Three of Us

by Goode, Ella

  “You get lost, Audley, or are you checking out the new crop of girls?”

  “Neither.” I’ve only got eyes for one woman.

  Sandro rubs a finger across the bottom of his lip. “I heard through the grapevine that the Audley twins were carrying some girl around campus all morning.”

  “I thought you were writing some augmented reality software, not a gossip column.”

  “I’m smart enough to do both.”

  There’s no lie there. Sandro has the best grades in the Computer Science department.

  “I’m surprised to see you on campus at all, let alone here at orientation. You skipped more classes than you attended. If you’d gone to even half of the classes, you’d have been close to top.”

  “I had stuff going on.”

  “Hmmmm. You don’t go to class. You hate college. The only things you do attend on campus are your brother’s football games. You’ve never missed one, so I can only assume you had a honey back home and this is her first year at college.” Like I said, Sandro’s a bright kid. He scans the room. “Which one is she? I want to see who brought you down.”

  “Why is it brought down? What dumbass is going to spend time with someone who brings them down?”

  He arches his eyebrows. “That’s fair. So it’s serious then. Are you really sharing her with your brother?”

  I sigh internally. I guess I knew people were going to wonder what the hell was up between the three of us, but I didn’t think I’d get the tenth degree five seconds after Olivia stepped on campus. “Where’d you hear that?”

  “I’m writing that gossip blog, remember?”

  “You are?” I jerk back in surprise. Sandro always came off as a serious dude, not some keyboard warrior writing blog posts at two in the morning with Cheeto dust on his fingers. "I thought that was a fucking joke.”

  He laughs. “It is a joke. It’s all over the campus Snap story.” He flips his phone around.

  I grab it and start tapping through the app. There are several pictures of Levi jogging toward the dorm with Olivia over his shoulder and a couple of photos of us standing outside of Olivia’s dorm room interrogating that guy who’d spent way too long in the hallway for my comfort. It’s a girls’ dorm. What the hell was he doing there anyway? His excuse that he was delivering shit for his sister didn’t hold up for me—at least not given the curious looks he kept sneaking toward Olivia’s door.

  It would solve a lot of problems if Levi and I could make a public claim, but I’m stuck because I don’t know what Olivia wants. Back home, everyone knew the three of us were a unit and no one asked a question. We were the Audley twins. We didn’t explain shit to nobody.

  If it were just Levi and me, we’d say fuck it and let the gossip run, but Olivia’s here and we want to make sure she has a painless—and fun—experience. I guess we need to sit down and have a chat, and not just about how public she wants us to be, but also Levi’s plan to limit the physical contact. Olivia’s not going to like any of that, but we better all get on the same page so no one’s mad about the next campus Snap story.

  My own phone buzzes. I hand Sandro’s device back to him and pull mine out of my pocket.

  Levi: We’re on the campus Snap story

  Me: Already ahead of you

  Levi: Have you talked to Livvie yet?

  Me: Don’t you have practice and no, she’s in the middle of orientation.

  Levi: We’re doing team lifting. I’m resting between sets. Buy her something at the mall that says she belongs to us.

  Me: Like what? A personalized sweatshirt?

  Levi: Sure.

  Me: That was a joke.

  Levi: Not to me.

  “Have fun with your fame.” Sandro slaps me on the back. “At least I won’t be worried that this year will be boring.”

  I give him the finger as he walks away. Olivia decides that now’s the time she wants to take a break from her notes and sees me with my middle finger out. I raise my other fingers and give her a cheery wave.

  Her eyebrows come together and then she spins around in her chair—her back preventing me from seeing what she’s doing. My phone dings again.

  Olivia: Who do we hate?

  Me: Come again?

  Olivia: You were giving someone the finger. I’m ride or die, babe, remember? So tell me who is on the shit list so I can give them the cold shoulder.

  Me: Everyone is on your shit list then. Give everyone the cold shoulder.

  I look over the top of my phone to see her shoulders shake with suppressed laughter.

  Olivia: I’m here to make friends! If I’m rude to everyone, people will think I’m stuck up.

  I gnash the back of my teeth together. Does Olivia really care what other people think about her? Because if she does, then this whole threesome thing might hurt her feelings. Not the actual relationship but shit that others say about it. I wonder if I should bring up the Snap story but decide not to. We’ll talk about it over dinner.

  Me: Levi wants you to get a T-shirt that says “Property of the Audley Twins” on the back.

  Olivia: I’m in. We’ll get one made for each of you, too.

  Me: That says I’m the property of the Audley Twins?

  Olivia: That says you’re my property.

  Me: Everyone here’s gonna know then.

  Olivia: They better.

  And that answers that. She wants it to be known that we’re a unit, so corny, personalized T-shirts, here we come.

  8

  Olivia

  As the upperclassman drones on about the campus map, I practice writing Olivia Audley with my pink pen. Our names go together well, if I do say so myself. It will probably be forever before I get to change my last name, but that doesn’t stop me from doodling it over and over again. It’s something I’ve done for years, especially when I grow bored in a classroom.

  I really love the idea of them wearing shirts with my name on it. Shopping is so back on today’s agenda. I’ll have to let Erika know. I’ve already been wearing their name on my back for years since half my closet is old jerseys and shirts of Levi’s. It isn't a ring, but at least it’s something. I know other girls look at those clothes with envy. Who can blame them? It’s an honor to wear the Audley name.

  On the flip side, the thought of them wearing my name on their backs fills me with satisfaction. While I know they would never cheat, I want everyone to know they belong to me. They do their caveman-beating-chest things, and I can do mine, too. Cavewoman want name on you. I snort at my own stupid joke. My phone lights up with a text.

  Zeke: What’s so funny up there?

  Me: I remembered I forgot panties when I changed. You still got mine?

  I fight a laugh. I glance over my shoulder to see him giving me a look that is a cross between I’m going to spank your ass and I’m going to maul you like an animal in heat. I wink, turning back around to pretend I’m listening to what is being said.

  I’d pay better attention if I knew I needed to, but there’s no doubt in my mind that my two men have mapped out a way for either one, or both of them, to walk me to and from every single class. Learning my way around will come with time.

  “That should do it. If you have any questions, feel free to come up and ask,” the upperclassman running the orientation session says. I grab my stuff, then turn around and End up nearly running into someone. At first, I think it’s Zeke because he’s standing so close, but as my eyes travel upward, I see a guy with shaggy blond hair instead of my giant dark-haired boy. The blond reminds me of the guy who gave me and Erika the flyer earlier, but I could be mistaken. My friend Kimmy used to joke that somehow all other boys blend together and look the same to me but the Audley twins I could tell apart with my eyes closed. They each have their own scent that I find intoxicating. I feel my cheeks get flushed just thinking about it. I snap myself out of my sexual haze and focus on the boy standing in front of me.

  “Why’d you change?” he asks, his eyes running down my body.
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br />   “Huh?” I ask in confusion. I look down at my outfit and remember I did change.

  “Those shorts were—” Before he can finish, he goes flying from a one-armed shove from Zeke.

  “How come you didn’t play football too?” I joke.

  “Fuck. Zeke. I was just messing around.” The guy goes to get up but stops when Zeke levels him with a look.

  “Go mess the fuck around somewhere else. That’s your one warning,” he tells him. A couple of girls laugh and whisper about what happened. “Go ahead. Spread that shit around,” Zeke orders, turning to look at the giggling girls. They stop chattering and leave immediately. He slips his hand into mine and leads me out of the auditorium.

  He walks faster than normal, and my short legs are barely able to keep up. I nearly jog to keep pace with him.

  “You really must be excited about getting these shirts made,” I joke.

  He slows when he notices how fast he’s walking. I glance around to see everyone stealing peeks at us, even more than they already had been.

  “You got flushed,” Zeke growls, but keeps on walking my hand locked in his.

  “Like hot?” I look over at him. His eyebrows are pulled together in a scowl.

  “Like when you get turned on. The tops of your cheeks get red and light up those six freckles you have.”

  “There’s six? You’ve counted?” I laugh. I don’t even know how many freckles I have. I know I have a couple on my cheeks. I get them every summer. They fade in the winter.

  “Trust me. I know every part of you I’ve gotten the privilege of seeing.”

  “That's really sweet,” I sigh, smiling about how my cavemen are the sweetest beings to have ever walked the earth. Maybe it’s why I find their caveman act so cute and not annoying and crazy like some people say I should. Privately, I’m suspicious of all this criticism and tend to think some people are trying to get me out of the way so that they can steal my cavemen.

  “Olivia,” Zeke snaps at me.

  “Don’t take that tone with me,” I retort.

  “Don’t go getting your turned-on blush with other men.” It takes me a second and then I burst out laughing. I stop walking because I’m laughing so hard. I try to gather myself and wipe the tears from my cheeks, but I burst out laughing all over again.

  “You want to tell me what’s so funny?” Zeke growls. He sounds more like Levi.

  “That you were thinking I was turning red about surfer dude back there.” I step into Zeke, pressing myself against him. “I was thinking about how you and Levi smell a little different. That I could close my eyes and know which of you I was pressed against. I don't need to see you to know when you’re close. I was imagining what it would be like when all of our scents mixed. Is that what you wanted to hear, Zeke? Does that calm your jealousy down?” I get up on my tippy toes to get close to his ear and whisper, “Can you smell my arousal?” Zeke looks like he is going to break, but he quickly gathers. I release a small sigh of disappointment. I guess I’ll just have to keep trying to wear them down. They’ll break sooner or later.

  Zeke raises his hand up to my cheek, his thumb brushing my lips. I purse my lips against it. It’s his way of kissing me without really kissing me.

  “One of these times you’ll really give me that kiss.” I tilt my head.

  “Not with everyone watching. The first time we kiss you, it will only be the three of us.”

  I moan—a mix of need, love and annoyance. He’s right, but still I want to kiss him right now.

  “Let’s go meet up with Levi so we can go get those shirts you were talking about.” He drops his hand from my face.

  “I want to invite Erika. I told her we need to go shopping.” I fish out my cell phone. “Plus, you stole half my clothes,” I remind him.

  “I’ll buy you all-new clothes.”

  “That are Audley approved,” I throw back, and raise an eyebrow at him. He shrugs, not denying it.

  I send a text to Erika. She gave me her cell number last night to meet up with us.

  “I like her,” I tell Zeke. “She’s been here a few years. You know her?”

  “Nah. We must have not crossed paths.” I’m not sure I believe him. The school is big but not that big. I think Levi and Zeke might have the same problem with people of the opposite sex blending together too. “I checked her out. She seems solid. Keeps to herself. Either studying or sneaking off to the fine arts building at night to dance when she thinks no one is there.”

  “She dances?” She hadn't mentioned that, but we are still getting to know each other.

  “Only thing I could guess. I tracked her school key card. She goes in there late at night. Between that and her online activity, it’s the only thing I can think she’s doing there.”

  “Are you telling me you stalked her?” I’m offended. I stop walking again to look at him. “Am I allowed to stalk other men?” I point at myself.

  “If you want them to die,” Levi suddenly appears. He places a soothing hand on my back. “We were only making sure you didn't get roomed with some crazy person so I could switch you out into another room or something.”

  “Fine. I’ll let this one go because I don’t like people just randomly peeing on my floor.” I give him a hard, welcome hug.

  “What did she just say?” With his arms still around me, Levi asks Zeke. “Is someone peeing in front of her?” he adds with a growl.

  “No one is peeing in front of me.” I throw up my arms. “I was just saying that I like Erika but that you can’t stalk her. That only applies to me.”

  “No stalking other women. Got it.” Levi pulls me into his side and places a kiss on top of my head. I lean into him. I missed him while he was at practice.

  “We’re going to get shirts with my name on them for you to wear,” I inform him. I’m not sure If Zeke told him of our plans. “Pink is my favorite color.” I fight a smile.

  “I don’t give a shit. I’ll wear pink if that’s what you're into,” Levi says with a shrug, and I know he’s not joking. I snuggle in close to him and try to ignore all the people who keep looking at us.

  9

  Levi

  “What do you think?” Livvie says. Her hands are clasped to her chest and her eyes are twinkling with mischief.

  I hold up the T-shirt that the mall worker just pulled off his stitching machine. “I didn’t know they made pinks this bright.”

  “It is loud,” the roommate murmurs.

  “Are you not going to wear it? Zeke pledged we’d get the same shirt, but if you want to back out…” Livvie trails off. The brat thinks I’d balk at this? Shit, if she asked, I’d parade around campus in a garter and a bra. I’ve got no shame when it comes to her.

  I stuff the collar into my pocket, and I reach behind me to grab the center of my shirt. I start to pull but stop when Livvie yelps.

  “Will you stop stripping in public? It’s like you want other girls to stare at you.” She jerks the hem of my shirt down.

  My brows crash together. “I thought we were all supposed to wear these?”

  “Not right now. Later. When we’re back on campus. That way everyone knows we belong together.”

  “I’ve got a tank on under this,” I point out, pulling up the gray fabric to reveal the thin white dry-wick tank underneath.

  “Oh.”

  I wink at my flustered girl. “I learned my lesson from earlier.”

  Livvie holds out her hand and wiggles her fingers. “Fine. Give it to me.”

  I wish. Of course, she’s talking about the shirt and not my dick that is in this perpetual half-mast state. I can suppress some of my lust for Livvie, but not all of it. I guess I’ll be walking around with a half-chub until I get inside of her. I whip my workout shirt off and pull on the hot-pink T-shirt in one smooth movement.

  “There are neon signs that are less obvious,” Zeke notes. “Not that I’m complaining,” he adds quickly. He dons the pink shirt over his own black Brockhampton concert one.

&nbs
p; We all wait for the third one to get finished. It won’t take long because it’s tiny compared to Zeke’s and mine. When it’s done and I’ve paid, we wait for Livvie to complete the set.

  “Um, guys, maybe I should get something else?” Her eyes dart toward the roommate. She’s trying to tell us something, but I’m not quite getting it. I glance to Zeke to see if he has a better translation.

  She doesn’t want her roommate to know something.

  Him: It can’t be about us. The roommate already knows.

  Me: She doesn’t want it to be public then.

  Him: Then what’s with the T-shirts?

  Zeke plucks the pink fabric away from his chest.

  Me: She liked the idea in theory but decided against it when she was faced with putting the shirt on?

  “Stop that.” Livvie snaps her fingers in between Zeke and me, breaking our eye contact. “Those two were having a whole conversation without us.” She links her arm through the roommate’s. “Let’s go to Soma’s. I’ve got some panty shopping to do.” Livvie looks over her shoulder. “You two coming, or you going to watch the embroidery machine all day?”

  A tiny part of me wants to say that I’m going to watch the embroidery machine all day, because that shit’s kind of cool, but also because I’m a little worried about how strong my self-control will be in a store where Livvie’s handling stuff that covers her tits and cups her ass.

  “Ah, maybe this isn’t such a good—”

  “You told me if she comes home with a stitch of lace, you were murdering me.” Zeke punches me in the shoulder and shoves me forward.

  “Right. That plan is still on,” I tell him but follow Livvie down the mall corridor.

  “You’re here. Make her stop.”

  I stare at Livvie’s swaying ass and my mouth starts watering. We both know that I can’t tell Livvie to stop doing anything. My whole existence centers around making sure she gets everything and anything she wants. I shove a hand through my hair, not caring that it’s going to stick up in a thousand directions. “Fine. Let her buy the lace. It’ll make it easier to rip it off her when the time comes.”