Hey guys!
I'm SO sorry it's taken me forever to upload! I just haven't really been into writing recently. Like, it feels like something I HAVE to do rather than something I WANT to do. But I wrote this chapter a couple of weeks ago and I'm FINALLY getting around to typing it up sooo... yeah.
Hopefully you guys like it!
Chapter Six
~Isabelle~
A month. One whole freaking month. That's how long it had been since I'd really talked to Alex. We'd talked over FaceTime once, and the entire conversation had lasted exactly five minutes and twelves seconds before he'd fumbled through some lame "I have to study, babe. Love you. I mean that."
Right now I was on my way to Ren and Tyler's. It seemed we were always over there, but the guys didn't seem to mind.
I checked my phone for the millionth time today, taking a sad breath when I saw Alex hadn't text me back. Again.
This was the fifth time he'd just ignored me. He'd stopped replying to even simple how are you? texts, and I hated to think why.
At least he use to send me quick texts about how he couldn't call or text because of this or that reason, but now he only replied with not much, you? , if ever.
I kicked a small stone, thinking it over. Maybe he'd lost his charger? Or maybe he had terrible signal at his college?
I snorted to myself. Yeah, right. And maybe if I lied to myself enough, the lies would magically become truths.
I knew Alex too well. He would never leave me hanging unless he felt guilty about something.
He'd tried it once, on our one year anniversary. He'd forgotten and tried to ignore me. He barely spoke to me all day until I finally yelled at him. It had started an argument, but it had worked. He made sure to remember the date, and made up for it by taking me to a movie we'd really wanted to see.
Maybe I needed to try the yelling technique again.
I let my mind drift back to why he could be guilty, and hated the first thought that came into my head.
He wouldn't, though, would he? Maybe he just didn't think...
I knocked on Ren's door, shaking the idea away. I refused to show sadness, especially in front of Ren. He'd make me talk about it, and then I'd be stuck thinking about him again. Who knew he had such a sweet side?
"Come in!" His voice said, and I opened the door.
"Hey, is Care already here?"
"No, she's on her way though," Ren told me.
I nodded, sitting next to him. "So, what's up?"
He shrugged. "Watching TV. How was class?"
I almost smiled. At least he didn't ask how I was. "Fine," I said, mocking his simple answer.
He turned to me, smirking. "Cute. Really." He looked around before leaning in. "You know, I thought it would take a lot more to get you into bed."
I raised an eyebrow. "That's the best you got? No wonder all the ladies love you." I rolled my eyes.
"Hon, you said I wasn't allowed to flirt any more, you said nothing about the joking. Besides, you are on my bed," he reasoned.
This was true. Over the past month i'd become friends with Ren. He'd stopped trying to sleep with me, but he still made certain comments sometimes. I'd learned to just laugh them off; he'd never change, but I'd also learned that I didn't want him to. He was a funny guy who I could tell anything to. And besides, he couldn't judge me on anything I'd done because he's done it all too.
He was definitely friend-zoned though, and I think he hated that he didn't mind having a friend who was a girl. Especially since I helped him get girls by talking big about him sometimes.
"Whatever. What are you watching?" I asked, yawning.
"Some show. I don't know, it's on. Tired?" When I nodded, he said, "You can take a nap if you want. I'll try not to molest you too much while you sleep."
I rolled my eyes. "Weren't Ty and Care supposed to be here already?"
Ren pulled out his phone, and laughed. "Yeah, but she just text me and said they apparently ran into each other at some huge store sale. They'll pick up some food on the way back. Usual stuff. They'll be a while."
I yawned again. "Maybe I'll just go home and sleep then." I went to get up, but Ren pulled me back.
"Seriously, you can sleep here until they come back. I don't mind," he said.
I frowned. "Won't that be weird?"
"Why would it be? You're just taking a nap."
I bit my lip so I wouldn't let yet another yawn slip by. "I guess I am pretty tired..." I let my head fall against Ren's shoulder. Considering how muscular he looked, it was only slightly uncomfortable.
So I took his pillow and put it on his shoulder for extra padding.
"Comfy?" Ren asked, sarcastically.
"Yep," I muttered, letting my eyes drift close.
Just as I reached that midway stage, I heard my phone go off. With a groan, I sat back up.
"Why don't you just ignore it?" Ren asked, quietly.
"It might be my mom. We established that I have to call her at least once a week, and we have to notify the other if we're going to be busy at our usual time," I tried explaining, trying to pull my phone out of my pocket without moving too much.
"Got it."
I wasn't really paying attention to Ren, as I'd finally managed to pull my phone out, and Alex had finally responded.
I opened the message, and almost threw my phone across the room. I'd just asked what's up?, and he'd replied, Busy, babe. Sorry.
Because it took five hours to say that apparently.
I closed out of the text and dropped my phone onto the bed. It was the safer option.
"What's wrong?" Ren asked, making me jump. I'd forgotten, briefly, where I was.
"Nothing," I lied. I really didn't want to talk about this. I wanted to blow up on Alex if he ever called.
"Yeah, there is. Tell me."
I glared at him. "Look, I want to keep this inside. So shut up."
He raised both hands in a mock surrender. "Alright, fine. Have it your way."
He turned back to the show, and I bit my lip angrily. Damn I hated reverse psychology.
"Fine! I'll tell you!" I groaned. I better learn how to counteract that shit in psych classes.
"Good. What's going on?" Ren muted the TV, and turned to face me.
I sighed. "This is probably the easiest way to explain it." I grabbed my phone, going back to Alex's messages. "Read from the top, then scroll down," I told him. I was showing him my texts versus Alex's in the past month.
I sat patiently while Ren sifted through the messages.
"Right. So, what's your problem?" He asked.
I held up a finger, going all the way back to just over a month ago. It wasn't hard considering how little we'd text since then.
"Compare that to this," I said, handing him my phone again. I saw his eyes widen, and he looked up at me shocked.
"Damn, you guys use to text all the time!"
I nodded, taking my phone back. "Exactly. I'm not saying I need to text 24/7, but it's like now he's just straight up ignoring me."
"So call him," Ren suggested.
"I tried. It went to voice-mail. And the last time he did something sort of similar, it was because he felt guilty. So," I took a deep breath. I was about to say my worst nightmare out loud. "I think he's cheating on me."
I wanted for Ren to try and say it wasn't true, but he didn't. He just looked at me, slightly sad.
"I'm not wrong, am I?" I couldn't help the tears that formed in my eyes.
Ren shrugged. "From everything I know, he did. But it wouldn't have been anything more than a kiss. Hell, from everything you've said about him it would have been accidental. So calm down, and breathe."
I tried, really, but I still ended up with my head back on Ren's shoulder. I wanted Alex to tell me. Just tell me he'd kissed someone else, but that it had been a complete accident, that it would never happen again. But the fact that he hadn't told me meant he was thinking about whatever happened a lot. Almost to the point where he would end up playing it bigger than it was.
And that would lead to him wondering whether he liked this girl.
And, if I was right, he kind of did.
Chloe.
I felt my eyes close, and not even a second later, heard Caroline's voice yelling, "What the hell?"
"Sh!" Ren hissed, but I sat up.
"What are you yelling about?" I asked, looking up.
"Why was your head on Ren's shoulder?" Care asked, now sounding more curious than shocked.
"Oh, uh..." I stopped when I almost started crying. I knew I was over-reacting, but my body wouldn't listen. "Ren."
He got the hint. "Right. Basically, we think Alex accidentally kissed someone, and now he's ignoring Isa," he summarized.
"Oh, God. Italy..." Care hugged me. "We're so going out tonight. No complaints."
I sighed. I really wasn't in the mood, but what could I do? Care had proven that if she wanted you to do something, you'd inevitably end up doing it anyway. I checked my phone, surprised to see that it was 9PM.
"Really, Care? How long was this sale?"
She looked around awkwardly. "I kind of got sidetracked by this guy..."
I rolled my eyes. "Only you, Care. Oh well, it gave me a couple of hours to sleep." I stood up, stretching out my body. "Fine, I'll go. But I am not dressing up for this."
Care squealed. "Yes! Fine, be lucky that outfit is cute. Now, let's go."
She took my hand, and started dragging me to wherever we were going.
"Wait! I'm going," Ren said, slipping a second shoe on. "Also, where's my roommate?"
"He's already there. That's why I came here. It's September's End night. Now let's get Italy drunk."
And before I could ask what any of that meant, she was again pulling me along.
The party was apparently one of the five major campus parties of the semester, and somehow it was still undetected by campus cops.
"So, what are the other four parties?" I asked Ren as I sipped a beer. It was an acquired taste that somehow wasn't terrible after the third or thirtieth sip.
"Well, there's the Ice-Breaker, obviously. This one, Halloween, just before Thanksgiving, and then just before Christmas break," he explained.
"One a month? Clever idea."
"Yeah, that's why this one exists. There wasn't a holiday worth getting drunk for this month, so they created one. Now, you. You need shots. Badly."
I sighed. "No, I don't. I'm fine. Just because my boyfriend might have accidentally kissed some slut called Chloe, it doesn't mean I need shots."
~Ren~
"Damn, that shit is strong," Isa giggled.
After her little "no shots" speech, she'd grabbed the nearest one and downed it. An hour later, she'd had five shots, and I'd somewhat reluctantly signed myself as her designated sober protector. She'd already tried to get on a table and start dancing, but had lost her balance and been forced (by me) to give it up. After I'd caught her, I switched from beer to water.
I couldn't see my sister anywhere, and I hated thinking about what she was doing. I loved her to death, but she needed to stop doing my job. Maybe it was a genetic thing or something.
Ty had said hi quickly, but had already left with his boyfriend.
"Why would he, Ren?" Isa asked, sadly.
I sighed. So she was going to be this drunk? I shouldn't be surprised. "It probably wasn't intentional, Isa."
"So? Why would he hide it if it meant nothing? Clearly he likes her." She took another shot, though I had no idea where the hell she'd gotten it from. "He might like her more than me."
"Isa, you know that's not true. He loves you."
Her eyes flashed dangerously. It was shocking how sober she looked in that split second. "Yeah, sure. That's why he won't talk to me." She gave me a quick look that instantly worried me.
"What are you thinking?" I asked, carefully.
"You right now. You're really hot, Ren. You like to pretend that you only care about sex, but I bet you'd be an amazing boyfriend. You wouldn't cheat."
I frowned. "Uh, I've never thought about it. I guess I wouldn't..." Where was this going? And why the hell did the thought of being a boyfriend, specifically to Isa, not sound terrible?
"I mean, you actually listen. You don't zone out and give some bullshit response about asking a friend because you don't know, you actually listen," she slurred.
I just nodded, balancing her slightly as she started to fall down.
"Though, I mean, you did try writing contracts..." She trailed off, looking at me intently.
I waited. She was staring at me as though I was the only person in the world right now, and it was scary as hell. Scarier than hell, to be honest.
"Right, contracts. They didn't even work, so I gave up. Isa, are you OK?" I asked, knowing that right now, she needed to be the focus of my attention.
She laughed, humorlessly. "No, I'm not. How could I be, Ren? We've been together four years. Four. All throughout high school. I don't know what I'd do if this thing ended up being more serious for him, and he broke up with me. I've never been with anyone but him. Romantically, I mean," she sighed. "Where the hell is another shot glass?"
"No more, Isa," I said, sitting her down on a bench. She needed to sleep this off or something.
"But, I need it Ren. Please?" She begged as I pulled my phone out. It was time to get her back to her dorm, and get her sleeping. I glanced over at her, only to see her suddenly interested in the grass. "It's so green..." She whispered.
I rolled my eyes, dialing my sister's number. "Pick up, pick up..." I muttered. If she didn't, I was screwed.
"Hey, bro! What's up?" Caroline said. How I was related to her, I'll never understand sometimes.
"Are you going to be in your dorm with someone?" I asked, getting straight to the point.
"Yeah, why?"
"No reason. See you tomorrow, sis. Be careful. Use protection. I don't want to be an uncle any time soon," I told her. She gave me some response but I ignored it, hanging up so I could call Tyler.
"Hey, what's up?"
"Ty, are you going to be at what's-his-face's?" I asked, too quickly. I couldn't remember his boyfriend's name ever, so he was usually what's-his-face.
Ty laughed. "Yeah, I'll be there. Got a girl?"
"Isa. A drunk and sad Isa too. I'm going to let her crash on your bed so she doesn't have to deal with my sister having sex," I explained.
"Gotcha. Alright, tell her I said hi."
"Will do. See you tomorrow." I hung up, and held my hand out to Isa.
"Come on, girl, your crashing at my place," I said.
She stared at my hand for a few seconds before taking it and somehow managing to pull herself up.
"Really? Am I that depressed?"
I shook my head. "No, but you are that drunk. And Caroline has company so you're stuck with me."
She leaned on me, letting me half drag her toward my dorm. At least I wasn't too far away from here.
"Ren, can I ask you something?" She asked, and a quick look in her direction confirmed that the scary look was back.
"Uh, sure," I said. Maybe it wasn't as scary as I thought?
"Do you think he's cheating on me right now?"
I took a deep breath. "No, I don't think he's cheating on you right now. Isa, he probably didn't mean for it to happen once. You're over-reacting."
"I know. That's what makes this worse. I know I'm over-reacting, but I can't stop picturing it, Ren. I've seen her picture on Facebook, I know she's gorgeous. And I've seen them in pictures together, they would make a cute couple. And I hate that she probably likes him. Ren, please tell me she's just a desperate slut that he can easily ignore?"
I took another breath. Was this really what being Isa's friend meant? Because it was kind of sucking right now. I could handle fun, flirting, and her helping me get girls. But there was only so much Alex talk I could handle before I went insane.
"Sorry, I can't. I don't know her. Look, Isa, you'll wake up tomorrow and realize this is all pointless to worry over. You'll text or call him, tell him you know he cheated, and then see what he has to say. It will work out, I promise," I told her, hoping I wasn't lying. Sometimes being able to be sensitive was a great thing, it got girls falling in seconds.
Other times, like now, it freaking sucked.
We finally managed to reach my room, and by that point Isa was... touchy.
"You're so muscular. And your hair is so soft. Seriously, what do you use on it? And you have gorgeous eyes. They're so hot. Like you."
I groaned. "Come on Isa, you need to go to sleep," I said, waiting for her to take an arm off from around my neck. When she didn't let go, I sighed. "Isa, bed. Now."
"Ooh, taking control. That's hot," she giggled, and suddenly that look was in her eyes. Crap, crap, crap. What the hell did that look even mean?
"So..." Isa slipped another arm around my neck, and I froze.
"Isa, what are you doing?" I asked, nervously. This was close, too close. And hell, I was only human. Her breath, slightly alcohol scented but I didn't even care, fanned me slightly. Somehow, she made it intimate, sexy.
She didn't reply. Instead, she leaned forward, and kissed me.
Her lips were soft, and she kissed like a pro. Every part of my body wanted to wrap my arms around her waist and pull her in, kiss her back like the world was ending.
But before I could act on the impulse, she pulled away. "Now me and Alex are even," she sighed, and slumped against me.
I took a shaky breath, and lightly let her fall onto the bed. Somehow I managed to cover her with a blanket, but I couldn't stop replaying that kiss.
I was in deep shit when she woke up. Not that I wasn't already, of course.
Because damn Isa could kiss. I wanted more, she was that addicting. It hadn't even been a full kiss, it had been close-mouthed. Yet my imagination was stuck going through what could have, would have, happened if she'd been sober... and kept going.
I groaned, knowing that she only kissed me because her brain considered that clever revenge. How the hell had she got me so twisted up over a kiss? It wasn't me at all.
I shivered, deciding to just crash in my clothes. How was I supposed to react around her now, when I knew she could make me feel like that? Sure, I'd met girls who made me feel good, but I could usually screw them and the urge to do anything else would go away. I'd get what I want, and be done.
But with Isa I couldn't do that. I couldn't just screw her and be done, because she had a boyfriend.
And I'd just helped her technically cheat...
Again, I was so screwed.
With that thought, I closed my eyes and willed myself to try and sleep.
Alright, I'm slightly worried about that ending but it got the job done!:)
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