“Hunter,” I say in a warning voice. The way he’s speaking to Rachel is completely uncalled for. Sure, he’s in pain, but he doesn’t have to take it out on all of us. Especially Rachel, since she’s just showing her concern.
“You just,” she waves at him while trying to find words, “don’t look like you feel too well. It’s okay to take a break every now and then.”
“Oh, shut the fuck up,” mutters Hunter as he walks towards his door. “Who asked that bitch anyway,” he adds before slamming his door close.
I sigh and run a hand through my hair. Maybe he should talk to someone. My gaze lingers on the door as a dark thought enters me. Maybe he’s going through withdrawal. I stare at Hunter’s door, wondering if he’s going to be alright. A broken hand isn’t good, but it’ll heal pretty quickly. But his shoulder has been messed up for over a year now and Hunter still isn’t treating it with the attention it needs. He’s going to tear it if he’s not careful. If it isn’t torn already.
“Ignore him,” says Lucas. “He’s had it pretty rough today.” He hands Rachel a controller and smiles at her. “Play with me?”
I step forward, instantly needing to wedge myself between them. I tell myself I’m just irritated that the bastard didn’t ask me to play, but really that doesn’t make any sense. Rachel is sitting too close to him. Lucas is actually smiling at her. And she’s not even undressing. She’s fully dressed, sitting next to him, playing video games. Very poorly I might add. But still, he’s still smiling at her. Practically cuddling with her. In front of me.
It’s nothing. Stop being so weird, I tell myself while striding towards my room. Still. They look like the perfect couple.
15
RACHEL
It’s Saturday and I still can’t believe I’m going out with Seth. Or that he even offered. Which is weird in itself. The whole week has gone by like a complete blur with Hunter mopey around the flat and Lucas casting me little smiles here and there. I still can’t get the idea of kissing Lucas and Seth out of my head. I kissed both of them. On the same day. Part of me feels completely mortified by the idea of kissing two boys within a span of a few hours. I have never done that before. Sure, I’ve kissed boys here and there and gone out on a few dates. I’m no virgin Mary. But I’m also not the type to go from sleeping with one guy one day and another guy the next day.
Not like that’s a bad thing or anything.
I just have never done it.
And I don’t know how to feel about it, yet, because the other part of me really wants to kiss again. Both of them. Even Seth, who, despite his asshole personality, is actually a really good kisser. Who would have thought?
I glance over at him, walking next to me down the sidewalk towards campus. He looks freshly bathed. His hair moves easily with the breeze. It was soft when I ran my hands through it, I remember faintly. My face heats when I remember the way he moaned, how he pressed against me. I remember feeling his hard dick through the jeans and the need for more. No, I tell myself. You do not need any more Seth. Honestly, I don’t think I would be feeling so torn if I kissed someone else after Lucas. Even Hunter would have been a better choice than Seth, even though he is also a bit of a jackass. Even more now after his injury.
And then there’s Josh.
Sweet Josh. I should be kissing him and not Seth. Josh with his beautiful eyes and his gentle ways. He even asked me if I wanted to go to the art museum today. I frown, remembering how sad he looked when I turned him down. Other plans I told him. Other plans with a guy who wants to make my life a living hell. I should have said yes to Josh and played sick for Seth.
But I am a bit curious as to where he plans on taking me today. Not to mention, he woke me up at five this morning. Someone who wakes up at five on a Saturday definitely has big plans. There’s no way I could play sick with this much curiosity going through me.
I gaze into the distance as the sun begins to climb over the mountain tops, casting golds and crimsons and lighting the small quaint town in its glittering rays. It’s beautiful. Aurora is absolutely beautiful, and even in its autumn beauty I wonder what it will look like once snow begins to fall.
“There,” Seth says while pointing where I’ve been looking. “That would make a beautiful picture.”
I level my camera and look through the lens. It is a beautiful picture, but I can’t get the lighting right and there are telephone poles and wires in the way. The picture is just going to fall flat compared to the beauty in front of me, I tell myself while lowering my camera.
“Did you get it?” Seth asks. He smiles and looks over my shoulder to look into the display.
I shake my head. “No.” I sigh and try to ignore his pestering gaze. I don’t even know how to explain myself. I just can’t take pictures. I’m not the greatest photographer in the world and I guess at this rate I never will be. “I can’t get it right,” I say instead, not wanting to unload all my pent up baggage. He already thinks I’m crazy for some reason. No reason to add fuel to the fire now.
“You can’t get it right?” He looks at me, his brows furrowing while he purses his lips. “What’s that supposed to mean?” He waves at the mountains. “Just take it. Take hundreds. Then you can look at it after and decide which
