AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Twelve: Guilty Pleasures
Lex
They skipped the initial awkward alone time when Xochitl got back from walking her brother out and saw Lex was in his workout gear. After telling him where the dorm’s gym was, she said she’d be jumping in the shower, and they’d gone their separate ways. At least for the time being. Xochitl had been right about the onsite gym being less exciting than your typical gym. There was no music, limited machines, and equipment but it did the job for now. There were only two other people there when he arrived. Two girls were working out together and they wasted no time in introducing themselves. “You must be a new student this year,” the taller brunette said with a big smile as soon as he put his towel and water bottle down. “IknowI’d remember seeingyouaround. My name’s Shelley. This here is Annette, and you are?”
“Lex.” He smiled and while typically he’d be all for chatting it up with two good-looking girls, today was different. “And yeah, just transferred here from UC San Diego.”
It’s all he’d offer as he started to stretch. Today he was more interested in just getting his workout in and going back to the dorm. Despite Izel’s fucked up little spiel about Xochitl and her soulmate being meant for each other, Lex knew what he saw in those beautiful eyes today when he spoke with her alone. It was the same thing he’d seen the night of the wedding. Pathetically, he’d be hanging on to what Vannah said about Xochitl and her boyfriend falling romantically apart. No matter what her damn brother said.
“So, you’re new to Los Angeles,” Shelley stated the obvious.
“Yep, born and raised in San Diego.” Lex bent his other leg up and held his foot behind his thigh. “La Jolla, specifically.”
“We’re from out of town too but this is our junior year here,” Annette said smiling broadly. “We can show you around if you’d like.”
“That’d be cool,” Lex smiled politely. “But Los Angeles isn’t that new to me. My sister’s been going here for a several years and lives here now. She’s a senior this year. I’ve been out here lots of times in the past few years to visit her. I’ve probably seen all the touristy stuff already.”
“Oh my God, those dimples.” Annette turned to Shelley wide eyed, and it only made Lex smile bigger. As many times as he’d gotten this reaction to his smile, he doubted he’d ever get completely used to it. “We can show you everything else then,” Annette offered. “All the best places to hang out on your down time. Frat Row and such. Ever heard of it?”
While both girls were attractive enough, Annette was by far the sexier one of the two. In Lex’s opinion anyway. He knew a lot of guys might be partial to the thinner of the two. But Lex was a sucker for a pretty face with perfect curves inallthe right places. Even this had him thinking of Xochitl again. Only unlike Xochitl who seemed far more modest about her curves, it was obvious with the tight workout gear Annette was squeezed into, she liked flaunting her curves. As she should. “I’ve heard of it. They had something similar back at UC San Diego.” Lex hopped on the treadmill and pulled his earphones out of his pocket. “There’s probably a Frat Row near every university. I’ll have to check this one out. If you don’t mind.” He held up the headphones ready to end the chit chat and get to his workout. “I’m gonna put these on now. Can’t talk while I’m running anyway. But it’s only my first day here so it’s nice to have met some neighbors already. We’ll touch bases for sure.”
Without waiting for her to respond or possibly continue to engage further in conversation, he put the earphones on and started up the treadmill. Within minutes he was running at a good pace on it. He waved when the girls waved goodbye to him on their way out.
About a half hour later he was done with his workout. It was shorter than he usually worked out but there was a lot less equipment than he was used to at his usual gym. He’d be getting a membership at 5thStreet for sure. Though this onsite gym would do when he just needed to get some quick cardio in. Halfway back to his dorm he ran into Annette again. “Hey, neighbor,” she smiled broadly. “Done already?”
“Yeah, it was just a quick one. That little gym is cool for that, but I think I’m gonna need a membership somewhere else where they have all the other stuff I usually use.”
She walked alongside him when he didn’t stop to chat with her. “5thStreet’s the go-to gym for anyone in Boyle Heights.” She said keeping up with his long strides “There’s other smaller ones if you wanna avoid crowds but it’s by far the biggest one, with the most to offer in the area.”
“I know. I’ve been in there a few times.”
Xochitl walked out of their room holding a laundry basket just as they turned the corner. When she turned and saw Lex, she stopped what she was doing with the doorknob. “Are you going back in?” She glanced at Annette before bringing her attention back to Lex. “So, I won’t lock it.”
“Yeah, leave it open. I’m done with my workout.”
She did and started toward them, basket at her hip. Noticeably glancing at Annette in question, she turned back to Lex without comment, but did address him about something else. “Laundry day. Hopefully, the machines are available.”
“Are there a lot?” Lex asked.
“About ten of each, washers and dryers.”
“Oh, then you should be good.”
Those plump lips pursed as she shook her head. “You’d be surprised. I’ll see you in a bit.” With that, she was off. “She your new dorm mate?” Annette asked in a lowered voice even as Xochitl turned the corner and was out of sight.
“Yep.”
“Good luck.”
“What do you mean?” He turned to her as they reached his dorm door.
“She’s kind of a bitch.”
“You think?” Lex asked shaking off the annoyance of hearing this chick speak badly of Xochitl. “She’s never been a bitch with me.”
Technically, that last part wasn’tentirelytrue. As quickly and easily as he’d gotten sucked into Xochitl at all the wedding events, Lex knew firsthand from day one, she had it in her to be snarky. Then she went and all but cut him off for two whole years without giving him so much as the opportunity to plead his case. Though in her defense, when he finally did get to, she’d been completely honest about why she’d done so. Something he found refreshing. Most girls might have preferred to play it off and not admit the truth. That they’d been hurt after just oneunbelievablynight. Though, if he were being honest with himself, she’d been a niggle in the back of his thoughts ever since the first day he’d met her, when she’d been so indifferent with him. But he hadn’t realized how big that niggle had grown in the two years since he’d last seen or spoken to her until today. “Well, for starters,” Annette huffed. “Her and I have spoken before, and she didn’t even bother to so much as smile at me just now. But every time wehavetalked, she’s been curt and bitchy with me.” Now Lex smirked. He could only imagine what Xochitl’s reason for that was, but he had a feeling she had a good one. Already he could tell Annette was a little on the pushy side. She knew they’d reached his dorm. A dorm he shared with someone she’d just admitted didn’t care for her, yet she was still standing there as if waiting to be invited in. Without commenting on what Annette just said, he opened the door to his dorm. “Well, again it was nice to meet you. I’ll see you around.”
“Listen, Shelley and I are going out for fish tacos later tonight at this place right around the corner where they’re todiefor and super cheap. You should come with.”
