Unfamiliar

  Chapter Seven

 

  Hailey

 

  The concert Tessa wanted to drag me to was tonight so Braxton was picking me up this morning. We were going to spend the day with his family at home then head back here this evening. It was lot of driving back and forth so we decided that he should just spend the night here. Boys obviously weren't supposed to be in the girls’ rooms after curfew but nobody ever came around to check so we weren't too worried about it.

  Normally I would never break a rule like that, but Braxton really wanted me to spend time with his family today— he said it just wasn’t the same without me there and I really needed him to go to that stupid concert tonight. Tessa was refusing to let me back out—laying on a guilt trip and calling Girl Code. So having him crash here instead of driving back to Southlake in the middle of the night seemed like the best solution.

  Tessa said as long as we didn't have sex while she was in the room she didn't mind, but if we were going to have sex to at least put my bra on the door so she knew not to barge in. I told her she didn't have to worry about it. Despite the fact that she may have issues with boundaries, I most definitely did not.

  Braxton was supposed to be here at nine to pick me up so I woke up early to shower and get dressed. Tessa was still passed out when I got out of the shower so I tried to get ready as quietly as possible.

  I was tip-toeing through the room toward my closet when, as if on cue, my phone started to ring and I nearly tripped over Tessa's knee high boots she’d left in the middle of the floor trying to answer it before it woke her up. Seriously, out of all of the girls living in the dorms, I

  had to be paired up with the messiest one of the bunch. Weren't those compatibility tests we took prior to dorm assignments supposed to pair us up with a roommate that we were most compatible with?

  “Hello?” I answered breathlessly into the phone.

  “Hello?” I answered the phone.

  “Hey babe, it's me. Are you ready?”

  “Yeah, I'll be right down,” I whispered. Then, because I couldn't help myself, I picked up Tessa's boots and placed them neatly in her overflowing closet.

  Braxton was waiting outside the dorm entrance, his tall, lithe frame leaning casually against one of the stone pillars. He had on faded blue jeans and the Basketball State Champions shirt he’d gotten our senior year of high school. He hugged me and gave me a quick peck on the lips.

  “Missed you.”

  “Missed you, too,” I told him.

  The hour long drive back to Southlake was quiet as usual, which was a nice change after spending so much time with my chatterbox roommate. I actually really liked Tessa, but it was nice to just be able to sit and get lost in my own thoughts while in his company. Compatible silence.

  When he pulled into his driveway, I couldn't help but let my eyes wander over to my own house. It felt weird being that close to my childhood home and not having even the slightest inclination to stop by. My dad's truck wasn't there— he was probably already at the casino. The thought made me sick to my stomach, but at the same time I was relieved that I never had to go back to that house again. Braxton was always trying to encourage me to forgive my father and move forward, but that was easier said than done.

  “There she is!” Brad, Braxton's older brother, greeted me at the door. He and Braxton looked a lot alike with their matching shades of blonde hair and blue eyes, although Brad's nose was a little larger and he kept his hair much shorter than Braxton's. He was several inches taller than my five-foot-six frame so when he hugged me I was lifted from the floor like I weighed nothing. “How's it feel to officially be a college student?”

  “Good, I guess.”

  “Do you like your classes?”

  “Yeah, sure.” All but one anyway, but I suspected that was more to do with my shitty partner than the class itself.

  “Okay, serious question.”

  “Okay?”

  “Is your roommate hot?”

  I laughed and playfully pushed him away. “Off-limits.”

  “Kill joy. Come on, lunch is already here.”

  “Take-out okay?” Braxton whispered in my ear a little nervously.

  “Of course.” Food was food and it was more important to spend time with Mrs. Douglas than anything. Besides I wasn't picky.

  After my mom had left, I’d survived off of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and cereal because my dad didn't cook. Most of the time he wasn't even home anyway. Once I was tall enough to use the microwave and brave enough to use the stove it got better. But when Braxton found out that I ate by myself most nights, he’d told his mom and she’d started inviting me over for dinner with their family. She was a wonderful cook, but the last year had been rough and the Douglas family had been eating a lot of take-out.

  Chinese take-out boxes lined the otherwise unused dining room table. The family ate wherever Mrs. Douglas was most comfortable these days. Which usually was in the living room, with her propped up against some pillows on the couch.

  I was hesitant to enter the living room. I obviously wanted to see her but at the same time, I didn't know if I was mentally prepared for the reality of her deteriorated condition. Just the thought caused a lump to form in the back of my throat that threatened to cut off my air supply. “Are you okay?” Braxton asked me quietly.

  “Yeah. Just nervous I guess.”

  “She won't eat much. Don't freak out though, it's just the meds messing with her appetite.”

  I nodded, unable to put to words what I was feeling.

  “Are you coming?” he asked as he walked past me.

  “Yeah.” I followed behind him with slow, heavy steps.

  As I walked into the living room, the first thing I noticed was that everything appeared to be the same as it had always been. The same oversized entertainment center filled with little knickknacks that were now coated with a significant layer of dust, something that Mrs. Douglas never would have allowed under normal circumstances. Pictures of the boys in every phase of life still took over the entire wall above the faded tan couch.

  But the woman lying on that familiar couch was completely different.

  She was once beautiful with chin-length blonde hair, the same color as her boys. Her blue eyes that had once sparkled brightly with life and love now seemed dull and lifeless. She had withered away to practically a skeleton and I could see the bones protruding through her pale, ashy skin.

  I smiled as brightly as I could manage. “Hi.”

  She smiled weakly in return. “Hi, Sweetie,” she croaked. Brad handed her a drink of water which she sipped carefully, grimacing as she swallowed.

  Braxton was right, she didn't eat anything. She occasionally took small sips of water, cringing each time in obvious discomfort, but for the most part she just laid there. Occasionally she fell asleep. It was difficult to be there.

  After lunch, we told everybody goodbye and I promised to visit again soon.

  Braxton didn't have a bag with him as we walked back out to his truck after lunch. I wondered if he at least remembered to grab his toothbrush while making a mental note to pick up an extra one for him to keep in my dorm room along with some extra clothes just in case.

  “I don't want to take you back yet. Do you want to go see a movie?” he said as he wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed the top of my head. “Hmm, I guess it’s too late for a movie. Even if we caught an early one I don’t think I’d be able to make it back here by seven. What about some dessert?”

  “I thought we were going to the concert?” I pulled away from his embrace. Did he forget?

  “What concert?”

  That would be 'yes', yes he did forget.

  “Seriously? Do you really not remember?”

  “Ah, shit. No, I completely forgot. I actually made plans with some guys from school.” “What?” I was disappointed and hurt but mostly shocked.

  “Yeah, Jared called earl
ier today and said they needed another guy for the basketball tournament tonight.”

  “So you're going to go hang out with the friends you see practically every day instead of spending time with me? It’s one night; we barely see each other anymore!”

  “I’m so sorry babe. They need me— it’s for some charity and I can't really back out of it now.” “But it's okay for you to back out of plans with me?” Irritation was taking over the shock and disappointment. Was he actually going to blow me off for his friends? I think this was the first time that had ever happened.

  “I'm not really backing out of plans with you.”

  “No, you just forgot that you had them in the first place,” I snapped.

  “Look, I told you I'm sorry. I didn't do it on purpose. Don't be mad at me, babe.” He tried to pull me into his arms, but I turned away and climbed into the passenger side of his truck. The ride back to campus was as silent as the ride home to Southlake, but unlike the

  ‘compatible silence’ from before, the truck was filled with a thick, pressing tension.

  When he finally pulled into the drive in front of my dorm, he put the truck into park and turned toward me.

  “Hailey,” he started. I did the most mature and reasonable thing I could think of— I crossed my arms and looked out the window. “Hailey, don't be like that. You know I would never intentionally blow you off, I really did forget. Besides, it’s not like I’m blowing you off for anything questionable— it’s for a good cause. And you don't really want me to intrude on your bonding time with your roommate, do you?”

  “She's taking me to a bar,” I said pointedly. “A bar. There will likely be more drunk guys than sober. I really needed you there with me.”

  He seemed to think about that for a moment.

  “You don't have to go you know,” he finally said. “Just tell her you don't feel good.”

  “And spend a Saturday night alone in my dorm room while my boyfriend hangs out with his friends?”

  “Well, yeah, I guess.”

  “You’re right, that just sounds like so much fun,” I said sarcastically. “I'll talk to you later.”

  I slammed the truck door shut. I half expected him to come after me but he didn't, and I'm not going to lie, I was a little disappointed about that.

  It was only late afternoon but Tessa was already getting ready for her sort-of-date. I hardly counted watching someone's band play and hanging out afterward as a date, but who was I to judge? My boyfriend was blowing me off tonight to play basketball with a bunch of sweaty guys. “I thought the concert didn't start until nine?” I asked her as she pulled a short, black strapless dress up over her head and flung it to the floor which was already littered with piles of discarded dresses, skinny jeans, and tops. “I have nothing to wear,” she complained.

  “What do you call all of this?” I asked, gesturing first to the growing mound of clothes on the floor and then to her closet which was still overflowing with wardrobe choices.

  “Yeah, but nothing is right.” She dug frantically through her closet again. It was no wonder she couldn't find what she was looking for—everything in her closet was hung haphazardly and with no semblance of order whatsoever. She didn't even separate her winter clothes from her summer clothes. Maybe I should offer to organize it for her by color and season. It would probably make her life much easier.

  “What are you going to wear tonight?”

  “Um, well, I think I'm actually going to just stay in,” I mumbled. I wasn’t really in the mood to go out anymore.

  She stopped pawing through her chaotic closet and spun around on her heels. “What? No you aren't! You promised— Girl Code, remember?”

  “You know that's not a real thing, right?”

  “Why-ee?” She pouted, drawing the word out into two syllables.

  “Braxton— ” I stopped myself before telling her that he was blowing me off. For some reason, I didn't want her to think badly of him. It wasn't like he did this to me all the time.

  “Braxton isn't feeling too well so he's not coming.”

  “So?”

  “So—” I said. “I don't think I should go to a bar without my boyfriend.”

  “Ohmygod Hailey! Don't be a loser! Just come hang out with me. I promise, I won't let any drunk guys get the wrong idea. I'll be your personal body guard.”

  I eyed my scrawny roommate up and down with a raised eyebrow. If anyone needed a bodyguard—it was her.

  She rolled her eyes at me like she knew what I was thinking then turned back around to her closet and yanked something out.

  “Here,” she said, tossing it to me. “Wear this.”

  “First of all, I said I wasn't going.” I held up the red dress she just threw at me. “And second, there is no way anything of yours is gonna fit me. I, unlike some people in this room, was not built to walk a runway. I have boobs. And an ass.”

  “First of all,” she echoed my words, “yes, you are going, because surely a responsible person like you wouldn't dream of sending her beloved roommate to a bar alone. Safety in numbers, right, Hay?” She walked over to me and grabbed the dress from my hands then held it

  up in front of me. “And second, trust me. This dress will look amazing on you.” I stared her down.

  “I'm not giving in!” she sang.

  “Fine. Whatever.” I turned my back to her so I could change with some semi-privacy. If she wasn't going to take my word for it, I had no choice but to put the damn dress on and let her see for herself. The fabric felt expensive and I silently prayed I didn’t tear it trying to squeeze my booty into it.

  I pulled the red sheath dress on— it was stretchy which made me feel better because I could at least breathe, but it was definitely tighter than anything I had ever worn before. I turned around slowly with my eyes closed. I had agreed to try the dress on to prove my point about it looking ridiculous on me, but that didn't mean I wanted to see the inevitable look of disgust on her face when she realized I was right. “I kinda hate you right now,” she said.

  “What? Why?” I squeezed my eyes shut even tighter. “Did I rip it?” I blindly started feeling around the seams of the dress—it felt intact.

  “What? God, no! You look amazing!”

  I opened one of my eyes to peek at her, trying to gauge if she was being serious. She looked sincere so I opened my other eye and dared a look in the mirror. It was tight— really tight and it made my boobs and butt look huge.

  “I'm NOT wearing this.”

  “Why not?”

  “Seriously, I look like a whore.”

  “Watch it— that’s my dress you’re wearing,” she said defensively, but then winked to let me know she was just teasing.

  “I look ridiculous.”

  “Um, are you blind?”

  “I'm serious. If you really want me to go out with you tonight, I'm not wearing this. I'm going to at least wear normal clothes.”

  “Fine, dress like a freakin' librarian. As long as you're coming with me I don't care what you wear!”

  “I do not dress like a librarian.”

  She looked at me pointedly, then rolled her eyes.

  After Tessa finally decided what she was going to wear, we walked down to grab dinner at the dorm cafeteria. I didn’t eat much. I mostly just pushed my salad around the plate with a fork. I was surprisingly nervous about tonight. I had never been in a bar before. This one was called Duke’s and was one of the very few around that was open to eighteen year olds.

  Tessa scarfed down her dinner with impressive speed. I was still amazed that someone as thin as her could eat like she did. She couldn’t be real.

  We went back to our room to change into our ‘going out clothes’ as Tessa called them.

  My ‘going out’ attire wasn’t any different than what I normally wore though. I always went for comfort over style so, I had to admit, I felt very plain standing next to Tessa. She wore her long auburn curls loose down her
back tonight, and looked stunning in her trendy dark skinny jeans and a black and white top that criss-crossed in the back. She paired the outfit with some stilettos that made her already long legs look even longer.

  Duke's was already packed by the time we got there. I noticed the poster on the front of the door announcing that Set the Flames would be playing tonight.

  We paid our cover charge and the bouncer slapped the ugly ‘under 21’ paper bracelets on our wrists before we entered the smoky bar. The place was packed wall to wall making it nearly impossible to squeeze through, but we somehow managed. I scanned the crowd of countless girls wearing too-tight dresses with their boobs popping out and the sleazy guys that couldn't help but stare. “There's nowhere to sit,” I yelled over the noise. Nowhere clean, anyway. Maybe my cream-colored sweater wasn't the best outfit choice after all. I felt completely out of place in this dirty, smoky, red-hazed bar.

  “Just follow me,” she shouted back. She led the way, weaving us around the crowd of bodies until we were only a few tables from the stage. We came to a high top table with a sign on it that said ‘Reserved’. She winked at me and took a seat. Relieved, I sat across the table from her with my back to the stage. I casually picked up the menu just for something to do.

  The generic bar music stopped and the crowd suddenly erupted into a deafening roar as the band took the stage. Tessa's grin was huge and she nodded toward the stage expectantly, presumably to encourage me to check out her new hot boyfriend. I turned around in my seat to scan the stage for the drummer. He may have been perfectly good-looking but all I could focus on was his electric blue Mohawk. I was definitely not expecting that. I looked around at the other band members to see if they all had brightly colored Mohawks too—wondering if it was their 'thing', but they didn't. The rest of them had normal haircuts.

  The lead singer had his back to the audience. He caught my attention—though I'd never admit that out loud. Girls like me didn't blatantly check out guy's asses, but even I had to admit he had a nice one. He was wearing a cutoff shirt that showed off his well-sculpted arms and all of his tattoos. His loose fitting jeans looked like they had seen better days. The sad thing was, he’d probably bought them like that. He turned around to face the crowd and suddenly all thoughts of Mohawks and muscles left my mind. I was pretty sure my mouth hit the floor—it was Chase.

  The band started to play and a group of squealing, screaming girls swarmed in front of the stage. I actually saw one of them take off her bra and slingshot it at Chase's feet. It was a little ridiculous. I supposed I understood why they might find him attractive in an I'm-in-a-band sort of way, but tattoos and noise weren't really my kind of thing.

  I was curious to find out what the big deal was with these guys. The band was good— for pop punkers or punk poppers, whatever it was— and the music wasn’t exactly what I had imagined it would be.

  I found myself watching Chase as he performed, and hearing him sing the lyrics, I could tell that he was the one who’d written them. I didn’t know how I knew, I just did and I was impressed with that fact. Even though it wasn't exactly my favorite kind of music, I could appreciate the passion he so obviously had for it.

  Truth be told— and I hated to admit it— but watching Chase perform was nothing short of mesmerizing.