The fraternity house Wes belongs to, but no longer lives in, isn’t too far, so we walk. Since we don’t have to worry about driving, we can get trashed. The night is balmy, and the area is alive with students ready to graduate or start summer break. Music filters out of homes and apartments; there’s screaming, and cars driving too fast. A girl shrieks, then giggles in the distance.
I shake my head and laugh at the chaos. God, I’m going to miss it here. But I miss Cannon Beach more, the place that always soothes my soul, especially around my stoic and strong friend. And I miss my girl, Willow. When we first found her, she was so skinny and scrawny that the name just came to me. Now she’s grown into a healthy, beautiful dog.
Wes and I make it to the house that’stheplace to be tonight. There’s a line to get in as we’re carded, so that we can drink. Theuniversity has been cracking down on drugs and drinking recently, so the fraternities and sororities are being careful.
As soon as we walk in, the house is packed with students.
“Drinks first!” Wes yells over the throbbing dance music.
I nod and follow him toward the kitchen, where shots are being served. We toss back two of the sickly sweet drinks before grabbing ourselves a beer from the keg.
When a familiar hip-hop beat plays, Wes and I throw our heads back and laugh. “We aresodancing to this!” I shout over the noise.
We head toward the living room that’s been converted to a dance floor, packed with people. Wes and I throw ourselves in there, jumping up and down with a fist in the air toJump Aroundby House of Pain.
“Shit, this song is so old!” he laughs.
“It’s a classic!”
Soon, girls are bouncing with us and singing along. I don’t mind. It’s all fun.
After some more drinks, I’m starting to get toasty and a little buzzed. Wes and I dance some more, hoping to lure some girls to him. Sure enough, two of them hit on him. He wraps an arm around one of them, gyrating into her as the other girl sandwiches him from behind as they all dance together. I shake my head and smile. Wes is in heaven right now. One day, he’s going to find the girl who will pin him down, but not tonight.
I wish Geoff were here, but it’s still a fun party. It would be nice to dance with him, and I feel a bit like a third wheel.
After several beers, I need to piss. I tell Wes that I’m off to look for a bathroom. He nods and continues to dance with the girls.
The two bathrooms downstairs have long lines, so I head upstairs to look for another one. My bladder is starting to hurt as I desperately search for a place to empty it. I finally stumble into a bedroom that has abathroom inside. Thank god. There’s a couple fucking on the bed, but I ignore them as I rush to the toilet.
“Don’t mind me…” I mutter. “Just need to take a quick piss and I’m outta here.”
I quickly relieve myself, and after washing my hands, I come out, my head now really spinning from all the alcohol. Wow, the couple is really going at it now, and I sneak a peek at the man sitting up, pumping his hips into his partner, whom I can’t see. What Icansee, though, is the large tattoo on his upper back on the right side—a tattoo I would recognize anywhere. It’s a large rendering of Lady Justice, and a beautiful piece. It took hours and hours to get it done. I would know since I was there holding his damn hand as he winced and whined through the pain.
My gut twists painfully as my dizzy mind tries to deny what I’m seeing. There’s no way Geoff is fucking someone other than me. My brain keeps telling me ithasto be someone else. Geoff wouldn’t cheat on me. He loves me. He told me he does, many times.
I close my eyes and shake my head, trying to clear it before opening them again.Nope, it’s not my buzzed imagination.
My eyes close again to the most recent memory of us in bed after having sex. His fingers gently comb away my sweaty bangs. “I love you, Denny. You’re so special.” I feel how special I am when he says those words, but then they twist because they were all lies.
I squeeze my eyes tightly. I don’t want to see his thrusts into someone else, his familiar body fucking, his cologne lingering in the air mingled with the smells of sex. Fuck, the noises and dirty talk in that voice I would know anywhere. It makes it all more real.
I peek my eyes open, and my mouth moves to say his name, but nothing comes out because half of me doesn’t want to face the reality fucking right there in front of me—Geoff screwing someone who isn’tme. As if saying his name makes it even more real. The need to be in denial clings like hunger, needing to be fed.
Bile rises in my throat, but I eventually manage to find my voice. “Geoff?” I croak.
His body jolts like he’s been electrocuted, and he quickly stops and pulls out of the other guy. Turning his head, he looks back at me with those brown eyes that match mine. His dark brown hair that’s nearly black falls into his familiar face, clinging to his sweaty forehead—a face that I’ve seen just like this countless times after sex. Paired with that dark scruff I’ve always loved against my skin, I’m reminded of why I fell for him in the first place. He’s always been beautiful.
My gaze drops to the bed to find another man I don’t recognize before I look back at my boyfriend—ex-boyfriend.
“Dennis? W-wha… It’s not… I didn’t…” He tries reaching for me, grasping for lies, but I stumble back.
“Don’t fucking touch me!” I hiss. He sags and rubs his face at the sound of hurt in my voice. There’s no talking his way out of this.
“Give us a minute,” he tells the other dude.
A minute? Does he intend to keep fucking him?
I whimper as I watch the other man stand, so much taller, stronger… His hair is red, and he’s so…hot.And not me. Nothing like me. As if Geoff wants to fuck someone who doesn’t look like me to prevent guilt from ruining the moment.
