14. Chapter 14
Chapter 14
Rebecca
E ver since Eli told me to drop his class, I’ve been…sullen. To say the least. Though, I should probably stop thinking of him as Eli and start referring to him as Professor Baker, because that’s all he is to me now.
One incredible night, followed by a torturous semester of watching him in front of the classroom three days a week. The second I saw him at the podium, I knew things wouldn’t be smooth sailing, but I never expected the water to be this choppy.
It’s hard to spend an amazing night with someone, be unable to stop thinking about them for weeks, to then be cast aside so easily. It’s a sting and feeling of rejection I’ve never experienced before, and it burns straight to my core.
Tasha cornered me about my demeanor on Friday but accepted my brief answer of boy troubles. I’d never risk telling her the truth beyond the fact that I’m feeling rejected.
But today, she promises to fill the day with fun to change my mood. I don’t have to work, so she’s planned a variety of things that she swears will have me smiling by the end of the day.
She left twenty minutes ago to grab us some breakfast, but I haven’t been able to get myself to even toss off the covers. Why did this class have to be on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays? Now I have to start and end my week on a sour note. Not only that, but it’s making focusing on my other classes harder.
I’m an A student. An honor roll student. I made Dean’s List twice last year. Today needs to get me out of my funk so I can keep that record going. I can’t let a man, albeit one as sexy as sin as Eli, be my downfall.
The door clicks shut, and I shrink in on myself, knowing what’s coming.
“I got you your fave, a delicious chocolatey mocha. And an even more delic—wait. You’re still in bed? What the hell, Bex?”
With a heavy sigh, I throw the covers back and swing my feet over the edge of the bed, rubbing the heel of my palm against my eye. “Sorry. Just couldn’t muster up the willpower.”
Her eyebrows pull together and she deposits the coffees and bag of treats on my desk. She kneels in front of me and puts her hands on my knees. “Bex, this is so unlike you. I’m worried about you. Did something happen? Has someone hurt you?”
My chin drops to my chest, and I laugh lightly, covering her hands with mine. “Just my heart and my ego a little. Mostly just a bruise. It will fade.”
“You know you can talk to me, right?”
“I do. It was just a shock, is all. I need a little time to let that wear off.”
Though she looks unsure, she stands and hands me my coffee. I quickly take a sip, the rich delicious chocolatiness making me feel warm and fuzzy. “I will say, this is a great start to the day.”
That brings a smile to her face. “Good. Now get dressed. We have places to be.”
One more sip and I hop off the bed, taking a quick glance at Tasha’s outfit before picking my own. Not only do I have no idea where we’re going, but I haven’t stepped foot outside today.
The weather in upstate New York this time of year can be a little all over the place. One day, we might be bundled in sweaters, and the next, we might be pulling the shorts back out.
I take a quick glance in the mirror and notice my curls aren’t unsalvageable, so I grab my refresher spray and head to the bathroom.
By the time I’m back in the room, Tasha has laid a double chocolate chip muffin on my desk and is halfway through her scone.
“Are you trying to change my mood by just overloading me with chocolate?” I take a giant bite of the muffin. “Because it might work,” I mumble around a bite.
“No, but I’ll keep that in mind if today doesn’t work.” She gives me a quick once over. “You ready?”
“Think so.” Grabbing my purse off the hook in my closet, I give it a quick look to make sure I have everything besides my phone, which sits on my bed. “Is there anything specific I need?”
“Nope. Just you.”
“And you still won’t tell me where we’re going.”
“Not even a hint.”
I shovel three more giant bites of my muffin into my mouth and wash it down with some of my mocha. It’s almost a little too chocolatey. But only almost.
“Okay. Ready.”
With a smile, Tasha grabs her keys from her desk, and I follow her out of the dorm and to the parking lot. “Now where the fuck did I park my car?” She holds the key fob above her head and clicks the button a few times until we hear a beep a few rows over.
There’s something about her car that’s homey. Probably just because it’s so unequivocally Tasha, my best friend of two years. It soothes the sting in my soul.
She cranks up the radio and starts driving. While I watch the trees pass by in a blur, my throat thickens as my mind begins to wander. I felt something immediately with Eli. Enough that I went to his room with him. And now I’m just yesterday’s news. I should have known better.
“Oh, come on, Bex! This is our song.”
I hadn’t even realized that it was a song I not only recognize but love. It was one that Tasha and I bonded over last year. With a shake of my head, I push the thoughts away and pull up my best smile, even if it is forced.
As we sing along at the top of our lungs, something starts to loosen inside me. Maybe Tasha’s on the right track, after all.
A smile spans my face as I replay the day. The first stop was apple picking, which I haven’t done in years. Though we live in a tiny dorm room and have nowhere to put our haul, it was still a good time. Especially when Tasha almost fell out of a tree because she just had to have one at the very top.
We grabbed lunch at my favorite burger joint and stopped into the discount theater for the latest comedy. It was mostly empty, so we huddled together in the middle of the theater, giggling like children and throwing popcorn while we booed at the characters we didn’t like.
To top the day off, we ended with grabbing takeout from my favorite Chinese place and ate on blankets on the floor while watching reruns of How I Met Your Mother .
“Did you have a good day?” Tasha’s voice has me turning to face her.
“I did. Thank you, Tash.”
“Anytime.”
The room falls silent again, but I hear her deep breath and know something’s coming.
“Are you sure you don’t want to tell me about it?”
I pick at the sheet on my bed. “It’s really not as big of a deal as I’m making it out to be. I hooked up with a guy toward the end of the summer and thought he was kind of into me. It was a one-night thing and I left before he woke up. Didn’t really think I’d ever see him again and was okay with that. But then I did, and it just didn’t go as I was hoping it would have. Like I said, ego’s a little bruised, but I’ll be okay.”
“And today helped?”
“Today helped. Sorry I’ve been a grump all week. I’ll try to do better going forward.”
“Once classes really pick up, I’m sure you’ll be so laser focused that you forget all about this guy.”
While it’s exactly something I’d hope for, the fact that he’s my professor makes me even more nervous to think about getting into classes. But I can’t let Tasha know that. “Yeah. I bet you’re right.”