I stuck my head out the door to check on Ky again.
“They’re not you though.” Her voice was soft and whiny.
“You’ll be fine.”
“I guess I’ll have to be.” She sounded like a pouty little kid.
I laughed, “I’ve gotta go Mara.”
“So am I gonna see you soon?”
“I don’t know, we’ll see.”
“Dang Zay, she must be the truth.” She said and then laughed.
“It’s nothing like that.” I lied.
“Mmhmm.”
“There you go, I’m for real though.” I laughed again, she had read me perfectly but I wasn’t going to admit it.
“Well you know how to find me.”
“Indeed.”
“Alright baby, hopefully you don’t stay away too long.”
I ended the call and quietly stepped out of the bathroom. Kya was still sleep. Thank goodness! I placed my phone face down on her desk, snuck back into bed and stretched out on my back with my arms folded behind my head. The breeze from the fan sent a chill through me because the temperature outside dropped so I snatched the covers away from the wall and pulled them over me. As soon as my body was still Kya snuggled close to me, placed her head on my chest and then moved her leg across my thigh. The warmth from her body wiped away the chill that hit me from the breeze of the ceiling fan. Her world was perfect just like this and it seemed so easy but everything in me was fighting against it. “Get it together Xavier.” I whispered, or one day she'll be gone.
Chapter 2
Kya Renee
It was close to 7:30 and I had been up for almost two hours so that I could study for my Chemistry test before class and it was almost time for me to leave. Xavier was still asleep and I used my phone as an alarm clock so I needed to figure out how to get him up after I left for class since Toni wasn't home. I knew from experience that he would sleep all day if no one bothered him especially since he was usually up all night. I needed to set an alarm for him so that he wouldn’t miss his 11 o’clock class. It must be nice. I mumbled to myself annoyed by the fact that his coach let the team pick their schedules and made sure they got all of the classes they requested. I grabbed the dry erase marker that was connected to the board above my dresser and wrote him a note:
Sorry for going through your phone but I set your alarm so that you wouldn't miss class.
Lock my door when you leave and I'll call you later to let you know about the game.
I picked up his phone. Password. Crap! I typed my birthday in an attempt to unlock it and then smiled at the fact that he still hadn't changed it. I was sure he only used it because none of his new tricks would know to my birthday! He had several texts from girls that I didn’t know. Being my typical nosy self, I opened a few of the conversations and scrolled through them. They were exactly what I expected low self-esteemed girls offering up their goods through text with no expectation of commitment. Xavier was definitely not lacking in the looks department and with a body like his coupled with being a star athlete he had more than his share of groupies who were willing to do any and everything he wanted them too. I knew it and I hated it but there was nothing that I could do about it.
There were also seven missed calls and several unread text from Tori. I was even more tempted to read those but I didn't want to give him the satisfaction of knowing that I was creeping so instead I set his alarm for 9:45 and 10:00. I figured that would give him plenty of time to get to is 11:00 o'clock class since it would only take him about fifteen minutes to drive back to his campus.
I overloaded my book bag with all my binders and books since this was my busy day with three classes back to back. I usually tried to avoid wasting gas by having to drive back to the dorms in between classes. I was on a slim budget with my monthly allowance from my parents and a few tutoring gigs every now and then.
When I was done I stood up and glanced at Xavier for a minute wondering how different my life might be if I had never met him. The muscles in his shoulder and back flexed as he balled up my pillow and pulled it closer to his face after I turned off the main light. Every inch of his body was perfect. Perfect! I wondered if there would be a different guy laying in my bed or none at all. Would I be in a relationship with someone who was man enough to make me and only me his world?
I couldn't remember a time when it wasn’t just me and Xavier. I knew he cared but he just couldn’t do right to save his life. There was always some girl coming between us and it killed me every time a new one surfaced. I was always his number one but the problem was that there was always a number two or three or four and that's the part that I couldn't handle so freshman year of college I made the choice to finally let go.
Wow Ky, that really worked out for you didn’t it. I told him I wanted out before we ending up hating each other to the point where we couldn’t recover from it so here we are. It didn’t take long for the random girls to enter the picture which wasn't a surprise to me because Xavier didn't know how to be alone.
I tried to be the best friend to him that I knew how to be. The trouble with that was all I ever knew how to be for him was a girlfriend so our friendship often lead patterns of random sex with emotional entanglement that always left me confused about where I fit into his life.
I picked up my phone, car keys, book bag and left my dorm room. I grabbed a bottle of orange juice out of the refrigerator and left for class.
-----
“What’s good boo?” Toni all but yelled as she approached me.
I looked up from my Chemistry notes to see my best friend and roommate standing over me. I had been sitting in the lounge area of the café for at least an hour studying for my test.
“What's up with you?” I asked, shut my spiral notebook and checked her out. She was decked out as always in a navy sweater, printed leggings and dark chocolate combat boots. Her shoulder length auburn weave was clipped loosely behind her head falling in what I figured was a purposely creating messy bun. I was dressed the complete opposite of trendy in black leggings, a gray hoodie and gray converse. College had totally wiped out my ability to care about being fashionable. Comfort was now my only priority when I came to clothes these days.
“I saw your boy this morning when I got back.” Toni flopped down onto the oversized burgundy vinyl sofa next to me and crossed her legs so that she could adjust the thick knitted socks that were peeking out of her chocolate leather boots.
“Don't start Tee.” I said.
“Start what? I'm just telling you I saw your boy.” She said with a smirk.
“It’s not what you said, it's what you didn't say.” I cut my eyes at Toni.
“You're gown boo, I can't tell you anything.” She said before she pulled her phone out of her purse and began typing. She leaned in towards me and held her phone up to take a picture.
“Pump ya breaks with all that.” I said and ducked out of her cameras view.
“Chill it's just a Snapchat to Ant.” She said so I relaxed and threw up a peace sign while Toni snapped a picture and the typed something.
“Sooooo, how did it go last night?” She asked slowly dragging the words out.
“Just friends Tee, that’s it!”
“With benefits, girl don't forget our walls are thin.”
“Well you didn’t miss anything last night because like I said no more benefits.
“I won't hold you to that because we both know better, whether you choose to admit it or not.”
“Anyway. You have plans later?” I asked not wanting to get into a debate about my situation with Xavier.
“Nah what's up?”
“I was thinking about going to Zay’s game tonight.”
“When was the last time you went to one of his games? Mmhmm just friends right?” Toni laughed, “Is he getting us in ‘cause I’m not paying.”
“Keep it up and I'll just go by myself.” I said sarcastically.
“Uh no boo, I'm not letting you go over there without me so Tor
i and here clones can jump you. Besides, I think it’s about time for me and number twelve to officially meet.” I had forgotten all about the mild obsession that she had formed with one of Zay’s teammates. This I might add was solely based on his picture printed on a game program that Zay had left in my car. Yep never met and she was in lust.
“Excuse me, don't you have a situation?” I asked.
“Hey everybody needs an ace in the hole.” Toni flashed me an evil grin.
“I can't with you.” I said and laughed “I'm heading back to the dorms to try and finish this paper for Psychology or I won't be going anywhere tonight.”
“At least you're done for today. I have two more classes.” She frowned.
“I told you to take early classes. That's your fault.”
“Whatever, everybody is not like you up at the crack of dawn and for the record, I know you’re going to take a nap and not finish your paper.”
“Say what you want but I'm done with classes for today.”
“You suck.” She pouted.
“You love me.”
“Barely.” Toni stood up and adjusted sweater around her hips, picked up her binder, oversized purse and shoved her phone back in it.
“Later boo.”
I threw up a peace sign as Toni disappeared into the crowd of students that were in the cafeteria lounge. A few minutes later I grabbed my overstuffed book bag and pulled it on to my back. It was so heavy that I actually stumbled a little but I managed to make my way out of the café, through the parking lot to my car. When I pulled up at the dorm there were a group of guys standing outside that I didn’t recognize but they were standing with two girls that lived on my floor. I didn’t really care for either one of them so when I reached the door I flashed a fake smile and a half ass wave but before I could grab the door one of the guys stepped back and pulled it opened for me forcing me to have to say something.
“Preciate it.” I mumbled.
“You’re welcome beautiful.”
I didn’t even turn to look at him I just kept going. I could feel all eyes on me as I made my way into the lobby and then swiped my ID card to open the door to our hall. It was quite because almost everyone had afternoon classes which I loved. I could usually study or take a nap without anyone bothering me. Our room was kind of in the middle of the corridor thank goodness because I didn’t think I would make it much farther with my fifty pound book bag. After I reached our room I unlocked the main door, stepped inside, slide my book bag off my back and dropped it on the sofa. I could smell the coffee that Toni made before she left for class because the half empty cup was sitting in the sink. I poured it out and rinsed the cup out before I unlocked my bedroom door.
Xavier was gone so apparently the alarms that I set got him up but I had no clue if he made it to class. It wouldn’t have surprised me if he went straight to his dorm and went back to sleep. I looked around my room as if searching for signs that he had actually been there last night before I focused on my dry erase board. He had erased the note that I had written him and replaced it with one of his own.
There was an arrow drawn pointing towards my bed with the words E for effort! I laughed because he had attempted to make up my bed knowing that I would complain like I always did. He also left two tickets to his game probably assuming that I wouldn’t come without Toni. I had a test to study for and a paper to write but first it was nap time. I kicked off my shoes, climbed onto my bed and settled in for my afternoon nap. Man I loved college life.
Xavier Lee
The worst part of college was the fact that your professors didn’t really give a crap about you. They got paid weather you did your work or not so as far as they were concerned, you were on your own. Show up or don’t, pay attention or don’t, complete your assignments or don’t. Either way you paid for your classes and the college paid them. Today was one of those days where I was really starting to have a fuck it attitude about my history class since my professor thought that it would be a good idea to assign five thirty minute webisodes to complete in two days. With all my other classes, assignments, practices and games it felt like every second of my day belonged to someone else.
I actually barely made it to class this morning even after Ky set my alarm to make sure I was up. Somehow still managed to go back to sleep. Lucky for me the maintenance crew showed up to fix the drain in Toni’s bathroom or I probably would have slept all day.
“Aye man can I borrow your headphone?” I didn’t look up from my laptop or say anything I just pointed to my dresser. Chaz was my boy but he was always borrowing something. I didn’t mind though because he was always looking out when I needed him. Chaz stepped in my room, picked up my oversized headphones and then placed them around his neck.
“Dude whatcha doing?” Chaz asked in his thick Hawaiian accent.
“Webisode for History.” I said still focused on the screen of my laptop.
“Alright, preciate it. I’ll bring ‘em back in a little while.” Chaz said and the left closing my door behind him.
I paused the video and reached above my head to stretch my back. I had about ten minutes left on my video and then I needed to head to the café to eat before it was time to be in the locker room before the game. I hated when my professors assigned webisodes and especially history because it was boring as hell which made it really hard for me to focus. I restarted my video and finished the last ten minutes which felt like an hour, closed my laptop, placed it on my desk and then plugged it in because it was about to die.
“What the hell man.” Someone yelled from the living room and then another voice right after it, “I told you don’t mess with me. I am the king of Madden fool. You can’t rock with me.” I assumed that there was a game in progress because the living room TV was blasting and I could hear voices, so I opened my door and stepped into the living room to see who was in there.
“What up boy?” Trey said and nodded his head towards me. He was sitting on the edge of the sofa holding a game control and Chaz was sitting across from him in the arm chair holding the other one.
“What up Trey.” I said and walked over to the kitchen and yanked the refrigerator door open. I pushed aside the case of beer that was in front of my Gatorade and grabbed one. It was amazing to me how easy it was for us to get alcohol around here. Almost every store near campus allowed us to buy it and never once checked IDs so the dorms were full of it, our room included. The security guards were pretty lenient with the athletes. When it came to room checks and inspections they kind of had an out of sight out of mind policy which basically meant they stuck their heads in the door, yelled room check and then moved on to the next location. Sort of a don’t ask don’t tell type of relationship.
I had calmed down a lot when it came to drinking since high school which was the complete opposite of most of my teammates and friends. College life turned most of them into border line alcoholics. Back in high school I was a little out of control getting high and drinking until I passed out usually with some girl that I had promised the world to. I was that guy back then, girl after girl, party after party being the person that everyone told me that I should be. It was the natural order of things for the athletes to be the players and always the life of the party. For me it was just easier to fall into that role. Too many times I found myself in the middle of complicated situations due to the fact that I had no memory of a lot of nights that I spent doing things that I would eventually regret. The sheer fact that I escaped high school with no kids or STD’s was truly a miracle if you can call it that. Things were a little different now but old habits die hard so I occasionally fell back into my old ways. Just not on the level that I used to be.
“What time did coach say we had to be in the locker room?” I asked Trey who was still in the process of talking trash to Chaz about the game of Madden he had just won.
“Games at seven so five I think.” He answered without looking up at me.
“You heading to the café?”
“In a few
. I’m about to whoop up on this fool one more time. He just won’t learn.”
“I got you this time. Just watch.” Chaz said. He was in the process of selecting his team.
“Alright, well I’m heading out.” I said and went back in my room to get my keys and the jacket to my warm up suit. I turned my light off, locked my door, pulled it closed and then left Chaz and Trey arguing over the game.
When I stepped out into the hallway I could hear music coming from one of the rooms. There were two football players passing a ball back and forth to one another so I shot them a quick head nod as I made my way to the elevator. As soon as I pressed the down button the doors opened and Tori along with one of her friends stepped out and ran straight into me.
“I was on my way to your room.” She smiled and stepped back searching my face for approval.
“Yeah what’s up?” I said not really in the mood to deal with her.
“You’ve been ghost lately.” She whined.
“I told you I’ve been busy.” I stepped into the elevator, shoved my hands in my pockets and the two of them followed. Tori moved closed to me and looped her arm through mine. She smelled like Pure Seduction a scent that I knew very well because it was Kya’s favorite from Victoria Secret. I laughed because Tori tried so hard to replace Kya that it made her look pathetic. Tori found a bottle of the lotion that Kya left in my jeep and a week later she conveniently started wearing it. Truly desperate and a huge turn off.
“I came by late last night but Chaz said you weren’t coming back.” She said fishing for clues about where I stayed last night. I was tempted to just tell her but then again I wasn’t in the mood for argument. It was game day and I didn’t want to get distracted so I just said, “Yeah.” But that wasn’t good enough because she immediately followed with, “Where were you?”
“Just out.” We reached the first floor and when the elevator door opened I pulled my arm away from her and stepped out. She followed behind me with her flunky a few steps behind her.
“Bae can we talk?” She asked sounding like she was about to cry. I hated when she called me that.
Kya & Xavier: It's Always Been You (Life As We Know It Book 1) Page 3
