Whenever she's not in a class, twice or three times a week at various coffee shops they would meet to discuss work while Kelsey attends her classes. They made tremendous progress just by brainstorming, making phone calls, and work on Julie's laptop. Sometimes Kelsey skipped class to join them, to see what the work was like but then she was bored after a few hours and decided that she was better off in class.
Julie went to the counter to order some coffee and snacks when Preston approached her. "Hey, I thought I'd find you here," he greeted her. He was standing really close to her, their arms rubbed with each other and it made her uncomfortable.
"Hey Preston," she replied in a monotone.
"My birthday is coming up, I wanted to invite you," he said.
Julie shrugged, "Oh I don't think I can come, but thanks for inviting me, I'll let Kelsey know."
"Come on, Jules, this been going on for too long already," Preston turned to look at her in a somber expression.
Julie glanced at Preston. He looked like he was just woken up, his eyes were still droopy. He tossed his hair to one side with a brush of his fingers. His nails were painted, he was still wearing the ring she gave him along with his other rings. His dark blue eyes, wide and narrow, one look at them made the hairs on her arms stood up. She couldn't rest her sight at his face for longer than two seconds, but he stared her down so she would look at him when they speak.
"I really want you to come," he knew she had been avoiding him since that night. "I miss you." Those words made her stomach turned.
They were best friends, a little different than what she had with Kelsey, romantic friendship is the term used for it. But there were boundaries, which they stepped over one night and changed everything, at least for her.
She inhaled deeply, "I don't know ... Preston, you know I'm not big with parties, I mean, Kelsey's gonna be there I'm sure," she wasn't going to let his words get to her.
"Yeah she is, but I want you to be there too ... that's why I'm here, I'm begging you ... please ... pretty please ..." he pressed his palms together and leaned his face closer to her.
She hesitated, "Why would you want me there anyway? You'll probably be wasted by nine with all your friends."
"Because you're my friend ... right? Are we still friends? You know I hated what happened as much as you do ... and I've been ..." he hadn't finished his sentences when Julie stopped him with her palm on his chest.
"I don't wanna talk about it, please," she looked away.
They never really talked about it, Julie just decided that she needed to avoid him forever while he sometimes followed her around like a puppy wanting to play.
Preston exhaled in frustration, "Will you come, though? It's my 21st birthday," he sounded desperate.
She looked down and thought for a moment, "Maybe," she said.
There was an instant glow on Preston's face, "That's good enough for me," he stole a kiss on her cheek that made her pulled back. He smiled widely, "I'll see you then," and he left.
Her heart was beating fast, she closed her eyes to steady her breathing. After all that time, Preston still managed to do that to her. She wished she could find someone to fall in love with and what happened between her and Preston wouldn't matter at all. If only there was someone that could distract her from Preston, it would've been easier to keep their friendship alive. But that wasn't the case, it was hard to be friends with him before, and it's even harder after. She picked up the tray with two hot cafe latte cups on it and walked back to her table.
"Who was that?" Nathan asked, it didn't go unnoticed how distraught she was after that encounter.
"Oh ... that's Preston," she replied.
"Preston? The one who's having a birthday this weekend?". Julie nodded as she sipped her coffee. "Kelsey mentioned it this morning, I guess we'll be there discussing our projects while people vomit around us," he joked.
Julie laughed, "I don't know ... I don't really wanna go."
Nathan looked disappointed, "Why not? I guess we can hang out once everyone's wasted, just bring your laptop, I'm sure we can find a quieter place to do some work." It didn't seem to bother him, the fact that he too wasn't much of a party-goer, but he was willing to be there for Kelsey. Suddenly, the idea of bringing work to Preston's party sounded like a win-win solution to the problem.
"I guess we can try and do that," Julie said with a soft laugh, not completely convinced it was doable.
Nathan told Kelsey later that day about Julie coming to the party, it surprised her. "Really? She told you she's coming?"
"Yeah ... well, she seemed reluctant at first, what's with her and that Preston guy anyway? She was weirded out right after he left ... distant, I suppose," Nathan wondered.
"Preston's a pretty delicate spot for her ... she used to have a big crush on him ever since we started college, they have this weird friendship, she's pretty tight shut when it comes to sharing intimate details, you know?"
She was exactly the opposite of Kelsey where she shares too many details about her love life or sex life for that matter. "We used to be pretty close, the three of us, but then something happened before summer, and she just shut him down, didn't want to have anything to do with him anymore," Kelsey continued.
"What happened?" Nathan was curious.
"She wouldn't tell me at first, I had to get it out of Preston ... that slut ..." Kelsey sounded pissed. "They were close, I mean like really close, I guess I can relate 'cause we've been best friends since we were small, she has this warm personality that made it easy to be close to her ... most people wouldn't catch that from the first get-go, but ... anyway ... Preston had a girlfriend, and they often get into fights and Julie was there ..." the problem started to come to form.
"He always talked about it with Julie because she listens to everything, I mean half of the shit I told her ... some people would just walk out on me, but Julie ... I guess Preston felt the same about her too, so one night, Preston had a fight with his girlfriend, he was drunk and alone, he came to our dorm, I wasn't there ... and ..." Nathan raised his eyebrows, she didn't have to explain any further.
Kelsey took a deep breath, she seemed uneasy telling it to Nathan, "You have to promise me that you will never ever talk to her about this, she'd kill me for telling this to anyone." He promised. "Julie was a virgin ... and Preston was an idiot, they woke up in the morning and realized what they did the night before, obviously Preston was cheating on his girlfriend with Julie and that was something she would never forgive herself for, all hell broke loose," she finished the story.
Nathan grimaced, "God, that's horrible." He was genuinely empathetic to what happened, Julie was becoming his friend too, and he understood what Kelsey said about how easy it was to be close to her.
"Yeah, and Julie is savage, you know, she can open up to you and drew you in like you can be best friends with her 'til death do you part, and then she can cut you off just like that like you don't mean anything to her ... I guess I'm lucky, I've seen how she cut off ties like it was nothing ... and Preston being the latest victim," she told him.
"Preston said that it was the biggest mistake in his life, not because he didn't want to sleep with her in the first place, but he never wanted to lose her as a friend ... I think Preston is hooked on Julie like a lovesick puppy, if you ask me, they're really good together as friends, it's like they have the need to be with each other, and that one night kind of made things weird."
The party was at his house. Preston's family also owned a house in Gastonburry, but he chose to live in the dorm because he didn't get along with his dad. It was a better choice for his love life too, it would've been disastrous to bring his dates home and meet his parents in the morning.Kelsey was right, Preston was a slut, he sleeps around with everybody. He had the looks, he got the reputation, and he was a singer in his band which was gradually making a name for itself. Even though he took the Business Major, his musical talent was pulling him in another direction.His girlfriend for the past couple of years was an on and off relationship because he couldn't keep his pants on. It left Julie feeling like an idiot for letting him in her room that night and fell for the same trick that he probably used with every girl he slept with. Or maybe he didn't need a trick at all, because most girls would open their door to him just because he was
'I broke up with Naomi' the girl who he cheated on with her. So? She thought. It couldn't be undone, she slept with someone else's boyfriend. Something she never thought would happen. Especially not when her last boyfriend cheated on her because she wasn't sure about giving up her virginity to him.She shrugged it off. She remembered how hewas when she opened her dorm room that night. He was drunk, he said he couldn't sleep, he was smelling like booze with a tint of Hugo Boss, he hadan unopened bottle of Vodka in his hand.Preston always smelled nice, even under a stale cigarette odor. He took his jacket off, leaving his thin worn out The Doors T-shirt hanging loose above his jeans. He threw himself on the floor next to her, their backs leaned on the bed. He opened the bottle with his teeth and they started drinking.He went on about the thousands of fights he had with Naomi, that night being the peak o
The first time he was introduced to Julie, the most obvious thing about her was her quietness. People would assume she was shy. She doesn't talk much unless it was something that interests her. The next obvious thing was her intellect, she can talk about anything that nourishes her brilliant mind. She knows her music, she knows her books, she knows her artists like they were her friends.She laughs at things most people find offensive, she laughs at herself, her laugh was contagious. She knows how to be focused, she knows when to let loose. She listens like you are the most important person in the room. She'll tell you the nicest things about yourself and the worst things without judging you. By this time, you'll see her as your best friend. And then he sees it, the way she threw her head back when she laughs, the creases in the corners of her eyes, her smart comebacks, the way she tucked her hair behind her ears. She was pretty. Pretty amazing.
Kelsey came back later that day looking exhausted. She threw her arms up and fell on her bed like a log. She let out a long sigh of relief.Julie was on her laptop editing Preston's videos, she glanced at her suspiciously, "Long day?"Sheprobably had spentthewhole afternoonsexingupwith Nathan,thesigh didn'tsoundlikeagood one.Kelsey turned her head lazily, "Hhmm ... he didn't bring his A-game today, and I was wearing my go-to jeans and lucky thong ... I guess it's not so lucky anymore."Julie chuckled, "Why? What happened?"Kelsey rolled on her stomach, "I don't know, something was weighing on his mind, I think it's probably work, he's nervous for next week ... the recruitment and everything ... it's starting to feel like we're married."Julie nodded, "Yeah he does have a lot on his plate, he'll be meeti
Julie closed her laptop and gave a sigh of relief, "I think that's it for now, are you ready to go back and start everything?"Nathan sat back on his chair, "Ready as I'll ever be ... I'm glad you're on board, can't wait for December, it's gonna be exciting.""Me too, I feel like I'm a part of it already, I have so many ideas that I want to share with you for Ardor."Nathan sipped on his coffee, "Please, give me everything you've got, draft them up, send it through email or Skype me, I want to hear all of them, 'cause I got plenty of those too ... just not sure if they're doable, I guess we're gonna have to wait 'till we get all the team ready.""True, at least you know what to look for when you're recruiting, we're setting a pretty high standard for a new business," Julie said."I'm willing to compensate them for their contribution though, I believe that I need them more than th
The last couple of nights in Gastonburry, Kelsey stayed at his place. He indulged her with his best meals, his best wine, put on his go-to music for a quiet romantic night with his girlfriend."Are you going to be okay while I'm gone?" he finally asked her.Her eyes flickered as she sipped her wine, "Of course not ... I will miss you terribly."He smiled, "Me too," and then he was quiet.Kelsey went over to him and sat on his lap. She brushed his hair with her fingers, looped her arms around his neck. Something was on his mind, but he couldn't say it. She kissed him. "Are you okay?" she sensed it."Kelsey ..." it was right on the edge of his tongue, she waited for it. "Should I be worried?" he said it."About what?""About us ... I mean, I can't help but feel like ..." he couldn't bring himself to say it. "Neither of us has ever been in a
It started out as a friendly night out, just a couple of beers at a quiet pub in the gallery. The gallery was a row of cafes, pubs, and restaurants about fifteen minutes away from campus where students from all the Universities in Gastonburry blend in like a melting pot. It was the only area for nightlife other than the two clubs they had for more lively entertainment.It often started like that with Kelsey, until she meets her friends who also came to the same place and then the night would grow longer as it progresses. The drinks would come more than they initially planned, then they ended up hopping in the car to go to the club because everyone was drunk enough to invite each other for more drinks with louder music and a dance floor.They were still at the pub when Julie's phone rang. It was close to 10 PM, it was Nathan."Hey." His voice at the other end."Hi! You've landed!" she was half shouting."(Chuckl
She propped up her chin with one hand, spun her pen on the other. She was done with her exam and was waiting for the announcement that time was up. All the other students were still deep in thoughts, you can hear a pin dropped in the classroom. Out from the corner of her eye, she saw a figure outside the window. When she took a glance, Preston was waving at her with both arms up high.His hair was long enough to be tied back in a tiny ponytail. He was wearing a worn-out T-shirt, the collar was loose, his necklace hung out, the top of his chest was visible. He was mouthing something that she couldn't make out. It didn't take long for the other students to notice him, and the girls were starting to murmur, "It's Preston Hicks." There was giggling sound. Preston pointed to the cafeteria, his mouth was moving, "I'll wait for you at the cafeteria."Julie nodded, but then he was mouthing something else that was harder to understand. The classroom