Chapter Two
Trent
I crouch in the bushes, out of sight of the enemy, rifle clutched in my hands. I’m on my last clip of ammo, and they’re closing in on me. I don’t have much time left, so I steel myself and get ready to spring…
Ding-dong!
The doorbell rings, startling me from my game. “I got it, I’m already up,” my roommate, Mason, calls from the kitchen, to my relief.
I’ve got less than two minutes left in this online match, and I’m hoping that’s just enough time to redeem myself. Mason makes his way to the door, but I’ve tuned back into the game and I’m only half paying attention until I hear him exclaim “Holy shit!”
I glance up again in time to see him throwing his arms around someone short, but over his hulking frame, I can’t make out who it is. But when I hear the peal of laughter and responding exclamation of “Surprise!” I immediately know exactly who it is and I abandon the Xbox controller.
“Lizzy!”
I race over and Mason reluctantly peels away from her so I can throw my arms around her. “Holy fuck, what are you doing here?” I ask her in shock.
“I’m moving here!” she exclaims excitedly, “I’ve got an apartment over off of Providence Street, and I’ve got three job interviews lined up this week.”
“Why didn’t you tell us?” Mason asks, “You didn’t have to go and get an apartment, we’ve got space here.”
“Or is it not just you moving here?” I ask hesitantly, remembering the rather serious boyfriend she was living with.
“No, it’s just me,” she says, shaking her head, “Which is kind of why I got the apartment. I kind of just need some space to myself for a while. And besides, I wanted to surprise you guys. It’s been so hard keeping this quiet.”
“How long have you known?” Mason wonders aloud.
“About two weeks,” she admits sheepishly.
“Impressive,” I laugh.
Secret-keeping is not exactly Lizzy’s strong suit, especially when she’s excited about something. Christmases and birthdays make her squirm, and half the time she ends up spilling the beans in spite of her very best efforts.
Not that she’s not trustworthy, she can be a vault when it comes to secrets not her own.
“Come on in, grab a seat,” I usher her inside.
I hastily snatch the controller from off the floor and shut the game off. My abandonment of the game had led my character to a bloody death, and the ending score was atrocious, but I’d never cared less.
Lizzy grabs a seat on the couch in the spot I’d vacated moments before, and I take a moment to drink in the sight of her and fully appreciate what I’m seeing. She’s always been attractive, the pretty blonde girl-next-door type, but apparently she’d spent the last few years really growing into that figure and turned into an absolute bombshell.
She’s still petite, probably at least a foot shorter than me or Mason, if not more, and her frame sports thick, lush curves. Her face is mostly bare, although she’s got something on her eyes that makes the bright blue orbs stand out, and there’s a light pink sheen of gloss on her full lips.
I wonder if it’s a flavored gloss, and if strawberry is still her favorite. All throughout college, she always had a strawberry lip balm in her pocket or her purse, no matter where she went or what she was doing. And that was usually her go-to flavor when it came to ice cream, candy, whatever.
But a lot can change in five years.
“So why the sudden decision to move?” I ask, sitting down beside her.
Mason rolls his eyes, “Were you raised in a barn? Honestly?” he scoffs at me, then turns to our guest, “Lizzy, would you like anything to eat or drink or anything before you get interrogated?”
Lizzy giggles, and now it’s my turn to roll my eyes. “I assumed she would just say something, she knows our place is as good as hers.”
“Aww. You guys don’t have to make a fuss over me, I can get it,” she said, getting to her feet, “My tailbone’s sore from all the hours in the car anyway, walking does me good.”
I can’t help but watch her as she walks off to the kitchen. The sway of her hips is intoxicating, and sore or not, her ass is magnificent. Her long blonde braid almost brushes the top of it, and I can imagine myself wrapping that thick, silken rope around my wrist to pull her closer, brush my lips over that pretty neck…
“Trent?” her voice snaps me out of my fantasy and I look up, hoping the thoughts aren’t clear as day on my face.