OAKLYN
It was a miracle.
I had a night off from work and was all caught up on my homework. Even a little ahead. Which was the only reason I’d let Olivia talk me into going out to “act like a typical college girl.” She’d rattled on and on about how much fun it would be to experience a frat party even if it sucked. She explained how we at least needed to cross it off our list.
She bounced in the passenger seat as she slicked on a coat of lip stain. Her excitement both sparked my own and reminded me how tired I was. But she was right. I wanted college and everything that came with it. I was working my ass off to earn it, so why not take it.
I parked a block from the frat house, which wasn’t at all what I’d expected. It was nothing like I’d seen in the movies, with people passed out on the lawn clinging to red Solo cups and beer bongs. At least not from the front. Only a few people lingered on the patio, nodding as we walked in. No questions as to who we were or if we were invited.
The real party greeted us when we walked through the door. The music that had been a mild rumble blasted outside, practically exploding when the door opened.
People hung out in groups throughout the house, holding
those red solo cups that had been missing outside. Music played through the speakers and the middle of the room was a dance floor.
Olivia grabbed my hand and led me down the hallway to the kitchen. More people mingled and spilled out into the fenced-in backyard. Apparently, that was where the beer bong and passed out people resided.
“Let’s get a drink,” Olivia shouted over the music.
We each poured a shot of tequila and downed it before sucking on a lime. When we poured another, we at least waited for a little toast this time. “To finally being able to act like normal college girls. May we have fun and flirt with all the sexy boys.”
“Here, here,” I said, raising my glass to clink against hers. Lime juice dribbled down Olivia’s chin and we both laughed.
“Can’t take me anywhere.”
“Nonsense. You’re the classiest bitch I know,” I said with an exaggerated wink and a gun.
“God, I miss hanging out with you.”
I missed hanging out with Olivia too. Between two work-study programs, Voyeur, and school, my time felt like it was vanishing before I could even realize it was there.
“Well, I’m here now.” I pulled her to my side just as a voice interrupted our girl-fest reunion.
“Hey, hey, ladies.”
A few of the guys from our physics class sauntered up to us.
“Hey, boys,” Olivia said with a sly smile.
“Care to do another shot with us?” the tall one asked. I think his name was Connor.
“Sure,” Olivia said.
And it progressed from there. We had formed our own hoard of people and we talked, joked, and laughed. I did a few more shots until I noticed Olivia doing more than a few
at a much faster rate than me. Besides, although we discussed an Uber, if I was sober, it would save us the cost.
I mingled on the edge of our group, Olivia’s bubbly personality claiming the guys’ attention. I didn’t mind observing. We moved our circle to the living room after Olivia claimed she needed to shake her ass on me. Who was I to deny the girl?
We put on a hell of a show, switching between jumping around and her bending over to twerk against me. After a few more songs, I stepped aside to grab a water and stand back. I watched her flit from one guy to the next but kept my eye on one that seemed to constantly be behind her making her uncomfortable with his roaming hands. When he shifted in front of her and turned his baseball cap backwards, moving his muscular arms to her butt and his head into her neck, I saw her jump and move her hands to his shoulders. He pulled back laughing and she seemed to laugh too, but I saw how uncomfortable she was. She looked like she was trying to brush him off as nicely as possible, but he wasn’t having it.
I made my way through the crowd to get to my friend.
When I reached her, I tried to play it off and get her away as discreetly as possible, not wanting to cause a scene.
Especially with how drunk he seemed.
“Olivia,” I whined. She turned to me with hazy eyes filled with relief. “You promised you’d dance with me.” I tugged at her arm to extract her from her partner—fuck he was big up close—but he yanked her back into him out of my grasp.
“No. We’re dancing.”
“Dude, lay off. I just want to hang out with my girl,” I say, still trying to keep calm.
“Tough shit. Go find another girl to grind on, lesbian.
She doesn’t want your pussy anyway. She’d rather have this.” He crudely groped his crotch with a disgusting smile.
His loud voice began to garner the attention of people around us.
Some of his friends cheered, “Yeah, bro. Nice catch for the night.”
“Sexy fuck for later.”
“Send us pics of those tits man. Or better yet, a video of them bouncing as you fuck her.”
Olivia’s tired eyes popped open, and she began to wriggle her arm free, but his grip tightened, and she winced in pain. These people were fucking pigs, and I was done with this shit.
“Let her the fuck go.”
“No need to be jealous. I’ll fuck you too.”
‘No way, man.” My heart shot into my throat when an arm banded around my waist and hauled me back against a hard body. The stench of pungent beer burned my nostrils and churned my stomach. “Would that make you feel better, baby,” he spoke softly against my neck, and I tried to curl away from him. “We can always share, too.”
He stretched his arm in front of me and held up his hand. The goliath that was holding Olivia high-fived my captor. Olivia’s glazed eyes met mine and began to fill with tears.
No. No, no, no. Adrenaline shot through my body. I used all my strength and slammed my heel down on his toe. He cursed in pain and pulled back, but still held tight to my arm.
“You fucking bitch!” He tossed me behind him, and with no one there to catch me, I fell, landing against a table pushed off to the side. Pain shot up my arm as it scraped against the corner. My head thudded hard against the edge, and I blinked to clear the black dots before me. Why wasn’t anyone doing anything? Tears burned my eyes in fear, embarrassment, and rage.
Ready to get up and fight him with an epic warrior cry, going down fighting for my friend, I was stopped when
three guys stepped into the circle.
“Let her the fuck go, dickhole,” Connor said, his two friends at his side. One reached back to help me up. “Or we’ll report you to Coach and get you kicked off the team.”
I stood next to one of our heroes, still burning with rage, when the asshole tossed Olivia at Connor, where she stumbled into his arms.
“She’s not fucking worth it. Too fat.”
I stepped forward, aiming for his balls, but the guy who helped me up held me back, shaking his head. “Let’s just get out of here.”
They walked us out to our car, helping a sniffling Olivia into the front seat.
“You okay to drive?” Connor asked me.
“Yeah. I’ll be fine. Thanks for your help in there.”
“Evan and James are cunts and deserve to be kicked off the football team. I’ll be telling the coach anyway.”
“Thank you,” I said one last time before I got in and drove off.
I parked in the teacher lot outside of the science building because it was the closest to Olivia’s dorm. When I walked past, I looked up at Dr. Pierce’s office and saw the light on. What was he doing here so late? Looking at my phone I noticed it was only ten-thirty. Still late, but I almost laughed at how short a time we lasted at the frat party.
Less than three hours and we’d already checked that off as an experience we’d never want to repeat again.
I got Olivia settled and tucked in with no protest and very little help on her part. The alcohol was hitting her. I left a bottle of water and some aspirin on her desk for the morning.
“Guys are jerks. Thanks for being my friend, Oak.”
“Any time.” I kissed her forehead. She was out before I even reached the door.
When I walked past the science building again, Dr.
Pierce’s light was off. I must have just missed him.
Walking back to my car I remained vigilant. Looking around, partly scared that someone might have followed us for revenge or something equally dramatic. The adrenaline was wearing off, and the stinging in my arm increased. I needed to get home and take care of whatever damage was caused. The pain stretched down my arm and up into my shoulder. My head ached and each throb was a reminder to how vulnerable I was. Only ten more feet to my car.
I almost swallowed my tongue when a dark figure emerged from around the corner.
“Oaklyn?” a familiar voice asked.
My whole body shook as I fought off the fight or flight that gripped me. I was sure he heard it when I said his name.
“Dr. Pierce? Hey.”
He stepped into the light and his eyebrows furrowed.
“You okay?”
“Yeah, yeah.” I took deep breaths to get my heart rate back to a normal pace. Tonight was turning out to be hellacious on my nervous system. “You just scared me.”
“Sorry about that,” he said looking unconvinced. “What are you doing on campus so late. You don’t live in the dorms, do you?”
“I was just dropping my friend off. Coming back from a party.”
He nodded his head, but still watched me closely. “I thought those ran later than eleven.”
“Maybe. I guess it just wasn’t for us. Especially when it’s filled with dickholes. Sorry,” I finished, apologizing for swearing in front of my professor. However, he didn’t seem concerned about that.
He walked a few steps closer, looking me over with obvious concern. “What do you mean? What happened? Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” I answered weakly. “Some of the guys were just getting handsy with Olivia and me, threatening things. So, I
tried defending us.” I laughed humorlessly. “But you know, it’s hard to be five-five and move a mountain. I got shoved and fell pretty hard.” I gestured to my arm and watched his jaw harden. A muscle twitched in his cheek, and I rushed to explain the ending. “Some other guys stepped in to help and got us out of there.”
I looked down, too ashamed to meet his eye. Ashamed that we’d fallen into the assaulted girl category. Ashamed I couldn’t do more to defend myself and my friend.
“Let me see,” he said, his voice hard.
My head shot up. His usually bright eyes were dark and looked to be barely restraining his rage.
“I’m fine.”
“Let. Me. See.”
Taking a deep breath, I shed my coat and exposed my arm. I think we were both shocked to find dried blood that had dripped down my elbow and a decent gash.
“Mother fuck,” he muttered.
I almost laughed. Dr. Pierce was light and happy when he taught, and in my slightly manic state, his cursing was funny somehow.
“Follow me. We have a first aid kit in the department.”
“It’s okay. You don’t have to do—”
“Oaklyn, please.”
Despite his anger, his eyes seemed pained.
“Okay,” I agreed, not hating the idea of him tending to me.
I followed him into the building. We didn’t speak at all until we reached his office.
“Take your jacket off. I’ll be right back.” His voice seemed brusque and loud after the silence.
I did as he asked and sat in the chair in front of his desk.
When he returned, he carried a first aid kit and sat in the chair next to me. While he searched for what he was looking for, I looked him over. He’d lost the tie he usually wore in classes, leaving a few buttons open, exposing a
smattering of chest hair that screamed masculinity. It was crazy, but I had to fight to keep from leaning forward and touching it. His hair was more mussed than usual. Like he’d spent the evening running his frustrated fingers through it. It was a good look on him.
“Alright,” he said. “Turn a bit so I can see.”
When he got a good look at the injury, his eyes closed, and he swallowed hard. His concern caused a burning behind my eyes. How long had it been since someone had been upset by my pain? Maybe I missed my family more than I thought.
“It’s not as bad as it looks.”
“It’s going to look worse tomorrow,” he said through a clenched jaw. “This is going to hurt a bit.”
His long fingers wrapped behind my arm, brushing against the tender skin, sending goose bumps down my arm and up my neck. It was the first time he’d touched me, and the heat from his skin seemed to burn the memory into my brain. The light pressure was more erotic than any touch I’d ever had. Was it only the forbidden aspect? The fact that I couldn’t have him, made every touch all the more intense?
Suddenly, I sucked air in through my teeth as he wiped around the wound with alcohol and then poured peroxide over it. Instead of erotic tingles from his touch, the fiery burn had my own jaw clenching.
“Sorry,” he whispered. Gritting my teeth, I nodded as he continued. “So, what exactly happened tonight?”
“We went to a frat party,” I said, shrugging like it explained everything.
“Did anyone . . .” I could hear his deep breath before he spoke again. “Did anyone touch either of you? In any other way.”
“No, not really. Olivia was dancing with this guy and he got a little more handsy than she wanted, so I came over to try and rescue her.” I laughed humorlessly at how dumb I
sounded. In hindsight, it was stupid to think I was going to make a difference. “Thank god for some of the guys we knew there. They stepped in after my rescue attempt failed.”
I shook my head, recalling the night. Frustrated with how it all had played out. “There were so many people who did nothing. Just stood there as he threatened to-to rape her.”
His hand clenched around my arm, and I jerked. “Ow.”
“I’m sorry. So, sorry,” Dr. Pierce said. I glanced over my shoulder at him. He was taking heavy breaths, looking like he was trying to collect himself. When he noticed me staring, he grabbed a Band-Aid. “You should report it.”
Another humorless laugh. “There’s no point. Nothing actually happened, and no one would be able to do anything.” I furrowed my brows at the sad truth. “That’s just the way the cookie crumbles.”
I looked over my shoulder again. He looked up as he stretched the last Band-Aid on my arm. His eyes shot through me, so intense with how close we were. So blue, I felt like I could drown in them. The Band-Aids were in place, yet he hadn’t moved away. My heart was beating double-time, pumping a fiery heat through me.
“If you ever find yourself in a situation like that again, you can ask me for help.”
His eyes flicked my lips as I slicked my tongue across them.
“Thank you,” I said on a breath, dropping my eyes to his mouth. Maybe if I leaned in a little closer, he’d meet me halfway. My eyes began to droop closed, my mouth drawn to his.
He jerked back, turning away from me to clean up the trash. He cleared his throat. “That’s going to be sore tomorrow. Have a friend help change out the Band-Aids and keep it clean. Should be better soon.”
“Yeah.” The word barely escaped my parted lips. My eyes dropped to my lap as tears threatened.
What the fuck was I thinking? What had I been doing?
Fuck, I was so dumb. So fucking dumb.
The self-ridicule kept coming, and I couldn’t deny any of it because I felt like a predator, and there was no hiding my attraction now. How was I going to spend the rest of the semester with him after this? Fuck.
Embarrassment seared through me. When he left to go return the first aid kit, I quickly put my jacket back on and tried to leave before he came back, not wanting to face him. I got as far as the front office door before he came back in.
“Wait for me. I’ll walk you to your car.”
I couldn’t turn and look at him. With my hand on the knob, I said, “You don’t have to do—”
“I do. Please.”
I kept my distance and my eyes down as we walked toward the parking lot. At my car, I muttered a quick thanks and tried to get in, but a hand pressed the door back closed. Finally, I turned to look into his eyes. I tried to read them, tried to understand what he thought of me, of what had just happened.
They looked. . . regretful?
“Here’s my number, should you ever need it.”
I took the card he extended to me, taking in the masculine handwriting.
“Thank you.” I looked at him again, trying to find the regret again. Trying to find out if I was right or just crazy.
Maybe he was just as attracted to me as I was to him.
He was just so much smarter than me to not act on it.
