THREE
One year later
Ozzie
The libraryat Pine Mountain University has turned into a meat market. People go there to flirt; they go there to hook up. They rarely go to do research in the stacks, and it’s become distracting.
I can’t study here.
So I stare out the window, thinking about packing my things and stalking down the street looking for anywhere else to go.
I can’t go back to my dorm room because there’s a sock on the doorknob. Of course, there is. Why my roommate and his girlfriend didn’t get an apartment together off-campus is beyond me because I swear to god, the two of them are playing hide the salami in our room every other night. Today is Friday, which means he gets out of class at three, so their love fest has started early. Rude.
His excuse is always, “Dude, I leave the odd-numbered nights for you to use the room. I’m happy to vacate if you need to bring someone here. Or, you know, Rachel and I can stay….”
The way he trailed off and what that implied gave me a sick feeling in my stomach. Not that there’s anything wrong with watching or having a menage, but I hate sharing. If I ever had a serious relationship, I would never consider someone else touching her or even looking at her.
Staring out the window overlooking the quad, I see people gathering excitedly in small groups. It’s Friday afternoon, and everyone is already forgetting about studying and plotting their pre-game for bar-hopping.
Not me. I’m headed to law school in a couple more years and aim to graduate quicker than my older siblings. It’s an insane but friendly competition in the Gwynn household. My next-older brother, Bryan, holds the record for graduating early. He’s the middle son, gifted, and none of the sisters in between have yet been able to beat him.
I’m on track, though.
I have this warped motivation to make my mark in some unique way because I’m not good at anything that everyone in the family seems to be good at. They’re all fit, athletic, musically talented, great public speakers, extroverted, and better looking than me. I’m a big dude who’s been in husky Wrangler jeans since the sixth grade. I don’t run as fast or think on my feet as quickly as the rest of them. While my siblings were all blessed with shiny hair and perfect skin, I’ve got unmanageably thick curls and unruly eyebrows I have to trim almost weekly.
Academically, I’m not as strong as the rest of my siblings, so I’m giving myself an edge in the twisted family competition to graduate early by attending a slightly less rigorous school. Pine Mountain is a good school but more of a party scene than other state schools here.
This means I’m working my ass off and practically live at this library.
If only it were quieter. I’ve never been in a library that was so damn loud.
After a couple of minutes of failing to tune out the dull roar around me, I check my phone that I’ve silenced.
There’s a text, and three missed phone calls. One from each of my sisters. One from Bryan. One from Beau. I know what this is about.
I text back my oldest brother, Beau, because he’s the easiest of all the siblings.
“What’s going on? Got three calls already, and I’ve only been studying for two hours tonight.”
“Hey. Mom wants to know how many extra rooms to make up for the reunion.”
I grumble to myself and type my reply.
“Just me.”
A pause, then. “Okay, I’ll let her know.” As the director of the non-profit Homing In, Beau keeps a super-busy schedule, so he never has time to talk.
A second later, Bryan pops up in the group text that I was hoping to avoid.
“Two months into your second year of college and still no girlfriend.”
From Sawyer, the sweet one: “Bryan, geez.”
Bryan: “What? Mom’s getting antsy.”
I reply: “I don’t see why anyone would care. You, Bryan, Sawyer, and Tabitha have already popped out half a dozen grandchildren. That’s enough, isn’t it?”
Bryan, the sarcastic one, replies, “Maybe it’s your charming personality that’s the problem.”