“So, we’ve got a bet going, remember?” Ryan grinned widely at him.
Donovan shook his head. “I don’t have a bet going. YOU have a bet going. I already know she’s straight. She used to have a boyfriend.”
“That doesn’t mean anything.” Ryan scoffed at him, narrowing his eyes. “Don’t tell me you’re backing out of the bet.”
“There is no bet!” Donovan began to gather up his things as people nearby looked over at him.
“Okay, okay,” Ryan said, trying to shrug under all of his straps and bags. “No need to get all pissy about it. If you’re not up to the challenge, just say so.”
“Give it a rest, Ryan.” Van rubbed his forehead, a headache blooming behind his eyes.
His friend lost his smile, his face suddenly serious. “Dude, seriously, I’m just giving you shit. You don’t have to take it so personally.” He gave Van a wondering look. “Unless there’s a reason to?”
Van laughed harshly. Ryan knew how much Donovan wanted to avoid complications, even if the why behind it baffled him. That didn’t mean he didn’t try to force Van into situations with members of the fairer sex, but Van was pretty adept at gliding through them unscathed. “None at all. And I want to keep it that way.”
Ryan appeared mollified, but Van knew looks could be deceiving. “Then you won’t have any objections to us going up and sitting with the girls.” He turned and made his way through the burgeoning crowd to the stairs.
Snatching the rest of his things up, Van thought about just bugging out and going back to his apartment. He didn’t have an objection, not really. He just thought it was not a great idea to spend more time with Lila. Between his curiosity about her and Ryan’s insistence on the stupid bet, Van knew he should just stay the hell away.
He picked up his glass, determined to drop it off in the gray bins for dirty dishes, when Lila’s head popped over the top of the stair railing. “Hey,” she said, getting his attention even through the racket of clanking spoons and ceramic mugs, “You coming up or what? We’ve got a seat saved for you.”
She beckoned him with a pale hand and a smile, and he found himself walking over as if he was some kind of zombie, suddenly incapable of thinking for himself. What the hell was wrong with him? She was going to be nothing but trouble for him, but he couldn’t help but remember the way her jeans cupped her curves.
Lila had scored a couch and two chairs gathered around what amounted to a small end table set between them. Ryan was sprawled out in one of the two chairs and Gretchen held the other, sitting in it like it was a throne and she a queen overseeing her plebian subjects. That left the couch for him and Lila. Of course it did. He shot Ryan and Gretchen a glare, unsure of which of them was responsible for this travesty. He had a feeling it was Gretchen simply because Ryan was too busy smelling his own manly scent to be bothered thinking of anyone else.
Lila settled into one corner, drawing her feet up underneath her. Donovan took the other side, leaving plenty of space between them. She didn’t appear to notice, happily chatting with Gretchen between sips of her soda.
“How’s practice?” Gretchen asked Ryan. Her blue eyes swept the rugby player from head to foot, taking in his dirty shorts, sweat soaked hair and general filthiness. “Or should I not ask?”
Ryan didn’t notice her look. “Oh, it was great. Got some real good moves. Can’t wait until Saturday when we play Griffith.” He pulled up from his sprawl to lean forward, causing Gretchen to move away from his rather pungent aroma. “You guys are gonna come watch, right?”
Lila looked curiously at Gretchen, a dark brow raised in question. Gretchen shrugged, as if she didn’t care one way or the other. “What time?” the blonde said.
“Two. At the field in Howey’s Park.”
“We might be able to make it.” Gretchen looked at him. “What about you, Van?”
Now it was his turn to shrug. “I guess. I hadn’t really thought about it.”
“Wow, bro. I’m feeling the love.”
“Shonda!” Gretchen called out suddenly, breaking out of her chair as if propelled by springs.
Van saw Lila’s head shoot around. He stared at her profile, his eyes tracing the planes and angles of it. She must have felt his eyes rest on her for too long because she turned back around with a question in her eyes. She cocked her head and asked, “What are you doing?”
He flipped his gaze up and over to Gretchen. She was hugging her girlfriend Shonda, who was hugging the giantess back. They must be in a good groove this week. “Nothing,” he answered, trying to appear nonchalant and not like a freaky stalker. “Have you gotten to meet Shonda yet?” He figured a change of subject was in order.
Lila shook her head, sending waves of dark hair bouncing over her shoulders. “Not yet. She doesn’t come around much from what Gretchen told me.”
“Here’s your chance,” he said as Gretchen brought Shonda to the table, holding the other girl’s hand in a death grip.
Shonda threw out a casual hey to the guys, then extended her hand to Lila. Lila stood and took it. “It’s so good to finally meet you,” Lila said, warmly.
The group rearranged themselves, so that Van took the chair Gretchen had vacated and the loving couple could take up the rest of the couch. When everyone had settled once again, he heard Lila ask Shonda, “So how is it being an RA?”
Shonda’s smile was a brief flash of white. “A pain in the ass sometimes, like when roommates have problems and I need to get involved. But most of the time it’s not so bad.”
“Have you ever had to, like, get involved when someone was having a very loud three-way in their dorm room?” Ryan asked, putting his feet up on the coffee table.
“Dude!” Gretchen said, swatting his filthy shoes off. “We have stuff we’re ingesting sitting here!”
Shonda gave Ryan a look. “Is there some reason that you’re an oversexed jackass or is it just your natural state of being?”
Van strangled a laugh out around a mouthful of water. He swallowed, nearly choking. “I would say it’s his natural state,” he answered for Ryan.
Ryan grinned. “You’re just jealous.” Then he turned to Shonda. “No, really. Have you ever had to intervene in anything weird?”
Shonda shook her head. “Nothing that you could send to Penthouse Forum. Sorry.”
“The rumors of my degeneracy have been greatly exaggerated,” he replied with a long-suffering sigh. “Weirdest thing you’ve had to deal with. And….go!”
Gretchen’s girlfriend cracked a smile. “Rat breeding.”
“Rat breeding?” Lila asked, her voice incredulous.
Shonda nodded. “Yep. I wasn’t an RA, but it was my roommate from last year. She got a pet rat from her boyfriend.”
“You’re not allowed to have pets in dorms,” Van interjected. “I’m assuming that counts for rats too.”
“Unless the rats were already living in the dorm and you tamed them,” Ryan cut in. “Which means the university has a whole different set of problems.”
“Van’s right.” Shonda leaned back against Gretchen who draped an arm across her shoulders. “She really liked rats so she wanted to breed hers. So one night, she brings in a huge cage and drops her rat in with another rat, also in this cage and then sticks them in the closet. All night long, all I heard was these two rats banging against the bars of this giant cage. It was like the rodent version of Oz.”
“She took them back in the morning, right?” Ryan asked.
Shonda shook her head. “You’d hope.” Van watched the slow smile that crossed her face. “You’d be wrong. She kept them for two weeks, hoping they’d do the rat nasty and she’d end up with little rat babies.” She chuckled. “All we wound up with was a massive case of sleep deprivation and a dorm room that smelled like cedar shavings and rat musk.”
Lila laughed, and the sound made Van’s stomach leap. Damn. Not good.
“What did you end up doing?” she asked.
“Yeah, did you ever get rid o
f the rats?” Van leaned forward, catching Lila’s eye with a smile.
“I reported her after one particularly bad night. It was ridiculous. She kept yelling at me because I’d turn off the light in the closet and finally, I’d just had enough. I went to the RA on our floor and outed her rat whorehouse.”
Ryan howled. “The visual I get—little rats all tarted up in makeup and ball gowns—I just...,” he trailed off into another fit.
“Hey, they’re getting ready to start,” Gretchen broke in, making shushing motions with her hands.
The band opened with a few originals that the hardcore fans knew; they were mostly blends of folk and rock that served them well on acoustic night. Then they launched into the full rendition of American Pie and asked everyone who knew the words to sing along. Van had no idea of the lyrics, but was surprised when Lila apparently did. She sang along with the other patrons, her voice barely noticeable in the din unless you were listening for it.
Van was listening.
“Have you ever sung before?” he asked her when the band took a five minute break. He slid over onto the arm of the sofa so he wasn’t shouting across the table at her.
Lila flushed, head dipping down. “Yeah,” she said as she took a swig of water. “I used to in high school. But I’m way out of practice.”
“Didn’t sound like it to me.”
“Oh, you can pick me out of a chorus of dozens, is that it?” She grinned when she said it, elbowing him in the ribs as she teased.
“I’m not completely tone deaf,” he said. “Only partially. I’m working on a telethon to raise money for those of us who can’t carry a tune in a barrel.” He was flirting with her. He knew he should stop, but he couldn’t help himself. She looked so relaxed and happy.
“I’ll be sure to donate.” Lila’s face sobered in mock-seriousness. “It’s a worthy cause.”
Okay, so his original strategy of disinterest wasn’t working. He really enjoyed talking to Lila. So maybe he should try something new—a vaccination of sorts. Maybe if he spent a little more time around her, just the two of them, maybe then he wouldn’t be quite so…intrigued…by her. Yeah. He should try that.
“The worthiest.” He slid closer, not wanting Ryan to hear this. He was thinking of maybe seeing if Lila might be interested in meeting for pizza one night this week. “So, you wouldn’t be…”
“Thanks to everyone for coming out tonight,” a mellow voice interrupted through the microphone. Cheers and shouts broke out, a dull roar that drowned out Van’s words. Lila smiled apologetically and gestured to her ears, then shrugging.
He waved a hand in dismissal, and climbed back into his chair. Van eyed the crowd, alternately relieved that they had interrupted him before he’d gotten the chance to ask her out, and irritated that now he’d have to work up the nerve to do so again at a later date. He subsided deeper into the cushions, deciding it was a sign. He’d tried to ask her out and the universe had intervened to stop him. Maybe he should listen to his head and keep his distance.
When Lila threw him a smile later in the set, he nodded, but didn’t smile back.
Chapter Six
Lila booted up her laptop, flopping onto her bed while she waited for it to warm up. She was going to love her Psych class, of that she was sure. It had only been two weeks since the semester started, but she already couldn’t wait until she got to delve in a bit more to what really interested her. She pulled out her notebook from her messenger bag and flipped through her notes from today’s lecture.
She turned back to her laptop, pulling up her email. Most of it was school related, but there was one from her mother, another from her brother. As she scanned the list, she saw an email address that looked familiar. She opened it up and blinked.
Tyler must have gotten a new email address. And he still used the nickname she hated.
Lil,
I need to talk to you. Things are really crazy here and I need you. I miss you so much. I don’t know how to do this without you. Nothing is the same. I am so sorry I messed things up—I know that now and I want to make it right. Please call me. I just have to talk to you.
Ty
Lila felt goosebumps break out over the skin of her arms. She stared at the words on the screen, feeling hot and cold at the same time. What the hell was this? Why was he emailing her now? And what did he expect her to do? He couldn’t possibly be thinking she’d actually reply to him.
Her hand hovered over the mouse, ready to delete the email. She hesitated, then created a new folder called Tyler. She dragged the new email into it. Chewing on her bottom lip, she shut down her email, wondering how he’d gotten her school address. She’d only given it to her family. Lila knew her mother and brother would never have given it to Tyler.
She didn’t know what he was trying to do. When he’d come by the hospital to apologize—and threaten her to keep her from telling anyone what he’d done—Lila had told him to never contact her again. They were done. He’d left her alone for the rest of the summer, although he still sent her flowers to keep up the illusion of the concerned ex-boyfriend. She’d thrown them away as soon as they were delivered.
There was a part of her that wanted to call the police. But Tyler had been very clear when he’d come by the hospital. If she said anything, if she’d gone to report him to the police, if she countered his story of events in any way, his father would fire her mother for all the trouble Lila caused. Her mom needed her job, and Lila had no doubt that Tyler and his family would make it difficult for her mother to find another one. He’d also threatened to make sure that everyone in town would know what a whore Lila was. He’d drag her reputation through the mud, making sure her brother was made to suffer at the hands of Tyler’s friends still in high school.
He’d threatened her mother’s livelihood and her brother’s safety. But the agreement they’d had, as terrible as it was, was that he never contact her again. He’d broken their agreement, which shouldn’t have surprised her as much as it did. He’d never been able to keep his word when it came to her.
So why should she keep her word when it came to him?
Chapter Seven
Van’s phone rang as he walked to class. When he checked the caller ID, his mouth went dry. He didn’t want to answer, but he knew that if he didn’t, she’d just keep calling and calling until he picked up. Or, if she were off her meds, she might do something worse. He didn’t want to take that call either, or have to place one to his father. He rubbed a hand across his suddenly tired eyes and answered the call.
“Hey Mom,” he said, forcing a brittle cheeriness into his voice. “How are you doing?”
“I can’t get out of bed.” The soft mellow voice on the other end of the phone sounded as if it was drifting away, floating like an untethered balloon.
“Have you taken your medicine?” Van wanted to smack himself in the head. Of course she hadn’t taken her meds. If she had, she wouldn’t sound like this. She wouldn’t be lying in bed calling him. She’d be at work, being productive and not needing him to coach her back to living from three hours away.
“I was doing so good, Bob. You’d have been proud of me.” She sounded wistful.
Van swallowed hard. Bob was his father, her ex-husband. Bob had left them. It made him physically ache when she’d confuse them over the phone. It only happened when she was going through one of her episodes, but it still hit him like a punch to the throat, reminding him that he was the only one left to look out for her. To make sure she was okay. His father sure as shit wasn’t going to do it.
“I’m Donovan, Mom,” he said calmly, somehow managing to keep the shake out of his voice. “You need to go take your pills.”
There was a sigh on the other end. There were times when he wished she were someone else’s problem. He didn’t understand why she refused to take care of herself, why she didn’t seem to want to get better. But then again, why should she when Van was around to do it for her? He hated his father for leaving him with Mom, for go
ing and finding a new wife and a new family because he couldn’t take Mom’s mood swings and depression anymore. He was angry at his father because he thought he had a choice, and he took his out when he saw it.
Van didn’t have that out.
“It would be so much easier if you were here to get them for me.” She sounded perilously close to crying.
Van ground his teeth together and fought the urge to punch the wall. His mom had been at him constantly to find a college closer to her, close enough that he could stay home and still take classes. There was no way on earth that he was going to do that; college was his escape plan, his one way out. He’d nearly botched it up in high school, getting involved with that psycho Filene. He wasn’t going to risk it again, no matter how much his mother pleaded and cajoled.
“You know I have class,” he said, keeping his voice soft and gentle. He loved his mother, for all that he sometimes wanted to shake her. “The pills are still on your bathroom counter, right?” He’d made her keep all of her bottles in easy reach in the bathroom so he could talk her through taking her medication while on the phone.
“Yes.” There was defeat in her voice. She knew he wasn’t going to come rushing home to take care of her. She was a grown woman and she could do it herself. Dad had always coddled her until he couldn’t take it anymore, and then he’d run. He’d run as far and as fast as his legs could take him, until he found a bright smile and a pair of perky tits that convinced him to stop running and take up being a family man once more.
“I’m going to stay on the phone with you while you take your pills, okay?” He waited for a word from her, some sign of acquiescence. Eventually he heard the springs on the bed creak as she got up, then the sound of running water. Then the sound of pills rattling like bones in their plastic bottles carried to him.
Van closed his eyes, feeling exhausted all of a sudden. He waited until he heard her drinking the water before he spoke. “Get some rest, Mom, and I’ll give you a call later.”
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