Best Friends Forever (15 page)

Seven

The store has a tiny parking lot, and I maneuver into a space just barely big enough to fit Roman’s sports car. I wonder how a larger car would fit into the spot as Hazel and I get out and walk to the entrance of the store. I pull open the glass door and hold it for Hazel. She smiles at me.

“Thanks. I hate that I don’t have a car,” she grumbles.

We make a beeline for the pencils area. “Why is that, by the way… Why don’t you have a car?”

She laughs. “My dad is crazy, that’s why. He’s convinced if I have a car, I’m going to run away.”

It’s my turn to laugh. “Why would you run away? Isn’t he rich?” If it were me, I’d be all over the money.

“Money isn’t everything, Miranda. I learned that the hard way,” she says, her voice somber. I want to ask a dozen or more questions, but she replaces the sadness in her eyes with excitement. “Although having plenty of money to buy art supplies is pretty awesome.”

I smile back at her and she moves farther into the store, on the hunt for the perfect colored pencils. “I’ve got to grab a few things. I’ll catch up in a few.”

She nods without looking back as I slip into the aisle with easels. I find a new pad of blank paper for the older easel I brought to the dorms. Watercolors are the next aisle over and I grab a set of the assorted colors and a pack of brushes. When I finally make it over to Hazel, she’s brooding over her color options.

“Oh, hey! I need your help.” She picks up two colors of brown, one very light and the other a bit darker. “Which one of these is the color of Roman’s hair?”

I examine them closely, taking her request seriously, even though there isn’t a color on earth that could match the sinful hue of Roman’s locks. “What if you started with this pale brown and added shades of the darker color for texture? You could almost get away with adding a few strokes of red, too, for a better look.”

“That’s genius! You know your way around color schemes,” she says.

“It’s not my first time. I was a student teacher for my high school art classes. The teacher was impressed.”

“Really? What are you majoring in?”

“Finance,” I mumble.

“Seriously? You could easily get into one of the art institutes,” she comments.

“Yeah. Parents suck, huh?” I know she’ll relate.

“Tell me about it. So I need to grab a few more sketch pads,” she says, changing the subject. I follow her to the aisle of sketch pads and watch her pick up, smell, and examine several pads.

“Is there an untapped paper smelling drug I’m missing out on?” I ask after she puts down the sixth pad.

“Not really, although I do get my own personal high when I smell the paper. I’m the same way about new books,” she admits.

“Me too! About the books, anyway,” I tell her.

“Something we have in common! I didn’t think we would have anything in common. I’ll be honest, Miranda,” she says as she picks up pad number seven. She inhales with her eyes closed and then drops the pad and two just like it into her basket. “I judged you before I knew you. I thought you were the typical blonde airhead, but it turns out, you’re actually kind of cool.”

I stare at her, stupefied by her words. “Umm, thanks?”

“I don’t mean to be offensive,” she starts. “I just learned from a young age to be honest and upfront. Then people know exactly what kind of person you are when they meet you. It saves you from having to ever be someone you’re not.”

It makes sense, but I’m not sure I could ever be that honest with someone. “Well, thanks for the honesty.”

She smiles and we make our way to the checkout. She sets her stuff on the counter and gestures I do the same. I set my things down several inches away from hers so that the woman scanning Hazel’s items doesn’t think those are hers too.

“These are all together,” Hazel says to the older woman behind the counter.

“Hazel, no. I’ve got it,” I say.

“Nonsense! We’re friends. Besides, Daddy’s buying,” she says, holding up a credit card and waving it at me. “Put everything together,” she addresses the clerk again.

I sigh but don’t disagree. Hazel is hardly the kind of person who will back down. Instead, I watch as my items are scanned and tossed into their own bag, with my easel pad put into an extra-large bag. Hazel swipes her card and within seconds, we’re back in the car.

“Anywhere else we should go?” Hazel asks from the passenger seat.

“Oh, I don’t know. Did you have somewhere in mind?”

“We should go to dinner,” she suggests.

“Umm, I actually have dinner plans already,” I say, thinking of Roman. He’s going to meet me in my room in just an hour.

“Oh, okay. How about milkshakes, then? We’ll just go through the drive-thru,” she says, pointing toward the burger place across the street.

“Perfect,” I agree.

When we’re back on our way to Coastal, Hazel looks at me seriously.

“I’m glad we did this.”

I look at her for a second with a smile. “Me too. I don’t know what I was expecting, but I guess I had preconceived ideas about you, too. Sorry about that.”

“It’s not a problem. In fact, I think I learned a lot about you.” She smiles.

“I agree. We should do it again. Maybe actually go get dinner one time instead of just shakes,” I suggest, holding up my shake and taking a sip.

“Definitely.”

As surprised as I am by this new friendship, I’m grateful for it, too. Cheyanne has been acting strangely toward me lately, so it’s nice to have more than one person I can talk to. I really thought Hazel was a horrible person, but maybe that was just Cheyanne’s ideas and jealousy getting in the way of me seeing who Hazel really is.

I trust her.

Eight

Hazel doesn’t even give me a second glance when she walks into her building. I make my way to mine and close the door behind me. I set my new supplies on my desk and pull out my phone to text Roman.

I’m back and my roomie is gone. Be here in half an hour?

I set my phone down and go to my closet to pick out something sexy. I packed away all my sexy jeans and low-cut tops and left them at my mom’s, but I think I still have something I can wear for Roman. In the back of my closet, I find a black teddy with see-through, lacy cups. I strip down to just my panties and pull the teddy on, then change my panties to a pair far sexier. They’re black and silky, perfect for tonight. I wonder if black thigh-highs would make the ensemble but quickly discard them. I have to leave a few surprises.

My phone beeps and I scoop it up to open the incoming message.

Sounds good. I’m bringing wine. ;)

I laugh out loud, alone in my room. Does he think I need to be drunk to do this? I’ve wanted him since I met him. And now I get to have him! It’s like a dream come true. I know he’s a total man-whore, but I have condoms, and I’m on birth control, so I don’t have to worry about ending up like Cheyanne.

I pull my robe on over the teddy. It’s short, just long enough to cover my ass, but not much more. I tie the belt loosely around my hips, causing the soft, fluffy material to rise up even farther. I smile in anticipation. I apply my makeup so as to enhance my features with being too much. He’s used to Hazel’s dark makeup, so I put on light eye shadow and a little blush.

I remake my bed so it’s perfect, with the pale blue comforter tugged back just a bit so it looks inviting. I spray a little of my body spray above the pillows and then on my neck. I jump when there’s a knock at my door. He’s a little early.

“Who is it?” I ask softly.

“It’s me, open up!” he commands.

I yank open the door and belatedly realize it wasn’t Roman’s voice I heard.

“Ready for our date?”

Standing in front of me is Audric, dressed to the nines and looking so hot. His shaggy hair is even slicked back. He looks so much older. His blue eyes bore into mine after he surveys my robe.

“You were expecting me, right?”

“Audric! Umm, I actually…” I freak, wondering how on earth I forgot about our date. “I’m just running a little late.” The lie comes out naturally, as if I’m just not ready yet. “Can I have a few minutes?”

“Sure. I’ll wait outside,” he agrees.

I close the door and run for my phone, opening up my text chat with Roman.

Don’t come over! I forgot I have a date with Audric!

I set it down and race to the closet, searching for an outfit. I find a modest, fitted dress and slip it over the teddy. I pull on a pair of black leggings and my favorite black flats. I check my reflection in the mirror and realize my makeup goes perfectly with this outfit. I do a little spin to make sure my teddy isn’t visible under the dress and then I grab a tiny black purse and stuff my wallet and keys in it. I pick up my phone as it beeps.

That’s problematic. You know he’s my roommate, right?

I laugh as I type a reply.

We can meet later, although my roommate will be back and yours will be coming home from a date with me. Anywhere else we can go?

I wait ten seconds for a response.

Yeah. Text me when you get back to your room. I’ll pick you up and we can go somewhere. Have a good date.

His good nature about my date surprises me, especially since he let me into his world earlier today and I feel like I’m cheating. But he has a thing with Hazel, so I can’t worry too much.

With a forced smile, I open my door again, ready to go on my date with Audric. “I’m ready. Sorry about that.”

“You look great,” he says, kissing my cheek. He’s so sweet.

“Thanks. You don’t look too bad yourself.”

His grin makes him look years younger, and I feel like I’m the one older than him. “How old are you?”

I cover my mouth, not believing I just said that out loud.

He laughs. “I’m twenty-one.”

“Whoa. You look like you’re eighteen,” I comment.

“I get that a lot. I’ll be twenty-two in a few weeks. I stayed back in first grade, and then took a year off of school. Then I went to community college for a year and transferred here. So I’m older than a lot of people here.”

“Cool.” I lock my door and we walk out of the building. “So what’s your major?”

“Secondary education,” he answers, his hand dropping to my lower back as we walk.

I feel safe with Audric, like he’s too much of a gentleman to try anything. “So you want to be a teacher.”

“High school history, actually. It took me some time to figure it out, but I finally realized that I love history, and my high school history teacher made it so much fun. I want to be able to give kids an experience like that, you know?”

“Yeah, I totally get it.”

“What about you?”

I laugh. “I’m undecided. I don’t know what I want, yet.”

“Well, you’re only a freshman. Plenty of time to figure it out. What do you like to do?”

“Draw…” I mutter under my breath.

“You’re an artist?”

“I wouldn’t go that far, but I dabble in it. I’m definitely not as good as Hazel.”

“She’s pretty advanced for her age. I’ve seen her sketchbooks. She’s got a lot of talent. She doesn’t have the discipline, though. She does what she wants and doesn’t take advice from anyone.”

“Well, actually… I gave her advice today about one of her sketches and she took it. We even went to the art store so she could buy the supplies she needed to finish a sketch. I even picked a few of the colors for her.”

“She’s taking advice and using color? You must have had some damn good advice,” he remarks.

“It was no big deal,” I say as a blush creeps up my neck.

“You don’t have to be shy. Although now I want to see what you’ve done.”

“I mostly use watercolors. I definitely don’t have Hazel’s skill with a pen,” I explain.

“You don’t have to compare yourself with her,” he says. “I still want to see what you’re working on.”

We continue our conversation as he drives us to the pizza place. I feel a bit overdressed, but Audric asks for a booth in the back and it’s intimate. Our waitress flirts with him, obviously anxious for a tip, and then treats me like I’m not even there. Roman just ignores her advances, though.

Once our pizza is set in front of us, conversation ceases while I munch on a single piece and Audric all but inhales the rest of the pie.

Nine

The date feels more like friends having dinner than an actual date, but I don’t mind. I like Audric, and although I’d like to have a relationship with him, I like being just being friends with him, too. I could see this going either way.

He drops me off at my dorm room without so much as a kiss goodnight, and I wonder if I’m on the right track thinking we should just be friends. He’s a little socially awkward, but it only adds to his charm. I watch him walk away with a smile. It’s hard not to laugh when he trips over a tiny hump in the carpet and slams into the opposite wall. I cover my mouth with my hand and scoot back into my room so he doesn’t see that I saw him.

I peek around the door frame and see that he’s righted himself and is shaking his head as he continues down the hallway. My whole body shakes from holding in my laughter. I slip back into my room as he rounds the corner out of sight.

“What’s so funny?” my roommate, Stacy, asks.

I close the door. “Nothing.” I don’t really like her, but I know I have to be civil.

“Riiight…” She rolls her eyes and turns back to the psych book she’s reading.

I slip my phone out of my purse and text Roman. Within seconds comes his reply.

Hey, meet me out by my car in the parking lot. Don’t change your clothes.

An odd request, but I oblige. Without explaining my destination to my roommate, I leave our room and go toward the back of the building. The chances are slim, but I can’t risk running into Audric. I sneak out the door and around the side of the brick building. I race across the parking lot and see Roman already sitting in the driver’s seat of his car.

I yank open the passenger door and hop in. I don’t even have time to put on my seatbelt when Roman tears out of the parking lot. Laughing, I pull the belt across my shoulder and lap, buckling myself in. We don’t speak until we’re on Ocean Boulevard and Roman slows down.

“Hi,” he says to me, his eyes lit up in excitement.

“Hi, yourself,” I whisper.

He takes my hand and squeezes it, a sure sign that he’s as thrilled as I am for our night together. Even though I have no idea what he has in mind.

“Where are we going?”

“You just let me worry about that,” he says with a smirk, and I realize he’s not going to tell me. Instead, I lean back against the soft leather and relax, letting myself enjoy the scenery.

When he pulls into the parking lot of one of the best hotels on the beach, I sit up straight. “Are we getting a room here?” I’m worried about paying for it, since I depleted a huge chunk of my checking account earlier today, shopping with Hazel.

“Yep. Don’t worry. I’ve got it,” he says, sensing my hesitation.

I grumble under my breath, making him laugh. When he pulls up to the valet service, I wonder what he’s going to tell his parents when they see the charges. The valet opens my door and I get out, feeling way underdressed. My outfit is semi-dressy, but mostly casual. It’s something I would wear at the beach.

Roman meets me near the door, tosses his keys to the valet like he owns the place, and doesn’t even bother with a valet ticket. I eye him suspiciously, but he just laughs.

At the check-in counter, he gives the woman his name and she stutters in his presence. I raise my brow but don’t say anything. Obviously, he’s a big deal here. The woman hands him a key and directs us to the elevators.

“What was that about?” I ask, curious.

“Didn’t I mention I own this hotel?”

I stop in the middle of the lobby. “Say what?!?”

He smiles but keeps walking, ignoring the fact that I’ve stopped and guiding me along with my pretty black flats sliding along the tile floor. I’m still in shock when he guides me on the elevator.

“Is this some weird, demented Fifty Shades thing? I’m not doing it in this elevator,” I explain, wondering if there are hidden cameras around that will jump out at any moment.

“Relax. I’m Roman, not Christian,” he says. The fact that he gets my insinuation is amazing. He’s amazing.

“Fine.” I cross my arms over my chest.

“I love this dress, by the way.” He moves closer to me, running his fingers down my arm.

“Too bad you won’t get to see what’s underneath,” I joke.

His face falls, but he recovers quickly with a glare. “We’ll see about that.”

I worry he’s thinking about revenge, but I was only kidding. Instead of telling him, though, I tighten my arms around myself, covering any and all cleavage. He turns away to face the elevator doors and shakes his head.