“Yeah, well, good luck with that.”
Dawson walks up to me, sweaty, but grinning. He sees Aiden, of course, and I think pumping iron maybe got his testosterone flowing because all of a sudden he is very into me.
He ignores Aiden and smacks my butt. “Come on, baby. Time to get you back in bed.”
One: he never calls me baby.
Two: he never so blatantly lets people know we’ve been in bed.
Three: he never so blatantly suggests we are going to go do things in bed.
Four: like, not even in front of his friends.
Five: like, his friends assume things, but they don’t know, because he hasn’t told them.
Six: and to say it to Aiden, of all people, who’s already punching my head, theoretically. If I’m not careful, he may make a voodoo doll of me, and I will be going around doing normal stuff and, like, stop in pain, or start doing weird kicks in dance. He could make my life miserable if the voodoo doll worked.
And, although on the inside, I am mortified by all this, apparently on the surface, I find his smack and “baby” adorable.
I grab his waist and giggle. “Already? Again?” And drag him away from the god.
And even though mere hours ago I was chewing Brooklyn out about his inner chi being screwed up, I realize I am heading on the same downward spiral when I turn around and glance back at Aiden.
And the look I get back—let’s just say it’s a really good thing I’m inside because that look has the power to rain god-like bolts of lightning straight down on me.
All he does is piss me off.
3pm
Dawson and I don’t go back to his room. He drops me off at my dorm, tells me to shower and get ready because he’s taking me out.
My phone rings while I’m sitting on my bed, my hair still wrapped up in a towel.
“Hey, Mom!”
“How are you? I feel like we haven’t talked in forever.”
“I know. I’ve talked to and texted Tommy a few times.”
“Yeah, what’s that about? I thought you came to me for advice.”
“Well, Tommy says since he’s a boy, he knows what boys think.”
“How’s his advice been so far?”
“It’s hard to tell.”
“So, how’s Gorgeous?”
“He’s really, really good. I know I shouldn’t have slept with him so soon. It was really stupid of me. I also want you to know I am not sleeping with another boy until I am very in love with him. Or engaged or something. But he was just so damn sweet. And hot. And I was really upset about B. And he doesn’t do anything that pisses me off.”
“And the god?”
“All he does is piss me off.”
“Well, it sounds like you’ve made the right choice then. So, I called because I wanted to hear your voice, and, well, to tell you something.”
“Are you pregnant again?”
“No, but we do have a new addition to the family.”
I laugh. “You got the dog?”
“Yeah, we did.”
“And its name is Kiki?”
“No. We settled on Aurora Jasmine Tinkerbell Michelle.”
“Michelle?”
“Yes. That was Gracie’s choice.”
“So is that what they’re calling it? All those names?”
“No. They’re still calling it Kiki. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay, Mom. I don’t want them to forget me. At least they will be saying my name sometimes.”
“I love you and I miss you terribly. Are you sure you’re doing okay? I worry about you every single day.”
“I’m safe, Mom, that’s the main thing. And I love you too.”
Dawson takes me into town for a late lunch. We stop at this dive that he says has the best hamburgers ever and sit at a little picnic table out front, eating what actually is the best hamburger of my life. And I’m pretty sure it’s because of the company, not the actual meal. He feeds me French fries and buys me a chocolate cone with sprinkles for dessert.
Oh, and I started on the pill as soon as I unpacked them. I tried to figure out where I was in my cycle and started the pills at that point. From what I read online, I should be protected after being on it for seven days, but it also suggested to wait until after your first period to consider yourself fully protected. When I use the bathroom at the dive, I’m surprised to discover that my period has started. I was expecting it based on the pills, but I didn’t even have cramps! And I always know when it starts because I usually get horrible cramps. I need to call my mother back and seriously thank her.
Riley and Ace both text us to let us know that a bunch of people are meeting up to watch college football games at a big sports bar and then to have dinner there. It’s gorgeous out, so we all sit around big tables on the sports bar’s patio and watch the game on the rows of flat screens. Then Dawson and I go see a movie.
After that, he walks me to my dorm, kisses me over and over until I’m almost late, and then I fall, happily exhausted, into bed.
Sunday, September 18th
I want to lose.
1pm
I go to church service on campus with Dawson at eleven. Then we have lunch.