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Falling For Autumn 18
Autumn
Ontheeveningof the first tutoring session in his dorm, Autumn was so nervous and excited that she arrived early. She texted him when she was there, but knew he still was at the dining hall even though she’d thought about meeting him there to walk back with him.
His reply was immediate. On my way.
She leaned against the building while she waited. The air was beginning to chill despite the warm temperatures earlier when the sun was high in the sky. She was glad she wore the hoodie even though Berkely insisted she wear something cute.
“Hey there.” A voice said, causing her to look up from her phone. Kolson’s friend from the party braced his arm against the wall beside her. “What are you doing here?” His eyes were dark, almost black and his tongue flicked out of his mouth like a lizard.
“Do I know you?” She slid her hand in her pocket and curled it around the pepper spray she carried when walking around campus by herself.
“Aren’t you the chick who tutors?” His lips turned in a sideways smile as if he thought he was going to charm her.
She was about to pull out the pepper spray when she heard Kolson’s voice, “I’m here.” He adjusted his hat and turned toward Marco, “Don’t you live at the frat house?”
Marco held out his hands and said, “I’m here visiting friends.”
“Not Autumn,” Kolson said.
“Just enjoying the view while I wait.” When Marco looked back at Autumn with a slimy smile, looking her up and down as if he were undressing her with his eyes, she noticed Kolson’s jaw clench. He put his arm around her. She wasn’t sure whether he was being jealous or protective, but it sent a thrill through her. Autumn never knew she would be attracted to that, but she surprisingly was.
“Let’s go upstairs,” Kolson said.
“Ah, so that’s how it is?” Marco drawled as they started toward the door. “You can get into anyone’s pants.”
The weight of Kolson’s arm on her shoulders left as he spun and swung at Marco. Marco ducked and laughed.
And people said girls were dramatic.
Marco held up his hands and let out a slow chuckle. “Easy there.”
Kolson turned toward Autumn, breathing heavily and fist still clenched at his sides. “You okay,” he asked as if she had been hit.
She nodded. “I do have to wonder how safe I am with a boyfriend who can’t land a hit.” The word was out of her mouth before she thought about it.
He lifted an eyebrow. “Your boyfriend, huh?”
What she had meant to be a joke turned into a completely embarrassing moment. They hadn’t discussed whether they were boyfriend and girlfriend. Why did she make it sound like she had assumed that?
She shuffled her white-scuffed Vans on the sidewalk and started fidgeting with the ends of her ponytail. “Well, I mean … not …”
A smile stretched on his face. “I like the sound of that title.”
Her cheeks warmed, she wasn’t sure what to say or where to look.
“I mean that is if you want a boyfriend who misses a punch.” Kolson shrugged. “I guess I should have tackled him. I’m much better at that.”
That made her giggle. “I should hope so.”
“Let’s go upstairs.” He opened the door and motioned for her to go inside.
The boy’s dorm didn’t necessarily stink, but it had a different smell to it than the girls. It wasn’t perfumy or flowery. More like must and disinfectant. She followed him up a flight of stairs. There was a guy strutting the hall with a towel wrapped around his waist. Not that Autumn had never seen that before, but this wasn’t her brother or his friends. She looked at the ground. Kolson reached over and threaded his fingers through hers. Her stomach flipped.
Finally, they made it to his room. He held the door open as she entered. It was clean. Both beds were made and except for a couple of half empty water bottles, nothing seemed out of place.
“This smells better than Preston’s room.” She sat her backpack on the ground and walked around. Noticing the photo by one of the beds, she picked it up. It was Kolson in his football uniform all but his helmet. His hair was sweaty. He was flanked by a woman, a tall, lanky guy was next to him. Other than their body types, they looked similar. It was the eyes and the smile. “Is this your family?”
