The Freshman (College Years 1)

“Staying at the condo I guess,” I admit.

“I was planning on keeping you company.” He won’t look at me. He’s picking off imaginary lint from his knee.

I feel like a sap, but Caleb wanting to stay at the condo over Thanksgiving break when he could go home and be with his family is…nice. Thoughtful. Who knew he had it in him?

Me. I did. I always did. He puts on a show, but deep down, he’s a nice guy. He’s just—sex-crazed. Out to conquer every girl he can before he falls into a boring, miserable life. At least that’s what will happen, according to him.

And that sucks. Why does he set himself up to fail?

I think of my future, and Hayden suddenly appears in my mind. Seeing her on campus earlier had felt like a jolt to my bloodstream. She was sitting at a picnic table with her friend, and her entire face lit up when she saw me. Like she’d been waiting for me.

Totally reading too much into it, but I can’t help it.

I know I smiled at her much the same. Caleb slapped my shoulder. Jackson called me pussy-whipped. I ignored him because he has no idea how I feel about Hayden, or what’s happened between us so far.

I’m not pussy-whipped.

Not yet.

Ha.

When we finally arrive at Strummers, I have to circle the block because there’s no parking in the front. And there’s a long line in front of the building, made-up mostly of young teenage girls dressed in the ugliest clothes imaginable.

“Slow down when you make a pass this time,” Caleb advises me as we head for the front of Strummers again. “I want to see if I can spot Gracie and Hayden.”

I go a lot slower as we drive by, and I’m the one who spies Hayden’s blonde head first. “There they are.”

Caleb switches the music to the Bee Gees immediately, cranking up the volume. “Roll down the window!” he screams at me.

I do his bidding, amused. We both swivel our heads in the girls’ direction and they’re watching us. Hayden’s smiling. Gracie’s scowling.

Caleb leans over me, trying to shove his face through the open window. “The Bee Gees!”

Gracie gives him the double finger from her hips, as if she’s poised to shoot him.

He falls back into his seat, laughing. “This is going to be an interesting night.”

I just laugh along with him.

We finally find a parking lot and then make our way to the bar. Because that’s all Strummers is. A nondescript building with a bar inside that hosts various musical acts that command a small audience. I’ve heard of it, but I’ve never been, and when we approach the line, I realize pretty much every single person standing in it is female.

And they’re all watching us questioningly.

“There are so many girls,” Caleb says. He sounds impressed.

“Maybe you can find ten and put them on your yacht,” I suggest.

“Huh?” He frowns.

“The song,” I remind him.

“Oh right. Yeah. Not interested in ten tonight. Only one.” He makes his way toward her, pasting on a cocky grin as he zeros in on Gracie. “Did you like the song I played for you?” he asks her eagerly.

“You’re an idiot,” she says, turning her back on him.

I approach Hayden much more subtly. “Hey.”

She smiles up at me as I lean in and drop a chaste kiss on her cheek. I want to do so much more, but I’m restraining myself. “You made it,” she says when I pull away.