Best Friends Forever (18 page)

Two

I arrive at her dorm room fifteen minutes later and knock on her door. When she flings the door open and a smile lights up her face, I struggle to contain my own excitement. Seeing her reaction causes one in me, one that I know she doesn’t feel.

“Hey!” she exclaims and pulls me into a hug.

I wrap my arms around her and squeeze gently. “Hey yourself.”

Her grin is contagious when she pulls away. “So, about this homework stuff…” Her face turns serious.

“Yeah?” I step into her room, noticing how neat and tidy it is, just like her bedroom back home.

“I lied.”

I whirl around. “Say what?”

I know.” She looks at her feet. “I knew it would be the easiest way to get you here, since you’re such a nerd.” She laughs at her own joke, even as I chuckle along. “But the truth is, I think something’s up with Nolan. He’s been acting weird and I need your help to figure out what it is.”

This is it, the opportunity I was hoping for. A chance to be her knight in shining armor. “Of course I’ll help. What do you mean by ‘acting weird’?”

“Well, I didn’t tell you, but, we slept together a few weeks ago.” She doesn’t make eye contact, and even though it hurts, especially since I knew she was a virgin, it only fuels my anger toward Nolan, the lying bastard.

“I kind of expected that, Des.”

“Yeah, well I didn’t. I managed to get through all of high school with my virginity intact, and then I gave it away to the first guy in college who showed interest. I’m disappointed in myself.”

“You shouldn’t be,” I tell her, even though I’m disappointed in her behavior, too. “People have sex all the time. It’s a part of life.”

“Like you and Hazel?”

I glance at her, surprised. She’s already said she was okay with what happened between me and Hazel, and yet she almost sounds jealous. But maybe I’m making too much of it.

“Exactly like me and Hazel. It was a heat of the moment kind of thing, and even though I wish we’d both been smarter and not used each other that way, it’s in the past. And that means we’re both okay with it, and that we aren’t going to do it again.”

“But with Nolan, things are different. I love him. I know he cares about me, I just wish I’d been able to hold out a little longer.”

“Well, you can’t change your past, Des. But you can change your future. What has he been doing lately to make you think he’s acting strange?”

She sits on her bed, wringing her hands. “Well, at first, I didn’t notice anything. But then there have been little clues. Like he doesn’t want to have sex. I mean, I figured there was a time in relationships that sex could get boring and tedious, but I didn’t think it happened after only a few weeks.”

“It doesn’t. Especially not with a girl like you,” I tell her.

“You’re sweet.” She smiles at me. “The other thing is, he showers before he comes to my room, every single time. And if I surprise him at his dorm room, he always says he has to shower before we even kiss. It’s like he’s washing someone else off him. Am I paranoid?”

“I don’t think so. There’s a slight possibility that he’s just a super clean guy, but that seems a little excessive. Unless he’s OCD.”

“He’s not. Other than the showering, he doesn’t have any weird tics or OCD behaviors,” she explains.

“Is there anything else he does that makes you think he’s fooling around with someone else?”

“Not really. It’s mostly little things. Like he looks afraid for a millisecond when I surprise him, like he’s been caught doing something. I’ve never caught him, though.”

“Okay. That’s enough to make me wonder, at least. So do you want me to follow him?” I ask.

“Isn’t that creepy? I don’t want to be that girl.”

“No, it’s not creepy. Trust me, if he’s hiding something, he’s probably only trying to hide it from you, not from the entire campus. That means he’s bound to slip up at some point. And when he does, I’ll catch him and bring you proof. If you want me to,” I say, recognizing that look in her eyes. She’s nervous.

“Are you sure you won’t get caught?” Her eyes are teary and I can tell how much this is hurting her. It’s one thing to think about Nolan cheating on her own mind, but for her to admit it aloud to me, it must be killing her.

“I’m positive. I don’t have to, though. I only want to help, and if you don’t really want me to follow him, all you have to do is say so, and I won’t,” I lie. She needs to hear those words, but now that I know he’s dicking her around, I’ll stop at nothing to find him out and show his ugliness to the whole campus. It’s my only chance to show Des how much I care about her.

Three

For the most part, Nolan seems like an open book. Aside from football, Destiny doesn’t think he has many extracurricular activities. Except for two-timing her, of course.

So I decide to start at the football field.

I run into Miranda on my way across campus.

“Hey, Andre, where you heading?”

I look at her, taking in her modest top and loose-fitting jeans, wondering how on earth she could possibly be the girl from the rumors. “Football field.”

“Awesome. I was thinking about going to see Roman after practice, so I’ll walk over with you,” she explains, linking her arm through mine and leading me.

“So, you and Rome, huh?”

“I know. It’s probably stupid for me to get involved with him, but there’s something about him that just calls to my soul, you know?”

I know all too well. “I get it. Just be careful. He ruined Hazel.”

“Oh, he didn’t ruin her. She’s already got herself a new man, even though she won’t tell me who he is,” she complains with a laugh.

That catches my attention. “Oh yeah? Who do you think it is?”

“I can’t be sure. It must be someone I know, because if I didn’t know him, why the secrecy?”

“Yeah, I agree. Do you have any ideas?”

“Not really. Not yet, at least. But I plan to find out,” she whispers conspiratorially. “If I can find the time, anyway. Dating Roman is practically a full-time job. He’s actually kind of needy.”

And just like that, the subject is changed and we’re discussing her new relationship instead of Hazel’s new guy. Even though that’s all I’m thinking about. What if she’s secretly screwing Nolan? Now I have to find out the truth, no matter what. If Des is being betrayed by one of her closest friends, I need to know.

The football field is filled with players and even a few cheerleaders. Miranda and I find a spot in the nearly empty bleachers and sit to watch the practice.

Nolan, I notice, is distracted and misses two passes before the coach hauls him onto the sidelines to ream him a new one before shoving him down on the bench. Nolan doesn’t even looked fazed as he yanks off his helmet and pulls his phone out of his bag. He sends a text and then sets the phone beside him to watch his teammates.

Seconds later, he picks up the phone and writes out another message. If his smile is any indication, he likes whoever he’s talking to. I pull out my own phone and text Des.

Are you texting Nolan right now?

I wait for her answer by distracting Miranda with questions about Roman. “Do you think he’s going to be true to you?”

“Honestly, I’m not sure. I know he’s opened up to me a lot, much more than he did with Hazel or Cheyanne, but I’m keeping my heart safe, just in case,” she explains. She goes on, but my phone buzzes and I open up a text from Des.

No. He says he doesn’t want me to text him during practice. We don’t have any plans for tonight, either.

I write a quick ok and then turn back to Miranda, who is yammering on about how Roman can be redeemed. I try not to roll my eyes.

“Hey, I hate to interrupt, but I just got a text from my sister. Apparently, I need to call home, so I’ll catch up with you later, okay?”

“Sure thing. See ya!” Miranda replies. Her happy-go-lucky attitude doesn’t notice how agitated I am, for which I’m grateful.

I leave the bleachers and head toward the exit. I circle around the bleachers to the other side and watch from a distance. When I see Nolan approach the coach and then leave the field, I know this is my chance. I follow him until he goes into the locker room. When he comes out, he’s dressed in slacks and a button-down blue shirt.

I keep out of sight as I watch him get into his car in the lot, tossing his stuff into the backseat. Once he’s out of the lot, I race to my own car, determined to follow him. I manage to catch up with him just as he’s pulling out onto University Boulevard. Just before he reaches Route 501, though, he pulls over to pick up a blonde girl. She’s dressed like a high-priced call girl, and her hair looks fake.

She climbs into the front seat and I watch as she leans over and puts her lips against his. He is cheating. The bastard. I trail behind as Nolan takes off into traffic. I want to follow him, but I’m so sickened by the thought of someone doing that to Des, that I actually have to pull over and take deep breaths.

I want to kill the asshole for what he’s doing to my best friend, but I know that will only hurt her more. Instead, I turn my car around, ready to report back to Des about what her man is up to in his spare time.

Four

I park near the dorms and run into Roman outside Destiny’s building. “Hey, man, what’s up?”

“We need to talk.” His tone is serious.

“What about? I’m a little busy,” I say to waylay him.

“This is important.”

I stop, annoyed. “What is it?”

“Something’s up with Nolan.”

“What do you mean?”

Roman runs a hand through his hair. “I’m not sure. He ducked out of practice early for a migraine or something, according to the coach. But I’m not buying. There’s something going on.”

“So why are you telling me?”

“I want you to figure out what it is.”

“Do I have private investigator tattooed on my forehead? What the hell!” I grit out. I know it’s not his fault, but I feel like a cheap version of Holmes and it’s pissing me off.

“I know what you did over the summer, Andre.”

And just like that, I freeze. No one knows what I did over the summer. No one. But somehow, it doesn’t surprise me that Roman knows. He’s the king of knowledge on campus and has dirt on everyone. I’ve often wondered if he isn’t the person sharing secrets and rumors via text and flyers.

“So?” I say, trying to be nonchalant.

Roman doesn’t buy it. “You and I both know that you did. And who you worked for. So let’s cut the shit. I’ll pay you,” he offers, which grabs my attention.

“How much?” I don’t exactly want to do this, but if he’s going to pay, college is expensive. And my family is struggling.

“Two grand.”

“Three,” I demand, knowing he’s got the money.

“Twenty-five hundred. Final offer.”

“Deal. Half upfront, half when I get you what you want,” I tell him, just to push my luck.

“Fine. But you don’t tell anyone, got it?”

“Yep. But let me ask you – what’s the big deal? Why do you care about whatever he’s doing?”

“You let me worry about it. I need him trailed when he’s not with me. That’s where you come in.”

“Hold up,” I interrupt. “I have classes to go to. I can’t follow him all the time.”

“I can make it worth your while,” Roman extends.

More than twenty-five hundred dollars? I’m intrigued.

“How so?”

“Well, I can pay your tuition, your room and board, and I can pay off teachers for any classes you miss,” he offers.

“I actually do want to learn, Rome. And I don’t want my teachers bribed.”

“Alright, then you can hire someone on campus to follow him when you have class. I’ll pay that person ten bucks an hour. Plus five thousand for you in addition to this year’s tuition. How’s that sound?”

It sounds amazing, but I still don’t trust Roman, so I force myself to sound less than excited. “I still want half upfront.”

“That’s fine. I’ll have it for you tonight before midnight. And you can start following him tomorrow morning. Do we have a deal?”

I shake his outstretched hand with an overwhelming fear in my bones, knowing that this could be a huge turning point in my life.

Five

Once Roman and I are through discussing details, he leaves me alone and I wonder what exactly I should tell Des. She deserves to know the truth, but since Rome is pretty much calling the shots now, I think it might be best to hide what I know from her until I have all the facts. That way I know, without a doubt, that my information is good.

Convincing myself I’m doing it for her own good, I walk up to Destiny’s dorm and knock. She smiles when she sees me at the door.

“How’d it go?” She pulls me inside and sits beside me on her bed.

I take a deep breath. “Nothing yet. But I think you might be right. He left practice early and then I lost him on University Boulevard.” It’s a partial truth, which doesn’t make me feel any better about myself. I don’t want to lie to her, no matter the situation, but this money from Roman will help my family more than anyone can imagine.

Even Des doesn’t know how hard my family is struggling. With my mom supporting all four of my younger brothers alone, she’s had a difficult time balancing work and actually taking care of them. Through the summer, I worked as much as I could and gave her every penny. She didn’t want to take it at first, but finally agreed, if I promised to go away for college. She’s a stubborn woman, one I wouldn’t want to cross. She knows how hard I worked to be able to even get into to college, let alone get a partial scholarship. The money I got was put toward my tuition, but I took out the full loan amounts so I had money to send home every week. Since Mom and I have a joint checking account, I just deposit money into our account every week so that she has a little extra cash.

With Roman offering to pay my tuition, I know I can send even more money home, something that I know Mom needs. She likes to pretend she’s not as hard-pressed for cash as she is, but I know the truth. And with four teenage and pre-teen boys at home, eating all the time, she definitely needs that extra money.

Roman told me he would have the first half of what he’s paying me ready by nine tomorrow morning, so until then, I’m off duty. Knowing that Nolan is off doing whatever he’s doing, I decide to hang out with Des, if only to distract her.

“Want to go see a movie?”

“Not really. They’re so expensive these days. What if we go to the library and rent a DVD?” she counters.

“Sounds like a plan. No rom-coms, okay?”

“Oh, you’re no fun!” She laughs. “Just kidding! I was thinking of a horror flick, since it’s so close to Halloween.”

“Good idea,” I agree.

“Speaking of which… Nolan’s fraternity is having a Halloween party. We’re inviting everyone. You want to go?”

I sigh. Nolan’s fraternity tried to recruit me this year, thinking I would add to their diversity, but I turned them down, knowing that I couldn’t commit to them the way they wanted. Nolan was pissed at first, and he still cracks jokes about it every now and then, but I think he’s finally realized he can’t change my mind. Of course, there’s the fact that I’m utterly in love with his girlfriend… That kind of creates some friction, though he doesn’t know it.

“I guess,” I agree half-heartedly.

“Come on, don’t be like that. It’s going to be a small party, with only a few invited guests,” she explains.

Yeah, I’ll believe that when I see it. “Fine,” I say, caught up in my own thoughts as I figure out that Roman will want me there to monitor Nolan. I guess it’s a good thing I got an official invite and don’t have to sneak around to get in.

“Let’s go get a movie,” she says, pulling on my hand.

We leave her room together and just outside her dorm room, we run into Roman and Miranda.

“We’re on our way to get a movie – you guys want to join us?” Des asks, ever the friendly girl. It’s one of the thousands of things I love about her.

“Sure. Hazel said she was going down to the beach,” Miranda replies.

Roman and I share a look, knowing as we do that Nolan is MIA and picked up a blonde. He makes a gesture that I take to mean we’ll talk later, so I turn to Destiny.

“Let’s go grab a movie, then. We were thinking about a horror,” I say to Miranda and Roman.

“I hate scary movies,” Miranda whines. “I always have nightmares afterward.”

Roman puts an arm around her waist. “I’ll keep you safe tonight.”

Ugh. It’s sweet, but almost sickeningly, so I turn away and lead Des to toward the library. Roman and Miranda fall into step behind us. Des and Miranda carry on a conversation while Roman and I are deathly silent.

“What movie are you going to get, because if it’s too scary, not even Roman will be able to keep the nightmares at bay,” Miranda says with a nervous laugh.

“It depends on what the library has, but I was thinking of an old classic, like the original Halloween or Friday the Thirteenth,” Destiny replies.

“Oh, good, so I’ll be even more scared,” Miranda comments. She rolls her eyes just as I turn to look at her.

“Didn’t you watch scary movies as a kid?” I ask, thoroughly enjoying her discomfort.

“No, not really. My parents kept us away from all that horror and gory stuff,” she admits.

Instantly, I’m intrigued, but Destiny changes the subject.

“So what are you guys dressing up as for Halloween?”

“Oh, I’m not one hundred percent sure yet! I was thinking about Miley Cyrus, and Roman said he would dress as Robin Thicke, which would be hilarious, but we still aren’t sure,” Miranda says, her voice high pitched in her excitement.

“Andre, what about you?” Des asks.

“I only just agreed to go to the party, so I’m definitely not sure. I’ll think of something, though. What are you two going as?” I glance at Des and she looks annoyed.

“We aren’t dressing as a couple, if that’s what you mean. Nolan has to dress with the fraternity. I haven’t made up my mind what I’m going as,” she tries to sound nonchalant, but I can tell she’s pissed. She obviously had an idea for the two of them.

“The fraternity has us dressing as the T-Birds from Grease,” Roman explains.

“Well, that’s easy, then. Why don’t you dress as one of the Pink Ladies, Des?” I’m only trying to be helpful, but she bites my head off.

“Because the sorority they invited is dressing up as Pink Ladies, and I’m not a part of that, so I can’t dress similarly,” she grits out.

I stay silent in reply, so that I don’t get in the middle of her problems. Miranda looks like she wants to say something, but I shake my head at her. She raises a brow but keeps quiet.