Authors Note: *drum roll* I HAVE FOUND A PICTURE OF WHOM WILL BE PLAYING CARTER SANDERS! His name is Keith Powers, he's on a TV show that I dig right now called "Faking it". I think he's beautiful, if you don't think so then get your vision checked. Lol.
|Chapter 14|
Carter stood up quickly, dusting off his pants. How long had he been waiting outside my dorm? How did he even know where my dorm was? Anger was swelling up inside me. I told him to leave me alone, what could he not understand about that?
Shane looked awkwardly between the two of us but I ignored him for the time being. I crossed my arms over my chest, grumbling, "Are you fucking stalking me? Why are you here?"
Carter stuttered out, "N-no, fuck. I just needed to talk to you." He ran his hands over his head which I noticed he tends to do when he's uncomfortable.
I turned back to Shane, sighing, "I had a nice time tonight but I need to deal with this. So, um, thanks for everything."
I leaned in to give him a hug and he squeezed me tightly against him. Then his lips found my cheek, giving me a slow, long kiss. He finally pulled back, looking at me with concern, "Are you sure you're alright here?"
I could hear Carter huff from behind me. I was so dreading this conversation...
I nodded, reassuringly, "Yeah, yeah. It's fine. I'll see you around."
Shane glanced back at Carter, almost giving him a "watch yourself" look before turning back to me, he smiled, "See ya."
I watched Shane walk down the hallway and enter the elevator with a small wave. I waved back and waited until the elevator doors closed to face him.
I threw my hands up in aggravation turning to face him, "Seriously? What the fuck is there to talk about?"
Carter blatantly ignored my question, still staring off down the hallway, "Were you on a date with that douchebag?"
I rolled my eyes, "Yeah, actually I was."
Carter pursed his lips, he looked angry but I could care less. "You sure do rebound fast."
I retorted, "It's not like that. He's in the military and-"
Carter cut me off, finally meeting my eyes, he roared out, "Oh! He's in the military! A guy in a uniform, protecting the nation! How great! How great for him and you! I'm so happy, really!"
I shouted, "You didn't let me finish! You know what, just forget it. I don't have to explain myself to you."
I started unlocking my door but Carter grabbed my arm, as he sighed loudly.
His voice changed dramatically, becoming softer, "I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry, you're right, it's none of my business."
I nodded, continuing to stare at my door.
I froze in my spot, trying to figure out what to do. I finally unlocked the door and muttered, "Well, let's talk. Come in."
I turned on the light, took off my shoes and plopped down on my bed. I pointed toward Kylie's bed that was empty probably due to Samuel, for Carter to sit. Carter set down on her bed, facing me.
He took a deep breath as if he was mentally preparing himself for a speech. Shit, I didn't understand this. He treated me like I meant nothing to him but yet here he was was chasing me down repeatedly. Maybe he enjoyed playing cat and mouse but I didn't.
Carter's eyes met mine and I could feel my heart start thumping away in my chest.
He began, "Look, I'll admit that I hook up and lead on a lot of girls."
I gave a sarcastic laugh, "Oh wow, that's so nice. Thank you for telling me that." I started to stand up from my bed but his stern look stopped me.
Carter growled, "Phoenix, please! All you've done is yell at me and then run away, please just for once, hear me out."
I stayed put, hoping this speech was about to get better.
"And yeah, maybe at first, I had intentions of doing that to you."
I rolled my eyes. Wow, this speech was really not getting any better.
"But then I-I said that stupid thing that I've said to a lot of women to get them out of my apartment. But this time, with you, I actually felt guilty."
Oh praise Jesus, he has a conscious. Gold star for Carter!
"And I knew once I saw you in class and you wouldn't look at me that you were angry with me. And for once I realized, that really scared me because I didn't want to lose you."
Carter paused. I looked at him as if saying "keep going", that's not good enough for me, dumbass.
He continued, "And then you called me out on my shit. No ones ever done that to me before. And no ones ever figured out my stupid tactics that fast before."
I sighed, "Look just because I'm smart and willing to stand up for myself doesn't make me special."
Carter lifted his hands up and then smacked them back down on his legs, "I know that. You're special for other reasons, you're-you're different."
Carter squeezed his eyes shut, rambling out, "I-I don't know, I just feel like I'm being pulled to you. It sounds stupid, I know but I just-I can't get you out of my head. I feel like I'm going crazy. I need you... And I know, I've fucked up and made some mistakes but I really want to see where this can go, Phoenix."
His beautiful hazel eyes were boring into mine and I could feel my hard ass front melting into a puddle on the floor. I knew how he felt, I felt like I've been going crazy too.
'But what if this was just another one of his tactics? But why would he go through this much trouble, Phoenix? I don't know, maybe I was a good fuck. Oh yeah, right, you didn't have sex for 7 months before him. How good could it have been? Oh shut up.' I fought a battle with the voice inside my head.
Carter stared at me, "Phoenix, say something please."
I nervously played with my fingers, "I-I don't know if I can trust you again."
Carter practically pleaded out, "I understand that but just please, give me a chance. Give me a chance to earn your trust back."
How the fuck could I say no? I wanted him so much, I couldn't even stand it.
I gulped, "Alright. One chance."
Carter cheered, jumping up from Kylie's bed to pick me up and spin me around like I was as light as a feather.
I giggled, "Put me down."
He set me back down on my feet and was about to kiss me before I stopped him.
"Wait!"
Carter looked at me disappointedly. I sneered, "None of that waiting 5 days to speak to me shit and no kicking me out of your apartment, deal?"
Carter nodded, eagerly, "Of course, deal."
His lips met mine and my entire body shuttered from the contact. God, I missed him and clearly, so did my body. I stretched my legs up and he leaned down so we could be closer. He was too fucking tall!
We continued to kiss for bit, nothing too heated but still incredibly enjoyable after being without him.
Carter pulled back, mumbling, "Come back to my apartment."
I bit my lip. I was going to make him work for this and I knew exactly how to do it.
"Alright but no sex."
Carter looked taken back, "Oh?"
I questioned curiously, "Is that a problem?"
Carter smiled, "No, as long as I get to be with you, I don't care."
He kissed me again. Fuck, if he didn't stop being so cute, I would be the one having trouble resisting sex.
.................................................
Carter and I walked through the door of his apartment and he flicked the lights on. I asked curiously, "How did you know where my dorm was?"
Carter glanced back at me with a smirk, "I may have ran into your roommate and convinced her to tell me."
I mumbled under my breath, "That bitch."
We walked into the kitchen, where Carter got a beer out of the fridge. "Want one?"
I shook my head. "And how long did you wait outside my dorm?"
Carter shrugged nonchanlantly, "I don't know, like 2 hours."
I leaned my elbows against the counter, observing him, "Jeesh. You're a persistent, little bastard."
Carter laughed loudly, "What can I say? When I want something, I fight for it."
Carter took a swig of his beer and I watched his Adam's apple bob up and down. I wanted to suck on it. 'No, Phoenix, fuck, control yourself.'
Carter set his beer down on the counter and looked at me, "So what did you and your date do tonight?"
I rolled my eyes, "Just a movie and dinner, it was boring really."
Carter walked around the counter to face me, "Uh huh."
I gave a short laugh, "I'm serious. I'm not interested in him. Don't be so jealous."
Carter scoffed as if the idea of him being jealous was preposterous. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pecked him on the lips.
Carter grabbed my hand and led us into the living room where we cuddled up on his couch.
He turned the T.V on but it was only on for about 3 seconds when he abruptly stood up.
Carter smiled mischievously, "I want to show you something."
I eyed him weirdly, "Alright."
Carter grabbed my hand and pulled me to the bathroom, the one we had our first make out in.
Carter faced me, rubbing his hands together nervously, "Alright, so I'm going to show you something that I've never showed anyone. No one knows about this besides my family. So this is a big deal for me."
Carter grabbed my shoulders, staring into my eyes, "I can trust you, right?"
I nodded, "Of course."
Carter bit the inside of his cheek, took a deep breath and turned to the mirror. He leaned closer to the mirror and moved his hands to his face.
What the hell was he doing?
One of his fingers poked his eyeball and started moving around a...contact?
I asked, "So, you wear contacts? That's it?"
Carter sighed, "Yeah but that's not the worst part."
He took the contact out and turned to face me. I gasped a bit dramatically but I couldn't help it.
I blinked rapidly, hoping my vision was betraying me but it wasn't. Carter took out his other contact and then stared at me.
I ran a hand through my hair, "So...so you wear colored contacts."
Carter eyes were actually dark brown. This whole time I'd been falling for his beautiful hazel eyes when in reality, I'd been falling for a lie. I wasn't mad, a bit confused, yes.
I questioned, "But how? You literally can't even tell you're wearing contacts."
Carter explained, "When I was a kid, I complained to my parents about how much I hated my eyes. I just thought they were hideous- this ugly, poop brown color. So when I was 11, they finally got me these special contact lenses, they're super thin and super realistic so no one can ever tell I have them."
Carter turned back to face the mirror, observing himself. "My eyes are my biggest insecurity. I just can't stand them."
I looped my arms around his body from behind, looking into the mirror with him. I seriously stated, "Hazel eyes or brown eyes, you're still gorgeous, Carter."
Carter smiled slightly, "Thanks...but I just can't seem to see that."
Carter Sanders had an insecurity, it was human nature to have insecurities but him? He always seemed so confident, so sure in the fact that he was hot. It surprised me which is why I could see it would be a big deal to him.
I grinned, "So I'm really the only person, besides your family that knows about this?"
Carter smiled, "Yeah" and then looked at me with worry, "And you can't tell anyone about this!"
I reassured him, "I won't, I promise."
Carter looked relieved and turned around to kiss my forehead.
Carter added, "That's also why I don't let girls spend the night because I have to take my contacts out at night."
I nodded, "Makes senses."
Carter moved a piece of hair out of my face, "So what's your biggest insecurity? Since I shared with you mine."
Talking about my insecurities with one of the most beautiful people I've ever met was definitely something I didn't feel like doing. But the way Carter looked at me; so vulnerable, so honest, I had to.
"My-my nose. It's so big and pointy, it looks like it could stab someone."
Carter gave a short laugh but shook his head, "I like it." He placed a soft kiss on the tip of my nose and I grinned like an idiot.
Carter pulled me out of the bathroom, walking back to the living room, he stated, "I figured you were going to say your boobs, the way you acted the first time we did it."
I gave a short laugh, "That too."
Carter quickly raised his hands and squeezed my boobs, flirting, "I like them."
I playfully slapped his hand away, "Hands off, buddy."
Carter snickered and we settled back down in our usual position on the couch.
I put my legs in Carter's lap while he gazed at me for a moment. He looked serious as he said, "I'm going to take you on a date soon. I don't want you to think I'm ashamed of you so I'm hiding you out in my apartment, that's not the case, you know? I would've taken you out tonight but you got home so late and well, you had already been on a date and..."
I cut him off with a short laugh, "Wow, chill. I wasn't complaining, was I?"
Carter grinned, rolling his eyes, "No but I just wanted you to know."
I bit my bottom lip, smiling, "Okay." The thought of him being embarrassed of me and hiding me away in his apartment had never really occurred to me but I was glad to hear that he wasn't.
'Carter Sanders and I...out on a date...in public....Man, what would people think? Would they think I was too ugly for him? I mean, I totally was. I don't know what he saw in me. Fuck, what am I saying? Who cares what people think. He wants me and that's all that matters' I thought to myself but was still not so confident about it.
Carter asked, "Are you free tomorrow?"
I shook my head, "I have work at 3. But on the plus side, it's my last day working until tennis isn't so hectic but on the negative side, I'm still busy with tennis, of course. Monday?"
Carter seethed, "I have my internship and they'll need my help that day. Hmm, maybe Tuesday? I could try to get off work early."
I nodded, "I have practice until 6 but after that."
Carter shook his head, looking at our intertwined hands, "Our lives are too damn complicated."
I sighed, "For real."
It was going to be hard to make this work between Carter and I with our busy schedules. But I wanted to make this work, I really fucking did.
After watching some T.V, we laid down in his massive bed. Carter cuddled me up to his chest and for once, we just slept.