The Story of Us

by AuthorStephanieHenry

  “Can I talk to you, Val?”

  “That’s my cue to get scarce,” Craig says, smiling. “I’ll see you.” He turns to me and kisses me lightly on the lips, ending it too soon for my liking. Then he squeezes my hand gently before getting up and walking out of the dorm. I can’t help but feel a little colder in his absence.

  I turn my attention to Hailey. She’s not crying, so that’s a good sign. “What happened?”

  “A lot, I guess. A lot that I didn’t know about. But it’s not what I thought at all.”

  I listen intently as she tells me everything that Drew had revealed to her.

  As it turns out, he was not cheating on Hailey. And he was very upset that she thought that. But then again, he was keeping secrets from her, so he can’t be too upset. The Charlie chick I had been worried about is actually his cousin. He has an aunt from his biological father’s side of the family – a family he had never known. He’s been talking to them online and he’s gotten really close to Charlie, who is only a year older than us. But he didn’t want to tell Hailey about it until he was sure that 1. They really are his family, and 2. That they are good people.

  “I knew he was looking for his family though. So I just don’t understand why he didn’t tell me,” Hailey complains.

  “Maybe it’s just one of those things that needed to be done alone. Hail, Drew loves you, but sometimes people need to separate themselves from others and deal with things by themselves. Especially things of that magnitude.”

  “I just wish I could have been there for him,” she says quietly. “And I wish I didn’t think the worst case scenario.”

  “I think he just needed time to process it on his own. You were there for him with everything that went on with his mom. Maybe he didn’t want to put that extra burden on you now. Maybe he thought you had enough of his family drama and didn’t want to bother you with more of it.”

  “That’s ridiculous. He’s dealt with my family drama too. We’re in this together. We’ve been through too much for him to just shut me out like that.”

  “So you’re mad at him?”

  “I guess, a little. I don’t know… I just wish he could have told me.”

  “It sounds like you feel betrayed. I don’t think he was trying to go behind your back or betray you in any way though. I honestly don’t. Drew’s better than that. I think he just wanted to deal with this one thing on his own. It doesn’t mean your relationship isn’t strong. It doesn’t mean he doesn’t want you there to help. It just means he needed to go through this on his own. And I also think in a weird way, he might have been protecting you.”

  “How’s that?” she asks, not convinced.

  “He hasn’t had the best of luck with family situations. You said he wanted to make sure they were good people. Maybe he didn’t want you to find out about them if it turned out that they were scumbags or something. Maybe he would have been embarrassed if it turned out that they didn’t want anything to do with him. It sounds crazy to us, but you have to admit, it wouldn’t be far-fetched to him. It’s not like he’s never dealt with scum bag family members before,” I rationalize with her, knowing about his past.

  “True,” she agrees, lost in thought, probably thinking about how hard he had it before he found his mom.

  “You guys will work through this. I, for one, am relieved. So he has a family that he’s never met. You’ve been there. Now that you know, you can help him through it.”

  “I’m just really glad he still wants to be with me. You don’t know how scared I was, Val. I really thought there was someone else.”

  “I know.” I don’t tell her that I thought the same thing.

  “Let’s go out. The four of us, before our classes start Monday,” I suggest. It’s a new semester, which means new classes, which I’m not looking forward to, mostly because I hate change. “You always wanted me to give Craig a shot and now that we’re officially together, we can double date – two best friends with two best friends.”

  She smiles despite her gloomy mood. “Let’s do it,” she agrees. “It’ll be a nice distraction for Drew too… a night where he doesn’t have to worry about the heavy family stuff, but just relax and have fun.”

  So Hailey and I plan it out. We could do a romantic night out at a fancy restaurant, but it really wouldn’t suit either Drew or Craig. So instead, we plan on going to a party. It’s not at the Hansore House, but another house on campus known for their parties, albeit not to the extent that the Hansore House is. Still, it ends up being a good turnout, packed but not overly crowded.

  The four of us hang out together in two side-by-side leather chairs in the living room of the house for most of the night. We drink and talk and joke and laugh. The music pulsates through us and everyone, I can tell, is in a good mood. Drew clings to Hailey and I can see the relief in her face. Craig draws small circles on my arm even when he’s talking to Drew. His touch is enough to intoxicate me even without the alcohol. But there is alcohol, and I drink. And drink. And drink. I stand up at one point and realize that I’ve had too much. But I’m in such a good mood, I just don’t care. I can’t stop smiling. Everything feels perfect, sitting here with my best friend, seeing her happy with her boyfriend. Feeling happy myself with my boyfriend. Everything is as it should be.

  When we finally decide to call it a night, I manage to stumble along the path to Craig’s dorm with his help. Its dark out and my vision is blurred from the alcohol so I can’t see much of anything, but I feel him holding onto me. “I swear, I’m not a drunk,” I try to assure him. But I can’t say it seriously. I’m a giggling mess.

  “I don’t think you’ve stopped laughing all night,” he points out with a smile.

  “That’s because I’m happy. Really happy.”

  He stops walking and faces me, still holding me upright in his arms. “I’m happy that you’re happy,” he says seriously.

  My giggles stop instantly. I don’t think I’ll ever get over the intensity in his eyes when he looks at me. “I love you,” I tell him.

  “I love you too, princess. More than you know.”

  We’ve said it before, but we don’t say it often. We don’t want to be that super mushy ‘I love you more, no I love you more’ couple. But with him looking at me like that, I couldn’t help it. Because I do love him. With everything I have, I love him. And I decided that even if he breaks me into a million tiny pieces that can never be put back together, I will still love him. And this… us… will have been worth it.

  As it turns out, I am a drunk, though. I spend all night on Craig’s dorm room floor puking, and then dry-heaving into a bucket. I feel too sick to even be embarrassed about it... that is, until morning. I wake up to the feeling of Craig’s arms around me, but I don’t feel a sense of comfort like I normally do. Instead, I feel sore. That’s when I remember that I’m on the hard floor, with a bucket beside me. I turn over and see Craig on the floor with me. “Oh, God,” I mumble to myself.

  He wakes up instantly, “Are you alright?” he asks, full of concern.

  “Other than dying of embarrassment? Yeah.”

  “Hey,” he says, turning my face back to his. “You don’t have to be embarrassed around me.”

  “Why are you not on your bed?”

  “Because I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

  “You slept on the floor with me.” It’s not a question, but a statement. He doesn’t say anything in return. “I can’t believe you slept on the floor with me.”

  “I’d do anything for you. I can’t believe you don’t know that by now,” he says with a soft, sweet smile. Then he adds, “Except kiss you right now.”

  “That’s my cue to go get cleaned up,” I say. But he stops me just before I sit up all the way. He grabs my face and kisses my forehead briefly before letting me go.

  Chapter 17

  It’s been a long month, struggling through classes and trying to find time to be with Craig, while also finding time to hang out with the girls. I hang out
at the Grind a lot, so I can work on papers and study, while also feeling Craig sneak up behind me on occasion, kissing the back of my neck while walking to the other side of the coffee shop. I smile every time. And for this reason and this reason alone, the Grind has become my library. That is, until Tiffany shows back up. Craig acts no different. But jealously overwhelms me when I see them working together.

  He really pays no interest to her, which helps to ease my fears. But nonetheless, I see her trying to lure him in. She flirts relentlessly and it’s frustrating to watch. I know she sees that he’s with me now. How could she not? He makes it obvious, whether for her benefit or not. But still, she doesn’t quit. When I overhear her asking about his Valentine’s Day plans, I can’t take it anymore.

  “So next Saturday, do you wanna get together? At least for old time’s sake? It’s been forever,” she flirts.

  “First of all, next Saturday is Valentine’s Day. And second, I have plans with my girlfriend, which brings me to the third point… I have a girlfriend.”

  “That’s never stopped you before,” she purrs quietly and seductively.

  And that’s when I lose it. I slam my book down on the table and march right up to her. “You have absolutely no shame, do you? If you were delusional enough to think that you were his girlfriend than I actually feel sorry for you. But regardless, I am, in fact, his girlfriend. So please, have some self-respect and take ‘no’ for an answer!”

  She looks at me with disgust, but doesn’t say anything in return. She flips her hair as she walks away. I can tell by the look she gave me though, that she simply thinks I’m crazy. I don’t believe for a second that I actually got through to her. She’ll try again, without a doubt.

  “Wow,” Craig says.

  “Don’t ‘wow’ me. I put up with it long enough.”

  “I meant wow that was really, really hot.” He smirks.

  “Shut up.” I glare at him as I push him away. But I can’t help smiling.

  “Speaking of Valentine’s Day,” he mentions, raising his eyebrows.

  “Yeah?”

  “I just might have something special planned.”

  “Don’t fuss over it. Really, I’m happy just hanging out with you.”

  “I know. Because, I am, after all, awesome. And handsome. And, you know, just the coolest, and by the way sexiest, guy around,” he concludes.

  “And modest. You forgot modest,” I add.

  “But even though you’d be perfectly happy simply being in the presence of someone so amazingly perfect, I still chose to plan something special.”

  “Okay, well now that you’re really building it up, I hope it lives up to my expectations.”

  “Oh, it will.”

  And he’s right. It does.

  Valentine’s Day falls on a Thursday this year and regardless of the fact that Craig’s classes don’t start until much later in the day, I wake up to Craig brushing my hair from my face at seven in the morning, cup of coffee in his hand.

  “Mmmm,” I hum out while he swings the cup of coffee back and forth in front of my nose.

  “That’s it. Good girl. Open your eyes. Fresh cup of coffee waiting.”

  “Best boyfriend in the world,” I mumble sleepily.

  “If this is all I have to do to be deemed the best boyfriend in the world, I should just quit while I’m ahead. No more Valentine’s Day surprises for you.”

  “No, no. I like the surprises. Especially if they involve coffee.” I sit up and take the styrofoam cup from him. “Why are you up so early?”

  “I thought it was obvious. I wanted to bring you coffee to start your day.”

  “You don’t have to be up for hours, though.”

  “But you have an eight o’clock class. Best boyfriend in the world, remember?”

  “That you are.” I smile at him.

  “And I have to get everything else ready for tonight.” He winks.

  “Come here,” I order him, placing the cup of coffee down on the bedside table.

  He raises an eyebrow at me in question.

  I put my arms around his neck and pull him down into bed with me. And then I kiss him.

  “Ahem.” It’s Hailey. I try to ignore her, but she continues, “Just so you know, I’m awake.”

  “We’re just kissing,” Craig responds, not taking his lips off of mine.

  “Fine. If I hear more than that, I’ll disown you both,” she says, turning around to go back to bed.

  Reluctantly, I pull myself away to get up and start getting ready for my classes.

  It’s a boring day, full of lectures and paper assignments. I don’t see Craig much now that we don’t have a class together, which is unfortunate now that I actually want to see him all the time. When my classes are done for the day, I go back to the dorm to get ready to go shopping to find a gift for Craig. Before I can leave again, I get a knock on the door. When I answer it, I’m surprised to see the same guy that instilled a fear in me like never before. Of course, he’s completely innocent, but for a brief moment waking up in Craig’s bed and not knowing where I was, I thought this guy, his roommate, had taken advantage of me while I was too drunk to stop him or even remember it.

  “Um, hi?” I say, which turns into more of a question.

  “Hey. Craig wanted me to bring this to you,” he says, handing me an envelope. Then, before I can even say thanks, he leaves.

  I open the envelope and find a gift certificate inside for a nail place down the street, with a note that reads, “Go pamper yourself. And don’t you dare buy me one thing. I never had the chance to get you a Christmas gift. Valentine’s Day is my day to surprise you for a change.”

  I smile at the note and then I head off to the salon.

  When I get back, there’s a box on my bed. He certainly is full of surprises today. I open the box and find a winter hat, gloves, scarf, and finally a WSC fleece that’s probably two sizes too big for me.

  “What’s all that?” Hailey asks, just walking in from the end of her classes.

  “I have no idea,” I respond laughing, “But I can’t wait to find out.”

  She gives me a strange look and then goes about her business.

  About twenty minutes later, I get a text from Craig.

  “Wear all of it and be ready for eight.”

  “Tell me where we’re going.”

  “No way.”

  “ please?”

  “Be ready.”

  “Puh-leeeeeaase?”

  “Princess, stop being a baby. You’ll find out soon.”

  “Ouch.”

  “Love you.”

  “Okay, you’re forgiven. Love you, too.”

  I rack my brain trying to figure out what on Earth he has planned. Obviously something outside, in February, which doesn’t sound thrilling to me. Any time I have to bundle up to keep warm, doesn’t sound like a very fun time at all. But I go along with it. At seven forty-five, I’m ready to go, minus the ‘gifts’ from Craig. At seven fifty-five, I pull the fleece over my head and watch it hang past my knees. I roll up the sleeves as best as I can, but it’s still too long. I put on the gloves, the scarf, and then finally, and reluctantly, the hat.

  Craig walks right into my room without even knocking.

  “Breaking in again, I see,” I joke, turning around.

  He takes one look at me and immediately starts laughing.

  I instantly get mad. “You know, you told me to put this stuff on. It’s Valentine’s Day and I don’t feel very attractive right now and to make it worse, you’re laughing!”

  “I’m sorry,” he says. But he’s still laughing.

  “Why aren’t you bundled up?” I ask him, getting angrier.

  “I’m wearing a sweater. And a jacket.”

  “I’m swimming in fleece and every inch of me is covered!”

  He’s still laughing. “I wanted to make sure you weren’t gonna be cold. I’m not worried about myself.”

  “Let’s go,” I huff out in frustration.<
br />
  “Princess, don’t be mad. You can take some of it off, but just take it with you just in case, okay?”

  I immediately take off the hat, scarf, and gloves. I still give him a dirty look.

  “I always thought you were adorable when you’re mad,” he says, smirking.

  I only end up being mad for a few more minutes though. Once I see what he’s planned, there’s no way I could continue to be mad at him. He takes me to the Grind, which I think is weird at first, but then he leads me back behind the building. It’s there that I see he’s set up a ladder, leaning against the side of the building.

  “You and your ladders,” I tease. He just smirks back.

  He motions for me to climb up first, and when I do, he follows. When I reach the top, the sight takes my breath away. He has the whole rooftop of the Grind set up romantically. Any anger I felt towards him melts away instantly. I look around in awe, taking it all in. There’s lights strung all around the edges, twinkling magically in the dark of the night. There’s four space heaters going, along with a pile of blankets in one corner of the roof. And set up in the middle is a table and two chairs.

  “It’s more of a picnic than an actual dinner,” he says, “just some lunch meats, bread, crackers, and such. Nothing would stay warm up here, so I had to do cold food.”

  I’m trying to concentrate on what he’s saying, but I’m still awestruck. “I can’t believe you did all of this.” Then something dawns on me. “Wait. Is this legal? Do we have permission to be up here?”

  “Princess, if you really have to ask that then you might want to consider the idea that you don’t know me very well at all.”

  I give him a disapproving look, but then he steps towards me and wraps his arms around me, and once again, I can’t stay mad. “This is perfect,” I whisper.

  We sit down at the table and dig into the sandwiches and wine.

  “Now don’t go crazy with that stuff,” Craig teases, referring to the wine. “I really don’t want to sleep on the floor again.”

  I shove his shoulder gently.

  “Time for your gift,” he announces.

  “I thought this was my gift,” I tell him, gesturing around to the rooftop.