Chapter 3
CHAPTER
THREE
Rory
A few hours later, I return to the dorm with bags of goods for my room, including things that weren’t a necessity but will make my room more personal. After years of saving and hiding every penny I figure I deserve it. I also picked up some supplies for school, dumb stuff like highlighters, pens, and notebooks. I even swung by the school store and bought a laptop. With the student discount, plus by getting one refurbished, I was able to walk away with a shiny gold Macbook Air. I’m more than a little giddy about it. I’m sure I’ll be caressing the precious later.
Depositing everything on the bare mattress in my room I get to work.
Li and Kenna are nowhere to be seen, probably having gone to the dining hall for a bite to eat.
I make my bed first, the white sheets and gray comforter the plainest ones I could find. Much better than the teal and hot pink options. It doesn’t reflect my personality much, but if I’m being honest with myself, I don’t really know what that is anymore. My entire life has centered around survival for so long that along the way I lost who I was.
A lot of people say college is a chance to discover yourself and this is more than true for me.
Unpacking the office supplies, I set up my desk with my laptop in the middle.
Next, I string up lights around the window, similar to Li’s room because I liked the cozy touch it added. Stepping back, I take in the space. The room is still plain, and I forgot a rug, but it’s mine. My mom can’t touch me here. Maybe the memories won’t either.
The door to our suite opens, the girls’ voices carrying across the small space.
I poke my head out to find them entering with smoothies in hand.
“Oh, hey you’re back. This is for you.” Kenna strides across, offering me a cup. “We weren’t sure what you’d like. It’s strawberry and banana with some kind of other healthy shit in it too.”
“Thanks.” I take the cup from her, my throat closing up. It’s just a drink but I’m touched. No one does anything kind for me ever, except my older sister, but I haven’t seen her in person in years. Four years older than me, Hazel grew up even faster after we left Virginia, and with our mom spiraling out of control she dropped out of school at sixteen and left. I know she felt guilty leaving me, but I understood. I wouldn’t have stayed either.
We occasionally Facetime and the random card shows up from her with cash shoved into it. Hazel ended up getting her GED after she left, but it didn’t stop her from working at a strip club. I don’t judge her though, and no one else should either, she makes good money and can take care of herself. It’s more than a lot of people can say.
“Did you get everything you needed?” Li asks, dropping her purse on the coffee table and flipping her long straight black hair over her shoulder in the process.
“Pretty much.”
I got the necessities, including the toothpaste and hairbrush I forgot to pack.
As the three of us stand there in an awkward circle, I realize I’m not good at this. Small talk, trying to make friends, just being social in general. Hazel was all I had until she fled. After, I didn’t see the point.
“So,” I rock back on my heels, “do you all know what you want to do?” I realize how dumb I sound and wince. Clearing my throat I add, “I mean, degree wise.”
“Graphic design,” Kenna answers immediately, her face flooded with relief. I have a feeling she’s probably the most outgoing out of all of us, but even then it’s sometimes hard to think of what to say to people you’ve just met and are going to be living with. “I’d love to work with a big company after I graduate designing branding and packaging.”
“Wow, that’s really cool.” I’m not creative enough to even consider something like that.
“What about you?” She sits down on the chair, crossing her legs. She tips her chin in the air, waiting for me to respond.
I swallow, looking away, afraid my eyes might give too much away. “I want to be a child advocate attorney.”
“Wow, that’ll be a lot of schooling, huh?” Kenna shakes her head. “I don’t think I’d have the patience for that.”
“Yeah, I have to do four years of undergraduate study before I can apply for law school and then that’s another three.” I pull my hair over my shoulder. “But that’s why I was so happy I could go here. If I get accepted into the law program here I won’t have to transfer.”
Turning my gaze to Li, desperate to get the topic of conversation off myself, I ask, “What about you?”
“Oh, I want to go into biology. Not sure yet for what. I could always become a professor, but I’m leaning toward the research end.”
“Wow, we’re all over the place in what we want to do.” Kenna gives a soft laugh. “Well, if you guys don’t mind, I’m going to get a shower and start getting ready for tonight.”
“When are we leaving?”
“Nine,” she replies, already edging toward the bathroom.
I look at the time. “It’s only five—it takes you that long to get ready?”
Granted, I’m more of the throw my hair in a messy bun, gloss and mascara only, kind of girl but that seems like an unreasonably long amount of time to take to get ready.
“Perfection takes time.” She winks, sashaying into the bathroom with a dramatic flourish.
I glance at Li, giving my head a light shake. “I’m going to finish unpacking.”
Really, there’s nothing left to unpack, but I can reorganize and study the campus map so when classes start on Monday I’ll know where to go.
“Me too.” Li gives a shy smile, brushing past me to her room.
I’ve barely closed the door to mine when the shower starts up.
A moment later, Kenna’s karaoke show begins courtesy of Britney Spears’s Oops I Did It Again.
I close my eyes, exhaling a slow measured breath.
No matter what, I know I did the right thing by coming here.
“I cannot go out in this.”
I stare at my reflection in the floor length mirror. Kenna forced me into a short jean skirt, some kind of lacy bustier body suit, and an open flannel tied above my waist. Completing the look is a pair of cowboy boots.
“This is Tennessee. It’s like a religion to dress like this.”
I arch a brow. “You sure about that?”
“Uh…” She hesitates, blinking behind me in the mirror. “Definitely.”
During our chat while getting ready I learned that she moved here from California. She told me about her family, smiling as she spoke of them. Her dad is a tech genius that owns his own company and based on some of the designer things around her room it’s obvious she comes from big money. It’s not a total surprise. Aldridge is built to cater to the upper crust of society. I’m nothing but a charity case, but I’m fine with that as long as it gets me to my end game. A law degree with a steady career. I’m fine building my life from the ground up. Not all of us need a springboard in order to achieve great things. Besides, where’s the reward without a little bloodshed.
“You look hot,” she continues. “Gorgeous, honestly. I wish I had your boobs.”
I look down at my B-chest looking much fuller in the push-up bra I only own because Hazel got it for me.
“Thanks?” It comes out as a question, but she doesn’t seem to notice.
“What about the glasses, though?” She eyes my tortoise-shell frames. “Can you ditch those?”
I stare at her, lips parted in disbelief. “Only if I want to be practically blind?”
She waves a dismissive hand. “I only mean don’t you have like contacts or something?”
“No,” I bite out, “I happen to like my glasses.”
“Oh,” pink flushes her face, “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to sound rude. I’m really bad about speaking before I think. My dad has tried so hard to break me of the habit. Clearly it hasn’t worked.”
“It’s fine,” I mutter, trying not to be aggravated. She’s not the first person to make a comment about my glasses and I doubt she’ll be the last. The suckiest time was when some girl at my high school told me I’d be a lot prettier without my glasses. Her comment pissed me off so much that even though I normally didn’t say a word, I came back with, “Yeah, and you’d be prettier without your judgmental attitude.”
She could never make eye contact with me again after that.
“Seriously, you look gorgeous. Just go out and … be someone else for a night.” She gives a shrug, reaching for heels.
Li pops her head in the doorway. “You guys ready?”
She’s dressed in a pair of ripped jeans with a flannel tied up just like mine. I long for her jeans though. I’m showing way more skin than I’m used to, but Kenna’s words stick with me.
Be someone else for a night.
I’m in a new state, at college, where no one knows me and I can finally let go of my past. Being someone else sounds pretty appealing. I don’t have a label attached to me already.
“Yep,” I answer Li, smiling at my reflection this time. I fluff my hair, curled and hanging down past my breasts. “Let’s go.”
Harvey’s, the bar Kenna drives us to, looks like a total dive. The kind of place you’d see bikers hanging outside of. Despite the appearance of the building it isn’t motorcycles parked out front. Instead luxury vehicles line the lot like sentinels. You can practically smell the money in the air.
Kenna shuts her car off. You almost can’t tell since it’s so quiet even when it’s on.
“Show time, girls.” Kenna rubs her hands together, her caramel eyes sparkling with excitement.
Li leans up from the back as Kenna slips from the car and whispers to me, “She scares me.”
Laughter bubbles out of me. “She’s something.”
Kenna waves for us to hurry and get out, so we do, the headlights on her car flashing when she locks it.
A country song blasts out of the bar as we walk up, Kenna pushing open the doors like a dramatic cop in a western movie. Or maybe it’s the outlaw that does that.
Inside, the music is even louder, the lights dimmed. There are booths, a massive bar that’s a complete circle in the middle of the room, and a dance floor that’s currently heavily occupied by people doing some kind of step shuffle thing.
The atmosphere is vibrant, lively and I find myself smiling.
Kenna grabs my hand and I quickly reach for Li’s, both of us letting the other girl guide us through the bar. I think Kenna has become the silent leader of our group.
She locates a booth in a back corner facing the dance floor. It’s a little out of the way which she seems disappointed about, but her frown quickly leaves when she announces that drinks are on her tonight and she glides over to the bar with a swish of her hair, leaving the smell of her floral perfume in her wake.
Li sits down, tapping her fingers against her cheek. “This place isn’t normally my scene,” she says softly, her eyes scanning the building. “I’m not into the whole country vibe thing.”
I don’t tell her, but this place is a replica of that—all to give the rich college snobs the illusion of being in a real country bar. If this were an actual one there’d be muddy trucks with big tires in the lot, cheap beer, and probably someone getting punched right about now.
Looking around the bar, it’s obvious that there are no locals in attendance. The song playing ends and the people on the dance floor clap, some of them heading back to their table and others ready for another dance.
I just want some chicken tenders, but I bet this place doesn’t even have those.
My stomach rumbles with my thoughts. “Is there a menu there?” I ask Li, pointing at the end of the table where the ketchup and other condiments are.
She shakes her head. “Nope, I don’t see one.”
At that moment Kenna reappears with a pitcher of beer that doesn’t look anything like the cheap kind, probably some house made brew or local specialty, and three shots.
“Come on, ladies,” she passes out the shots, “to college.”
She holds up her shot, waiting for us to hit ours against hers.
“To life,” Li adds.
“To freedom.”
The glass clinks and I knock back the shot, trying not to make a face, I don’t succeed because I hear the laughter of some guy and look up. Amber eyes stare back at me and I don’t have to look very long to know the guy is hot and fit, probably plays some sport, his skin is a soft brown color and his black hair is buzzed short. Tattoos snake down the entirety of his left arm.
“Having a little trouble there?”
Now, I sputter even more with the newfound audience.
So attractive, Rory. Get your shit together.
Coughing, I grab a napkin, pressing it to my mouth. “I-I’m fine,” I choke out.
His smirk tilts up on the corner. “Let me get you some water.”
Kenna and Li look from the guy to me and back again. Then Kenna gives a little shimmy of her shoulders and a wink, urging me silently with a pointed finger to get out of the booth and follow the guy to the bar.
I want to say no, but as soon as I have that thought I toss it to the side. I deserve to let loose and a cute guy is talking to me and all he wants is to get me a water. Honestly, after my hacking show he probably thinks I’m pitiful and truly wants to make sure I’m all right.
“Um, thanks. Water would be great.” I slide out of the booth and his hand instantly goes to the small of my waist, his long fingers edging over the denim of the skirt currently hugging my butt.
I feel the burn of eyes following us, all girls when I brave a look, staring on in jealousy. Whoever this guy is, he’s a big deal.
At the bar, he signals the bartender and in seconds an ice water is poured and slid my way.
“What’s your name?” The guy asks me in his deep voice, a slight southern drawl to it.
“Rory,” I reply, wrapping my lips around the straw. His eyes flick down with my movement and a shiver slithers up my spine.
It’s been months since I’ve been with a guy, and none of my random hookups have ever been that great, but the way this guy is looking at me tells me he’d know what he’s doing if I gave him a chance. But he’s also probably been with the majority of the female population on campus.
Who cares, you only live once.
“What about you?”
“What about me, darlin’? His cocky swagger would normally piss me off, but tonight I find myself not caring. I guess that’s what freedom does to you.
“Your name?” I try to hide my smile but I know it shows around the straw.
His amber eyes sparkle. “Cole.”
I’ve never seen eyes that shade, such a unique swirl of gold with an orange hue.
“No last name?” I arch a brow.
“Anderson.”
“Nice to meet you Cole Anderson.”
“You didn’t give me your last name.” His grin tips up on the corners and he motions for the bartender again. In a blink a bottle of beer is thrust into his hand, probably one of the ‘manly’ types that tastes like piss.
“Abbott.”
“You gonna dance with me Rory Abbott?” He bites his lip, trying to hide his growing smile but there’s something incredibly sexy about it.
“Only if you want your toes stepped on.” I wish I could dance, but Hazel inherited all the rhythm genes, all I got was an ability to argue over just about anything.
“I don’t mind.”
I sip the water, half of it already gone, and he raises the bottle to his lips a challenge glimmering in his eyes.
When the water is gone, I grab his empty hand. “Why not. Show me how it’s done, Anderson.”