OLD Campus Crush

21

Song: Go Figure by Everlife
*

"I like you. I always have," Nash told me, his sweet harmless eyes staring up at me from his bed. I stood over him, my lips pressed tight.

"Nash, you can't... Don't say that-"

"Why not? It's true. I've said it before and I'll say it again. I like you."

I glared at him, but doing so was useless once I felt tears struggling to appear. "No, you like Lucas."

"I like you."

"Yeah?" I backed away a couple of steps, folding my arms with my face set tight. "So, you two having sex in the bathroom was just entertainment for what, the walls?"

"Sex?" His eyebrows furrowed.

My tears began to fall. "Hey... it's none of my business, really. Just don't lie to me. You like him, not me. Go to sleep, Nash." I turned around quickly, not wanting him to see me burst into more tears.

two hours earlier

"Alright, you have to be the DD. You don't drink," Ava assigned, snatching Nash's car keys from his hands and placing them in mine. "Guard it with your life or he's out for blood."

"She's my baby," Nash said, winking at me as he slid three fingers across his car's hood.

I started to blush. We had just arrived at a frat house. Apparently, Nash's friends were going to a different party instead, so the four of us went in his car.

"He should totally have a drink or two," Lucas insisted.

"Um, you wanna die tonight?" Ava asked, turning to him. It was almost funny because he was the shortest person among us, and Ava was the tallest he had to tilt his head up when she stood face-to-chest with him. "No, you don't. He's not having one or two."

"Okay, okay. Sheesh, my bad."

"Come here, you," Nash swung a muscular arm over his shoulder, leading him closer to the frat house. "You look different without your glasses on." I watched them walk up the steps and into the house before turning to Ava.

"I-I don't wanna go in there. I've never been to a party before."

She nodded, patting my arm. "You'll be fine. College is different than high school."

"So... does that mean it's less wild?" I inquired. She bit her lip.

"No, it's a lot wilder but that's beside the point. I'm just saying, people's social lives aren't as important in college as they are in high school. There's no 'reputation' to uphold or whatever. Just let loose a bit and you'll be good."

I didn't say anything after that. We entered the loud house, its walls rippling with hip hop music. It simulated a club-the main lights off with some alternative colorful lights flashing across the ceiling, sort of like a disco but slightly cooler. Ava tried her best not to leave my side for a while, but once the party escalated, she drifted off. But I didn't blame her; she came to have fun.

I wasn't very fun.

I moved to a corner, shadowed by the two walls and folded my arms. I shouldn't have come here. I should be in the library, talking to David, studying with him. Just... with him.

"You don't have to drink to have fun, Cas."

Once I heard 'Cas' I knew who it was. I looked up to realize that I'd been found by none other than Nash McAvoy. This should be interesting.

"Don't worry about what Lucas said. Hey, you have my keys safe, right?"

I patted my pockets, but he probably couldn't see in the slight darkness of the party. He did have a drink in his hand, and I tried not to mind it. I didn't like to think that Nash could get drunk and lose himself for even just one night.