AllFreeNovel
Share Us
It was a true, tween tragedy. Shakespeare would have been proud.
“I sure hope Hunter isn’t the only rookie getting action tonight,” the man of the hour joins us with a mop and bucket in tow. Only coming up to my chin, what Cody lacks in height he more than makes up for in width. The guy is built like a brickhouse; it’s no wonder the opposing teams can’t get by his defense line.
“Aw Cap, the night is still young. Nico and I are just letting the other boys have a taste before we embark on the main course.” I wiggle my eyebrows suggestively as Cody laughs.
“You are a confident one, Wes. I'll give you that."
“You know it. Need any help with clean up duty?” I gesture towards the mop, praying he won’t take me up on the offer. Drunk people are the worst to clean up after.
“Nah, you boys have fun. I’m making the rounds and figured I’d best be prepared. Expect the unexpected and all that.” Cody sighs, taking note of a shirtless Hunter and his partner who doesn’t look far behind in the strip tease.
“I better send those two somewhere private. Enjoy the main course boys.” Nico and I raise our plastic cups in toast as our captain leaves to eliminate Hunter’s pending lawsuit for public indecency.
“Hey, what happened to that girl you bulldozed this afternoon? I thought you’d have introduced me to your latest victim by now.” Nico glances around the packed room, obviously forgetting he has no clue what this girl looks like.
I shrug, “I texted Lou the address but never heard back. She probably couldn’t handle my dashing good looks twice in one day.”
Nico snorts, “More like she’s suffering from a mild concussion. You aren’t exactly light my friend.”
“Hey, I’ve never had any complaints from ladies before. I do my best work on top.” Cocking his head to the side, Nico smirks at me over his beer, “Not sure a body slam onto the front lawn is your best work, but I admire the effort.”
I raise my cup in acknowledgment, shifting my gaze around the crowded room to see if Lou decided to make a late appearance.
Let’s get one thing straight: I am not the type of guy who searches the crowd for a girl. Not that I’m against the romantic notion, it’s just there are somany options that I’ve never understood how one person’s absence could make such a difference. Especially if that person is attractive and of the opposite sex.
Here’s my reasoning: why pine after one girl when there are plenty of other sexy, horny women who are more than happy to make my acquaintance? Exactly. It’s a rhetorical question.
So, the fact I am currently scanning the crowd for one particular grey-eyed freshman shows my integrity. I said I’d help the MILF’s daughter settle in, and that’s exactly what I plan to do.
Lou’s absence is strangely… irritating. Could be I’m still butt-sore from being ghosted - first time ever - but I sensed the beginning of a friendship this afternoon. The fact she left me on read feels like a challenge. And when I set my mind to something, I achieve it. Whether it’s winning the role of Jack Sparrow in sixth grade, making it on Taber’s lacrosse team, or befriending the girl I tackled this afternoon; I always accomplish my goals.
Whether Miss One Trip knows it or not, she has set down a challenge. And it is not one I am about to lose.
Making eye contact with a gorgeous foreign exchange student, I immediately send dimples her way. The slanted eyes, sleek dark hair, and spectacular rack are all I need to follow her beckoning finger across the room.
Smiling coyly, all thoughts of Lou vanish from my mind as the Asian Goddess takes my hand and leads me to the nearest cloakroom. No names, no numbers, no promises.
Remember what I said about options?
Lou
I bailed on Wes’ party.
I know, I know. Why would a girl who struggles to make friends turn down a perfectly good opportunity to make connections? The answer is pathetically simple.
The reason I struggle to make friends is because I am terrified of putting myself out there. And yes, I am aware that everyone is scared of wandering outside their comfort zone, but for me it’s different.Iam different.
No matter what group or club I try to join, I just never seem to… click with anyone. That sense of relief that comes with knowing you’re among your people? I’ve never felt it. I’ve never even had people who I would consider to be my people.
In high school, I lost any connection I had with the few girls I grew up with when our lives split into the designated cliques. Some of them joined sport teams, others band assembly, and a couple even managed to hit popular status. As for me, well, I had no clique. I was the loner of the loners. High school became three years of keeping my head down and making it through one day at a time.
Does any of this excuse my ghosting of Wes? No, it does not. But to be fair, he only texted me the address, so I’m guessing it was a copy-and-paste effort for all his contacts. I have no doubt my absence will go unnoticed.
To give myself some credit, I didconsidergoing. For about two minutes until I realized Stella wasn’t home and there was no way I was knocking on my neighbours’ doors to see if they wanted to be my calvary. Not exactly the first impression I wanted to make.
So that’s how I end up spending my first evening of university alone in my room, breaking down the last few boxes, and playing the air guitar to Green Day. It isn’t so bad until the last piece of cardboard gets thrown away and suddenly it’s just me and Billie’s vocal cords. I sigh, flopping on my bed – heavily sanitized, don’t worry – and stare at my new, patchy ceiling.
It’s the down moments that are the worst. When you have places to go and moving boxes to break, your mind is occupied; you have a purpose, an activity that takes up your focus. But when that activity is finished, and you’re left with just your thoughts for company, that’s when the heaviness sinks in.
