Inception (3 page)

Skylar looks to me and shrugs his shoulders.  I know he doesn’t care either way.  All he’s going to do at home is watch TV or go to bed.

“Yeah, we can stay for a little while.  At least until Skylar is sober to drive,” I respond.  I would just drive us home but Skylar is weird about his car.  He’s made a huge deal that since his mom bought the car for him for his 16
th
birthday, he’s been the only one to drive it and it’s going to stay that way. 

Walking into Mira and Kylee’s dorm room, it’s exactly what
I imagined a dorm to look like; small and confined.  The door opens into the middle of the room.  To the left, there is a small desk that sits at the end of a twin bed.  There’s a cork board above the bed with pictures and a few ticket stubs.  I assume this side of the room is Kylee’s because there are very provocative clothes lying at the side and the right side of the room is more Mira’s style, in my mind. 

I see th
e same set up with the desk, the bed and the cork board.  The differences are slight, but I notice immediately.  There are a few stuffed animals on the perfectly made bed and nothing seems to be out of place.  Also, on the desk is a textbook for a French class.  Mira mentioned the other night that she would be taking French this semester and Kylee didn’t; it was a dead giveaway.

I immediately
walk over to the right side of the room and sit on the bed.  Mira follows in my direction but doesn’t sit.  She walks over to one of the dressers that are directly across from the door and pulls out a change of clothes.

“I’m going to run and change really quick.  Make yourself at home,” she says, walking out of the room.

A few minutes later, she returns wearing a pair of U of M sweat pants and a tank top.  She sits on the bed next to me where our thighs are touching.  Everything in my body is screaming ‘Reach out and touch her,’ but I keep it casual. 

Don’t fuck this up.

It kind of feels like we’re about to be stuck in that friend zone.  You know what I’m talking about.  That zone between a girl and guy who might be attracted to each other but end up being friends instead.  I enjoy spending time with Mira but I really want to get to know her on a different level and not just be her buddy.

After about an hour of bullshit talking, Skylar is sober enough to drive safely. 
Skylar and I stand to leave and Mira surprises me by giving me a hug and thanking me for an eventful evening before she gives Skylar a hug, thanking him sarcastically for saving her life.  She really shouldn’t joke about it because she was seconds from being sexually assaulted, but I let it slide.  I don’t want to freak her out.

Walking back to sit on her bed, she hollers, “Night boys.  We should do it again sometime.”

“We’ll find something else to do though.  I hear there is a great pool hall, just off campus.  If we show our fake ID’s they let us in, no questions asked,” Skylar says.

“Sounds like a good time.  I’m in,” Kylee says.

I wonder if Kylee has a thing for Skylar.  That would really suck if she liked him and he didn’t reciprocate the feelings.  Talk about throwing a wrench in my plans to date Mira.

“Yeah, I’m in.  Classes start on Monday, so how about next weekend,” Mira chimes in.

Skylar looks to me and I nod, nonchalantly.

“Next weekend it is.  Until then, have a good week of classes ladies,” Skylar says, walking out of the room.

“Good night, Pea.  Have a good night.”

“You and that Pea shit.  You crack me up.  Good night Danny.  Have a good first week.  I’ll see ya around,” Mira says, laughing as I walk out of the room, shutting the door behind me.

As soon as I get it in the car, Skylar starts in on me.

“You got it bad, bro.  Like really bad,” he jokes.

“Yeah man, I think I do.  Next time though, don’t try to rescue my girl.  I had that.”

“I know you had it, but I was bored.  Figured you needed to calm her down and you beating
that guy’s ass wouldn’t help much.”

“You’re right man.  Thanks.”

We get home about twenty minutes later, after stopping at Taco Bell for a bite to eat.  Once I finish my tacos, I head to bed.

All night long, my dreams consist of Mira and her smile and counting down the minutes until I can see her next weekend. 

Chapter Five

The first week of school seems to drag on at a miserable pace.  I don’t have any classes with Mira but I do have one with Kylee.  She’s a cool enough girl and it gives me time to do some recon on Mira.  From my “research”, it looks like Mira has a class with Skylar and two more with Kylee. 

After my last class of the day, I decide to head home instead of hanging out on campus.  I’ve been trying to catch Mira between classes but it seems to fail every damn time.  I send a quick text to Skylar, asking if he needs anything on my way home.  It might only be Wednesday but neither of us have early classes tomorrow, so it’s a good night for drinking.  Skylar quickly texts back to bring home some tequila. 

I also send a text to Mira asking what she’s doing tonight and if she wants to come over and hang out.  She doesn’t respond immediately, but within a few minutes she says, “
Sounds good”. 

I can’t help but let my grin turn into a full blown smile. 
It’s only been a few days, but I am stoked to see Mira.  Opting to not tell Skylar, I hit the liquor store and buy the requested tequila with the fake ID that Sky’s uncle had made for us.  I also pick up some margarita mix, just in case Mira doesn’t drink straight. 

As soon as I get to the house, I can hear laughter coming out of the windows
; a very feminine laugh.  Doing an internal fist bump to my friend that he finally found a girl, I walk through the front door carrying all the booze for tonight. 

Imagine my surprise
when I see Skylar mercilessly tickling a very familiar looking brunette in the middle of the living room.  The girl is thrashing around, trying to smack Skylar in the face with a pillow from the couch, while is leaning over her in a very suggestive position.  The girl reaches up, grabbing Skylar by the neck to pull him down to her just before she takes him off guard, flipping him on his back.  Straddling him, her hair is everywhere as she hits him repeatedly with the pillow.  It isn’t until she speaks that I recognize exactly who she is.

“Say I’m smarter than you,” Mira says.

“Can’t do it, Sweets,” Skylar says, dodging the pillow that’s aimed for his face.

I barely know this girl but watching her and Skylar so comfortable together is a punch straight to the gut.  He always gets the girl.  He didn’t even show any interest in her the
last few times.  What the fuck?  Is it weird that I’m pissed they didn’t even hear me come in? 

“I brought the tequila and some other shit.”

Both of them stop what they’re doing and stare up at me.  Mira looks beneath her, at Skylar, and hops up from the floor.  Eyeing the bag in my hand, she walks straight to me and throws her arms around my neck and kisses my cheek.

“Thanks for bringing the tequila.  Study break?” she
asks, looking back at Skylar.

“Yes, for the love of all things holy.”

Study break?  That didn’t look like studying to me.  Looks like they were having fun and almost acting like a couple. 

Mira takes the bag from my h
and and walks in to the kitchen with a little extra bounce in her step.  When she rounds the corner and is out of ear shot, I look immediately to Skylar.

“What the hell was that, man?”

“What do you mean?”

“She says you were studying but that didn’t look like it.  Studying doesn’t usually involve a pillow fight and being straddled.”

“We were just joking around, dude.  Calm down, huh?  We were quizzing each other on the material from this week.  This professor is a dick and says we’re gonna have quizzes every week.  We decided to be study partners.  What’s your deal, man?”

“No deal, I just really like this girl.  It looked a little cozy in here,
ya know?  Are you really sure you’re not into her?”

“Danny, regardless if I’m into her or not, she’s all about you.  You’re all she talks about.  You might wanna make your move before I change my mind,” Skylar says, nudging my shoulder just as Mir
a is walking out of the kitchen holding the tequila bottle and three shot glasses.

“Alrigh
t, this is your disclaimer guys. I’m a lightweight.  Kylee is visiting her mom and dad tonight so can I crash here if I get too trashed?” Mira asks, pouring the poison to the rim.

“You don’t even have to a
sk, Pea.  You can have my room if you want.”

Clasping and running her palms together, Mira takes the first shot and nods for us to follow suit. 

Within an hour, we’re all laying on the living room floor laughing about ridiculous shit.  Skylar has us watching YouTube videos that are so stupid, but with the tequila swirling around our brains, it’s the funniest shit I’ve ever seen. 

“Stop, I can’t take anymore.  My stomach hurts,” Mira laughs with tears spilling from her eyes.

“Sky, where do you find this shit, man?”

“Some people are just naturally smart and don’t need to spend all that time studying, like you guys,” Skylar jokes.

“Are you fucking kidding me?  We’re back on this,” Mira says, grabbing one of the pillows from the couch and waiving it in Skylar’s direction. “Fifty bucks says my GPA this semester is better than yours.”

“Do you hear that Sky?
Pea thinks she’s going to get fifty bucks out of you!”

“You’re on, Sweets.”

Sweets?  What the fuck is that about?

“Why do you call her Sweets?”

“Look at her; she’s just so sweet and innocent.  I couldn’t think of a better nickname for her.  Plus, she doesn’t bitch when I say it.”

Mira stands up,
puts the pillow back in its rightful place on the couch and walks back toward the bedrooms.

“Danny, which room is yours?  I need to lie down.  I’m not feeling too well.”

“I’ll show you.  Give me one second,” I say, placing the cap back on the bottle that’s just about empty. 

Skylar takes the bottle from my hand,
puts it to his mouth and swallows the remaining few shots left before wiping the excess liquid from his chin.

I walk Mira into my room and she immediately collapses onto the bed, face down.  I find her a tee shirt and a pair of sweat pants to change into
. 

“Pea. 
Here, change into these, you’ll be more comfortable.”

“I don’t think I can move.  I think I’m dead.”

Laughing, “I promise you’re not dead, you’re just drunk out of your mind.”

“No.  Nope.  I’m dead.  I know it.”

Rolling her over and pulling her into a sitting position, she opens her eyes, barely.  She leans forward to kiss me and I pull back just before her lips touch mine.

“Pea, what are you doing?”

“You’re so perfect, Danny.  I just wanted to kiss you.  Can I please kiss you?”

“Not when you’re drunk.  When I kiss you for the first time, it’s going to be one of those kisses that you’re going to try to top for the rest of your life, but nothing will come close.  I will give you that kind of kiss,” I say, brushing the hair back from her face.

“Do you promise?”

“Promise”

“Okay, since you’re not going to kiss me, will you help me stand so I can change?”

I pull her to a standing position and debate letting her go.  The poor girl can barely stand on her own.  Once she stabilizes, she reaches for the hem of her shirt and lifts it over her head.  If I thought I was fucked with that caution tape, I had no fucking clue.  This sexy as sin girl, who has no clue how perfect she is, decides to take off an intricate piece of clothing that has been hiding the sexiest black see through lace bra.  I turn to face the opposite direction so I’m not staring straight at her perky, more than a handful breasts.

“That’s so nice of you.  Such a gentleman,” Mira slurs as she kicks her jeans in my direction.

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I fight every instinct in my body to turn around and take her.  Not only is she drunk and wouldn’t remember shit, I’m pretty sure she’s a virgin.  I heard a conversation between her and Kylee talking about Mira finally losing her “V Card”. 

When I hear movement on the bed, I turn around to find Mira crawling up the mattress, toward the headboard.  I pull the blanket back, so she can get under the covers, and bring them up to her chin.  She grabs the corner of the blanket, tucking it under her chin and rolls to her side, smiling at me.

“You’re a really amazing guy, you know that?”

“I try.”

I kiss her on the forehead and turn to leave the room but stop at the dresser to get a pair of sweat pants for myself.  I really need a shower, a cold one.

“Where are you going?” Mira asks.

“I’m going to take a shower and then crash on the couch.”

“You don’t have to sleep on the couch, we can fit.  I promise I don’t bite.”

“As enticing as that sounds, Pea, it’s not a good idea for me to sleep in here with you.  I
do
bite.”

A small giggle escapes her mouth, “Okay.  Next time, it’s a slumber party.”

“I’ll hold you to that,” I say, walking out of the bedroom, shutting the door behind me.

Skylar is walking toward his bedroom as I near the bathroom. 

“I think she’s down for the count.  I’m gonna shower then crash on the couch.”

Skylar doesn’t say anything.  As I turn to shut the bathroom door, I look back and see Skylar standing by my bedroom, with his palm on the door, muttering something.

“You good man?” I ask. 
What’s his problem?

“Yeah, man, I’m good.  See ya in the morning,” Skylar says, as he walks the few feet to his bedroom and
shuts the door behind him.

I rush through an extremely cold
shower that almost doesn’t accomplish its mission.  Drying off and putting on my clothes, I stop by my bedroom on the way to the couch to check on Mira.  I open the door and peek in.  She’s still in the same exact spot, sleeping like a baby.  I walk over to her and give her a kiss on her forehead. 

Before I get riled back up, I leave the room in search of the couch.  Just as I’m about to pass out, I hear a door open.  Wondering if it’s Mira needing so
mething, I raise from the couch to see Skylar standing in the hallway next to my bedroom door,
again
.

He quietly opens the door and I hear him whisper, “Sweets, are you awake?”

I don’t hear Mira respond but I also don’t hear Skylar going back to his room.  Is he worried about her?  Is he checking on her?  Is there something going on with those two?

A few minutes pass by, I hear Skylar close the door to my room, walk back to his
room and shut his door quietly.

I end up going to sleep wondering about Skylar and Mira.  Then I remember all the things that Mira said to me before she went to bed
and what Skylar told me earlier about her always talking about me. 
Let the small shit go, man, no need to freak out
.

Another night going to bed, thinking of Mira.