Finding You (By You #3) (18 page)

Sarah shook her head. "I've never had sex."

Billie rolled her eyes. "Yeah, but you're weird." Sarah wasn't sure how to respond to that, but Billie didn't give her a chance to, anyway. "I just don't know what to do about him."

"Well, what do you
want
to do about him? You've been spending time together. If he makes you happy, what's the big deal?"

Billie looked at her like she'd just sprouted a third eye in the middle of her forehead.

"Well, thank you for the romance lecture, Mrs. Danielle Steele. But some of us like to live in the real world, where shit isn't so two dimensional."

Sarah let out a sigh. "It doesn't have to be so complicated if you don't make it that way. It's pretty simple--if he likes you, and you like him, then go for it."

Billie's eyes narrowed, again, as though they weren't sure if Sarah needed another tongue-lashing or to just be ignored.

"He wants to go on a double date," she said, finally.

A big smile spread across Sarah's face. That had been one of the only
reasonable
things Billie had said, so far.

"Well that sounds like fun. You should do it."

"I'm glad you think so, because you're coming with us."

"
I'm
coming with you?" Sarah said, her voice hitching in her throat as she did.

"Well, yeah. What's the big deal? You just said it would be fun."

"It does sound fun, I just didn't think you were talking about doing it with me."

Billie gave her a deranged look, then added, "Who
else
would we go with?"

Sarah shook her head, seeing the simple logic behind the statement. But still, it had caught her off guard. She thought Billie was talking about going on a double date with another of their friends.

"So, Saturday night, you and your boy-toy are going out with us, right?"

Sarah shrugged and gave her a tiny smile. "I don't see why not. It'll be nice to get out, together. And he's
not
my
boy-toy
."

"Whatever," she said, rolling her eyes again. "We have reservations at seven at
Perry's
."

"Wait, you already had this all planned out? I need to talk to Jeremy first--he might have something going on."

"Yeah, fine. Talk to him, and then make sure you're both there on Saturday at seven."

Sarah shook her head. She knew it was pointless to get into an argument with Billie, it was just going to result in her being called an idiot or something similar.

"Fine, I'll make sure we're there."

"Great," Billie said, her voice resuming most of its usual edge. She turned and went back to her side of the room, where she grabbed a book, threw it into her bag, and made a beeline for the door.

"Where are you off to?" Sarah asked.

Billie shot her a look. "We've been over this, you're not my mother."

"Fine, see you later, then."

"Saturday, at seven."

Billie slammed the door shut before Sarah could acknowledge her. She had to be one of the oddest roommates anyone had ever had. It would have been easier to guess the lottery numbers than to know how Billie was going to react to something. Sarah had learned that it was best to just hang on for the ride and go with the flow--it was usually safer that way.

She wasn't sure what Billie had planned for the night, but it was obvious that something was going on. Had Billie ever been in a real relationship before? It was obvious that she didn't mind sleeping around, but was it possible that she was nervous at the thought of being with just one person? If so, it seemed like she could do a whole lot worse than Oz. He seemed like a good guy, and Jeremy definitely thought highly of him.

Her thoughts swayed back to Jeremy. A mischievous little grin spread on her face as she thought about going on a double date with him. The more she thought about it, the better an idea it sounded. It could be like their little coming out party, announcing to the world that they were officially together. Sure, they'd been dating for a few weeks, but this felt like the first
real
couples thing they were doing. She'd never really gotten the chance to experience anything like that with the last guy.

A knock at the door jerked her from her thoughts. It was a strong, loud knock, and Sarah immediately thought of Reagan. She raced to the door, excited to share the good news with her. Sarah could already see her complaining that she didn't have a date or she'd make it a triple date. She'd complain, even though Sarah was pretty sure she'd turned down more than her fair share of guys this semester, already.

But when Sarah opened the door, the smile on her face washed away. The person standing there was definitely not Reagan. The huge frame in the doorway belonged to the last person she ever thought would be coming to see her--and the last person she wanted to be see right then.

"Hey, Sarah," Huck said. An uncertain, half smile on his face. "How's it going?"

Sarah's mouth gaped, shocked that Huck was actually standing there in front of her. She quickly pulled herself together, and settled him with the sternest glare she could manage.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, getting straight to the point.

Her stomach twisted itself into tiny little knots as she looked up at him. His short, sandy hair looked like a mess, and he was wearing the kinds of clothes he'd decided to make his new style ever since they'd left home and moved to Franklin. He looked like a preppy, hipster douche bag, if that was such a thing--and if it wasn't then it should be.

"I was just thinking of you. Thought I'd drop by and see how you're doing."

"You shouldn't be here, Huck. We're not friends anymore, remember?"

He winced, giving her a pained look.

"Don't say it like that."

She shook her head, disbelievingly. "Do you not remember what you did to me? What you said to me a few weeks ago?"

He let out a sigh, and put his arm up on the doorframe, leaning into it.
 

"I know things have been a little crazy since we came to college, but it's just been so... different. You know?"

She fixed with another glare.

"Your little
I'm innocent
routine doesn't work on me, Huck, I've known you for too long. So just cut the shit--why are you here?"

He winced again, still giving her that pained look. But she'd been serious, she'd known him for too long to be caught off guard by his puppy-dog eyes. They might work on the other girls at Franklin, but not her.

"Look, can I come in? I want to talk."

She leaned against the doorframe, pulling the door shut tight against her, blocking the way into the room. There was absolutely no way she was going to let him in.

"There's nothing to talk about, Huck. You shouldn't be here."

"Come on, you owe me this. Just one conversation, and then if you still want me to leave, I'll take off, no questions asked."

"I
owe
you this? I don't
owe
you anything. You have some serious nerve coming here acting like everything is fine between us. Especially after the way you treated me at the party. You were a complete asshole."

He took a step forward, getting right up on her, his features softened and his palms turned out, innocently.

"Look, I'm sorry about that. It's just...I haven't been myself, lately. I know I shouldn't have been taking it out on you, but my head's been all screwed on backwards."

Sarah leaned away from him while still keeping herself planted firmly in front of the door. She didn't want him getting the idea that she was fine with him touching her--she absolutely was not.

"Well, why don't you go find one of your little girlfriends to help you get it all sorted out, then? You're not my problem, anymore."

"Come on, Sarah, don't be like this. You know we go way back--that should count for
something
, right?"

"It should have counted for something when you were sticking your dick in that other chick. So if it didn't mean anything then, what the hell makes you think things are going to be any different, now?"

He bit his lip and looked past her into the room.

"Is there someone here? Is that why you won't let me come in? Is it that guy you were with?"

"His name is Jeremy, and frankly it's none of your business if anyone is here with me. You need to leave. Now."

Huck's face twisted and he looked down at her.

"What's his deal, anyway? Are you two together or something?"

For the first time since he showed up, Sarah's lips spread into a big smile, and she stood up straight and proud.

"As a matter of fact, we
are
together. And I'm much happier with him than I ever was with you."

Sarah felt a pang of guilt after adding the last part, but she would be damned if she was going to let him see that. She liked to think of herself as being above petty insults like that, but she wasn't about to show any weakness in front of him. And besides, it felt good to get her little jabs in where she could--he deserved much worse after what he did.

Huck's face turned red as the muscles in his jaw twitched. His hands clenched into tight fists at his side and his breathing grew deeper.

"So it's like that, then?" he said, through clenched teeth. "We're together our whole lives and then a month later you're already moving on with someone else?"

Sarah's eyes narrowed and her voice grew quiet, threatening.

"I was just following your example," she said.

Huck shook his head. "It doesn't have to be like this. Look, I know I fucked up, but if you're hooking up with someone else, then that's something I can't get over."

"I don't care what you can or can't get over, Huck. I'm done with you. I don't want anything to do with you. For all I care, I could never see you again and I would be perfectly happy."

"Dammit, Sarah, don't say that. I thought we loved each other?"

"It's time for you to go, Huck. I'm serious."

"No, I came here to talk about this--so let's talk."

Sarah inched backward again, slowly shutting the door in front of her. "I'm done talking with you. Please leave, we're done."

Huck put his hand on the door, stopping her from closing it. The anger in his eyes was about to boil over.

"Let go of the door, Huck. I'm serious."

She put more of her weight into the door, but it wasn't moving. Huck was big, and he was pure muscle. It was the result of growing up on his father's ranch where there were plenty of chores from sunup to sundown.

"Huck, you're scaring me. Please just leave."

His features softened, and he let out a long breath. He looked down at his feet, shaking his head, but he still didn't move his arm.

"I don't mean to scare you..." he began, his voice soft and faint. When he looked up at her his eyes were red, sad. "I just want to talk to my friend, I miss her."

Sarah's chest tightened even more, seeing him like that. She'd known Huck her whole life, and she could almost always tell exactly what he was thinking--at least she could before they came to college and he became a different person. But the Huck she was seeing now wasn't that other guy. He was the Huck from back home. The Huck from her childhood and summers spent on the river.

She let out a soft breath, and stopped trying to press the door shut in his face. Maybe a nice conversation wouldn't be the worst thing? It's not like she had any interest in being
with
him, but he was still an important part of her life. A part that she wasn't so certain she was ready to cut off completely. Not yet.

She started to pull the door open to let him in, but what happened next was something she never saw coming.

"
I told you to never come around again
," a voice yelled.

Then, Huck's body went rigid as his eyes rolled into the back of his head. He jerked and convulsed once as he dropped to his knees, and then slammed face first into the ground, right in front of Sarah, who let out a startled, horrified screech.

"I told you what would happen if I ever saw you again. I
told
you."

Billie appeared in the doorway, a tiny taser held in her hand, its current still arcing with a blue light.

Sarah's eyes widened as she looked between the taser and Huck lying on the ground, unconscious. Her heart was still racing from seeing him jerk and convulse like that.

"What did you do?" she yelled.

She fell to his side, her eyes searching him wildly. He wasn't moving--was he dead? She put two fingers on his neck, trying desperately to find his pulse. Oh my God, this can't be happening.

Billie didn't move. She stood over the both of them with a look of confused anger on her face.

"Don't just stand there, do something," Sarah yelled. "Call an ambulance."

Billie's face scrunched up even more. "Why would I do that? I
told
him what would happen if he came around."

"That doesn't mean you can attack him and leave him for dead."

Sarah's heart was pounding wildly in her chest, and her breath was coming in quick gasps. She struggled to think clearly. She couldn't find his pulse. Had that really just happened? Why wasn't Billie doing something?

"Oh relax, he'll be fine." She held up the taser. "This thing barely pacts any punch, at all. He's just being a little bitch."

"I can't find his pulse," Sarah screamed. "Maybe it stopped his heart or something." She slid her fingers around his neck--still nothing. "I don't know. Oh my God.
Do
something!"

Billie pointed at his chest.

"I can see him breathing from up here. Seriously, you need to get a hold of yourself."

She stepped over Huck and made her way over to her side of the room. Sarah took deep breaths, trying to compose herself. As she leaned down to put her cheek next to his mouth, to see if any breaths were coming out, Huck's eyes popped open and he started gasping for air. He looked around frantically, his eyes not focusing on anything in particular.

"See, I told you he was fine," Billie said. "Lucky for you I forgot my jacket."