What If

Prologue

THEN... SIX YEARS AGO

"Lauren, I have absolutely no idea where this party is," I whine into my phone. "Can you please just meet me in the lobby?"

"ALEXAAAAAAA," Lauren whines back. "You've been at this school for over a year now - how can you not find one dorm room?"

I walk down the block past rows of houses, music blaring from obnoxiously loud frat parties and out the windows of sorority bedrooms.

"Lex, are you even in the dorm lobby?" Lauren warns.

"I mean, I'm practically there," I say, throwing my free hand up in the air, despite my best friend's inability to see it.

"Alexa... you're on the opposite side of the stadium and you're barely past the frat and sorority houses! I can hear the music through the phone."

I can hear Lauren's disdain for my tardiness through the phone, no facial expression needed. "You know how directionally challenged I am. What does it matter if I'm not in the building yet? I promise you, I'll still be lost."

Lauren gives up and gives me detailed directions on how to get to room 404 in Bennett Hall, leaving me to fend for myself on the dark, lonely campus of Oklahoma State.

Just kidding. It's only dark.

Fifteen minutes later, I'm walking through the lobby of Bennett Hall and take the first elevator I see up to the fourth floor. My face still in my phone, rereading the specifics I begged Lauren to text me, I look up to find I'm standing in front of room 404.

I slowly open the door and am met with a completely empty living room, save for the TV stand covered in gaming systems, open pizza boxes and beer cans on the coffee table. The place has the feel of the "party" I'm looking for, which is really just a small gathering of friends with Lauren, her new boyfriend and his friends, but this room is completely empty.

I turn around, leaving my back to the living room and dial Lauren's number again. My right hand on my hip, I impatiently tap my foot while waiting for her to pick up.

"LEXAAAAAAAAA!! Where are youuuuuuuu?" Lauren drunkenly answers. "I miss you, girlie."

"Lo, I'm in 404 and there's no one here," I reply, trying my best to contain my frustration. "Where are you?"

"404, babyyyyy," Lauren replies. "Here, talk to Jack and he'll tell you. Jaaaaaaaack?"

Ughhhhhhhhh. I groan and continue to tap my foot impatiently while I wait for Jack to take over the call, when I hear something behind me. My left hand still holding my phone, I whip around and scream at what I see.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"WHAT are you doing here?" The guy standing before me has dropped his towel amidst the screaming between us and I drop my phone to cover his bits with my hands from a distance.

"Uh, I'm sooooooo sorry, I'm looking for Bennett 404, but clearly I'm in the wrong place." Moving only one hand away from the sight in front of me, I cautiously bend down in my black jean skirt and grab my phone. "So, uh, I'm just gonna go now and you have a good night, sir."

My iPhone now in my hand, I turn around and sprint out of the room, down the hall and back to the elevator. Once I'm safely secured inside, I fix my hair, straighten my skirt, and check my phone for any signs of cracks, revealing a text from Lauren's phone.

Alexa, it's Jack. U okay?

Yeah, fine. Where's your room?

Bennett 404 in the NW tower.