Twist of Fate (5 page)

I glared at Tommy almost pleading with him silently to get her out of here. He shrugged like he didn't give a shit. "She has a hankering for a Big Mac."

I knew I should say no, but Paige had her hands together like she was praying, jumping up and down, saying over and over again, "Please, Ben? Please, come?" The only thing I could focus on was her chest bopping up and down. I was such a prick.

"Fine," I grumbled. I never could say no to her.

Tommy shook his head several times, staring at me like I had no balls. He was probably right. At this moment, my cojones were officially missing.

The entire drive she didn't shut up about Matt and how great he was, and how she really didn't expect Arizona to be like this. She was sitting up front with Tommy, and I was riding in the damn back. She was wearing this short little skirt, and a tank top that showed off just the right amount to make you wonder what was underneath. I forced myself to focus at everything that passed us by, and not how perfect she looked. But, in that shirt she was practically screaming, 'hey Ben, look at me.'

Tommy cranked up the air, causing Paige's hair to blow all over.
 
I was mesmerized watching her as she pulled the long blond strands back, then began to make some weird knot that held it all up in one messy pile. It'd been hot as hell all summer. It was October, and it still felt like August.

Once inside I waited for Paige to slip into the booth. I nudged Tommy to sit next to her, while I slipped in across from them with a tray full of food. Since Tommy drove, and well, Paige was Paige, I paid for it all.

When I thought about getting out of there she scooted up in her seat, leaning forward. She was wearing one of those strappy shirts, and it stretched tightly across her chest. It was about all I could take. I almost pulled her over the damn table.

"I'm getting another one," she announced before nudging Tommy to move out of the booth.
 

We both scanned her body. "Where the hell do you put it all for crying out loud."

"What?" she smirked. "I have a fast metabolism." She walked away, and I couldn't help but watch her go. That skirt should be illegal.

"Stop drooling. I thought you wanted to
not
see her?"

"What was I supposed to say, she asked?"
"You're a glutton for punishment, man."

I shoved some fries in my mouth, waiting for her to get back. When she did, she had three more Big Mac's. "You can't be serious?" I asked.
She scooted in next to me this time, shoving me over with her hip. She tossed one to Tommy, then to me. "You aren't going to let me eat alone, are you?" Then she took this huge bite, and their special sauce started running down her chin. The only thing I could think of short of licking it off her face, was to grab a napkin. Without thinking, I leaned over, dabbing her chin. Anything to touch her.

"Oh, thanks." She smiled shyly, batting her eyelashes. "You can't take me anywhere."

Tommy just huffed, shaking his head at me. And, I realized he was right. I was a glutton for punishment. I looked out the window, then back to them. "Listen, I need to head back in a few."

Paige frowned. "Oh, I though we could hang out tonight?"
"I can't tonight. And, why aren't you with Matt? I thought you two were inseparable these days."

She shrugged. "He said he had to study tonight."

Tommy and I both exchanged looks. Matt never studied until the night before. And, it was Friday. I knew Tommy and I were both thinking the same thing. Matt's two-timing her suddenly. The shrill of, 'I'm sexy and I know it' came blasting out of my phone. I knew who it was since she programmed that damn song as her personal ringtone. And, like an ass I forgot to get rid of it.
 
Normally I wouldn't answer, but I had a date. "Yo."
 

"I'm not at the house. No. Give me twenty minutes." It was Michele calling. For some reason, I was about to break one of my cardinal rules and see her for the second time. She was alright, but not what I wanted. I'd let myself spend time with her since I was trying to forget about Paige, not because I was interested in a monogamous relationship.
 
"We gotta go. I've got to get back."

"Ooh, hot date tonight, Benny?" She teased, bumping her shoulder with mine.

I leaned over practically touching my forehead to hers, staring into those come fuck me eyes. "As a matter of fact, I do, beautiful."

She pulled slightly back. "What?"

In confusion, I just stared, and replayed my answer in my head. "Okay, what did I say?"

Tommy leaned over the table, doing his head shaking thing. "You called her beautiful, shit for brains." I cursed myself for being such an idiot, but, at least it was out there.

I shrugged, waving them both off, acting like it'd been no big deal. I rested my arm over her shoulder, deciding to go with it. "Oh, well, you are pretty."
 

She grinned. "Thanks, but I'm pretty sure you called me beautiful."

"Oh, give your ego a rest. I need to go."
 

We were in the car heading back when Paige poked her head up front. "So, who is it tonight?"

I turned my head to the left to look over my shoulder. "It's Michele."

She laughed out loud, and Tommy joined her. "What's wrong with Michele?" I asked, a little pissier than I probably should have.

"Nothing."

I twisted around so I could fully see her. "No tell me?"

Tommy rested his hand on my shoulder, and squeezed. "Relax. We're just busting your balls. What's this the fourth or fifth time you're seeing her? It must be some kind of record."

Paige's face was still in my peripheral vision, and I could see her holding back a laugh. "It's the third, smart ass."

"Wow, two whole times. You must really like this one." Paige said, then she shifted her head over to Tommy's headrest. "Is Michele the one that wears those crazy short skirts you can practically see everything and wears all that nasty red lipstick?"

"You got it, P," Tommy said, laughing.

I slumped back in my seat. "I never should have said anything."

Tommy glanced over to me, his hand reaching out touching my hair. "It's sweet. You're falling in love."

"Bro," I punched him in the leg. "I don't do love, and you know it. She's a good lay."

Paige made a sound of disgust before scooting back in place, And, I was left feeling like a total scumbag. Sometimes, I forgot she was with us, and forgot to keep my damn mouth shut.

"Maybe I'll see you guys later." I bolted out and up to my room, leaving Tommy to drop Paige back off to her dorm.
 
I needed a distraction, a major distraction.

PAIGE

Chapter 6

"Is that what you're wearing on your date?" Ellie asked, as she circled around me, eyeing me from head to toe.
 

I shrugged one shoulder, as I stared back at myself in the floor length mirror hanging on our wardrobe. "What's wrong with it?
 
I like this dress."

"Do you have something not so, I don't know...girly? You're going out with Matt frigging Sterling."

"Did you forget that I am a girl? Besides, I like this one."

She stepped to me, standing in front of me. "Well, I guess you can go with the whole innocent vibe. Guys dig that shit." Her fingers ran across my bangs sweeping them over to the side. "Maybe I should start wearing those baby doll dresses and see if I can land a guy like him."

My phone pinged, and I knew without a shadow of a doubt it was probably him waiting for me to come outside. "You could get anyone you want, and you know it." I grabbed my cell, tossing it in my bag. "Actually, you never have a problem in that department.

She cranked up the music on the small dock with her iPod. "Yeah, but they look at me like a quick shot of whiskey; I come on strong, and I burn going down.
 
You, you're like a jello shot; sweet, and they can't resist having one more shot."

I was about to walk out, but laughed out loud at her analogy. "What the hell are you talking about?"

She sat at the desk we shared, and I watched her spin around in circles a few times, but then she stopped to look at me. "It means, that every guy I'm with tosses me aside after the first time, but you, they seem to never get enough. You should see the way some of those frat boys look at you. I'm telling you, Paige."

I headed back in the room, gently placing my fingers on the back of the chair, then spun it around as fast as I could. "That's because I leave them with something you don't."

Her head leaned all the way back, her eyes closed. "Yeah, what's that?"

"Curiosity," I said, laughing, giving her a little flick on top of her head.
 

"I gotta go. I guess I'll see you later. Do you have plans?"

She wiggled her eyebrows a few times. "Not yet, but you never know."

I yanked open the door, smiling back at her. "Remember leave them curious, not satisfied."

Matt was sitting in his car, his fingers tapping on the steering wheel, with his head tipped back against the black leather of the seat when I walked up. I tapped my knuckles on the glass to give him a head's up. "Hey," I said, sliding in.
 

His head remained leaning back, but he turned, opening his eyes. "Hey, yourself." His fingers were still drumming against the wheel, and he hadn't said another word. We were just sitting in the parking lot of my dorm, as he seemed to be enthralled with the sound of some gut wrenching noise coming out of the speakers. It wasn't until the last chord of the guitar blasted through that he finally sat straight up.
 

"You look nice," he said in between placing kisses on my lips.
 

"Thanks. You like heavy metal?"

He laughed, running his fingers through my hair. "That's not heavy metal, Paige. It's Seether. They're a grunge band out of South Africa. You never heard of them?"

"No, I haven't. It's not really my taste."

He leaned back over to his seat, turning the music down. "So, I know I told you we could go grab a bite at that new place downtown, but I was able to get rid of my roommates for most of the night. I made dinner."
 

I dropped my head, fumbling with my fingers, nerves coursing through me at the thought of going back to his place. Alone!

His hand reached over, squeezing my thigh, as he pulled away from the curb. "That's okay, isn't it?"

I still hadn't looked up for fear that he was going to see the expression on my face, because I was almost positive all the color drained from it the second he told me his plan. "Paige, are you okay?"

I took a deep breath, reminding myself that everyone was not out to hurt me. That I could do this. I could live a normal life, have a normal college experience. I slowly nodded my head up and down, mumbling, "Yeah."

"Good because I made my mom's homemade pesto, and it took me forever." He looked over, grinning. "It's awesome. Wait until you taste it." For the entire five minutes left in the ride, I silently talked myself into putting on a brave face and to just get through the next few hours.

Matt's apartment was only a few blocks away from campus. It was exactly what I thought it would be. The walls were white, each one covered in either a poster of a naked girl lying on a car, or some kind of advertisement for beer. The kitchen was small, connecting with the entire living area, which consisted of a maroon microfiber couch, and a southwestern looking swivel chair.
 

Matt's hand was on the small of my back, leading me toward the barstools pushed up against the counter. "I just need to boil the water, and then we can eat. He pulled a bottle of wine into his hands, sticking a corkscrew on top and twisting until the cork popped. He poured two glasses, then handed one off to me. "Cheers," he said, clinking his glass with mine.
 

Slowly I took a sip, eyeing his back since he just turned to grab something out of the refrigerator. He was wearing a pair of loose fitting jeans, and a black t-shirt that tugged at his back when he bent over. He smiled back up at me when he noticed me staring. "How's the wine? I wasn't sure if you'd even like it, but I took a chance."

I smiled. "It's great, thanks." I pointed down at the small bowl of pesto that sat by the sink.
 
"The pesto smells amazing."
 

He reached down to grab it, then brought it up to my nose. "It's good, right?"

I sniffed quickly, taking in the scent of fresh basil. "Yeah, it is."

Matt grabbed a pot from underneath the sink, then scooped out the pesto from the bowl, and placed it on stove. He cranked the gas on, keeping it on low, while the pasta cooked. He eyed my drink, noticing that I downed the whole thing while watching him. He grabbed the bottle, then filled my glass another time. "I got another bottle, so drink up."

There were two voices screaming at me, while Matt poured the pesto over the steaming pot of pasta. One that told me to slow it down and watch how much I drank, and then the one that didn't want to care. The one that wanted to forget her past, to be more like Ellie, and let some guy have his way with me.