“C’mon! Nerds are the new cool,” I said, especially because I could include myself in that category. Josh laughed and nodded.
“Did you go to school around here?” he asked.
“Yeah. I went to Lincoln. Where did you go?”
“I didn’t live around here. About three hours away.”
“Oh, do you live in the dorms then?”
“Not anymore, but I did, my first year. I have an apartment now.”
“That’s so cool! I always wanted to live in the dorms, but I’m only about ten minutes away.”
“Still live with your folks?”
“No, I live with my… roommate.” I looked down at the table. “Boyfriend” was on the tip of my tongue, but I couldn’t say it. I was disappointed in myself. If I had more confidence, I could’ve said it without caring what Josh or anyone else thought.
Josh finished his sandwich, and we studied for an hour or two. I lost track of time and when I glanced at the clock, it was almost eight thirty and I wanted to be home by nine.
“Oh! I gotta get going or I’m gonna miss the bus,” I said, packing up my things quickly.
“Huh? Don’t worry about it. I can give you a ride,” Josh said, resting his chin in the palm of his hand.
I glanced at the clock again. I wasn’t sure if I could make it to the bus stop on time. “Are you sure? I don’t wanna trouble you.”
“It’s okay. You said you live close, so I don’t mind,” he said, tilting his head and smiling.
“Thanks. I really appreciate it.”
We studied for another fifteen minutes, but then decided to call it a night. Josh drove a red Focus and took me home in half the time the bus ride would have taken. I thanked him for helping me study and for the ride while he smiled and shook his head.
“Oh, Toren. Wait a sec,” Josh said, getting out and walking around the back of his car by the time I turned around. “I almost forgot.”
Josh slipped his hand around the back of my head and kissed me. My body froze and I didn’t exactly know what to do. He pushed his tongue between my lips and before I could struggle to get away, I heard Wesley’s voice.
“Toren? What the hell is going on?” Wesley shouted, carrying a garbage bag in one hand.
I pushed Josh away and my stomach tightened. Wesley dropped the trash bag and I could see how angry he was. Of course he would be angry; I would be angry too if I saw Wesley kissing someone else. Just the thought made my stomach drop.
“What the hell are you doing?” he shouted.
I stared at the ground. I couldn’t believe what had just happened.
“Oh. You got a boyfriend?” Josh said. I could feel him staring at me.
“Yeah. He does,” Wesley answered for me. “And who the hell are you?”
“Sorry. I didn’t know. I didn’t know you had a boyfriend. Honest,” Josh said, taking a step back with his hands up as a sign of concession. “Well, I should probably get going.” He passed Wesley and lowered his voice. “Sorry about that, seriously. He’s just so tempting, you know?”
“What?” Wesley yelled, watching him walk around the front of the car with narrowed eyes.
“See you in class, Toren,” Josh said with a faint grin.
Wesley glared at Josh until he drove away and then he looked at me. Tears rimmed my eyes and I gripped the strap of my book bag.
“So, who the hell was that?” Wesley asked without lifting his heavy gaze.
“Wesley, it… it’s not what you think.”
“Then what is it? You were kissing him!” His eyes flared with anger and my heart sank. Wesley lowered his gaze and his voice became quieter, but still tinged with anger. “So, were you really just ‘studying’?” he asked, glancing at me from the corners of his eyes.
“How—how can you ask that?”
“You were kissing him!” Wesley shouted again, his voice breaking with anger. His face was tense, and he was grinding his teeth. I had never seen Wesley look like that before. His clenched fists relaxed like he had given up. He stooped and picked up the trash bag. “I have to take the garbage out.”
“Wesley! Please, listen to me!”
“I said, I have to take the garbage out. Just go inside,” he said, turning his back to me.
“Wesley….”
“I said, go inside!”
Tears rolled down my cheeks as he walked away from me. My shoulders slumped and my heart dropped, but I did as he said and went inside. I put my book bag down and waited by the door. Five minutes passed, then ten minutes, and Wesley still didn’t come back. I wrung my hands together. He had never yelled at me like that before. The door opened after a long fifteen minutes and Wesley stepped inside. He glanced at me and looked away quickly.
“Wesley.”
“There’s some stew left in the fridge if you want it,” he said and walked past me.
I reached out and grabbed Wesley’s hand. The look on his face pained me to the point that I felt I should be punished.
“Wesley, please! It’s not what you think, I swear! You have to believe me!”
Wesley stared at the floor and narrowed his eyes painfully. His voice was weak and he at once seemed so helpless. “But, you were kissing him….”
“I… I didn’t want to. He surprised me. Wesley, I’m sorry.” I bit my bottom lip and looked up at Wesley. “I don’t want anyone else. I don’t want to do that with anyone but you,” I said, stepping closer and grasping his T-shirt in my hands. “You have to believe me.”
Wesley pulled my head to his chest and wrapped his strong arms around me. I heard his heart beating and his warmth on my cheek. He took a deep breath and squeezed me tighter. “I do believe you. But I just don’t trust bastards like that asshole. So, don’t let anything like that ever happen again,”
