Wish You Were Mine | Derek Morgan

one

    Eden
    twelve years ago

They say your college years are meant for experiencing new things...that's what I keep trying to tell myself as I shouldered my way through the crowded dance floor.

Parties aren't usually my scene, but as a new college Freshman, I was determined to break my no-partying streak.

I held on to my best friend, Zen's, hand as she led me across the living room space. Unlike me, Zen was well acquainted with the partying scene and a much more sociable person than I was.

I'd be lying if I said I didn't envy her ability to make friends with everyone in the snap of her fingers. And to her sea of friends who were all part of the 'in' crowd, I was only ever known as Zen's friend or, the much dreaded, Evan's little sister.

Much like my best friend, my older brother, Evan, is also a social butterfly.

The amount of parties- though I was never invited to them- our childhood home has seen was frankly ridiculous. And by some miracle, Evan had never been caught by our parents.

Being two years older than I was and a Junior in the same college, I was expecting to see my brother here tonight. But so far, I haven't seen any signs of him.

If I were being honest, it wasn't my brother who I was so desperately trying to catch a glimpse of, it was his best friend who had me craning my neck like a meerkat looking for him because wherever he went, so did Derek Morgan. My brother was just an easy excuse.

I'm not completely sure when this little crush on him started to fester. But while girls fawned over him, guys wanted to be him, and some would say that he was just a kid who liked to use his fist too much, my impression of Derek had always been stellar.

He was always there for as long as I could remember, giving me rides whenever my brother couldn't, coming to cheer me on for my volleyball matches and bringing food and soda up to my room whenever my brother threw one of his parties. Is it really a wonder why I fell for him the way I did?

It's been a while since I've seen him though, but you know what they say; distance makes the heart grow fonder. And in my case, that's exactly what happened.

I thought I would be over my little crush by now. Especially since there were guys for the picking now that I was in college, but that never happened. Instead, here I was, pinning for someone I knew could never be mine.

"Eden! This is Josh, the guy I was telling you about!" Zen yells over the deafening music when we emerge on the other side of the crowd.

My eyes land on a tall guy in a tight tank top and jeans. He's not bad-looking, but he also doesn't quite do anything for me.

For as long as I can remember, Zen has been trying to set me up, claiming that I have to get out more often. But none of the guys that she introduces to me ever catch my interest and they only end up deepening my longing for Derek.

Pasting on a smile, I hold out a hand to Josh, "Hi, I'm Eden!" The music drowns out my voice, but I'm certain that he managed to hear me because he smiles in return.

"Hey, pretty." The smile on my falters a little because I can't decide if he just didn't catch my name over the music like I thought he did, or if he just didn't care.

His large hand covers mine for what I thought was a polite handshake, but then, he uses it to pull me into his side and I stiffen.

"Sorry, the music's a little loud, I just thought you would be able to hear me better this way."

I don't entirely buy his excuse, but I nod anyway because it's just easier that way. I turn to see that Zen is gone and I curse my bestie for leaving me like this in my head.