“Get the fuck out!” the tattooed guy yells.
Something sails through the air at us before he springs from the bed. We both hop out of the way, narrowly escaping a size 14 Vans. Adam yanks me back to the hallway, slamming the door behind us. We sprint for the stairway with shouts from naked guy falling behind us. Once we’re safely out the front door, we’re both breathless and laughing.
I hold my stomach. “Omigod, I just saw my directionless life flash before my eyes.”
“I told you it was a bad idea.” He tries to sound serious, but his smirk stretches up to his ears. He glances down at our still intertwined hands.
“Can I give you a ride back to your dorm?”
I pull away. “I really should find Kelly. She’s infamous for making choices of epic proportions. One time she brought a ferret back to our room. I mean, seriously, have you seen those things? They hide in your shoes. They’re just creepy.”
“I get it, but you’re not going back up there.”
It’s not a question, and I actually don’t even mind that he’s telling me what I can and can’t do. It just adds to his overall charm. It’d be nice if Levi would show that he cares about my well-being like that every now and then.
“Fine. I’ll try texting her again.”
Adam paces at my side while I type.
Srsly, u need 2 call. I have your parents on speed dial.
Adam runs a hand through his hair, shifting his weight. “Maybe you and your friend should find some other way to spend your Saturday nights. Guys at these parties are always slipping stuff into girls’ drinks. Seriously. You have no idea.”
I barely have my phone back in my pocket before it buzzes. Relieved, I whip it out.
But the message isn’t from Kelly. It’s from Levi.
Miss u babe. Want 2 FaceTime? Here alone thinking of what I want to do 2 u.
“What’s wrong?” Adam asks.
I twist at one of my curls, a nervous habit I developed after I grew my hair out to the middle of my back. “Maybe we should go back to the dorms. Kelly could’ve found her way home. She could be so passed out she can’t hear her phone. Besides, I don’t want to hang around this house of fun any longer than we have to.”
“Okay. My car’s down a block.” Adam rests his hand on my lower back again, steering me to a two-door car that looks pretty sleek in the moonlight. As we pull away from the curb, I text what I get the feeling will probably be the first of many lies to Levi.
Kel’s sleeping. Talk tomorrow.
My dorm hall, a large brick building four stories high on the west side of campus that houses both guys and girls, is covered in darkness, save for a few who must be cramming in homework. It’s pretty typical this late on a Saturday to see lights out as everyone is either at a party, working, or in bed. All of campus looks cold and barren from a recent rainfall—the safety lights over the sidewalks are the only sign of life. While I’ve always regretted staying local instead of going to a bigger city, I have to admit there’s something about being in my hometown that gives me a touch of comfort. My senior year we went to a few parties on campus, so I vaguely knew my way around.
Adam stares at the building, drumming his fingers against the steering wheel. “Want me to wait, in case she’s not in there?”
“It’s late,” I say, conferring with my phone to see it’s well after midnight. “If she isn’t here, I guess she’ll have to find her own way back.”
I feel like a failure as her friend. If I had been in the right state of mind, I would’ve known better than to let her wander off by herself in the first place. It certainly isn’t the first time this kind of thing has happened, and I know it won’t be the last. I’ve done everything short of threatening to get her one of those kid leashes.
“Okay.” Adam says, his voice tinged with disappointment.
Quite frankly, I don’t want him to leave either. I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed talking with someone this much. But what other options do we have? He can’t come in the dorms, and I’m not going to sit out in this car with him all night.
“You didn’t tell me what you majored in before you dropped out,” I say, looking for a way to stall the inevitable goodbye.
“Give it your best guess.”
“Theatre arts?” I ask with a smirk.
Adam snickers quietly under his breath. “Philosophy. At one time I considered being a lawyer, but only because my dad was pushing it. It wasn’t for me. It’s totally my little brother’s kind of thing.” He rubs at his neck with a shy grin. “I’m not really sure what I’m cut out for. I’m still trying to figure it out.”