33. Booth
33
***Booth***
“ H ow’s it going with Ella?” I tried to sound casual as I asked, despite feeling anything but. “With being the boyfriend, I mean.”
Fisher glanced around to make sure no one could hear us and shook his head. “It’s brutal. I’m doing my best to keep things as friendly as possible but it’s not easy.”
I sat forward and rested my elbows on my knees. “I’ve just tried to avoid her to make it easier. Somehow, it doesn’t make it easier, though. It’s been two weeks and I just want her more. Vaughn’s just now starting to talk to me like normal again, though.”
“He’s still pissy with me. Every time he sees us doing the whole couple thing, that vein in his forehead starts throbbing.” Sighing, he stared out across campus. “I miss cookies after our wins.”
I couldn’t help grinning. “We got spoiled really fucking fast.”
“How could we not? She baked for us. She put our names on those little cookies, man. She mentioned that she’s been going to her friend’s apartment after the games.” Standing up to pace, he looked so unfamiliar in that moment. The Fisher I’d become best friends with Freshman year didn’t do stressed. “I think she’s baking for other people. I swear I can smell fresh cookies every time I come home.”
“What’s Vaughn’s issue? Why’s it matter so much if we sleep with her?” I ran my hands through my hair and tugged at it. “I feel like I’m losing my mind. I can smell the cookies all the time, too, but I can also still smell her in my bed.”
“I think-” Fisher froze. “There she is. I’m not sure I can pretend to be the boyfriend without copping a feel right now, man.”
I followed his gaze and spotted Ella walking from the cafeteria to the English building. She was in another sundress, her thighs exposed a little more with each long step she took. Since it was starting to cool off outside, she had a cardigan wrapped tight around her. Her hair bounced in her high ponytail and I watched her smile at someone in passing. My fists clenched with desire as I watched her and I felt the same struggle I did every time I thought about her. I wanted her. I didn’t want to hurt Vaughn. I wanted her. But Vaughn.
“Is that…?” Fisher’s voice changed as Billy Novak appeared behind Ella and covered her eyes with his hands.
I was up and off the bench before I could even process what I was seeing. Billy was trying to play with Ella. I watched her stiffen and struggle to push his hands away, watched him try to hug her after she pushed him away. Seeing red, I charged towards the pair, not sure what I was going to do once I got there. Beyond murdering Billy.
As we got a little closer, I could hear Ella’s raised voice. “Don’t touch me, Billy!”
“Hey!” I shouted, drawing half the campus’ eyes, but one look in our direction had Billy backing away. “What the fuck is your problem?”
He held up his hands and put a fake smile on his slimy face as I came chest to chest with him. Only I towered over him so it wasn’t really chest to chest. He laughed a little too loudly, doing his best to save face. “What’s wrong, bro? I’m just talking to Ella.”
I shoved him backwards and followed his retreat, step for step. “You don’t touch her.”
A tiny hand on my chest was all it took for Ella to take over the situation. She looked up at me and flashed me a bright smile. “Thanks, Booth. I’m okay.”
I searched her face to make sure she was telling the truth and relaxed the slightest bit when I saw that she was. I glared back at Billy, though, and practically snarled at him. “Stay away from her.”
Fisher stood next to Ella and wrapped his arm around her. “I’ve never seen you so close to tackling someone outside of a game, man. I don’t think most of the people on campus have ever heard you talk, much less raise your voice.”
I looked at his arm around her and got hit with such a wave of jealousy that I had to put some space between us. I took a few steps back and nodded, doing my best to hold it together. “I’ll see you both later. I need to go do something.”
“Booth, wait-” Whatever Ella was going to say, I missed it. I tucked tail and jogged away. I didn’t stop until I was home and breathing so hard that I had to stop at the bottom of the stairs and catch my breath before I could climb them.
Feeling frustrated, I paced my room and tried to calm down. I was fighting my attraction to Ella so hard to be a better friend to Vaughn but it was a losing battle. I wanted her. Seeing her ex touching her, seeing Fisher touch her when I couldn’t, it was making me nuts. There was something about her that was just different and I felt something akin to panic at the idea of never getting to touch her again.
I checked my watch and saw that I was missing a class but I didn’t care. I wouldn’t have been able to focus anyway. Without knowing what else to do, I called the one person who’d always been able to calm me down.
She answered right away. “Boo? Hi, honey! You never call me during the day. What’s up?”
Mom had been my entire support system growing up. She was still the person I depended on for most things.
“Hey, Mom. I just had a minute and figured I’d check in.” I knew she could tell I was lying right away. She’d been a bit of a helicopter mom when I was growing up. She didn’t like me having to deal with any bad emotions so she’d tried hard to save me from them. To a detriment at some points. When I was young, her solution had been to ply me with food to keep my happy. She was a young mom and hadn’t known what to do. Food cheered me up, though, so that’s what she leaned into. Even when I’d gotten chubbier and chubbier.
“Something’s wrong. Tell me, Booth.”
I blew out a rough breath and sank down on my bed. “Everything’s fine, Mom. I just… I think I really like this one person who’s off-limits.”
“It’s a professor, isn’t it? Which professor? What’s his name? I knew this would happen. You didn’t have a dad and now you’ve got daddy issues. Is he using his power over you, baby? Tell me everything.”
I gaped at the phone for a few seconds before I could find my voice. “Mom, what the hell? I’m not gay.”
She seemed genuinely shocked. “You’re not?”
“No, I’m not. Why do you think I’m gay?”
“Well, you never talked about girls. I’m very open to the idea of you being gay, Boo. Don’t make any decisions right now.” She sighed. “Are you sure it’s not a male professor?”
“It’s not a decision I’d need to make, Mom. I’m straight. Sorry, but I was just born this way.” I had to laugh. “I just had to come out to my mom as straight. Wow.”
“Oh, anyway. Moving on from that bit of disappointing news. Is it a female professor?”
“It’s not a professor, Mom. Jeez. I don’t have daddy issues. Some would argue I have mother issues, though.” I rubbed my face. “I think I have feelings for Ella.”
“Your roommate? Why is she off-limits? That seems stupid. You’re both young and straight, I guess. Where’s the harm?” She called out to her secretary. “Melissa, Booth just told me he’s straight and likes a girl.”
“Okay, this was a bad idea. I’ve got to go. I love you, Mom. Bye!” I hung up before she could argue and groaned. That hadn’t gone quite as planned but I was distracted from all my jealousy over Ella, I guessed.