I knock on the door again, louder this time, to be heard over the thumping base. I hear a woman shout something incoherent over the music. The music stops, and a few seconds later, a lock clicks and the door opens a crack. A woman, with dark red hair as rich as wine, greets me in an oversized grey T-shirt, wearing no pants. The blood drains from my face, and I feel like I’m going to vomit.
“Uh, sorry… I must have the wrong room,” I tell her, turning away to shield my face in embarrassment.
“Hey, wait! Are you here for Austin or Kash?” she asks, and once again, my stomach twists in ways that make you want to wretch your guts out.
“Austin…” I mumble, my voice coming out low.
“Vix?” I hear Austin call my name, and I twirl around to see him walking up behind me.
“Hey, I was just coming to change and then head over to pick you up.” He leans forward, placing a kiss on my forehead. “Hey, Lana.” He nods to the redhead still standing in the doorway—still pantsless.
“Hey, Austin,” she smirks, then turns to me, “glad I wasable to help.” She turns on her heel and struts back into Austin’s room. My brows furrow.
“Am I missing something?” I ask Austin, ready to run back to where I came from. Aussy smiles and takes my hand.
“Definitely,” he says, still smiling. He pulls me into his room, and then I realize.Kash. The redhead is on his bed, cross-legged on the blankets, chowing down on Chinese food.
“Vix, meet Lana, Kash’s… special friend,” he introduces us.
“Oh, you love me,” she teases. “I told you, you can both share me if you want to. I don’t bite, you know… unless you’re into that. In that case, I bite—hard,” she tells him, licking the sauce off her fingers.
“Lana, did I mention Vix is my girl?” He puts his hand around my waist and pulls me to his side.
My girl.
“She’s the only one I want biting me, but I appreciate the offer.” He gives her a wink, and I feel territorial.
“I don’t share. But I know there’s plenty of men out there who would love to pass you around with how willing you seem to be.” I sneer, and Austin grips my hip a little tighter, trying his hardest to stifle a laugh. She giggles, completely unbothered by my dig.
“Don’t be threatened, sweetheart. I’ve been making offers to your man for over a year now, and he turns me down every time. Kash is my now-and-then fling. It’s college, you know?” Lana shrugs and dives back into her chow mein. I ease up a bit, the tension releasing from my shoulders.
I turn my back on Lana, not wanting to give her any of my attention. “Wanna stay with me tonight?” I ask Austin. He quirks a brow.
“Yeah?” A smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.
“Yeah,” I tell him. He throws a punch in the air in victorylike a corny teenager in a movie. I can’t help but laugh at his unexpected reaction. He’s adorable. He grabs a couple of his things —clothing and toiletries—and shoves them into a bag.
As we’re walking to the door, Lana calls out, “Hey, Vix? It was nice to meet you, babe.” I freeze, and I don’t think before I speak.
“I’d say likewise, but I was taught not to lie.”
She chuckles. “I’ll grow on you, you’ll see,” she insists, and we walk out the door.
Doubt it.
AUSTIN
Vix flips through Netflix, looking for a movie to watch on her small TV. I’m usually not one to sit and watch movies, but cuddling up in bed with this beautiful creature has me thinking movies will be my new favourite pastime.
Emptying a Sour Patch Kids box into my hands, I separate the colours into two piles on the bed. One with red and orange. The other green and yellow. Both piles have an equal number of blue candies. I scoop up the first pile and hold out my hand for Vix, and catch her staring at me with bewildered eyes. I realize what I’ve done, and I crack a smile.
“You always hated the yellow and green. But we both loved the blue,” I remind her. She nods her head, taking the candies from my hand.
“I can’t believe you remember that,” she says.
“I remember everything, including the day that’s impossible for me to forget. Our birthday.” Vix stiffens, thrown by the reminder of our shared day coming up on Wednesday.
“Oh…” She lowers her head, avoiding my eyes. Sadness takes over her features, and my heart cracks a little at the hurt our years apart have brought upon her.
