Forbidden: Under The Same Roof

Community College

***A YEAR LATER***

"What is it going to take for you to agree to go on a date with me?" I stood from my desk packing my text books into my backpack.

"How thick is your damn skull Seth? I have been telling you that I don't date." I couldn't resist rolling my eyes at my friend.

"I am a persistent man. I will just keep asking until you say yes." Seth was my first friend here at the community college. He marched up to me and introduced himself and we have been friends ever since.

"Psssh persistent? You? Never." I teased poking my tongue out at him. He is attractive, I will give him that. He's not my type but the guy still has girls flirting with him everywhere we go. From his dirty blonde hair to his caramel colored eyes. He is tall and slender but fit at the same time. He wears wrangler jeans and cowboy boots everyday accompanied with a Car-hart T-shirt. Who wears jeans every single day? You are lucky if I wear them at all and if I do they have to be stretchy material. I'd much rather wear my leggings or yoga pants.

"Sweetheart it's not fair you fucking friend-zoned be the very first day we met!"

"I told you, I don't date. I am not sure how many times I have to tell you that before you accept it. I will be your wing woman, ya know help you find yourself a lady friend."

"Okay if you won't go on a date with me at least talk to me about the guy that broke your heart." Getting asked about him still pulls at my heart but I have learned how to deal with it. I don't close off and break down anymore. I have patched myself together piece by piece. I don't talk about him anymore and no one talks about him to me. It's almost as if we never happened. Like he doesn't exist at least not to me.

"No can do."

"Darling you've got to give me something here!" Seth puffed out a deep breath falling into stride with me as we went to the on campus cafe.

"He still bugging you for a date?" Hudson came out of a classroom right as we were walking by. He draped his arm over my shoulder walking with us to the cafe. We were all surprised when Hudson decided to go to community college but his grades weren't up to par for a big university and he wasn't ready to leave yet. He decided to do his basics at Community and then transfer to University afterwards.

"Hey Huddy! Only every damn day." Hudson is fiercely protective over me, Lennox too. They are part of the reason I don't want to date. At least that's what I tell myself. Truth is I am not quite ready to date again. I barely survived with what happened. It took me a while to heal what was broken. Now I am starting to enjoy life again. I don't cry anymore. I go to school full time and work at the coffee shop on campus. I have remained friends with a few people from High School like Asia and Hannah and even Sarah who surprisingly was still with Hudson which I don't think any of us saw coming.

"We need to get you laid." Hudson suggested wiggling his eyebrows at Seth.

"I have been trying to woo Mack here but noooo."

"Sorry pal she is off limits. I will crack your skull if you even try to get into her pants." Hudson opened the door to the cafe. I walked up to the counter and read the menu like there was something new I didn't know about. I only had to remember the whole menu before I started working here. I know the damn thing back to front.

"Okay okay fine! Geez a guy can take a hint."

"You're not working today?" Alexis, a coworker frowned the disappoinment filled her grey colored eyes. Her platinum blonde hair pulled into a messy ponytail. She is tiny petite little thing barely reaching five foot. Though she is tiny she is fierce! She has an attitude as big as Texas with a smart mouth to go along with it. She is also one of the sweetest people you will ever meet until you get on her bad side. I saw her throw a cup of hot coffee on a guy who grabbed her ass, that little stunt had her on employee probation for two months.

"No thank God! I need to study for my exams. Plus my mom is getting married this weekend. How about we make plans to go shopping during summer break?" I suggested and Alexis instantly perked up. You mention shopping and she is always down.

"Count me in! Invite Val and Darrell too! It will be so much fun!"

"Of course!" I nodded knowing I couldn't go shopping and not invite dumb and dumber. Since starting community college I see Valerie and Darrell a lot more. After everything that happened they haven't let me go more than a day or two without seeing each other and if I am being totally honest I needed to see them. They helped me heal, being with my best friends brought me some normalcy and that's what I needed.

We ordered our coffees and took seats at our usual table. Students came and went. Some stopped by to talk to Hudson or Seth. I started looking at girls pointing them out to Seth much to his dismay.

"How about her? She's cute." I pointed to a girl that was easily as tall as he is.

"She has a mustache!" He frowned looking the girl up and down before shivering.

"Okay okay how about her?" I pointed to another girl who was picking at a scone. She had her nose buried in a book.

"She's cute but too smart."

"Too smart? Seriously?" I pulled my eyebrows together in confusion. Is he joking? Is there a thing as being too smart?

"How would it ever workout me being with someone way smarter than me?"

"You are so picky! Tell ya what how about you come to our parents wedding? There will be plenty of girls there!"

"Why do I get the feeling that won't be as fun as that sounds?"

"Oh come on man there will be free food and booze there! Lighten up bro it will be a great time." Hudson smacked Seth on the back. Watching these two become friends has been a real treat especially since they are so much a like yet so different at the same time.

"Booze? You should have fucking led with that!" Men. I couldn't resist the eye roll. I took a sip of my coffee pulling my binder out of my backpack. I buried my nose deep into studying for my exams letting the guys do what they do best...talk about sports. I was ready for summer break. I needed a break after the long hard semester I just went through. My freshman year was a real ride. It tested me in many ways and all I wanted now was to enjoy summer break with my family...but first I have to get through finals.