Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 71246 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 356(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71246 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 356(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
“That’s a lot of work.”
“Yeah,” she says with a shrug. “But I kind of like it. I love doing schoolwork.” She beams like she is being completely serious. “I was kind of worried about you when you didn’t show up last night. I moved in yesterday.”
“I’m actually staying with a friend. Matter of fact, I was just coming up here to get some clothes. I’m going to stay with him another night,” I explain, and watch Blair’s face fall. She must have been looking forward to having a roommate, and I smashed that to smithereens. Guilt gives way, and I decide I have to make it up to her. “Maybe we can meet for coffee in the morning? My first class doesn’t start until ten tomorrow, if you’re up for it, we could grab some breakfast before?”
“That sounds amazing!” she yells and does a small jump like this is the most exciting thing she’s ever heard.
She watches me as I grab my duffle bag from under the bed and start to throw some clothes in there.
“One night, huh?” She smiles. Only then do I realize how much stuff I’m packing.
“Maybe more than one night, but we’ll hang out, I promise.” I don’t know why I have the urge to assure her, or why I even have the need to befriend her, but I do. Maybe it’s my own desire to have friends since I’ve never really had any.
“Not to be nosy, but is he your boyfriend or…” She looks away as if she’s embarrassed for even asking.
“No, no. Just… I wouldn’t even say we’re friends, and it’s a temporary thing, nothing serious.” I grab a hairbrush and some bathroom stuff. Then I zip the duffel bag and turn to look over at her. “I’ll meet you here at nine, okay?”
Blair nods her head profusely, a smile covering her entire face. “I’ll see you then!”
I feel horrible as I leave the dorm, descending the steps slowly. The first time I get a roommate, and I’m stuck being babysat by Lex.
When I push through the doors downstairs, I check the time on my disposable phone. Shit! I’m going to be late for work.
Walking up to Lex, who is leaning against a nearby tree, people watching, I say, “I have to go to work. Night shift at a gas station.”
Lex gives me a sour look. “Night Shift at a gas station? That sounds terrible… and dangerous.”
I roll my eyes at him. If only he knew of the life I lived before coming here. “It’s not dangerous, I’ve been working there for weeks. Now, you can either drive me, or I’m going to walk. Your choice.”
When he doesn’t answer me right away, I take his silence as a no. But when I call his bluff and start walking away from him, he grabs my arm and pulls me back toward him.
“Fine. I’ll drop you off.” His voice is gruff, laced with annoyance. Clearly, he’s not happy about this, but I don’t care. This is my life, and I worked hard to get here. It might not be great, but it’s mine. I’m in control now, control of my fate, of my future.
“Fine,” I echo his word before I turn in his hold and walk toward the parking lot.
His hand on my arm drops, but he doesn’t let me go. Instead, he grabs my hand, interlacing our fingers, and continues holding it as he falls into step beside me. Out of the corner of my eye, I look at our connected hands.
“What are you doing?”
“Holding your hand,” he says with a grin.
“Why?”
“Because I want to.”
I should pull my hand from his grasp. I should tell him to stop and shove him away, but the stupid feeling in my chest tells me to hold on. I shouldn’t enjoy having him hold my hand, but I do. It feels nice… and oddly natural.
With Lex, I realize quickly that I need to pick and choose my battles. Sometimes it’s better to give in, to save my energy for the things that really matter to me. I decide this is not worth fighting him over, so I let him hold my hand all the way to his truck.
He lets go to open the passenger door and ushers me inside. Immediately, I miss the loss of contact, my hand cold and empty, and I curse myself inwardly for feeling this way, for getting attached to him when I should be trying to get away. Men have ruled me my entire life, and now I’m melting into another man’s arms like a chocolate bar, the only difference is Lex isn’t nearly as cruel as the men I grew up with.
Averting my mind away from the way his touch makes me feel, I give him directions to the gas station I work at. It’s not far from campus; in fact, it’s close enough that I usually walk, and it only takes me twenty minutes.