“That’s awful.”
He shrugged before rubbing his palm against the back of his neck. “One day he just stopped showing up. We all thought she died, but three days later I noticed a light on at the back of her house. One of my friends dared me to go in to see if it was her ghost or something.”
“So what did you do?” I was hanging on to his every word.
“I was scared... for her. I couldn’t help but think of this frail, helpless woman all alone. One night, after I was supposed to be in bed, I waited for my mum to fall asleep and I snuck over to her house. The back door was unlocked.”
“No way.”
He nodded as he stared ahead as if lost in the memory. “I slipped into the lounge where there was a recliner just in front of the telly that was showing nothing but static. It’s your turn by the way.”
“Oh,” I stood up and looked over the table before bending over and lining up my shot. “So what happened?” I called over my shoulder as I prepared to hit the cue ball.
“Just as I reached the chair and was stretching out my hand to grab it and turn it around, someone grabbed me from behind.”
His large hands wrapped around my hips and I screamed, jumping back into him and sending the balls scattering across the table.
“You asshole!” I spun around in his arms and smacked him hard across the chest. “All of that was what... just some bullshit you made up to scare me?”
“What? No! That was the plot for the movie The Devil’s Date 2: Second Helping. I’m not that clever.”
I smacked his chest again, wincing at the sting on my palm. “You’re not funny.”
“Come on. It was a little funny.”
“How am I supposed to get to know you if you keep lying to me?”
“I’m not lying. I’m just messing with you. It’s not like you are spilling your soul to me either.”
I rolled my eyes as I picked up our empty beer bottles. “I’ll grab us a couple more.”
“You’re adorable when you curse,” he called behind me as I walked over to the bar and waited for the bartender to come my way. As I waited, I noticed one of the girls from the table leave her seat, glancing in my direction as she made a beeline for Lucas. I recognized her from my Lit class. Her name was Payton Harlow, and she always had a scowl on her face, buried under thirty layers of makeup. Her eyebrows were thick and dark, one always arched in challenge, while her hair was nearly white and brushed against her shoulders. Not even Disney could think up a more evil villain than her. She touched his arm as she flirted with him and they engaged in a conversation I was certain was about her boobs. She giggled entirely too loudly as he smiled at her, leaning back onto the table. “Two beers,” I said to the bartender who stood behind me as I continued to watch Lucas.
“Sure you don’t want to make it three?” He asked as my eyes drifted over the girl.
I sighed loudly. “He’s not my boyfriend if that’s what you’re thinking.”
“Not what I was thinking at all. He doesn’t exactly look like the committed relationship type.”
I turned around, taking in the handsome man behind the bar. His hair was nearly black with dark stubble along his jaw, and he spoke with a thick southern accent. He looked to be at least twenty-five.
“I can’t compete with those girls.”
His gaze dipped. “Well, the wet t-shirt certainly makes you a contender.”
“Funny. Can I ask you something?”
“I’m a bartender.” He threw up his hands. “I’m here for liquor and life advice.”
“Why do guys go for girls like that? Why is it never the quiet ones who like to read or play the violin?”
“Asking for a friend, huh?” He deadpanned earning him a glare. “Honestly? Like with anything, people tend to take the easiest shot. That girl is a sure thing. She’s not going to make him work for it. She’s going after what she wants.”
“What’s wrong with working for it? I thought some guys liked a challenge?”
“That’s mostly in movies and books. Not real life.” He leaned closer. “What do you want with a guy like that anyhow?”
“I don’t. I just want someone to look at me that way, at least once but mean it, ya’ know?”
“Spoken like a girl who’s had her heart stomped on.” He grabbed a napkin and pulled a pen from his back pocket, jotting down a number before sliding it across the bar top to me.
I took it, reading over his sloppy handwriting. “What’s this for?”
He shrugged before taking a damp rag that sat next to him and wiping down the counter. “If you ever need any more advice or just want someone to hang out with who isn’t hitting on other girls behind your back.” His eyes focused behind me before landing back on my face.
Chapter Six
LUCAS
I racked the balls as I waited for Henley to stop flirting with the dickhead behind the bar. That guy was a serious cockblock.
“I haven’t seen you in a while,” Payton said with a pout, jutting out her lower lip.
“I’ve been busy,” I replied, not bothering to hide my irritation.
“I can see that. You doing one of those big brother programs or something?” She laughed as she followed my gaze to Henley.
“Why do you always have to be such a bitch?”
She slowly drug one of her long talon-like nails down the back of my hand. “Oh, come on. Don’t pretend we didn’t have fun.”
***
“You lost or something?” A voice called from behind me. I spun around, smiling as my eyes landed on a curvy blonde with a cardboard box full of odds and ends in her hands, a scowl on her face as the SUV that had dropped her off took off across the lot.
“Waiting for someone,” I replied as her eyes traveled down my body before snapping back to my face. “But my mobile doesn’t seem to be working here.” I held up the apartment flyer and her expression softened.
“Need some help?” She asked as she crossed the sidewalk, stepping closer. “I’m Payton Harlow.”
“Lucas.” I nodded once as my eyes scanned the car park where I was supposed to be meeting my new flatmate but he was running late, and I had no way of contacting him.
“You can use my phone if you like. It’s charging in my dorm room,” Payton offered as she ran her fingers through her blonde hair, twisting it around her finger as she dug her teeth into her lower lip.
I nodded once, and she began walking toward the entrance of the building as I followed behind her, folding up the paper and slipping it into my pocket.
“Are all Americans this friendly?” I asked as we walked into the lift.
“Are all guys from England as hot as you?” She countered as the doors slid closed. The girl standing behind us giggled, and I turned to look at her, winking and causing her cheeks to blush.
When the doors opened, Payton stepped off, walking down a long corridor before unlocking a door near the end of the hall. I glanced around before stepping inside. She closed it behind me, twisting the lock as she kicked off her heels and sat the box on the floor.
“Want a drink?”
I nodded, my eyes dancing over the wall space around the window covered in pictures. “This your boyfriend?” I asked as my eyes danced over an image of a muscular man in a football jersey that read SAVAGE holding Payton over his shoulder.
She groaned as she grabbed a bottle hidden under her bed and filled to red plastic cups with gin. “That’s my ex.”
She handed me my cup with a broad grin.
“Cheers,” I said as I drank it back.
“So, you haven’t met this new roommate, have you?” she asked as she refilled my cup.
“No. We’ve only spoken on the phone, but he seems nice. Do you like staying in the dorms?”
She shrugged as we drank again. “I haven’t spent much time here. I was usually with him at his place.” She gestured with her chin to the picture on the wall. “That obviously didn’t go well,” she continued as she kicked the box a
t her feet.
“What happened?” I asked as I took the bottle from her hand, pouring a liberal amount into my cup.
She shrugged. “Didn’t you need to use the phone?” She picked up her mobile from beside her bed and held it out to me.
“Thanks.” I took it from her, pulling the small folded flyer from my pocket and dialing the number on the bottom. After several rings, the guy answered, apologizing for being late and agreeing to meet me.
“He says he’ll be here in twenty.” I handed the phone back to her as she smiled wickedly.
“I can think of a few ways we could pass the time.” Her tongue ran out over her upper lip before she grabbed the bottom of her shirt and tugged it over her head.
***
“I couldn’t tell you if we did. I was pissed, remember?” I replied as I stood up, resting against my pool stick, not bothering to hide the fact that I was eyeballing the bartender. He glanced at me several times over Henley’s shoulder, and it took everything I had not to break this stick across his stupid face. There was no telling the line of bullshit he was feeding her, and she would take every word as gospel because that’s just how Henley was.
But I’d seen him work his game on the young college girls who come through this room, and I wasn’t going to let him do the same to her.
“Are you still mad at me?”
I glanced over at her before shaking my head. “To be upset at you, I’d have to care about you.”
She groaned as she stepped in front of me, trying to block my view of Henley. “I know you and Beef are close, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t be friends.”
“Actually, it does. If I’d had known he was your ex, I never would have touched you. You almost cost me my only place to stay just to get revenge.”
“He deserved it.”
My eyes fell on Payton before shaking my head. “Not according to him.” I looked back over at Henley. She was the polar opposite of Payton or any girl that I’d met here for that matter. There was nothing conniving or cruel about her which made the fact that the skeezy bartender was hitting on her all the more infuriating.
“So what do you think?”
I glanced over at Payton who was running her fingers through her snowy white hair that looked like it had been fried by too many bottles of bleach. “What?”
She laughed, leaning against the table and bending enough to let her shirt sag and put her tits in full view as she twirled one of the balls between her fingers. “I want to get a little heart with wings,” she stood up, trailing her fingers down her chest, dragging her shirt lower, “right here.” Her fingers stopped between breasts as she ran her tongue out over her rose-colored stained lips.
“When are you looking to get it done?”
“I’m free tonight.”
I glanced up at Henley who was still talking to the bartender before nodding. “I have to get my gun and ink. How about tomorrow?”
“Perfect. You remember where my room is, right?”
I shook my head, stifling a laugh. “Yeah. I remember. You got my number, right?”
She nodded, smiling broadly.
“Ring me when you’re out of class.”
Chapter Seven
HENLEY
I glanced over my shoulder at Lucas whose eyes were narrowed in my direction. I smiled, looking back down at the napkin. This is the first time a guy had ever given me his number, and even if he was just showing me how easy it was to play the game, it felt good. “Milo Cooper,” I read aloud. “Thanks, Milo. I’m Henley, by the way.” Slipping the paper in my pocket, I glanced over my shoulder at Lucas. “I should probably get back over there before they start mating on your table.”
“Much appreciated. Those things are expensive to re-felt.”
I placed my money on the bar and made my way back to Lucas, who was staring at Payton’s ass as she was making her way back to her friends.
“Thanks,” he said, grabbing the beer and taking a drink.
“Making friends?” I gestured to the girls as I took a sip from my bottle.
“I’m a people person.” He smiled, and I rolled my eyes, lining up my next shot. “Looks like you made a new friend too. A bartender. Way to aim high.”
“What? Milo? I’ve known him for years. We screw in the back, and he helps pay for my textbooks.”
Lucas’ eyes went wide, and his jaw slack as I let out a giggle. “Now who’s the gullible one?” I asked as I walked by him to line up my next shot.
“Funny.”
“There’s nothing wrong with being a bartender. It’s honest work.” My eyes cut to him. “Since when is having a job a bad thing?”
“First of all, I have a job. And second, he’s old. Do you have some unresolved daddy issues I should be aware of? Because I can work with that. I’m not above giving a good spanking.”
I scratched, sending the cue ball rolling across the green felt before bouncing off the side of the table. “You are so much prettier when you don’t speak,” I quipped.
“Aww, you think I’m pretty,” he chuckled as he tipped the beer to his lips. “I think you’re pretty too. Glad we could finally agree on something.”
I rolled my eyes as he bent over to take his shot. I tried to avoid the girls at the table, but I could hear them giggling and talking about Lucas wasting his time with someone like me. It was pulling me out of the game and soon I wasn’t able to land any of my shots.
“Ignore them,” Lucas said in passing as he rounded the table to line up his next shot.
“It’s kind of hard to do when her voice is high enough to crack glass.”
Lucas bent over, lining up his shot before pulling back and walloping the ball, sending the eight ball into the corner pocket he’d called.
“What do I win?” He asked, holding his arms out in victory and smiling broadly.
“Congratulations, cheater,” I replied dryly.
“What? You can’t be serious. Henley Brooks,” He gasped playfully. “Are you... a sore loser?”
“No,” I snapped as I raised my chin defiantly. “You cheated.”
“That’s a porky. How do you even cheat at pool?”
“I don’t know, cheater. Why don’t you tell me.”
“Best two out of three?” He raised his eyebrow in challenge and the competitive person inside of me couldn’t resist.
“Prepare for humiliation.”
***
We played the two remaining games, both of which I lost. The bar emptied out, and Milo yelled for the last call. After we had finished our drinks, we walked back across the parking lot toward my dorm.
“I had fun tonight,” Lucas admitted with a boyish grin.
“Yeah, I did too, surprisingly,” I replied.
“Ouch,” He put his hand on his chest, pretending to be wounded.
“No, I didn’t mean it that way. I just don’t go out very often, and I didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as I did.” I tucked my hair behind my ear, and a piece fell loose in front of my face. Lucas reached out and tucked it back, the pads of his fingers ghosting along my cheek. “I should probably go,” I said nervously. He nodded letting his hand drop to his side.
“See you around?” He asked as I walked toward the building.
“Maybe we’ll run into each other on your next walk of shame,” I yelled back at him.
***
My alarm wailed above my head, and I swung my arm at it, trying to shut it off. It was just out of reach, and I reluctantly pushed off my bed to hit the snooze button. My head throbbed, and for a moment, I wasn’t sure I would make it to class. I got a glass of water and some aspirin and headed down the hall to the showers, hoping it would make me feel well enough to stay awake.
***
I made it to Psych just as Professor Reynolds began to speak. His eyes cut to mine, but he didn’t acknowledge my semi-late arrival as I sank down into my seat near the back of the auditorium.
“What is psychological manipulation?” he asked, and the
room fell silent as he rounded his podium, shoving his hands into his wrinkled khaki pants. “Alright. Let me ask a different way. Have any of you ever felt that you were being manipulated by someone or taken advantage of? It may have been something small as guilt tripping you into doing something you didn’t want to do.” Reluctantly, a few people raised their hands or called out.
Professor Reynolds laughed. “How many of you are guilty of manipulating someone?”
All of the hands fell, and the room went silent once more. “You should all have your hands raised. Manipulation is something we all do, even if it is seemingly innocent. We use people. It’s part of human nature. I can see some of you don’t agree with that,” He chuckled before pulling his glasses off and rubbing his palm over his face.
“Ms. Hawkins, have you never pretended not to be interested in a guy that you were interested in?”
“Davidson, have you ever made someone feel guilty so you could get something you wanted? Maybe get your parents to buy you a video game or a car even? I’ve seen that new red Vet you’ve been driving around.” His attention went back to the entire room. “These are all subtle forms of manipulation. You may not even be aware you are doing them at the time. But when does manipulation become harmful?”
I pulled out my phone to read the list of text messages my mother had sent me throughout the night.
I think you should come home.
I can’t stop crying.
I miss you.
Hello?
Nevermind. I don’t want you here.
Leave me just like your father.
Maybe you’d both be happier if I wasn’t around anymore.
I painted your room blue like that dress you saw in that movie.
Hello?
I yawned loudly, bowing my back from my chair. It was exhausting just reading through her manic ramblings. I quickly typed back –
Blue sounds beautiful, mom. TY
“I’m sorry, Miss...”
“Brooks,” I responded as several girls in front of me turned to look at me.
“Ms. Brooks, am I boring you?” The professor asked and I sank lower into my seat, wishing I’d just slept off my hangover in the comfort and privacy of my dorm room.