“Yeah, two more,” he says, dramatically rolling his eyes.
“Damn, that sucks. I’m done.”
“Lucky you. I’ll probably be by your place later.”
“Aight, man. Good luck on your remaining finals. Catch ya later.”
He walks down the hall while I get on the elevator, taking it to the first floor. Wish I had my damn car to drive myself home instead of walking.
***
My phone rings as I’m climbing out of the shower. Seeing that it’s Calina, I hit accept.
“Hey, baby girl,” I answer, wrapping a towel tightly around my waist and heading out of the bathroom toward my room.
“Hi,detka. What’re you doing?” Calina’s family is from Russia, and I’ve learned in the year plus we’ve been dating thatdetkameansbabein Russian. It’s hot as fuck when she speaks in her native language, even though I don’t understand a single fucking thing, except that.
“Just took a shower. You coming over?”
“Yeah, I’m on my way. I’ll be there in like twenty.”
“My car in one piece?”
“HA HA, asshole. Yes, your precious baby is in one piece.”
“Door’s open. Come in when you get here.”
“Bye, jerk.”
“Love you too,” I drawl, hanging up the phone and grabbing some black sweats to slip on, sans boxers, because who needs ’em? I finish packing while waiting for her to get here. I’m heading back home for spring break in the morning, and I’m stoked to see Crew. We haven’t seen each other since summer. Normally, my twin brother, Aston, and I go back home for winter break, but we didn’t do that this year. Instead, we flew to Texas and spent the whole break there with our parents and extended family.
This time last year, Crew overdosed on pain pills at a party he was throwing at his house. It was the scariest fucking thing I’d ever witnessed. Thought for sure he was going to die. What made it scarier was that I had no clue he was even doing drugs.
None.
Out of all of our friends, we’ve always been the “straight edge” ones. Neither of us did drugs in high school, even at parties, and we hardly ever drink. The overdose came as such a shock. It’s something that to this day, I still don’t fully understand. He shut down when he woke up in the hospital and wouldn’t tell me much, only that he was trying something new.
He seems to be doing well since it happened. His parents made him go to a six-week rehab program, which he finished easily. We text and FaceTime all the time, and he never seems high, so maybe it really was a one-time thing. He’s never given me a reason to not believe him, so I have to choose to trust him.
A soft rapping sounds at my door before it pushes open. Calina walks in, looking cute and comfy in black leggings, a pink North Face hoodie, and checkered Vans slip-ons. Her long, dark hair is pulled into a messy bun on the top of her head, and her face is clear of any make-up.
Walking up to me, she stands on her tiptoes, placing a soft kiss on my lips. She tastes like strawberry lip gloss, and her coconut scent envelops me as she wraps her arms around my neck. We’ve been together for a little over a year now. We met at a party at my buddy’s house. Her sister lives with Knox’s best friend, Katie, so we were introduced that way.
It started out casual—hanging out here and there, sleepovers on occasion—and after about three months of that, we finally decided to make it more. She’s a year older than me, a junior, and her family lives in Montana. They came over from Russia when Calina was a baby. A lot of her family still lives over there.
She nestles her face into my neck, her hot breath giving me goosebumps. “Hi,detka. Missed you.”
“Missed you too, baby girl.” Grabbing her ass with both my hands and hoisting her up until her legs wrap around me, we make our way over to my bed. Tossing her on the bed, she opens her thighs for me to climb in between, my hands resting on either side of her head.
“How was your day?” I ask, pushing a loose hair out of her face. Her dark brown eyes slightly squint from the smile she’s giving me.
“Good. Laid around with Stassia and Katie all day watching movies.”
“Must be nice.”
“Yeah, jerk. It was nice.” She laughs. “What time are you leaving in the morning?”
“Early. Like before eight.”