The Only Exception

The Only Exception - By Magan Vernon




Chapter 1

Central College was supposed to be my new beginning. A place where I could put my freshman year behind me and move on. That plan might have worked if I hadn’t moved next door to Trey Chapman.

Since I was transferring as a sophomore, everyone already had their roommates picked out, so I was forced to look at the campus forums and find a new roommate. That was what led me to The Pines Apartments. The so-called luxury student apartments were only two blocks from campus and complete with a brick façade, underground parking, and a rent price that was more than my parent’s mortgage payment.

I parked in the underground garage and pulled the first of my boxes out of the trunk of my car. It was one of the heavier ones, without the convenient side handles, and I had to balance it from hip to hip as I trudged to the elevator and up to the second floor.

As soon as I got off the elevator I was stopped by a towering black man who wore a dark blue suit and some sort of wire hooked over his ear lobe.

“Please state your name and purpose,” he said in a gruff voice, staring down at me like I was no better than a common criminal. I guessed The Pines took their security pretty seriously.

“Uh, Monica Remy. I live in apartment 13B,” I stammered, teetering the box between my outstretched arms.

The man held one hand to his ear and then pulled his other arm up to his mouth, speaking in to his sleeve. “Monica Remy. Moving in to apartment 13B.”

The man didn’t look at me. He nodded quickly a few times. “Cleared, Miss Remy.”

He didn’t offer to help, even though I was obviously struggling; moving my box from one side of my body to the other. He just shuffled to the left and let me stumble past.

“Here, let me help you with that.” I stopped a few feet away only to have the box lifted from my hand like it was nothing more than a bag of feathers. I looked up to be greeted by a head of perfectly gelled, sandy brown hair and a blinding white smile. My eyes trailed over his crisp, white dress shirt, tucked into a pair of dress pants. Obviously not the normal college wear. I figured he was the manager or something. A tall manager with a dimpled smile that I couldn’t stop staring at.

“Oh, thanks. I wasn’t sure I was going to make it.” I returned the smile, but obviously mine hadn’t been soaked with bleach like his. I didn’t want to give him the wrong idea, so I cleared my throat. “My apartment is right here, so you can just set the box down.”

“Apartment 13B, ey?”

I nodded. “Yes, I’m just moving in. I’m Monica. Monica Remy.”

He shifted the box to the side and extended his hand. “Then I guess we are neighbors. I’m glad to meet you. I’m Trey Chapman.”

“Trey Chapman?” My throat felt like it went completely dry. I had to swallow hard to get some saliva back before I could speak. “As in Governor Chapman’s son?”

He kept his big grin on his face. “The one.”

I should have recognized him right off the bat. He and his brothers were like a constant shadow during the governor’s campaign. All three Chapman boys stood behind him with their sandy brown hair and tight-lipped smiles while the future governor discussed his plans for a new Illinois. One that included a new contraception bill, his pride and joy, that changed the usual liberal, Chicago politics of Illinois and had women’s leagues up in arms. It didn’t mean he stopped his precious bill and just said it was “what was best for his state.”

Of course I only got a brief glimpse of Trey Chapman when he was on TV, but I didn’t remember him being this attractive. Or having so many freckles. I had to shake that thought out of my head. I couldn’t let one guy with a dimpled smile phase me. He was the governor’s son for God’s sake.

“I assume you know of him?” He raised his eyebrows.

“Uh, yeah, can’t forget the guy that basically stomped on every policy Illinois had in place for his own conservative agenda.”

“Ouch, Miss Remy, that seems pretty harsh to say about a guy you haven’t actually met. If you want, I can always give you some literature to read up on regarding his policies and plans for the state.”

I knew all too well about his dad’s policies and not one of them I supported. I didn’t know where his son got the balls to try and jam his father’s political agenda down by throat, but I wasn’t a fan of it.

Quickly, I reached for the key in my pocket, unlocked the door, and then I snatched the box out of Trey’s arms. “Well, it’s good to meet you, Trey, and you seem like a really nice guy, but that doesn’t mean I’ll ever support your dad.”

Before he could get in a word edgewise I threw open the door and slammed it behind me as soon as I was inside. I dropped the box down at my feet and leaned back against the door.

“You must be the new roommate,” a smoky voice called.

I scanned the room. To my right was a small kitchen with fake granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances. In front of me was a long, narrow living room with a flat screen TV, couch, and love seat. At the end of the room was a set of French doors that led out to small balcony. Out of the left door, off the living room, emerged a girl with long, red dreadlocks and a black t-shirt with a crude looking pot leaf drawn on it.

“Yeah. I’m Monica.” I pushed myself off the door and walked into the living room, kicking my box with me. “And you must be Samantha?”

She nodded, her dark-lined eyes looking me over like I was either a threat or a person of interest. “But most people call me Sam.”

“Okay, Sam.”

She smacked her heavily glossed lips together. “You all right, dude? You look kind of shook up.”

I let out a deep breath I didn’t realize I was holding in. “Oh, yeah, I’m fine. I just didn’t realize that we would be living in the same apartment complex as the governor’s son.”

She groaned, rolling her eyes before she collapsed onto the love seat. “Ugh, neither did I! Can you believe that pompous a*shole? Showing up with his own security team? I hope that isn’t an everyday thing.”

“Yeah, me neither,” I mumbled. I didn’t think he seemed that pompous, but I wasn’t exactly a fan of his dad, who was definitely pompous. I didn’t care for the governor’s views on women in general, but I was sure my new roommate had a few things to say about his take on drug policy. I just hoped she didn’t plan on anything recreational in the apartment.

She pointed a black-painted fingernail at the door to the right of the kitchen. “That one is your room. I’m already basically unpacked, so do what you gotta do.”

“Okay.” I picked up the box and limped it over to the bedroom door. Sam didn’t say another word or offer to help. She just turned on the TV to the Discovery Channel. I knew better than to ask anybody for help, and the more we stayed out of each other’s way, the better. I didn’t transfer to make friends. I transferred to escape.

***

When I finally unloaded the last of my boxes in my room I just stared at them. This was my new start: a full-size bed, desk, and an en-suite bathroom. This was the same four walls that I would be staring at for the next three years, or at least the rest of this year. If I kept my head down and just finished my degree I could get through it. Nothing was going to stop me this time. Except for the giant rumbling sound from my stomach. Unpacking could wait for some food.

I stepped out into the living room to see Sam sitting on the couch where I left her, but next to a guy with long, greasy hair. It wasn’t his appearance I was concerned with, it was the fact that he had a pile of green shavings sitting on the coffee table and was rolling them into white papers.

“Um, hey guys,” I said in the only voice I could muster.

“Oh, hey, Monica.” Sam glanced back at me and then went back to watching the guy roll the shavings into the white paper. “This is Mac.”

I didn’t know what to say so I just stared dumbfounded until the guy looked up at me with bloodshot eyes, and a hint of a five o’clock shadow. “Hey, man, you want to join us?”

I shook my head, holding my hands up. “Oh, no thanks. I was just about to get some food and to see if you guys want to join.”

He laughed a low, lazy sound. “Naw, we’ll probably order something after this. Have fun.”

With that I scrambled for the door and stepped outside, slamming it behind me. I pressed my back against the wall, closing my eyes and letting out slow, deep breaths. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad living with a roommate that smoked pot. If anything, the governor’s security team would catch her at some point, and I could end up with a single. At least that was some sort of a silver lining.

“Hanging out at the place I left you and waiting for my return?”

I opened one eye, looked to my left, and saw Trey standing in the doorway with one hand on his hip and the other leaning against the door frame. Ugh, just who I wanted to see.

“No.” I opened both eyes and shoved off the door. “Just heading to get some dinner and groceries.”

“That didn’t look like what you were doing.” He pulled away from the door frame and took slow, meticulous strides over to me. “But if you were waiting for me to ask you to dinner, I’d be happy to oblige.”

He was so close that I could inhale his exquisite scent. He smelled like the expensive cologne they have samples of in men’s fashion magazines, but keep locked up in department stores. Part of me wanted to pull him against me and take in all of his glorious aroma. But the bigger part of me knew better than to try anything with the governor’s son.

“No thanks. I think I can handle this one solo. I know you conservatives aren’t big on women going out on their own, but I swear I can handle myself.” I turned away from him, sliding my purse higher on my shoulder.

“Conservatives believe in women’s rights. Just seventy percent of them.” He laughed, softly, letting me know that he was joking. It wasn’t that funny because I seriously think his dad actually believed that. I didn’t know if Trey actually shared the same beliefs as his dad, but if the guy was offering me literature on it, then I was pretty sure his views were at least close.

“Well, then I guess I’d better try and stay away from the other thirty percent until you drift off into some sort of Fox News coma.” I wasn’t going to back down. I was one of the Political Science majors that actually sat and listened in all my classes. I also became very attuned to the political happenings after the last election. When a democratic state gets a conservative Republican governor it can change things. Big things.

Before I could make it even two steps, he was right next to me. “I’m just trying to help out the new girl around here. I don’t mind making you feel more welcome; no matter who you are voting for in the next election.”

I turned to face him. I wanted to say something snarky in return, but when I saw the pleading behind his bright green eyes I instantly felt like my knees were about to give out. I had to stand my ground. I didn’t transfer to meet a new boyfriend. I transferred to get away, and that was exactly what I needed to do. “I’m going to have to decline.”

“Can I get a rain check, then?” he asked, running a hand through his hair. I could just see his muscles flinch through his white dress shirt. For a brief moment my thoughts wondered to how much he worked out, and what he would possibly look like without the white-starched shirt.

“I don’t think so.” I muttered before I turned around and ran through the exit to the stairwell. The only sound left was the thumping of my own heart in my chest. There was no way I was going to go on a date with any guy, especially not the governor’s son. No matter how cute he was.