Catching Fox Page 4

  “You just wait till you’re the senior girl of the house. You’ll be worse than they are,” Adalynne replied, closing up her box of paints and sliding it back in the closet.

  “Of course. I will be the most demanding bitch. It will be my right, after all.” She giggled delightfully at the thought of the shift in power. Adalynne sat down on the edge of her own bed.

  There was an invisible line that ran through the center of the room showing the joining of two very different people. Katie’s side of the room was eclectic with a mix of every color, pattern, and knickknack possible crammed into her side of the room, while Adalynne’s side was bare. She never felt expressive in her room. In fact, since she had arrived she couldn’t ignore a strong sense that this was not where she was supposed to be and it showed in her lack of interest in making the space hers.

  “What are you wearing tonight?” Katie asked, half muffled into her pillow.

  “Not sure. I was thinking of something black,” Adalynne responded. She gathered up her papers and set them on her nightstand. Adalynne admired Katie’s carefree, energy abundant, and always eccentric roommate. When Adalynne arrived at the Roth house on the first day she felt anything but excitement for what lay ahead. She didn’t know how long she stood outside of the house after her driver dropped her off. Both her parents had to work and she insisted that they didn’t have to take the day off to help her move. She couldn’t bear to hear her mother’s ‘this is where you belong’ speech again or she would lose her sanity.

  She stared at the sorority house, unable to bring herself to walk up the front steps to the door of a life she did not want. She was assured her belongings had already arrived by her father, who had them delivered the day before but it provided little comfort. She felt like she was in someone else’s life and wondered if she would ever be able to live her own.

  She remembered when Katie walked up behind her, loaded with as many bags as she could carry.

  “I was already in there for a tour. It’s not that scary…well, that doesn’t apply to some of the girls in it. I think it would be best to find out who not to cross quickly if we want to survive our first year.”

  Adalynne smiled at the spunky girl beside her with the wild curls and big brown eyes. “I’m Adalynne.”

  “I’m Katie and you look terrified.” She beamed brightly back at Adalynne.

  “I am,” Adalynne admitted. “That obvious?”

  “Let’s stick together. It might improve our chances of getting out of here alive.” Katie nudged her.

  “Sounds good,” Adalynne agreed, taking one of the many bags Katie was struggling with.

  It was then that their bond began to form. It wasn’t long before Katie found her way into Adalynne’s heart. She was truly a wonderful friend.

  Katie jumped off the bed. “Not black. Wear something more…alluring for your admirers.” Katie threw open Adalynne’s closet doors and rifled through her clothes.

  “Oh yes, how could I be so thoughtless and not consider my many admirers?” Adalynne said sarcastically.

  “Deny all you want but you are the new hot piece of meat on campus and all the boys are hungry. Just look at Matthew. He doesn’t know what to do with himself,” Katie said, pulling a red dress from her closet. “Wear this.”

  “Ugh. Let’s just stay in and order pizza,” Adalynne tried to entice Katie with her favorite food.

  “Nice try but not a chance. Besides, it wouldn’t be long before Matthew hunted you down. I’m pretty sure it was his idea to have this party just so he could get you in his house and put the moves on you. Oh…” Katie darted over to her own closet, permanently open due to the fact that the contents within were spilling out onto the floor. “Look at this!” She pulled out a multi-colored mini dress and did a little happy dance. “What do you think?” She looked up at Adalynne, wild with excitement.

  “I think you are in for an exciting night with that dress.” Adalynne couldn’t help but smile and wonder if Katie’s curvy body would even be covered in the small piece of fabric she held up.

  “I know!” She squealed. “Bring it on.”

  ***

  The music from the Alpha house could be heard as soon as Adalynne and Katie walked out of the Roth house. Adalynne had caved to Katie’s insistence about wearing the red dress. The fabric hung weightlessly around her thighs and then hugged her waist and barely covered her chest but it still seemed conservative next to Katie’s attention grabbing dress. When Katie pulled the dress up to make sure she was decent on the top end she would reveal too much on the other end. Considering the fact that Katie was looking for attention, the dress would surely deliver.

  Adalynne thought about the last time she had worn this dress. It had been two years ago. Adalynne’s mother finally allowed her to attend public school after many years of begging and pleading. When Adalynne had turned twelve her mother sent her to an all-girls private school, resulting in most of the year being away from home. For those years she mourned the loss of her time with Fox. The summers did not fill the void after the passing of so much time. The changes in him were so drastic she felt robbed of the time they were supposed to have together. She was miserable and after much debate with her parents and without indicating the true reason for her sorrows she was permitted to experience public high school. There were many stipulations but Adalynne would have agreed to anything. She remembered the stories that Fox had told her and she wanted to experience that life with him. To share something with him that wasn’t a secret. She wanted desperately to reconnect with the person who owned so much of her heart. She had worn it to the winter formal. It was the first time the lines of their friendship blurred into something else. The memory refused to fade.

  Chapter Six

  “You seem distracted.” Katie words barely registered through Adalynne’s thoughts. “Is this the big night? Is that what you’re thinking about?”

  “What do you mean?” Adalynne asked, shaking her mind of the memories that pulled her attention so deeply.

  “You know…are you gonna give Matthew the big prize?” Katie wiggled her eyebrows and laughed.

  Adalynne sighed. “Oh that…I don’t know.”

  As they neared the Alpha house Adalynne couldn’t believe a neighbor hadn’t complained about the excessive noise pulsing from the structure. The front yard was already littered with plastic beer cups and the groups of people hanging out on the front porch were all screaming over each other in an attempt to be heard.

  “Hey, it’s Addie and Katie!” Someone amongst the group announced their arrival. The girls waved in response to no one in particular. The outside of the house was poorly maintained under the layer of mess from the party. The front step was in desperate need of repainting. A few of the spindles from the railing were broken and many missing. When the girls walked inside the sad condition continued as a theme throughout. It showed the wear and tear of many guys with no regard for upkeep. The walls were in desperate need of a good cleaning and painting, not to mention a few repairs. The furniture had seen better days. The sofas were worn, stained, and occupied by weight well beyond their limits with the amount of bodies wedged together.

  Someone passed Adalynne a plastic cup of beer filled to the top, the froth spilled over the side, running over her fingers before splattering on the floor. Adalynne looked down to see the many other spills covering the wet floor and decided not to bother drawing attention to it. Apparently making a mess wasn’t a concern and by the stickiness of the floor it hadn’t been for some time. “Thank you.” She smiled up at the guy who gave her the drink. She had met him before but couldn’t remember his name. He had short brown hair, brown eyes, and an exaggerated square jaw. He looked every bit the athlete he was.

  “No problem. You need anything, you just let me know,” he said, placing his hand on her shoulder, letting his touch linger. Adalynne nodded with a tight smile. She tried to discreetly pull away from him. She didn’t want to give the wrong impression. She could tell he was i
ntoxicated and did not want to encourage anything other than friendly conversation. Luckily Katie saved her with her wonderful timing. She grabbed Adalynne’s arm and shuffled her away into another room. “Best to stay away from that one; he obviously has a death wish if he is trying to move in on you. Matthew has made it pretty clear from what I hear that you are his.” Katie smiled. “Isn’t that romantic?”

  “Umm…not really.” Adalynne found herself surprisingly annoyed. “I mean he hasn’t even asked me out on a proper date. I’m tired of people making decisions about me without consulting me.” Adalynne almost shocked herself with her confession but the words were true. Her parents had decided what she was supposed to do with her life. Fox had decided she had to be a secret, and now Matthew was claiming her before he even officially asked her out. At least he was actually claiming her and not pretending not to know her by keeping her in the shadows. It could be considered an improvement from Fox. The thought of Fox saddened her.

  “You okay?” Katie asked, leaning in with a sincere look of concern.

  “Yep.” Adalynne managed the best smile she could. She shook away the sorrow that always surfaced when she thought about her Fox and how much distance had grown between them.

  Katie pulled her into the bathroom and closed the door behind them. It made the music slightly easier to talk over. “I don’t only mean this moment. Since I met you on the first day you have been a fish out of water. I know you don’t want to be here. I know your parents made you but that’s not all of it. You’re holding out on me. You have been walking around a shell of the person I know you are and you keep going no matter how miserable you are. I have seen hints of your potential. I can honestly say you’re one of my most favorite people and I want to know why you’re so lost so I can help you. You have to eventually talk to me about this, you can’t avoid it forever. You can trust me, you know.”

  “I know.” Adalynne closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She thought she was disguising her feelings better. “I fell in love with someone a long time ago. He didn’t feel the same and I don’t know how to stop loving him.” Her confession came directly from her heart. Katie immediately wrapped her arms around her and squeezed tight. “I really want to move on but he is a part of me. I feel stuck.”

  “Wow! That must be some guy.” Katie pondered for a moment. “I tell you what. Let’s get drunk tonight. We’re going to let loose, have some fun, and then tomorrow we’re going to come up with a plan, Operation Make Addie Happy.” Katie’s conviction was touching and it made Adalynne smile.

  “You’re the best, Katie.” Adalynne wrapped her arms around Katie. She knew her problem could not be solved so easily but she liked the enthusiasm behind Katie’s expression.

  “I know.” She grinned triumphantly. “Now let’s go have a good time.”

  It was amazing how good she felt after her confession. Katie was right. She needed a night of fun, to let loose and stop thinking about what was beyond her control. She tipped her glass up to her lips and drained the rest of the beer.

  When they walked back out to the main area she noticed Matthew in the kitchen. He looked up and noticed her when she approached. His eyes followed her without fail. “You’re in trouble.” Katie elbowed her in the side with a chuckle.

  “Red is definitely still my favorite color.” His easy smile drew her in. Adalynne wanted to get lost in those eyes that greedily drank her in. “I’m glad you came.”

  “Me too. I thought you said you were having a small get together?” Adalynne raised her brows in question.

  “It’s smallish.” Matthew shrugged playfully. “Can I get you ladies a drink?”

  “Sure.” Katie beamed. “It’s like you read my mind.”

  Every time Adalynne finished one drink a new glass quickly replaced it and before long her mind was blissfully numb to the plaguing thoughts that had been tormenting her. Matthew stayed close to her side and occasionally leaned in to whisper in her ear or run his fingers down her back. It was exciting to be adored. It was easy to be in his presence and he certainly knew how to make a girl feel special.

  She lost herself in the endless debates and laughter around them until one of Katie’s favorite songs started blaring. Katie pulled her out on the makeshift dance floor before she even realized what was happening. “You look like you’re having fun!” Katie yelled over her shoulder though she barely heard her. Adalynne smiled in response. She had to admit she was enjoying herself.

  The music found its way into Adalynne’s body and soon they were dancing in the mass of people. All of the furniture in the living area had been removed and was currently on the front lawn. Most of the faces around her she recognized from campus, though there were also many new people. All of the Roth girls were accounted for and enjoying themselves. The usual drama in their day to day lives was forgotten and everyone just strived to have fun. At this point most of them were too intoxicated to remember much of anything.

  Adalynne’s blood was heated from the liquor. She found herself laughing with Katie and a few other girls from their house they hung out with regularly. Her earlier troubles were forgotten as she engaged in the festivities. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d laughed so hard. She needed this more than she realized. Strong arms wrapped around her waist and she turned to see Matthew smiling down at her.

  “Hey.” She giggled at his unexpected arrival.

  “Hey, come with me.” He wound his fingers in hers and pulled her along. Adalynne stumbled occasionally as she followed close on his heels. In this moment she couldn’t think of a reason not to follow. She needed to feel wanted, she was desperate for it. He led her down a long hallway until they reached the last door. He opened it and walked in, pulling her in against his chest before kicking the door closed.

  “Did you wear red for me?” Matthew’s voice rumbled against her neck as he pulled the strap off her shoulder. He didn’t allow her to answer before he covered her mouth with his. She immediately thought of Fox’s lips on hers, how wonderful they felt. With Fox she felt like he would never be able to kiss her enough to satisfy the need that burned for him. Matthew’s kisses were different, too eager and strange. She found it hard to find a rhythm to his movements. She wondered if the alcohol streaming through her blood was the reason she did not feel the connection with him. She closed her eyes tightly, trying to push thoughts of Fox from her mind as Matthew found the zipper on the back.

  “I may have gotten some inside information that it was your favorite color,” she teased. But that had not been the reason at all for her wearing red. It was merely coincidence.

  “I approve,” he moaned before claiming her lips once again. His words immediately brought her back to the night of the winter formal she had shared with Fox. It frustrated her that she could not escape thoughts of him, especially in this moment. His hold on her was too strong. Even drunk the thoughts of Fox managed to find themselves front and center. She moved with Matthew as he directed her toward his bed. He pulled her dress down and greedily fondled her breasts while one hand slid up under her hem, pulling her panties aside.

  “Wait!” She pushed back against his chest, forcing him to step backward before his fingers could slide into her. “Don’t. I can’t…this is too fast.” The reason she couldn’t let him enter her was because she had always pictured Fox as her first. He was the first boy to hold her hand, he first boy she gave her kiss to, he was the first to see her naked and touch her body, and she had wanted more than anything for him to be the first to have her completely. Part of her wanted to tell Matthew to keep going. To take it from her so Fox could never have it, maybe then she could move on. She knew he didn’t deserve it after how he treated her, keeping her in his secret world where she could never really have him. But she would always remember this first like she did all the others and she wanted it to be with the intensity of feeling that only Fox had ever stirred in her. She stepped away from Matthew, who reluctantly let her go. She grabbed her dress and lifted it back up to
cover her breasts as she sat down on the edge of the bed. She felt like a silly girl who was holding onto a dream that slipped through her fingers long ago.

  “I can wait,” he whispered almost painfully before he collapsed on his back on the bed. Lying back he rubbed his hands over his face with a sigh.

  “Thank you,” she whispered sadly before standing back up to zip her dress. Matthew stood up and helped return her dress to order, leaving a gentle kiss on her shoulder.

  “You are worth the wait,” he said before kissing her again on the lips. Adalynne had to stop the sob that almost escaped her. She didn’t understand why she was thinking about Fox when Matthew was all the things she should want.

  Adalynne didn’t stay at the party after their intimate exchange. Matthew tried to encourage her to remain longer, even going so far as to pout and beg but she had too many thoughts running through her mind. She was suddenly exhausted and could not get herself motivated to step back into the party scene, still in full throttle. She noticed Katie dancing away with a guy named Steven on the dance floor. She was pulling all her signature moves of seduction, indicating she was really into him. Adalynne didn’t want to intrude on her good time. Instead, she told one of their house girls to give Katie the message after she was gone. She wanted Katie to stay and enjoy the evening. She didn’t want to be any more of a buzzkill than she already was.

  On the walk back to the Roth house Adalynne brought her fingers up to her lips in memory of Matthew’s kiss. She wished when Matthew kissed her she hadn’t thought of Fox. She wished Matthew could sweep her off her feet and she could forget about the rest of the world. Matthew was wonderful, handsome, polite, and had a bright future ahead of him. He could quite literally be the embodiment of perfection. She even knew her parents would approve and that was not an easy feat. He was everything her mother always said she wanted Adalynne to find.