He eyed me skeptically.
“Whatever,” I grumbled, pushing hair behind my ear. “Was it at least worth it?”
He blinked.
“Ben.”
A slow grin tilted his lips. “If that’s your way of asking if he’s a good kisser, I never kiss and tell.”
I smacked his arm. “Liar!”
He laughed. “Nothing is worth you getting hurt, but I know what you’re really asking. I had fun. Ben is nice. But would I date him? Maybe, but he isn’t out. So, I suppose the answer to your question is leaning towards no.”
Wrapping my arms around his midsection for a quick hug, I squeezed him before stepping back. “You really love me, huh?”
“Like you had any doubt.”
I smiled and reached for the door handle, but he beat me to it and opened the door. He bowed and gestured for me to enter, making me giggle. “See you later? Coffee at the Hut?”
“You’re not going to stay late here?”
I looked in the empty art room before turning back to him. “My project is almost done and I’m not sure I’ll start another. Text me when you’re done with the guys?”
The flicker of amusement told me I said the wrong thing. “I didn’t think you wanted the dirty details, Della. Naughty little vixen.”
I blushed. “I meant with practice and you know it. I heard Tommy say Coach has been rough on you guys.”
One of his shoulders lifted. “He doesn’t want to lose another game. Can’t say I blame the guy. We were horrible last season and practice this season hasn’t been much better.”
“Then don’t hold back,” I told him knowingly. He hated attention but loved the game enough. In fact, he was the best one on the team, not that he’d admit it. “You’ve got what it takes to make it big even if that’s not what you want.”
He didn’t say anything right away. “I’ll text you later, okay? If you still want to go to the Hut, then you know I’ll be there.”
I turned to walk in when he called out my name, causing me to glance back at him. His lips wavered as he watched me for a moment. “I’d go against Lauren, Evan, and whoever else I needed to if it meant you were okay. You know that, right?”
“Of course.” Why would he even ask that? Just because the frat party happened, didn’t mean I blamed him. I wasn’t even mad anymore because rationality overtook any irritation I had for him disappearing.
Ren nodded once.
“Theo knows it too,” I added, though unconvincingly. Theo did know Lawrence would do anything to make sure I was okay. He just refused to admit it because he preferred hating on Ren instead.
His lips pinched. “I doubt that, Del, but thanks for trying to make me feel better.”
I gave him a small smile, one of reassurance even though he didn’t need it. “He trusts my judgment even when he shouldn’t. If I say you are good people, he knows it. As for fighting people for me…” The laugh couldn’t be stopped at the sight of him facing off Lauren. Ren had muscles, but he just didn’t have the vigor that Lauren did when she meant business. “I don’t doubt you could take Evan, but Lauren…”
He flinched. “Go get creative, Del.”
I stuck my tongue out at him before disappearing into my happy place. The door clicked behind me, letting me exhale the breath I’d been holding knowing I was on my turf. Nobody could take this away from me, judge me, or tell me I didn’t look right while doing what I loved.
The canvas I was met with had an acrylic version of the sketch I’d been working on at the warehouse, but it shifted. The two faceless figures were intertwined in a warm embrace, ballet flats on polished dress shoes, with their arms around each other. It was soft, the colors muted, but the tone something far louder.
I called it “Safe Space” because that was exactly where I was when I was in Theo’s arms.
March passed in a blur of monotony that I welcomed. Classes flew by, the work wasn’t hard to complete, and nobody said anything about my father. The silence was what I needed.
It was the beginning of April when the rain showers hit, and normally I liked watching from the living room window, but my mood had dulled over the past week considering it was the three-month anniversary of my father’s death. I went on with my life as I should have, but closed myself away because pretending all day was too tiring. Ren understood to some degree, only checking in on me occasionally after I left campus, and never asked me to go to parties because he knew what I’d say.
I was curled on the couch with a throw over my bare legs and the History Channel on the television screen when my phone rang. A clap of thunder rattled the windows, causing my focus to go to the glass to watch lightning strike and light the darkening sky. When my cell rang again, I pulled my gaze away from the downpour and back to the screen to see Theo’s name flashing across it.