CHAPTER TEN: AND MAYBE DO OTHER THINGS
I hope you know I don't take my shirt off for just anyone
"Sorry," I mumble to the girl who's holding the door open for me. It's usually a hit or miss when it comes to holding doors. I try to hold the door for other people because I don't like getting hit in the face, but today I almost missed the door because I was too busy staring at my phone.
I step outside after holding the door for the person behind me, but it takes me a few more steps to realize that I have this goofy smile on my face. It's not a full-blown, teeth showing smile, but rather the corners of lips are defying gravity as they reach for the blue sky above me.
I duck my head down and go out of my way to step on a leaf before finally allowing myself to look at my phone again. I usually don't like walking with my face in my screen, but I can't help but respond to Trent's text.
Well I don't help just any drunk person
I hike my backpack higher up on my shoulder as I continue walking back to my dorm. It's the coldest day so far, and I'm wearing my black peacoat to prove it. The only problem is the material isn't very backpack friendly. I have to put more effort in keeping my bag straps at comfortable positions around my shoulders.
Once I'm back in my dorm I let everything fall from me. My backpack, my coat, and my shoes. I even trade my jeans in for some yoga pants, but I keep my thin purple sweater on. While I should settle in at my desk and attempt to get some work done, I opt for my bed instead. That's when another text finally floats in.
I'm really sorry. I just wanted to shut my brain off.
My fingers hover over my phone screen before I finally begin typing a reply.
I don't like to drink, but I know the feeling.
I spend a few minutes aimlessly scrolling and even laughing at a few funny videos both my little sister and Stephanie sent me since the last time I was on my phone. Stephanie even reciprocates some of my laughing emojis before I get another text from Trent.
How do you shut your brain off then?
Sometimes all I have to do is scroll through my phone. I'll either end up neck deep in some funny videos or sped up hair tutorials depending on my mood. Today, it was funny videos, and I almost forget to reply to his text.
Idk watch a movie or take a nap.
Both those things are also true, and I even add a laughing emoji on the end of the sentence because those are the most generic things to do when you don't feel like being "you."
Stephanie gently opens the door, but then slams it closed behind her. "My professor needs to take the freaking stick out of his ass before next class otherwise I'm not going."
I sit up on my elbows. "What happened?"
"The usual," she grumbles as she tosses her backpack against her desk before jumping up on her bed. "I raise my hand because he asks for opinions and no one else likes to give them, yet no matter what I say he goes against it."
"I'm sorry," I say even though it's the lamest reply in the book.
"It's okay." She runs a hand through her hair. "It's just annoying because he makes me feel so stupid. Like, I know I can be stupid sometimes—"
"You're not stupid." My words are harsh, but it's only because I want her to hear them the same way I want my little sister to when she pulls a similar phrase.
"No." Stephanie holds her finger up. "I can be stupid, but not when it comes to more serious stuff, and yet he acts like I don't know anything just because I haven't been teaching it for thirty plus years."
"That is annoying." It's another lame reply, but that's also because I'm too focused on the reply sitting on my phone screen.
That can be arranged
****
It took until our next philosophy class for Trent to finally elaborate because he decided to respond to my question mark with a TTYL.
"How's your workload looking this week?" was how he started the dialogue before continuing with, "you should come over and watch a movie in my dorm when you're free."
I can't remember if I said "okay" or "sounds good" before we parted ways on the cement like we always do. It was a completely casual conversation like it always is.
But now it's Thursday night, and the girls won't stop giggling as they walk me across campus to Trent's dorm. We all agreed I shouldn't walk in the dark alone, but with each step closer that's all I'm starting to feel.
This was all so casual. This was all supposed to be so casual, yet Stephanie's voice continues to echo in my head. "That's code for come over and let's make out."
"And maybe do other things." Savannah wiggled her eyebrows.
And I've been squirming ever since.
It doesn't help that it's cold outside, and all I'm wearing is a long-sleeve shirt and my windbreaker. I opted for my sneakers, but I still couldn't bring myself to put on sweatpants instead of jeans. That would've been just too casual.
Trent looks casual when we finally spot him under the faint orange glow of the lamppost hovering over the cement pathway. He looks almost too casual, all leaned up against the dorm building with grey sweatpants, a red sweatshirt, and his face tucked into his phone screen.
Maybe I did opt for the right attire since the chill in the air was replaced with warmth the second I laid my eyes on him. And my heart has been pounding away this entire time, pounding with every step, but as Trent pockets his phone and takes the few steps forward to meet us halfway, it's relentless. Boom, splat against the pavement. Any minute now.
"Hey." There go his lips.
My greeting turns into a grunt when a hand slams into the top of my back.
"Bye, Lacie!"
"Have fun!"
"Love you!"
They leave me coughing and chuckling, but I bet the latter was the only goal.
"Sorry," I squeak as I flick my thumb over my shoulder, gesturing to the giggling goons I call friends.
Trent only waves his hand before mimicking my actions. "Want to go inside?"
I hold up my hand. "I think the life of my fingers depends on it."
Trent chuckles as he turns around, but his own hand swings up and somehow latches on to mine. The sleeve of his sweatshirt presses into my palm as he tugs me forward. I barely feel or even notice the gesture until we edge closer and closer to his door.
"That's code for come over and let's make out."
"And maybe do other things."
Trent uses his other hand to slide his ID through before he pushes open his door the same way he did the other day.
"Welcome to mí casa!" He walks in and spreads his arms out before dropping his hands back down. "Again." He goes over to his bed and starts moving around his pillows and straightening his comforter. "Zack's at a club meeting so we won't be bothered, and I promise all my blankets are clean." He lifts the screen of the silver laptop resting on the end of the bed. "But we're going to have to suffer with my small laptop screen. I have a small selection of DVDs, but I figured we could just use Netflix." He unzips his sweatshirt with just one swoosh of his hand and that solidifies my frozen state.
It doesn't help that the last time I was here he was all tan and shirtless. I was too distracted then to even take a good look around. Half of the room is divided between Trent and Zack the same way mine is divided between me and Stephanie, but while we both try to keep our stuff from spilling into each other's, their stuff seems to overlap. All the different patterned vans under Zack's bed spill out into the middle, while Trent has a little nightstand under the window with a lamp and other electronic devices and plugs.
"All my blankets are clean."
"We won't be bothered."
"And maybe do other things."
"So." Trent jumps up on his bed like he did the other day only this time he makes it to the center. "I know horror movies are out." He drags his computer onto his lap as he settles his back against his pillows before he glances back up. "Oh, that's basil, by the way." Trent nods to the fish tank I was eyeing on Zack's desk.
"Basil." I smile a little as the dark blue beta fish wiggles around. It freezes as if locking eyes with me before going back on its merry way around one of the little decorative plants. My eyes are like a moth to flame on the blue light illuminating the tank, but I think it has more to do with the eyes burning into the side of my head than any actual instinctual attraction. "Oh, um, yes." I pass a glance his way. "Anything but horror please."
Trent smiles a little as he starts clicking around. I slowly kick off myshoes and inch further and further into the space. My eyes read some of theband names and musical play bills Zack has collaged over his bed side, whileTrent only has a miniature basketball hoop hanging over the side of his bed. I almost want to cringe as I slowly peel my jacket off and gently hang it on his desk chair, but I continue moving because objects in motion tend to stay in motion. One of the only things I've ever grasped from physics. Objects at rest tend to stay at rest, the only other thing I grasped, and what pops into my head when I finally sit down next to Trent.
The mattress creaked and my hands were wringing themselves together, but now I'm frozen again. And my spine goes even more rigid when I feel Trent's eyes burning into the side of my head.
"Lacie?" he asks.
"Yeah?" I keep my eyes glued to his laptop screen.
"We have a problem."
My shoulders finally slump down into a cringe. "Why?"
"Because I like to cuddle and this"—he gestures to the chunk of space I put between us— "isn't going to cut it."
"But I—" I pause as my own hand flings in the space between us. "It's awkward."
"What?" Trent sputters before he reaches across his legs and yanks up a grey fuzzy blanket. "Then you've been cuddling with the wrong people."
"I'm serious!"
"So am I." He holds his laptop up with one hand while spreading the blanket over our legs with the other.
My fingers begin wrestling again all the while Trent continues to tuck the blanket around his legs and snuggle further down against his pillows.
"Okay, now you come over here." Trent's hand slowly slides around the curve of my back, and he uses it to gently coax me closer to his side and further down against the pillows. "See?" Both his hands go back to clicking against the keys. "Now"—he passes a glance in my direction before quickly flicking the blanket up just a little higher so it's finally over my shoulders—"Now we're all cozy."
Trent's head is the only thing poking out of the blanket. If it wasn't for the light stubble on his jaw, he could be mistaken for a little kid all tucked up. Especially, when he finally turns his head and blinks back at me with his eyes all wide and innocent.
"Comedy?" he asks.
"Comedy." I nod.
He scrolls around for a few more minutes before finally clicking on the newest one, and I finally allow my body to sag against the blankets.
****
The white lettered credits roll across the black screen for a few seconds before Trent finally clicks pause.
"What?" he asks.
"What?" I echo.
"You're making a face." Trent's shoulders shake as he attempts to hold in his laughter, and that's when I finally stop wrinkling my nose.
"Sorry." I squirm before running a hand through my hair. "I just don't know how I feel."
"Same." The mattress dips a little as Trent wiggles his way up to match my sitting position. "I feel like they could have done better."
"Right?" I nod. "Like, the beginning was good, but then it lost its momentum."
"Yeah." Trent scratches his jaw. "I feel like all the jokes were in the beginning."
"And the rest were just forced," I continue just as I hear some mumbling outside Trent's door. A consistent "dun dun dun dun" that gets louder and louder until the door slams open and the dry erase board on the back goes clattering to the floor.
"Zack Attack!" Zack chants with his arms stretched out in front of him. He uses them as pretend jaws, clapping them together in the air. He finally drops his arms back down when he's only met with our silence and takes the time to flick his head, flicking the brown hair off his forehead.
"I think sharks have a more upward bite. You know, with just the lower jaws moving. That was more of an alligator." I can't help but throw in my two cents, anything to cover the silence, and that makes Trent sputter again.
Zack keeps his gaze locked on his checkered vans as he kicks them off all the while shaking his head. "Science majors."