Carter Brothers: One Shots

Dane & Emery: Breakup?

Dane & Emery: Breakup? 

The music can be heard from outside as Dane opens the door for Emery. This is not his first college house party but it certainly is his first one with Emery by his side. Despite living with her everyday, she still manages to take his breath away with her beauty. She may only be in a simple knee length emerald green dress with heeled boots, but it's her smile that catches him every time.
"Ready?" he asks slipping an arm around her waist as they walk down to the house practically pulsating.
"Oh yeah," she grins.
College is definitely her years. She's been out quite a few times, been drunk a few times and made lots of new friends she never would have thought to before. Their referral to her as the shy one means they still have trouble believing she has a boyfriend thus why she's so excited to finally bring him to actually meet them all. To show he exists and to slow down the strange stream of suitors she seems to have acquired.

Pushing back his curls locks she reaches up for a quick peck before waiting with bated breath to introduce him to her other world.

Dane's eyes flicker in the direction of Emery, finding her in full swing of the beat that's resonating from the sound system. A flicker of frustration whips within him as he reflects on how all throughout the night, she strayed so far from him. Of course she'd introduce him to her array of friends but whereas previously, she would have at least stuck by his side for a good 5 minutes after, now she flitters about. He shouldn't be annoyed at her for it though. She's...she's so much more confident now and...only a jealous, controlling asshole would wish for the shy, nervous girl back. It is college after all. He should just let her enjoy it.

"So...how did you and Em meet?" asks the blonde girl.
Dane racks his brain to recall her name but it's lost.
"High-school. We got together senior year," he simply answers taking a swig of the lukewarm beer.
It's disgusting but at least it's something to sip on.
The blonde's eyes narrow as she almost condescendingly replies, "oh really? But why bother? College is for going wild right? And I hear long-distance usually doesn't work out."
"We live together."
The guy beside him stares at him in shock, "dude! Seriously? Woah...so what do you major in?"
Dane's lips quirk before responding, "I don't go to college."

There's a moment of silence as the two exchange glances before the clearly less tactful guy states in dumbfoundment, "but Em's so smart."

Dane stares at them for a moment in astonishment. What is that supposed to mean? She is smart. Emery's always excelled at English but that has nothing to do with him. Are they seriously suggesting that because he's not in college he must be stupid and therefore Emery would never go for a guy like him? Wow...And people are supposed to have be more mature in college.

"She is and I could have gone to college, I just turned it down."

It's a secret he hasn't even told his parents. On a whim he'd applied for the business school in two of the Ivy league's (Harvard and Princeton) and had an offer from both except...he chose to turn it down. Mason and Eli never went to college but they do fine. They're both smart and successful but more importantly happy. What is difference does a piece of paper make?

"Why? All jobs practically require one nowadays," points out the blonde.
"Not all. Besides I already have one," Dane retorts with a shrug.
"Ah cool. Way to go man. What do you do?"
The guy clasps him on the back, the thud slightly harder than Dane expects causing him to internally grimace.
"I manage a club," he replies distractedly as he tries to search for Emery in the sea of swaying limbs.
"Really? What sort of club? What's it called?" skeptically questions the blonde, the final step in cementing to Dane that he really does not like her.