Chapter Four
It's crazy to think that I've met new friends before my roommates or teammates. I figured they'd be my only lifeline here to help keep me sane and on the right path. Yet, here I sit at my desk, figuring out all of the things on my new laptop in a dorm room meant for four and being the only person here in days. I managed to get all of my login credentials straight so that I have access to the NFU website that has all of my classes on it. Eventually, I should be able to check my grades and GPA all in the same place. They're all just big blanks right now.
The other day when Grady dropped me off in front of my building, he'd asked if I wanted his number to get in touch. At first, I'd wanted to say no. I wanted to tell him that he should be running as far away from me as he can. But something stopped me. Call it that selfish streak. After I handed over my new phone to him, he'd put in both his and Kinkaid's numbers, saying to text or call whenever. If I needed to chat or wanted more chocolate cake. He'd known that he had me at that. I waved bye to him as he pulled off in his bright-red car with no top, and I haven't reached out to him since.
Being out of their presence and away from their scents helped clear my mind. I came here for a reason. Yes, that reason was to get away from the compound, but that doesn't mean that I need to squander it by getting too attached to anyone that I don't plan on giving access to any part of me in that way. So, my phone has sat untouched on the charger at the end of my desk for days. At some points, it has felt like it's taunting me. Especially the day after our lunch when I'd cracked open my food and found that Kinkaid had absolutely slipped another slice of cake into my bag. I'd almost cracked then and there. I held strong, though. Other than going to the dining hall for food, I haven't left my room, not wanting to risk running into anyone.
Not that I'm afraid, I just want to give it all time to settle down and for everyone to move on. I really should delete their numbers, but that takes us full swing in a circle back to the selfishness. I just really don't want to.
Have I spent the past several days overthinking every single little thing? Sure. It's who I am as a person. It's what I'm doing as I hear people at the main door of the room. The halls have been getting increasingly more crowded and crazier, so I'm honestly not even surprised as the door opens revealing a girl my age. Her long, blonde hair is pulled back into a tight ponytail.
She spots me standing in my doorway, and she shoots me a huge grin. "Heyyyyy, roomie. I'm Nichole."
"Marnie," I reply, my smile mirroring hers.
"Nice to meet ya," she says. "You just get here today, too? Our other roomies were headed up the stairs right behind me. Probably got distracted talking to people."
I open my mouth to answer her, but two more girls burst into the room in a flurry of personality and bags. They introduce themselves as Whitney and Laura before the three of them mock argue over the remaining three rooms. Though, I don't exactly see why since all four of them are literally the same. The only difference being that the beds are pushed against opposite sides of the wall in the rooms that mirror each other.
Whitney throws a hissy when she doesn't get the one that's set up just like mine. "Maybe if we'd all have gotten here at the same time, we could've made the decision together as to who got which room."
"Stop being a damn baby," Nichole states. "Just take mine."
Leaving them to unpack and do their own thing that I've had days to myself to do, I sit back down at my desk and open my laptop back up. My fingers hover over the button that'll open a new word document. In the time I've spent alone, I might've convinced myself to write the story of my upbringing on the compound. Not for anyone else to read, but for me. Just in case I ever forget, or ever lose all sanity and think about going back. With all of the noise currently filling the main room from my roommates, I give up on the idea for now. I'll definitely need to invest in some kind of headphones so that I'll be able to concentrate in here.
A knock at my door, has my head turning that way. I'd left it open on purpose so that if they needed anything they'd feel welcome to come ask.
Nichole glances around, "Like what you've done with the place."
"Thanks," I say, smiling, knowing she's joking because I haven't done a single thing to my room, and hers looks exactly the same.
"We're going to go out for dinner if you care to join us," she offers.
Honestly, I don't want to, but if I don't then that's going to be a very bad start to a very long year. "Sure, give me a few to change."
"Cool, cool," she says, running back off to her room.
Thankfully, I showered already this morning, so all I need to do is throw on my black pants that have rips in the knees and thighs and the dark-hunter-green-colored shirt that I'd bought specifically to wear with them. The straps go up around my neck, leaving my shoulders and a lot of my back bare. Another good thing that's come from volleyball is that my body is toned.
Pulling up a small part of my hair on top, I make a small bun-type thing with some of it spiking out and leaving the rest of it to fall to my shoulders. I slide my phone into my back pocket before grabbing my bank card and keys and putting them in my front pocket.
I'm the first one to make it out into the main living room, but it doesn't take long for the rest of them to meet me. Of course, looking at them, I feel a tad bit under dressed. Whitney and Laura are both in short, mini dresses. Nichole has on a pair of jeans similar to mine, but she's got on a lot of jewelry making hers look more lavish.
We head out, and I listen to them making small talk as we walk across campus. Nichole includes me when she can, but it's mostly about what they did over summer break. They're sophomores, so they've already had one year of playing and getting to know each other.
I've been so engrossed in listening to them talk that I don't realize where we're going until it's too late. I let them take the lead into Kinkaid's restaurant. Maybe I'll get lucky, and he won't come out of the kitchen. As we walk in, Whitney waves at one of the waiters, who immediately comes over and gives her air kisses on her cheeks before leading us out onto the patio.
We've just sat down and opened the menu when a familiar red car parks on the opposite side of the road, and two tall figures step out. One is instantly recognizable as Grady. The other is just as tall, smaller around the waist, but just as broad shouldered. He's of some Asian descent, but it's his long hair that hangs down underneath his beanie that is the most eye-catching. It's a dark-brown color and fans out around his face as he moves. It makes me curious as to which pack member he is, or if he's one at all.
The girls at my table have already noticed them, not like I can blame them, but that doesn't stop a spark of jealousy deep in the pit of my stomach. As if I even have anything to be jealous about anyway. They are not mine. Besides, my three roommates just so happen to all be gorgeous alphas. They're likely more to their tastes than I am. Plus, they probably don't come with the baggage of a lifetime of trauma.
Grady is half turned saying something to his friend when they make it to our side of the street. As his gaze turns back toward the restaurant, it locks onto mine without hesitation. His lips turn up in a wide grin that I'm too weak not to return. Laura notices that he doesn't give them one ounce of attention, and I can almost feel the literal tension and jealousy radiating off of her as she faces me.
He doesn't stop walking, nor does he or his friend come out onto the patio where we are. That doesn't mean that I don't spend the entire dinner wondering if they're going to.
"So, I think we should go around and introduce ourselves since we're going to be living together for the next ten months," Nichole suggests. "I'll go first. Hey, I'm Nichole. I'm majoring in secondary education. I love volleyball, obviously and feral alphas."
The other two cackle at her, and I follow suit. I know they're doing this for my benefit and quite possibly theirs because they all know each other. All of their ‘get to know me’ stuff is kind of ridiculous, like stating things that they already know. This might just be a way to see what kind of person they have living with them. Can't say I blame them either, honestly. If they only knew, and I hope they never do.
"Hi, so I'm Marnie," I start.
"Is that short for something or did your parents actually hate you that much?" Laura asks, playfully. If I hadn't caught her glare earlier, I would take it for the tease like it sounds.
Keeping a tight control on my emotions, I play it off. "I guess they hated me that much, because it's my real name. Not short for anything. I also love volleyball. Got really good in high school and got scouted for a scholarship."
Whitney snorts. "Like we all did."
"Oh," I start. "I didn't realize they did that for everyone."
She and Laura look at each other and burst out laughing. Nichole rolls her eyes at them and smiles at me. "Ignore them. They laugh at the stupidest shit."
I press my lips together in a fake smile but am saved from any other of their antics when our waiter brings out our food. Saving mine for last, he cleverly sneaks a napkin underneath as he sets my plate down. I glance up at him, but he's already walking away. Pulling it out just far enough to see the words written on it, I shove it back under, grabbing my silverware and making it all look intentional.
All through dinner, all I can think about is the message under my plate.
Enjoy!
-K
Knowing that he and Grady could be sitting on the other side of the glass inside watching me keeps my cheeks red all through dinner. It has nothing at all to do with the girls grilling me for more information on my past and who I am. I'd thought at first that they were doing it as a kind, curious gesture. By the end of our meal, I can't help but wonder if this whole thing was a sham just to get ammunition they could use against me later. Unfortunately for them, my thoughts have already been claimed, leaving no room for them.
"So, what are your plans after this?" Whitney asks the table.
Laura's eyes widen and flick to me quickly before moving back to Whitney. I'm not looking at her, so she probably thinks that I don't notice. Whatever they're going to say next, I know that I'm not invited, and that's okay. I would've found somehow to talk my way out of it anyway.
"I need to go into the city for that dress that I wanted to buy," Laura says, thinking she's smooth. Yeah, about as smooth as a donkey's butt.
Nichole sighs at my side and turns to me, "I don't think you'll want to go with us for that. It takes hours sometimes for Laura to buy one dress."
And I'd liked Nichole best out of all of them. I hate that she feels the need to lie to me, too. Whatever, though.
We all pay on separate checks before walking inside just to walk back outside. In theory, it's actually humorous that they don't have a gate where the customers don't have to do that. All three of them are in front, leaving me to tag along following them.
Before I can make it out the door, a warm voice whispers in my ear, "You never called."
I recognize the scent first and then the voice. it's the only reason panic doesn't jump start my heart. Quite the opposite. Butterflies take flight in my belly. Without turning around, I ask Grady, "Did I not?"
His chuckle at my back puts a smile on my face that stays there as I walk out to where the others wait at the curb. Right before I make it to them, I could swear I hear Laura say something about someone being a weirdo. If I had three guesses as to who she's talking about, I bet I wouldn't need the first two.
Laura glares at me like I've held them up for the plans that I wasn't even invited to. Whitney, who was watching the door and behind me as I walked out, asks, "Who is your friend?"
Friend is said with a touch of sarcasm that I suppose is meant to express that Grady couldn't possibly be anything more than that. I may have grown up on the compound with some really messed-up ideals, but that doesn't mean that I wasn't on the receiving end of my fair share of girl drama in school. That's about the only thing that was normal in that place.
Realizing that the question also wasn't rhetorical, I tell them the truth without giving too much away. For reasons I can't explain, I feel protective over their identities. "Just some guy I met the other day."
"Hmm," Laura hums, slightly narrowing her eyes like she doesn't believe me.
"That's some guy I wouldn't mind randomly meeting," Nichole states, fanning herself. "You know I've got a thing for tall, dark, and handsome. And did you see the size of those muscles? Like, girl, damn."
At this point, I'm glad that I didn't get invited to the rest of their plans. I don't think I can handle hearing them talk about this for the next few hours.
"This is our Uber," Whitney announces as a small, white car pulls up to the curb.
Nichole is the only one that looks back. "You going to be okay by yourself?"
I nod. "Yep, I know my way around."
"Okay, great," she says, getting into the backseat of the car and rolling the window down. "Text us if you need to."
Giving her another nod, I let them pull away without reminding her that I don't have any of their numbers. I don't foresee myself ever using them, even if I did get them. Turning back toward campus, I consider hanging around and checking out some of the stores since I'm already out, but my new roomies have left me feeling exhausted. All I want to do is escape the world back to my room.
I've barely taken a few steps before I hear the door of the restaurant open, the noise of the patrons spilling out onto the street.
"Hey, Marnie," Kinkaid calls out to me, having me turning around to face him as he strides over to where I am. "Grady told me you were here today."
He's in a pair of black slacks and a white button down with the sleeves pushed up his forearms, and it looks good on him. "I got your message," I tell him with a smile.
"Good, good," he says. "I will say I was surprised you didn't order dessert, though. You were fibbing about loving the lava cake, weren't you? I knew it wasn't all that great."
My jaw drops. "Are you kidding? I had to stop myself from licking the plate at lunch. I didn't have that self-control eating the one you sent me home with."
His head falls back with his laugh, and I like the way that his Adam's apple bobs as he does. When it dies down to a grin, he brings his hand from behind his back with a small clear container. Inside sits the dessert that's almost as sinful as the chef that made it. Does that stop me from taking it? Nope.
"You're going to make me gain ten pounds before my first practice," I tell him, slowly pulling it away from him and backing up.
He grins and starts walking with me. "Practice?"
"Yeah, I play volleyball," I say, coming to a stop. "Where are you going? Aren't you working right now?"
Shrugging, he confesses, "Technically, yes, but I have faith they can hold down the fort until I get back. As long as they don't burn down the kitchen, we should be good."
I laugh softly.
"Did you meet Raine?" he asks, motioning back toward the restaurant. "He came in with Grady."
My mouth goes dry. The tall guy that walked in with him was one of their pack mates. I barely handled being in the presence of two of them. There's no way I'd make it with three. I slowly start backing away again, "I didn't, but I have to go."
"Okay, yeah," he says, tucking his hands in his pocket. "Some other time then."
"Sure," I lie. "Thanks for my cake."
His smile doesn't change as he throws up a hand in a wave before I turn, walking away and leaving him standing there.