She’s got you wrapped up in her satin and lace
Tied around her little finger
She’s got you thinking you can never escape
Don’t you know your heart’s in danger
There’s a devil in that angel face
If you could only see the love that you’re wasting
I can love you better that that
I know how to make you forget her
All I’m asking is for one little chance
Cause baby I can love you, baby I can love you better
I spent the bulk of the weekend recovering from the insane amount of alcohol I had consumed on my birthday, mostly by watching TV with Sophie and Grace and playing with the iPhone my dad had sent me for the big day.
Monday came much too soon, and I found myself walking to my music history class alone. It allowed me to take in the people all around me instead of immersing myself in an endless stream of pointless banter with Taylor, but I wasn’t sure if I was happy with the change. People all around me were traveling in groups, laughing and talking loudly. My mood was what I would have described as “blah,” and I didn’t care for it much. So many parts of my life were falling so perfectly into place. I had the picture perfect boyfriend and living situation and great friends, but something was absent that had been there before. Something that had once ignited me and made me feel alive.
“Still hungover?” Taylor shouted in my ear as he startled me on the sidewalk, moving to my side immediately with a half smoked cigarette dangling precariously from his long fingers. I ignored his comment with a roll of my eyes and continued to walk on in silence. “Giving me the silent treatment, I see.”
“I just had no response to that. Of course I’m not still hungover. That was over two days ago,” I said. He eyed me from his peripheral vision and took a long drag, offering it to me afterward in vain, like always.
“Whatever,” he muttered, taking one final drag before flicking the butt into the grass, “So, did you have fun on Friday?”
“Yeah, I did. A bit too much, actually.”
“Spend the rest of the night with the toilet instead of Hunter?”
“He took care of me,” I shrugged, adjusting both the strap on my bag and the look on my face because I knew that one of thorough discomfort had just taken it over. I hated talking to Taylor about Hunter. It felt like his seemingly nice comments always had a hint of sarcasm behind them and it never failed to put me on edge.
“What a good boy,” Taylor smiled, “I spent the night listening to Zac puke everything he’d eaten in the last twelve years into a garbage can. Good times.”
“He’s just a baby. He’ll learn,” I laughed, enjoying the mental image of Taylor lying uncomfortably awake under a blanket with a pillow over his head while Zac yakked over the edge of his bed.
“He’d better. I’m never doing that again, I don’t care if he is my brother,” he stated. And with that we were silent.
It felt good to just walk with him– our steps synchronized, our path to class memorized after two years of walking the same sidewalks to the same building. It was comfortable and familiar, and I realized for the first time how much I’d missed him all summer.
“Well, here we are,” I said with feigned enthusiasm as we reached the doors. He grabbed the handle and held it open for me. I shot him a “what the hell are you doing” look before crossing the threshold of the building in front of him.
“What? Can’t a guy be a gentleman once and awhile?” he grinned.
“A guy? Yes. You? Fuck no,” I laughed, grabbing the door knob to our classroom and pulling it wide before he could do the same.
“Such a gentleman you are,” he said blandly before sitting in his usual seat in the back left corner. I sat down next to him and grabbed my notebook and a pen out of my bag ready for the longest hour and a half of my day.
“You know, that class should be so exciting, but it’s just boring as hell,” I announced as we burst back into the sunshine ninety minutes later.
“Tell me about it. Classes like those are what make me smoke,” he managed with one already perched between his lips as he worked to light it.
“Yeah, that or a nicotine addiction. Whatever,” I sassed, “You going to the Union for some lunch?”
“Yeah, I’m meeting Brooklynn there,” he said and I had to force myself to smile and nod. I knew that I should have asked him right then how he and Brooklynn were doing, but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. I still hated her with every fiber in my being, strictly because she was a she-devil of epic proportions, and I couldn’t understand what Taylor saw in her besides unnaturally big tits and a slutty attitude.
“Hunter just got out of class, too, so he’ll probably be heading over soon. I guess I’ll head over and grab a sandwich or something,” I said, and as soon as the words were out of my mouth, my phone started to ring, “Speak of the devil.”
“Is that seriously your ring tone?” Taylor asked me.
“Only for him,” I stated, sticking my tongue out at him before answering. He informed me that he was already at the Union and that he would save a table for us and I relayed the news to Taylor.
“Is it okay if Brooklynn and I join you?” he asked.
“Why would you even ask me that? Of course it is,” I answered incredulously, lying through my teeth but covering it up as well as I could. I couldn’t help but wonder if I’d even be able to keep my food down with her sitting at the same table.
“Well gee, let me think. You couldn’t even stand to be in the same room as her last spring. What’s changed since then?”
“I got over it,” I lied. At that point in time, I still would have rather endured some sort of unthinkable ancient torture than spend five minutes with her, but to preserve my friendship with Taylor, I now had to endure an entire lunch in her presence.
“Well that’s good, I guess,” he said before staring at his feet and muttering, “This should be fun.”
I pretended that I hadn’t heard that last comment and just walked next to him all the way to the Union.
“There he is,” I said, noticing a blond haired guy sitting next to him, “I wonder who he is.”
“Probably his new boyfriend. Sorry Cams, looks like you’re out of luck,” Taylor replied.
“So this guy’s gay, huh? Are you saying that you have a finely tuned gaydar?” I asked him.
“Fuck off,” he spat. I laughed at him and walked over to Hunter just as he tried to call me again. “Candyman” blared from my phone, causing Hunter to turn in our direction.
“Is that seriously your ringtone?” he laughed.
“That’s what I said,” Taylor replied before sitting down next to the unknown guy.
“Taylor, Cameron, this is Jamison. He’s a theater major, too, and just transferred here from Drake. We have the pleasure of having several really boring classes together this fall,” Hunter explained, “Jamison, this is my girlfriend Cameron and Zac’s older brother, Taylor.”
“Hi guys, nice to meet you,” Jamison replied. Taylor looked over at me and raised an eyebrow as if to say “I told you so.” I tried not to laugh and set my bag down before looking at Taylor and nodding in the direction of the food lines.
“We’re going to go grab some food. If Brooklynn shows up, can you tell her I’m here?” Taylor asked Hunter.
“Yeah sure. We’ll be here,” Hunter said, and I couldn’t help but notice the look he gave Jamison since it looked suspiciously like the “I told you so” look that Taylor had just given me. I tried to brush it off as Taylor and I headed over to the sandwich line. After I’d gotten a chicken sandwich and a bag of chips, we headed back over to the table to find Brooklynn sitting there uncomfortably next to Taylor’s empty chair, engaging in conversation with Hunter and Jamison only because she had to.
“There you are,” she said to Taylor with a sugary sweet smile on her face that was attempting to hide the pissed off undertone in her voice.
“Just went to grab a sandwich, babe,” he replied, seeming to be as annoyed by her comment as I was.
“So Cameron, are you going to audition for one of the musicals or are you going to do crew?” Jamison asked me as I sat down next to Hunter.
“I was actually throwing around the idea of auditioning for Avenue Q. I love the show and can’t believe we’re actually doing it here. But I’m still not very comfortable with singing in front of big groups of people, so we’ll see.”
“Yeah, unless she’s wasted,” Taylor laughed, eliciting a look from Brooklynn.
“Alcohol just takes away my nerves, that’s all,” I retorted. Taylor just smiled and shook his head and I felt Hunter grab my hand under the table, giving it a squeeze.
“I think you should audition for Christmas Eve,” Hunter said, “You’d be funny playing her.”
“I think you should audition for Lucy the Slut,” Taylor chimed in. I shot him a look of both annoyance and surprise.
“You know Avenue Q?” Hunter asked incredulously.
“What? I can’t know stuff?” Taylor asked, shifting uncomfortably in his seat, “I’m a music major. I know musicals. Some of them.”
“That and I made him go see it with me this summer,” Brooklynn said. I think that everyone at the table, Taylor included, almost dropped dead of shock that she had made a comment that wasn’t intended to be bitchy in any way. Or at least that’s what I liked to think.
“Well well well, look at these morose mother fuckers,” Chris laughed as he and Jackson pulled up two chairs to the already crowded table.
“So, which one of you is Jay and which one is Silent Bob?” I asked, trying to suppress a laugh.
“Neither of them is particularly quiet,” Taylor offered.
“And both of them are foul mouthed and annoying,” I stated.
“Okay, okay. We get it,” Jackson said, rolling his eyes at us.
“Don’t get all pissy,” I said, “You can’t bust out a Kevin Smith quote if you don’t want us to make the obvious references to you two being like fellow hetero life mates Jay and Silent Bob.” Taylor and I laughed while Jackson and Chris offered us a series of expletives to showcase their feelings about our comparison.
“Anyways,” Brooklynn said, “Jake is having a party this Friday. First one of the year!”
“Oh goodie! It’s been so long since we got drunk,” Chris laughed, “I’ll bet Cams can’t wait to drink again.”
“As long as I don’t drink as much as I did last Friday, I’ll be fine,” I said, irritated with the fact that they were undoubtedly going to give me crap about the level of my drunkenness for a very long time.
“Yeah, I heard about that,” Jamison laughed, “But isn’t that how you’re supposed to spend your 21st birthday? Too drunk to function? That’s how I want to spend mine.”
“Who is this guy? I like this guy!” Jackson stated, “He thinks how we think.”
“This is Jamison,” Hunter said.
“Jamison, nice to meet you,” Chris said, “Shit! Class starts in a few minutes.”
“Friday! We’ll chat on Friday!” Jackson told him before they rushed out of the room.
“You’re in trouble now,” I said to him.
“Why?” he asked with concern.
“They’re insane,” Hunter explained, “They’ve deemed me a protégé. Maybe you’ll get to be one, too.”
“Great… just what I need,” Jamison smiled, “I guess I’m going to the party on Friday then?”
“You definitely should. They’re always a lot of fun,” Hunter said.
“Well, this has just been super fun, but I need to go,” Brooklynn said, obviously unable to behave herself any longer, “Bye, Tay. Come over tonight at eight.” And then she left without so much of a goodbye to anyone.
“Tay?” I asked him, trying not to laugh.
“Shut the fuck up, Cammy,” he said, mocking me right back.
“Hey!” Hunter spat.
“Dude, calm down, I was just making a point,” Taylor said. Hunter just sat there and shook his head.
“We need to go, Taylor, or we’re going to be late,” I said, standing up and grabbing my garbage. He grunted in response and followed suit.
“Will I get to see you later?” Hunter asked me.
“If you’re good,” I smiled, leaning down to kiss him softly. Lunch had gone so much better than I had anticipated. Brooklynn had mostly kept her stupid mouth shut and there had only been a few brief moments of awkwardness.
“So, no then?” he laughed. I gave his cheek a playful pinch before I felt Taylor put his hand on my lower back, giving me a nudge in the direction of the door.
“Let’s go, Cams. Dr. Klein gets pissed when people are late,” he said. I didn’t really comprehend him saying that, nor did I even hear Hunter and Jamison say goodbye.
There it was—the thing that had been missing. As Taylor’s hand slid innocently across the small of my back, every nerve in my body caught fire, each goosebump went rigid, and my breath caught somewhere in my throat. Instant arousal, instant heat. One word resounded firmly through my brain—Fuck.