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ZACH
"What's up with the broad?" Brett asked. We'd finished our last joint, and I was taking in the effects. Everyone else had hit the sack.
"Becca?"
Brett blinked a few times. "No, the chick Jake brought."
"Emma? What would be up with her?" I grabbed the bag of Doritos and polished off the last few chips.
"You were talking to her a lot. It was pissing off Becca. You know, the chick you came here with."
"I don't give a shit what pisses Becca off. I was being nice to someone who cooked and cleaned for us. Is that horrible?"
Brett's eyes narrowed. "You've got to be kidding. While you were inside being nice to her, we got the low-down from Jake. Poor guy is stuck with her the entire year. He didn't sound too happy about it."
"Because Bianca isn't happy about it?"
"I guess so."
"I think Emma's all right."
"You don't have to live with her," Brett said with a snort.
"She's a great girl. I don't get what Jake or Bianca have a problem with."
Brett leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm thinking you've got a thing for this weirdo."
"First of all, you can stop calling her names. As for Emma, I was being kind to a girl that everyone else was ignoring."
"You'd fuck her given the chance."
"Okay, we're done here." Arguing with him was a waste of time. "I'm going to crash. You guys want to wake me up this time? Before taking off?"
Brett gave me a thumbs up. I headed to my room and got into bed. The buzz of a few beers, chocolate cake, and a joint had a way of making me forget I had to spend the weekend with Becca. She didn't know it yet, but it was going to be our last. I'd already committed to this getaway and didn't feel right breaking things off just before the last weekend of summer.
We’d nearly made it six months, but only the first few had been good. Then the veneer stripped away and what was underneath hadn't been pretty. I toughed it out all summer but I couldn't go through a school year with her hanging off me all the time. Sure, she was hot. Fucking hot. But the jealousy and the constant bickering were too much. I'd stuck this one out way too long.
"You were talking to that loser all night," she said, putting an array of creams and potions on her face. The room reeked like a cosmetic counter.
"If you're referring to Emma, she isn't a loser."
"All she wants is to get into Jake's pants. He's her only friend. That makes her a loser. You should stay away from her."
She talked to me like she expected me to obey. When had she gotten comfortable enough to think that? I didn't mind when a girl called the shots. I even liked it, but not when she was spewing this kind of crap. Becca had made her mind up about Emma before the girl walked through the door. Man, what did I ever see in this chick? Other than the body she was an empty, bottomless pit. Yes, she came from a good family, but I was long past getting involved with girls for their pedigree.
"I'm going to consider myself her friend. So now she has two."
Becca rolled her eyes. "Whatever," she said and put on what must have been her tenth face cream. "I'm sure she's trying to give him a hand job while we speak."
"When you're finished doing whatever it is that you're doing, turn off the light because I'm tired." I put my pillow over my head and tried to block out the light. A few minutes later she got into bed and seconds after that her perfume-laden hands were slithering down my chest. I grasped onto her hand before it reached her desired location. She'd be disappointed with the results.
"I'm wiped. Goodnight."
She abandoned her attempts and grunted a goodnight.
#
I COULDN'T SLEEP. I grabbed my phone and checked the time. A little before three in the morning. I rubbed my eyes and yawned. Sleep wasn't coming. I got out of bed and looked over my shoulder at Becca. Her face was pressed into the pillow and she emitted a drone-like snore. If I told her she snored, she'd get pissed off. Maybe she'd dump me. Something to consider.
I eased out of our room. Waking her would create all kinds of problems I didn't want to deal with. I shut the door with a dull click. Then I set down the silent hallway and into the kitchen, my feet padding on cold tiles. I pulled out a plate and cut a huge slice of chocolate cake. I took it outside and sat on one of the deck chairs, taking in the serenity of night. Other than a few crickets, I was alone.
And being alone wasn't such a bad thing. Moving out of the frat, cleaning up my act, all good things. Sure, there were times I missed the old days, but what I didn't miss was waking up in the morning next to some random girl, then trying to explain to her that it was a one-off, we didn't have a future and I wasn't going to see her again. Those days were behind me.
I took another bite of cake. Emma had whipped it up like she was making an omelet. The girl could cook like no one I knew, but on the flip side, she didn't strike me as a girl who was domesticated, or planned on living her life pleasing her husband, unless that husband happened to be Jake. What made him special? A quintessential social climber who'd been sucked in by Bianca Smythe, a girl whose goal in life was to marry rich. Jake didn't fit the bill and likely wouldn't be around long. I wasn’t even sure what she was doing with him at all.
And Emma. I couldn't figure her out. She seemed grounded and flailing all at the same time. Her devotion to Jake was going to play out like a bad romantic triangle. Jake had zero interest in her and yet she pined for him. She had a lot going for her except that lack of confidence holding her back.
I finished the cake and pondered another slice. I had to get a few hours’ sleep or the guys would leave without me again and the thought of another morning with the ladies made my head hurt. If they did take off, I could spend time with Emma, but then the gossip would start. I couldn't win no matter what I did.
I passed on the cake and decided to go back to bed. Sleep would come eventually.
#
THE ALARM ON MY PHONE buzzed on the nightstand. I grabbed it before it woke up Becca. I managed to sleep a few hours. I took a quick shower and met the guys in the kitchen. Emma was already preparing breakfast and smiled at me. I smiled back and couldn't help but notice the white t-shirt she had on that hugged her figure and showcased her perky breasts, or the shorts that fit her just right. How did Jake keep his hands off her? Did Bianca have his balls in a jar somewhere?
"Got to go," Brett said the second I finished my eggs. I grabbed two slices of toast for the road and waved goodbye to Emma.
"Breakfast was a pleasant surprise," I said.
"It put us behind," Brett complained.
I gave him a look. "Are we on some schedule? The fish have other plans?"
"You know I like being out early."
For the zero fish he was going to catch?
Matt and Jake loaded up the beer-laden cooler while Brett and Troy prepped the boat. I stood on the deck, finishing off my toast.
"Care to join us?" Brett asked.
"I'm coming."
With the cabin still in sight, Jake was already passing out beers. I declined. It was too early for me.
"Thanks for keeping Emma company," Jake said, snapping back the tab. "The break was nice."
He put his feet up on the edge of the boat and gulped his beer. I scratched my head. "Sorry, what?"
"It was nice that you talked to her. You don't have to, though."
What an ass. "Am I missing something? You brought her here. If you needed a break, you could have left her back in the city."
"I'm trying to get her to meet new people."
Matt chuckled. "Those girls are not going to make it easy for her. All last night I had to hear about her from Brandi. It's like they've already decided to hate her."
"What the hell? She didn't do anything," I said. Maybe I should have said something to Becca, to make sure she gave Emma a chance today, although that would have been a waste of my breath.
"She's not exactly like us," Brett said.
"I can't believe this. She made dinner and breakfast, and you guys are crapping all over her."
"No, just pointing out the obvious," Brett said.
"I guess I don't understand," I said to Jake. "Are you trying to make her feel left out?"
"I'm not sure what the big deal is," Jake said, an edge rising in his voice. "I figured that she'd try to get to know some people. You don't know what it's like. I had no choice but to let her move in with me. It's not an ideal situation because she doesn't make friends easy and Bianca isn't a huge fan of hers."
"You could have done a better job of helping her out instead of leaving her behind."
"I can't look after her all the time. I have a life."
I looked at the other guys. "What about you? None of you have had a conversation with her. I'm the only one who made an effort."
"I think I know why you made an effort," Brett said with a sly grin. "Remember, you came here with Becca. You should probably leave with her."
Fucking Brett. Jake glared at me. "Emma's a nice girl. If your intention is to screw around with her, back off."
If I could, I would have thrown Jake and Brett off the boat. "Look, I've got no interest in Emma, but I find it hilarious that you're suddenly concerned about her welfare."
"You're not going to sully her reputation."
"To be honest,” Brett said, “I'd tap her too. She looked hot in that little T-shirt this morning."
"Okay, enough talk about Emma," I said.
The subject was dropped. The guys drank while I fished. By early afternoon, we called it a day. As usual, the fish weren't biting. We got back to the cabin and the other guys lied about all the fish they almost caught. That's when I saw Emma. Something wasn't right. Her hands were shaking and her face was flushed. She was clutching her backpack and trying in vain to get Jake's attention. I had a feeling the room was about to erupt.