by Shealy James
After dinner we were all back in our rooms. I was retyping notes on my laptop, and Sarah was reading for her psych class. Suddenly she slammed her book and turned towards me. She waited until I turned in my chair to talk, so she knew she had my full attention.
“Did you see Parker’s face when you said that guy asked for your number?”
Yes. Yes, I saw it. Does it mean something? I went with a simple, nonchalant, “What?”
She grinned mischievously, which made me a little nervous. “I think he was jealous. Maggie, I think Parker is into you.”
“That is ridiculous. He is Max’s roommate and a friend of Garrett’s. He probably was wondering why a cute guy like Garrett who could probably get any girl would want to call me or whatever.”
“Maggie,” she said with a glare. “Are you serious right now? Girl, you have all the goods. I’m surprised you don’t have guys tripping over each other to ask you out. You’re beautiful and have the whole innocent thing going on. You’re every boy’s wet dream!”
“Sarah! Stop it! First of all, ew! Second of all, no boys are doing anything to get to go anywhere with me. No one pays attention to me, and that is how I prefer it. Third, even if I had all ‘the goods’ like you said, Parker probably has a girlfriend or girlfriends.”
“Yes because a guy with so many ladies is hanging out with his roomie and his roomie’s best friend all of the time instead of banging his girlfriend. Yeah, right. Look, we are going out this weekend, and I’m going to show you how hot you are, deal?”
“What? No! I’ll go out, but I don’t need you to show me anything.” I knew I sounded whiney, but I really didn’t need a roommate who dressed me up like a Barbie. I already had a mother that was guilty of doing just that, and I don’t particularly like her very much.
“Come on! It will be fun. I won’t make you wear any of that stuffy preppy stuff your parents like. I’ll help you show off your assets.” She made a gesture indicating my curves. Great. “Please! It will be so fun!”
“Ugh! Alright,” I agreed hoping she would drop it. “I have to finish these notes. Don’t tell Max! I’ll never hear the end of it.” I didn’t want a makeover, but I had to live with this girl, so I was trying to make an effort. If this were what we needed to do to bond or whatever, I would go for it…for now.
“Deal!” She settled back into her reading happily.
The week pretty much continued the same way. Sarah met up with us a couple of times for lunch then proceeded to badger me later about how Parker looked at me or spoke to me. I ignored her in an attempt to avoid getting my hopes up. Every afternoon I swam and had practice, and every morning I ran with Parker and Max. We were quickly becoming a little group, and I liked that. I had never had a group before.
On Tuesday Sarah and I had dinner and went shopping for the weekend. I typically hated shopping, but Sarah made it fun. She was rating every outfit we saw in the store displays and made me try on the most ridiculous outfits for kicks and giggles. I ended up buying a flowy purple camisole, designer jeans and high heels for Saturday night. Sarah picked everything out, and the shirt was rather low cut, but she swore it looked great. I must admit I liked the way my curves looked in the top and jeans together, and now I was looking forward to Friday night more and more.
By the time Friday rolled around, I was worn out from the week and the pretending that Parker wasn’t making me want to do things that I had only read about in books. I still ran in the morning, but I went home and took a nap after class. I wanted to make sure I wasn’t tired for going out that night.
“Alright chica! Get up and get in the shower.” She slapped my butt to get me moving. Are we that comfortable with each other? “We are getting ready then going to dinner. See if Max and Parker want to go out if you want. You’re going to be looking hot, hot, hot!”
“I’m up. I’m up. You want Max and Parker to go out with us?”
“Sure. The more, the merrier. My friend Becca from class and her friend Rachel are coming too. I think Max will love Becca!” She winked at me, so I figured Becca must be Asian and pretty. This should be exciting. I had never seen Max try and flirt with a girl. I had seen them flirt with him a million times before, but he was never really interested. I had my fingers crossed for him.
Me: We are going out tonight. Dinner then bar. You in?
Max: Ok.
Me: Invite Parker if you want.
Max: Already did. He’s in.
“They’re in.” I told Sarah as I headed to the bathroom. “I’m getting in the shower.”
After I showered and shaved everything, I blow dried my hair carefully. Sarah curled it after she finished showering and drying her hair. I threw on my clothes and did my makeup, picked out a silver necklace and earrings then turned to look in the mirror. I looked…I looked pretty. I had lightly lined my eyes in black and gave them a smoky look that Sarah suggested. I had on a nude lip-gloss and a touch of blush, and my outfit fit like it was made for me. I felt great and felt like I looked great.
Sarah caught me staring at myself in the full-length mirror. “Wow! Now that is what I’m talkin’ about! You’re hot, girl! Let’s take a picture.” She took a few shots of us together on each of our phones. I stood there staring at one that she took of just me.
“Thanks Sarah. It...this...” I didn’t have the right words. Instinctively I gave her a hug, and she hugged me back like a real friend would. Huh…
I twirled in the mirror and fidgeted a little with my top. She messed with my hair once more and said, “You’re welcome. Now stop it. Let’s get out of here!”
Parker
Wow. I mean, wow! That was all I could think when Maggie came out the front door of her dorm. She looked amazing. Her purple top showed enough cleavage to be sexy instead of slutty, her jeans looked like they were made to show off her perfect ass. Her long hair was down and curled, which made me guess that Sarah had a lot to do with it since Maggie had yet to wear her hair down since I had met her. She looked damn good though, so good I felt it in my pants. Drowning puppies, my grandma in her bathing suit, Mom. That did it. Tonight was going to be a long night.
Even with the action I got this week when I saw Callie, seeing her like this was making it hard to keep my hands to myself. I made sure to leave Callie’s house early to get back to the dorm and sleep, so I could run with Maggie the next morning, so I already knew I was in trouble when I caught myself making an extra effort to see her. I told myself it was for the run, but deep down, I knew I came back so I could see Maggie. Not worth the trouble. Not worth the trouble. Not worth the trouble. I kept saying that to myself. At least this time Max and I would be with her. We could make sure no one would be hitting on her and asking for her number or to take her to dinner.
Damn Garrett. I told him at practice to leave Maggie alone the day after I found out he asked Maggie for her number. I didn’t want Maggie dating a guy who looks at girls as conquests. I mean I really didn’t want Maggie with anyone, but she was definitely not the kind of girl you screw and ditch. Garrett just shrugged, “Sorry man. I didn’t realize you were into her.” I didn’t bother correcting him because no matter what I said, that is what he would think. In the end though, he said he would leave her alone.
We went to dinner at the Tavern. It was becoming our hangout. We had Lady Leather as our waitress again, and of course she recognized us from last weekend. She kept putting her hands all over me, but I didn’t say anything or move away. I didn’t want to tick her off. She didn’t check our ids again, but I wouldn’t have cared either way. Max made me a fake. I was now Parker Pryce from New Hampshire, and I was twenty-three instead of eighteen. Sweet!
After dinner we headed to a club, The Blue Room. It was just after nine, but it was already pretty crowded. We headed to an area of tables and met up with two of Sarah’s friends. Becca was a short Asian girl, and her roommate Rachel was just as tiny, but pale with light brown curly hair. They were so small compared to my six foot two inches that I had a
hard time hearing what their names were. I had to ask Maggie. When she spoke in my ear, I felt her breath on my neck, and I felt my dick twitch in response. Not worth the trouble. Not worth the trouble.
I saw a couple of my soccer buddies there, so they came over and hung out at our table for a while. Not surprisingly, Sarah enjoyed their company the most. Max seemed to take an immediate liking to the Asian girl. I guess he wasn’t joking when he said that he found them particularly attractive. Becca was cute, so I definitely got it. They sat and talked at the table most of the time. The longer we were there, the closer he sat to her. He didn’t mess with his phone once, so he must have liked her.
The more Sarah drank, the flirtier she was and the more Maggie laughed. At one point Sarah dragged Maggie and Becca onto the dance floor with her and Rachel. While Sarah was grinding against her friends with her blond hair whipping in all directions, Maggie was more understated. Still, she was a surprisingly good dancer. Her hips were swaying rhythmically back and forth, and her arms moved smoothly in time with the music like she had done it a thousand times before even though she probably hadn’t knowing her. She was smiling and laughing the whole time. I found myself matching her smile when I realized the difficulty I was having taking my eyes off of her.
Max was standing with me at the table watching and laughing at the girls when he confirmed my thoughts about Maggie. “I have never seen Maggie like that. She wouldn’t even dance at prom.”
“She looks like she is having fun.” I took a big swallow of my beer trying again to dial down my body’s reaction to the way Maggie was swaying her hips.
Maggie and Becca headed back to the table, and Maggie pulled her hair into a messy bun on top of her head. Now that was more like her. Now her long neck was on display where a silver necklace drew more attention to her cleavage. Damn it! Even hot and sweaty she looked beautiful.
“Whew. It is hot out there. Which one of these is mine?” She pointed to the bottles on the table that were half full of now warm beer.
“Here. This one is cold,” I said as I handed her my beer the waitress had brought me. The waitress had been very attentive to us while the girls were dancing, but I couldn’t find her now that they were back at our table. “I’m going to head up to the bar to get another. Anyone want anything?” I asked our group.
“I’ll go with you. I owe you one since I stole yours,” Maggie said. I was about to refuse, but she was already walking up there.
Max pointed at himself indicating he wanted a beer, so I quickly followed Maggie toward the bar. I put my hand on the small of her back to guide her toward the bar. I didn’t want us to get separated in the crowd, and she didn’t seem to mind. After I ordered three beers, I put my arm around her shoulder and pulled her towards the bar. I had to practically yell in her ear over the noise in the club. “You looked like you were having fun. I thought you didn’t dance?”
“I don’t really. I have never danced in public before. I probably looked ridiculous, but it was fun.”
“Ridiculous is not a word I would use to describe what you look like dancing,” I said low into her ear and she turned her face up toward me with her eyebrows raised in surprise. She instantly started blushing. Her face was so close to mine that I had a hard time not kissing her, but I reminded myself that she wouldn’t ever be just a hook up. I just smiled and shook my head instead. There was a lone penny sitting on the bar heads up, so I grabbed it and handed it to her. She smiled as she took it from me, and I felt warmth spread through my chest. Not worth the trouble…
We went back to the table and hung out for a little while more. It seemed to be time to take Sarah home when she started making out with a stranger that the other girls referred to as the “gross grinder.” We walked back to the dorms together since we had all been drinking.
Max was walking with Becca, and I was pretty sure they were exchanging numbers. Damn, Max actually has game. I was kind of impressed. I thought of him as a funny and clever computer guy, but it turned out he was actually kind of a ladies’ man as well.
Sarah was pretty drunk and struggling to walk. She wrapped her arm around Maggie and started leaning on her to walk. “Maggie. I love you. You’re so nice.”
“You’re nice too Sarah,” Maggie replied with a drunken giggle.
Sarah whispered to Maggie but loud enough for everyone to hear, “Max and Parker are really hahht. The boy I kissssssed was not hot like them.”
“No Sarah, that guy was a toad,” Rachel announced with a stumble.
Sarah continued slurring to Maggie, “Don’t you think Max and Parker are hot? Too bad we didn’t get to hear the P-Man play tonight. He is really am-A-zzzing. Maggie, don’t you think?”
Maggie spoke to Sarah as if she were a child. “Yeah. They are both pretty great.”
“What about Parker, Maggie?” Maggie looked up to see if I was listening, so I continued to pretend to be looking at something on my phone. If I didn’t know better, I would think Sarah was up to no good.
“Parker is amazing, Sarah. I don’t know anyone who can play guitar like that.” I know Maggie was placating Sarah, so I tried not to think much of the conversation. It still felt good to hear that from her though.
Once we got them inside the front door of their dorm, Max and I headed back to our dorm. “So, Becca huh?” I asked when I caught him sending a text message with a huge grin on his face.
“What? Oh yeah. We’ll see.”
“You gonna call her?”
“Yeah I think we are going to get coffee on Sunday.”
“Oh cool. Good for you, man.”
We went inside and crashed. I fell asleep thinking about Maggie. I couldn’t figure out why I was so hung up on her. I mean, sure she was everything I would look for in a girl one day, but I had never been interested in long-term, but she was…special. Ugh. I was going to have to call Alexis the next day or go fishing for tail at the bar. I needed to snap out of it. It is never going to happen with Maggie.
Chapter 4
Maggie
I woke up Saturday and did not feel like running. I didn’t feel like doing anything but wrapping myself in my pink down comforter and staying in bed. I rolled over in bed and saw that I had slept until nine. That wasn’t like me, but I wasn’t about to get up. I was exhausted and a little hung-over. Apparently Sarah felt the same because she was still asleep in her dress from the night before. Her shoes were on opposite ends of the dorm room, and she was sprawled out with her mouth hanging wide open. She looked way worse than I felt, but that didn’t mean I was getting out of my bed.
I took two Advil and rolled over to try to go back to sleep. I thought about last night while I was lying there. Parker said something about my dancing not being ridiculous. What does that mean? Maybe he was making fun of me. It didn’t sound like it though. It sounded more like flirting, but what would I know about that? He did practically whisper in my ear, he also kept his arm around me the entire time we were at the bar and gave me another penny. His hand was warm and made me tingle wherever he touched me. The first time I felt him put his hand on the small of my back, my stomach flip-flopped. Maybe I shouldn’t think anything of the fact that he kept a hand on me the entire time. We could have easily gotten separated, so he was watching out for me. Max did that all the time for fear that Daddy would kill him if anything happened to me.
My mental gushing about Parker continued for a while. I thought about how wonderful Parker was when he gave me his beer, so I didn’t have to drink a hot one. He made sure to walk us home, and…Oh God. Sarah was talking about how great he was. He was pretending to look on his phone, but I know he heard. There was no way he missed Sarah’s comments. Oh no. What did I say? What did I say? All I remembered was Sarah saying something about how hot he was and his music. I wondered if he would ever be into Sarah. She was gorgeous, tall and thin with long blond hair that behaved itself. Suddenly I was green with envy. No doubt she thought he was hot. She told me all of the time. She told all of us all o
f the time.
Max! I wondered how his night went with Becca. I knew as soon as I saw Sarah’s friend that he was going to like her. She was Asian and beautiful just as I predicted. She was really petite, so it was funny to see tall Max with someone so small. She was at least a couple of inches shorter than me, and she had on killer heels. This made me wonder how I looked next to Parker. Even with my heels last night, he was still a few inches taller. He had worn a plain black t-shirt and dark jeans. How could he make something so simple look so good? Argh. I was back on Parker. Stop Maggie. He is not going to go for you. Go back to sleep. Go back to sleep.
When I realized I was never going to fall asleep, I rolled out of bed and threw on my tennis shoes and a pair of shorts. I decided to go to the campus gym and work out. I didn’t feel up to swimming or running, but I could do the elliptical or walk. On my way there I got a text from Max.
Max: Breakfast?
Me: Definitely. Campus Café in 10? I am already out.
Max: Done. C u there.
I made it to the café first, so I grabbed us a table near the back in a corner. I heard the bell on the door jingle. I saw that it was Max. He was alone, thank goodness. I can’t imagine what I look like right now, and after my morning’s musings, I really didn’t need to see Parker just yet. I needed some time to clear my head of the very hot guy who was living with my best friend and quickly becoming an unmanageable crush.
“Hey Mags. Have fun last night?” He sat down with a smirk on his face as he surveyed my hair and outfit.
“Shut up. Do I look that bad?” I ran my hands over my hair to check for strays.
Max laughed at me. “Naah. I have known you your whole life. I can tell when you aren’t in top form. What do you want? I’ll get it.”
“White chocolate mocha and a bacon, egg, and cheese bagel. Oh! Water too, please. Thanks.”
“Pulling out the big guns with sugar this morning, huh? Be right back.” I rolled my eyes at him. I rarely drank something with so much sugar. My mother would chide me about the calories, but this morning I needed something extra.
