It was a Freudian slip... the saying 'I love you' stuff, I mean. No, he didn't mean it.
"Han, do you have everything?"
Tying down the tarp that covered the back end of my full truck, I nodded and wiped my hands down the side of my jeans. My emotions were running ramped...a part of me wanted to burst into tears of joy, and part wanted to just ignore it all. Lance was a great guy, and I enjoyed spending time with him, but… I don't know, I couldn't think of the right words. Maybe it was best if I let it breathe for a while, and then came back to it when my head was clearer.
Besides, I had a whole different lifestyle to get back into. Checking my watch, I mentally thought out how long it would take me to get back to Athens before dark. The drive was a little over 9 hours, that is if I did 85 the whole way. Not a problem there, I was known as the lead foot of the family. With a cooler full of Cherry Coke and Mountain Dew--it's good to have a variety of caffeinated beverages--and a bag of chips and cookies perched in the passenger seat, along with my CD case. Tuneage... it's a must.
"K, I think I'm ready to scoot on outta here." I said, sighing as the sweat began to trickle down the back of my neck.
"You be careful, little sistah. If I don't read about you in the paper tomorrow morning, have a good time." Aubrey kidded, giving me a hug.
I quickly pulled my hair up and clipped it at the top of my head. It might have looked dorky, but I was comfortable, and that's all that mattered.
"See you guys at Thanksgiving."
Will the proceeded to do the funky chicken up and down the driveway. Was he not concerned of the humility factor involved? Obviously not.
----
"Cause I'm Slim Shady yes I'm the real Shady. All you other Slim Shady's are just imitatin', so won't the real Slim Shady please stand up… please stand up."
With the air conditioner on full blast, I rapped along, doing the proper hand movements. Well, as best as I could with one hand on the steering wheel. Three hours outside of Clinton, and I was thinking heavily about Lance again. The boy just would not leave my conscience alone!
"I love you too." I whispered, startled that the words slipped out so casually.
Did I love him, though? Or was it that sort of puppy love... like a crush? I wasn't sure. As I continued to deliberate with myself, a buzzing noise caught me off guard.
"Yello." I answered, turning down the music as I strained to hear the person on the opposite end.
"Chica! Where you at, dude?!"
It was my roomie and best friend, Cody Morgan. She had been one of the first people I met on campus, and we've been virtually inseparable ever since. Our friends say we look alike, but I don't really see it. She's on the short side, at 5'6 with mid-back length blond hair and deep green eyes. I, on the other hand, am tall and lanky with curlier than hell blond hair. So besides the hair, I tell them they're severely on drugs.
"Just crossing into Alabama, crazy. What are you up to?"
"Weell... I thought maybe we could go out to Cubby's when you get back? The whole crew is here, and we need our sistah to come out and party with us!" she said with a little too much enthusiasm.
"You need to lay off the coffee, man." I laughed, "I dunno if I'm gonna be in the mood to party." Cody scoffed loudly, and I could hear her talking to someone.
"Talia says... and I quote:' YOU ARE COMING WITH US IF WE HAVE TO DRAG YOU BY THE HAIR' enquote. And you KNOW you don't mess with her."
"Okay okay... I'll go. I've got a lot to tell y'all."
"Ooh, do share with your best-o friend-o por favor!" she pleaded.
"I met a guy... well, sort of. But that's all I'm saying right now." I smiled wickedly.
"Dude, you canNOT leave me hanging like that! As if!"
"Oh... sor.. ry... you're breaking up!" I tossed the phone back into the paper bag without saying goodbye.
Let me tell you about my crew of weirdos. We all live in the same dorm, Reed Hall. It's a co-ed dorm, but the guys have the ground and second floor, while us girls have the first and third. Anyhow, like I said before... Cody is my roomie. Next door are Christina Bradley and Tana White, two of the sweetest people I've ever met. Then, across the hall is Talia "The Terminator" Baker and Lily Webster, our thespians. They're both theater majors with star quality up the yin yang.
Finally, after what seemed to be forever, I pulled into the parking lot of Reed Hall. Sure enough, Cody was waiting on the stairs, singing into a hairbrush. This wasn't uncommon... not for her, anyway.
"Squeaky!" Christina shouted, using the whack nickname she had given to me one late night when we were all playing Connect Four in the game room. She jumped up from the stairs, her dark brown curls bouncing as she walked over to the truck, "Welcome back, stranger."
"Hey Sparky, thanks. It's nice to be back."
"How dare you cut me off like that, Han." Cody was all up in my face, her green eyes dark with anger. I merely smiled and tweaked the end of her nose.
"Love you too, Moe."
"Come ON... I am a very impatient woman when it comes to guys. I need all the info possible!" she said matter-of-factly.
"Oh really? Well if it's that important to you," I reached into my purse and grabbed the small photo album. I handed it to her, "His picture's the second one from the last."
I began to unload back into the small-ish dorm room, when I heard Cody burst out laughing. She ran in and held out Lance's picture.
"Which guy are you talking about, here?" she asked, her eyebrows raised in question. I gave her a weird look, and pointed to Lance. I had taken a picture of him and Alex before the reception was over. He looked so handsome in his tux, "Oh...oh dude, you are so on crack."
"What, why? That's the guy I was telling you about." am I like missing something here?
"Han, you're so full of crap! THAT is NOT the guy who kissed you."
Frustrated, I took Cody's face in my hands, "I am telling you that it is... believe me, okay?"
"WHATEVER! You are telling me that Lance Bass from *NSYNC kissed you at the Clinton carnival. Yeah, uh huh… there's one for the tabloids!" she exclaimed.
Uh, excuse me?
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