AUTUMN POV
I woke up alone. He was nowhere on the bed. My first thought was that he was probably in the shower or busy in the kitchen. Tyler was an early riser, after all, he was wide awake once his feet touched the ground and he’d stay wide awake throughout the day.
I, on the other hand, was not a morning person. I hated waking up. Be it for school or on weekends. I was one of those bed-huggers. The longer I stayed on the bed, the happier I was. I’d be grumpy the whole day if I didn’t get enough sleep. Tyler knew of this, which was why he’d never wake me up unless it was necessary.
I stretched my body across the king-sized bed and then stared at the ceiling for a solid five minutes, contemplating my way from bed to the fridge. I pushed myself up and made a small trip to the bathroom to brush my teeth and wash my face before heading to the kitchen. A sticky note was placed on the counter by the fridge.
I’m going in early after the gym. I’ll pick you up later. Ty
I widened my eyes, picked up the note, and reread the message one more time. Did he say ‘gym’? I had no idea he was a gym rat. For all I knew, the only sport he’d like to do was jogging. I crumpled the note and tossed it into the bin.
One thing I enjoyed in the morning was juice and right now I craved something a little sour. I grabbed the orange juice and took a glass from the cupboard. I poured myself a good amount and then downed it in one go. By the time I went back to the bedroom to pick up clean clothes, my phone buzzed. It was from Jess.
Good luck on your first day! Sorry I was too drunk to function last night.
I smiled and quickly typed a reply.
It’s ok. How’s the hangover?
Her reply was fast and short.
A bitch.
I laughed and tossed my phone on the bed. I was about to grab a T-shirt but then prompted myself as I remember that no one could get away the first day at school by wearing a T-shirt. The first impression was everything these days. So I grabbed a maroon halter top and a pair of black jeans.
I took a shower as if my nerves weren’t a wreck. As if my mind wasn’t racing and my heart wasn’t beating with anticipation. It was the first day, I finally went to the University of my dream.
I got ready pretty quick. Judging by how my hands shook as I pulled my hair back into a high ponytail on the top of my head, putting eyeliner on wasn’t a good idea. I might accidentally stab my eyeball and risk getting blind. So I kept my makeup simple, with foundation, and setting powder. At this time I missed Jess and her killer makeup skill. She’d fix my makeup real quick and without a hitch.
“That’ll have to do,” I muttered to myself as I stared at my reflection in the mirror above the sink.
As I walked towards the building, I noticed people were whispering around me and wondered what was that all about. My thought was easily dismissed as I realized I’d be late if I didn’t run because my class was on the top floor.
By the time I reached the class, I was five minutes early. I took a seat at the back, something I’ve often done in high school. No matter what people said, sitting in front of the class didn’t help me focus on the lecture. Again, the whisper started.
A beautiful girl walked toward me. When she was only three steps left, she stumbled and dropped the books she was carrying. I got out of my seat and helped her. She muttered her thanks and settled on a seat beside me. “Hi, I’m Carina Joana.” She smiled and stuck out her hand.
I returned her smile and shook her hand. “I’m Autumn Summers.” My social skill was a bit rusty. In Carlton High, I didn’t have to introduce myself and make friends. They all knew who I was and wanted to be my friends so I didn’t really have to do much.
Her smile flattened as she heard my name. She quickly pulled out her hand from my grasp. “Oh, you’re that girl.”
I frowned at the sudden change of attitude. “What girl?”
She didn’t face me when she answered in a voice that was barely above the whisper. “The girl that slept with the admission board.”
Damn you, Frazier.
“I didn’t sleep with the admission board.” I felt the need to defend myself although by the look she was giving me, I didn’t think I could change her mind. One statement at a party last night apparently could travel to school.
She gave a harsh laugh. “Yeah, right. You don’t have to explain yourself, I get it. History repeated itself and all.” She pushed her books to the right and moved to the empty seat next to her, leaving one empty seat between us. Just when I thought that we could be friends.
I wanted to ask her what did she mean but Prof. Longhorn walked into the classroom and began the lecture.
At the end of the lecture, I decided that I hated Economics with great passion. Didn’t matter if it was Microeconomics or Macroeconomics. I hated them both equally. There was a two-hour break between this class and my next class, so I decided to go to John Jay Dining Hall and get something to stop my stomach from singing the hungry anthem.
I went in and settled on the table by the window. I put my books on the table and headed to the counter. It wasn’t exactly lunchtime so the queue wasn’t long. In minutes I was able to get the grilled chicken, salad, and a bottle of water. They didn’t accept cash so I used my MasterCard to pay.
I was just finishing my salad when the door suddenly opened. The noise coming from a loud crowd filled in the entire hall. I paused and stole a look at the crowd. I didn’t believe in coincidence but my eyes locked with his. He was wearing an Abercrombie & Fitch dark grey T-shirt with a pair of white pants, standing in the cafeteria as if he owned the place.
After last night, I didn’t know how to behave if I saw him. Should I smile or should I run across the room and slap him for making shït up last night? His bullshït and lies had traveled all the way to school and into my economics class. The buzz I’ve been hearing the entire day was probably because of him.
His eyes narrowed and a smile twisted one corner of his lips. He looked like he wanted to say something, even though it would be impossible for me to hear what he got to say from this distance, but he broke the connection and dropped his gaze.
When he finally looked up again, he was facing a brunette girl in a ponytail. She smiled like she just won the Miss World competition and linked her arm to his. They moved to a huge table in the middle and the crowd moved with them.
I finished my grilled chicken quickly and down half of the water in the bottle. I returned my tray and shoved the bottle of water inside my bag.
I still had one hour to kill so I decided to check up on Tyler. I sent him a quick text, asking how his day has been. His reply came as I took a seat on one of the benches by the tree. I put my books on the empty spot beside me and pulled out my phone.
Fun. Now I know why Mey loves microbiology so much. How was yours? Have you eaten lunch?
I laughed when I saw him mentioning my best friend Mey. She was dating his best friend, Hunter Jones, and they were currently in Taiwan, studying Mandarin. Mey was of Chinese descent but she couldn’t speak Chinese at all so her parents sent her to Taiwan to study the language. Hunter came along, saying he wanted to support her. But Tyler told me that the real reason was so he could understand what Mey’s parents talking about behind his back.
I hate economics. Can you remind me again why I decided to take a business major? I just had grilled chicken and salad. Have you eaten?
I hit send and lowered my phone. I watched Frazier and his crowd moved towards an empty spot on the grass. Some of them were sitting while the others were laying on their backs. They all looked like they were having a good time.
Well, he certainly looked like he was having a good time. His hand was on the back of the brunette girl from earlier while his tongue was probably down her throat. Again, he was making out like they were at his house and not in public. Sure, last night he really was at his place so I couldn’t blame him but right now, in the middle of the lawn, it was extreme PDA.
I opened my book and started to reread the chapter Prof. Longhorn was teaching us today. I was on page twelve when I caught movement out of the corner of my eyes. I looked up and saw him walking away from the crowd. Maybe this was my time to confront him. I should definitely tell him to stop the rumor before one of the teachers heard of it. I picked up my book, shoved them into my bag, and ran towards him.
I stopped right in front of him. He was a lot taller than me so I had to look up to meet his eyes. “I want to have a word with you.” I went straight to the point.He turned and looked at the crowd behind him before returning his gaze to me. “Fine. Let’s go somewhere quiet. I don’t want to risk my rep by talking to you in public.”I rolled my eyes. “If anything, I should be the one risking my rep for talking to an asshole like you.”He gave me an annoyed look and shifted his weight on one foot as he folded his arms beneath the grey shirt he was wearing. “Do you want to have that talk or do you want to piss me off?”“Talk,” I replied curtly and followed him as he led us to one of the b
AUTUMN POVI folded my arms around myself and looked at her in defiance. There was no way I let someone like her intimidate me. “It’s funny how the people who know me the least have the most to say.”She raised her brows and tried to look down at me from her five inches high heels. “Oh, she talks. I thought you just nod your head while banging someone else’s boyfriend and the admission board.”“Watch your mouth, Margo, she and I are just friends,” said Frazier as he moved until he stood right in front of me, the side of his arm almost touching my shoulder. “And she didn’t sleep with the admission board.”I looked at him in surprise. I thought he sa
AUTUMN POVI couldn’t concentrate during the lecture. All I could think about was Jess and her telling someone about my past relationship with Joe and Ashton. No one would be able to understand the struggle of wanting someone to love me, needing someone to love me, when everyone else could care less. When I grew up, my family wasn’t as loving and caring as they were now.My dad, my older brother Steven, and I caught my mom having sex with our neighbor Josh. Since then our parents decided to remain married but continue to have sex with other people. It was sick and wrong. Steven and I grew up without the love of our parents.When my high school boyfriend of two years, Ashton Martin, cheated on me with the captain of the cheerleader, I couldn&rsquo
AUTUMN POV“Let me know which asshole this Phraser guy was, so I could teach him some lesson,” growled Tyler by the time I finished telling him about what happened at the party last night.“Hey, he and I are friends now.” I didn’t know why I defended Phraser. Maybe because he defended me in front of Margo and promised to clean up the mess. Above all else, I didn’t want Tyler to get involved in a brawl.Tyler stared at me. An incredulous look plastered on his handsome face. “You’re friends which someone who made up a rumor and swore to make your life a living hell?”When he put it that way, it sounded ridiculous that I even considered becoming friends with Phrase
TYLER POVI couldn’t believe this was happening. Not now. Not after three years of living my life without her. Yet here she was, right in front of me where I could touch her to know that she was real. She looked at me with those blue-green eyes beneath her long lashes, and I suddenly felt like a seventeen years old boy who was completely in love with his three-year girlfriend.“What are you doing here?” I caught her arms and helped her get up on her feet.She smiled and put her forefinger up, pointing at the ceiling. “I’m going to the club. They have the best margaritas here. What about you?”“I’m going home. I was just from there.” Although I was there for work, for a completely different reason than her. I star
AUTUMN POVMy first thought was to go to the bar across the street but I stopped myself, knowing that would be the first place he went, considering we both went there on the first day we arrived here in New York and established the bar as one of the places for us to drink. I heard faint footsteps, which were probably belonged to Tyler, so I quickly put my coat on and walked faster.New York was truly the city that lived twenty-four seven. Even past midnight, there were still people partying and walking down the street. I jumped into the middle of the crowd and followed them closely.I knew it was stupid to run from Tyler but his words really hurt me. I had no idea what the hell just happened. He was the one who lied, he was the one who went to see his ex-girlfriend behind my back, yet I was the one atta
TYLER POVI was half-sober when I realized what just happened and how we fell apart.Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! If I could kick myself, I would. Why did I say all of those horrible things to her? I was drunk and in a bad mood, yet still, that didn’t justify my action. What I’ve said was unforgivable.As I paced around and about, trying to clear my head while waiting for her to come home, I subsequently checked my phone. I recalled seeing her grab her phone and wallet before leaving. Although it was unlikely she would send me a text, let alone call me, I kept my phone on hand just in case.I walked into the kitchen and started making coffee. Strong and black. I really needed the caffeine slap if I wanted to stay awake. My phone buzzed and I immediately put e
TYLER POVI just dropped the second package that day when I saw Faith walking down the road with three massive books in her hands. I watched her closely as a girl accidentally knocked her off, causing her to drop all the books she was carrying. I ran towards her and picked up two books off the ground.She looked up and smiled once she saw me. “Hey. You again.” She shook her head in disbelief as she continued, “what’s wrong with me today? I met both of my exes on the same day.”I frowned. “What?”“I ran to my brother’s friend which I dated last year a few minutes ago and now I met you.” She held the book close to her chest and adjusted the bag’s strap on her shoulder. “What are you doing here? Do you go to NYU as well?”No, I