Hunter laces his fingers with hers and pulls her back to him. “He’s not worth it,” he says while pushing her hair back behind her ear. I grind my teeth at her grimace as Hunter accidentally touches her bruised cheek. “Let’s just go.”
Rachel nods. “Okay,” she says.
Lucas and I shuffle outside with the suitcases while Rachel leads the way. These bags are so heavy and so bulky. I can’t believe she was able to get them on the plane.
“Enjoy your slut, boys,” four-eyes calls while sticking his head out of the door. Rachel stills in the hallway, looking around at the other apartment doors. Her face blushes and I see in her prickling eyes she’s about to break again. “Although, I’m sure her vagina is probably flapping in the wind with all the fucking around she does. Doubtful you’ll be able to get off with it. Maybe try her a-“
Hunter’s fist punches four-eyes right in the jaw and I watch as the wormy bastard grabs his face, crying in pain while he melts to the floor. The footballer towers over four eyes, his finger pointed in the other’s face. “You ever fucking touch her again,” he nearly growls, “I’ll fucking kill you.” With one last look, Hunter turns on his heel.
I throw my arm around Rachel’s shoulders. “You ready to go home?” I ask while we walk down the stairs.
She smiles back at me. “Definitely.”
We make it back to the apartment easily enough and Rachel spends the rest of the Saturday afternoon unpacking her stuff. I should be getting ready for a party, or doing some day drinking, but I’m too on edge. Even though she’s back and she’s safe, I don’t want things going back to the way they were.
I leave my bedroom and pace back and forth in the kitchen. Hunter and Lucas are playing Mario Kart. It’s like nothing effects these two. Well, at least they’re not thinking of the same things I am.
“Roommate meeting,” I finally call.
Hunter groans. “Again?”
I see Lucas look up at the ceiling. “Please don’t tell me you are already regretting having Rachel back.”
Hunter turns around in the couch. “I’m not kicking her out again. I utterly refuse.”
Lucas turns around and nods. “Definitely not doing that again.”
I shake my head. “No, no, that’s not what this is about.”
The door opens and Rachel stands with her hands on her hips. “I am not moving out!” She shouts and stomps down the hall with her finger in my face. “Seth Garcia you must be-“
“You’re staying,” I say with hands up. “But I can’t have things going back to the way they were before.”
Lucas nods while rubbing his chin. “You mean with the lying and the backstabbing.”
I send Lucas a cold glare. “Yeah, Lucas. That.”
Rachel rolls her eyes. “I don’t understand what the problem is, Seth.” She crosses her arms. “You share girls all the time.”
I grab her hands, lacing my fingers with hers. “But I don’t know if I can share you.” I pause, those feelings bubbly up within me and I decide this time I won’t push them down. “I…. I really like you Rachel. Like really like you and I don’t know if I can share you like the others.”
“I think we can all admit, Seth, that we really like Rachel,” says Lucas.
“But how do you feel about us?” asks Hunter while glancing between everyone.
She opens her mouth and I wonder how I will react when she says she chooses Lucas. Or Hunter. I try to steel myself, but I’m already feeling mushy and I think I will shatter into tiny Seth pieces if she tells me she doesn’t like me in that way.
“I like all of you, too,” she says.
That isn’t what I was expecting.
“What do you mean?” I ask while pulling her towards me.
“I can’t choose,” she says while looking away and shrugging. “All of you are important to me. I can’t choose.” She shakes her head and her gaze meets mine, making me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. “I like you, too, Seth.” She glances at Lucas and Hunter. “And I like Hunter and Lucas.”
I nod, feeling giddy. She likes me. Well, she also likes Hunter and Lucas, but she also likes me. She won’t choose anyone else over me. I feel her hand lace with mine and all the torment from the last week falls from my shoulders. I feel like I’m floating in whatever it is I’m feeling. I can’t quite put a name to it.
She isn’t tossing me to the curb and that’s all that matters.
“So, you choose all of us, then?” I ask while nuzzling my nose against hers. I enjoy the way she feels against me; smooth and warm.
She smiles and nods and I can’t help but kiss her. Her lips are soft against mine and she opens herself willingly to me. My tongue strokes against hers, tasting that fire which has always ignited something within me. And too soon the kiss is ending. She pulls away from me and I feel my heart melting all over again as she smiles up at me.
“I think I can deal with that,” I breathe and glance over my shoulder, finding Lucas watching us with arms crossed. Hunter is rolling his eyes. “What about you boys?” I ask, knowing the answer already.
Lucas and Hunter look at each other for a moment and I watch as Lucas raises an eyebrow and Hunter smiles wickedly. I watch them, feeling uneasy, knowing through their telepathic conversation they have concocted some sort of scheme.
I don’t have time to question as Hunter strides over and takes Rachel’s hand in his. “I think,” he says while tugging Rachel towards him. “That we have been talking way too much.”
Rachel chuckles and opens her mouth to say something, but Hunter quickly silences whatever she is about to say with a kiss. A part of me instantly feels jealous, but Rachel’s
