AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter 20
So, you'releaving."
I smiled over my shoulder and pointed to the desk. "Can you hand me the tape?" I askedgently.
Lizzie pouted, but reached for it anyway, handing it over. "This isn't fair. The semester isn't even over yet. What about classes?" sheasked.
I shrugged. "I guess it just wasn't forme."
Lizzie narrowed her eyes and then swept her bright pink hair back. In the weeks since I'd known her, it had grown a few inches longer. It was probably unnoticeable to anyone else, but I could tell by the dark roots growing in at the top of herhead.
Crossing her arms over her chest, she harrumphed. "What if I don't like whoever they stick me with next?" she challenged. "What if they're a freak that stares at me while I sleep or they like blaring loud music in the middle of thenight?"
I laughed. "You'll survive; besides, you probably won't get a new roommate until next semester. Who transfers to a different college mid-semester?"
I had meant for that to be a rhetorical question, but Lizzie—being Lizzie—fired back right away. "Who leaves college mid-semester?"
I sighed and finished closing up the last of my boxes. I hadn't brought much with me to begin with. As it was, this box was merely school supplies I had ended up getting after moving in. Less than a month in college and already, I was leaving again. At one time, that might have depressed me, but now...well, I had other things I could do, and those things made me happy. Happiness was whatmattered.
I pushed the box to the side and sat on the bed I had only slept in a handful of times. "I won't forget you," Isaid.
Lizzie bit her lip. I had hit the nail on the head. "You promise?" sheasked.
Nodding, I reached forward and took her hands in mine. "Ipromise."
Her eyes watered, but she pulled her hands away and dashed away the tears hanging on her lashes before they could fall. "I mean, of course, you won't forget me. It's a little hard to forget someone so freaking awesome." She waved her hands in the air and avoided my gaze as I moved off the bed to reach for the box on the floor and hefted it up in my arms. “Plus, you have my number,right?”
I smiled and nodded. The door opened, and Bellamy stood there in one of his paint shirts and a pair of whitewashed jeans. "Need some help, Sweetheart?" he reached for the box and took it without furtherdelay.
"Thanks, I'll be right down," Ireplied.
He nodded, flicking a glance at Lizzie and then headed back into the hall. I let the door close behind him oncemore.
"So..." Lizzie began with a wicked smirk, "you're really dating them, then? That's how itis?"
I laughed. Leave it to Lizzie to just put things out there like that. Even Erika hadn't asked yet and she had seen me kiss more than one of them right in front of her. Then again, Erika, while thankful for our help, wasn’t exactly in the mood or right state to evaluate anyone’s life right now. Even her parents had agreed that being away from them right now wasn’t a good decision. To my knowledge, she was moving up north to live with her grandparents until her parents could sell their house and move as well. I smiled sadly as I smoothed a hand over the end of the baremattress.
“Hmmm?” Lizzie twisted her head to the side and looked at me, her smirk widening. Finally, she gave up on a response and scoffed. “Ugh. I hate you,” she said without passion, sitting up straight. “Five guys, huh? Just like the fast foodplace.”
I laughed so hard my stomach hurt. She was right. There was no denying it now; I was in a relationship with Knix, Bellamy, Marv, and Texas—my Iris boys. As for Grayson, well, he was no longer on the outskirts, though, of course I knew she included him. He and Marv had seemed to work out their major issues. They were slow—like obese turtle slow—on building any sort of friendship after being enemies for solong.
"Yeah, I guess that's how it is," I said, turning to faceher.
Lizzie's lips quirked, the corners of her mouth tight and sadness crossed over her eyes again. "I'm going to miss you so much," she said. "I mean, I know we didn't spend a whole lot of time together, but you were a cool roommate and it's gonna suck if they stick me with someone who has stinkyfeet."
I laughed again, shaking my head. "Like I said, I'm sure you'llsurvive."
Lizzie shook her head harshly. "No, I can't. I won't." Turning and throwing herself upon the soft comforter covering her bed, she moaned dramatically while squeezing her eyes closed. "I'm dying. I can’t live withoutyou.”
"Yeah, sure." I didn't even attempt to contain my sarcasm. Grayson was rubbing off onme.
Lizzie peeked her eyes open. Huffing out a breath, she sat up again. "Are you sure I can't convince you to stay?" sheasked.
I nodded. "Positive." I looked around the room—half of which was now empty—cleared away of all the things the guys and Clarissa had thought I would need in my short timehere.
"What are you going to do?" she asked, straightening. "What about Kelsey? Did you say goodbye toher?"
I looked at the door. "Yeah, I caught her on my way up. She was heading to class. We said ourgoodbyes."
