Uncomfortable, Undone University Series, Book 1

Chapter 6

Krystal

"Worst date ever," I announce to Abby as I throw my sweater on my desk. I flop face down on my bed, and briefly consider smothering myself in the blanket to put myself out of my misery.

"Come on, it couldn't have been that bad."

"Says the girl who's reading alone in her dorm room on a Friday night," I answer without lifting my head. Sure, Abby is curled on her bed with a book, but she was at some fundraising meeting for one of her clubs earlier. So, in all fairness, she did actually go out tonight.

"Book boyfriends are so much better than the real thing." Her response is matter of fact and unapologetic.

"Maybe I'll try that. Because I suck at dates. Anyone who is as bad at it as I am shouldn't be allowed to do it." I flip over and stare up at the ceiling.

Abby puts her book down, gets off her bed, and climbs onto mine to lie flat next to me. "What happened?"

I release a long sigh and then dive in. "Well, for starters... I knew the guy."

"And?"

"And... it was the guy who walked me home from the party the other night."

Abby shifts on her side and props her head up on one hand to look down at me in confusion. "The guy you asked out who told you he didn't date?"

I nod. "Ryan's frat brother."

Abby makes a choking noise of disgust.

"That's not even the worst part, Abs. I was a total spaz." I go on to relay the highlights of the date, how I almost flashed the entire parking lot, how barely a minute later, I tripped and fell boob-first into my date's hands, squeezing lemon juice in my eye, practically giving him a hand job in front of an old couple. And how after that, I basically shut down and didn't participate in the conversation at all.

I can tell by Abby's tight-lipped expression that she's trying hard not to laugh at me.

"Go ahead and laugh. I know you want to."

She does. Long and loud. "At least you got to second base, though."

Her humor is infectious, lifting my mood in small measures, and I join her in laughter. "Actually, I think I got to third."

"Okay, but he got to second."

I nod in agreement. "Yeah, in the middle of a busy parking lot."

"I never pegged you for an exhibitionist."

I chuck one of my many pillows at her. "Everyone's gotta start somewhere."

She tosses my pillow back onto my bed near my feet. "So, are you going to see him again?"

I laugh again, but this time it's accented by self-deprecation. "He was only there as a favor to his friend. He's sticking to the story that he doesn't date. But honestly, Abs, I got the distinct impression there's something specifically about me that he's not into."

"Well, screw him. You're too good for him anyway."

I know Abby means screw him in the proverbial, forget-about-him way, but her words conjure images of Jace hovering over me on my bed, his hand on my breast on purpose. My dress riding up because he's pulling it up to get to what's underneath. I push the thoughts aside and hope Abby doesn't notice my sudden discomfort and realize the turn of my thoughts. "Yeah, screw him," I mutter and push off the bed to go in search of pajamas.

Fifteen minutes later, I'm showered and comfortably clad in my coziest of leggings and pullover sweater. Abby's light is off on her side of the room, and she's curled under her blanket facing the wall. I do my best to be quiet as I settle into my bed with my phone and earbuds. Midnight has barely arrived, and I'll probably be up for some time. My intention is to get lost down a social media meme hole, where I can pretend everything is funny and this night never happened.