Chapter Two

Rebecca

 

 

 

 

Thank god it's Friday. The school week has been so long, and Ms. Henley thinks that having a student teacher means having a slave. I have been doing all of her work, and I'm so over it.

Walking into my apartment, I flop down on the couch and close my eyes as my head flops against the pillow. The problem is that once I close my eyes, I see him. I think he said his last name was Marshall but I heard Carter's mom call him Storm. That's one hell of a name and pretty damn fitting. I couldn't help staring at him, I've never had a man look at me the way he was. There was an intensity in his eyes that excited me and scared me all at the same time. I have barely any experience with guys, and something tells me Storm may be more than I can handle

My door opens, and Sara walks in like a tornado almost tripping through the door. "Becca! Have you heard about the big party down at Delta Psi?"

"No, all I've heard all week are sight words, runny noses, and tattletales." I laugh and sit up.

"Well, it's going to be huge, and for once your ass is coming with me." She plops down next to me with a determined look on her face.

I groan knowing there is no way I can go. “Sara you know—“

"I know, big scary overprotective brother. You're a senior in college, we have been best friends for the last two years, and I've never seen you go anywhere but to class and school. You need to get out." She nudges me. "Spread your wings."

I roll my eyes at her. “Fine.”

Her hands clap together, and a huge smile breaks out across her face. "This is going to be ah-mazing! We are leaving at nine."

She races off to her room; I'm sure to spend the next three hours getting ready. I grab some dinner and throw on some trashy reality show that I don't need to pay attention to. Grabbing my phone, I decide to call my brother. Maybe he won't freak out as much I think.

"Hey sis, how's teaching going?" he sounded interested and distracted at the same time.

“It’s been good, just a lot of work. I just wanted to call you and let you know that Sara and I are going out to a party tonight.” I say the last sentence so fast that I’m almost not sure he hears it.

“A party? Where?” I can already hear the panic rising in his voice.

I sigh, "Pat, it's just a college party, it isn't a big deal, and I'm a senior. I think I can handle it, plus I'll be with Sara the whole time." Shaking my head, I hate that I have to explain myself to him. Pat has taken care of me for years, but sometimes he forgets that he's my brother and not my father.

“You know that I’m not okay with this. Anything could happen to you, and I’m not there if it does.”

“Nothing is going to happen to me!” I yell so frustrated with the lack of freedom he gives me.

“You don’t know that. I’m only trying to look out for you. I just want you to be safe.” The sadness in his voice gets to me and its the reason he has always won this argument in the past. I hate hurting him and feel like I’m disappointing him.

“I know you are.” I take a deep breath, “I just need to be able to live my life. I don’t want to let the past control me.”

The silence stretches between us.

"Fine, I won't give you a hard time about it, but you need to check in with me. Text me as soon as you're home and safe." I can hear the reluctance in his voice.

"Deal, thanks, Pat." I know that I don't have to have his approval to go out, but he's done so much for me over the years that I feel like I should.

“I mean it, as soon as you’re home you text me.”

I laugh, “Okay, love you brother.”

"Love you, sister."

I hang up the phone and head to my room to get dressed. Looking at my closet though, I realize I don't have much to wear. I don't even know what people wear to parties aside from the movies that I watch.

My door opens, and Sara appears in a tight red dress. I look at her almost jealous that she has the confidence to wear things like that. "Please tell me you're going to wear more than jeans and a t-shirt." Her nose scrunches up like she smells something bad.

"I don't have much else to wear." I shrug pretending like it doesn't bother me. Sara is the closest friend I have, but even she barely knows me. Letting people in scares me.

"You may not have anything to wear, but I have plenty." She laughs before grabbing my hand and pulling me across the hall into her room. "Take your pick." She waves her hand at her closet as I walk over. There are tons of clothes, and I'm overwhelmed just looking at them. "Okay I'll tell you what, I'll pick for you." She starts to move clothes back and forth until she pulls one out.

"That's cute, do I wear it with jeans?"

"Uh, no. It's a dress, Becca. You don't wear it with anything." She laughs and rolls her eyes at me.

That’s a dress? It doesn’t even look like it will cover my butt all the way.

“Stop being such a prude and go get dressed.” She shoves the dress at me and pushes me toward my room.

Taking my clothes off I pull the dress up and then turn to look in the mirror. It's black, the material crisscrossing over my chest. It forms to my body almost like a second skin, stopping just a few inches below my ass. There is no way I can pull this off. I'm not Sara; I'm not adventurous or sexy. I don't go to parties and wear things like this.

"Come out, or I'm coming in to get you!" Sara shouts from the hall.

I open the door using my hand to try and cover myself. "There is no way I could pull this off."

“Are you kidding? You look hot.” She grabs my hand and starts to head for the door.

"Sara, stop." I pull my hand from her, and she spins to look at me. "I'm not sure about this."

“Becca, you are gorgeous. You’re an amazing person, and you deserve for once in the four years I’ve known you to go out and have a good time.”

"Okay, fine." I walk toward the door, and she screeches in excitement.

The frat houses are only a couple blocks from us, so we start to walk. The campus is buzzing with people running around. The girls dressed up, and the guys following them around.

"Crap, I forgot my phone at home." I turn back to get it, but Sara grabs my hand.

"You don't need it. At least this way Pat can't call you a thousand times, and you won't spend the whole night checking the time to see when you can leave." She laughs as she pulls me toward frat row.

Delta Psi is one of the nicer houses on the street. They don't hold weekly parties like the other frats do, so when they have one its a huge thing. I can already hear the music booming, and we're five houses away. The excitement starts to build inside of me. I've never been to a party like this, so I have no idea what to expect.

"Promise you won't leave me." I grab Sara's arm, and she laughs.

"Don't worry I'll be by your side until you meet some hot guy and shoo me away." She nudges me.

"Doubtful." We walk up the stairs, and the house looks packed.

I take Sara's hand not wanting to get lost in the crowd as we enter the house. "Girl loosens the grip a little; no one is going to bite." She winks at me as she pulls me over to a bar in the middle of the kitchen. Sara orders a drink, but I have no idea what to get. I've never drunk, so I don't even know what I would like.

"Hey, you look a little lost." A voice sounds beside me making me jump. "Sorry, didn't mean to sneak up on you."The guy next to me laughs showing off his perfectly white teeth. "I'm Brandon; I haven't seen you here before." His dark hair hangs just above his eyes, eyes that are watching me and almost studying my every feature.

“Hi, I’m Becca.” I offer him a smile.

"Can I get you a drink?" he offers to nod toward the bartender.

I look past him to where Sara is standing. She gives me a thumbs up and wags her eyebrows; I hold in the laugh bubbling up. "Sure, I'm not sure what to order though."

"How about something sweet?" He cocks an eyebrow at me, and I nod. "I don't hear what he asks for, but soon there is a light pink drink slid over to me.

"Thanks." I take a sip of it, and it tastes delicious.

“Want a tour?” he places his hand on the small of my back as if he’s ready to lead me around.

"Sure." I walk with him as he shows me their game room and the study where they have all the different memories from past years. He tells me that he's a senior too and he's majoring in law.

This all feels so normal and its everything I always wanted.