This One’s For You Page 5

  FOUR

  “WE DON’T HAVE TO GO,” Amelia said. “To the party, I mean.”

  We had managed to get everything up to our room without further incident. After setting down the last bag, I collapsed on top of my bed and stared up at the ceiling.

  “No,” I sighed. I lifted my head off my pillow. “I want to go.”

  Or at least I thought I did.

  “Really?” she squealed, in that high-pitched tone she used when she got excited. “I mean, you’re not gonna bail again, are you? Because I’m totally fine with sta—”

  “I’m not bailing out.” I cut her off. “Last night was a fluke. I got overwhelmed because I didn’t know what I was getting into. Now I know and it won’t happen again.”

  “Seriously?” she asked. I nodded. Amelia took a moment to let it sink in before smiling mischievously. “First things first, we have to figure out what party he was talking about and where it is. Then we’re gonna find you a smokin’ hot outfit that’ll make that wannabe Barbie look like a troll.”

  I laughed, finding it funny that she thought the same thing about the girl who threw herself all over Owen.

  “C’mon.” Amelia giggled. “There’s no time to waste!”

  Six and a half hours later, I found myself following Amelia down yet another sidewalk. Only tonight, I thought twice about my outfit—especially my shoes. Despite my roommate’s protest that leggings were “lazy” clothes, I managed to leave our dorm wearing a pair of black ones—along with her sandals, a floral-print tank top that was long enough to cover my backside, and a black cardigan. Amelia hated the outfit.

  Getting dressed was the easy part.

  Finding the party, however, was the problem. We had it narrowed down to two: one was at a sorority house down the street and then another frat party. Amelia suggested we hit the sorority house first. She said that Ms. Barbie seemed like a Greek row member and that we should start there. I hoped she wasn’t right. I didn’t want to think about the possibility of seeing them together, or Ms. Barbie hanging all over him. In fact, I simply didn’t want to see her at all.

  “How much further do you think it is?” I asked. It was easier for me to keep up with her tonight, but I still found myself jogging to catch up. Amelia walked as if she was in a race against time. I took a few quick steps and caught up to her again. We’d only been walking for a few minutes, but my nerves were already acting up, and I wanted to get there before chickening out again.

  “Someone’s in a hurry.” She smirked. “It couldn’t possibly have anything to do with a certain tall, panty-dropping, sexy man beast, could it?”

  I chuckled. “Sexy man beast?”

  “Yeah, he’s hot,” she said, winking. “If you’re into pretty boys that is.”

  He was pretty . . . pretty damn good-looking.

  No matter how devastatingly handsome Owen was, I was going to have to ignore whatever pull might be going on between us—or at least ignore it for as long as I possibly could. He was a pig as far as I was concerned, and I was not about to swoon over a guy like him. But who was I kidding? I practically was. It was pathetic.

  “Hello, earth to Brennan,” Amelia crooned. She grabbed my arm and pulled me to a stop. I looked to where was she was staring and my throat became thick.

  My mouth hung slightly agape as I watched the scene unfold before me. I started to bounce on my toes and looked around, ready to bolt. It was identical to last night—people gathered in the yard, some making their way inside with music playing loudly from somewhere else. I assumed it was coming from behind the house.

  The house in itself was huge, entirely white, and exactly what I expected a sorority house to look like. My heart dropped into the pit of my stomach, beating rapidly on the way down. Sweat beaded at my hairline, I chewed on my bottom lip, and my hands started to get clammy.

  It wasn’t the crowd that frightened me so much—I loved meeting new people—it was what they were all here for: the party. Sure, drinking could be fun, and I used to drink at parties in the past—it was how I spent my weekends—but that was until I witnessed firsthand the dangers and repercussions of things getting out of hand. And if I thought high school parties got out of hand, then I knew college took things to another level.

  That’s what scared me. That’s what sent me running last night.

  “You okay?” Amelia whispered, sensing my unease.

  I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded. “Yeah, let’s go in.”

  Before I have a change of heart  . . .

  The front yard was nothing compared to what was going on out back. Lights were strung up everywhere, a DJ had set up shop in the furthest corner of the yard, and several different party games were in swing. The beer-pong tournament was especially rowdy. I watched as one guy blew on a ping-pong ball, rubbed it on his shirt, and lined up his shot. He threw the ball and it hit the rim of a cup, bouncing off. The crowd groaned, followed by a deafening cheer from the table furthest from us, where a big group was gathered.

  “Let’s go see what the hype is all about,” Amelia yelled over the music.

  She tugged on my hand, pulling me toward the group. She pushed our way through the crowd until we were in front of the pack, staring at yet another beer-pong game. My heart skipped a beat. There Owen was, not even ten feet away, with her. Amelia nudged me with her arm and nodded toward him. What she didn’t know was that I had already seen him—I’d felt his presence before I even saw him. His arm was raised, bent at the elbow, and ready to shoot. His eyes were locked onto mine, and I couldn’t look away even if I wanted to. Everything was frozen in time.

  Someone from behind bumped into me. Amelia grabbed onto me, saving me from falling onto the table, but it broke my connection with Owen. I fought down the heat of embarrassment and chuckled softly. Glancing over, I saw Owen still staring at me. He wasn’t the only one—the platinum leech was too. She glared at me before grabbing his face and crushing her lips against his. A pang of disappointment washed over me. When their lips parted, he casually pushed her aside while fixating his gaze back to me. A few seconds passed by before he turned his attention back to the game.

  Plop! He sunk the ball into a cup. The crowd cheered again. One of the players from the opposing team picked the cup up, fished the ball out, and chugged the booze inside. All around me, the crowd—including Amelia—began to chant. “Chug! Chug! Chug!”

  The guy emptied the cup and slammed it on the table. The crowd roared. I watched as the leech took her shot and sunk it as well. She squealed, high-fived a couple of girls next to her, and pressed her body against Owen. I wasn’t sure if anyone but myself noticed the way he cringed and politely removed her hands from his chest. My heart fluttered. Maybe there was hope after all.

  No, there isn’t, I reminded myself. Remember the promise you made.

  The duo took another shot; Owen made his while the bloodsucker missed hers. After the next team’s first shot, I pushed my way back through the crowd. I needed air. I spotted a table by the back door with drinks, and started searching for anything without alcohol. I spotted a water bottle sitting in an ice bucket, grabbed the bottle and bolted inside, and did a little victory dance.

  I could still see the game from where I stood, and watched Owen sink shot after shot. He and the leech won. Every time she got close to him, or touched him, I squeezed the water bottle tightly, crunching it in my hands. I didn’t understand why she made me so angry. It wasn’t like Owen was mine. I knew close to nothing about him. But it didn’t keep the anger at bay.

  “I’ve never seen Felicity so worked up before.” I glanced over to the guy whose voice I heard. I wasn’t sure he was talking to me until he flashed me a smile.

  He was built like a tank. Tall, with broad shoulders and biceps threatening to rip the seam of his sleeves. His hair was dark and looked as if he just climbed out of bed and forgot what a comb was for. He was good-looking but not Mr. Sex-on-legs. “You must’ve done something real bad to get her
fuse burning like that,” he added.

  I raised an eyebrow. “Who?” I asked.

  He laughed loudly enough that it vibrated throughout my body. “The blonde you’ve been staring at for the past twenty minutes, looking like you want to strangle her.”

  Oh, her . . . so the leech had a name.

  I shied away, a little creeped out that he had been watching me watch her. He must’ve sensed my unease when he spoke again. “Not gonna hurt you.”

  He smiled, but it did little to comfort me. I’d watched enough movies to know that when a stranger said he wasn’t going to hurt you, it actually meant he had every intention of doing so. He had another thing coming for him if he thought he had an advantage over my small stature. I had three older brothers who taught me the fine art of self-defense and how to nail a guy in the right place.

  He took a few steps away, giving me space, which helped me breathe a little easier. “Anyone who has been paying attention has noticed the deadly glares you two have been exchanging. It’s all anyone can talk about.”

  “Great,” I muttered under my breath. I shook my head. Just what I needed was people talking about me. School hadn’t even officially started yet. Weren’t we all in college now? I thought I’d left that all behind when I graduated high school. Yet, here I was, getting jealous over a guy I didn’t know, at a party. Just like high school. Some things never change.

  “I wouldn’t waste your time, you know,” he said, taking me by surprise. “He isn’t worth it.”

  My jaw dropped; it took a moment to regain my composure. “Who are you anyways?” I blurted out.

  “You can call me your guardian angel, if you’d like.” He winked and offered his hand. I looked down at it and back to him. I raised an eyebrow and gave him a look like no way, José. He tucked his hand into his pocket. “The name is Sam. But most know me as the cousin of the guy you’re drooling over.”

  Cousin? Double great. “I am not drooling,” I said quickly.

  “Uh-huh,” he said. He wasn’t buying it.

  “I’m not!” I repeated, getting defensive. He laughed. I felt my cheeks turning pick. “I’m, uh, just admiring from afar.”

  “Keep telling yourself that.” He chuckled.

  I narrowed my eyes and turned my attention back to the game—Felicity was staring at me. She smirked and moved closer to Owen. The water bottle crunched in my hand as I tightened my grip. Glancing at Sam, I could see the amusement dancing in his eyes.

  “What did you mean when you said I shouldn’t waste my time?” I asked, shifting my eyes to him and chewing on the inside of my cheek.

  Sam sighed and ran a hand through his unkempt hair. “Look, you seem like a smart girl, so I’m just going to shoot this straight.” I took a deep breath, preparing for whatever was about to come, and gave him my full attention. “You’re at a party, drinking water, and keeping watch.” I squeezed the bottle again. “Your defenses went up when I approached you. That’s a good thing, and it’s why I’m telling you this. My cousin isn’t worth it. He doesn’t do the whole commitment thing. He tries to but it never lasts. He gets bored and moves on to the next girl in line. You’re too good for him, too innocent—I can tell just by looking at you—and that’s why he isn’t worth the heartbreak that comes along with him. To Owen, you’re just another notch on his belt.”

  The truth was harsh, but I expected it, especially after the hallway incident last night. I mean, come on, what guy doesn’t have the decency to take a girl in his room? Owen, that’s who.

  Still, a part of me had to wonder if he wasn’t really like that. I shook the thought away. He was like that. I witnessed it firsthand. I needed to stop letting my hormones and attraction cloud the truth. He was a womanizer—there was no doubt about that. The best bet was to just avoid him. It was safe. I didn’t know if I could trust my body around him.

  I glanced over at Owen, who was staring at me with such an intensity that it made me uncomfortable. I shifted my weight. He seemed tense. He threw the ball in his hand across the table without breaking eye contact. He missed. The next I knew, he was walking away in the opposite direction, and I lost track of him.

  “So basically,” I said to Sam, “you’re telling me that he’s a man-whore and that I should stay away.”

  He laughed. “In so many words.”

  “Should I thank you now for preventing an inevitable heartbreak?” I asked, deciding that was a better choice than a possible assault charge.

  “You could—” He smiled, revealing a set of perfectly white teeth. “—or you could grab lunch with me sometime.”

  Ding! Ding! Ding!

  The creeper alarm started to go off in my head. It was time to go. I wasn’t sure if I should believe a word he said, but decided to keep his advice in the back of my mind. “Sorry, but I’m going to have to decline,” I answered as nicely as I could.

  “Jeez.” He laughed. He rubbed the back of his neck again. “That came off a little weird, huh?”

  “Just a little bit,” I said, holding up my hand and pinching my thumb and forefinger together.

  “Sorry.” He sighed. “Friends?”

  He held out his hand and I looked at it cautiously before shaking it. “Maybe I’ll see you around campus sometime,” I replied.

  “Just be careful with him,” Sam said in a soft voice.

  “I have no intentions of going down that path with him.”

  I really didn’t. My body might try and betray me, but I wasn’t going to let it happen. No way, no how.

  “Every girl says that, and in the end, they do just the opposite. He’s a charmer, and when he wants something, he gets it. Be sure to keep that in mind.”

  “I will,” I answered him. “And thank you, for the warning and all.”

  Sam gave me a slight nod before walking away. He joined a group of people and started chatting with them. He seemed decent enough, and perhaps not as weird as I perceived him to be. I scanned the party, noting that the beer-pong tournament was at intermission, and its players were milling about. There wasn’t any sign of Owen. His partner, however, was now latched onto a beefy, jock-looking guy. Whore was the first thing that came to mind.

  I spotted Amelia talking animatedly with a group of guys. She was making obscene gestures and the guys were eating it up, laughing like crazy. I finished my water, tossed the bottle into the trash, and started across the yard toward my roommate, searching for Owen as I went. He was still nowhere to be found. As I grew closer, the laughter coming from the group grew louder.

  “Brennan!” Amelia squealed, bouncing up and down in excitement. “Meet the guys”—she motioned to them—“guys, meet the hottest roommate a girl could ask for.”

  Okay, I knew we hadn’t been her long, but I was pretty certain she was drunk—or at least getting there.

  “Hey,” I said softly, waving at the guys. I couldn’t hide the irritation in my voice. I knew we were at a party, and people drank at parties, but I secretly hoped she wasn’t the type that got “stupid” drunk. That hope was short lived.

  Amelia swayed from side to side, spilling her drink. I wrapped an arm around her waist to steady her. She leaned her head on my shoulder. “Isn’t she the greatest?” she said, her words beginning to slur.

  “Maybe we should start heading back to the dorm,” I suggested.

  Amelia stuck out her lower lip and pouted. “But we just got here,” she whined. “Besides, one of these handsome boys will help me get home. Right, guys?”

  That was the signal that the night was over, and that it was time to leave. “All right, let’s go,” I said, taking the drink from her and handing it to one of the guys.

  “I wanna stay!” She pulled out of my hold, grabbed the drink, and started to gulp it down.

  The group of guys just stood there watching us. I reached out, grabbed her hand, and tried to walk away with her, but she fought against me.

  “I think it’s clear she’s not ready to leave yet,” one of the guys spoke u
p. A grimy, greasy-haired guy pulled her into his arms, and glowered at me. “I’ll make sure she gets home safely.”

  The way he spoke sent shivers down my spine. I reached for her again, trying to take her with me, but the guy refused to let her go. “Let. Her. Go,” I said sharply, enunciating each word.

  “Or what?” He sneered back.

  Suddenly, Owen appeared from out of thin air, using enough force to pry Amelia away, before passing her to me. Her weight bore down on me and I struggled to keep the both of us upright while she staggered around, mumbling incoherent words. Something wasn’t right. We hadn’t been here long enough for her to consume enough alcohol to affect her like that.

  Owen and the greasy guy stood chest to chest, staring each other down. Without warning, Owen cocked his arm back and his fist connected with the other guy’s jaw. The chatter of the party died down, the music cut out, and I could feel everyone’s eyes on us. The greasy guy was ready to fight back but his friends finally stepped in, restraining him. Owen closed the distance between us and helped relieve some of Amelia’s weight. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the guy break free of his friends.

  “Owen!” I shouted.

  He spotted the guy coming and released Amelia. I stumbled back a few steps but managed to keep us on our feet. Owen swung again, catching the sleazebag across the cheek. He dropped to his knees and Owen struck him once more. The group of guys took a step forward but hesitated. Their gazes shifted between their friend rolling in the grass, crying in agony, and Owen. They took a step back.

  He came back to us and draped one arm around Amelia’s waist and one around her shoulder. I mimicked his hand placement, and then we started to walk. The crowd parted like the Red Sea, creating a path for us. No one said a word. All I could hear were the crickets chirping from a nearby bush. I kept my eyes straight ahead as we passed through the crowd. By the time we reached the side of the house, the music resumed, and the party continued as if nothing had happened, but I was furious.