TWENTY-SIX
Haley
After classes, I rushed to the apartment to check on Tabby. She was sulking on the couch when I walked in.
“You okay?” I asked as I set my backpack down near the door.
“No,” she said. “I’m afraid to go out.”
“You should call off work for the night.”
“I already did. They don’t believe me either.”
“What did they say?”
“They’re giving me the day off, but they laughed at me. I’m about to lost my job there, I think.”
“You can’t let that happen,” I said. “If I move out at the end of the semester…”
She stood up and cut me off, saying, “Don’t move out on me. Please. Not now.”
“We both know this isn’t working out. You’re a good friend, and I don’t want to end up hating you because we lived together too long.”
I rubbed her arm a moment.
“Did you remember any other details?”
“It was the night you went to the nerds in armor thing at the park with James. I said I saw him go into a tent with someone else, but…it was me. He raped me that night while his drunk friends watched, laughed, and cheered him on.”
She stared into my eyes, showing no signs of lying.
“That doesn’t sound like James or his friends.”
“You don’t believe me either, do you?”
She sat down on the couch, putting her elbows on her knees and her head in her hands.
“Well, at first you told me one story, and now you’re telling me another. I’m not sure what to believe, Tabby.”
I sat next to her and put my hand on her back.
“You’re going to be okay,” I said.
“How do you know?” she snapped. “You don’t even believe James did this to me.”
“You know what? I’m going to call James’ roommates. They were at the knight thingy all night with him.”
“They’ll just lie for him.”
“Maybe, but I’m going to ask them.”
“I’m going to lay down.”
She stood and walked out of the living room. I wondered if I should call James or just go over to his house? It wasn’t far away, and I hadn’t seen or talked to him since the night before when we made love again.
Damn, he was right. All we do is fuck or fight.
I took a deep breath then got to my feet. A minute later, I was out the door and walking toward James’ house.
I’m going to get to the bottom of this by the end of the night
. Part of me wanted to believe Tabby, but she’d lied one too many times before.
On the way over, I saw Curtis walking toward me from the other end of the block. Before I could cross the street to avoid him, he raised a hand and called out.
What now?
I thought as he came closer, stopping when he reached me.
“Hey, Haley.”
“Hey, Curtis. How’s your knee?”
“Better. You going to see James.”
I nodded.
“Cool. I’m on my way to class, but he’s hanging out with Teddy and Brian. I’ll see you later maybe.”
“Yeah, maybe.”
After a wave, I continued on my way, thankful he hadn’t gone crazy. Maybe Curtis was a better match for me? I pushed the thought aside as their house came into view.
Before walking up to the porch, I stopped on the sidewalk and looked in the living room window. The only thing I saw was the flickering of a television screen.
I’ll just go back home and tell Tabby he denied it. She can take care of her own problems. I don’t need all this craziness, especially after my midterm grades.
No matter how hard I tried to justify walking away and saying goodbye to James once and for all, I was not able to resist James’ magnetic pull.
He had power over me, a fact that excited and terrified me at the same time. Previous to meeting him, I’d had the next six years of my life planned out.
Now, I wasn’t sure where I stood one day to the next. He had given me plenty of wonderful moments, but not everything had been a walk in the park.
I sighed then stepped toward the porch. The door opened before I reached it. James walked out laughing with his two other roommates behind him.
“Hey, James.”
He stopped laughing and turned his attention to me. Those brown eyes so deep and dark stared at me as I stood there feeling awkward as hell.
“Hey, Haley. What’s up?”
“We need to talk,” I said.
He frowned.
“What now?”
Oh boy. Here we go…
TWENTY-SEVEN
James
When I saw her standing at the bottom of the steps, something inside me said it wasn’t going to be good. She shuffled from one foot to the other.
“Can I come in? It’s getting chilly.”
“We were on our way to Papa Jack’s, but sure…”
“It’s important,” I said. “At least I think it is. I’m not sure anymore.”
“Go ahead fellas, I’ll catch up with you.”
“We’ll stick around,” Teddy said. “We’re usually not welcome at Papa Jack’s.”
“Everyone’s welcome there,” Haley said as she walked up the steps.
“Not everyone,” Brian said.
The two of them walked inside, leaving me alone with Haley on the porch.
“Are you going to invite me in?” she asked.
“I’m not sure. You’ve been acting kind of nuts.”
“I’ve been acting crazy?” She shook her head. “You’re the one who has been an asshole. Maybe Tabby is right about you.”
“You’re kidding, right? You think I raped her?”
“She was there that night, and she said…”
“I don’t care what she said. I’m telling you I did nothing but hang out with Teddy and Brian all night. We had a few beers, but I went to bed early in one of the tents.”
“Alone?”
I sighed and glanced out at the road.
“You’re going to take her side on this, huh?”
“I’m not taking anyone’s side except my own.”
“It would be nice if you took my side.”
We made eye contact.
“Tabby said…”
“You know what,” I interrupted. “Fuck Tabby, and fuck you, Haley! You’re not worth the fucking trouble.”
“Fuck you too,” she said.
“Super creative.”
She stomped her foot on the wooden porch.
“I hate you!”
“You wouldn’t be the first woman to show her true colors after you made me say those words.”
“I didn’t make you say anything.”
“Keep telling yourself that, babe.”
“Don’t call me babe. I hate it.”
“Okay, babe. Whatever you say, babe.”
“Ugh! You’re such an asshole!”
She pushed my chest with her arms then stormed off the porch. As she stormed down the walkway toward the sidewalk, Curtis appeared from the other direction. He walked across the yard to the porch.
“What’s going on here?”
“I’m fucking done with her,” I said, blood still boiling.
“I’ll take her off your hands if you want,” Curtis said with a laugh.
I rushed forward, throwing my body against his without even thinking.
“Whoa!” Teddy yelled, rushing over from the porch.
Curtis wasn’t a wimp. He wrestled back, both of us holding back but still being aggressive as hell. Teddy walked over and managed to pull us apart.
“Fuck you, bro,” Curtis snarled, trying to get around Teddy.
“Yeah, fuck you!” I yelled. “I’m sick of all this shit.”
“Damn,” Teddy said. “Is there a full moon or something tonight? Everyone is going bat-shit crazy.”
“Why the hell are we fighting about some chick?” Curtis asked.
“You know, I’m not sure.”
I found myself falling for Haley in a big way, but football mattered more. If she wouldn’t accept that fact, we weren’t meant to be together.
A cloud of testosterone flooded the front yard. I offered Curtis my hand. He shook it, gripping almost as tight as me.
“Bros before hoes,” he said.
“She’s not a hoe…”
“You know what the hell I mean, man.”
He pulled me closer and gave me a bear-hug. I felt Teddy patting my back.
“Is a woman worth all this?” Teddy asked.
“No,” I admitted. “But she’s not a normal woman.”
“Obviously,” Curtis said. “She’s playing games with you and me. We need to get in the zone for the next few games. Coach is pissed at us for losing last week.”
“Yeah…”
Whether I enjoyed admitting it or not, he made sense. I pushed Curtis away then turned and saw Brian standing on the porch looking lonely.
“Get over here, roomie. We’re doing a house-huddle then a night of drinking and brotherhood.”
“Fuck yeah!” Curtis yelled, getting into it.
“Football forever,” I screamed into the night air, not caring if Haley heard me.
She had probably made it back to her own apartment. Let her deal with that nutty roommate of hers. I put my arms around Teddy’s shoulder and headed to the porch.
Inside, we played some old school Beastie Boys at full volume – Fight for Your Right to Party. I didn’t want to drink any alcohol, but a group of guys could have fun without drinking.
I was sure of it.
TWENTY-EIGHT
James
Ten minutes later, I went outside and jumped in my Camaro.
Fuck this noise,
I thought as I started the car up. Haley dared come to my house, make an accusation, then get mad and leave? I wasn’t finished with her.
The fact it was boring as hell sitting around and watching Teddy destroy Curtis in a game of Madden had nothing to do with my decision. Well, not too much.
When I reached her apartment, I parked on the side of the street and got out. The moon, high in the sky, wasn’t full completely, but it was close.
On the porch, I knocked on the door.
“Go away!” Tabby yelled through the wood.
“I’m here to see Haley,” I said, getting annoyed with her roommate.
“She doesn’t want to talk to you!”
“Bullshit,” I said, knocking again. “I’m staying here until I hear that from her mouth.”
“Just go away!”
“No!”
I pounded again.
“Haley! Haley!”
“Shut up down there!” a man from the upstairs apartment yelled down.
“Mind your own business,” I shouted then knocked a few more times. “Haley! We need to talk!”
“We’re calling the cops,” Tabby said.
“Do it!” I said.
Behind the door, I heard them arguing. At least I hoped Haley was inside.
“I’m going to blast my radio until this door opens,” I threatened.
The door opened.
“Will you go? The neighbors are going to call the cops. They hate me.”
“I wonder why,” I said sarcastically.
“Because I’m LGBT, and the people around here are backwards losers.”
“No, it’s because you’re crazy.”
“You hate people like me too. That’s why I don’t want you around my Haley.”
“She’s not yours or mine.”
“That’s right,” Haley said as she walked up behind Tabby.
“Can I come in?”
She motioned with her head for me to come inside. Tabby twirled around, full of rage.
“You are not going to let him in this house. Not after what he did to me.”
“My roommates were there with me all night,” I said. “You’re a liar and an evil person.”
“Oh, I’m evil now because I’m LGBT?”
“No!” I exclaimed. “You’re evil because you do bad things and only care about yourself.”
“It’s me or him, Haley. You decide.”
“Come in, James.”
I smiled as I stepped through the doorway, my body pressing against hers briefly.
“This is not right!” Tabby yelled. “It’s not fair!”
After all the hassle to get into her house, I realized I didn’t want any of the drama anymore.
This is bullshit
.
“You know what, Haley? Fuck this. I’m leaving. You and Tabby have fun.”
Her eyes widened. Tabby grinned like she had won. I turned around and stormed off the front porch, heading for my Camaro. I didn’t need Haley or any other woman.