Chapter One

Chapter One

Ren

Me, Ren Harper, a senior. It's funny just thinking that I'm finally on my last year of college. College has its ups and downs and it can be stressful and for most people, studying is the cause to all the stress, but apparently for me, the stress came from a whole different reason.

Tutoring my own best friend, that's stressful. Megan isn't very fond of studying or anything that has to do with school. If it wasn't for me, she'd never submit any of her projects and eventually, failed every class of hers.

But hey, her parents are one of the richest people in the planet. They own five star hotels and resorts around the globe. Megan doesn't really need college considering that she will be taking over the company after her parents retire, but the thing is, her parents want her to go college. And if her parents want something, they get it. They are just as stubborn as Megan.

I've known Megan since she had pigtails. Although we have our differences and are the complete opposite of each other, we are inseparable. What can I say, she's the SpongeBob to my Patrick.

"Let's go get our room keys," Megan says as she pushes our cart of bags in the building.

"Ren? Megan? It's been so long!" Martha goes around her desk just to hug us both.

"Hey Martha, how was your summer?" I smile at her as she pulls away.

"Oh just wonderful," she blushes and smiles in glee.

Megan raises an eyebrow and smirks. "You met someone, didn't you?"

Martha waves her hand and walks back behind the desk. "Oh it's nothing you two," she changes the subject.

Megan and I lean against the desk and pull our best puppy dog eyes. Martha frowns at us before giving in. "You two are horrible," she starts.

"We know," Megan and I say in sync.

"His name is David and we met in a party. He's so sweet you two will love him," she coos.

"Do we get to meet him?" Megan asks.

Martha taps her chin. "Maybe but not anytime soon. He travels a lot because of his job but when he does come to visit I won't hesitate to call," she winks at us.

"Anyway, here are your keys girls." She hands us two different keys and Megan and I look at each other addled.

"Martha, I think you've gotten our keys mixed up," I tell her.

She looks at us with a questioning look and shakes her head. "No I didn't," she says nonchalantly.

Megan and I have been roommates for the past few years of college. The University knew about Megan's behavior and decided to keep us two roommates considering that I'm the only one who can talk some sense into her.

"I thought you girls already knew about the arrangement," Martha says. She turns to Megan, "Your parents thought this would be a good time for you to be more independent on Ren and go room with someone else for a change."

"What?" her knuckles turn white from her grip of the cart. "Those sons of a-"

"IS there anything we can do about it? Can we talk to someone?" I ask and she shakes her head.

"Everything has been arrange, I'm sorry girls."

We're all quiet. No one knew what to say at the moment.

Megan is an outgoing person. She can get along with anyone, really. But bets are the thought of rooming with someone else after the past few years terrifies her just as much as it terrifies me.

"If Megan and I aren't roommates then who are we rooming with?" I ask Martha and she starts typing into her laptop.

She uses her index finger as she searches for our names. "Megan you're with Trish Simms," she says.

"Oh, she's alright." Megan shrugs. "But I still wish I was rooming with you though," she tells me.

"Yeah, this blows." I mutter.

"And Ren, you're with Austin Lancer."

My face drops. No, not him. Please be joking. PLEASE. "Martha, you've got to be kidding me," I beg. "Please be joking."

She gives me a sheepish smile, "Actually, I'm not. But what's the big deal? You're rooming with the hottest boy on campus," she winks at me.

"Big deal? The big deal is skanks will be walking in and out of my room 24/7. I will have to deal with waking up to his and another girl's naked body. And don't get me started with the sex, if he has sex whenever I'm around I'm going to flip and-"

Megan puts a hand on my shoulder, "We get it."

I sigh. "I won't be able to focus on my studies and my goal of being valedictorian will be over," I finish.

"I'm sorry Ren, but there's-"

I finish her sentence, "Nothing you can do, I know. But thanks anyway Martha."

She smiles at us both. "You're always welcome," she says.

We wave goodbye to Martha and push our carts to the elevator. We part ways and give each other some time to unpack and settle in then meet again in Megan's dorm. I find my room and to my surprise I find it empty.

He isn't here yet.

I bring my bags inside one by one and after the last one I leave the cart right outside the elevator. I go to my room and rest on my bed. I wipe my forehead with the back of my hand and exhale. I check the other side the room and find bags on the bed and suitcases under the bed.

Oh, he has been here.

I finish unpacking and slide my suitcase and duffel bag under the bed. I check the time and realize it's still early to head to Megan's room. She probably met a guy on her way to her dorm and is still making out with him. I take the time to go to the bookstore and get my books.

The bookstore is just a block away from the building and I get there in five minutes. I walk around in search for the books I need when I find an old friend of mine.

"Kristen!" I yell and wave my hands in the air.

"Shush!" the lady who runs the store scolds.

"Ren? O my-it's been so long," Kristen hugs me and I return it.

"I know. Where have you been? I didn't see you the entire break," I tell her.

She shrugs, "I've been travelling. It's nothing, really."

Kristen's parents is practically as rich as Megan's. Apparently, travelling is nothing to them considering how they travel almost ten times a year or perhaps more.

"How are you and Megan?" she asks.

"We're good, but kind of bummed out that we aren't roommates anymore," I tell her.

"Wait, you're not roommates anymore? So who are you rooming with now?"

I sigh. "Austin Lancer," I answer.

Her jaw drops at the mention of his name. She's speechless.

"Earth to Kristen," I wave my hand in front of her face. I'm afraid drool will start dripping from her mouth.

She shakes her head and returns to reality. "No kidding, you're rooming with Austin Lancer?" she gapes. "The hottest guy in the UNI?"

I cringe, "Hot? I don't know about that."

She raises her eyebrows at me, "Don't know abo-Ren, what is your definition of hot?"

I shrug, "Good body..."

"See."

"...and someone with brains."

She rolls her eyes. "Whatever you say," she says. "Moving on, there's this frat party tonight. Want to come?"

I shuffle in place and fidget with my hands. "I don't think I was invited," I tell her. "Partying isn't really my thing. I thought you should know that by now."

"Everyone's invited and c'mon! Classes don't start until next week. Please come, for me?" she pleads.

Honestly, I didn't want to go. I want to go back to my dorm and do some advance studying. But I can't say no to Kristen. "I'll think about it," I tell her.

She squeals and claps her hands. "Yay! Okay, I'll see you tonight," she hugs me and waves goodbye before leaving.

I pay for my books and walk back to my building and head up to Megan's room. I knock thrice but no answer. I'd like to think no one is home but I hear a crash and I kick the door open.

"Geez!" Megan screams.

I look around and clothes are everywhere. Does Megan even know how to unpack? I can barely see the floor.

"Megan, the clothes go in the dresser," I joke.

She groans and throws a dress on her bed and this goes on for a minute or two. I try calling her name and getting her attention but to her I'm a ghost.

I decide to get her attention with one of the only things she'd drop anything for. "Hey, free pizza!"

Her head snaps at my direction. "Pizza?"

"What the hell is happening here?" I ask her now that I have got her attention.

"Frat party tonight and I can't find anything to wear," she explains and sulks down to the ground. She sighs in frustration and continues looking for an outfit.

I groan. "You're going too?" Great now I don't really have any to hang with tonight. Both Kristen and Megan are going to the party.

"And you're not?"

"I have nothing to wear," I said. Maybe a party won't hurt, right? I mean, meeting new people and making friends, that's just it. As long as I don't drink and God knows I won't, I'll be just fine.

"Oh! I have the perfect dress for you," she says as she goes through the pile of dresses on her bed. "I was supposed to wear it but it doesn't really suit me."

She tosses me a sparkling silver sequined dress. It's loose in the bottom and ends right above my knee and has a slit right above my mid-thigh to the end.

"Megan, this is beautiful."

"I got that somewhere in New York," she waves off. "Go try it on."

I do as she says and try it on. Immediately, I regret it.

"It's so tight around my waist," I whine, pulling the sides of the dress for me to breathe.

Megan rolls her eyes. "Its skin fit, not tight." She pauses, "Damn, Ren. Where have you been hiding that hot body of yours?"

I blush. "Don't you have another dress for me?"

She shakes her head and goes back to looking for an outfit for her. After what feels like a year of finding a dress, Megan finally finds one.

"Did you bring your entire closet or something?" I laugh.

"Well I am going to need other options, don't I?" she answers.

We start with our makeup and God and everyone else knows I'm not so handy with it. Fortunately, Megan says I should put on red lipstick so I don't have to go big with my eyes. According to Megan, to balance your face: go big on eyes and light lipstick or go big on lips and light on eyeshadow.

Megan talks to me while doing her own makeup. We start with foundation then concealer then we use the brown stick to uhmm... "What does this thing to again?" I ask Megan.

"Contour."

Right. And we use the brown stick to contour.

We spend the next hour and a half finishing our makeup and doing our hair. Megan curls my hair into natural curls after that she straightens hers. She grabs her things and shove what can fit in her tiny clutch.

"What'd you bring?" I ask.

She raises an eyebrow at me. "Seriously, Ren?"

I shrug, "What?"

She looks at me like I have lost my mind. She shakes her head, "Phone and money. What else?"

"I don't know, keys? Wipes?"

"Wipes?"

"For when I we go to the restroom. Duh."

She rolls her eyes. "It's a house. There'll be toilet paper there. Duh," she mocks.

I grab my phone and money and put it inside the clutch Megan let me borrow. We grab our heels and decide to go barefoot towards the parking lot. The frat house is a few blocks away from our building so we take Megan's car. We turn the corner and see the line of fraternity and sorority houses. The ground shakes with the beat of the music. Only one house is well lighted with strobe lights. We get to that house and Megan parks her car.

We put on our heels and I lose balance but Megan catches me before I fall. I thank her and we walk together to the party. We stand in front of the house and people are making out everywhere: in the front yard, front porch, and even the roof.

We enter the house and I swear I'm about to go deaf. "I'm going to go find a place to sit," I yell for Megan to hear. "Go have fun."

"You sure? Because I can stay with you," she tells me. "I'll have fun either way."

I shake my head, "I'll be fine."

Megan hesitates but I give her a reassuring smile and she leaves for the beer pong table. I walk around and find a couch. I find the couch empty and vacant but once I took a seat this guy sits next to me.

"Hey sexy, what's your name?" he asks me.

His breath stinks with alcohol but he continues to talk to me within a few inches from my face. I cringe in disgust and push him away before looking for Megan.

I head to the beer pong table and see a huge crowd around it. Huh, never thought people take beer pong so seriously.

I approach the table and crane my neck to see whoever is winning. Obviously, I'm too short. So I push my way through the crowd and to the front. I make it to the front and see Megan stripping on the table.

Thankfully, she has only removed her shoes. She starts removing her dress but I tug it down before she does. I pull her down from the table and receive a couple of Boos.

I carry Megan back inside and bump into Kristen. "Ren, you made it!" she hugs me. "And so did Megan."

"Lightweight," I tell her.

"No crap, Captain Obvious."

We sit Megan down on the couch and she drifts to sleep. "I leave you for a few minutes not more than twenty and you manage to get drunk? Unbelievable," I mutter while watching Megan.

Kristen nudges me with her elbow. "Guess who else is in the party?" she nods at the other direction and I follow my gaze.

I see Austin on the couch making out with a girl. Typical. Next to them are his two friends, Adam and Travis. I look away and look back at Kristen. "I don't care about him and I don't want to. This is my first party and I want to make the most of it," I tell her while my lips curve to a smile.

Kristen smiles back and raises two beers in the air, "Let's drink to it!"

I cough, "I'll try to have fun without the alcohol though."

Kristen shrugs, "More for me then."

We spend the rest of the night on the couch so I can watch over Megan, who apparently woke up and started dancing with two guys. I'm fine with it, as long as she keeps her clothes on.

Around two in the morning, I decide that it's time for Megan and me to leave. Kristen helps me walk Megan back to her car. I hug Kristen goodbye and I drive back to the dorm.

I accompany Megan back to her dorm and change her clothes. Of course, she runs to the toilet and I hold her hair back as she pukes. After cleaning her up, she falls fast asleep. I leave a glass of water and some aspirin on her nightstand before heading striping Megan's dress and putting it in her laundry basket. I change into Megan's shorts and a big shirt.

I should probably stop using her clothes and use my own. I leave her dorm and head up to mine.

I get in my room and find someone sitting on my bed. "W-who are you? I have pepper spray with me!" I warn the intruder.

"Wow. I'm so scared, really," the intruder deadpans. "As much as I love to continue with being the bad guy and you being the damsel in distress, I'm tired so get out."

I raise my eyebrows. "Excuse me? This is my room so why don't you get out?"

The person stands up and approaches me. He flips the light switch on and I mentally face palm myself. Why didn't I do that earlier? Idiot.

Our eyes readjusts and I ball my fists at the sight of him. "Austin," I mutter.

His expression reads that he realizes I'm actually a girl. "Yes I'm a girl," I beat him to it.

He chuckles, "You got a deep voice for a girl, princess."

"Don't call me princess," I push past him and walk to my bed. I find the sheets wrinkled and I turn back to him. "This is my bed."

He walks over to me and lays down on the bed. "Sorry princess," he winks at me. "But it's mine now."

I stand there glaring at him as he closes his eyes. I want to pull him off my bed and kick him, but what's the use? He's twice my size, he won't even budge if I try to pull the blankets.

I walk over to the other bed and find that he has switched our bags. Mine bags are now under what's supposedly his bed but are mine now. I sit down and am about to lie down when he speaks again.

"Lights," he says.

"Get it yourself."

"Suit yourself," he says without moving an inch.

I groan and stand back up, stomping my way to the door and turning the lights off. "Ass," I mutter under my breath before going to sleep.