I can't take it anymore. I don't know what is wrong with me, but I have a queasy feeling in the pit of my stomach that is annoying the shit out of me. I'm helping Soleil put her luggage in the back of her car, but Helena's words are echoing in my head. Ugh, Soleil, you're just going to hook up with random guys. That damn pang of jealousy is gnawing at me, threatening to tear me apart from the inside. I want to tell Soleil, but I don't want to sound like I'm trying to control her or own her or anything like that. She's just like me, so I know saying anything that sounds like that is going to make her want to run far, far away. Damn it, but I have to tell her something because I can't just let her leave and let Helena's words bother me until their next break from university. Ugh, Soleil's driving me crazy and she doesn't even know it.
Helena and Soleil come out of the house looking like they're getting ready to leave. Damn it, Maximus, if you're going to do something, do it now. Luckily for me, Soleil comes over to where I'm standing and puts her arms around me.
"Sexy, I'm going to miss you a lot."
"Ugh, every time I turn around you guys are attached by some body part. Will you just knock it off?"
Stupid almost Mt. St. Helen, annoying the shit out of me again. Helena grabs Soleil's arm and tries to drag her towards the car.
"NO, wait!"
The words leave my mouth faster than I realize. Well, now's the time.
"What, Maximus?"
"Soleil, can I tell you something quick before you leave?"
"Ugh, fine, Max, I'll be waiting in the car. DON'T drag this out, we're already leaving later than we planned."
"Shut up, Helena."
Soleil's looking at me with her beautiful brown eyes and smiling. She doesn't look the least bit annoyed that I stopped her from leaving. She stands close to me and puts her arms around my neck.
"What's up, sexy Max?"
I grin stupidly at her because I love it when she calls me sexy. I feel like she really likes me when she says it. The way she's hugging me makes it hard for me to look away, but suddenly I get nervous about what I want to tell her, and it must have shown in my face because Soleil looks concerned all of a sudden. She starts playing with my ponytail, which relaxes me. Finally, I get the courage to speak.
"I- I'm going to miss you a lot, Soleil, and I- I can't stop thinking about what Helena said, how you'll just go hook up with other guys. I- uh- I- don't want to even think of you with another guy."
I close my eyes as I say that last part because I'm scared I just pushed Soleil away, made her feel trapped. I'm aware she's still playing with my hair though, so she must not be that mad at me. I sheepishly open my eyes, and see her smiling at me. She's not mad?
"Maximus, I meant it when I said I was going to miss you a lot. I'll miss you so much, in fact, that I don't want to hook up with random guys this year. I did that last year, but that was before I really got to hang out with you, you know, since you're legal now."
Soleil smiles that seductive smile of hers, and I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders and the queasy feeling has dissipated. Did she seriously just say she was waiting for me to be legal? That's so hot. Soleil kisses me again, with that same longing she had when we were in bed together. I hug her so tightly that she lets out a little squeal.
"You have my number right?"
"Yeah, sexy, I'll text you when I get to the dorm."
Soleil smiles at me and waves as she gets in her car. I wave back and watch my citrus smelling angel drive away.
I sneak a glance in the rearview mirror at my sexy gladiator standing by the road waving at me as I drive away. I'm so angry at Helena right now because of what she said about me while Max was in the room. Ugh, Soleil, you're just going to hook up with random guys. I was so scared she ruined any chance I had with him. I'm so glad he pulled me aside this morning and had the balls to tell me how he felt, cause I sure as hell didn't. I know that he was a player in high school, and so was I, so I was afraid to push him away with any talk of the dreaded "r" word. I took a chance this morning telling him I'd miss him, hoping that would be enough of a clue that I wasn't just using his sexy ass for, well, sex. Thank god it was.
Just because Helena's mean words didn't end up pushing Max away doesn't mean I'm not still mad at her. That was so uncalled for, and I don't know why she thought she had the right to judge Max and I like that. In case Miss Prissy Pants hasn't noticed, I spent the whole summer with Max and no one else. It is true that when I met Helena last year after we got assigned to be roommates that I was a player. I do party a lot, and I did bring a different guy back to our room every night. Before I met Max, I didn't think any guy would make me feel like I was on cloud nine.
All these university idiots are so arrogant, wanting to show off with their fancy majors. They're not boyfriend material, but some of them are nice to look at and play with. The frat guys are better, they're not as uppity, but they're not really boyfriend material either. They just like the parties and hooking up with one night stands. Helena told me Max was just like me, how he kissed pretty much every girl in high school and slept around a lot. When she brought me home with her the first time, I saw Max and thought he was hot, but he was still seventeen, so I got to know him a little better through conversation. It's true, he was just like me when it comes to relationships, or lack of, but I saw the other part of his personality that I'm pretty sure everyone else ignores. He told me about how he met his dad by chance and that he takes karate lessons. It takes dedication to do karate. I don't know much about it, but I know it's all about stuff like getting your mind and body to work together for some zen stuff or something. He's a green belt, I think, was what he told me. He also told me how he used to help Helena with her science homework and that he's the reason she was able to get into college. I see that my gas tank is getting a little low, so I pull off at the exit that approaches, and into a gas station with a Starbucks attached to it. After getting the gas, I decide to pay inside because I want my coffee. I'm annoyed at Helena, so I open the car door abruptly and take a short tone with her.
"Helena, I'm going to get a coffee, do you want anything?"
"Yeah, I'm coming in with you."
Good. Then I don't have to purposely get your order wrong because you can do it yourself. Helena follows me into the Starbucks and we get our drinks, me a white chocolate mocha, and Helena some kind of weird tea, I don't know, I hate tea. She asks me if I want a pastry and I pick out a cheese danish. Yeah, you better buy me something since you were basically a dick this morning. When we get back in the car, Helena looks at me innocently.
"Um, Soleil. Are you okay, or are you just annoyed because it's the morning and you haven't had your coffee yet?"
I start the car and continue driving.
"Well, I just thought it was rude of you to wake Max and I up the way you did and then pretty much tell him that I'm a slut. I think I might like him, and you telling him that based on his personality is just going to make him give up on me. I don't know if you noticed, but the entire summer both he and I didn't spend time with anyone else. Shouldn't that tell you something?"
"I just thought I should warn you guys about each other, so you won't be heartbroken later. I just wanted to protect both of you from each other."
I roll my eyes so far up into my head that I almost see the top of my skull. Is she seriously just assuming that I am incapable of genuinely liking someone?
"Helena, has it ever occurred to you that I only slept around because I am single and was having fun? It doesn't mean that I'll sleep around for the rest of my life! Assuming I'm going to break your brother's heart, and he is going to break mine, is so cruel!"
"You just said you are single. Present tense."
"Oh my god, Helena! I like Maximus, ok?! The entire summer I didn't hang out with any other boy because I didn't want to!"
"Yeah, but he'll just break your heart. He's still the same arrogant guy he was in high school."
"Assumptions, assumptions, Helena. Assuming makes you an ass. Ugh!"
I'm fuming right now. One of my biggest peeves is when someone just labels me and then obstinately refuses to see me for anything other than the label. I roll the window down just a bit so I can get some fresh air and maybe let some of the anal out of the car. I don't understand why Helena is so, ugh, there are no words to describe her. Other than Miss Prissy Pants. After the fresh air has calmed me down a bit, I roll the window back up and stare straight ahead of me, trying to concentrate on the scenery and the road ahead.
"You guys didn't become a couple officially, did you?"
"No."
"So that doesn't mean anything."
"Oh, so now my feelings don't mean anything?! I have feelings for him, okay?! I really am going to miss him, and part of the reason I didn't want to leave was because I didn't want to leave him! What the fuck is it with you and labeling everything, Helena? Jesus, you're so prissy all the time!"
"Soleil, there's a reason people call each other their boyfriend slash girlfriend. It's so they know where they stand with each other."
"Oh yeah, well I know perfectly where Max and I stand. When I was talking to him before we left-"
"You mean when you were trying to have a quickie by the car."
ARGH. I want to scream again.
"Will you not interrupt me?! No, it's when he pretty much blurted out for us to wait! He told me he was jealous of me hooking up with other guys and that he couldn't stand the thought of me with any other guy! I told him I wasn't going to be sleeping with anyone else this year because I like him."
"So you said you were a couple?"
"No we didn't officially say those words, but I'm not going to sleep with anyone else this year."
"If you didn't officially say it, then what's stopping you or him from meeting anyone else while you're apart?"
"He and I don't need to label our feelings for each other, Helena! We are just trusting each other because we like each other!"
"Trust? Max? Oh, Soleil, you can't trust Max. He's a player, he always has been."
I want to scream so loudly the car windows might shatter. If I wasn't driving, I would be having a head desk moment. I need a cold stiff drink when I get back to the dorms, of course, where Helena will get upset with me again for underage drinking. Luckily, the bright billboards, palm trees lining the streets, and the giant Silicon Shores sign, has signaled our arrival to our destination. I am one step closer to getting out of this car and being away from Miss Prissy Pants.
Helena and Soleil come out of the house looking like they're getting ready to leave. Damn it, Maximus, if you're going to do something, do it now. Luckily for me, Soleil comes over to where I'm standing and puts her arms around me.
"Sexy, I'm going to miss you a lot."
Hmm... that's a good sign. I bet I could say that back to her since she said it first. I hug her really close to me and kiss her really hard. She whimpers a little moan of pleasure and loses her balance. She's got to remember me after a kiss like that. I bet none of those stupid college idiots can kiss like that. I feel Soleil grab fistfuls of my tshirt in her hands.
"Ugh, every time I turn around you guys are attached by some body part. Will you just knock it off?"
Stupid almost Mt. St. Helen, annoying the shit out of me again. Helena grabs Soleil's arm and tries to drag her towards the car.
"NO, wait!"
The words leave my mouth faster than I realize. Well, now's the time.
"What, Maximus?"
"Soleil, can I tell you something quick before you leave?"
"Ugh, fine, Max, I'll be waiting in the car. DON'T drag this out, we're already leaving later than we planned."
"Shut up, Helena."
Soleil's looking at me with her beautiful brown eyes and smiling. She doesn't look the least bit annoyed that I stopped her from leaving. She stands close to me and puts her arms around my neck.
"What's up, sexy Max?"
I grin stupidly at her because I love it when she calls me sexy. I feel like she really likes me when she says it. The way she's hugging me makes it hard for me to look away, but suddenly I get nervous about what I want to tell her, and it must have shown in my face because Soleil looks concerned all of a sudden. She starts playing with my ponytail, which relaxes me. Finally, I get the courage to speak.
"I- I'm going to miss you a lot, Soleil, and I- I can't stop thinking about what Helena said, how you'll just go hook up with other guys. I- uh- I- don't want to even think of you with another guy."
I close my eyes as I say that last part because I'm scared I just pushed Soleil away, made her feel trapped. I'm aware she's still playing with my hair though, so she must not be that mad at me. I sheepishly open my eyes, and see her smiling at me. She's not mad?
"Maximus, I meant it when I said I was going to miss you a lot. I'll miss you so much, in fact, that I don't want to hook up with random guys this year. I did that last year, but that was before I really got to hang out with you, you know, since you're legal now."
Soleil smiles that seductive smile of hers, and I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders and the queasy feeling has dissipated. Did she seriously just say she was waiting for me to be legal? That's so hot. Soleil kisses me again, with that same longing she had when we were in bed together. I hug her so tightly that she lets out a little squeal.
"You have my number right?"
"Yeah, sexy, I'll text you when I get to the dorm."
Soleil smiles at me and waves as she gets in her car. I wave back and watch my citrus smelling angel drive away.
I sneak a glance in the rearview mirror at my sexy gladiator standing by the road waving at me as I drive away. I'm so angry at Helena right now because of what she said about me while Max was in the room. Ugh, Soleil, you're just going to hook up with random guys. I was so scared she ruined any chance I had with him. I'm so glad he pulled me aside this morning and had the balls to tell me how he felt, cause I sure as hell didn't. I know that he was a player in high school, and so was I, so I was afraid to push him away with any talk of the dreaded "r" word. I took a chance this morning telling him I'd miss him, hoping that would be enough of a clue that I wasn't just using his sexy ass for, well, sex. Thank god it was.
Just because Helena's mean words didn't end up pushing Max away doesn't mean I'm not still mad at her. That was so uncalled for, and I don't know why she thought she had the right to judge Max and I like that. In case Miss Prissy Pants hasn't noticed, I spent the whole summer with Max and no one else. It is true that when I met Helena last year after we got assigned to be roommates that I was a player. I do party a lot, and I did bring a different guy back to our room every night. Before I met Max, I didn't think any guy would make me feel like I was on cloud nine.
All these university idiots are so arrogant, wanting to show off with their fancy majors. They're not boyfriend material, but some of them are nice to look at and play with. The frat guys are better, they're not as uppity, but they're not really boyfriend material either. They just like the parties and hooking up with one night stands. Helena told me Max was just like me, how he kissed pretty much every girl in high school and slept around a lot. When she brought me home with her the first time, I saw Max and thought he was hot, but he was still seventeen, so I got to know him a little better through conversation. It's true, he was just like me when it comes to relationships, or lack of, but I saw the other part of his personality that I'm pretty sure everyone else ignores. He told me about how he met his dad by chance and that he takes karate lessons. It takes dedication to do karate. I don't know much about it, but I know it's all about stuff like getting your mind and body to work together for some zen stuff or something. He's a green belt, I think, was what he told me. He also told me how he used to help Helena with her science homework and that he's the reason she was able to get into college. I see that my gas tank is getting a little low, so I pull off at the exit that approaches, and into a gas station with a Starbucks attached to it. After getting the gas, I decide to pay inside because I want my coffee. I'm annoyed at Helena, so I open the car door abruptly and take a short tone with her.
"Helena, I'm going to get a coffee, do you want anything?"
"Yeah, I'm coming in with you."
Good. Then I don't have to purposely get your order wrong because you can do it yourself. Helena follows me into the Starbucks and we get our drinks, me a white chocolate mocha, and Helena some kind of weird tea, I don't know, I hate tea. She asks me if I want a pastry and I pick out a cheese danish. Yeah, you better buy me something since you were basically a dick this morning. When we get back in the car, Helena looks at me innocently.
"Um, Soleil. Are you okay, or are you just annoyed because it's the morning and you haven't had your coffee yet?"
I start the car and continue driving.
"Well, I just thought it was rude of you to wake Max and I up the way you did and then pretty much tell him that I'm a slut. I think I might like him, and you telling him that based on his personality is just going to make him give up on me. I don't know if you noticed, but the entire summer both he and I didn't spend time with anyone else. Shouldn't that tell you something?"
"I just thought I should warn you guys about each other, so you won't be heartbroken later. I just wanted to protect both of you from each other."
I roll my eyes so far up into my head that I almost see the top of my skull. Is she seriously just assuming that I am incapable of genuinely liking someone?
"Helena, has it ever occurred to you that I only slept around because I am single and was having fun? It doesn't mean that I'll sleep around for the rest of my life! Assuming I'm going to break your brother's heart, and he is going to break mine, is so cruel!"
"You just said you are single. Present tense."
"Oh my god, Helena! I like Maximus, ok?! The entire summer I didn't hang out with any other boy because I didn't want to!"
"Yeah, but he'll just break your heart. He's still the same arrogant guy he was in high school."
"Assumptions, assumptions, Helena. Assuming makes you an ass. Ugh!"
I'm fuming right now. One of my biggest peeves is when someone just labels me and then obstinately refuses to see me for anything other than the label. I roll the window down just a bit so I can get some fresh air and maybe let some of the anal out of the car. I don't understand why Helena is so, ugh, there are no words to describe her. Other than Miss Prissy Pants. After the fresh air has calmed me down a bit, I roll the window back up and stare straight ahead of me, trying to concentrate on the scenery and the road ahead.
"You guys didn't become a couple officially, did you?"
"No."
"So that doesn't mean anything."
"Oh, so now my feelings don't mean anything?! I have feelings for him, okay?! I really am going to miss him, and part of the reason I didn't want to leave was because I didn't want to leave him! What the fuck is it with you and labeling everything, Helena? Jesus, you're so prissy all the time!"
"Soleil, there's a reason people call each other their boyfriend slash girlfriend. It's so they know where they stand with each other."
"Oh yeah, well I know perfectly where Max and I stand. When I was talking to him before we left-"
"You mean when you were trying to have a quickie by the car."
ARGH. I want to scream again.
"Will you not interrupt me?! No, it's when he pretty much blurted out for us to wait! He told me he was jealous of me hooking up with other guys and that he couldn't stand the thought of me with any other guy! I told him I wasn't going to be sleeping with anyone else this year because I like him."
"So you said you were a couple?"
"No we didn't officially say those words, but I'm not going to sleep with anyone else this year."
"If you didn't officially say it, then what's stopping you or him from meeting anyone else while you're apart?"
"He and I don't need to label our feelings for each other, Helena! We are just trusting each other because we like each other!"
"Trust? Max? Oh, Soleil, you can't trust Max. He's a player, he always has been."
I want to scream so loudly the car windows might shatter. If I wasn't driving, I would be having a head desk moment. I need a cold stiff drink when I get back to the dorms, of course, where Helena will get upset with me again for underage drinking. Luckily, the bright billboards, palm trees lining the streets, and the giant Silicon Shores sign, has signaled our arrival to our destination. I am one step closer to getting out of this car and being away from Miss Prissy Pants.