I Think I Love Him.

Chapter 6

Things went back to normal after James's girlfriend went back home. We continued our little routine of studying together and telling the other about random trivia we knew.

As the days went on, I began receiving more and more questions from the people around us as to what we were. My answer was always the same. We're just friends. He has a girlfriend, and I would never do that to another woman. I could never be that girl. That answer would always be followed up by the question "Well what would you do if he broke up with her?"

My answer to that had a standard answer as well. I always said I would give him space. I could never be the girl that broke up a couple just to swoop in and take the guy for myself. The whole thing just didn't sit right with me. Yet I couldn't stop thinking. Thinking about the possibility of it all, I guess. I didn't even have feelings for him, but the constant questions from everyone made me think about why I didn't see anything between us. Everything seemed normal to me, to him, but to everyone else, we looked like a couple waiting to happen.

It's October now, and if you've never been to college, that's a big deal. October means Halloween. And Halloween means a chance to party and be someone else for the night. I'm usually really into Halloween but this year it kinda snuck up on me. There's a party hosted by the campus tonight and we've decided to go. In a desperate attempt to try and scrape up something that even remotely resembles a costume, I thrown on a crop top baseball jersey and some jean shorts with chuck taylors. In all honesty, the finished look isn't all that bad. I curled my hair and put on bright red lipstick and I was ready to go. I go downstairs to see if James and Beth are ready, and try my hardest not to laugh at his 'costume'. He's wearing a baseball cap, baseball tee, and chuck taylors.

"Well one of us has to change!" I say to him, not wanting to egg on the couple comments tonight any more than we would probably already get just by being seen together.

"What, no! I think it's cool that we unintentionally coordinated. We're BOTH keeping the costume, kid." I smirk and give up the argument. I just want to get to the party already.

When we get to the party, it's kind of a dud. We should've known, it being hosted by the university and all. We decide to try and find a party off-campus and hear of one 5 miles away.

We set off to the party and we have to split into two cars. I insist on going with James, as I feel safest around him because of how close we are, and I don't really know anyone else as well, but we end up getting separated because he invited some girls that he knew and felt it was only right to go with them since they knew no one else.

When we get to the party, I immediately set off to find him.

"Did you lose your mans?" I turn and Beth is behind me giggling. She's clearly amused at the whole will/they won't/they theory our group of friends has going on.

"He's not my man, but yes, I did. Where is he?" She points over my shoulder and I turn to see him talking to one of the girls he invited. She's wearing a sexy cat costume and has her paws all over him. I go up to them and interject myself into the conversation.

"Hey y'all! Great party, huh?" 

She looks at me for a second then continues to talk to him. He puts his arm around me while he sips a beer. I feel a little bit better already. Parties make me really anxious. Cat girl gives up mid-conversation and goes to find her friends. He turns to me and starts leaning in close, and is about to say something when someone taps him on the shoulder. 

Oh, come on! I mean, uh, um, that was weird.

It's a guy selling alcohol for the party and asks if he wants to buy. James looks at me and asks if he can borrow a dollar. I lie and say I don't have any money. I don't want him to overdrink and he will if I give him the money I have hidden in my bra. What he doesn't know won't hurt him. We might need the money if there's an emergency or something.