Because of You (25 page)

“No problem. Have a great time. And remember to be safe.” She takes my hand and shoves a condom in it. I can’t help but laugh tucking it in my front pocket.

“I will. If anything comes up just call me.”

“No problem. Now, will you two go already!” I give her a huge hug. She’s the best. I owe her big time for this.

I jump into Austin’s car and before I know it we are on the highway heading towards Braden University.

28

Braden University

The three-hour drive is not as long as I thought it was going to be. We have an awesome time talking and singing at the top of our lungs. I love how easy it is to be myself with him. I don’t ever worry if I being a dork, because I know he loves me for me. It’s the best.

Our plan was to stop at Blake’s place first, but by the time we enter the town of Pine Wood it’s already past twelve. Austin’s appointment is at twelve thirty so we decide to go directly to Braden University.

Austin parks his car and we run to the administration building. I decide to stay outside while he goes inside. The brisk December air smoothly hits my skin as I begin to walk around.

Braden University is beautiful with all its old brick buildings and the grounds around the school are breathtaking. The whole school is getting ready for the holidays so every tree is decorated with white Christmas lights. If there were snow on the ground this would be a perfect winter wonderland. I really wouldn’t mind going to school here. Just being here makes me excited to go to college.

I kind of wish Austin would chose this school if he’s not going to go to North State, but he already has his heart set on UT. Why can’t things be different? Once again that big timer appears above my head. I’m not sure I’ll able to survive with him living across the country. At the same time I’m not sure I’ll be able to survive if he doesn’t follow his dream.

Damn it! Why can’t his dream school be North State?

Austin walks out with a huge smile on his face. “How did it go?” I ask, meeting him on the steps.

“Amazing. They basically said I’m a shoe-in if I wanna go here.”

“Do you think you might want to?”

“No,” he laughs. “This is Blake’s school and he can keep it.”

“Oh.” I can feel my face fall. “Do you have to take a tour now or anything?”

“Nah, I told them my brother would show me around. They were cool about it. Are you hungry?”

“Starving.”

“Good. Lets go get something to eat.” He grabs my hand and leads me back to the car.

“What about your brother? Don’t we have to check in with him?”

“Nah. I already texted him and told him I’m in town. He said he left the key under the mat for us.”

“You mean he’s not home?”

“No. I told you he’s staying at his frat house.”

My cheeks turn red realizing Blake knows what’s going to be happening in his apartment tonight. “Are we gonna see him at all this weekend?”

“Yeah, he told me to bring you to the party tonight. I mean that’s if you wanna go.”

“Of course I wanna go. It’s gonna be my first college party,” I say getting excited.

He pulls me in putting both his arms around my shoulders blocking the brisk air from reaching my body. “You see this is why I love you. We both think alike.”

Maybe it’s because I’ve watched National Lampoon’s Animal House one too many times with my dad that I expected to see everyone in toga’s shaking their bodies on the floor while the band plays,
A Little Bit Louder
. Instead what I find is party a lot like the ones at Derek’s house.

“Do you want a drink?” Austin screams over the loud music.

“Yeah.”

I follow him into the kitchen where the kegs are and the music is not as loud. We are half way in when someone jumps in front of us making us leap back. “It’s about time you got here,” Blake says.

He gives Austin a brotherly hug and then looks over at me with his dark brown eyes making my nerves shift. Blake has always had this affect on me, even when I was a kid I would get tongue-tied around him.

His broad cheekbones rise as his lips spreads into a sexy smile. “Will you look at little Ms. Jade. You’re all grown up and looking pretty fine.” He wraps his big arms around me and gives me a tight hug. I can’t believe he’s hugging me. I always thought he couldn’t stand me.

“Let go of my girl,” Austin demands, pulling him off me and then draping his arms around my shoulders.

“I was just saying hello,” Blake teases him. “So how did the interview go?”

“Real good.”

“Austin!” A bunch of nameless guys approach us. Each one of them wearing a T-shirt with the logo from the store they bought it from. “Your brother told us you were coming.”

“How are you guys?” Austin says bringing me in tighter under his arm. It’s cute how protective he is.

Before I know it I’m being introduced to all them. Tom, John, Fred, Chris, and Wayne. Blake says their names so fast I don’t know whose face belongs to which name. Farrah would love it here. She wouldn’t know who to flirt with first.

“So are we gonna have the honor of your presence here next year?” the guy with the strong jawline asks Austin.

“Not a chance,” Austin laughs. I can’t stand how fast he dismisses the idea of coming here.

“Our little Austin is going to Texas. He wants to go to UT like our father did,” Blake explains to his frat brothers. “It’s been his dream school since he was little. I swear his first word was
longhorn
. He even tried talking with southern accent for a whole year when he was younger.”

I start laughing. I remember that so well. He would use the words y’all and reckon in almost every sentences. He was so cute.

The guys start to laugh too as Austin turns fifty shades of red. He’s even cuter when he’s embarrassed.

“Yo Austin, I just have to warn you Michelle’s here,” the guy with the red baseball cap says, making all of the laughter stop just as the sound of the music becomes lower. Who’s Michelle? And why does he have to be warned about her?

“Kay, thanks,” Austin says losing all the color on his face.

“Well, you guys have fun,” Blake says, tapping Austin on the shoulder. “Oh, and tonight make sure to use the guest room. My room is off limits. I just changed the sheets in there and I don’t wanna have to do it again.” Blake laughs so hard he’s actually turns bright red. His friends also begin to laugh knowing exactly what he means. I can’t help turning the same shade myself.

“You’re an ass!” Austin calls out as his brother and his friends walk away. He turns to face me. “I’m really sorry about that.”

“It’s okay.” There’s actually something else that’s eating away at me right now. “Who’s Michelle?”

“Huh?”

“Michelle? You know the girl who that guy warned you about.”

“She’s just this girl I met here last year.”

“Did something happen with this girl?” My stomach clenches at the thought of some girl hooking up with him.

“Noooo.” I raise my eyebrows in doubt. “Okay, we hooked up.”

I pull away from him unable to stop the anger growing inside me. “Are you kidding me? I thought you said you’d never been here with another girl.”

“No. What I said was I never brought another girl here. I never said I never met a girl here,” he says trying to make me laugh. When it doesn’t work he quickly adds, “But it didn’t mean anything. You don’t have to worry about her, baby.” He pulls me in closer. “Please don’t let this upset you. It happened last year, and I swear I never talked to her again.”

“But why did he have to warn you about her?”

“She kind of became a little bit clingy after. The next two times I came up here she wouldn’t leave me alone.”

“Did you hook up those times too?”

His gaze falls to the ground.

“I can’t believe you.” My voice is thick and full of rage.

I try to walk away but Austin grabs my wrist before I can take one step. “Babe, that happened before you and I were together. I haven’t seen or talked to her since. You’re the only one I want. Please don’t let my past ruin this weekend for us.” Sometimes I really hate that he has a past without me.

I know he’s right. I can’t let his past effect us. He’s with me now and I need to let this go, although my anger is holding on tight to my insides. “You’re right.” I try not to smile but he gives me a goofy look and I can’t help but curve my lips up. He leans forwards and covers my mouth with his, making me forget my anger.

We spent the next hour hanging out with Blake’s frat brothers. I want to say they’re all a great bunch of guys, but the truth is they are all your typical beer guzzling Neanderthals, who I’m sure would take advantage of a drunk girl in second. I hope Austin doesn’t partake in the frat life next year

I wish I could say I’m burying the whole Michelle thing away, but I can’t. I keep looking around and wondering who she is. Every girl that looks at Austin makes the knots in my stomach turn so tight I feel like I’m going to throw up.

We begin to walk towards the kegs for another drink when suddenly Austin comes to a complete stop. I turn around to face him and see two small delicate hands covering his eyes. A soft voice from behind him says, “Guess who?”

One of the most beautiful girls I’ve ever seen jumps out from behind him. Her golden blond hair floats around her porcelain face with the most amazing grey eyes. Her pink lips open into a wider smile as she leaps into his arms.

Austin barely touches her before he pushes her off him. He immediately places his arm around my shoulders and says, “Hello Michelle. How are you?”

“Better, now that you’re here.” Did she really just say that? Does she not see his arm around me?

“This is my girlfriend Jade.”

“Oh hello,” she says, acting like she just noticed I’m standing here.

“Hi,” I respond digging myself closer to Austin.

“Why didn’t you call me and tell me you were coming up?” Does this girl not know what the word
girlfriend
mean? I swear some girls have no respect. It takes me only seconds to go from thinking this girl is so beautiful to seeing all her defects.

Actually, now that I’m taking a closer look I realize her cat shaped eyes are way too close together and she doesn’t seem to have a forehead. Really, what did Austin see her anyway?

I look down at her body and realize exactly what he saw in her, big boobs and a perfect stomach. I wish I’d never seen this girl because now all I could do is picture them getting it on.

“I’ve really missed you.” She bats her eyes tracing her finger down the buttons of his plaid shirt. Okay if she doesn’t stop soon all she is going to miss is what her face looked like without a black eye.

“Babe I’m really thirsty. Can we go get something to drink?” I ask Austin, stepping between them to block Michelle’s view of him. Ha, two can play at this game. She wants to pretend I’m not standing here I’ll do the same with her.

“Right. Well, we were on our way to gets drinks,” Austin says, taking a hold of my hand now. “It was nice seeing you again.”

We walk past her towards the kegs. As much as I want to believe Michelle is not that pretty, the truth is I can’t believe Austin would even look at me after being with her. I don’t think I want him to go to this school anymore. Who am I kidding the girls in Texas are probably twice as pretty. I really think I’m going to be sick.

“Are you okay?” Austin asks holding my hand tighter.

I nod. I’m not to say anything else about Michelle, or let my insecurities ruin this night. Instead I’m going to have some fun and not think about anything but being with him.

“I’m okay. Lets go dance.” I pull him towards the dance floor as I swallow down my drink.

We begin to dance one song after another. Every time a slow song comes on he holds me tight always burying his face into my neck, or kissing me passionately not caring who is around.

A couple of times I see Michelle glaring our way. Each time I go and grab a beer hoping the alcohol will mask the anger and uncertainties crawling around in my body.

After my fourth beer and two shots of Jack Daniels I’m beginning to feel its affect in each one of my muscles. Every stupid thing is making me laugh as theroom feels like it’s spinning.

I grab another cup of beer and drag Austin back onto the dance floor. I try to take another sip of my beer, but Austin takes the cup out of my hand. “I think you’ve had enough.”

“What? No I haven’t.” I try to reach for the cup but he pulls his arm back.

Something inside me begins to think of this as a battle I must win. I reach for the cup again, but he pulls his arm further back. That’s it, I’m getting my cup back. I stand on my tiptoes and lean into him. With one quick moment I try to grab it, but accidently knock into his arm making the cup pop out of his hand and spill cold beer all over me.

Austin can’t help but laugh as beer drips down my face. I search my whole body for anger, but I can’t find any. Instead I begin to laugh with him.

Blake and his friends are also laughing hysterically. I didn’t know they were watching us. I’m so glad my body is numb to feel any humiliation right now. Thank you beer!

“Where’s your bathroom?” I ask them. They all point up the stairs. “I’ll be right back.” I lean in and give Austin a kiss before I try to walk up the stairs. I really hope I can make it up there without falling.

I take hold of the grainy wood rail and take one step at time. With each step behind me I feel victorious. I knew I wasn’t that drunk. I get to the top of the stairs and moan in frustration.

Just like in the movies there is a long line for the three available bathrooms. I could go use the kitchen sink to clean up, but I really have to use the bathroom now. Damn the beer!

Twenty minutes later I make it out of the bathroom still soaked in beer. To my surprise Blake is standing right outside the door holding a T-shirt. “I thought you’d wanna put on something dry.”

“Thank you.” I turn to go back into the bathroom, but notice I’m too late some ones already in there. I look at the long line and decide I rather stay in a wet shirt than stand on that line again.