A Real Disaster

Chapter Nine



And so it began. Every day, I got up, packed my stuff, and trudged off to class. If I woke up early enough I would grab breakfast but if not I grabbed a coffee to keep me from passing out. I hadn’t seen Nash outside of class since I thought he had a concussion, and I saw Turner even less. Sometimes, if he was in a good mood, Turner would meet me at the dorm and we would walk to class together. Then, the moment he saw Nash, he would frown and stomp away like a school boy whose toy was taken away from him. This went on, day after day, for weeks. I barely had time to breathe let alone relax and it was starting to show.

“Can you turn that down please?” I asked Sabrina.

She had the television on full blast and she was watching Maury, or as I liked to call it, white trash crap. Going on a show to determine the paternity of your child was bad enough, but when you went on the same show multiple times, that was ridiculous. I was embarrassed for these girls.

“What’s wrong with you?” Sabrina asked, glaring at me.

She turned the television off and tossed the remote on the bed.

“Why are you so cranky?”

“I’m not cranky,” I told her. “I’m stressed out. I have all this stuff due and everyone is expecting everything from me. On top of all of that, I’m friends with two sworn enemies. Don’t you think that’s enough to put me the least bit on edge?”

Sabrina nodded in agreement.

My mind was racing.

“Lily, are you sure you’re okay?” Sabrina asked. “You look pale and like you’re about to faint or something.”

“I’m fine,” I lied. “Things are fine. What makes you ask?”

“Because you’re acting even stranger than usual. Did something happen? Are you hiding something?”

I wanted advice, no, I needed advice. I was completely out of my field.

“Does this have anything to do with Nash or Turner? Or maybe both?”

I bit my lower lip, thinking. Should I really take advice from Sabrina? She and I had gotten close since the day I moved in but I still wasn’t sure if she was someone that had the answers I needed.

“Yes, it has to do with Nash and Turner. More Nash though.”

“Do you like him?” Sabrina asked.

“Who?”

“Nash, of course.”

I paused for a minute, thinking about it. Nash made my heart flutter and my stomach tighten. Whenever I was near him I couldn’t think straight and when I wasn’t near him I was thinking about him,

“I don’t know. It doesn’t matter,” I whispered.

“Why doesn’t it matter.”

“Because Nash will never like me back. He didn’t tell me that but I know that he doesn’t want to be tied down. He doesn’t want any commitments. And anyway, he’s still head over heels in love with Turner’s sister.”

“Wow,” Sabrina said.

“I guess.”



She didn’t say anymore and didn’t have to. Letting myself relax for the first time in a few days, I lay on my bed and closed my eyes.



* * *



After one of my afternoon classes I sat on the bench outside the building. I was looking over notes for my upcoming test and a bunch of students came rushing out of the building. Obviously, another class just got over.

Nash and another girl walked out together and she had her arm wrapped around him. They stopped in front of the steps of the building and she kissed him once on the lips before he began kissing her back. They were fully making out in front of everyone. I couldn't believe it.

He was so angry that I had to leave his house and that I was going to talk to Turner. Now, he already had found another girl.

He wanted to kiss me yet he was already kissing another girl?

I knew it was a good thing that I didn't give in to him. That would have been a huge mistake.

When they finally stopped kissing she started walking away from him. He turned towards me and began walking my way. I looked back down at my notes hoping that he didn't see me staring at them or even sitting on the bench.

“Hey,” Nash said as he sat next to me on a bench.

Shit.

My body tensed and I moved away from him, trying to put distance between us. I looked up at Nash to see that he was frowning.

“What’s wrong?” he asked me. “You’re not acting like yourself.”

“Because you know me so well,” I muttered. “Oh that’s right, you don’t.”

“What does that mean?” Nash asked. “Why are you so sour today?”

“Am I supposed to be sunshine and roses all the time? Is that how you like me?”

“Jesus! What the f*ck is your problem?”

“You! You're already kissing another girl after we hung out at your place just the other day. You tried to kiss me Nash…”

“And you didn't let me! So why is it such a big f*cking deal that I'm kissing another girl?”

“Because!”


“Whatever. You don't want me to kiss you but you don't want me to kiss other girls. You're f*cking confusing!”

I have to admit, I kind of was. But I cannot help all the things that go on in my mind. Just because I didn't want to kiss him though didn't mean that I was not interested in him. Obviously, that means something different to Nash. I should have known since so many girls loved his band, loved him.

Nash shot up off the bench, nearly kicking me in the process. He bunched the napkin up in a ball and threw it behind us.

“F*ck! What is with you? I didn’t think that you were going to get all clingy like this! Damn, you sound like a f*cking shrew-ass wife!”

“Well you know something, Nash? You can go f*ck yourself!”

“Maybe I will,” he countered. “At least I wouldn’t have anyone clingy up my ass.”

Nash strode away and didn’t look back, anger emitting from his body. Only when he was around the corner did I let the tears trickle out of my eyes and down my cheeks. The tears were burning nearly the whole time.

How could I be so stupid? How could I have not seen Nash for what he was? Turner warned me… He warned me! I should have listened to Turner. I should have kept Nash away; far, far away. If I had just trusted my instinct to begin with then this wouldn’t have happened. I knew Nash was trouble from the moment he leered at me the night of the concert. Oh why didn’t I listen to myself?!

“Lily?” I looked up and immediately swatted at my cheeks, wiping the tears off with such fierceness that I winced.

“Hey Turner,” I said and smiled… Or tried to smile at least.

My smile was watery and even without looking in the mirror I knew that my eyes were red and puffy.

“What’s up?”

“I could ask you the same thing,” Turner said. “You okay?”

“I’m fine,” I lied.

The last thing he needed to know is that I was upset about Nash. I didn’t want to feel that way. It's hard to get rid of feelings. Sometimes when you try it only makes it harder.

“You don’t look fine. Your face is red and splotchy and your eyes are puffy.”

“Oh that?” I said, feigning nonchalance. “I have horrible fall allergies. They kick my ass every year.”

I looked at his hand. His knuckles were still bruised and scabbed.

“How’s the hand?”

“Better than that bastard’s face. Did you see him? He still has the shiner.”

Turner had a smile on his face. Up until now I would have probably scolded him, telling him that he was being an ass. But not now. Maybe Turner was right; maybe Nash had gotten what he deserved.

“It still hurts, though. I can’t really bend it too much without it hurting.”

“Did you break anything?” I asked as I inspected his hand.

“I don’t think so. I went to the infirmary and she looked at it. She said that it didn’t seem broken especially since I could, essentially bend it. She thinks it’s just a horrible bruise. If it doesn’t stop hurting she said that I should go to the hospital.”

“Well, have you gone to the hospital?” Turner shook his head.

“No, not yet. It hurts but the pain is going away. I’m sure that by this time next week it won’t hurt at all.”

“If you say so,” I said, not really believing him. “Be careful though. You can’t just go around fighting with people because sooner or later someone will fight back.”

“I know, I know. I usually keep my head up and out of trouble but I couldn’t stop myself when he said that shit. It’s not going to happen again though.”

“It better not,” I teased. “Because if it does, I’m going to kick your ass myself.”

Turner scoffed and rolled his eyes.

“Like you could kick my ass. You’re a puny little thing!”

“Yeah but I can pinch like the devil,” I warned and brought my hands up into a pinching motion. “Do you really want to risk it?”

“Yeah,” Turner said and stuck out his arm. “I doubt you can hurt me. I have muscle upon muscle.”

“You asked for it,” I said and clamped his flesh between my fingers.

I pinched as hard as I could, rotating my hand as I did. Turner’s face became red and he pulled his arm away.

“Damn!” he cried out. “What the hell was that?!”

“A pinch,” I said.

“That was no damn pinch. You’re vicious.”

“I tried to warn you. You didn’t want to believe me.”

Turner rubbed his arm with his free hand and shifted away from me.

“You are dangerous,” he muttered. “I don’t know if I want to be around you anymore.”

“Oh stop being a pansy,” I chided.

I raised my eyebrows and then smiled at him. The two of us burst into laughter and I clutched at my stomach. After the argument I had with Nash, laughing for no good reason was exactly what I needed.

My laugh petered out and I stared at Turner. He was looking around, taking in the amazing weather. His hair seemed darker against the sun and the sun hit his eyes, letting the color shine through. He was cute, handsome even. His smile lit up everything around me. I knew that I could sit with him for hours on end and do nothing but laugh and talk.

So why hadn’t I given him another chance? Why had I been avoiding him? Why had I been so worried about Nash and not Turner? Turner is so easy going. There’s no strings; no expectations. Why didn’t I see that before?

“What are you staring at?” Turner asked.

“Nothing,” I said and became flustered.

“That doesn’t look like a nothing look,” Turner accused. “You were staring at me like… Well I don’t know like what. But you were staring! I saw you were staring!”

Turner’s eyes got wide and he put his hand to his mouth.

“Oh my God, are you going to start stalking me? Am I going to have to get a restraining order? Oh God I don’t feel safe!”

Suddenly Turner whipped around.

“Help! Help! This girl is giving me the eye! I need an adult! I need an adult!”

“Shut up!” I exclaimed through my giggles.

People looked over and shook their heads at us.

“You are such a loser!”

“Yeah but you love it, don’t lie.”

He grinned.

“Let’s go out on a date,” I heard him say.

“Um…”

“A date,” he repeated. “Let’s go out on a re-do first date. I want another chance. I want a Mulligan.”

“I guess,” I said.

With Nash out of the picture it was worth a shot.

“Only if you want to Lily...”

“Of course I do. How about tomorrow night? Around six?”

The butterflies in my stomach started to swirl around at full force.

“Yeah, that sounds great. And I promise, there won’t be any drinking involved.”

I grinned.