Aiden hasn't texted me back in two days.
Now, I know, I shouldn't panic, but how can I not? 3 in every 5 women have been ghosted before. (Note: That is not a factual piece of data, but take it as you will).
"Two days isn't even that many, Brook," Sophie says.
"You're right," I pretend to agree. Two days isn't that many, but Aiden and I had been pretty consistently texting all week. "It's totally fine if he ghosted me."
"He didn't ghost you. It's been two days."
"It's totally fine if he did. I get it. I basically rejected him. It's my fault."
"What did you last text him?" Joseph asks from our tiny kitchen as he prepares us spaghetti for dinner.
"Oh god, it was my fault. I didn't use any exclamation points in the message I sent last. But I responded to him on my Apple Watch, so I couldn't!"
"He probably found out about the article and hates your guts," Joseph says calmly.
"Joe!" Sophie cries. "Brook, listen, he's probably just really busy with frat stuff right now. Isn't it initiation season? He's probably hazing some poor freshmen right now."
Joseph nods. "I agree with Soph. You should try to go over there because think of how interesting your article would be if you found out anything about their hazing."
"Frat guys don't talk about that stuff, Joe. It's like the code of brotherhood," I say. "I'm not even his girlfriend." I drum my fingers on the couch. "I also can't just show up there. He's clearly done with me."
"The Brooklyn I know and love would not stand for getting ghosted by some frat dude. If he isn't man enough to end things, you're going over there and sharing a piece of your mind."
And after three glasses of wine with dinner and a shot for courage, I did just that.
I ring the doorbell, swaying only slightly from the subtle buzz of alcohol. After five seconds, I ring again. Twice. I hold my breath for ten seconds then ring it again.
That's four rings in less than a minute.
Before I can press it again, the door swings open. Bradley is standing at the door.
"Oh, shit. Hey, Brooklyn."
"I'd like to talk to the President, please."
"Are you okay? You just coming from a party or something?"
"No, no. I just would like to talk to Aiden."
"Uh, sure, he's not home right now. Why don't you come in? It's getting cold." He opens the door wider for me to step in. "Have you been drinking?"
"No, Mom," I reply and start walking toward the stairs to go up to the President suite.
"Like I said, he's not home. Why don't you sit in the lounge for a little until he's back?" He leads me to a room with a large black sofa. "Want some water?" He pulls out his phone, and I assume he texts something to Aiden about me.
I realize this could very well make me look crazy. I decide to do some damage control. "So, um, I'm sorry for barging in late on a Friday evening. I guess I got a little carried away at a rush party down the road." I can't be blamed for any actions while I'm drunk. At least, that's what my drunk mind is telling me.
"Oh, it's no problem. We've got a brotherhood event starting in a few hours though, so I might have to kick you out before Aiden gets back."
"Where is Aiden? If you know."
"He's out getting stuff for the event. Should be back in a few."
"What's the event?" Even drunk Brooklyn can be a detective.
"Team bonding type of thing with new pledges."
His answer was quick, suave. It seems like he's rehearsed it before.
I nod. "Ah, I see. Testing out to see who can really measure up to the brotherhood. Survival of the fittest."
"It's not anything like that," he says, catching on to me too quickly. "We don't do that."
Lies.
"Oh, of course not! I wasn't saying that!"
I totally was saying that.
The uncomfortable silence that followed was deafening.
I don't know how long it was we sat there until Aiden and another guy came back with multiple bags of groceries.
"Brooklyn? What are you doing here?" He looks almost embarrassed.
"I was in the neighborhood. Thought I'd drop by," I say.
"Have you been drinking?"
"Jeez, I'm 21, is the idea really so crazy to you guys?"
He holds back a smile and hands his groceries to Bradley. "I'll be right back, guys." He nods his head in the direction of the stairs as a sign for me to follow him.
We step inside his room, and he shuts the door behind him. I can tell he's waiting for me to say something first.
"You probably know why I'm here," I start with, too nervous to go in on him so aggressively. "I just want to say that I understand if you're upset at me because maybe I did something, but I think you owe me an explanation instead of ghosting me."
"Ghosting you?"
"You haven't texted me back in two days," I say, holding my phone up.
"I'm not upset at you, Brooklyn. And I'm really sorry. I've been so busy with initiation stuff. I swear I texted you back." He even pulls out his phone to check, then mutters a curse word to himself. "Damn, message failed to send."
"Oh." I sit down on his bed in defeat. "Well, now I seem like I'm crazy and clingy! Great!"
"No, no, not at all. It's actually kind of cute that you were so worried."
I lean back to lie on his bed. "How are you real. The only thing that made sense in this entire relationship was you ghosting me. But it didn't even happen!"
"Why would that make sense, Brooklyn?"
"Because I'm not the type of girl a guy like you should be with. I'm weird and not outgoing and a little too negative. You deserve someone beautiful and sweet and positive and, oh, just perfect."
"I disagree. You're exactly who I want to be with." He gets on the bed with me, and I immediately rest my head on his chest. "You're beautiful and strong and you have this amazing drive about you that is so infectious."
The butterflies start flapping their wings in my stomach. I wonder if it's the alcohol. I can't throw up in front of this guy... again.
I realize why I didn't want to be his girlfriend when he mentioned it a few weeks ago. I'm scared. I'm scared that he's going to break my heart. He's too good to be true right now, and when this picture-perfect movie is broken, I'm going to experience my first heartbreak.
He didn't text me back for two days, and I thought it was all over. I didn't say it to Sophie or to Joseph because I'm embarrassed, but I was so upset. I didn't want to lose Aiden right now. I like being with him.
I like this stupid, amazing frat President.
I don't remember much else from our conversation after that, but I know somewhere along the way I fell asleep. What can I say? Wine makes your girl sleepy.
I guess Aiden must've tucked me in after I fell asleep. Pause to swoon. I was fast sleep until a loud crash from downstairs woke me up. Probably someone making breakfast. I crawled out of Aiden's bed and checked my phone. It was already 3:30 am.
Where was Aiden?
Great. This is the start to a horror movie about a college girl trapped in a fraternity house while a mass murderer is on the loose.
Like any stupid girl in a horror movie, I decide to leave his room. I'm sure the people at home watching this movie right now are screaming at me to turn around and go back in the room, but my curiosity is too much.
I'm very stealthy as I walk downstairs. Not a soul is on the first floor. That's weird. There's no way an entire house of frat boys is sleeping right now.
I hear another loud bang, coming from what I'm assuming is their basement. I walk right to the door. This is the moment of truth. I slowly turn the handle to make not a peep. Stepping down, I pray these stairs don't creak.
When I lean down past the guard rail, I almost gasp at the sight before me. I hold one hand over my mouth and grab my phone with the other. I hit record video with my thumb and watch in complete disbelief.
~~
AN:
You're gonna be ð¶bustedð¶
a double post today!!! and a cliff hanger?! look at me go
â¢commentâ¢voteâ¢enjoyâ¢