The Only Exception

CHAPTER 11

By the time I got home, Sam was gone, and she wasn’t there when I got up for work the next morning, which was fine with me. I packed my messenger bag with books and prepared for another day of work, but as soon as I set foot in the coffee shop I knew Melanie wasn’t going to let me do anything.

“Oh good! You’re here! I want to hear all about last night!”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said, putting my bag under the counter.

Melanie leaned against the espresso machine. “Don’t play coy with me. I didn’t help you pick out a dress not to get the deets.”

I sighed dreamily thinking about Trey’s arms wrapped around me, and the sun setting over the lake. “It was perfect. Absolutely perfect.”

“And?” Melanie raised her eyebrows so high they disappeared under the black baseball caps we were forced to wear.

“We drove out to Lake Central and went to one of his dad’s friend’s lake houses. He packed a picnic, and we talked and laughed and—”

“Annnnnd?”

“And not that far, but there was a lot of kissing,” I said, hoping that everything wasn’t revealed in my face which was probably already turning crimson.

“So does that mean you two are, like, boyfriend and girlfriend now? Did you make it all Facebook official and what not?”

I shrugged. “He never asked me to be his girlfriend, but it was basically implied. I don’t think anyone ever actually asks that question anymore. That’s reserved for notes in middle school or something. Besides, I told him I wasn’t ready for that step yet. We are just taking it slow.”

“So what happens now?” Melanie pushed off the counter and shook one of the bags of coffee beans and then poured it in the grinder.

I tilted my head. “What do you mean what happens now?”

She turned on the grinder, catching the grounds in a coffee filter before shutting it off and placing it in the coffee pot. “You know, are you going to start wearing pearls and attending political rallies with him?”

I laughed so hard I practically snorted. “Oh, God, no. I’m just seeing the guy. It doesn’t mean I’m going to turn into some political wifey type overnight. I could never pull off the Jackie O look.”

Melanie put one of the big carafes of coffee in the brewer and turned it on before she looked at me. “Seriously, if this guy is some political mogul, you’re going to have to get used to those types of things. How can you even date someone with different views than you?”

I’d thought about the same thing. Many times. But Trey was a good politician-in-training and a very good kisser. It was a fiery combination that always kept me on my toes and left me wanting more.

I swayed from one side to the other. “We’re both pretty well-educated on our sides of things. We can have a real discussion about our political views without it going down to an all out spar. I like someone who challenges me, and I think he feels the same way.”

“And what about when daddy dearest finds out about Trey’s liberal girlfriend with the eyebrow ring?”

I instinctively reached under the brim of my hat and touched my eyebrow ring. It was never a big deal to anyone in Kappa and now Melanie was the second person to bring it up. As if it were a big sign that ousted me as some sort of liberal troublemaker. “I don’t know. I guess we’ll cross that bridge when we get there.”

My cell phone vibrated from my bag so loud it made me and Melanie jump.

She put her hand to heart with a gasp. “Let me guess, the boy toy?”

I rolled my eyes and slid my phone out of my bag, unlocking it to reveal one missed message from Trey.



Just woke up, and all I can think of is how gorgeous you are when you smile. Do I get to see that smile again tonight?



“What did he say?” Melanie reached for my phone, but I was faster and darted out of the way, quickly typing back my response.

Maybe, what did you have in mind?



“This is cruel and unusual punishment!” Melanie squealed.

“He just asked what I was doing tonight. That’s all,” I said.

Before she could respond my phone buzzed again.

Some of my fraternity brothers are hanging out at the Alpha Mu house.



Normally I hate these things, but I have to show up once in awhile.



Come with me?





“What did he say now?” Melanie whined.

I turned the phone toward her, it was easier just to show her rather than explain it.

“Seriously?” Melanie’s voice rose slightly. She knew I wasn’t a fan of fraternity parties or parties in general. “What are you going to tell him?”

I turned my phone back to me and typed back the first thing I could think of.



That doesn’t really sound like my sort of thing.





“I said it wasn’t my thing. We’ll see what he says.”

Melanie shook her head. “A conservative fraternity boy. I think you just broke every single one of your dating rules.”

“I guess he’s the exception to my rules.”

My phone buzzed with another quick response.



It’s not mine either. We’ll spend one hour there and then I’ll take you to a movie, your pick. Does that work?





Melanie was hovering over me, probably reading every word of the text, but I said it out loud anyway. “He asked if I would just go for a little while and then he’ll take me to a movie. Should I do it?”

“Do you think you can do it?” Melanie knew me too well. For someone whom I never talked to in high school, she quickly became one of my best friends. I guess a night of ice cream and baring secrets could do that to two people.

The thought of even going near a fraternity house made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. The last time I went to any sort of a party left me in tears. I wasn’t the same girl I was at Taylor that never missed a party. My whole body tensed up just thinking about it.

“I don’t know,” I whispered.

I’ll think about it. I texted back.

What was there to think about? I was either going to go, or I was going to decline. But if I didn’t go, what did that leave for our future? Would I always be left out when he went out to parties? If neither of us drank then I wouldn’t have to deal with having someone hold my hair while I puked or waking up with a giant hangover. The possibility of going could help me to face my own fears, just like dating again did. Maybe it was time I tried.

I sent another text before he could respond.



See you after work.



***

After a few hours of work and only one customer, I made the walk back to my apartment where Sam was waiting on the couch, painting her toenails a hideous dark color. She stopped painting them as soon as she saw me walk in and practically sprang up from the couch. “I have been dying to talk to you!”

I groaned, setting my bag down on one of the stools at the breakfast bar and my hat on top of it. “You aren’t here to lecture me about seeing Trey, are you?”

She shook her head. “I mean, I don’t understand it, and I think it’s weird, but oh my f*cking God, the guy bought you six dozen roses!”

I glanced at the counter behind me in which all my roses gathered like a giant, red army. “Yeah, it is pretty cool.”

“The last time Mac got me flowers was my corsage for senior prom,” Sam said.

“I guess Trey likes flowers.”

“And he must seriously like you. I mean, I seriously thought the dude might be gay, but wow.” She tapped her bare foot on the tile floor.

“He’s definitely not gay. He’s actually pretty great.” I couldn’t hide my smile. Just thinking about Trey made every part of me feel happy from my fingers to my toes. He was the ray of sunshine that finally poked through the dark clouds hovering through my life for the past few months.

“You aren’t going to turn into some Republican Barbie now, are you? I can deal with the flowers and him hanging around here SOMETIMES, but I don’t want to sit here and argue about gay marriage and gun control.”

“Why does everyone just assume I’m going to turn into a good political darling? We just started dating. I’ve never changed my political views for a guy, and I’m not going to start now.”

She held up her hands. “Whoa, just checking.”

“And if I did turn into a Republican Barbie with a pink suit and blonde hair?”

Sam put her finger to her chin, tapping it and staring at the ceiling. “That all depends. Slow and torturous death or quick and painless?”

“Hmmm.” I went into her same thinking pose. “That depends. If I start talking about cutting welfare and wearing only designer sunglasses, then probably just get it over with.”

She put her hands down. “Deal.”

“But seriously,” I said, thrusting my hands in my pockets. “You aren’t going to freak out on me or Trey, are you? That time in my room was not cool at all.”

She sighed. “Yeah, I know that was really bitchy of me, and I was too hyped up to even realize what I was doing. I’m still really sorry about that, and I promise that I won’t interfere with your relationship, no matter what I think of the guy.”

“You know, he’s actually not that bad once you get to know him. He’s really smart and funny.”

“And good in bed?” She wiggled her eyebrows.

“Oh, please! I’m not the kind of girl that jumps in bed on the first date.”

She shrugged. “You never know.”

“Yeah, okay.” I walked into my room shutting the door behind me. I pulled out my phone and texted Trey.



Need to get ready, what time do you want to hang out?





I set my phone down and turned on the hot water, ready for my decompress bath. The phone vibrated against the sink and I picked it up, reading the message.



About an hour?





I responded back.



Sounds good, will be at your place then.





I set the phone on the counter and pressed the bathroom mix on my iPod, letting the music of Chopin flood the room. My counselor suggested classical music as a way to unwind at the end of the day. The baths were always just an extra bonus. I figured if hot water could help sore muscles then they could also help a sore mind. And if I needed to be relaxed for a party with Trey, I would need a very long bath.