Trust Me (Finding my way)

by R. S Burnett

“What are you doing here?” I ask, trying to keep my voice strong as I smile up at him.

  “Your mom got worried when you didn’t visit last weekend. She asked me to come and see that you were okay”

  “Oh,” is all I can reply, not sure what he expects me to say really.

  “I’ll just go get us a drink.”

  “Actually, I have one” I raise my glass at him.

  “I insist,” he says tightly, his gaze clearly daring me to challenge him.

  “You’re not actually going to drink anything he gives you, right?” Sophie whispers in my ear as we watch him make his way through the crowds to the bar.

  “What do you suppose I do? You know he’s going to be watching me like a hawk to make sure I drink it.”

  “He creeps me out.”

  “How am I going to get out of this?” I ask, keeping an eye on the bar and downing the drink Tucker bought me.

  “Matt, is your room empty tonight?” Sophie calls to him.

  “Uhh…yeah,” he calls back turning from his conversation from Luke.

  “All we have to do is figure out how to get you out of here now.”

  “Give me an hour so he doesn’t suspect anything and then distract him so I can leave without him following me.”

  “If you’re sure?” she asks, dubiously.

  I only nod to her as my step dad returns to us handing me a drink.

  “Thanks.”

  “I believe you owe me a dance,” Tucker interrupts us.

  “We’re having a drink,” Sam informs him, not bothering to hide his irritation, “you never mention a boyfriend,” he accuses me.

  “We’re just friends,” I smile up at him to distract him from glaring at Tucker.

  “Well?” Tucker asks watching us.

  “Sure,” I reply then down my drink in three swallows, trying not to think about whatever he put in it. Putting the glass down I take his hand and we head into the crowd of already dancing people.

  “Who’s the guy?” Tucker asks as he puts my hands behind his neck and his own rest on my hips.

  “That’s Sam, my step dad”

  “Seems like a happy bloke,” he notes.

  “Yeah, he’s just a big barrel of laughs.”

  “So it took you longer than I thought it would to stop hiding behind those awful clothes,” he smirks down at me taking me surprise, I must admit.

  “You knew?” I ask trying and failing to keep the surprise from my voice.

  “Please, give me some credit,” he rolls his eyes at me.

  “What gave me away?”

  “Well for starters, your neck is small, your wrists are tiny, and not forgetting that first time I sat next to you in English, I poked you in the side, imagine my surprise when my finger went about three inches into your top before I actually came into contact with you. Add that to the fact that I’ve seen you wear a seatbelt. Oh and I saw you in your bikini on the beach last weekend while you were running around chasing after a little boy.”

  “Guess I didn’t realise that you would catch on,” I mutter as I remember all the times that I’ve given myself away since we have become friends. I seem to be doing the unconscious things that I do around Sophie.

  “So what happened?”

  “I broke up with Jason when he told me fat girls are amazing in bed. I kind of lost it and stripped in front of him.”

  “Bet he loved that,” he nods at me as if the situation was completely normal; for him it probably is.

  “Well yeah, until I walked out on him.”

  “So no more Jason?” he asks

  “Nope,” I shake my head to confirm it.

  “Wrong. Here he comes.” I look to where he is gesturing with his head and sure enough, a drunk Jason is stumbling towards us.

  “So this is why would didn’t sleep with me. You were sleeping with Tucker the whole time after all.”

  “Let the rumours really begin,” I mutter, trying my best to ignore him. Tucker just nods, smiling.

  “Well it’s only fair that you know; I had a threesome last night,” he says proudly, watching for my reaction to his news of cheating on me.

  “Okay, let me guess. It was your penis, your hand, and your imagination… yup that sounds about right.”

  “You know, you were so much more attractive when I thought you were fat,” he sneers ignoring my comment.

  I don’t bother replying as I notice that slowly my body is starting to shut down; well that’s what it feels like at least. My movements are becoming sloppy, my vision is swaying, giving me the impression that I’m not standing; I’m hovering. I stumble a little and Tuckers arms tighten around me. I look up at him and try to figure out which one is the real him out of the two in front of my eyes.

  “You okay?” he asks, but it sounds like it’s coming from further away than I know he is.

  “I should have known you were a whore,” I hear Jason snap at me.

  “Right that’s it I’ve-”Tucker starts to say, but he is cut off by Sophie. When did she get here? I look around at them slightly confused.

  “She’s not a whore darling, whores get paid. Brooke gives it for free ... well, not to you,” she informs him as she grabs my arm and pulls me away from the dance floor.

  “Sam’s in the bathroom. If you want to go, you have to go now,” Sophie tells me, frowning down at me when I make no reply. “There’s a taxi out the back for you.”

  “Where am I going?” I ask, but I’m not sure it comes out properly because Sophie just looks confused and worried. I can feel my eyes closing as my eyelids suddenly feel too heavy. My legs give out but there’s something stopping me from falling, I look down amazed and there’s an arm around me. There are some fuzzy voices floating around me as I’m pulled through a door and put into the back of a car.

  Fighting to stay awake is too hard now, so I give up and succumb to the sleep that’s calling me.

  * * *

  “Brooke.”

  I fling my hands in the air to make the noise stop, I’m actually enjoying sleep for once and I don’t want it to end. My eyes fly open when I come in contact with skin; my hand is splattered over Tucker face covering his mouth and nose. “What do you want?” I grumble pulling my hand away.

  “How are you feeling?” he asks amused.

  “I was fine until you woke me up,” I snap, but take in my surroundings “Where am I?”

  “In Matt’s dorm,” he frowns at me.

  “And what am I doing in Matt’s dorm with you?”

  “Brooke, how much of last night do you remember?”

  I sort through the memories from the night before but come up empty. “Last thing I remember is dancing with you.”

  I look away from his eyes because now they are concerned and narrowed. I’m in what I assume is Matt’s bed in just my underwear; then I notice Tucker is only wearing a pair of boxers.

  “I slept in the other bed,” he assures me when I look up at him. “I wanted to make sure you were okay before I left. I have some stuff I need to do this morning.”

  “Oh…yeah…I’m fine.” I frown and flop back down on the bed.

  When I make my way back into my room, both Sophie and Matt are sat at our table.

  “How are you feeling?” Sophie asks pouring me a coffee.

  “Like I have the worse hangover ever,” I mutter.

  “I can’t believe you drank that drink,” she scolds me.

  I shrug. “It would have been worse if I didn’t. Besides I got home okay, didn’t I?”

  “Yeah, but…” she looks between Matt and me. “What’s going on with you and Tucker?”

  “Nothing,” I frown. “We’re just friends”

  This time Sophie and Matt exchange a worried look.

  “What?” I sigh.

  “Tucker doesn’t have female friends, Brooke,” Matt says carefully.

  “He’s friends with Soph,” I point out the obvious.

  Sophie frowns at me. “You’re not sleeping with him are you?
”

  “No!” I all but shout. “Honestly. We’re just friends. I have to put up with these rumors at school; don’t tell me I have to put up with them here as well?”

  “No…just be careful.”

  I nod at them both and climb back into bed.

  I’m not going to any classes today.

  Five

  I knock on Tuckers door and wait nervously for him to answer, hoping he hasn’t got company.

  The door swings open and his roommate stares at me, when he takes in my overnight bag, he steps aside to let me in.

  “One of yours, Tuck?” he asks and then closes the door behind me.

  “Hey.” Tucker greets from where he’s sat on his bed. I walk across the room into the kitchenette area looking for coffee. I sigh when I see nothing but jars of instant coffee and pull my coffee machine out of my bag.

  “Can I crash here tonight please? Sophie’s sister’s staying over and she’s kicked me out of the room,” I ask as I set up the machine.

  “Only if you promise to make me lots of that,” he says watching the machine, hypnotised.

  I chuckle at him because now I understand why people think my reaction to coffee is bad; especially if my expression is anything like his is now.

  “I promise.” I roll my eyes at him.

  “I’m Ethan by the way,” Tuckers roommate introduces himself.

  “Brooke,” I smile back.

  “Nice to meet you, Brooke. Tell me something, are you loud?” he asks, throwing Tucker a look.

  “Excuse me?” I ask not having a clue what’s going on.

  “She’s not…we’re not…we don’t. We’re friends. It’s not like that,” Tucker says to him.

  Ethan turns his attention back to me and looks at me curiously. I watch as he rakes his eyes over me and then turns back to Tucker “Whatever dude. Just keep it down, I have a test tomorrow.”

  “Honestly, we’re just friends. We don’t have sex, we don’t even mess around even a little bit,” Tucker tells him proudly.

  “Uh huh and where is she going to sleep?” Ethan asks raising an eyebrow at him.

  “In my bed,” Tuckers supplies.

  “With you?”

  “Of course.”

  “I’m not sleeping in that bed with you,” I interrupt their conversation.

  “It’s fine. I completely understand,” Tucker turns to me, looking sympathetic.

  “You do?” I ask cautiously.

  “Of course. It’s natural,” he says still sympathetic, but I notice something else I can’t quite place in his eyes; I fold my arms across my chest.

  “And what is it that you understand?” I ask trying and failing to keep the sarcasm out of my voice.

  “You’re worried that as soon as we get in there and you lie next to me, you’re going to jump me and you don’t want everyone in the building to know what a sex god I am because you’ll be screaming my name so much,” he explains.

  “Shit. We can’t sleep in that bed now,” I say looking disappointed.

  “Why not?” he asks and frowns down at the bed.

  “Because your imagination just jumped in it and now, there’s no room for us in there,” I smile sweetly at him.

  “Okay, I like her,” Ethan announces from his own bed, laughing.

  “She’s not even that nice” Tucker sniffs.

  “Come on, bed. I’m tired. Coffee will be ready to pour when you get up,” I instruct.

  I go into the bathroom and change into a tank top and boxer type briefs; when I walk back into the room I see Tucker slipping into bed in just a pair of boxers.

  “Oh, no! Put a top on!” I point at him accusingly.

  “Why? Afraid you won’t be able to resist me?” he smirks at me taking in my tank and briefs.

  “Fine,” I smile sweetly at him and pull my top off so I’m just in my bra and panties now.

  “Point taken,” he mutters and sits up to put a t-shirt on as I return my tank.

  “You two are so weird,” Ethan complains from his bed across the room.

  I shake my head and climb into bed next to Tucker trying not to touch him. Now if you’ve ever slept in a single bed with a six foot, built like a quarter back, twenty two year old man, then you understand how hard it is. If not, imagine trying to fit a hundred and twenty five pieces into a hundred piece puzzle.

  “Christ, your huge,” I mutter.

  I blush when I realise what I’ve said and Tucker bursts out laughing.

  “This is so wrong,” I hear Ethan grumble from across the room.

  “That’s not what I meant and you know it,” I snap at Tucker embarrassed and elbow him.

  “I didn’t say anything,” he laughs at me.

  Grumbling threats to torture Sophie in the morning, I turn my back to him and press up against the wall as much as I can.

  I wake up warm and relaxed after a peaceful night’s sleep until I hear Ethan speaking; he’s obviously stood over the bed judging from how close his voice is.

  “I’m sorry but … are you two spooning?”

  I feel Tucker shift behind me. “We’ll we sure as shit aint forking,” he grumbles sleepily.

  It’s then I notice the reason I’m warm, is because I’m wrapped up in Tucker. His one leg is thrown over both of mine, trapping me in; his arm is lazily wrapped around my stomach and side and I look down to confirm because I can’t quite believe it but, yep, he has a hand under my top, cupping my right breast. I try to remove it with my own hand but he resists and he’s stronger than me.

  “Hand,” I prompt him.

  “Hmmm,” he replies sleepily, but squeezes slightly.

  I turn my head to see Tucker still has his eyes closed and Ethan is watching us amused.

  “A little help, please?” I ask, gesturing to Tucker with my head.

  He grins then leans down and twists Tuckers ear. I watch as Tucker jumps up with a yelp and grabs his ear.

  “Thanks,” I grin at Ethan, as I get out of bed heading straight into the kitchen area.

  “What was that for?” Tucker demands, rubbing his ear.

  “You were groping me, he was protecting me,” I say, handing both of them a mug of coffee.

  “I wasn’t groping you,” Tucker grumbles, sniffing his coffee.

  “You were. I even tried to remove your hand myself but you put up a fight,” I tell him, taking in the scent of my own coffee and smiling.

  “I can’t help it if my hand has a mind of his own when I’m sleeping; I forgive you though because you gave me coffee,” he says sounding sympathetic instead of sorry.

  “Right, I have to go I have a test in half hour,” Ethan announces draining his cup.

  “Me too. Hang on a sec I’ll come down with you,” Tucker replies, stretching and shuffling into the bathroom. I have three more cups and a long shower before I leave their room with a sticky note attached to the coffee machine with instructions for them on how to use it.

  ***

  “So, which one did you have sex with?” a voice asks from behind me.

  I turn my attention away from the selection of fruit in front of me and look up to see Beth watching me. She’s never liked me but since Tucker and I became friends, she seems to go out of her way to be a bitch to me.

  “Excuse me?” I frown at her.

  “You spent the night in Tuckers room, but Ethan was there as well. So which one did you sleep with? They both deny having sex with you,” she says impatiently.

  “I didn’t have sex with either of them,” I protest.

  “Right…well if it was Ethan, it’s only because Tucker didn’t want you, and if it’s Tucker, then don’t expect a repeat performance because he doesn’t do them. Unless you did both of them; they haven’t been known to do that before, but I wouldn’t put it past Tucker.”

  “Why are you still talking?” I ask not liking what she is accusing me of one bit.

  With a look that I’m sure would make wild animals cower sent my way, she walks off and joins a t
able full of her friends.

  “Have I mentioned lately how much I hate you?” I grumble to Sophie as I join her, Matt, Tucker, and Luke at the table.

  “What’s wrong?” she asks turning from her conversation with Matt.

  “I just got asked if I had a threesome with Ethan and Tucker last night,” I tell her eating my banana.

  She laughs, doesn’t apologise, and doesn’t look sympathetic; just laughs making everyone at the table stop talking to watch us.

  “Glad you find my apparent sexual activities entertaining.”

  “What’s so funny?” Matt asks.

  “Sorry. I didn’t think Ethan would be there; he usually stays out,” Sophie says ignoring the question. “Wait, so where did you sleep?” she asks me and I watch as everyone stares at me waiting for my answer.

  “In Tucker’s bed,” I say quietly.

  “Then where did you sleep?” Matt asks him.

  “In my bed,” he says as if it should be obvious.

  “You slept in the same bed?” Matt asks dumbly.

  “Yes,” I snap.

  “And you didn’t have sex?” he clarifies.

  “Nope, but she did mention something about me being huge,” he grins and winks at me.

  I throw my banana peel at him “Not funny. People think we had a threesome with Ethan,” I tell him.

  “No. I can’t see you doing that,” he says sweeping his eyes over me.

  Two guys walk past our table and grin at me “Hey Brooke,” they greet me with a wink.

  “But they can,” Tucker laughs at me.

  “You do realise that the students here all have very colourful imaginations. So, I’m just wondering if they are picturing it with you behind Ethan…or with Ethan behind you.” I smile widely as his face drops and he looks a little sick. “Not so funny now is it?” I ask picking up my sandwich.

  “How can you just carry on as if it’s normal?” he asks watching me take a bite.

  “All this sex I’m supposed to be having is making me hungry,” I shrug at him.

  “So no one had sex in that room last night?” Matt asks still surprised.

  “Uh, no. First of all, I would not have sex with an audience, second of all, I would not be an audience to someone else having sex,” I state firmly.