He takes them from my hands and lowers his head, making it impossible for me to read his face, returning to his chair beside Leah. I hear a laugh rush out of Vix’s mouth, and the tears once again start flowing down her face. She holds up a black coffee mug with the name Gremlin etched into the front.
“It comes with a lid so you can use it like a sippy cup, because, well, you know…” Kash grins at her, and the mixed feelings inside of me start to stir like I’ve never felt before. It’s Kash. I don’t know why I feel this way. I know he means no harm, so why am I feeling like the room is suddenly a million degrees?
Does he have feelings for her? No, don’t be an idiot.
I watch him, trying to figure him out while he has his eyesset on Vix, a warmth within them I’ve never seen before. The banter. The teasing. The jokes. Is it all for fun? Or is it something more? Kash catches me staring and looks to the ground, immediately shifting his gaze away from Vix. It was only for a moment, but I saw it. The love and emotion flicker across his face—the admiration he holds in his eyes when he looks at her.
And suddenly, I feel as if I’m looking at a stranger. A stranger who is my roommate, a stranger who is my best friend. A stranger who is in love with my girl.
TWENTY
VIX - PRESENT
We get backto campus just before noon on Christmas morning and unpack from our mini getaway. Leah and I are alone for the first time in the last couple of days, and it’s comforting jumping back into our normal rhythm. As I’m putting all of my things away, I notice the small gift tucked away into one of the side pockets—the ornament from the Christmas market.
“Shit,” I mutter. And Leah stops humming her Christmas carols.
“What’s wrong?
“I forgot to give Aussy the ornament,” I tell her.
“It’s technically still Christmas,” she says. “Go give it to him now!”
I nod, slipping on my shoes and heading over to the boys’ room.
I knockon Austin’s door, feeling giddy about having one last gift to give him. The door swings open, and my excitement immediately fades.
“Vicky! Nice to see you again!” Lana says, her voice perky and loud, like she wants everyone in this dorm to hear her.
“Vix,” I correct. “Can’t say the same,” I reply, my tone dry and uninterested.
“Austin, your girlfriend is here!” she shouts into the room, not moving aside to let me in. I mutter my frustrations under my breath. Austin walks out and places a kiss on the side of my cheek.
“Hey babe, everything okay?” he asks, knowing that we just saw each other about an hour ago.
“Yeah.” I force a smile onto my face. “I forgot to give you this,” I tell him and hand him the little box.
“You already gave me a gift,” he says, his eyes soften, and he pulls me in for a peck.
“I know, but I saw this and knew I had to get it for you, well... for us,” I tell him. He opens the box and sees the little red painted ornament that says ‘Our First Christmas,’ and he smiles.
“We’ve spent tons of Christmases together.” He looks at me with question in his eyes.
“Never as a couple,” I explain, and he nods his head, his smile growing wider.
“Thank you, beautiful. This means so much to me.” He leans in for another kiss, then pulls me inside and leads me over to his bed. He pins the ornament on his bulletin board on the wall, beside a picture of the two of us as kids sitting on our bicycles. My heart swells.
“Isn’t that cute?” Lana says, ruining our sweet moment.
“Can we help you?” I turn to Lana, my eyes narrowed. She smiles at me, a cruel smile like she knows she’s getting under my skin.
“That’s quite all right, sweetheart. Kash has got thatcovered.” She winks, and I feel the rage building in my gut. Kash walks in and smirks at me, then sits on the end of his bed with Lana. I’m not liking how this girl gets to me. She’s not even after my boyfriend; she just rubs me the wrong way, and it’s like she enjoys it. I’ve always been a girls’ girl. I believe in women lifting other women, but every time this one opens her mouth, I’m ready to take out my claws. I turn to Austin and kiss him.
“I’ll see you at dinner,” I tell him and hurry out of the room before I say something to Lana that I may regret.
“Ciao!” I hear her call, and I slam the door on my way out.
“What the fuck, Lana?” I hear Austin say through the door. And I walk away, no longer feeling like I’m in the holiday spirit.
