The Impact of You

Chapter 6

Avery

Hiding behind that dumpster seemed important at the time – I couldn’t have someone from my past spotting me, so I’d dived for cover. But now, awaiting someone named Stacia, I question what in the hell I’m doing in Jase’s bedroom. This isn’t me. I don’t follow guys home. I certainly don’t make myself at home on their beds. This is just asking for trouble. And now clearly he has a girlfriend, which makes me look like an even bigger idiot.

Trey leaves and Jase makes no move to explain. Since it’s too late to escape, I wait. A few seconds later, we hear footsteps climbing the stairs to the attic.

A petite girl with long blond hair rounds the corner and her megawatt smile fades as soon as she sees Jase isn’t alone.

“Oh. Hey, Jase,” she recovers and leans down to plant a kiss against his cheek.

God, could this be more awkward? I want to die.

Jase, having perfected his bored-with-life look, nods once at her and then flicks his gaze to mine. “This is Avery. Avery, this is Stacia.”

Stacia turns, but her smile was only reserved for Jase because it fades as she takes me in. There’s something she hates about me being up here with Jase, and the inner bitch inside me enjoys that fact. This girl just reeks of fake, and I’m instantly not a fan.

“I didn’t know you had someone over.” Stacia’s voice goes soft as she turns to Jase.

“Well, I do. Did you need something?” His voice is cool, unemotional.

Damn. This can’t be his girlfriend. Otherwise, he’s a real asshole. Of course I’m dying to know who she is, but I won’t ask. Not sure I could handle hearing that right now. Jase has treated me with nothing but kindness and respect, and I sort of want to continue thinking the best of him.

“No. Just wanted to say hi.” Stacia lifts one shoulder, then drops it and I can’t help but notice the way her chest sticks out when she does. The move is practiced, beyond obvious. God, this girl is annoying me in all of thirty seconds. Before the awkward silence has time to fully descend on us, Stacia bounds over toward me. “You look familiar.”

My heart stops.

Literally ceases to beat in my chest.

I hope to God she has no idea why I look familiar. I pull in a breath and shrug, working to convince myself it’s just a coincidence. She can’t know.

Desperately needing to change the subject, I ask, “How do you and Jase know each other?”

Jase answers for her. “Ex-girlfriend.”

Oh.

“Yeah, some days I’m his ex-girlfriend, some days I’m…what am I exactly, Jase, on those nights you call me and beg me to come over?”

“You wish, Stacia.”

mouth curving into

My stomach cramps.

rises from the chair, watching her with guarded eyes, like

time. “I can see you’re trying to impress your

say. He steers Stacia by the elbow

pouts but lets him guide her out into

door is firmly shut, I look at Jase. “Are you sure it’s okay I’m here?” I

laughs uneasily and crosses the room toward me. “You’re saving my ass right now. So thank you.”

“How?”

rid of Stacia. She’d

and if I should

stop me from going any farther. “I want you to

to his charms as I’d like. I smile up at him like a

Stay. Get comfortable.”

bed once again, chemistry crackling between us,

got psych homework I could do. And you can hide out here,

zip it and relax on his large queen-sized bed. It’s much more plush and comfy than my narrow rock-hard mattress back at the dorms.

grabs his textbook and a stack of papers from the desk, balancing everything on his lap so he can face me. I grab the book from my early childhood development class and bravely settle back against his mountain of pillows. My eyes dart up to Jase’s but

your major?”

work. What about you?” For some reason I expect him to say undecided, but he

it

you mean?”

a run for congress. He’s always been obsessed with

And when I told them I wanted to work in the adoption field, they helped me research the social

“It was either that or something artistic, and since I’m shit at art and just okay at music, I figured psychology was a

you at least like your classes?”

People are the most interesting thing to me anyway,

pissing off your dad?”

yeah. He blew a gasket.”

attachment disorder is pretty dry, and Jase’s mouthwatering goodness is right there on display. It’s hard

really

my frat

a ride on Jase, ex or not. Hell, maybe she still does, like she implied. I force my eyes back to my book and relax into the

gave birth to you?” he asks,

to teaching people the

the

why don’t you?”

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