Page 44 of Defining Us

Just having a general conversation with Chase, which is Lonigan’s real name, is actually nice. Like I thought, he’s a pretty nice guy. He has three sisters back home and he’s the first one in his family to ever go to college. So, it’s kind of a big deal. He’s also on a scholarship like Jordan and has the same big dreams of every guy on this team, to be playing in the NFL someday. He is sitting close to me on the bench Xavier made me sit on. His leg is touching mine and the occasional shoulder bump. There are no fireworks going off from the touch, but I’m enjoying talking to him. Just starting to open up a bit about myself, and then I start to hear a shrill voice behind me. It’s making my skin crawl as she gets closer. Lonigan is still chatting, oblivious to her. Even though she is calling his name.

“Did you forget to save me a seat? Oh well, this will have to do.” Before he even has time to react, a tiny redhead is planting her ass on his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck and very clearly claiming what she believes is hers.

“You okay there, Stacey?” I can see the laughter at her in his eyes.

“I am now. You promised to let me know when you got here. I’ve been waiting for you inside.” She plants a kiss now on his lips so there is absolutely no mistaking what she’s doing.

Rolling my eyes, I’m not sure if Chase is laughing at her actions or my reaction to her.

“Nat, this is Stacey who you might have guessed is my date. Stacey, this is Nat who is a friend of Jordan’s from his hometown. Just here for the night, so put your claws away.” We’re both laughing but I’m not sure Stacey sees the funny side of it all. Like she has secretly summoned for reinforcements, her squad appears behind her. All glammed up after the game and not wearing a whole lot of clothes. Pretty standard party attire.

“So, if you’re a friend of Jordan’s, why aren’t you hanging out with him then?” Stacey leans a little more forward so her tits that are spilling out the top of her shirt are almost in Chase’s mouth.

“Stacey, cool it,” he grumbles at her.

I take a deep breath. “Unless you are blind—which I’m guessing you aren’t, because the sight of me talking to Chase has you worked up into a small explosion—then you can see Jordan is a little busy with two of your friends right now. Friends don’t cramp friends’ style, is what I was always told.” Now I know why I don’t attend many frat parties or after-game celebrations. Nothing has changed. There are still the popular girls who think they rule the place and the guys who let them just so they can get their rocks off for the night.

“Chase? Who’s Chase?” She looks so confused, I’m just laughing. Standing, I place my hand on his shoulder, giving it a little squeeze.

“I’ll let you explain that to the genius in the room. I’m going to find the bathroom.”

“And that is why you are a cool chick, Nat. It’s in the house, past the kitchen. Take the door on the right and it’s upstairs, second door on the left. You might want to knock first and make sure you lock the door. You don’t want any unwanted visitors.”

Xavier gives me a nod that he heard and knows where I’m off to, and Stacey is busy looking pissed off at me because Chase is still paying more attention to me than her.

Walking away, I take a few breaths to calm down. If I didn’t need to pee so badly then there is no way I would attempt a bathroom trip. I don’t even have a friend to take with me. Bathrooms at a house party are unknown territory. You never know what you will find inside.

If all the bedrooms are full then that leaves the bathroom to have sex in. Not the most comfortable spot, I think, but then what would I know with all my worldly experience? So, you can either walk into half-naked people getting it on, or worse still, getting their drug dose for the night. Either one freaks the shit out of me. I just need to go, so I’m praying I fluke it and find it empty. We aren’t too far into the night, so fingers crossed it’s not a no-go zone yet.

You know you’re the outsider when every girl at the party is eyeing you up like you’re here to steal what’s theirs, and the guys are looking at you like fresh meat. Lucking out with the bathroom and heading back outside, I feel the eyes on me like I’m doing the walk of shame. I want to shout that I just went in there to pee!

While I’ve been gone, my seat is now taken by a girl that Xavier looks quite taken with. I know the look he gets when he is on the hunt—well, that’s what I call it. Stacey is now busy putting her tongue down Chase’s throat—or Lonigan, as she likes to call him. But there is a noticeable absence. Jordan and his blonde bombshells have disappeared.

I want to be strong and tell myself I don’t care where he is and what he’s doing, but it’d just be a huge lie. I don’t want to go and cramp Xavier’s style, and Chase is a bit preoccupied, so I’m left standing in no-man’s land.

Time to do the only thing left to get through tonight. Grab another drink and find a corner somewhere to hide in.

Xavier gives me a little smile as he spots me across the yard, and he can stop worrying now that I survived the toilet run. His full attention moves to the girl that he’s trying hard to impress, judging by the way he’s puffing his chest out that little bit more now.

I came here tonight not thinking I would drink one ounce of alcohol and now I’m looking for my third drink and trying to weigh up how strong to make it. Instead of making a decision between beer or hard liquor, I choose both. Doing a shot of tequila, with a lick and suck, I then grab a beer and walk to a nice spot at the edge of the garden where there’s a little retaining wall. Just the perfect height I can sit on and casually drink my beer. It tastes like shit, but then everything feels like a sour taste in my mouth tonight.

Including the company!

ChapterNine

NATALIE

Iwas right to be nervous about this weekend. Everything has turned to shit, just like I was expecting.

At least there’s one guaranteed savior for parties, and that is your phone. You can always make it look like you are engrossed in something, when you’re really just scanning your social media or watching stupid shit on YouTube. And when all else fails, my book apps are always there waiting. Except tonight the words aren’t as clear as they should be. That shot of tequila might have been what pushed me over the edge.

I don’t know how long I’ve been sitting here when I see a pair of white runners that I recognize in front of me. His feet are huge, and I’m sure if I said that out loud, the response I’d get back would surely be about the size of his dick.

“What are you doing here?” I ask without even looking up from my phone.

“Checking you’re okay.” His deep voice echoes around me.

“Why, where’s your date?” I don’t know why I’m being such a bitch; it must be the alcohol kicking in and that the night seems like it’s gone on forever.

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