Chapter Eighteen

"You gave me a hickey? You gave me a freaking hickey?" I slammed the door when I got back from the bathroom. After a few months of staying over at the Phi Omega house, I was finally used to it. It didn't mean I enjoyed staying in a house full of guys.

Dylan grinned. "I may have gotten a little bit excited last night."

"Really, so this wasn't intentional?" I put a hand around my neck.

"Maybe a little..."

"Dylan!" I threw a balled up shirt at him. "What the hell is wrong with you? Were you trying to mark me as yours like some Neanderthal?" After two months of dating Dylan, I wasn't surprised, but I was definitely mad.

"Can you really blame me?"

"Excuse me?"

"Can you blame me for wanting guys to know you're unavailable? You've got Mr. Muscle hitting on you constantly, and he isn't the only one."

"And that makes it okay to break blood vessels, or whatever the hell a hickey is?"

"Calm down. It's just a damn hickey. You can give me one if you want." He wriggled an eyebrow.

"This isn't funny."

"Yes, it is."

"No, it's not. You purposely left a mark on my neck. I worried that's what you were doing."

"Worried? You didn't seem worried last night."

"Like you'd even notice if I was?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" The smug look finally left his face.

"I can't do this. I won't do this. It's over."

He sat up. "What? Are you kidding?"

"You purposely left this disgusting mark on my neck because you're jealous that other guys look at me. How is that even remotely healthy?"

"Come back to bed, baby. You have time before class."

"Are you even listening to me?"

"Yes. Are you PMSing or something?"

"Go to hell." I grabbed my purse and water bottle, giving him the finger as I left. I wasn't satisfied that my first door slam was loud enough, so I did it again.

"Trouble in paradise?" Ryan asked as I passed him on the way down the stairs.

"Dylan's a prick." I took one more step. "And so are you." I emptied my water bottle over his head.

"What the fuck was that for?"

"The handcuffs and everything else." Pissed as I was, there was something so satisfying about watching him sopping wet. I wished for something stronger than water though.

I crashed into a guy in a gorilla mask as I walked to the front door. "Halloween isn't until tomorrow!" I yelled at him. Even soaking Ryan couldn't save my mood.

I stormed back to campus, covering my neck with my hand the whole time.

I didn't go to my room right away. I went to Cara's. Thankfully, her roommate was out.

She opened the door, still in her pajamas. "Hey, what's up?"

I moved my hand.

"A hickey? You have a hickey? No one gets hickeys anymore."

"I know. I want to kill Dylan. Bad sex was one thing, but now he has to mark me? I hate him."

"Hate's a strong word." She put an arm around my shoulder.

"I broke up with him."

"I'd say I'm sorry, but it's probably for the best."

I sat down on the edge of her bed. "You think so?"

"I know so. The guy's a possessive, controlling jerk. That might be tolerable if he was a god in bed, but he's not. You'll find someone better."

I collapsed back on her bed. "What am I going to do about this?" I touched my neck.

"I don't know...we could try makeup." She looked deep in thought. "And it's kind of cold out. I have some fun scarves."

"Do you have any that will go with my Halloween costume for tomorrow night?"

"Oh yeah...we'll figure it out."

"I hope so."

"Here, try this one." She tossed a black and red striped scarf at me.

"Won't I look funny wearing it inside?" I tied the scarf around my neck.

"It's better than looking like a girl with a hickey, right?"

"You have a point."

I dragged myself to class, hoping no one would ask about the scarf. No one did. At least I didn't have history with Reed. I wasn't ready to talk to him about it yet. I came back at lunchtime and got into bed. I'd already texted Reed telling him I wasn't feeling well enough to work. It wasn't a lie—I felt awful. Tally was sitting at her desk and turned to me. "What's going on with you?"

"Nothing." I didn't feel like discussing it with Tally. She was still dating Ryan, and I'm pretty sure she thought both Ryan and Dylan walked on water.

"You sure?"

"Yes."

"Are you going to the house tonight? They're getting a keg."

I pulled my blanket up to my chin. "No. I broke up with Dylan."

"What?" Tally came to sit on the edge of my bed. "Why?"

I took off my scarf and threw it on the bed, lowering the blanket to show her my neck. I might as well get the confrontation over with.

"A hickey? You dumped him for a hickey?"

"It was just the icing on the cake." It was. A physical and gross kind of icing.

"Don't you think you're overreacting? You and Dylan are perfect together."

I laughed dryly. "Perfect? Hardly."

"You'll realize you made a mistake. Hopefully, you'll come to your senses before he moves on."

"Is there a reason you're being a bitch?"

"A bitch? I'm only being realistic." She grabbed her keys and phone as she stormed out of the room. She was probably going to vent to Ryan about me.

"Whatever," I said even though she was already gone.

***

My phone rang around eleven-thirty. I groaned, rolling over to glance at the screen. I didn't pick up—it was Dylan.

He called again, and I decided to just do it. "Hello."

"Baby, I did something stupid. Really stupid."

"And that's my problem because...?"

"You don't get it. I was pissed that you never came back. I got trashed. I slept with someone."

"We broke up. I don't care." Of course, it stung to know he'd moved on so fast.

"I'm so stupid. It meant nothing."

"I have to go."

"Babe, I'm sorry."

I sighed. "You've said it." Then my curiosity got the better of me. I had to know. "Who was it?"

"Amanda."

My chest clenched. "Go to hell, and never speak to me again." I knew I was the one who'd dumped him, but to sleep with my brat of a pledge mom was low. I knew Amanda was a bitch, but this went beyond anything I'd have thought her capable of. They didn't even wait twenty-four hours.

He called back, but I didn't pick up. Instead, I threw my phone across the room, and it hit the wall. Thankfully, it didn't break.

"What the hell is going on?" Tally finally woke up. I swore that girl could sleep through almost anything.

"Nothing."

I couldn't sleep. I thought about going to wake up Cara, but that wasn't going to help. There was only one person I wanted to talk to. I threw on jeans, my worn out hoodie sweatshirt, and the scarf just in case. I needed fresh air.

I knew walking across campus at night alone was dumb, but I couldn't stay in my room any longer. With Tally there, I didn't even have the privacy to mope alone.

The stragglers were just leaving Al's when I got there. I slipped inside, knowing Reed would be in the back. He turned when he heard me enter. "Juliet? What are you doing here?"

"I dumped Dylan."

"It's about time, but what made you finally do it?" He put down his clipboard.

Something about telling Reed made me finally break down. And I mean break down. The tears I must have been holding back the whole time fell down my face.

His arms came around me. "It's okay. Take your time." He held me tighter. "I'll kill him for you."

I picked my head up from his chest and noticed Reed's wry smile. "You don't have to kill him. I just never want to see him again."

"Are you ready to tell me why? What suddenly changed your mind?"

I glanced around. While I was crying, everyone else had left. I untied my scarf.

"Is that a hickey?"

"Yes."

"And that has to do with why you dumped him?"

"He did it on purpose, to leave a mark so people knew I wasn't single. It was the last straw."

"Oh." He tensed. Reed always had such physical reactions to things. Either that, or I was getting really good at reading him. Maybe both.

"It made me so mad. With everything else he already does, I can't take him anymore."

"I know it sucks now, but it was the right decision. The guy's a controlling jackass."

"For once, I'll agree."

He laughed. "You're going to be fine."

"I hope so."

He took my face in his hands. "I know so." He stared into my eyes with such intensity that I couldn't help believing him.

"You know what sucks?"

"What?"

"I have to walk around with this dumb hickey on my neck for the next few days. I'm going to have to alter my Halloween costume to include a scarf."

"Aren't you going as a 1940s night club singer?"

"Yes."

"Then do something with the mark to make it look like a vampire bite. You'll be all dressed up, so say you're going as a vampire's victim."

"Oh my god. That's actually a good idea. Cara could help me with it. She's all about stage makeup."

"See, hope isn't lost."

"It probably doesn't matter, though. All of my friends will be at the date party, and I obviously can't go alone." The last thing I needed was to show up at a date party alone. I felt low enough.

"Why not?"

"Why can't I go?" Did he really need to ask me that?

"Yeah, what's the problem?" He leaned back against the counter.

"My friends all have dates."

"So? You're a big girl."

"I'll just be a fifth wheel or something."

"No. You'll be the strong, independent woman everyone wishes they were."

"I could try to find a date at the last minute."

"Juliet."

I looked up. I hoped he was about to offer his services. "Yes?"

"You can go alone."

"Oh. Yeah. You're right." I needed to change the subject—fast. "Do you have big plans tomorrow?"

"I've got a Sigma crush party."

"Oh. Fun." I tried to hide my disappointment. It bothered me more than I expected.

"Lots," he said sarcastically. "But what can you do?"

He told me to go to my party alone, yet he was going to another sorority event? What a hypocrite. He wasn't quite as much of a comfort as I'd hoped.

"I'd better go." I started to walk out.

"How are you getting home?"

"The same way I got here."

"What? Damn, I didn't think about that. You walked here?"

"Yeah."

"Don't do that kind of stuff, Juliet. It's dangerous. I left my car at the house, so I'll walk you."

I shook my head. "Don't worry about it."

"Do you mean to be this difficult?"

"Fine. I just know you're tired, and it's late."

"I really don't care. Help me close up, and we can go."

I nodded and started to go through the closing motions. I wiped down the tables while Reed worked on the kitchen. Fifteen minutes later, he locked up behind us.

He matched my pace, and we headed toward campus.

"Juliet?"

Reed and I both turned when we heard my name as we passed the frat houses.

"Oh hey, Kyle."

"What are you doing out here? Did you just get off work?"

"No. I was just talking to Reed."

"Oh." Kyle's eyes shifted immediately to Reed. "I heard about you and Dylan. Are you doing okay?"

"I'm fine. I dumped him."

"I know. It was pretty obvious from the fact that he was crying like a baby."

I put my hands in the front pocket of my sweatshirt. "He was not."

"Yes, he was. Of course, that was after he hooked up with Amanda...sorry about that."

I shrugged. "It's not my problem."

"He hooked up with Amanda?" Reed's eyes nearly bugged out.

"Yeah."

"You didn't mention that." He stared at me.

"It wasn't important." In other words, I didn't want to admit it. It made everything worse. I'd meant nothing to Dylan.

Kyle played with his ID card. "Are you heading back to your dorm? I can walk you."

"Yeah, that would be cool. That way Reed doesn't have to."

Reed took a step closer to me. "I don't mind."

"But your house is here." I probably sounded ruder than I wanted to. The truth was, I still stung over his quasi-rejection.

"If you're sure." Reed turned to Kyle. "Make sure she gets back okay."

Kyle rolled his eyes. "I think I can handle it."

"Thanks for listening." I gave Reed a small smile.

"Anytime." He took his keys out of his pocket. "Take care of yourself, and try to have fun tomorrow night."

"I'll try."

Kyle and I walked off.

"What's tomorrow night?"

"A Halloween date party."

"Oh yeah, I heard about that." He looked like he was going to say something but stopped himself.

"Why'd you do it?" He walked so close to me that his hand brushed against mine.

"Your brother's an asshole."

"I know he is. But what did he do this time?"

I unwrapped the scarf. "That's why I finally dumped him."

He squinted to see. "For giving you a hickey?" Kyle eyed me incredulously.

"For giving it to me so guys would stay away. I can't take his games anymore."

"That's Dylan. He got all psycho over you."

"Yeah..."

"What are you going to dress up as?"

"The original plan was a nightclub singer."

"Yeah? A sexy one?" He arched an eyebrow.

"That was the plan. But with this mark, I'm going to make it a vampire's victim or something."

He laughed. "That's awesome."

"Reed thought of it."

"I'm guessing he's going to be your vampire?"

"Nope. I'm going alone. The vampire will have skipped out after his snack."

Kyle looked over at me. "He doesn't have to... I may be free tomorrow night."

"Really? You'd go with me?"

"Don't sound so surprised. You know I like you...and getting to spend a night with you dressed all sexy... sign me up."

If only he hadn't added on the part about liking me. I'd have loved a friend date, but anything more than that wasn't going to work. "Thanks so much for offering, but I'm going to go it alone."

"But you sounded excited..."

"I'm just not ready to start something new. Especially not with my ex-boyfriend's brother."

"You have to see me as more than that. I'm more than Dylan's brother."

"Yes, which is even more of a reason not to go with you." I'd known Kyle a long time. Stringing him along would be unforgiveable.

"What happened?" He slowed his pace. "We kissed that summer before ninth grade. We talked on the phone and online, but the next summer you didn't even look at me anymore."

"Do I have to answer that?"

"You liked him that much?"

"He was older. Had I known you'd look like this..." I gestured at him. Of course, I was joking. Nothing could have ended my crush on Dylan other than actually being with him.

"So it was all superficial?"

"I guess. I built him up to be this superhuman, you know? This older guy who was going to sweep me off my feet and teach me everything I needed to know."

"Not so much..."

"Yeah. Who knew skinny dipping could be so dangerous?" We reached campus.

"We'll have to do it sometime."

I wasn't sure if he was joking or not, but I assumed he wasn't. "Oh no. Never again."

"It would be different..."

"You know how weird this is, right?" I hoped Kyle realized nothing was going to happen between us. I'd just broken up with Dylan, and I wasn't looking for any relationship, especially not with another Bradley.

"What?"

"Talking about skinny dipping with my ex's brother."

"I liked you first. You liked me first."

"We were kids."

"I bet you'll change your mind."

"You'll be the first to know if I do."

***

The hickey faded ever so slightly by the time I woke up the next morning. I tied on Cara's scarf, glad the temperature had dipped into the forties overnight. I grabbed my books, and Cara and I walked out together.

Dylan leaned against the wall just outside the dorm.

I groaned. "What are you doing here?"

"I need to talk to you."

"Then talk."

His hair was all messed up, and it looked as if he hadn't slept at all. Dylan never left the house without looking put together. He was worse than a girl that way. "Alone."

"You want me to stick around?" Cara asked.

"No. I'll get this over with. See you for lunch."

She waved and walked away.

"What do you want to talk about?"

"Us."

"There is no us."

"We had a fight. Couples have fights."

I chortled. "Maybe it could have been 'just a fight,' but you decided to screw Amanda. It's one hundred percent over."

"It wasn't my fault. I got drunk, I was so mad you left like that, and Amanda was over, and she let me talk and—"

"You fell into bed?"

"No...but."

"Save it. I really don't care."

"Yes, you do." He touched my arm.

I shrugged his hand off. "It was inevitable."

"What was? Me cheating? I'm not like that. Does it matter that it's not going to happen again? We both agreed it wouldn't be more."

"Oh, did you? How nice."

"Juliet. Please."

"Please what? You didn't do anything wrong. Is that what you want to hear?"

"No! I want to hear the opposite. We're still together, and I fucked up, and I'll have to work hard to earn your forgiveness."

"We're not together. And if you want to see Amanda again, by all means do it. You two deserve each other." I started to walk away.

He grabbed my shoulder to turn me back to look at him. "I only want you."

"That's not true, and you know it."

"What are you talking about?"

"Let's see, you've already fucked Amanda. I guess I should have left a mark on your neck."

He must have noticed the scarf, and reached out to untie it. I grabbed his hand and stopped him. "Don't touch me."

"I already offered to let you leave a mark... I'd like it."

"Go bother Amanda. Maybe she actually wants to have sex with you."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing." I started moving again.

"Wait, Juliet!" He caught up with me. "Are we still on for tonight? Your party?"

"What do you think?" He couldn't actually be that dense, could he?

"You're going alone?"

I smiled. "Maybe, maybe not."

"Who are you going with?"

"It's none of your business." It felt so good to say that and mean it.

"It'd better not be Reed."

"None of your business."