Ishot off a quick text to our group chat and let them know that I will be another twenty minutes and then I have a shower to calm my nerves. I am so damn confused. I use the time in the shower to wash the scent of Hunter off of me and to also try to steel my backbone.
I am not a weak person, I am not blubbery or overtly emotional. I like to think I am a confident, smart, sassy person. If anything I am probably like an older person, I had my emotions locked down. But when it comes to Hunter all that goes out of the window and I have no idea why.
I throw my hair into a messy bun and after a quick inspection of my neck in the mirror, which sees me spending too much time remembering his mouth on me, I find only one hickey that will be hard to hide. Luckily, I find a sleeveless, turtle-neck gym top that will help me cover it up. I know it is a casual affair so I wear a matching pair of gym leggings, tying a sweater around my waist. With a last look at myself to make sure I look sort of composed, I grab my phone and my card and go to join the movie night. Locking my frustrations in my suite for me to wonder about later.
I only missed the first quarter of the movie and quickly caught up on the horror. I settle on the floor with my back to the sofa and get ready for a series of jump scares that I hope will consume me as opposed to the events from earlier in the evening that are looping incessantly.
“Ginny, Ginny!” Caleb says slowly.
“Huh, sorry,” I reply looking for him in the dark.
“I am getting some drinks, do you want anything?” he asks softly, so as not to interrupt the movie that all our friends are engrossed in.
“I’ll come help,” I offer and jump up, I am so not into the B-Grade horror.
We sneak out of the room and I follow Caleb down to the kitchen. He doesn’t even make a move to grab the drinks but jump up to sit upon one of the kitchen counters, before he taps the spot next to him.
“What’s going on?” he asks when I am sitting next to him. The thing about Caleb is that he is a soft person, not weak but he speaks softly, he feels things on a different level and is wickedly insightful. I kind of know I can’t hide from him, but I need to.
“Just some personal stuff I have to work through Caleb,” I reply with a weak, watery smile, my voice soft so it didn’t reach the movie goers in the next room.
Without thought, he grabs me and pulls me to him and gives me a giant, friendly hug.
“I’m here if you need a chat. Did someone do something I need to know about?” he questions after squishing me in his warm embrace. Speaking to me while holding me still.
“I know you are here. It’s weird Caleb but I already know that I can count on you. Thanks. It means a lot,” I say softly.
We break apart and hop off of the counter finished with our little heart to heart, just as Dom walks in. His eyes immediately take notice at how close we are and he reacts faster than lightning. Stopping his feet and glaring at a distance, first at Caleb and then at me.
“What?” I ask, somewhat surprised at this side of Dom but more irritated than anything else.
“I just came to make sure that you were okay, you looked a bit off when you came in. Maybe Caleb beat me to it, huh?” he responds with a rare tone of snark gracing his voice, before stomping to the fridge grabbing a coke and slamming the door shut.
“Wow, seriously Dom? You know what, I am pretty much done with tonight. I am so damn tired and stressed out, I don’t need your stupid shitty attitude for something that has nothing to do with you. I’ll see you guys at breakfast,” I storm past him before he even has a chance to reach the kitchen door and I keep walking until I am at the front door.
“See ya guys, I am off. I’ll meet you for coffee, like we said, Hartley. Later!” I yell over my shoulder as I leave. I move quickly and pull the door shut behind me. My feet took off at a quick pace, in my desire to put space between the weird shit that just played out between the three of us. The more I think of it though, the more it really pisses me off. I just want to forget about Hunter and now I am in a stupid argument with Dom, over nothing.
The corridors are quiet when I get back to my suite, it's not that far at all but in the time, my phone blows up with a series of texts. I mute it. I am not lying when I say I am done with this day. I just need rest and some time to think. The days are busy enough with the workload and grade expectation without throwing boy drama into the mix.
I take time to ensure that I lock the door behind me this time, and move quickly through my suite, flicking off the lights as I go to my room. I kick my shoes off, uncharacteristically leaving them where they fall and climb under my quilt not even bothering to change. In my frustration I turn to stare out my window, the stars a beautiful distraction. I practice the breathing exercises I learned from yoga and eventually, after a really long time, I drift off in a fitful sleep.
The sun is only just thinking about rising on the horizon, when a knock at my door along with a flurry of constant ringing of my doorbell wakes me from my light sleep. The knocking continues a bit softer this time.
I know who it will be before I get there. Even after muting my phone, he keeps texting me his apology.
I open the door, not even checking my hair or how I look. If Dom is wanting to be my friend like he keeps alluding to, I am sure he can take the good with the bad.
Dom is standing there in his PJ’s, sans his shirt, which is so damn wrong, with a strange pot plant in one hand and a cardboard tray of juices in his other.
“Please, let me in Gin,” he whispers demurely before sneaking in the door, not even waiting for my invitation, even presenting me with the strange flower pot thing as he walks through. Closer inspection it is a prop obviously, the plant is fake and pretty ugly, I am sure they are dotted through the downstairs cafe on the campus.
“Why are you whispering and sneaking in my suite Dom?” I ask, keen to draw out his apology. But Dom doesn’t seem to notice as he moves further away from the door, so that I can’t throw him out. He keeps moving, making a beeline to my bedroom. I follow at a slower pace, a little smile gracing my face. He is ballsy in his confidence, I’ll give him that. I can easily admit to myself that seeing him here at this early hour relieves a ball of anxiousness that had been festering overnight.
When I stand at my bedroom door, Dom is already snuggled in under my quilt, but is holding it up for me, looking at me, with his big steel grey eyes, resembling a big, sad and sorry pup.
“Come on, let me grovel and beg for a bit, promise I’ll be good. I was a complete asshole last night, like a mega hole. I’m so sorry, it was the movie, I swear I was possessed. And I know you need time Gin, but please let me be your friend again,” he smirks at me. “Quick, it's cold,” he flaps the quilt up at me and my eyes drop to him laying in my bed, bare-chested. Man, it is going to get very complicated very quickly.
“Friends,” I say to him, being stern, before taking a running leap into my bed, into his arms. As friends.
