In Your Pucking Dreams, Captain

103A

Kendra’s PoV

“Pleasure doing business with you, kid.” Jake was suddenly all chirpy and bright like the five grand worth of sales had nothing to do with it. I crossed my arms fuming at the leech salesman. Noah snatched up the paper bag and walked away, glancing over his shoulder, but I turned to Jake.

“You’re that guy’s kid, ain’t ya?” Jake asked, mouth hitching up. “Slavic looking fellow. Your boyfriend’s got more balls than him.”

I slashed a hand mid-air. “Okay, never say that sentence ever again,” I said drily, fighting down nausea. I kept my voice low. “You knew the pendant didn’t belong to him, so why’d you buy it in the first place?”

The shady salesman shrugged half-heartedly. “Because I know when a man’s beat.”

I scoffed at him; that wasn’t enough to fill the lack of answers I had. I walked away, following Noah out into the sun.

He squinted at me, blocking the sunlight entering my eyes. “What did he say?”

“Uh, he was just being a total nuisance.” It was the truth though. I started to say something but Noah was already unlocking the passenger door. I swallowed my words and got in.

The ride back to Michigan was a blur. I hadn’t realized how much of a lump

had lifted off my chest as we passed the ‘Welcome to Michigan’ signpost.

For the first time in hours, Noah asked. “So, where to now?”

“I was supposed to deliver the jewelry to Simon’s dorm.” I retrieved my

phone from my purse, frowning at the long notification drop text. “Wow, he called me twelve times.”

“Grandma must really want it back,” Noah replied.

[Me: Where’s your troll nest?

Unknown: My what? I told you to stop ignoring my calls like a lil witch.]

The irony, I thought, but I sent back ‘dorm’ to Simon.

Within seconds, the phone buzzed along with his dorm address.

[Me: Any kind of check in?

Unknown: No, the Desk Clerk is cool.]

At three-forty-five, Noah pointed at a massive upscale building. It was Victorian style with grey sculpted gladiators on it.

HOUSE OF ATHENS.

“I’m going up there with you,“ Noah declared.

I gaped. “And then what? Noah, you’re the last person I should be seen with…”

“I just drove like hell across states.” He popped open his glove compartment, and threw a black baseball hat over my head. “ I’m pretty sure I’ll survive one meeting.”

“No,” I declined, pushing the dang hat lower. “If he suspects something’s going on between us, he’s gonna flip and I’m getting fired.”

Noah’s jaw clenched. “Don’t you recall what he did to you?”

I pushed down that moment into a rabbit’s hole. “Thank you for the reminder.” Then I hurried out of the car with the paper bag in hand.

There was an eerie feel in the air, like I was walking into a castle of ancient booby traps. It didn’t help that a silvery sculpture of a Greek warrior in a suit of armor was propped in the lobby.

The bored middle-aged looking Desk Clerk raised a brow at me.

I straightened my coat. Did I look out of place or something?

I walked right past him.

“Uh, excuse me?” The guy called.

I sighed and spared him a glare.

“I need to see your permit and ID.”

I returned to his station. He was stiff-lipped and holding out his palm.

“I won’t be long,” I said. “Someone invited me over.”

“Now, where have I heard that before?” He drawled, placing his knuckles under his chin. “Probably from every tenth stowaway. I'm not going to apologize for doing my job but I have to keep an eye out for any potential security problems from…”

When he took a long dramatic pause, I narrowed my eyes.

“The odds.”

Before I could flash him a middle finger, a pack of giggling girls brandishing designer brand purses and heels hurried into the lobby. The Desk Clerk smiled their way but they never even considered the man in the blue vest.

Screw this guy.

And Simon.

I took out my purse, and my fingers were freezing over the zipper. There had to be some kind of a database here. Once my name gets sent in—I gulped—they’d know a staff member was hanging out with students.

I proffered a tight smile at the Clerk and quickly texted Simon.

[They won’t let me in.]

No text bubble popped up.

The Desk Clerk looked ready to grab his telephone.

A dark cloud cornered past me. Noah leaned over the counter, sliding a plastic card. He nodded at the receptionist, before eyeing me.

“Oh, hey Misty,” saiid Noah casually.

I had no idea who Misty was, but there was no other girl than me present.

“Are you here for the Advanced Math study session too?” He asked.

There were no words. Only pure disdain, but Noah kept a stern gaze at me until disdain shifted into defeat. He was really going to get me into trouble some day.

I glared at the two of them, playing along to Noah's dumb fake name. “Yeah, I’ve got my calculator and everything.”

Noah faced the receptionist. “She’s our tutor, from Michigan U.” He pointed. “Have you ever been there?”

“No.”

“Me neither,” retorted Noah, laughing. “Bet you’ll have stories to tell about our wonderful institution and the hardworking staff, right Misty?”

He should be majoring in Drama or something. “It’ll be legendary.”

The clerk's shoulders fell drastically. “Okay but…”

Noah practically dragged me to the elevator. “You’re the man, Cody!” He hollered back.

“Thanks,” I whispered, welling up with excitement.

Noah responded with an understanding growl.

The doors slid open on the third floor, and I poked Noah’s shoulder after stepping out. “Don’t follow me. You got it, carrot top?”

Noah frowned and I stormed off before he could say more.

I paused before 103A.

Something struck at my chest. This was how it was meant to be. Simon and I would stay in separate dorms, but I’d come over to his and we could cuddle and dream about our future careers together. The thought grew heavy.

***“Wild s*x is the best part of college,” Simon had whispered into my ear one night while we were cuddling on the hood of his car under the starry sky. “We could even explore other options.”

I didn’t like the sly look on his face as he said that. “What do you mean ‘options’?”

He ruffled my hair. “Okay nerd, how many high school sweethearts make it to the university? You ever think a little exploration would make us want

each other.”

I was getting madder by each second. “Sounds like you mean an open

relationship.”

“Kendra…”

“Nope, I’m going to pretend you didn’t just say that.” I snapped, voice cracking. “I want you all for myself, and I’m not sharing you with another girl.”

He took a hold of my face. I was breathing hard. No, it couldn’t be. I’d die if we ever broke up. “Fine, I’m all yours. One hundred-percent.”***

In the present, I chuckled low. How did I miss the signs he’d been waving?

I pounded my fist on the hardwood door.

The door handle turned, slipping open a little, and just enough for me to catch the acrid scent of pot, beer and oddly, s*x. Laughter echoed amongst the male singer’s voice.

“In a sec, babe.” Came Simon’s voice before the door went wide open.

He stood bare-chested, his jeans hung low on his lean hips. I remembered every detail of his body. The tattoo of his hockey mantra on his arm, the faded stitch mark from his motorcycle crash in junior high. I had sat with him in the ER like the perfect little girlfriend I was

“Oh, it’s you.”

I inhaled. “You didn’t answer your texts.”

“And you ghosted me all day. Where’s the pendant?”

Scowling at him, I held it out.

“…Warrington, come back to bed.” A horrid feminine voice sing-songed.

She froze upon seeing me, complete with matching lace panties and bra.

My breath sped rapidly as she came behind Simon, circling her hands around his chest. Simon didn’t seem to mind.

“Simon!” another girl called.

My lips pried open, scoffing in outrage. “You are so full of s**t!”

The girl looked confused.

Simon smiled at her. “I’ll be back in a sec.”

“Nothing more.” She kissed him squarely on the lips before slithering off.

Simon grabbed the bag, removing the pendant to examine the stones.

“This better be the real deal.”

“Oh, I guess standards can’t tell after all.”

“You know this isn’t personal right?”

“That you dumped me so you could fool around? Yeah, I’m caught up to speed.”

Simon shook his head pitifully at me. “Look in the mirror Kendra, you’re dead weight and you know it, find someone else to blame for Daddy’s drinking habit.”

The door slammed in my face.