Starting Over (ITILMBBF Sequel)

Over It

"He really spilled beer on you?" Aaron asked, tucking himself in next to me.

It had been a rough week to start the school year. Between my newfound enemy in BioBitch and the horrible tippers at Joe's, I felt like I didn't have an emotional leg to stand on. On top of it Aaron and I had kept missing each other at home. Like ships passing in the night our weekly schedules opposed so greatly I barely got a chance to say hi and bye to him, let alone tell him about how rough of a start it had been. So we decided to take the first Friday night to catch up. Laying in pajamas and cuddling up to Aaron was just what I needed to fix this slump.

"Yeah, he really did and my manager made me pay for the beer!"

"I never did like that woman. She's scary as hell."

"She's not too bad, just a tough cookie. You'd like her if you gave her a chance."

"Highly doubt it."

Nuzzling myself further into Aaron's chest I sighed contently. Just the smell of him- musky with hints of pine tree soap- and the feel of his sturdy arm around my waist was enough to erase my bad week. The warmth from his body was lulling me to sleep. Eyes drooping, with heavy lids and parted lips. For the first time in a week I felt at peace, just about to slip into unconscious and only to be awakened when our take out noodles arrived.

Suddenly my eyes shot open as the thumping of a heavy bass line vibrated against my wall and headboard. I knew that R&B tempo as Chace's favorite song. In our year together he'd play it every time we were getting ready to go out and I'd dance around the room in one of his shirts, getting ready as he griped that I took to long. It was stupid and simple and wholly us. Despite how tiresome the tune got, I had loved it at the time for the smile it graced on his handsome face. Only now, as it startled me back into my terrible week, I felt nothing but irritated.

I huffed, prying my way out of Aaron's arms and throwing on my fuzzy, white slippers. In the pure rage of an already grumpy person woken up, my fist hammered on Chace's door, banging so violently it rattled the hinges. It took him a minute to answer the door, I imagine strolling lazily across the room. When he finally graced me with his presence he let his eyes rake down my body, stopping at my oversized pajama shirt with the biggest shit eating grin I'd ever seen on him.

Embarrassed that he'd caught me in his fraternity's shirt- and more importantly his shirt- I rushed to pulled my cardigan around my midsection. Covering up the letters adorning my chest and trying to play it off like I'd simply stolen the shirt from Adam. We both knew that was far from the truth.

"Nice shirt."

"Adam lent it to me." I don't know why I was suddenly shy, staring at the floor. Chace and I had gotten into heated arguments plenty of times and I'd never dared to look away from his fiery dark eyes. Something about the self-satisfied smirk he still wore felt shameful though.

"Right."

Just then, as if reminding why I'd pounded down his door to begin with, the song switched. This one having an even more obnoxious bass, beating and reverberating against the ground. I suppose what bothered me the most is that I didn't recognize it. Briefly I wondered if this was the song he played when he and Jackie got ready.

"Would you mind turning down the volume?"

Completely ignoring my request, he glanced over my outfit again. With furrowed brows and a grimace pulling down his square jaw, he questioned, "It's seven o'clock on your first Friday night in college and you're in bed already? Never knew you to turn down a party."