Living at the Frat House - A College Romance

“What can I do for you, Taylor?”

“Juno Dennard is your girlfriend, right?”

That’s the first time anyone has called her that, and to me it feels like so much more than the term can encompass. But I nod. “Yes, she is.”

“Oh okay. Just checking. Good luck.”

I frown. “You know her?”

She smiles. “Of course. We went to high school together. Been friends for years.”

In passing, Juno has mentioned Bailey, her friend who she was planning to room with before we collided. She’s never mentioned a Taylor.

“I think it’s nice of you to let her live in Granite House with her reputation, honestly. I know that she really appreciates it.”

Suspicion curls around my spine. “What are you talking about?”

Her eyes go wide with shock. “You mean she didn’t tell you? I guess that makes sense. She’s really embarrassed about the whole thing.” Taylor looks away, thinking. “But you should probably know, since you’re responsible for anything that she does while she’s living with you.”

Dread is sinking through me, and I take a deep breath. “Start talking, Taylor, and I swear that if this is one of Melody’s games—”

She scoffs. “I don’t play games. A couple of years ago at a party, Juno got a kid to drink waaaay to much on a dare. She loves a good dare, didn’t you know that? Well the kid almost died from alcohol poisoning. It was really tragic. But yeah, I wouldn’t want anyone in Granite House to be in the same position.”

It feels like my entire body has gone numb. I can barely keep a hold on the cups that I’ve got in my hands. Again, I have the flashback of the first time that I saw Juno in the hospital. She had flowers, and she was crying. She left them for John, said that she was sorry, and then she left.

I thought that she had been a good friend coming to support him. But she wasn’t. She was the reason he had been in the hospital in the first place. Holy fuck.

“Thank you for the information,” I tell Taylor, and walk away. I’m not interested in any more of that conversation. She may call after me, but I’m not listening. I’m too busy throwing both cups in the trash and pulling out my phone. I dial John again, and this time he picks up, voice sleepy.

“Sorry man, I overslept.”

“I need to ask you something,” I say, not waiting for the confirmation. “Do you remember Juno Dennard from high school.”

John sighs. “I think so. She was generally pretty quiet. Nerdy type. Nice though.”

“Was she at the party?” I don’t have to clarify which party I’m talking about. There’s only one party that’s the party for the two of us.

“You know I don’t remember most of that night, Mal.”

“Try,” I growl. “This is important.”

He sounds fully awake now. “What is going on?”

“Was Juno Dennard at that party.”

“I don’t know,” he says. “Maybe? Most of the school was at at least some point.” A pause. “I kind of remember her being there, yeah.”

“Thanks,” I say. “That’s all I needed to know.”

I hang up the phone, pain spiraling through my chest like a phantom hand has reached inside and ripped my heart out. And soon after that comes anger. How could she do this?

She had admitted that she had come to Granite House on a dare. So she obviously likes them, just like Taylor said. Did she know about John? Who I was to him? Did she come after me to make herself feel better?

I have the urge to hide and the urge to hit something all at once. What the hell am I going to do?

Every moment with Juno has felt honest and truthful, and now I know that every second of it has been a lie that I created. I convinced myself that I was in love with her. After a month? What a fucking idiot I am.

I start walking, I don’t know where. I can’t go back to that house, not while she’s there. In my bed.

Fucking hell, I haven’t even showered. She’s still all over me.

I need a drink.

17

Juno

When I wake up, I’m surprised not to find Malcolm’s arms around me. I remember falling asleep with him in his bed after all of that perfection, and I can’t keep the smile off my face.

“Mal?”

No answer. Maybe he’s in the shower. I need one too. I have a lot of studying to do today, and a shower will help me focus. And if I run into Malcolm in the bathroom, I don’t have a problem with that either.

I grab my robe and duck across the hall to grab my shower stuff, but he’s not there either. Huh. Okay. I get through my own shower quickly, and send him a text asking where he is. There’s also a text from Bailey asking for a make-up dinner tonight. Hell yes.