"I say we road trip! I dunno, maybe to the beach? I just got this new bikini and you guys will not believe how my body..."
"We already live on the beach, Bella," Maya sighed. "Plus, you just want prance around and take attention that you already have."
Bella scoffed in return. "I just want a tan before we go back to the college, and South Carolina beaches hardly even qualify as a beach. That's reasonable. Don't you think that's reasonable, Carter?"
Trying my best to stay out of their bickering, which constantly was in my ear, I turned from slurping what was once my triple chocolate milkshake. Coming to Darry's had become a routine of ours and, I'm glad it had. It established common ground between the three of us, despite's our differences, we found a place we could all enjoy. Whether Maya was typing away at her computer finishing up last minute assignments, or Bella was looking around for college guys, which she heard come here every Friday night, Darry's was something the three of us could always agree on.
They both glared at me, setting the trap, and waited to see whose side I would choose and who I would betray.
Truthfully, Maya was right. Bella was one of those girls who guys drool over, and she enjoyed every second of it. Her platinum blond hair laid a few inches below her shoulder in waves. Her smile was charming, and mostly she used it in a cooing manner. But most of all, her eyes, pools of emerald green, hypnotized you into thinking every word that leaves her mouth is right.
Maya, on the other hand, wasn't bad looking, but she was also no Bella. Her hair, more of a golden brown color, stopped at the middle of her back, mostly straight but inconsistent waves here and there. She wore rounded off glasses that sat right at the bridge of her nose. Polar opposites, Bella being the looks and Maya being the brains, these two have been best friends ever since I met them senior year of high school where I completed our trio.
I shrugged my shoulders and turned my attention back to my empty shake, flicking the straw around.
"It's reasonable," I agreed. Bella's face lit up while Maya narrowed her eyes at me.
"But it's more reasonable to check on our dorm. Plus, I think I heard Garret say something about a party at some frat house," I finished.
Going into our freshmen year of college, the three of us were nervous. Everybody knows those rumors that parents tell you about friendships dying off, falling behind in tons of work, and gaining weight. We weren't just nervous of these things; We were terrified. Separation above all was our biggest fear, so much to the point that Bella told the dean she had been diagnosed with separation anxiety, and something about it being "super fatal," in her words. With a little convincing and extra cash, he agreed to let the three of us room together. We had only visited once, to unpack, but since the first day of class started in only a couple of days I figured it would be a good idea and a good way to divert plans away from Bella's beach day.
"Garret?" Bella squealed. "Do tell me more!"
Maya mouthed the words "thank you" to me and I grinned in return. Garrett was my cousin, and I lived with him, my Aunt, and Uncle the last couple years. When we arrived to Riverside High senior year, Garret quickly became the starting quarterback, which boosted his popularity, and many girls like Bella, acquired obsessions with him. The humble Garrett. He never seemed to notice such girls, but every night at home we would secretly joke about the ones who would gawk at him.
I nodded my head, still grinning. " I forgot what fraternity, but I believe he told me it starts at 8."
Bella checks her watch, which reads 4:17, and widens her eyes. "Carter! Why didn't you say anything sooner? You know I have to take a shower, find an outfit, do my hair apply makeup—oh and what perfume do you think? Does Garret like the smell of Seduction by Victoria's Secret?"
Maya rolled her eyes and responded, "Every guy likes the smell of "seduction."
Before Bella could fire back, I hid my smile and replied, "Well we better get going. We only have 4 hours," with a hint of sarcasm that only Maya picked up to which she returned with her own grin.
The smell of the dorm reminded me of home, the smell of vanilla and newness—Until Bella's "Seduction" consumed the whole room. It was 7:30 and Bella was finishing up her makeup in a silky sliver dress that hugged her body and stopped right above the knees. Somehow, she had talked me and Maya into letting her dress us up. Maya wore a halter top yellow dress that was loose in the chest and tight in the waist. He hair was sleeked into a high pony tail. She refused makeup, but she somehow had agreed to lose the glasses.
I walked to the mirror and judged my own appearance. My long dark hair fell beneath my breasts in loose curls. Bella dressed me in a black spaghetti strap dress that wrapped at the waist. She told me the black would "bring out my pretty blue eyes." And although I felt way too dressed up for a party, I felt pretty. I softly smiled at my reflection as Bella walked up turning to look at her backside. When she determined that she liked what she saw, she stepped back and smiled at me.
"You look so pretty Carter!"' She said, clapping her hands together.
I was about to thank her, when there was a knock on the door. I opened the door to find a distressed Garrett in the hallway. He ran a hand through his sandy colored hair and looked at me frowning.
"And my night gets worse," he said, continuing his inspection over me. "What are you wearing little cousin? You think I'm taking you to a frat house dressed like that? They're going to look at you like you're a piece of meat."
"Hey!" I smiled. "You're only three months older than me. And why does it—"
"You think my dress is okay, Garrett?" Bella pouted, interrupting me.
Garrett looked at Bella and attempted a smile. "You look fine, Bella. And wow! Maya, I've never seen you without glasses. You look great!"
Bella, obviously hurt, sat on the bed evil eying Maya, whose face became a rosy red. Only Garrett could even make Maya blush.
Remembering his tense look from earlier, I ask, "What's wrong?"
Looking back at me, his face turned back into a scowl and said, "I have a new roommate. And he's a dick."
