Chapter 57
You Told Them What
Adrian returns to the apartment the following Wednesday. It's been more than a week since I've seen him, and we've only texted a couple of times, just to see how the other was doing.
Max, Kade, and I are in my living room, watching Southpark, waiting for my roommates to get home from work so we can go to dinner, when Adrian busts through the door looking extremely pissed.
Standing in the door, arms crossed, staring at me, he asks, “Can you please tell me what you told my co-workers about my sexual abilities?”
It takes me a minute to figure out what he’s talking about, then I remember the carnival and my conversation with the cougar. I bite my lip, not really trying to hide my smile.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
He narrows his eyes. “Bullshit, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Ever since that carnival I’ve felt like Julie, and a couple of the other teachers, have been looking at me with disgust. Then today, Brad, one of other teachers, asks me if you and I are still together. I don’t want his creepy ass sniffing around you, so I told him yes. He looked totally surprised and when I asked why, he tells me that you told Julie something about me being shitty in bed and you were planning to break up with me.”
Max barks out a laugh and Kade looks at me, wide-eyed, somehow shocked that I would do such a thing.
I attempt a look of innocence. “Listen, I did what I had to. Those cougars were watching you like you were the last antelope on the conservation, no matter I was standing right next to you. I decided to take drastic measures.” I shift my attention back to the TV, trying to downplay the whole event. “It was no big deal. I only said it to one person. It’s not my fault she told all her cougar friends.”
His angry expression softens.
"You were jealous?"
"What?" His sudden mood shift confuses me.
"You were jealous,” he says again. “You did it because you were jealous, not because you were trying to humiliate me."
I'm tempted to deny it. Three weeks ago, when I had the conversation with the cougar, I was denying it to myself. If I'm expecting him to stop playing games and grow up, I need to do the same.
I sigh, sounding exasperated. "Yes, I was jealous. Does that make you happy?"
The smile that engulfs his face answers my question, but he still replies, "Absofuckinglutely."
He dives onto the couch next to me and the grin remains plastered on his face. I can't understand how I have so much power over another person's happiness. The things I do and say have a direct impact on his emotions. What's more bizarre is that I want to do things to make him happy. This is a new feeling for me because I generally enjoy irritating people.
When Shyanne gets home from the barn, she goes straight to Kade and curls up in his lap. I’ve watched them fall completely head over heels for each other, that they rarely know what's going on with the rest of us. I'm happy for Shy. I may not know details, but I know that Shy has not had an easy life. She deserves this now.
When Gemma gets home from work, we all decide to go to the cafeteria for dinner. Well, everyone except for Shyanne and Kade, they opt for dinner alone… again.
Because it's such a nice evening, the four of us decide to walk across campus. Gemma and Max are goofing off and beg him for a piggyback ride. Adrian tells me to climb on his back, then he challenges Max to a race. We’re all laughing hysterically by the time we make it to the student center. As fun as that was for me, I love seeing Adrian laugh again.
We’re passing the mailboxes when I see my new archenemy, Katie, walking toward us. She’s with a couple of her friends, and she doesn't miss the opportunity to piss me off.
Chapter 58
Just To Be Clear
With a malicious smile, but saccharin sweet voice, Katie coos, "Hey Adrian."
These are the moments when I wish I had a superpower. Something that could turn bitchy girls into sea lions would be nice.
When I look at Adrian, not sure what reaction I want him to give, he lifts his chin in a gesture of hello. I also see his twitching jaw muscle. I keep walking, but it takes a lot of willpower to say nothing. I don't know what I want to say, but the pain in my chest is aching for a release.
We take a couple more steps before Adrian grabs my hand, pulling me, then spins me until my back is against the wall. He places his hands on the wall, on either side of my shoulders, caging me in. He leans in until he's an inch from my face.
"Just to be clear," he says between heavy breaths, "I desperately want to hold your hand, kiss you, and scream at the top of my lungs that I love you. I want her, and every other person on this campus, to know that you’re the only person I want. The only thing that's stopping me is the fear that I'll piss you off again, and the way you feel is more important than what all these assholes think."
Well then, that was a very unexpected, amazing, response. I bite the inside of my bottom lip, but I'm sure it doesn't hide my pleased smile. We watch each other for a few seconds before I respond.
"You don't need to do that. I know how you feel. I don't need some dramatic proclamation."
He lifts one side of his mouth in a half-smile then rubs my cheek with the back of his fingers. His gaze is locked on my mouth, apparently still considering kissing me.
He stops rubbing and lifts my chin with a finger. When I'm looking into his eyes, he asks, "So, you know that I love you?"
I roll my eyes like an irritated teenager. “Well yes, you've only said it to me every day for the past few months," I tease.
The smile reaches his eyes, and he nods once, stepping back and gesturing toward the cafeteria.
I sigh, kinda wishing he'd kissed me. Okay, I was really wishing he'd kiss me, but whatever.
I push off the wall and turn to go when I see Gemma, standing in the middle of the hall, grinning like a proud mom.
I get to her and grab her hand, dragging her to the cafeteria. "Come on you annoyingly sappy woman. I'm hungry."
With a grunt, she follows but not without complaint. "Why do you have to ruin every happy moment for me?"
"Why do you still get surprised when I ruin your happy moments?" I ask.
She nods, conceding my point.
Before we finish eating, Adrian's phone chimes. When he picks it up, I see it's a message from Brandon. He swipes the notification, and I watch his face light up as he reads the text.
He looks up and says to Max, “Brandon’s coming to visit.”
***
Adrian
I pace the living room, waiting for my brother to arrive, checking my watch every two minutes.
“You know, making me dizzy and staring at the time, won’t get him here any sooner, right?” Max asks.
I give him a fuck you look as I begin my next lap across the floor. A few minutes later, I hear a car pull in the drive. I bound out the door and down the steps, slamming into Brandon, almost toppling him over.
“Damn, I missed you,” I say, slapping Brandon on his back.
“No kidding? I couldn’t tell,” Brandon teases.
I hold on a few more seconds before releasing him. Seeing Brandon, here, knowing he’s safe, releases one of the heavy bricks lying on my heart.
Raising four boys, under constant scrutiny of an alcoholic father, was hell. Having Brandon tell me he’d enlisted to fight for our country, was just a different place for me to live in hell.
Brandon’s not yet been deployed, but we all know his day will come, and we’ll all wait, helplessly, for his return.
“Come on,” I say, slapping him on the back one more time. “I’ve got friends I want you to meet.”