Chapter 7
seven
I t was move-in day. And on a day that I thought would be filled with a mixture of heartache and excitement, there was just relief and trickles of excitement. I needed this change. I needed something of my own.
The drive to college with Blaine and Anna was quiet. I was lost in my thoughts, still torn up about Tristan’s bullshit and my breakup with Preston. Regardless of Preston’s behavior, he’d been a part of my life for so long it was hard to imagine not talking to him. I had Sam coming with me, I reminded myself, and this was going to be our year.
I hadn’t bothered to say goodbye to either of the Malone brothers, not that they wanted to see me. Anna definitely picked up on the sudden tension between her sons and me but was too polite to pry. She knew her sons could be difficult and a lot to handle, but she worried. I tried to keep my smile bright for her sake, but it took a toll, and I was relieved to see FSU come into view.
The campus was gorgeous and just far enough away from home to make me feel as if I’d left behind all my problems. I didn’t want the garbage to follow me here. This was supposed to be a clean slate.
Palm trees flanked the orangish and cream-colored brick buildings, their large leaves swaying with the warm breeze. In the center courtyard, a round fountain trickled water into a crystal aqua pool. Everything about the school looked bright and promising. That gave me a sliver of hope in my otherwise gloomy life.
We weaved through the campus, following the directions on my school packet for my house assignment. I had my nose pressed to the glass, gazing at all the housing buildings as we drove by.
“Here we are,” Blaine said, parking in front of a redbrick three-story house with black shutters.
At least, I thought it was a house. It looked too small to be a dorm complex. I was confused. “This can’t be right,” I said, gazing at the house and then glancing back down at my papers. Freshmen were normally housed in dorms on campus. If I wasn’t mistaken, this complex was just off campus.
“Are you sure it’s the right address?” Anna asked. She peeked through the window, studying the building. “I think this is?—”
“What is the address again?” Blaine asked, cutting his wife off who still eyed the building through her sunglasses.
“223 West College Avenue,” I replied, chewing on my lip.
“This is it,” Blaine assured, turning the engine off. “Let’s talk to the resident adviser to verify there isn’t a mix-up.”
Five minutes later, the resident adviser, Marissa, checked her iPad, scanning the list of names. “Yup. Everly Scott. I have you right here, 3B. You’re rooming with Samantha Evanston?” she asked, lifting her gaze from the tablet. The way she gripped the thing I had a feeling she never went anywhere without it.
Marissa looked like a smart cheerleader if there was such a thing. She wore a pair of booty jean shorts that accentuated her long golden legs and a white tank. Marissa had not only the body of a cheerleader but also that rah-rah pep in her voice. Her not-so-natural blonde hair was knotted into a messy bun on top of her head, loose pieces framing her face. The studious glasses she wore only enhanced the deep hue of blue in her eyes, hence the smart cheerleader vibe.
“Sam,” I corrected.
“Good. She isn’t here yet but is on the same floor in the room next to yours, 3C. It’s easier to move in at different times than your roommate.” Marissa handed me a key. “If you lose this or get locked out, there’s a charge for a replacement. The elevator is on the right, which makes it easy to move stuff in. Each floor has three rooms, all fully furnished. On the first floor is a full kitchen and TV room as well as an entertainment center with a pool table and stuff. You and...Sam,” she said. “Share a bathroom with 3A, but you each have your own bedroom that includes a desk.”
I couldn’t believe it. My own room? In a house? What the hell? Where were the first-year dorms? Sam and I figured we’d be sharing a room and hauling to a communal bathroom. “Don’t freshmen usually live in the dorms?” I asked even though I seriously wanted to live here. After seeing it, who wouldn’t want to?
Marissa smiled brightly. “Usually, but there are exceptions. And it seems you, Everly, are an exception.” Something in her delivery made me believe this whole upgraded room thing had been arranged.
But why? My brows pinched together in puzzlement. “Did you guys do this?” I asked, turning to Blaine and Anna.
They looked dumbfounded. “Perhaps it was your father,” Blaine suggested.
“You know he only wants the best for you,” Anna added encouragingly.
Only the best for a daughter he barely saw and couldn’t stand to look at. I reminded him too much of his late wife.
I took the key from Marissa, deciding I’d figure out how and who made this happen later. I wasn’t thrilled at starting my first year of college as someone who bought her way to the top. That wasn’t me. Dad might do business that way, but I refused to let money be the only driving factor in my life.
“There’s only one other bedroom on the third floor, so you shouldn’t have any problems with noise. It is one of the perks of living on the top floor. I think you’ll enjoy living here in Thorn Hall.” Marissa left us to start carrying up boxes and get settled into my dorm. Correction. It was more like a fucking apartment.
I opened the door to 3B and stood in the doorway, staring at the large bedroom, nearly almost as big as the one I had at home. The furnishings were simple and neutral. Old but well-preserved oak wood stretched across the floors. A built-in desk nestled into one corner opposite the full-size bed flanked by two windows. There was a door housing a decent-sized closet, bigger than I anticipated.
This was nothing like the college dorm I’d envisioned.
“Wow, Everly. It’s wonderful. You and Sam are going to make so many memories here.” Anna’s voice quivered slightly, and I sensed she was about to get emotional, which would, in turn, make me cry.
Having my own room came with advantages, like not having to listen to Sam hook up with whichever guy or girl caught her eye that week. I loved how adventurous Sam was and how she knew exactly who she was. Not me. I couldn’t even zero down my major. Indecisive should have been my middle name.
For the next half hour, Blaine and Anna helped me haul all of my crap up into my bedroom. Other than Marissa, I only saw one other person wandering through the house. A guy. He was polite and seemed down to earth. Cute, but not really my type. Sam, on the other hand, would definitely be getting to know her housemates better. I shook my head just thinking about her.
I hadn’t brought a whole lot of stuff, assuming I’d be living basically out of a shoebox. I declined Anna’s offer to help me unpack everything. I wanted to get the goodbyes out of the way and have a few moments alone in my apartment before the whirlwind known as Sam blew in.
Anna pulled me in for a long hug, wiping away the glistening tears that started to gather in her eyes as she pulled back. “If you need anything, promise you’ll call. Your mother would be so proud.”
My throat closed at the mention of Mom, and I nodded. I was trying hard not to think about her today. She would have been here, unlike my father, who assumed I could handle this on my own. Since her death, business was his life. It seemed like work was the only thing that kept him going. “I will,” I agreed even though I had no intention of taking her up on it. My independence started now. The Malones had already done too much for me, and it was time I started to find my own path. “Tell Preston I wish him luck at school,” I said, giving Blaine a quick hug.
Anna sniffled, taking my hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. “I will. Whatever is going on between you, I know the two of you will work it out. There aren’t two people who were more made for each other than you and Preston.”
Ugh . This was exactly what I wanted to avoid.
I hadn’t mentioned our breakup, assuming Preston would have told them, but from the sound of it, Anna was hopeful we’d get back together. Or she didn’t know. I didn’t want to find out.
When I was finally alone, I flopped on the bed and checked the time. Sam was supposed to have been here an hour ago. I bit my lower lip and shot her a quick text asking where she was. I shifted to my side, propping my head upon my hand as I scanned the storage bins. I should start unpacking, but... My phone lit up, and I unlocked the screen to read Sam’s response, happy for the excuse to do something other than put my shit away.
Sam:
Bad news. Flat tire. I’m not going to be able to make it up there until tomorrow.
Me:
Seriously! Damn.
Sam was bringing her car. I’d decided to leave mine at home, seeing as I expected to be living right on campus, but now... The prospect of having my car would have been nice. I would just have to make Sam drive me around. No big deal.
If she ever got here.
Sam:
No shit. So how is our dorm?
Me:
Uh, not a dorm.
Sam:
What does that mean?
Me:
You’ll see.
Sam:
KK. I’ll see you tomorrow. And you better have the fucking champagne chilled.
I chuckled, tucking my phone into the back pocket of my white shorts, and set forth to get the dirty job of settling in done. An hour later, I took a break, my stomach growling, reminding me it had been hours since I ate. I decided to wander the campus, do a bit of exploring, and grab something to eat, seeing as I had the rest of the day to myself. The late afternoon sun still shone golden in the sky, so walking around campus alone should still be relatively safe.
Grabbing my keys off the desk, I meandered down the hall to use the bathroom on my floor. It was nothing fancy and had all the necessary elements. A shower with a tub, sink, toilet, and a larger cabinet with three shelves for storage. I assumed each room had a shelf. Convenient. I wouldn’t have to haul my bathroom essentials back and forth each morning.
I took the elevator downstairs and peeked into the kitchen, fully stocked with gleaming stainless-steel appliances, barstools, and a long table. The dining area opened to the common room with a brick fireplace the same color as the exterior of the building taking up the back wall. A large TV hung above the mantel, and a spacious soft gray sectional wrapped in an L-shape in front of the hearth. The couch was occupied.
I stopped in my tracks and blinked. WTF.
I blinked again. Was I really seeing... It couldn’t be. It wasn’t possible. I had to be delulu. Dreaming or something. Sleepwalking? Had I fallen asleep earlier?
Normally, seeing a guy and a girl cuddled up on the couch making out wouldn’t have fazed me. And I would have tiptoed my ass back into the kitchen and left them to it, but this guy... He wasn’t any random guy.
He was…
“Tristan?” I squeaked, staring as his hand ran up the girl’s thigh. It halted at the sound of my voice.
The guy pulled his lips off the girl’s and tilted his head in my direction. Eyes of piercing blue connected with mine.
No. Fucking. Way.
Tristan Malone had a way of looking straight into you. No bullshit. No games. It often left me feeling so exposed and vulnerable around him. But this time, anger rocketed inside me.
Not giving two shits that he was in the middle of a make-out session, I stalked right up to the asshole and demanded, “What the fuck are you doing here?” I didn’t care he had a girl in his lap. Nor did I give a rat’s ass that it was literally the first day on campus and he had a fucking girl in his lap!
His damn lips curled into a lopsided grin that made my insides feel like I’d swallowed a bucket of Pop Rocks. Fireworks exploded, and then he opened his mouth. “Is that any way to greet an old friend?”
The girl gave me an annoyed look as she wound her hand around the back of Tristan’s neck, but I didn’t care. She was insignificant to me. “You mean an asshole? And, yeah, it is.”
Tristan’s deep chuckle resounded, deepening those damn dimples. “Come on, Ever. Don’t be like that.”
My hands flew to my hips. “Me! You’re the one who—” I stopped myself and lifted my chin. “You’re not worth it. Go to hell, Tristan.” I went to turn around and stalk from the room, but his hand gripped my arm. My head turned back in his direction, my eyes narrowing.
He stood to his full height, towering over me. The girl in his lap had been discarded. “We need to hash this out now, seeing as we’re going to be housemates.”
The fuck we are. I jerked my arm out from under his fingers, scowling at the tingles rippling up my skin and into other parts of my body. Damn him and the stupid effect he had on me. How could my body be so traitorous? “You appear a little occupied at the moment. And what do you mean housemates? You can’t be living here,” I snapped, sharpness lacing my tone.
He arched a mocking brow. “This is my school, Ever.”
Like hell it is. I wanted to smack the smirk off his face. “Since when?” I countered, hands flying to my hips.
“I transferred last year, remember?” he quipped, folding his arms over his board chest.
Transferred? I vaguely remembered Anna and Blaine mentioning Tristan changing schools, but I was damn sure it wasn’t at FSU. Right? I felt like that was a bit of information my brain would have retained except this year I hadn’t been myself.
Blaine and Anna didn’t talk much about Tristan’s school other than to complain about how Blaine was throwing his money away so his eldest son could major in partying and whoring. With Tristan, his life was always so secretive. It was as if he hadn’t wanted me to know.
In truth, I’d never really asked. I’d been relieved he was gone, taking my temptation to sneak into his room with him. When Tristan was home, I never felt like me.
No. I felt like someone who was starving for him—for his touch—his attention. He had a way of looking at me that made me feel as if he was seeing deep inside, past the walls, to the bits I hide, even from myself.
Was this part of his blackmail plan? I didn’t understand. The idea of living in the same house with him was unfathomable. I couldn’t. I refused to. First thing Monday morning, I was marching down to the housing office to straighten out this mess. Until then... “Just stay out of my way,” I said.
He put a hand on the wall, blocking the exit, and managed to make me feel caged in by his body. He smiled in that way of his that made most girls trip over their feet. Me included. “That might be hard considering we live in the same house. Just like old times, huh, Ever?”
I could feel my face turning shades of red. He made me so mad I could scream right in his too-gorgeous-for-his-own-good face. That’s what he thought. I spun on my heels and stomped into the hall.