Forgetting the previous night ever happened wasn't going to be as easy as I had hoped. The last thing, or person I expected to see when I opened the door to my dorm room was Joey.
Joey laying on my bed to be completely accurate.
I walked in the room and froze, open mouthed. Joey was casually laying on my bed, the very bed I was yet to even lay in, Harper and Ali were both on Harpers bed. Even I could admit he looked sexy laying there, one arm propped behind his head, a lazy grin on his face. Those thoughts were quickly overtaken with annoyance though.
"Care to explain... this," I said, gesturing wildly around the room.
"Why are you in our room? And on my bed of all places?" I aimed at Joey, narrowing my eyes.
"Well you slept in my bed, I thought it was only fair I got to try yours too," he smirked.
I scoffed, while Harper rolled her eyes. Ali I noticed had a strange look on her face, scanning from Joey to Harper and back again.
"Ali, what is wrong with you? You look like a teenage boy seeing boobs for the first time, it's honesty concerning me right now," I asked.
"I'm just curious. As much as I can't wait for you to tell me why you were in his bed, wait, why were you his bed. But also, I still don't understand it and I took biology in high school. I have so many questions!" she started ranting.
"Ali, your doing that thing where you don't make anywhere near as much sense out loud as you do in that pretty little head of yours," I reminded her impatiently.
"I said, I'm curious! I've never seen cousins who look like they could be siblings. You two have the exact same eyes. How?" She asked, still looking between the two.
"Seriously? That's what you are thinking about? He is laying on my bed, for no apparent reason and that's what you are curious about!Are you still drunk?" I said, still standing in the middle of the room, frustrated that this is what is being discussed right now. I love that girl, but sometimes her brain works in the weirdest of ways and I can't keep up.
"Our Dad's are identical twins. We both look like our dad's, you might get freaked out if you attended a family event. My brother and Joey's twin sisters both have the same eyes too. It's a Cameron thing," Harper answered like it was the simplest thing in the world.
"That's interesting actually." I nodded. "Now that we have settled that pressing issue though, can we please move back to the other elephant in the room. You know, the basketball player sized elephant who is on my bed!!"
"I just came by to check my little cousin was all settled into dorm life. Seeing you was just a bonus," he winked and flashed that signature grin.
This guy and his winking.
"Great. Well she's settled in as you can see." I gestured around the room at our set up. "We are good here, you can go now."
"No!" Ali suddenly exclaimed.
"No?" I questioned, getting really annoyed now.
"I'm still curious. How did you end up in his bed? You told me you weren't hooking up and you definitely insisted that he isn't your type, even though I know he is. You're just being all 'I don't need a man, strong independent woman' blah blah. But let's be honest, we all need dick and you are no different. Especially if the way Nate couldn't get his hands off you all summer is anything to go buy," Ali started rambling again.
My best friend, ladies and gentlemen. No filter and really no idea when you should keep your mouth shut around certain people.
"ALI!!! Shut up! We didn't hook up. I... I actually don't know what happened." I blushed.
"Who says we didn't hook up? You just admitted that you don't know what happened," Joey said, a hint of humour in his voice.
"Well I think I would know for a few reasons if we had hooked up. So unless you managed to undress and re-dress me again all without my knowledge, then we didn't hook up. Im pretty sure I know my body too if I had of had sex. Most of all, if we had hooked up, it would clearly have been without my consent because I was hardly conscious, which we all-"
"Ok, ok!" Joey cut me off.
"We didn't hook up. I would never, ever do anything without consent to any woman. I'm not that kind of guy and am highly offended you would even go there. You passed out, it wasn't long after I got you off the table where you were dancing and ready to start removing your clothes yourself. Being the good guy I am, because despite what you believe, I am a decent human, I removed you from the situation. Then you passed out, so I put you in my bed, specifically so that no one could take advantage of you. I didn't have many other options and I knew you were safe there. My mom and Harper's mom would skin me alive if I put Harper or her friend in a dangerous situation."
Oh.
"Right. Well I suppose I should thank you then," I said, embarrassed at my insinuations.
Joey got up off my bed and made his way out of the room, stopping before he exited.
"For the record, if we had of had sex, there's no way you wouldn't remember it, I'm told I'm unforgettable and I'd much rather you be conscious to enjoy every little moment," he smirked turning away again, laughing.
"Oh screw you!" I said, back to being annoyed at his pig headed comments.
"I know you want to, Morgan. Give me a call when you're ready to admit it," he sang out closing the door behind him.
"Can you believe him? Have you ever met someone so cocky? Sorry Harper, I know he's your cousin, but my god he is so annoying!" I huffed, finally throwing myself onto my bed.
Then I groaned loudly, "my bed now smells like him," I said into my pillow.
The two girls both laughed at me and I glared at them.
"You'll hook up with him eventually," Ali said knowingly as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Whatever," I grumbled.
I won't admit to them that I had liked the image of him lying on my bed. I also didn't actually hate that my bed now smelt like him, plus he had looked after me last night. Almost like somewhere deep, deep down under the cocky front he puts on, he might actually be a good guy.
"Enough about Joey. Even if I'm pretty sure he was here to check on you more than me. How did your job interview go?" Harper asked.
That made me smile again as I sat up.
"It was great! I got the job. Well actually I sort of had it already before she even met me she said. The cafe is so cute too! You have to both come by. There's a cute barista that works their already too. I start tomorrow after morning orientation," I began telling them all about my new job, the cafe and Sandra too.
We then decided because we were all still very hungover that we should go and get some food before we would attend the welcome barbecue later that night.
As we made our way outside, we could see a group of students and RA's setting up plastic tables, chairs and a barbecue to get ready for tonight. Madison spotted us, giving us a wave hello.
"Hope to see you three here tonight," she called out and we all smiled and nodded.
"She's so perky," Ali complained. "Like, you just can't be that happy all the time." She shivers.
"Aren't you a ray of sunshine and positivity today," I teased her and she grumbled as we kept walking.
After a short five minute walk we arrived at a different small cafe on campus, this one a less quirky name, The Coffee Place. Walking in, we found an empty booth and browsed the menu.
"Hey ladies, what can I get for you today?" A cute blonde girl, a few years older than us approached us to take our order. She was friendly, the place was nice but it didn't have the same aesthetic and vibe as the busy bean and I felt a small pang of proudness over that fact.
While we ate, Ali and Harper chat away about their home lives, families and what they are each studying, getting to know each other. I stayed silent, mulling over everything that had happened in the 24 hours since we arrived here yesterday.
I thought about the life I came from, how there is nothing left for me there anymore. I didn't really plan on going back ever again, unless to visit Ali's family, but not my own.
I'm not sure my mother would even notice if I did or didn't. It felt like I had been on my own for so long. I wondered if my dad would have been proud of me and where I have ended up, he was always my biggest supporter. Always encouraging me to go after my dreams, to decide what I want and to work for it, that if I try hard enough, I'd get there. Well look at me now Dad, I'm here at college and I got here all by myself.
My thoughts then moved to last night, or more this morning. The way Joey had come by to check on me, also remembering the way my shoes and bag were perfectly lined up beside the bed this morning. There had to be more to Joey than meets the eye. More behind the cocky boy facade he seems to put on. Doesn't matter anyway, I'm not here for a relationship and I certainly won't be chasing one.
"Morgan! Hello!" Ali's voice suddenly breaking the thoughts running through my head.
"Hmmm? Sorry," I said.
"Thinking about Joey?" Ali teased. I felt my face heat up instantly.
"No! I'm just tired," I defended.
"Sure," she said, clearly not believing me. I looked at Harper who held a small smile too, amusement in her eyes.
"Anyway, we were just saying that we should head back now, maybe we can watch a movie before this barbecue thing tonight, sound good?" Harper said.
"Yeah, sure. Sounds great," I replied, smiling genuinely. I got some money out, placing my share on the table before following the girls out of the cafe and back to Locke House.