AVA
Dove Cameron’s voice fills my ears, and I lip-synch “Boyfriend” along with her. I smile to myself, continuing my essay. I’ve been in an incredibly good mood since the moment I opened my eyes this morning. Even the playlist I chose for the day is light; it’s filled with more pop than I usually listen to. Just because of the evening I had.
My hand freezes over my keyboard, and I’m again lost in my memories. For the thousandth time today. I’m distracted by everything that happened yesterday, but especially Colton fingering me in his kitchen. Heat floods my veins. My belly twists and knots, and I squeeze my legs together. I need to snap out of it, at least until I’m back in my room. The coffee shop is definitely not the place for my fantasies. Or my clit twitching, or my panties being wet, dripping wet. Oh God. I’m hopeless.
Abruptly, I push myself from the table and lean my back on the chair. I take a deep breath, and release it. Breathe in, breathe out. Over and over. Until my heartbeat becomes even. That’s better.
The door of the coffee shop opens, the doorbell dings and Layla strolls inside. She has two cute braids framing her face, while the rest of her hair sprawls over her shoulders. My best friend notices me, and a big, toothy smile spreads across her lips. She saunters up to the barista to place her order.
I turn off my music, take out my AirPods, and put them back into their case, scanning the coffee shop with my eyes. It’s small and very cozy, peach colored walls decorated with posters of Hollywood classics. There is also a bookcase with mostly detective and historical fiction books. One guy is sitting at the table near the window with his laptop opened and headphones on. He’s nodding his head, while typing quickly on the keyboard. The scent of coffee and cinnamon becomes stronger, Taylor Swift’s “Midnight Rain” plays in the background, and warmth spreads through my veins. I remind myself of a big, fluffy toy, happy to have a chance to spend time with my best friend. I want to tell her something very important. Keeping secrets from her is easy, but there are some things I want her to know.
I still have about five sentences to write, but they can wait. I close my laptop and shove it in my backpack, as Layla edges to the table. She lowers herself on the chair across from me, taking off her leather jacket and nestling comfortably into the chair. It’s not the first time we have seen each other today, but we didn’t really talk when we met on campus. I’m not one to spill my guts in the hallway, surrounded by strangers.
“What did you do once you got back yesterday?” Layla takes a sip of her caramel Frappuccino, and I scrunch my nose. “What?”
“How can you drink that?” I quirk an eyebrow at her as I take a sip of my flat white, enjoying the rich taste of coffee. Fucking perfect.
“No accounting for taste, Ava,” she points out with a mocking smile, taunting me. “You’ve never heard me criticize your love of M&Ms, have you? So please, don’t be a judgmental bitch, and leave me the fuck alone with my Frappuccino.”
I raise my hands in front of me. “No objections, Your Honor.”
“God, why are you so annoying?” Layla scowls, leaning back in her chair. “Did Jordan spoil your return, or did she behave?”
“In all honesty, I didn’t see her.” My heartbeat accelerates. My best friend’s eyebrows knit together. “I left the room immediately, intending to spend some time alone, as far from my lovely roommate as possible. And when I got back, she was already asleep.”
“Since when does Jordan go to bed early?”
“She didn’t. I came back around two a.m.” I sip my coffee, hiding my smile behind my mug and enjoying Layla’s shocked state.
“Where were you?”
Averting my gaze, I look around the place. “I was with Clay and…ahem…Colton.”
Layla’s eyes look as if they are popping out of their sockets. She leans forward on her elbows. “At the dorm?”
“No. At Thompson’s apartment,” I blurt out, preparing myself for an outburst from her side. “Clay invited me to go there with him.”
“Wow. You had much more fun than me last night. Playing UNO with my six-year-old cousin was boring.”
“Damn, I’m sad I didn’t see Cameron.” I set my mug on the table. “Does he still have plans to marry me?”
“He does, but now you have competition. Her name is Anna, and she’s the princess of Arendelle. You can blame it on his sister. She showed him Frozen two weeks ago.”
“Nah, he’s still too young for me. I prefer older guys,” I say, and then I surprise her with my next question. “What do you think about Clay?”
Layla blinks, then huddles more comfortably on her chair and peers at me. “Clay is handsome, and very funny. I feel good around him. Plus, he has always been nice and understanding to me. Why?”
“We kinda decided to be friends.” I flash her a small smile, waiting for her reaction.
“He doesn’t know what he’s signing up for. You’re a nightmare.” She chortles loudly, almost spitting her coffee all over the table. “Though maybe not. Colton Thompson has been his best friend since elementary school, so I bet Clay knows how to deal with annoying people.”
One mention of him is all it takes for my skin to flame up. Dammit, I want control over my body back. I will exhaust myself with this pent-up frustration if it keeps happening so often. Exhausted Ava makes horrible decisions, like going to the ice-rink with her boyfriend when he—
“How was Thompson?” Hearing her question, I suck in a breath and grasp my mug tightly in my hands. It’s not the time or the place for memories, especially the ones I’m hoping to forget. After I gulp down the last of my drink, I force a smile onto my lips but instantly drop it. I’m too worn out to pretend.
“I think I like him,” I mumble quietly. Layla’s gaze sweeps over my face, the wrinkle between her eyebrows becoming deeper. I want to hide what already happened between Thompson and me. Yet I want her to know the truth about my attraction to him. It’s only fair.
The longer she keeps silent, the stronger my fear of losing my shit becomes. Why is she so calm? Wait, why is she smiling?
“I should have guessed that,” my best friend singsongs. “The dude is exactly your type: a walking disaster, causing an emergency the second you see him.”
“He’s an asshole,” I admit, crossing my arms over my chest. “But he’s a gorgeous asshole.”
“Do you think he likes you?”
“Maybe, maybe not. It’s hard to tell.” There is nothing hard about this question. Thompson likes me, while I’m not sure it’s the same for me. I’m attracted to him, and the chemistry between us is definitely something else, but it’s not enough to make any other assumptions. It’s not easy for me to fall in love with just anyone. Especially with a guy who turned my life into a living hell and didn’t even say he was sorry. And I let him finger me. I’m an idiot.
Layla downs her drink and sets the empty mug on the table. “All I’m going to say is be careful; he doesn’t date anyone.”
“Well, I’m not interested in a relationship either,” I retort, and we smile at each other.
Later this evening, I’m in my dorm and finally done with my essay. Jordan is watching something on her laptop, ignoring my presence, just like I do to her. I change my clothes and climb into bed, grabbing my phone from my blanket. I unlock the screen and open the only unread message I have. A cheeky smile plays on my lips as I read it. I quickly save his phone number, send him my response, turn off the sound, and toss my phone on the bedside table. This guy has no idea what’s going to hit him, and that makes everything a thousand times more exciting.
