Nineteen

Chapter Twenty-Four

He pushes me against the wall as he kisses me. I'm taken back by the sudden actions he's presented.

I kiss him back. His rough hands are warm as he holds my cheeks in them.

My chest ignites and it feels as if I've been set on fire. His hands leave a trail of fire as they shift on my face.

My hands move to his shirt, feeling how cold he must be from the rain.

His hands move to my hips and he pulls away.

"What's wrong?" I ask, worried it was something I did.

"I'm sorry." He rubs his hands over his wet jeans.

He walks out the door, leaving a trail of water behind him.

I'm standing in the same spot. What was that?

I can't say I'm not attracted to Collin, but I never imaged he would be attracted to me. He never shows any emotion, and when he does, it's very little.

He's hard to read, not very friendly, and impossible to understand.

But yet I'm left here, wondering why my lips yearn for someone I barely know.

I lay down but I do not sleep.

Tomorrow is Friday and I have no classes. I should probably go and talk to Collin, but I'll leave that up to him.

I drift off to thoughts of what love is actually like.

The next morning I wake up and look to see it's already 12. I slept half of the day.

My phone has multiple messages from Clark apologizing for not taking me home. I reply, accepting all of them.

I have one from Link asking me if I was okay after last night. I reply with a simple "Yes."

I have one from Bailey where he swears he'll be by sometime today, but I delete it.

None from Collin.

I roll out of bed and throw on some shorts and a hoodie. It's August in Miami, so I'll probably regret the long sleeves later.

I put little effort into the rest of my appearance and I'm sure people will notice, but I'm too tired to care.

I lock my door behind me and head to the parking lot.

I see that my car is sitting in the same place as last night just when I realize I have no idea where my keys are.

I locked the door before I closed it.

And my keys are in the dorm somewhere.

"Great," I mumble to myself.

My only hope to get back into the dorm is Jade, and I have no idea where she is.

I would go visit Clark but I don't know if he's home from the frat house, and I don't want to risk running into Bailey.

But what other choice do I have? Sit outside until I see someone?

I walk towards his building right as the sun heats up my hoodie.

I've knocked three times already and nobody is answering. Right as I start I turn and leave, the door opens.

"Yes?" Bailey says.

His face is black and blue and his lips are still busted.

"Is clark home yet?"

"No, not yet." He looks at me.

"I'm sorry," I say.

"It's okay. I was a jerk, we got here and I haven't acted like myself."

He rubs the back of his neck, carefully.

"It's okay.. friends?" I say and hold my hand out for a shake.

He takes a deep breath, "sure. Why not?" He says and takes my hand. "We acted more like friends anyway."

"That's something I can agree on." I laugh.

I don't forgive Bailey, but I don't want to spend time avoiding him and sulking in what could have been.

"I'm gonna go get Clark. I'm sure he'll need a ride.."

I catch myself right as I remember I don't have any keys, "..if I didn't lock my keys in my dorm."

"We can both go and get him, he left his keys and car right outside," he grabs a set of keys from the table beside the door and dangles them in the air.

"I thought he drove?"

"He was going to, but some guys came and picked him up right before he left. He said he was gonna come back and he his car, but never did," he says as we walk down the hallway.

We pace across the grass to the parking lot.

Bailey gets in the passenger seat and I get in to drive Clark's car to the frat house.