Chapter 3
THREE
VIX AGE NINE
“Race you to the big rock!” I shout over my shoulder as I drop my bike into fourth gear to catch some speed.
“No fair, I wasn’t ready, Vix!” Aussy huffs in frustration, pushing himself full speed ahead to catch up. I push my legs as hard as they will let me go, wind blowing in my hair, and excitement building in my chest. I’m gonna beat him this time. I can feel it.
We whip down the road, dirt and rocks kick up behind us from the speed of our tires. I feel him closing the distance between us, so I lower myself to my bike handles, pedalling harder, and faster. I round the final bend, and the boulder marking our finish line comes into view.
A little bit further.
Aussy pulls up beside me, and we’re now neck and neck. He raises his hand, giving me a salute with a smug grin plastered across his face, and then takes off in front of me.
Not again.
He flies past the big rock, raising both hands in the air, claiming his victory, and I come to a complete stop before our invisible finish line. Aussy lets out a huff.
“You know the rules, Vix, you have to cross the finish line!” he lectures, but I don’t give in. I give him a scowl and fold my arms across my chest.
“If I don’t cross, then you haven’t beaten me,” I protest. I couldn’t look more smug if I tried.
“Mavix Brighton, don’t be a sore loser! Cross the darn finish line!”
I shake my head and get off my bike. Lowering it to the ground, I sit beside it in the dirt, chin held high in defiance.
“Make me.”
He storms over, his feet stomping up clouds of dust on his tail.
“I will pick you up and throw you over that finish line if I have to.” He scowls. His threat makes me break out into a fit of laughter.
“We both know you’re not strong enough to lift me, let alone throw me a couple of feet.” I’m holding my stomach, hunched over, laughing with tears in my eyes.
“Well… not yet, but someday I will, and you’ll regret pushing my buttons!”
I laugh harder.
Aussy sits down in the dirt beside me, flicking me on the arm as he does. I flick him back on his forehead.
“You’re infuriating,” he growls and leans back on his hands.
“I know.” I can’t help but beam from ear to ear.
Aussy is my best friend. I couldn’t imagine my life without him. I hope I never have to.
VIX NOW
Fucking my sister. The words echo in my mind, as if my brain is refusing to process what I just heard.
My eyes find Leah’s, who is staring directly at me like a kid caught with her hand in the cookie jar.
But why? I mean, sure, I haven’t seen Aussy in five years, and my heart feels like it’s about to explode out of my chest at this newly revealed information, but she didn’t do anything wrong.
I have no right to be jealous that my new roommate and my best friend, whom I’ve had feelings for most of my life, have been sleeping together.
So why am I?
Snapping myself out of my trance-like state, I look over to the Cafeteria God himself standing in my doorway.
His sister. Leah is his sister. Cafeteria God is Aussy’s roommate.
Everything starts to click into place, and I snap back to reality, feeling an overwhelming amount of emotions all at once.
I reply to the man who looks too damn comfortable leaning on my door frame with an attitude that probably has too much bite.
“Oh, look, you found my dorm anyway,” I deadpan.
“That one’s spicy.” He nods his head in my direction and gives me a wink.
Austin brushes past Kash and pads over to my side of the room. The end of the bed dips under his weight. He rests his arms on his legs, letting out a sigh.
“Vix, Kash. Kash…” He waves his hand back and forth between us.
“This is Vix.”
Cafeteria God’s eyebrows rise, making me think he’s pleasantly surprised.
“Kash, Kashious the Righteous, if you prefer.” He grins while reaching out to shake my hand. “It’s nice to meet you formally, Vix. You look hella great when you’re clean and dry.”
The whole room grows quiet.
“Kash, what the hell is wrong with you?” Leah walks over and slaps her brother upside his head.
“Ow, fuck. She knows what I mean. Tough crowd.” He chuckles, retracting his hand.
I’m still unsure what to say in this situation.
I feel my anxiety creeping under my skin like a snake attacking every bit of my calm.
Tension builds in my shoulders, and a lump forms in the back of my throat.
Today has been a lot. A lot of people, a lot of surprises, a lot revealed to me, and I’m feeling overstimulated.
Kash is Austin’s roommate.
He’s also Leah’s brother.
Leah is hooking up with Austin.
Aus and I are… still best friends?
This year is going to be a hoot.
Feeling awkward and a little out of place, I give the best smile I can manage and try to think of something to say to fill this awkwardness.
“Hey, Kash. Nice to meet you.” He flashes his million-dollar smile my way, and I swear I saw a twinkle in his eye when I said his name. Strangely, it calms me.
“Now that we’ve got that out of the way, are we hitting Booths tonight?” he questions as if it’s already decided that we’re all hanging out together.
Booths is the local pub just off campus.
Good food, a bar and at night, the place where HHU students go to forget their worries and dance the night away.
It’s not your typical club-type bar. It’s notorious for having theme nights every now and then.
It’s one of the places I’ve been excited to visit in hopes of finally forming that social life I’ve always longed for. Tonight’s theme is angels and devils.
“Fuck yes!” I jump up from the floor, unable to contain my excitement and play it cool.
“Atta girl, Vixy.” Kash drapes his arm over my shoulder, and I blush. Even with his cocky attitude and goofy sense of humour, there’s no denying how insanely gorgeous he is.
Aus stiffens, and I can tell he’s uncomfortable with how close Kash and I are.
“I’m down for Booths; we’ll swing by to pick you guys up at nine.” He stands from the bed and shoves Kash by the shoulder, directing him to the door. Is he… jealous?
The guys leave, and it grows quiet. I can feel eyes on me, so I turn and catch Leah staring at me, like she’s waiting for my next move.
“So, shall we get ready?” I ask her, trying to break the tension in the air.
“Do you like Austin?” she asks me in such a bubbly tone that it completely catches me off guard.
“What? No… Austin is my oldest friend.” I can feel heat rising to my cheeks.
“That’s a shame,” she replies, rifling through colourful outfits hung neatly in her closet.
“Because he definitely has a thing for you.” She flips her hair over her shoulder. “Should I wear this tonight?” Leah pulls out a silk red coloured mini dress that looks like she’d be attending an elite nightclub.
“Wait, back up a sec, aren’t you two seeing each other?” I ask in panic. “Aus has only ever seen me as a friend. A little sister… I didn’t mean to come off as if I’m hung up on him,” I ramble, feeling too exposed.
“Girl, first off, Austin and I hooked up a few times, nothing serious, nothing romantic, and we both understood that’s all it was.
A girl’s got needs, you know? Second, he’s always told me his heart belongs to someone else, and seeing the way he was eye fucking you all day today, I’d say that person is you, babe.
Third, yes or no to the dress?” she asks, holding the dress out, giving it a wiggle.
I’m staring, mouth slightly ajar, listening to her, while trying to process coherent thoughts. They’re not together. Leah speaks about them hooking up so casually that it’s almost as if she’s reassuring me for my own peace of mind.
“Hello, Earth to Vix…” she trails off, hands on her hips.
“Yeah, sorry,” I reply. “Booths is a low-key bar with dancing and food. That dress is stunning, but you’ll definitely stand out amongst the crowd.”
“Perfect! I’m wearing it. First impressions are everything.
If I’m going to make it out alive this year, I want everyone to know I’m a devilish good time.
” Her wicked smile and waggling eyebrows tell me she means business.
I laugh, nodding my head at this girl who is so clearly bubblegum and sunshine.
“That should do it.” I head to my own closet, deciding what to wear tonight myself.
I want to look nice. Would Austin notice?
Leah’s right. First impressions are important, and I’ve changed a lot over the past five years.
I’m no longer the little girl he once knew.
I’m not even the girl I thought I once was.