Colin and I chuckled, and I secretly hoped that she did run into him because I didn't doubt that she'd at least try to do just that. After the things that he'd said last night I couldn't care less; he had shown his true colors.
"If you change your mind give us a call and we'll come get you."
"Thanks, Colin, but I'm good for tonight."
Elle pouted but didn't try to convince me to go with them again. She had been giving me grief for the last few hours and so I was relieved when they finally left the apartment.
~~~~
An hour after Elle and Colin had left I was feeling burnt out and I looked at the clock to see that it was only nine o'clock. I'd been working on my paper for the last three hours so I decided to take a break and finish the last few paragraphs tomorrow.
I headed over to the freezer and grabbed the pint of Moose Tracks I had bought a few days ago and brought it with me over to the couch along with a spoon. Flicking through the channels I found the movie Castaway had just started so I settled into the couch with a blanket and my ice cream in my lap. I hadn't seen this movie in years but I remembered how sad I always got when Tom Hank's character befriends the volleyball named Wilson and then loses him. The scene brought me to tears every time I watched it.
I was about an hour into the movie when I heard a knock at the door. I groaned because I didn't want to open the door looking like this, but also because my ice cream was starting to melt. I paused the movie, thankful to Comcast for allowing me to pause regular television channels, and turned on the lights, yelling to whoever it was to wait a minute. I put the lid back on my Moose Tracks and placed it in back inside of the freezer, wrapping the blanket around me as I strolled over to the door.
I was more than a little surprised to say the least when I opened the apartment door to find Wes behind it.
"Hey."
He wore light blue jeans and a long sleeved black thermal that hid his tattoos, a black ball cap resting backwards on his head.
"Hi." I said back, standing in the doorway like an idiot. He seemed amused, and I watched his expression as he traveled his gaze down my body taking in the blanket that barely concealed my skimpy pajamas and my fluffy slippers. I gripped the blanket around me tighter, feeling uncomfortable under his gaze.
"So, uh … can I come in?" He rocked back on his heels with his hands in his pockets. I was relieved to see that he looked like he was feeling just as uncomfortable as I was. I nodded and stepped aside, allowing him entrance. He looked around for a moment and I saw him notice the television.
"Castaway, huh? I always got so sad when he lost Wilson."
"I know, right?! It was so sad!" We both laughed a little but then a silence fell back over us and we were back where we started. I felt the familiar quickening of my heart rate but then I remembered how he had danced with that girl last night and felt a knot form in the pit of my stomach.
"You can, you know, sit. If you want to, I mean." I stuttered over my words and walked past him back to my seat on the couch hoping that he missed the heat rise to my cheeks.
I felt the cushions sink down under his weight as he sat beside me, a little closer than necessary. Although, I certainly wasn't complaining-the closer Wes was, the better I could smell the heavenly scent of his cologne. He leaned back, making himself comfortable, and grabbed the controllers from between us, pressing the play button. The movie started back up and, without giving me any explanation or reasoning for showing up at my apartment on a Saturday night, he trained his eyes on the TV. I was enjoying the closeness of him too much to argue so I brushed aside all of my questions and focused my attention back to Tom Hanks.
We didn't speak for the remainder of the film, the only noises in the room being from the movie or from our occasional laughter. At some point Wes had scooted closer and I could feel his thigh pressed against mine. His right arm was stretched behind me on the couch, my shoulder pressed against his side. I could feel his chest and abdominal muscles flex when he laughed and I found myself zoning out more than once.
When the credits started to roll reality set back in. I jumped up from the couch and grabbed two sodas from the fridge, handing him one as I sat back down beside him. I made sure to keep a space between us this time, and turned my body so that I was facing him. Neither of us spoke for a moment but I could see him searching my face, considering his words carefully.
"Sorry for just stopping by like this. You weren't at the frat house and Elle mentioned that you were staying in tonight, so … " he said with a sigh. "Look, I'm sorry about how I acted last night after what happened with Gabe. I was a dick."
"It's okay." I squeaked, hoping my face wasn't giving away how hurt I had actually been by his blow off.
"No, it's not okay." He said, looking into my eyes. I could see that he was wrestling with himself. "I was so fucking pissed and I knew I couldn't just sit back at that table and pretend that nothing had happened. I knew every time I looked at you I'd wonder what that fucker told you and want to head over to his place and kick his pretentious ass."
"I need to know what he told you, Brookelyn." His words were firm yet gentle when he said my name. I melted at the desperation in his voice.
He can sense my unease and added, "I promise I wont go find him and put my fist through his face."
I smiled a little at the fact that he could tell what I'd been worried about, but my smile vanished at the mental picture of his words. I hated violence, especially unnecessary violence. But then again, was violence ever necessary? I hadn't minded so much when Wes was defending my honor and punched Gabe last night but that had been a different circumstance, I rationalized.
I fidgeted with the blanket in my lap and avoided his gaze, speaking softly.
"He just told me that you were freshman roommates and had always hated each other. He said that he had met Emmy your sophomore year and they dated for two years until he came to her house to surprise her over the summer and you opened the door, both of you half naked."
He muttered a curse under his breath and his jaw clenched, but he didn't say anything more.
"Is it true? Did you sleep with her to hurt him?" I asked softly.
His gaze shifted back to mine. Anger clouded his gaze but he quickly pushed it aside and took a deep breath.
"No."
I waited for him to continue, and when he saw that I wasn't going to probe him for answers he continued reluctantly.
"Gabe was my best friend the first semester of freshman year. He didn't mention that part, obviously." The disdain was evident in his voice. "Second semester, he fucked me over and I hated him. I hated him so much that I had to transfer rooms so that I didn't murder the prick in his sleep. Eventually he started to hate me, too, which was fine by me. We stayed away from each other only passing glares in the hallways and an occasional fight on the weekends when his drunken ass got mouthy.
Luke, who grew up next door to me all of my life, was a year younger so when he got to school my sophomore year Gabe backed off mostly, not wanting to chance taking on us both. We got into fights all the time growing up so we were used to having each others' backs, ya know?"
I nodded, and he took another moment to collect his thoughts. I was shocked to see that Gabe had left out important information like the fact that the two men had been best friends first semester of their freshman year.
"I had to take a leave of absence my junior year and help out at home for a while. I wasn't sure at first if I'd be able to come back at all but thankfully it worked out that I could. About two weeks before we got back to school I got a text from Emmy." I grimaced at the mention of her, my disgust clear on my face.
"Yeah, most people feel the same," Wes chuckled, "anyways, so I got this text asking me to hang out. She lives about three towns over so it's not too far of a drive, but I said hell no, your Gabe's girl. I hated the guy but I would never fuck with someone else's girl, ya know?
She texted back saying that she had broken up with him so I figured what the hell, why not? They weren't together, and yeah, I knew it'd hurt Gabe when he found out but it wasn't the same as fuckin' a chick with a boyfriend." I scrunched up my nose at his vulgarity and he laughed softly.