Dissipate

“Hey, Aiden is heading over to the Sigma Chi house now. The meeting should be over soon.”

Leaning over the rail, she dropped her bag and dashed back up to her room. “Yeah, Mike texted me. Mike’s roommate is on his way over to pick me up.” Brooklyn disappeared into her room, but kept speaking. “We’re going to swing by the Sigma Chi’s to get Mike, then go to the airport.”

Brooklyn was heading out of town to meet Mike’s family. She was flying back into Kansas two days before Christmas, then Mike was joining her there a couple of days after to meet each other’s parents. Brooklyn was nervous to say the least. Coming back out, Brooklyn had two more bags.

“Do you need some help?”’

She heaved the next two bags over the rail, then came to me. “No, this is it. I left two bags on my bed, if you could bring them to Kansas when you come.”

“Of course.”

Throwing her arms around me, Brooklyn hugged the life from me. “I’ll miss you guys! Have fun! Say a little prayer that they’ll like me.”

I lovingly patted her back. “That isn’t even a worry, but I’ll say one anyway.”

A horn sounded outside. “He’s here. I’ve got to go.”

Taking two steps at a time, Brooklyn made it to her bags. Handles came out of two of the smaller suitcases and she shouldered the third one. As Brooklyn walked to the front door, I called after her, “Have fun!”

The door opened. Brooklyn gave me a devious grin. “You too. Don’t do too many naughty things while I’m gone.”

Heat raced across my cheeks as the door closed. We were both sexually active, but it was still uncomfortable to talk about it with anyone but Aiden. I was now alone. Overall, I felt like I was fairly immersed in this culture. The headaches had all but disappeared. I still relished my quiet time when my brain could truly take a break.

My stomach growled. Pizza was our normal Friday night tradition. If I ordered it now, the pizza would probably arrive before Aiden made it over. Then, I’d change into my green lingerie. Yeah, I’d learned the term lingerie from Brooklyn when I’d thanked her for the dress. The word was an interesting term to lookup. Some outfits left nothing to the imagination.

Twenty minutes later, I was curled up on the couch, reading a book, when the doorbell rang. Pizza was here. Opening the door, Aiden stood outside with a rose.

“You’re here early.”

He didn’t answer, but wrapped his arms around me and moved us backward as his mouth sought mine. We tumbled over the couch and my shirt was lifted over my head, then his. Things heated between us. Aiden was at the front clasp of my bra when the doorbell rang. He looked at me disbelieving.

I giggled. “I ordered pizza for us.”

“Wait here just like this. I’ll be right back.” He kissed me hard before jumping over the back of the couch and made his way to the door.

The door opened. “Yes.”

That didn’t sound like the normal greeting Aiden gave the pizza delivery guy he knew.

“Is Sarah here? I thought I saw her go into this door.” That voice. That voice. Oh my, that voice.

I shot up. “Matthew?”

Matthew’s eyes nearly bugged out of his head. Aiden looked back. “Kenzie, your top!”

/> In shock, I tumbled off the couch. I fumbled getting my shirt back on. Aiden was by my side, his strong arms bringing me to a standing position as he helped me get resituated. “Kenzie, are you all right?”

“Yes.” My eyes met Matthew’s as I kept speaking to Aiden. “That’s Matthew from The Society.”

“Oh . . .” Aiden’s words trailed off as I walked over to Matthew. Aiden was close behind.

Matthew stood at the door watching everything with a blank face, his posture rigid.

Stopping a few feet away, I had the urge to hug him, but knew that might be too much. I was still getting used to the gesture with other people. “You came. Come on in.”

Walking inside, Matthew sat a bag on the floor. “Sarah, are you okay? Was he hurting you?”

It was weird hearing someone call me Sarah, but that was what Matthew knew me as.