"I feel confident for this quiz," Dominic says as we enter the discussion section for our politics class Friday afternoon. Roughly forty five minutes later, he exits and shakes his head. "I totally bombed that. Anyway, do you want to hang out tonight?"
I laugh loudly at the change in confidence before shrugging. "Sure. There aren't any crazy parties you want to go to?"
"Are you saying you want to go to a crazy party?" His brows raise on his forehead and I chuckle.
"No, I am not saying that." I'm not a partier. He knows that. I know that. I'm pretty sure it's common knowledge.
He lets out a dramatic sigh. "You know, I just want to take you to a party and watch you have fun."
"No, you just want to get me drunk and watch me make a fool of myself," I correct him.
"Would that be so bad?" He seems amused at the concept of me embarrassing myself in public. I put my hands on my hips and offer him a glare.
"You know what? I'm going to pretend you didn't say that." I watch him struggle to control his giggles. "Anyway, I have to go get ready for my dinner date. I'll text you when I'm done and we can hang out."
I go to walk away and he grabs my arm. "Dinner date?" He wiggles his eyebrows rapidly. "Who's the lucky guy...or girl?"
"Katherine," I reply dryly. She's the only friend I've really made here, at least the only one that I've made without Dominic's help.
"Ah yes, my replacement." He gives a brief, solemn nod.
"Shut up."
"Text me when you're done trying to replace me," he yells as I walk away. People are staring. He knows I hate that. "I'll be here...waiting...alone."
I give him the finger and he just laughs before turning and hopping wherever it is he has to be. I reach the cafeteria Kat and I planned on meeting at and look around curiously. My tall, blonde friend is nowhere to be seen. "Nova!" I hear behind me and I glance back and see her jogging over.
I don't know what it is about me but I seem to attract athletes. Kat plays volleyball but feels as though she doesn't fit in with the team and has found friendship elsewhere. And by elsewhere, I mean the math club where she spends her Monday nights. "Hey," I greet her, grateful that she is also not a hugger.
We make small talk as we get our food and sit down. I sit across from her and she smiles at me. "So what are your plans tonight?"
"I'm just going to hang out with Dominic." I don't even know why she bothers asking anymore. I do it every weekend- hell, I do it everyday.
"Are you sure you two aren't dating?" Her tone is curious and I want to roll my eyes at her.
"Positive." I even go as far as to let out a laugh at the idea of me and Dominic dating.
"Do you want to hang out tomorrow night?" She seems hopeful and I can tell her next statement will be one I don't like too much. "There's a little get together with a couple guys from the lacrosse team. I know you said parties aren't your thing but this one is supposed to be laid back, only about twenty or so people. I can drive us there."
"Um..." I hesitate. That'd go against everything I stand for.
"Please?" She even forces a smile onto her pretty face and I sigh in defeat.
"Okay..." I agree and silently contemplate how messed up it'd be if I were to cancel last minute.
"No last minute cancelling!" Dang it.
My shoulders sink as I lazily engage in the rest of the conversation. I'm really not looking forward to tomorrow night. As the conversation dies and it reaches 5 o'clock, Kat and I secure our plans and agree to get ready together in my room. I mournfully agree before heading out and texting Dominic to meet me at my dorm.
We arrive at the same time and he jokingly sniffles and wipes his nose. "So how was cheating on me?" He puckers out his lower lip in an attempt to keep up the sad boy act.
"Shut up." I offer him a small smile as I roll my eyes and swipe us into my building.
"Is Campbell's there?" I repress the urge to laugh at his question. My roommate is a girl that's even shyer than me and smells oddly of chicken noodle soup, hence the nickname.
"She's gone home every weekend so far this semester. I'm betting she's already home." Her last class ends at 2 and by 3 o'clock she's gone. I quickly glance at my phone and see her unread text letting me know she's left. "Yeah, she's gone."
I unlock the door to my dorm room and Dominic peers around. "Soup girl is gone," he confirms as he kicks off his shoes and jumps on my bed. I glare at him while grabbing my stepping stool. My slightly lofted bed is too difficult for me to get on but for some reason, he can jump an inch off the ground and comfortably land.
I press my back against the wall and he lays across me with his legs resting on mine. I hate physical contact but for some reason, I've come to tolerate and even appreciate the small physical affections I share with Dominic. From his usual unreciprocated (but enjoyed) hugs to things like having his legs or head in my lap.
"So how was your day?" he wonders with closed eyes.
"Good." I avert my gaze as I prepare to break the news about the lacrosse party. "I have plans for tomorrow night."
"Really, now? What are you doing?"
"Going to a party with Kat," I answer. I'm surprised his back doesn't give out by how fast he sits up.
"Seriously?" He appears disbelieving and offended, just as I expected. I offer him a sheepish nod as I stare at my fingers. "She can take you to a party but I can't?"
"Dominic, it's just-," I start.
"No, she's taking your party virginity! I've wanted to take you to a party for years! Years, Nova! You've known her for two months and you're already going out and partying with her!"
"I couldn't say no to her!" I make an attempt to justify. "I just met her! I need to have other friends."
He crosses his arms and stares at me with a disappointed expression on his face. His bushy brown eyebrows are wrinkled on his forehead and his tousled curly, hair is splayed across his head messily. He looks adorably angry but don't let him know I think that. "You better not have fun."
"Of course I won't." I make it a point to shake my head at him.
"Now I get to take you to a party." I figured this was coming.
"Uh..." I trail and his eyes gape.
"Seriously, Nova? You agree to go to a party with a girl you barely know but you don't want to go with me? We've known each other for almost three years! You don't trust me?"
"I do, it's just that," I swallow heavily, "you know everyone! And, and, you have a lot of female...associates." That's the only thing I can think to call it.
"So?" His shoulders rise and fall rapidly.
"So...I don't want to be with you at a party and you run off with someone and then I'm alone," I rush through the sentence.
His eyes flit between both of mine as his mouth opens and closes. "That's why you've denied every party invite I've given you? Because you're scared I'm going to go off and sleep with some girl and leave you alone?" I cringe at his harsh phrasing.
"Yeah, kind of," I admit.
"You idiot! I wouldn't leave you. Look, if we go to a party together, I'm going to make sure you're by my side the entire time, unless of course you find someone and you want to go-," he starts but I cut him off.
"Okay, okay, stop talking. I'll go to a party with you but-," he doesn't even let me finish.
"There's a party tonight, let's go." He nearly jumps out of bed but I slam my hands down on his shins to keep him immobile.
"I'm not going to go to two parties in one weekend." How can he not see how that'd be overwhelming for someone who doesn't like parties to begin with?
"I just want to be the first one you go to a party with," he all but groans.
"If it makes you feel better, the one tomorrow was described as a 'small get together.'" His eyes roll to the back of his head and worry courses through me.
"They always say that but everyone brings a friend and their friends bring friends. Soon enough, it's a full fledged party."
My eyes suddenly widen. "What if Kat leaves me?" My eyes search his for a piece of advice.
"That's when you find a boy or girl-," he starts but my curious and worried gaze turns annoyed.
"First of all, I only like boys. Second and most importantly, I'm not doing anything with anyone." He seems doubtful.
"So you're telling me that if you go to that party and a cute guy starts flirting with you, you won't even talk to him?" I offer a weak and slow shrug. I don't know how to talk to him, if we're being honest.
"It depends on how I feel," I mutter.
"Can we lift the 'no relationships' rule for five minutes?" He puckers out his lower lip pleadingly. "Please."
I narrow my eyes at him and he only pushes his lip out further. "Five minutes," I decide, "You have until 7:28."
"Do you promise to answer honestly?"
"No." That was honest.
"Come on," he urges. "If you really don't want to tell me, you don't have to. I just want to know what I'm working with here so I can advise you accordingly."
"Your times running out..." He quickly jumps into his interrogation.
"Have you ever been with a guy?" That's vague.
I decide to play stupid. "I mean, I'm with you right now-," I make an attempt to waste time but he cuts me off, not trying to lose a single second.
"You know what I mean." I give him a lost look. Does it make me an idiot for not knowing? "Have you ever slept with a guy?"
"We've taken naps together." He stares at me for a few seconds before sighing at my refusal to cooperate.
"I'm going to start from the bottom and work my way up. Have you ever...hugged a boy?" Wow, he's really starting from the bottom, huh? He then adds, "who isn't me or someone you're related to."
"Yes."
"Kiss?" Well, we've exited my area of expertise and have entered uncharted territory. Not really in the mood to confess, I remain silent. "Nova?"
"Huh?" I draw circles on his jeans with my finger.
"Have you ever kissed a boy?" His arms are holding him up as he watches me curiously.
"No," I mumble in the quietest voice I can manage.
"Really?" I don't know why he sounds so shocked.
"Are you really that surprised? What do you think I did during high school? Sneak out on the weekends and kiss boys?" I roll my eyes and keep my eyes locked on his legs. The last thing I want is to look at him and blush like a lobster.
"I mean, I kind of just assumed you had already. I don't know..." he trails. My palms are sweating and my cheeks are burning. I probably look like I'm about to cry. "It's okay." He pulls me into a hug. He pats my head like a mom comforting her crying daughter. "It's okay."
"Ugh," I grunt as I let him hold me. A few seconds later, I pull away and fix my hair, which he completely crushed with his arms.
"Is that why you never want to talk about it?" I set my face into a slight glare as I watch him. He doesn't appear to be judging me. He just seems curious.
"I mean there's nothing to talk about. Also, I don't want to think about all the girls you've been with. It's kind of gross."
"Fair enough. Do you have any questions for me?" A bunch but of course I'm not going to ask them.
"Nope," I answer abruptly with a shake of my head. He laughs at me before laying back on my bed and closing his eyes.
"You know, Nova, if you ever want kissing experience, I know an expert." If it's one of his gross friends...
"Oh yeah? Who?" I should know better than to entertain conversation like this. He's probably going to say one of his old friends from high school that I absolutely detested.
"Me." He opens one eye. When he sees me staring at him, he grins before puckering his lips and wiggling his eyebrows. "No charge and it won't be awkward."
"Ew." It would definitely be awkward. I tilt my head as I stare at him and he raises an eyebrow.
"What?" he probes and I shake my head. He pushes himself up into a sitting position. "Are you considering my offer?"
"No." I'm a bit confused at how casual he made it out to be. What am I supposed to do with that proposition? "I was just wondering something but I don't want to know."
"Yeah you do if you were wondering," he insists. "I'm an open book, Nova. Ask me anything."
"How many..." I start before shaking my head. "Nope, too weird, too weird."
"Come on, now I'm curious."
"How many girls have you kissed?" I blurt and he narrows his eyes in thought.
"On the mouth?" he asks for clarification and I wrinkle my nose before nodding. Where else could he have kissed them? He's silent for a few seconds as he thinks. "Okay I lost count after 34 but it's definitely no more than 40...I think."
"Oh my." My eyes widen and my mouth drops a little. I don't mean to react as hard as I do but I can't help it.
"Is that bad?" He cringes a bit and I give a slow shrug.
"When did you stop counting?"
"This past summer." So probably 40...or more.
"I don't even want to know-," I don't even get a chance to complete my sentence.
"How many girls I've slept with?" he finishes.
"Yeah."
"Surprisingly, not that high," he confesses. "Do you want to know or...?"
I quickly shake my head and he laughs. I nervously open and close my mouth before deciding to just go for it. "Can I ask you something? Without being rude?" I roll my hands around in my lap as his eyes flit between both of mine.
"Yes." He smiles as if preparing for me to ask something super embarrassing and intrusive.
"How often do you get tested?" He lets out a loud laugh before grinning widely at me.
"Are you just worried about my health or do you think I'm gross?" His head tilts and I immediately shake my head.
"Your health. I don't think you're gross. I never tried to do any math in my head about how many girls you've been with. I just knew it was a lot. Hearing figures just shocked me a little because it made it more real. I didn't mean to offend you."
"I'm joking," he chuckles again. "I got tested a few weeks ago." I nod and he laughs again. "I'm good, healthy and everything."
"Good." I nod my head slowly.
"I use condoms," he explains and I can only keep bobbing my head up and down.
"Good." This is only a little awkward. And by a little, I mean a lot.
"How uncomfortable are you right now? On a scale of one to ten?" He seems amused with the topic of conversation whereas my skin is crawling.
"Twenty five," I answer and he laughs again.
"So what are you wearing tomorrow?" Thank you for changing the subject.
I put my head in my hands. "I hadn't even thought of that!" I shove his legs off of me and slide off of my bed, landing unsteadily on the ground. I jump up and grab his ankle. "Help me find something!"
He sighs loudly before heaving himself up and off my bed. "Okay, let's look."