My classes dragged on and by the end of the day, I couldn't see straight. Part of that was due to leaving my glasses in Gigi's purse. I was listening to my mother drone on about the neighbor stealing one of our trash cans. She was convinced Mrs. Sloan was out to get her because she believed my mom had flirted with her husband.
"Mom, I have to go. My battery is dying."
"You should keep your phone charged. How am I supposed to get ahold of you if there is an emergency?"
"Like someone stealing our trash can?" I asked a little bitchier than intended. "I'll have the waste management people bring us a new one. Do you have their number?"
The phone was silent for a moment. "I think I forgot to pay the bill."
"Mom," I whined as I looked around. "Okay, how much do we owe?"
"Well, it's twenty a month... and we owe for three or four months."
I squeezed my eyes closed as a stabbing pain began to emanate from my temples. "They came and picked up the can because you didn't pay the bill, mom. Mrs. Sloan isn't out to get you."
"You haven't seen the way she looks at me."
"Mom, I have to go."
"Okay, I'll send you the number for the garbage company. Love you."
"You too," I sighed as I ended the call, cursing under my breath. How the hell was I going to come up with the money?
My phone rang again with Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto as I made my way across campus toward the dorm.
"What did you do last night?" Gigi asked.
"Hello to you too," I said dryly.
"Hello. What the hell happened with you and Lucas last night?" Her question caught me off guard.
"You know I didn't do anything, Gigi." I rolled my eyes and pushed the button for the elevator.
"Don't give me that. He was eye fucking you all night. Then he went all Incredible Hulk on that guy."
I laughed as the doors to the elevator opened. Standing in front of me was Lucas. His ocean-colored eyes lit up when he saw me, and for a second, I forgot how to breathe.
"Hello," I muttered as I stepped inside.
"Yeah, hello. We already said all that, remember?" Gigi snapped in my ear.
"Hey," Lucas replied.
"Who the fuck was that? Was that...was that Lucas? You did fuck him! You slut!" Gigi giggled in my ear, and my face burned red. "I am so proud of you. Give me some details. How big is his dick?"
"I'll call you back." I ended the call and slid my phone into my pocket. He held the door to the elevator open, and I waited for him to walk out, but he didn't so I stepped inside.
"Was that the bartender from last night?"
"None of your business. What are you doing here?" I asked sounding ruder than I intended but I couldn't help but be suspicious.
"I was looking for you, but I didn't know which room was yours. The girl at the end of the hall is a little dischuffed that I knocked her up." He grinned as my eyes widened.
"You did what?"
"I woke her from knocking on her door."
"You may just want to say it that way next time."
"Then I wouldn't have gotten to see your face turn pink," he replied with a wink that I was certain made me grow three shades darker.
"Why?" I asked.
"Why what?"
"Why were you looking for me?"
"I don't know. Make sure you got home okay." He ran his fingers through his hair, and it fell perfectly back into place.
"Here I am." Two girls filed past him into the elevator, giggling and smiling. He grinned in their direction, but his eyes came quickly back to mine.
"So, I'll see you around?" He asked as he stepped out of the elevator and the girls in the corner got quiet, waiting for my response.
"I guess I will if you keep stalking me like this."
He laughed as the doors slid closed. I glanced back at the girls behind me who were looking me up and down as if I had an infectious disease.
I couldn't get to my room fast enough. As soon as I closed the door behind me, I leaned back against it. My phone rang loudly in my hand once more.
"What the hell was that about?" Gigi yelled.
"It was nothing. I just ran into Lucas in the elevator."
"You do know he doesn't even live in our dorm, don't you?"
"He didn't stay with me last night, Gigi. He's not even my type."
"You have a type? Like one that isn't fictional?"
"You're exhausting." I sighed, throwing my books on my bed.
"Get dressed. I'll be over in five," she said, hanging up before I could protest. I laid back on my bed and stared up at the ceiling wishing it would swallow me whole.
A knock came a few minutes later, and Gigi didn't even bother to wait for a response. She came in and plopped next to me on the bed, even though the there was an empty one on the opposite wall.
"Wake up, sleepy head." She bounced the mattress, and I grabbed my stomach.
"Come on, Gigi," I whined, opening my eyes to see her smiling. "Where are we going?"
Pulling my glasses from her purse, she held them out to me, and I took them, sliding them onto my dresser.
"I wanna grab some burgers at Smokey's before the rush." Smokey's was a burger joint just out on the main road. Everyone on campus hung out there, and it was nearly impossible to get food once it filled up.
"Fine." I pushed up on my elbows as I yawned.
"That's my girl." She beamed and looped her arm in mine, pulling me up.
I plucked the seeds of the bun of my burger, not really feeling well enough to eat. Gigi grilled me about my time with Lucas, not believing that anyone could be alone with him and not drop their panties.
"He didn't even try, Gigi," I groaned, trying not to sound disappointed as I flicked a seed from the pad of my thumb to the floor below. It wasn't that I liked him. To be honest, he got under my skin worse than anyone else in recent memory, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt my ego.
"So he defended your honor and then hung out with you without even trying to get some action? Sounds like somebody has a crush. Speak of the sexy devil," she squealed as a grin spread across her face. I glanced behind me to see Lucas walk through the door with his friends from the bar. I sunk lower in the booth, my eyes widening to Gigi, silently begging her to stay quiet. I don't even know why I cared. He was good looking, sure, but he was nothing but trouble. I have watched Gigi with those kinds of guys enough to know it was not anything I wanted. He was a heartbreak waiting to happen, and I refused to be his next victim.
"He's looking at you," Gigi teased, and I glanced to the other side of the room. Lucas was staring passed the server, directly at me. I felt my cheeks begin to burn, and I smiled quickly at him. He grinned and nodded once at me. I bit the inside of my cheek and looked back to Gigi, who was glowing. "He fucking wants you," she laughed. I rolled my eyes and looked back his way. Three girls had joined them, and Lucas had his arm around a girl with shoulder length blonde hair and excessive eyeliner that I hadn't seen before.
"I think your radar is a little off," I said, dropping a piece of my burger as she leaned in closer to me.
"That's just Laney Taylor. I'm pretty sure she likes chicks."
"Whatever." I tried not to sound disappointed but I thought we'd had fun together last night, and I was actually starting to believe I'd misjudged him.
"This guy has been breaking hearts all over campus for the past two years. I've never seen him give a second look to anyone. Maybe he likes your granny panties." She shrugged. I picked up a fry and tossed it at her face causing her to gasp.
"Excuse me for choosing comfort." I rolled my eyes and took a long drink from my soda. "Even if he did like me, the second he realized that I wouldn't sleep with him, he'd never talk to me again."
"They're leaving," she warned, and I tried my best not to look up at him, but I gave in, glancing out of the corner of my eye.
"Henley," Lucas nodded. The blonde on his arm looked bored.
"Stalker," I smiled politely as I nodded back, looking over at Gigi, who was struggling to contain a squeal. They continued out of the restaurant, and I kicked her under the table.
"What the hell was that for?" She reached under the table, rubbing her shin.
"Pick a reason," I said, half-joking.
"How about... the fact that we are going out tonight?" She pulled back so I would not hit her again as my leg swung out wildly beneath the Formica tabletop.
"I can't," I shook my head as she began to nod. I was too embarrassed to tell her I couldn't really afford it.
"I'm sure Lucas will be there." She replied as if that would convince me.
"And all of the girls he is sleeping with," I joked. "Seriously, I'm not interested in becoming a notch on his bedpost."
"Good. Henley, this guy goes around breaking hearts for sport. You would become a local legend if you could teach him a lesson."
"And how am I supposed to do that?"
"I'll think of something. Just come out. Live a little. What's the worst thing that could happen?" She narrowed her eyes, waiting for me to give in. I could be humiliated.
"What time?" I sighed. I hated when she begged me, I could never say no.
"Eight."
"I'm going to regret this."