have to figure out some way to make some time to talk to her.

“Thanks, Lanie,” I offered with a small smile. She nodded and headed to the bar to get a drink. I followed to the keg as Xander asked, the crowd already getting rowdy.

Today was setting up to be a full-on rager. Someone had said there were possibly over two hundred people already, and it was only three in the afternoon. If we weren’t careful, it could easily get shut down by the cops. First weekend back, though, the cops were usually pretty chill about parties, as long as we kept it under control.

“Hey, man, you good?” Jake asked. He was one of my roommates this year, and a great guy. I met him last year when Logan and I went to the rush event for the fraternity. Once I knew Logan wouldn’t be here, he and I hooked up with a few other guys we knew would be interested in rushing the frat.

“Yeah, I’m good.” My voice didn’t match my words.

“Ya sure, dude? You look like fucking shit. What’s up? Today’ll be fun. Look around at all the fine ass we have to pick from.” His arms spread wide as his gaze scanned the girls he felt were at his disposal. He was a good-looking guy, and he usually had girls lining up to hook up with him at every party we were at. “I know we have to work a shit ton today, but there is no way I’m not getting my dick sucked by one of these hotties. I mean, look at them. Each one is hotter than the next.” He sidled up to a gorgeous blonde with huge tits as he was talking, his arm hooking around her neck as she walked by. Her wide smile as she looked up at him told us both he was right; they would be upstairs in a matter of minutes.

“Where the fuck does Jake think he’s going?” Xander’s voice boomed in my ear. I turned his way and shrugged my shoulders. “Maybe later tonight you guys might have some time to hang out, but today is all about getting shit done as a team.”

“You don’t have to tell me.” We both moved toward the keg, hearing one guy having trouble with it. As we were working on it, bent over, I felt the oddest sensation run up my spine. It was as if tiny explosions of electricity blasted each vertebra, making me bolt upright. It ran to my neck, spreading across my chest, constricting my breathing.

I froze. But only for a moment before I felt compelled to look up.

And that was when I saw her.

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