60"Puzzles stimulate the brain. You should try some." My roommate announced the second I pried my eyes open and stretched like a cat from under the warmth of the covers. Although it probably should have startled me that she was watching me sleep, ready to pounce the moment I awoke, I didn't even give it a second thought as I slid down from my lofted bed and landed clumsily on the cold linoleum.
I ignored the girl momentarily as I stood on yesterday's sweater to avoid the cold floor and sniffed a shirt from the floor before deeming it fresh enough to wear again. My roommate was insane, I was positive, but somehow she always had amazing insight when it was most important. I guessed that perhaps a puzzle would serve me well as none of her suggestions had turned out poorly. In fact, I should have followed all of her suggestions to date.
"Okay Karen, see you later," I addressed my gangly, blonde roommate as I grabbed my bag and headed to class, running a hand through my hair and stopping in the bathroom quickly to brush my teeth.
As expected Karen did not flinch as I headed to class. She only spoke when it was important, she didn't feel the need to waste time with useless words. I imagine it would make for a dull phone conversation.
Pulling my headphones on I trudged to class, bobbing my head slightly to Lifehouse's beautiful sound until I saw the slender boy I recognized from the previous day as Nihar Vitaris' minion. Hadley's in-your-face challenge was still fresh in my mind and suddenly fueled me to speak my mind rather than bite my tongue as I tended to do with everyone beyond family.
Glaring, I stormed up with a vengeance, swinging my hand at his arm and producing a significant smack sound that turned a few heads.
"You are an idiot." I announced, my glare intensifying (well, I hoped it looked more intense but I couldn't really be sure. I should have practiced in the mirror). Perhaps I should have increased my name calling vocabulary too. I really was that twelve-year-old Hadley described. I couldn't help that I was a wholesome girl.
He smirked. "Really? Why's that?"
"You follow Nihar around like you're a lost puppy and you go along with his plots and then just stand in the back. He says jump, you say ho—"
"Wait," he cut me off, raising his hand up. "I say, who? And if it's you, I say no. I only go for hot girls."
I let out an awkward, surprised, relieved laugh. "Well, now I feel terrible. I was so looking to have my way with you out back!"
"I know, darling. Most girls can't help it. For you though, please, fight the urge and keep your hands to yourself."
"You are an arrogant, stuck up prick who likes to hu—" I started but was once more cut off, this time as someone's hand covered my mouth. Sticking my tongue out like a three-year old I licked the fingers over my mouth until someone retracted them. I just hoped 'Fingers' had washed his hands recently.
Instead of being let free however I found myself now pinned against the man as he simply moved his hand from my mouth to my chest, holding me close with both arms now. I glanced as his tan arms and groaned realizing Nihar was holding me. Wishing I could retract my groan I grinned giddily and tipped my head backwards, against Nihar's chest as I looked up at him. I could play gold digger for a few minutes.
"Hello, Sugar Plum. How are you this morning?" I chirped with a glowing grin, hoping I wasn't blushing with anger or embarrassment.
"You know, I'm very disappointed and hurt."
"I'm sorry to hear that. Are you going to ask how my morning is going?" I responded eagerly, knowing Nihar was hoping I'd ask a follow up question about his own morning. I would not give him that satisfaction. Somehow he was so simple to read and I—um, Picasso—was enjoying playing him like a piano.
Nihar almost smiled, maybe a smirk, but responded in all seriousness with a simple, "No."
I sighed loudly and let my shoulders slump forward as much as possible within Nihar's grip.
"Hey minion!" I screeched excitedly, perking up and staring at the brunette with my eyes wide.
He simply raised an eyebrow and I took that as a sign to continue. "This is an example of what I was talking about. You are just a lump on a log. Another mouth to feed. A duckling in a row," I chimed with pity.
"Thanks but I don't take advice from bratty, little girls."
"I take advice from mysterious blondes," I stated, more to myself than anyone around me as I described Karen.
"Who?"
I looked up at Kurt and smiled dreamily, "My Wednesday Lover."
Suddenly I had all the words at the right time. Perhaps spending so many years with articulate Adam was actually paying off. Took long enough to kick in!
"What?"
"Well I like to keep a steady rotation going to keep it fair, but Wednesday is the most insightful."
"You're a slut?" Nihar questioned with interest and surprise.
"It sounds like a bad thing when you say it like that," I whined as I stuck my bottom lip out in a brilliant pout.
"Hey Nihar," I chirped cheerfully, looking back at him.
"Yeah?"
"How long you plan on holding me like this?"
He grinned, "Until it drives you crazy."
I was surprised there was no evil laugh to accompany his statement but I nodded, instantly recognizing the challenge and preparing to win. "Okay. It's just, I see Thursday Afternoon coming up and I worry about your pretty face."
"It's Wednesday."
I nodded, "I'm well aware. But, Thursday Afternoon." I nodded towards a large burly man I recognized as the defensive tackle on our school's dominating football team. While I had no idea who the man was other than 'that football guy,' I was hoping it would at least intimidate Nihar enough to let me go.
Rather than let the hefty defensive tackle see me Nihar simply turned around, still clutching me to his chest as I now faced a building. Well, at least he had believed me.
"You don't like to share?" I questioned him with a pout that I'd seen too many times on shameless, flirting, desperate girls.
He smiled broadly although I could tell he was trying to refrain from punching me. "No. I like you all to myself."
"You might want to kick your minion out then," I looked forward at the blue eyed boy again as he took a relaxed sip of his coffee. "This would be another example," I fumed but realized I was glad Minion stuck around. Being pinned against Nihar somehow sounded less appealing without Minion there to watch and keep Nihar in check—hopefully.
For some reason I had no qualms about yelling at Minion. I honestly could not seem to stop myself. Yet with Nihar, the look in his eyes and his twitching muscles made me watch my every move. Every word out of my mouth was well planned and thought out. Every word out of my mouth was cheerful and bright, as I knew it killed him. Minion, on the other hand, got rash barks that I failed to think through. I hated that he had that power to make me so angry without even trying—the exact thing I was able to do to Nihar. Well, I did try pretty hard but it was working so far.
"Hey!" I piped excitedly, my eyes lighting up. "Do I at least get holding music while you are holding me?"
I watched Minion's face evolve somewhere between a smirk and a grin although he tried to disguise it by taking a sip of his coffee. At least the boy could appreciate a good quip. Okay, fine, it was a lame retort, but at least I didn't stand like silently like a wimp: Silence is the virtue of fools. Dear God, please let that be the right saying. If it is silence is the virtue of the wise or something, I'm screwed. Sayings aren't exactly my thing.
Nihar took a rash step backwards, obviously angry now, and waited as I fell into him.
"Nihar! If you wanted to dance with me you only had to ask," I said, using every trick Hadley had taught me as I batted my eyelashes.
"I'll give myself music to drown you out," Nihar stated, pulling the headphones from around my neck and sliding them on his head tightening his now one-handed clutch on me. "Who's this?"
I sighed dreamily, "My love!"
"Who?"
"Lifehouse," I stated with a goofy grin, "They will play at our wedding."
Nihar's eyes lit up brightly for a moment and naïvely I thought he enjoyed the music or perhaps was looking forward to our nuptials. Unfortunately, he had simply found a way to hurt me.
He shifted me slightly to the side and wrapped his left hand completely around me, keeping me immobile as I wished that I had been more of an athlete or at least had enough muscle to wriggle away. No, scratch that, I wish I was less stubborn since then I would have already yelled for help—from who Nihar believed to be my Thursday Afternoon bed buddy.
Opening the Walkman with his right hand Nihar removed the CD from the slot and held it around the edges, his fingers stretched out wide. Until of course he pulled his fingers together, watching the CD give slightly before snapping in two.
I wanted to scream but I settled for an innocent stare, knowing I could take Adam's identical CD. (I had given it to him for his birthday, forgetting his love for Lifehouse was not quite acquired yet.) I should have screamed. I should have thrown a fit. I never should have led Nihar to keep pressing on, trying to hurt me but I was too stubborn for that. Too stubborn for my own good, my mother used to tell me. Got that from my daddy.
Upon seeing my lack of anger Nihar handed the Walkman to his crony and instructed him to break it.
"Oh my gosh, you are just being overwhelmed with examples of this sidekickness. It's a pitiful disease," I chided, praying Minion had enough frustration from my proding anger to prove that he was not simply Nihar's slave that he would save my love, my CD player.
I think my statement created enough frustration, just not directed at Nihar. Minion managed to crack the plastic object in a way that I knew it would not be salvageable.
I glared, my temper boiling. "You freaking idiot! I knew it! I met you one time and tried to help you, show you my point of view, you idiot! You have everything in the world except some freaking balls!"
Nihar laughed beside me, clearly getting what he had been waiting for all morning. He released me, true to his promise as I stepped up to the leering blue eyes and slapped him across the face, although it failed to remove the smirk from his face.
"You are scum! I hope that you realize that and someday stand up for yourself rather than being someone's bitch!"
Someone grabbed my arm at that moment and began leading me away as I continued to yell profanities at Minion—profanities that rarely left my mouth mixed with my yet unimproved insults. Finally turning around and walking in sync with my savior, I realized it was, unexpectedly, Karen.
"Oh!" I puffed nervously, not liking when she saw me at moments like this as she always intimidated me.
"I didn't say to solve a life-sized puzzle," she said without so much as glancing at me. She released my arm and continued walking as if she had not even seen me, leaving me rooted to the grass, confused beyond belief.
I scrunched my face, trying to decipher what exactly her statement meant. Two statements in one day was a lot from Karen and I knew they were important although I didn't quite comprehend.
I frowned, giving up on solving her word puzzle and heading back to my dorm, knowing I had already missed my morning class.
I stood at the end of an aisle, my green polyester vest already on as I dumped a small puzzle out on a card table for sale that I had set up. It was for demonstration sake, I was only helping the business. Well, that's what I told myself anyway as I started. I tossed the table assembly tools aside and grabbed the box featuring a few puppies in a basket. I looked down at the pieces in desperation, what was I thinking? I was not a puzzle girl. I figured that somehow this would help me though. Leave it to me to take advice from a crazy girl.
"A puzzle?" Adam questioned. "Yep, when I think puzzle, I think Chloe."
"Karen told me to."
Adam nodded, having watched how every time I avoided her advice is ended poorly. "No Lifehouse while you attempt to solve it though?"
I bit my lip, studying my puzzle and wondering how to explain to Adam what happened. "My CD player broke."
Adam laughed playfully, "About time that thing kicked the can! How'd it break?"
"An unfortunate accident."
"It's time to splurge for the iPod."
"Hmm, maybe," I stated distractedly, knowing I would not be able to afford one at this rate. I was barely scraping through college bills and throwing even a few dollars on anything frivolous just wasn't in the budget right now. I was also partially fearful that if I did spend the money, Nihar would find a way to ruin it, now knowing that music was my weak spot.
"You okay?"
"Uh-huh," I responded half heartedly, my eyes still glued to the jumbled pieces.
"Hey," Adam said leaning forward on the table and taking my head in his hands, forcing me to look up at him. "Is everything okay?"
"Yeah."
"You know I don't believe that. I know you too well for you to lie to me like that."
I shrugged, "Money's a little tight right now and it's stressing me out."
"It will work out. We'll figure out something. I was thinking we could go home on Friday?"
I laughed cynically and spoke sarcastically, "Just what I need, to see my daddy and have to tell him everything is hunky dory."
"You don't have to tell him that."
"I can't ask him for money. Him and Brina are already scraping by trying to give me the money he already did."
"You should at least tell him, Chloe."
"I can't just tell him! You know my dad. He has a heart bigger than his brain and he'll give up something of his to help me. Like he'd sell his truck or something ridiculous! I won't do that to him."
"I will. You can't get by the way you are now."
"Don't tell him! I'll kill you, I swear to God!" I pleaded, panicking outwardly, and even more so inwardly, as my eyes flitted like a druggie.
Adam smacked me in the head instinctively for using God's name in vain before continuing, "If nothing changes then I'm calling him but if you can somehow get yourself on a different money making track, then I don't see why your dad would need to know."
"I'll work this out somehow, I swear."
"Okay, I won't say anything this weekend but you have to get on track. You do want to go home with me this weekend though, right?"
"Definitely. Thanks for the ride, too. What time are you leaving?"
"You have class until eleven on Friday, right?" I nodded and Adam continued. "I have to work so I'll pick you up at your dorm at three-thirty?"
"Sounds good, thanks."
Struggling with the puzzle several hours later I grunted and swept the pieces back into the box, deciding I wasn't one for puzzles. I'd just chock this one up to a 'life-sized' puzzle. Karen warned me about those.
I instead grabbed a newspaper from the rack and began reading up on job listings. Living in a town jam packed with struggling college kids eager to snatch up the easy jobs made my options that much slimmer as it was already October and most students had already secured jobs. My selection didn't include the usual waitresses or clerks but rather, "Elderly couple in need of someone to re-roof house before winter."
This may come as a shock, but I have no idea how to re-roof a house. Thank God my daddy was handy or I'd have grown up in a shack. I don't have a job at the hardware store because I know how to build things or I know about tools. I have a job here because Adam applied and hot boys come through to keep it interesting. I'm pretty sure I know more about hardware things than Hadley but honestly, I don't know, that girl is a constant surprise.
I ended up calling a woman who was looking for someone to mow her lawn—mower provided—but she simply (well if simply can be used to describe a fourteen minute conversation) explained to me that her runaway son had returned, reenrolled in high school, and was now available to mow the lawn again. She assured me that he wasn't running away again but also mentioned if he did: she'd call me to mow the lawn.
I sighed, the number of jobs along the bus line or in walking distance that I could successfully handle was dwindling as I called and got turned down numerous times. Bending in half I folded my hands on the counter and dropped my head to rest on my wrists.
"Need me to tell your dad?"
"Nope. I'll figure something out," I explained, looking up without lifting my chest from the counter. I perked up as I recognized the song on the radio. "What station is this?"
"It's not the radio, it's your CD."
"No it's not."
"It wasn't your writing on the CD but it has your name on it."
I stood up and spun around, hitting eject and recognizing Hadley's handwriting on the CD. Grinning I shoved it back in and prepared to be overwhelmed with rap music. At least Hadley had improved my dejected mood. I thought about telling Adam about how I was held hostage that morning and my things were broken but I knew it would just about kill him, the poor boy, knowing he was responsible for starting it. Even if I assured him that it wasn't his fault the boy would not let it go and it was my own fault I was stubborn enough to tangle myself in that web. Luckily I knew him well enough to keep my morning to myself.
Marcus strutted into the store at that moment and approached me at the counter, leaning over and kissing me roughly as I ran my hands through his beautiful blue hair.
"Why do you think it is that some girls skip class?"
"You skipped class?" Adam stated, shocked. "Where were you?"
"Uh…" I panicked, my eyes wide as I tried to think of a plausible excuse. "I don't know."
"You don't know where you were?" Adam asked in a fatherly tone.
"I slept in?" I asked loudly.
"That was a question, not an answer," Adam prompted.
"You're just going to be angry if I tell you why."
"You were with a guy?" Marcus questioned defensively although we had an open relationship—he dated other girls and I fawned over him and only him.
"Not in that way and besides, that shouldn't matter, we're not in a closed, committed relationship. We just need some good tongue action, right?"
"We're hanging out tonight though. Meet me at the coffee shop at eight. Then you'll tell me about this morning," Marcus directed with finality.
I nodded as Marcus left. If he wasn't so hot I don't think I would take his ordering but he had a way of doing it that sounded like it was the best idea, not that it was just his idea.
"So," Adam said, leaning on the counter, trying to look casual before he hounded me.
"Yes, Adam?"
"Where were you?"
"It's personal."
"Chloe, you tell me everything and no—" he stood up strait and stared at me, open-mouthed for a moment before continuing dejectedly. "You don't tell me everything anymore."
He stated it with such pain; it wasn't a question or an accusation, just a statement that hit him hard.
"Adam," I said, reaching out and catching his hand. "It will hurt you if I tell you. It's like me not telling my dad about the money. I love you too much."
Adam pulled his hand back, "I tell you everything. I always have. I thought we always would."
"I don't keep secrets. It's just today. I know you don't want to know."
I cringed. I hadn't keep a secret from Adam in years. I owed Adam so much, I at least always gave him the truth since I didn't have much else to offer.
"Why?" he asked defensively, trying to pull away from me emotionally as he crossed his arms but I knew he just wanted us to melt into one another and live happily ever after.
I sighed and took a deep breath. I couldn't lie to him. "You'll be angry."
"Just tell me."
I bit my lip and nodded, fear overwhelming me however. "I was with Nihar Vitaris and Minion."
"What did you do?" he instantly demanded, anger laced in his tone.
"This is why I didn't want to tell you!"
"You can't go butting in other people's business, Chloe! This is between me and them, not you!"
"I wasn't talking about you! I didn't even mention you! I swear to God! Not even an allusion!"
Adam smacked my head in response to my use of God's name in vain but continued without pausing or even seeming to notice he had just hit me. "What was it about then?"
I sighed and calmed my voice down. Although I stopped yelling it was evident I was upset and on the verge of tears, "I was trying to help Minion. He didn't want my help though and then Nihar came up."
"I assume you mean Kurt Larson when you say 'Minion'?"
Kurt Larson, huh, okay. "Sure."
"What did they do to you?"
"Nothing. I'm fine."
"They don't ever do 'nothing.'"
I stood silently, closed my eyes and let the tears brimming at the surface escape as I wiped them quickly.
"Chloe," he said softly, his anger dwindling.
I shrugged, "I don't have a CD player anymore."
"They stole it?"
"Broke it."
"Chloe! You can't let people do that to you!"
"I didn't let them do anything. That threw me into an all out yelling fit but Karen came and dragged me away in the middle of my you're-a-bitch speech."
"You swore?" Adam questioned, his eyes wide.
I nodded meekly.
"I'm fixing this. Don't get involved again."
"Don't! Please, Adam!" I pleaded.
"They've already made me angry."
"I stayed out of your battle, stay out of mine!" I yelled, growing volume as I panicked.
"Armies are stronger together."
"We'll plan together. Don't do anything rash. I'm working Nihar over and he is so hating me. I love it. That's probably why he held me hostage for two hours."
"He held you hostage?" Adam shouted.
"It's a figure of speech!" I tried loudly. Unfortunately, Adam knew the louder I spoke the more nervous I was.
"Shove it, all bets are off, I am going get him."
"Adam, no!" I shouted, running around the counter and grabbing his forearms, forcing him to face me (although if he wanted to he easily could have pulled away). "Don't do this. We can't be rash and win. The rash soldiers are the dead ones!" I finished loudly and much higher pitched than I had begun.
He nodded, much calmer now, "We'll plan this weekend. Until then, don't start anything."
"Same goes for you!" I sang as I hugged him. "Thank you. You're a good best friend. I'm sorry I didn't tell you about it but I just…well, you didn't tell me you were being picked on until they showed up here. I guess we both knew the other would jump in for us and didn't want that."
Adam nodded after a monstrously long pause, "That's true. No more secrets."
I nodded and let out a sigh of relief. "Is our shift over yet? I am so drained…haha drained, that's punny since we sell drains. Heh…heh…no? Okay."
"Hey Marcus," I said as he approached the small table I was seated at. Marcus knew how to make me swoon. He never waited for me. I always had to get him. He would invite me somewhere but always be a little late. One time I tried to arrive second so I stood outside waiting for him but seven minutes after I had finally caved and went in, he arrived, two hours late for our original date. It was then that I realized this was all a part of how he dated and I would have to get used to finding him if I wanted him. He craved the control, the upper hand, and I didn't much care as long as he wore his lip ring. Sure, it may have been shallow but he already promised never to love me. Someday he would change his mind but for now, I'd have to settle for a lip ring to hold me over. I knew that one day he would see I was his forever girl.
"What's the plan for tonight?" I questioned.
"Movie," he stated. I knew that if I disagreed he would simply find some way of ruling out every other option so that a movie and he looked like a gift from God. I had stopped disagreeing or questioning long ago.
"At the theater or your dorm?"
"My dorm. Cheaper making out that way. I'm not paying twelve bucks to suck face in a theater."
I nodded, "Let's go. I'm not hungry, I want to suck face instead! You make it sound so appealing," I teased.
He rose and held out his hand, allowing me to choose the plan for once. "I agree."
I laughed and rose, following him back to his room where we sank into the futon, flipped on a movie, and got to know one another better although we never hit third base. He had other girls for that and I wasn't willing to do it with him, I was hoping to avoid STD's and keep my number of boys who I'd done it with less than three. Marcus would make three and frankly I was worried he wasn't willing to take on the responsibility I attached to number three. I wanted more than anything for him to be my number three but when he was ready, when he loved me and committed, he would be my number three.
The thing is, I don't know why I held back from making Marcus my number three. I was infatuated but somehow, I could never seem to cross that threshold. I think perhaps it was that I wasn't ready to be hurt by another committed relationship flushed away. But surprisingly, Marcus didn't seem to care anymore; he just stuck to PG-13 action with me.
"Whoa, bud! Where's the sock on the door?" his roommate huffed as he walked in.
I laughed and pulled back from Marcus. "Hey Henry."
"Oh, it's just you, now I know why there wasn't a sock."
Marcus rose from the couch and led me to the door. "See ya around."
I nodded and gave Marcus one more kiss to take advantage of that lip ring before he pulled back as I left, taking one giddy hop before resuming my typical stride.
Congratulations, Chloe.
AN: Thanks so much to all my readers and reviewers for the last chapter. I took all the reviews to heart and changed a few minor details from the first chapter, nothing noteworthy or plot changing. Because I wrote it, I'm a bit biased to how funny and wonderful it is. Please shoot me a review to help me see it realistically so I can improve my baby! Thanks for sticking it out through another chapter! And especially thank you to my first few reviewers!
You're wonderful: iSleptOnSunday,XxShokixX, Faithfully Yours, xXxBringTheBingxXx, groundhog 591
Thanks ya'll! Colie Rae :)