Chapter Twenty-Two
Reaching down, I slip my black converse over my feet and quickly lace up the laces. Once I'm satisfied with the knots I stand up from my position at the end of my bed and end up locking eyes with myself in the mirror hanging on the wall in front of me. However instead of seeing the sullen expression I've been wearing the past couple of weeks my eyes seem to be sparkling, the green more prominently outshining the brown. I blink my eyes a few times making sure I'm seeing right, but when they continue to twinkle back at me I find a small smile working its way onto my lips.
Isn't it crazy how one person can change your life?
How all it takes is a chance encounter and all of a sudden you see the world differently?
Your perspective on things becomes just a bit clearer and the path you seem to be on shines just a bit brighter.
Now I know that sounds completely and utterly cliché. And I know it seems like I'm only saying this because of a four letter word. A four letter word that still feels unfamiliar when it falls from my lips.
But take that out of the equation. What do you have left?
Two people who had a chance encounter, then somehow had another, and after that the attraction was definitely there, but I most certainly wouldn't call it an instant love.
It was a process.
They starting talking and got to know each other. They revealed parts of each other, piece by piece, and with each piece came a friendship. So it never was solely about the attraction, but rather the opposite. They fell for each other from the inside out, for who they are as individuals, instead of from the outside in.
Now of course it wasn't always perfect. They had their fall out. But do you know the best part of falling out?
Falling back in.
I glance to my left seeing the sun shining in through the window and my smile seems to grow even bigger. I look back at myself in the mirror one more time, assessing my jean capris and light pink top with lace short sleeves, before picking my notebook up off my bed and slipping my cross body bag over my shoulder.
I leave my dorm and then stepping out of the building, I'm greeted by a cool breeze that blows blonde strands of hair into my eyes and over my lips. However instead of getting annoyed and quickly brushing them away, I find another smile forming on my lips as my hair continues to carelessly whip around my face.
You see I don't think it necessarily has to be someone you're attracted to in the physically kind of sense. It could just be a person you meet. Someone who gets to know you and embraces all you have to offer. Your good and your bad, your perfections and imperfections. Everything that makes youâyou.
And even on those average days, at those average times, just the thought of them manages to... make you smile.
****
"Ooh, come' on, come' on." Trent excitedly drags me across the lawn as we move farther and farther away from the building I just exited from.
I stumble over my feet a bit seeing as I just sat watching my professor dissect a frog for an hour and a half while Trent continues to swiftly maneuver around people. I glance around at the beautiful day around as seeing people crowding the pathways and huddled together in various places on the lawn. It's weird to think that my freshman year of college is almost over. I feel like I've been here forever.
"Okay, right," Trent drags out the word until we stop in front of a picnic table. "Here," He drops my hand and turns to me, placing his hands on my shoulders. "Stay right here."
"Okay," I respond warily expecting him to elaborate, but he just grins at me instead.
"Okay." He nods as he glances around us. I glance around as well trying to see what he's looking for, but before I can pinpoint anything specific, he turns back to me. "You ready?" His green eyes dance in excitement, the gold specks reflecting more prominently in the sunlight. I open my mouth to question him, but before I can he hops up onto the table. He brings his forefinger and pinky up to his lips and blows out an alarming whistle making some people stop in their tracks.
My eyes widen a little when all their eyes turn to us and I look up at Trent seeing his bright red shirt and black basketball shorts make him hard to miss.
"Hello everyone, sorry to inconvenience you, but I'd like to just make a quick announcement!" Trent shouts catching even more people's attention. He stretches a hand out to me. "This is my girlfriend!" My lips part as all their eyes move from him then over to me and I clutch my notebook tighter to my chest. Unfazed by the curious, judgmental, and even a little annoyed looks, Trent brings his hand up to his chest. "And I, Trent Montgomery," he looks down at me, searing his gaze through mine, "am deeply and hopelessly in love with her." Instead of his usual grin, his mouth parts in an award winning smile and even though I know my whole face is probably bright red I find my own lips curving up in response. Then he turns back to address the still watching crowd. "I just thought you all should know that!" He goes to step back down, but as if another light bulb goes off in his he, he turns back. "Oh! And if any of you guys even try to glance in herâ"
"Okay, that's enough, lover boy." I yank his arm, abruptly pulling him down from the picnic table, and everyone goes back to doing what they were doing before.
"Hey!" Trent mock yells since I cut off his speech not allowing him to express his possessiveness. "I was just making sure everyone knows you're mine and that no one can take you away from me."
My eyebrow quirks up. "Werewolf much?" He gives me a deadpanned look in which I nudge his arm with mine on a sigh. "And I wouldn't worry too much about that, Montgomery. I'm all yours."
Just like that a grin makes a reappearance on his face. "All my vanilla?"
"Yes," I nod biting my lip, sheepishly trying to hide a smile.
"Well," Trent inclines his head towards me and waves a hand in front of him gesturing to himself. "This red velvet lover boy is all yours."
I teasingly roll my eyes. "Lucky me."
Trent's mouth drops as does his hand, making me burst into laughter. He quickly yanks me towards him, abruptly silencing me, and leaving my notebook as the only barrier between us.
He leans down. "I would actually consider yourself very lucky, but me? Well, I'm pretty damned blessed to be able to be the one who holds your heart."
A huge smile breaks out across my lips and I shake my head. "You're kind of perfect, you know that?"
He smiles and holds me tighter. "Glad you've finally realized. Well, without the kind of part." I slap his chest and pull away from him to keep walking across the lawn. He follows slipping an arm around my shoulders and pulling me back against him. I slump my shoulders, relaxing into his hold, and he leans down, planting a quick kiss to the top of my head.
I guess you can say we're officially official.
****
"Okay and this is Brad and Dave and Kyle." Trent continues to pull me around the frat house living room introducing me to a stream of faces. "And Tyler." I give him a little wave, the same half wave and smile I've been giving to the rest of the guys. In response Tyler gives me the same amused and semi-genuine smile.
"Dude, I think you're overwhelming her," Zack says coming up beside me. "Give her a chance to breathe, or," he nudges my side, "maybe just give her some peas." I elbow his side, but then realize that my shoulder muscles were tensed up, which means they were tensed up during the duration of this whole meet and greet. Trent glances down at me, most likely considering Zack's words and then let's go of my hand only to wrap his arm around my waist instead.
"Josh," Trent nods his head since we've now been standing in front of him for a few seconds.
"Nice to see you again." Josh smiles, tipping his cup towards me, and I give him a smile back. Trent makes a move to continue walking, but then freezes.
"Wait." He glances at me then back at Josh. "You two already met?"
"Oh yeah," Zack says taking Josh's cup from his hand and taking a sip before handing it back to him. "I introduced them awhile back." He wipes excess liquid away from the corner of his lip with his thumb and after taking a second to accept the information Trent shrugs.
A few seconds later a guy with tousled jet black hair comes over and slaps a hand on Josh's shoulder. His gaze immediately falls on me and I'm met with dark, but vivid brown eyes.
"You must be Lacie." One corner of his mouth tips up in a ghost of a smile as he steps around Josh and extends his hand out to me. "I'm Asher."
"Hi," I greet, tentatively shaking his hand. Once he drops his hand back down to his side he leans back a little as his eyes scan me over.
"No wonder Trent kept you hidden for so long. Some of the guys here..." He trails off reaching his hand up to scratch the back of his neck. My cheeks redden a little under his scrutiny and I'm guessing by the way he trailed off; it was almost a compliment.
"I think you're included in that 'some guys' category," Stephanie says coming up beside me in the space between me and Zack.
As part of Trent's plan to officially introduce me to his friends, he wanted my friends to come along too, so he can also get to know them better.
A slow grin stretches across Asher's face in response to Steph's statement and then his eyes fall on something behind me.
"Well, hello there," he says and I turn making space, so he has a direct view of Savannah.
"Hi, Asher," she responds with fake politeness while Megan shakes her head, smiling beside her.
"Oh, Savannah Evans, what do I owe the pleasure?" He brings a hand up and does a little bow with it in which Savannah rolls her eyes. My eyebrows draw together in confusion and I guess feeling my gaze, Savannah glances over at me.
She sighs. "We've only met one other time and that was," she turns glancing at the rest of the people around us, "when I walked in on him making out with some girl at one of the frat parties."
"Oh," Asher scoffs. "We weren't just making out."
"I realized that," Savannah snaps and looks back over at him in disgust.
"Manwhore," Stephanie coughs making Trent chuckle beside me and I bite my lip to contain my own smile.
Asher brings a hand up to his chest as his eyes slide over to Stephanie. "You don't even know me?" Savannah just rolls her eyes again while Josh pats Asher's back in condolence.
I feel Trent shift beside me and then I feel his lips brush up against my ear.
"Want to get out of here?" I turn my head slightly toward him raising my brow and he grins. "What? These people are boring me." I shake my head at him, but he leans down again. "Plus, I think now they'll be pretty entertained."
I turn back to our friends, scanning my eyes around. I see Zack's already teasing Stephanie and despite what was just said about Asher, Megan and Savannah strike up another conversation with him and Josh. A small smile forms at the corners of my lips at the small, yet diverse group we just formed.
I turn back to Trent. "Okay, I guess we can go." Trent grins, then stepping back he takes my hand, and we silently leave our friends.
I glance back over my shoulder one more time and catching Stephanie's bright blue eyes, she sends me a quick wink before turning back to Zack.
I shake my head turning back around, but smile again.
****
I continue to walk my fingers across Trent's shirt covered stomach as he continues to slowly drag his finger tips up and down my upper arm. His other arm is resting underneath his head, supporting him, while my head's lying on his chest as we're both just laying on his bed in silence.
I guess that's another perk of having your boyfriend also as a friend. No words are needed. You can just sit in silence and enjoy the comfort of it. I internally shake my head. It's still weird to even call him 'my boyfriend' because to me, he'll always be just Trent.
That blonde haired, green eyed guy that I met in our town's local grocery store who just so happens to have a strong love of red velvet cake.
At the same time though, he's also Trent.
The guy who dubbed me as vanilla and flirted with me over a cup of hot chocolate.
He's also that same Trent that forced me to cuddle with him and watch movies, or just sit around and talk about the random things in life.
So I guess he's Trent.
The guy I fell in love with.
Trent gently rolls over, planting his hands on either side of my head, and smiles down at me. "Do you believe in love?"
The question brings my mind back to the conversation we had awhile back that seemed pretty insignificant at the time. Now I don't think my views have changed, but my answer has. I reach up running a hand through the spike of his hair and then down the back of his neck while a smile tugs at my lips.
"Yes."
His smile remains in its place as he leans down a little. "Do you believe in young love?"
I tilt my head side to side. "Somewhat."
His green eyes sparkle, something I've come to realize they do when he's happy, as he leans down further. "Do you believe in our love?"
"Yes," I smile bigger and bring a hand up to his cheek, feeling the muscles move as his smile grows.
"Oh." He leans back, leaving my hand to fall away from him. "Do you believe," he wiggles his eyebrows suggestively, "that every kiss begins with K?" I shake my head at him bringing my hand back up to his chest.
"Yes," I nod lightly tapping my finger over the v-neck of his shirt collar. "As do all the Kay Jewelry stores across the globe."
"Well," he lets out a few chuckles before leaning back in, "do you, Lacie O'Conner, believe," he pauses leaning his forehead on mine and sending me his famous grin, "that I'm going to kiss you now?"
"Hmm..." I bring a finger up to my lips pretending to think about it for a second before smiling back at him. "Yes."