As She Fades

He grinned and nodded. “Yep. Only fifty cents more, too. The stuff my sister orders costs almost five bucks.”

“Good to know.”

“Just wait until you taste that muffin,” he added.

I picked up my fork and took a small bite. The warm gooeyness melted on my tongue. “Yum,” I said, going for a larger bite.

“The best muffin in town,” he assured me.

“I bet this place is packed in the mornings during the week,” I said, already sad that I wouldn’t have time most days to get either of these things before class. Unless I got up really early. All my morning classes started at eight. I wasn’t sure what I was thinking when I did my schedule.

“Line is out the door. I have a hook-up, though. I might share on days when I’m close by.”

Smiling at his teasing, I took another bite. Making friends had been easier than I expected. I missed home and I missed Crawford, but I was going to be okay here. When Crawford woke up and was back completely, I’d be able to show him around and we’d experience all this together. He would love these muffins.

“So, tell me about your guy. Is he headed to another college?”

Talking about Crawford was never easy. I had to dance around the actual facts. “He’s staying home this year. There are some personal things he’s handling. We’ll see each other on weekends when I go home, and he’ll join me here as soon as he can.”

Charlie was listening with his fork paused in midair as if he were waiting on more details. “How long you been dating?”

“Since we were six,” I replied, then laughed softly. That answer always got surprised looks.

“Wow, so he’s the only guy you’ve ever dated,” he said, as if he couldn’t quite believe it.

I nodded. “Yep.”

“Jesus, and I thought my three-year relationship in high school was long.”

“I definitely have you beat.”

He shot me a crooked grin. “You have everyone I’ve ever met beat.”

This was nice. Talking about Crawford and enjoying my coffee. When he came here, people would know him and know our story. It would be an easy adjustment. I looked forward to that day. I just hoped it was soon.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

MONDAY CAME AND went in a blur. Making it to each class on time, getting all the first-of-the-semester information, not having time for lunch, then finally crashing in my room with a bag of Cheetos and a Diet Coke around five. Then the studying began.

Tuesday was a replica, but instead of Cheetos it was Goldfish crackers and a bottle of water. I decided to try to be healthier. Which was blown out of the water when Mae brought me a large greasy slice of pepperoni pizza around nine while I was making notes on the evening’s reading assignment.

Wednesdays were slower days for me. This morning I had managed to get up early enough to stand in the long line outside the coffee shop. I didn’t get a muffin because once I got my coffee, I only had five minutes to get to class. No time to eat. The good news was my afternoon was free, so I’d actually get to eat and catch up on assignments due next week.

Once I was done with all my classes for the day, I headed for the library. Everly wasn’t one for studying and she listened to Justin Bieber music loudly and sang off-key whenever she was in the room. I’d pretty much decided the library was going to be my best friend. The only good news was that Everly was out most evenings on dates. I didn’t ask if it was Slate, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t wondering.

I hadn’t seen even a glimpse of Slate since the first day in the coffee shop. Nor had he texted again. Which was fine. I didn’t think Slate was going to be a good friend anyway. He didn’t seem the type. He had an agenda, and friendship wasn’t on it.

I went to the fourth floor of the library and found a table in the back behind shelves of books, so it was nice and secluded. No one seemed to venture beyond the second floor for studying, so this seemed like the best idea.

I wasn’t sure how much time had passed when I heard giggling, then a deep male whisper … then more giggling. I glanced up and looked through the bookshelves in front of me to see the back of a girl pressed up against the other side of the bookshelf.

Slate was the one word I recognized. The girl said his name twice, and then he moaned.

Seriously? Frowning, I tried to block it out and put my focus back on my books.

“That’s it,” he said with a groan. For the love of God! I glared at the shelves as a few books fell to the ground and he made another pleasure sound. Didn’t he have a bedroom at the frat house? I was under the impression that was where this kind of activity took place.

No thank you.

I stood up and took a deep breath before walking around the bookshelves to see exactly what I had imagined. Slate with a girl I didn’t know, several books thoughtlessly scattered around them.

Both heads jerked in my direction and I couldn’t make eye contact with Slate. I’d now seen enough to know that things would never be the same.

“Um, yes, excuse me, but I’m right over there studying,” I said, not looking directly at them. The girl’s boobs were exposed and I didn’t want to see that, either, so I turned my gaze to my table. “I’m studying and I don’t really want to be a voyeur on this whole experience so if you wouldn’t mind taking it to, oh, I don’t know, your bedroom, the frat house, somewhere that’s not a public place…” I paused with my cheeks blazing hot. It wasn’t like I didn’t know what sex was or I hadn’t done it with Crawford. It was just that I’d never seen anyone else do it.

“That’s what this floor is for. You can move.” The girl’s voice grated on me.

“I’m pretty sure the school board would agree with me that this is a place for students to study, not screw,” I replied, then walked back to my table so I didn’t have to continue this conversation with almost-naked people.

“Later,” I heard him say. She argued back and then he repeated, “Later.”

It sounded like she was having a bit of a fit and I wondered if that was as sexy as the blow job she’d been giving him.

“I said, not right now. Not here.” His tone was hard this time.

“You’re a jerk,” she spat out at him loudly.

“You’re the one who begged to come up here and suck my dick,” he replied.

A few more books hit the floor, and although the carpet muffled her steps, I could hear her storming off. God, please let him follow her.

The words on the page I was staring at began to blur as I tried to focus, but my heart was pounding nervously. I didn’t want him to talk to me now.

“She’s right. If you study up here, that won’t be the only live sex show you’ll see.”

Great. He was going to talk.

“This is a library.” I stated the obvious but didn’t look up.

I heard him laugh, and I suddenly wanted to hurl a book at him myself.

“Yeah, it is. Getting sucked off in the shelves isn’t so bad. Kind of hot. Thinking about someone walking up and catching you. Are you a virgin, Vale?”

That got my attention. I lifted my head and stared directly at him. His pants were back up and zipped, which was a relief. “That’s not your business.”

He shrugged. “The shade of red you were when you saw us makes me think you’ve not had sex yourself.”