Chapter 25: Chapter 25

"Do you like her?" When I answer, he tries to hold back a smile.

"Why? Does it matter?"

"It will show how much I can take of her in the future:" I act like the game is over, and he licks his lips.

For a few seconds, I can't think straight, my stomach starts to turn, and the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

"You'd take care of her." He raises his eyebrows and asks, and I sigh.

"Well, now that you say it, that sounds a little too nice." I shrug. "But I would, yes."

"Why?"

"I'd find a way to get over it because we live together." I just shrug and look at the water in the lake.

"You're way too kind." He shrugs his shoulders.

"Maybe you're just mean." When I answer, he just shrugs.

"That could happen at any time." He replies, and I take a few more steps out into the water. We were so close that it was hard to think. Every time he answered a question, I tried to figure out what he meant.

"Then why go swimming?" I turn around to face him and ask.

"What? And get my bottle of water and go back to the sandy towel to watch Abby sleep?" He raises his eyebrows to ask, and I laugh.

"That'll do."

"This is the only place I know Piper won't follow me," she said. He gives me a shrug, and I crease my brows. "She doesn't want to get her hair wet." I find that funny, and so does he. "I thought I'd find out if, as you said, your talking bothers me or not."

"And?" I say, raising my eyebrows.

"There are worse people with whom to talk."

"Kent, stop it or you're going to make me cry." I make fun of him by putting my hand on my chest. He laughs a little and chews on the inside of his cheek while turning his head away.

When he looks back, we just look at each other for a few seconds. I clear my throat after a moment of silence.

"What do you want to ask me?" He asks by putting his eyebrows together, and I speak up.

"I want to ask something all the time?' I defend myself, and he lets out a small smile.

"Just ask it."

Whoa, Kent gets a free pass. I have to decide if I want to ask about Piper, why he is such a jerk, or about his family. Not even his family.

"Why do you act this way toward me?" I ask, and the ease with which I do so surprises me. I didn't want it to be as heavy as it was.

He just licks the back of his tooth and takes a deep breath. "I treat everyone like that."

"Bullshit." When I answered, I crossed my arms, and he followed me into the water. I was up to my chest, but he was only up to his belly button.

"I've known the guys for a long time, but I've only known you for a short time, Julianna." He gives a soft answer. "I've never lived with a girl before, so I'm trying to adjust."

"Did you ask me if I wanted to live with you?" I ask in a quiet way because I just want to know the truth.

"Yeah, I did:' He gives a stiff answer, which makes me feel better, so I nod. My heart rate has finally slowed down since I started asking these questions, but I don't ask him why he did it. "Will you stop now?"

I'm really confused, so I ask, "Stop what?"

"Stop worrying about what we all think of you all the time. We don't mind at all that you live with us." I feel my eyes get bigger as he says it quickly. I'm not sure why, but that makes my mouth feel a little dry. Maybe it's because I'm standing two feet away from what could be the most beautiful person I've ever seen, and we're both just wearing bathing suits.

"I'd rather not." I defend myself as I turn away. "But I can't rewire myself either, and it's hard to think that way when you always treat me like I'm the worst person ever."

"How does this relate to my friend?" I bite the inside of my cheek when he asks me. He told me he didn't want to be my friend, but that didn't help at all. "I was angry, and I said that when I was upset."

"Why are you so mad?"

"I have no idea, Julianna!" When he fights, I roll my eyes. "Besides, you think I'm bad already, so what does it matter?"

"That's all I know about you, Kent. You haven't shown me anything else." After getting out of the water, I tell him as I walk back up the beach. I know he won't follow me because he wouldn't want to cause a scene in front of everyone.

As a breeze blows over my still-wet skin, I feel cold. That was the weirdest conversation I've ever had, and I have no idea why it happened.

I hate talking to him, and I hate that when he talks to me, I can't think straight, and I hate that we always get into stupid fights. It makes me so mad.

"Back already?" Abby is still on her back in the sand and is talking into her towel.

"Yes, Kent chose to talk with me:" I mutter and lay on my stomach to get some sun. She laughs a little, and I finish my beer and lie back in the sand.

The rest of the day is pretty fun, and it would be great if I could just pretend Kent isn't there. People keep drinking and playing music the whole time, and the day drags on through the afternoon and into the early evening.

I sit down with Abby at the edge of the lake and have what must be my eighth drink. Maybe this is the ninth time. I was glad, a little drunk, and at ease.

"Hello Abby. When Chase hears, he sits down next to her. "Hey Julianna."

"Hey." I answer nicely and stick my toes in the water.

"I just told Julianna about the person who helps me teach sociology." When she smiles, I laugh.

"Is this the same person who—"

"Shh." She puts her finger to her lips and says, "No!" "I still haven't reached the best part." She sticks up for herself, and Chase is patient. "Like I said, he gave me a very low grade on my paper:" I just shrug when she tells me.

When TAs did that in my classes, they always did it. Some grad students who thought their research was changing space and time would almost fail your assignments because they didn't like how they looked.

"So, when I saw him at school, I told him about it. I was curious about what was bothering him so much." What she says makes sense to me. "People thought he was a little strange and awkward. But he was sure we could figure out a way out:' My mouth drops when she whispers.

"Did he ask you to go to bed with him?" She laughs when I ask her.

"The worst part is that he asked me to send him photos!" I close my eyes when she talks.

"What are the photos?"

"Her feet:' When Chase walks in, I cover my mouth with my hand to hide the fact that I'm laughing and shocked that a TA did that.

"Ew, no Abby." She laughs when I grunt. "What did you do?"

"Send the pictures," she says, and I blink. "Yeah, I didn't have to do any work for the rest of the term, and I got an A+." I can't help but laugh when she tells me. "I only had to send two pictures."

"That's an insane plan." I mumble something, and she shrugs.

"College is ridiculous." When she tells me, I laugh.

When Kent touches my shoulder and I look up, I see his big body standing behind me.

"We need to go," he says in a quiet voice.

"Okay." We all stand up when I mumble something. "It was great to see everyone." I give each of them a smile and a hug.

"Julianna, the same goes for you. See you later." Abby smiles, and I wave as I walk back to my stuff. The other guys grab the cooler as I start to put things away.

As they walk down the path, they mumble to each other. I don't think Kent has had much fun today. It's getting dark.

As we walk behind Kyle and Mark, the air seems strange. Even though it's not tense, it feels like things aren't being said.

"Thank you for driving today." I say, "Be quiet." "I know it's not a lot of fun."

"It's OK." He says back in a quiet voice, and I nod and keep my eyes on the road. I really should stop here, but I can't.

"The first time, I was wrong. You have hurt more than just me." I sigh, and he smiles in response.

"No, I've definitely been." He shrugs his shoulders. "Sometimes it's hard for me to say exactly what I mean instead of just what comes to mind."

"I understand you." I'm happy and laughing.

"I don't mean to seem as hard to get along with as I am." He tells me quietly as we walk to the car, and I nod. "I'm working on it."

"I really appreciate it." When I answer, Kyle trips and falls right in front of Kent's car, face-first into the dirt.

"Oh, no!" Kyle joins Mark in laughing. Both of them can't stop laughing because it's so funny. "A-are you okay dude?" When he wheezes, I laugh.

"Julianna, can you help me?" I say yes when Kent asks. I help him open the trunk, slide the cooler in, and get the other two guys in the car. Both of them were tall and strong, so it wasn't easy. Kent had to come over and help me get them in the car.

Kent starts his car and takes a deep breath before driving home.

"Thanks." He nods, and I just shrug and do the same. "You did a lot to help."

"No problem." After I answer, we both reach for the air conditioner knob at the same time. We both pull our hands away as soon as my fingers touch his. When I turned away and he cleared his throat, chills went up my spine.

"Would you like me to lower the windows?" He asks quietly, so I clear my throat.

"Sure." As I answer, I can feel my mouth drying out, and the words just come out.

"Let's go home." He lets out a sigh and moves away. I look out the window and gasp.