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.”

her mouth curving into a victorious smile.

My stomach cramps.

from the chair, watching her with guarded eyes, like she’s a wild

can see you’re trying to

to say. He steers Stacia

but lets him guide her out into the hall.

firmly shut, I look at Jase. “Are you

toward me. “You’re saving my ass

“How?”

me get rid of Stacia. She’d hang out all afternoon if I

doesn’t want company and if I should head out too. “Oh…did

hands on my shoulders stop me from going any farther. “I want you

hands is a constant reminder that I’m not as immune to his charms as I’d like. I smile up at him like a lovesick fangirl. Idiot. I silently berate myself that I’ve

Get comfortable.”

crackling between us, no

I could do. And you can hide out here,

but that may lead him to ask why I was hiding, so I 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. Mmm. His

turns on soft music and 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 he doesn’t seem to mind in the least that

what’s your major?”

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

it pisses

do you

congress. He’s always been obsessed with politics…so of course he wanted me to major in political science, or at

didn’t really care what my major was. And when I told them I wanted to work in the adoption field, they helped me research the social

something artistic, and since I’m shit at art and just okay

at least like

most interesting thing to me

you succeed in pissing

yeah. He

for a few minutes, but reading about attachment disorder is pretty dry, and Jase’s mouthwatering goodness is right there

Stacia’s really your

she doesn’t act like it. And of course my frat brothers give me

maybe she still does, like she implied. I force my eyes back to my book and relax into the inviting bedding. After a few moments of trying my damnedest to read this textbook, I feel

gave

teaching people the correct terminology.

the

don’t

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