Love Me Back

Ch. 2

Ch. 2 // Deja

It's only the first day of school but I already have so much work to do. Yay college, yay STEM. I drop my backpack next to my desk and plop down on my bed. As I look up at the blank cream ceiling, Dacre invades my mind. Our short conversation replays in my mind.

He doesn't seem to think my pens are weird. Usually, when people ask for a pen, I give them a standard BIC ballpoint pen. I don't like ballpoint pens and they're really cheap, so if they forget to return them, I don't care. I stop lending my cute pens in high school because I'd get teased or they were never returned. So handing him the bear pen was an honest mistake. But, he didn't seem to think I'm weird because of my collection, which, I'm not going to lie, adds to his appeal.

I spend a couple more minutes sprawled out on my bed, trying to decompress from the day, before rolling off and changing into my home clothes. Basically an old tee and shorts. I grab my phone and check the time. 3:20 PM

When I'm at home, I usually start studying around 6 pm after I've cooked, eaten, and decompressed. Since I've already eaten, I could probably start early so I can end early. Plus there isn't much to do since I only had 1 class today. I grab by backpack and start pulling out my laptop, notebooks, and pencil case and placing them on my desk. I take a seat on my baby pink swivel chair and just as I turn on my laptop, my phone dings.

Package delivered

I immediately hop out of my chair and run out of my room. In my opinion, stationery can come before studying.

"Where are you going?" I hear as I open the front door. I whip my head around and Kiara is laying on our gray couch with her phone in hand.

"I have a package," I shout back as I slip on my Crocs. Before she can respond, I'm already out the door. I've been waiting for this package for a month and a half. Limited edition Doraemon stationery set released in Japan. It arrived at my parents' house a couple of days ago, so they had to ship it to me. I begged them just to drive it down, but they refused to drive down from Milwaukee just because of a couple of pens.

"Deja?" I hear a familiar voice call out my name as I'm shutting the front door.

I turn and it's him and all his hazel-eyed goodnesses. "D-Dacre?"

He smiles and steps out of the door in front of me. He's no longer in the black shirt and blue jeans I saw him in earlier today. Instead, he changed into a white compression shirt and black gym shorts. The white shirt is tight against his body so that I can see the outline of his toned torso.

"Do you live here?" He asks.

"Uh yeah," I rip my eyes away from his body, "I moved in with my roommate last week."

"Then I guess we're neighbors." My heart drops but in a good way. Not only are we working together in the same class, for the next year, but Dacre and I will also be living across from each other. A dream come fucking true.

"That's awesome," I say trying not to sound super enthusiastic, but enthusiastic enough.

"When did you move in?" And how did I not know?

"My roommate moved in 2 weeks ago, I just moved in like 4 days ago. I had some stuff to take care of at home."

"Oh." For the past 4 days, I was making the most of my last days of freedom by spending some quality me time. Videogames, books, and clothes. There would be no way I'd know he moved in. 

"So you live with Javon?" I ask. An image of a tall slightly emo brown-skinned dread head comes to mind.

He nods, "you know him?"

I nod, "I saw him last week. But we've known each other since middle school. We went to school and church together."

"Oh, that's cool."

"Yeah, actually, all 3 of us went to school. Me, my roommate, and Jay." I add, and he nods in response.

"We've always just been friends. He's basically a cousin to me," I add. I don't want him to think Jay and I were ever a thing or would ever be a thing.

My phone buzzes in my waistband. I'm pretty sure it has nothing to do with the package, but it reminds me I have a package to collect, "I'm actually headed downstairs to collect a package."

His eyes widen, "Oh ok, cool, cool, cool. I-I'm going to the gym at the Wellness Center."

"So we're headed the same way?"

"Yeah," Dacre responds. He then steps out of the doorway and shuts the door behind him. As he's locking the door, I notice 3 things: 1) his black duffle bag, 2) his muscular arms, and 3) his nice round ass. When he turns around, I immediately look up at him like I wasn't just ogling his ass.

"I've never been to the Wellness Center," I say as we walk towards the elevator. We live on the 10th floor. Yeah, there are stairs, but again 10th floor.

He lets out a gasp, "how come? The gym is free!"

I shrug, "I don't really excise."

I did play tennis for a very long time and I was surprisingly good even though I chose the sport just for the outfits. Skorts and tanks, halter dresses, visors. Despite looking cute on the courts, I got a couple of offers and scholarships to play for some universities.

"What! You need to go. We have hundreds of equipment, amazing studios, and a shake bar."

"If it's as amazing as you say, then you'll have to take me." Am I being flirty?

"Say less," he grins, "consider it planned."

Before I can fantasize about Dacre as my personal trainer, the elevator stops at floor 8 and the doors reveal a familiar curly-haired, freckled face ginger.

Caiden. My mood immediately turns sour as we lock eyes.

"Hey Deja," he says as his deep brown eyes slowly wander down my body.  Ew. I roll my eyes and cross my arms.

He enters the elevator and presses floor 5 while standing next to me. Caiden was a lot of firsts for me. He was the first guy that I ever "talked to". The first guy that wanted to be more than friends.

We were in the same dorm last year, even though he was a year older. When I first saw him, I thought he was beautiful. Pale brown skin, deep auburn freckles, and dark ginger hair. First biracial ginger I had ever seen.

He was nice and caring. Showed me around campus, took me to school events, and helped me find tutoring. We quickly became friends and then a month into our friendship, we started dating. That's when he changed and I realized he was nice for 1 reason. Sex. All he wanted was sex, and I wasn't going to give it to him. Don't get me wrong, I was physically attracted to him, but I wasn't ready. And even time he applied pressure, I became less attracted to and interested in him.

We barely lasted 3 weeks because he kept pressuring me and I wasn't with that. After I broke it off, I found out he was cheating on me with his ex. He also blamed me for his unfaithful actions because, and I quote, "he had sexual needs". Gross. I'm ecstatic that I didn't lose my virginity to him.

His name should have been a fucking red flag. I've never met a Caiden who wasn't an ass.

"You can at least say hi back," Caiden says. I continue ignoring him until the elevator stops. He gets out and I let out a loud sigh of relief.

"So, did you ever play any sports growing up?" I ask Dacre as the elevator begins to move. I can tell he's confused about what just happened, but he doesn't press it.

"Basketball and Baseball. Did you?"

"Just tennis."

"And you haven't been to the Wellness center? There's like 2 it 3 indoor tennis courts."

I shrug, "I played mainly for the outfits. But I have to admit, I was really good and enjoyed it."

"You'll have to show me your skills."

"If you have a racket, I don't see why not."