Page 4 of Catch My Fall (Catch)

“So you’re new to the school and the area. Are you an out-of-stater?”

I wasridiculously stressed out about having this question thrown my way because I knew that people were going to ask it again and again, at least for these first few weeks of school. I’m terrified that I’ll meet someone here that knows someone back in my hometown, or worse, that someone from my high school will be here. So far I haven’t seen anyone, but that doesn’t mean they’re not here. Evermore is fairly new, really small, not as highly rated as the other Universities in the state, and it didn’t present at the college fair at my high school. No one that I know of planned to come here, which, in addition to being close to where Macy’s facility is located, is the reason why I’m here. I don’t want anything to taint my shot at a new life. My therapist and I spent the last three months creating coping mechanisms for me to use in case I see someone I know, but I’m just praying that I won’t.

“I’m from a little suburb outside of Dallas, but I didn’t want to go to school there. Evermore is building a solid reputation and since I didn’t want to go to school in a big city, here I am. How about you, are you a local?”

“Yeah, I’m local. I grew upin the area and I live about ten minutes away.”

I searched my brain for something to add to the conversation, but I had nothing. Finally I settled on something that had as much depth as a discussion of the weather.

“Since you stayed local, I guess you must love the area.”

Giving a careless shrug of his shoulders he answered, “Once upon a time, I wanted to go to college inCalifornia, but, you know… life happens. I grew up and running away no longer held the appeal that it once did.”

I was trying to decidehow to respond to that when I heard someone calling my name. Looking over Tristan’s shoulder, I saw Darby making a beeline for me.

“Hey Mia, hey Trist.I’m going to pull a chair over and sit with you guys. There’s an empty chair in the corner over there but other than that there’s nowhere else to sit.”

Darby set her tray down before she sped across the room to grab one lone chair sitting in the corner. The entire time I watched her, I wondered how she knew Tristan. After pulling her chair to the table, she dropped down into the seat before reaching out and punching him in the arm.

“Tristan Chamberlain,” she said firmly. “If you’re trying your bullshit on this girl, I am going to kick your ass! I don’t have it in me to listen to another girl lose her marbles when she figures out that your Malore ass isreallynever going to be interested in committing.”

His eyes flew up to meet mine and I was surprised to see what looked like embarrassment in them. In my experience, guys like Tristan think they’re the best things since sliced bread and there is absolutely no shame to their game.

“Stop calling me that, you know it drives me mental. There’s nothing to worry about anyway. I met her this morning in Business Math and then I got here and needed a seat so I threw myself at her mercy. She’s pretty much been giving me the cold shoulder since the second I met her, so you don’t have anything to worry about. How do you know her?”

My eyes went back and forth between the two of them as I watched them talk. The dynamic between them was very comfortable and I could tell they’ve known each other for a long time.

Gesturing to me with a giant smile, she said, “Mia’s my roommate and soon to be best college friend. That means hands off, butt-face. Don’t make me call my mom to tell her that you’re trying to Malore yourself out to my new friend, ‘cause she will break your ass if I do.”

I had to know what the hell they were talking about. “What in the world is a Malore and how do the two of you know each other?”

Tristan glared at Darby and told her to “keep her ridiculous definitions to herself” but she waived him off with a laugh.

“I grew up with Tristan. He and his brother are Austin’s best friends and they lived four doors down from us when we were growing up. When their grandmother died, my parents became their guardians and they lived with us until college. My brother and the Chamberlains didn’t make growing up easy. The three of them together were every girl’s worst nightmare. They were ridiculous man-whores, which is why I made up that little name. A Malore is a hybrid of the words male and whore.”

Gesturing to Tristan, she continued, “My brother, Tristan’s brother Trace, and this idiot right here were all such pigs that a new word had to be created just for them. I say were because my brother has completely changed for his girlfriend, Allie. But I consider it a full-on public service to get the word about what dogs the remaining Malores are out to the masses. You would be surprised how many girls choose not to heed the warnings! They fall all over themselves to climb on top of them and take a ride on the Malore express, and I don’t get it at all.”

I was reallyenjoying getting to know Darby, and her description was funny enough that I laughed even as I made a note to stay as far away from Tristan Chamberlain as humanly possible. I want no part of someone so cocky that they think they can have anyone. Guys like Tristan disgust me, now more than ever.

He looked uncomfortable andpossibly a little offended by Darby’s explanation, and for a second I felt bad for him, but then I figured that he hadearnedthe name Malore and should be able to deal with the consequences. Any guy that is that big of a player is not someone that I want to be around.

He smiled and tried to counterwhat Darby had said. “She’s right. I guess I’ve been known to be kind of an idiot, but don’t judge me based on what Crazy over here says. I’m not a terrible guy and you don’t need to worry because I’m not trying to get into your pants.”

That one sentence took away my ability to sit with him for another second. The bottom dropped out of my stomach as my heart started beating at triple the rate it had beenbefore. All I could think about was getting far, far away from him. Jumping up from my seat, I grabbed my schoolbag with shaking hands and threw it over my shoulder as I mumbled something about needing to get to my next class. Turning on my heel, I literally ran away as fast as my legs would carry me.

Chapter Three

I got back to my dorm room what felt like a bazillion hours later, after I stood in line for my books for hours on end. Fortunately, I used the time to come up with something to say when Darby inevitably asked why I was such a psycho this morning. There is no way that I want to tell her the real reason yet, so hopefully the story I’ve come up with will cover it well enough that we can forget about it.

Flopping onto my bed, I picked up my cell phone andtexted Macy’s mom, Mary.

Me: Hi Mary! I was thinking about Macy and I wanted to text and say hi and ask how she’s doing.

Mary: She’s doing well honey. Being away from you has stressed her, but it’s for the best since the therapists here have all been where she was. She’s missed you very much though.

Me: That’s why I picked Evermore—to be closer to her. I’m counting down the days to be able to see her again.

Mary: I know that it’s been hard not seeing her, but this program has been a lifesaver and I can’t argue that their methods have worked. She’smaking incredible progress. So much so that when you do get out here to visit, you’re going to be able to talk to her about registering at Evermore!

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