“Hey—Alyssa, right?” he asked, flashing her a smile. She nodded, smiling as he introduced himself. “So, I’m going to this party tonight. I was wondering if you wanted to come.”
She smiled, clearly flattered by his invite, and flashed me a quick look before she turned back to him and said, “Totally, sounds great.” I watched with rising annoyance as they exchanged numbers. My muscles tensed in anger as he walked away. She noticed my irritation, which I hadn’t bothered to hide. “What?”
“You’re really going to a party with Brad?” I asked, disdain evident in my voice.
“Yeah, so? Brad seems nice, and he’s cute.” She looked at me with eyes suddenly cold and hard.
“Whatever,” I answered, pretending not to care when in fact, the thought of her and Brad together made a hot, red anger well up inside me. I had no right to say anything, so I kept my mouth shut. One thing was for sure, though. I was going to be at that party, no matter what.
***
Later that night, I showed up at the party about an hour in and found a large crowd outside the frat house near campus. Brittney clung to my arm, and I let out a frustrated sigh as I had to practically drag her around. My eyes were alert, scanning the crowd for Alyssa. I didn’t see her anywhere and was stupidly hopeful she’d changed her mind.
I was on my second beer, finally relaxing and having fun, when Brittney pulled me out onto the dance floor to dance. In the heat of the crowd, I saw Alyssa with Brad. They were dancing really close together, his hands on her hips. I felt that same hot anger and stormed away, leaving a wasted Brittney in the middle of the dance floor.
Walking upstairs, I ignored the couples making out. I stood alone, trying to calm myself down, and finally decided to just go home. I wasn’t having much fun watching Alyssa get hot and heavy with one of my teammates. I pushed through the horny college students on the stairs and froze as Brad suddenly appeared, pulling a girl upstairs.
I was surprised it wasn’t Alyssa and immediately wondered where she was. I made my way across the dance floor, searching the crowd. I stumbled outside the frat house, worrying that I hadn’t found her inside. Then I spotted her as I turned to go back into the house. She wasn’t too far away, standing alone.
I hurried over to her. “Alyssa!”
She looked at me, and I saw tears pouring down her face. “What?” she asked, sniffling and wiping away tears.
“What’s wrong?” I asked her, placing my hand gently on her arm.
“Nothing…it’s stupid.” Her voice was shaky and quiet.
“Is it Brad?” I asked quietly. She nodded, the tears flowing more freely. I reached out and folded her into my arms. “C’mon. Let me take you home.” I guided her to my car.
As we drove home, she explained through her tears how Brad had made a move on her but that she didn’t want to sleep with him. She told me he ditched her after calling her a bitch and refusing to give her a ride home.
“I’m so sorry, 'Lyssa,” I said, angry at Brad for treating her like that. She deserved so much better.
“I’m just tired of guys not liking actually me and only wanting to sleep together,” she said, her voice hollow and sad.
I bit my lip against the instinctive assurances and the smoldering anger, wanting to tell her that I liked her—and maybe more—but I kept my mouth shut. I helped her inside and upstairs.
Once we were in her bedroom, she sat down. She looked up at me. “Blake, can you stay with me tonight?” Her eyes stared at me, desperate and pleading. She looked so vulnerable and so helpless that I couldn’t leave her. So I crawled into the bed with her, holding her tightly as she cried herself to sleep.
As I laid awake, holding her in my arms and watching her innocent face as she slept, I felt something stir inside of me. No one had ever made me feel so protective—bordering on possessive—and I vowed to myself that I would make it my responsibility to make sure no one ever hurt her again.
“You deserve so much better,” I whispered to her, kissing her forehead lightly before falling asleep.
Alyssa
I jerked awake, the sunlight pouring through the window hurting my eyes. I was immediately aware of strong, warm arms around me, and I lifted my head. Blake held me close, even though he was fast asleep. I sat up quickly, my body immediately cold without his next to mine. Worried that our parents might notice, I quickly shook him awake. He opened his eyes, and I clambered out of the bed, hissing, “Hey, you have to get out of here.”
He rolled out of my bed and slumped to his bedroom without a word, and I went into my bathroom to take a much-needed shower. I struggled with a hollow, empty feeling inside myself. Being held so comfortingly had made me feel so safe, and I felt a deep longing to be back in his arms…almost as if I belonged there.