Page 6 of Hell House
I chew on my gum that’s now lost its flavor. “I’m majoring in business as requested by my family but minoring in English Literature. So far, I haven’t met too many people, but I do have plans to meet up with my new acquaintance Javelynn later tonight. Are you down for coming out with us? We’re going to check out the campus theater, I guess they’re showingFriday the 13th.” Skye seems like she’s in need of a good friend, same as me. I’d met Javelynn at the party and we’d hit it off instantly. They were laid back and seemed kind. I was excited to find out we were in the same business class and at least I’d have them in my group for the project.
“Um… sure. I’m not really into horror movies, but it could be fun to go and meet some new people and see more of the campus. I’ve only seen pictures online.”
“Well that settles it, you’re coming.” She gives me a tentative smile. I was determined to turn around this shit day, and thankfully the aspirin I’d taken had kicked in. I swing my legs off my bed and grab my new roommate by the hand. “Let’s go conquer those stairs, and I’ll show you around campus.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
Skye
Salem had taken my need to see the campus seriously and dragged me to every corner imaginable before meeting up with her friend Javelynn, who explained that their name was due to their parents’ affinity for King Arthur. They grimaced when telling Salem and I about how they nearly missed being called Merlin.
“I mean they could have always gone with Excalibur.” Salem quips, earning a lopsided smile from Javelynn, who’s dark hair is pulled into a low bun extenuating their slim neck.
I thought back on my mom telling me the story of how she and my dad had decided on the name Skye. They’d been married for three years when I came along. They’d gone through list after list of baby names, but nothing had fit. When my mom went into labor, she had been working out in the garden. My father was working, and she’d left her phone in the house. The contraction rendered her unable to walk as her knees sunk into the dirt. She laid down trying to breathe. All she was able to do was cradle her stomach and look up to the sky as she waited for the contraction to pass. As she laid there delirious with pain, she started to slip into unconsciousness. Before she went under, she thought she had never seen a more beautiful blue sky in her life. Thankfully a neighbor had seen her go down and had called 911. They were able to get her to the hospital in time. Apparently, her blood pressure had plummeted which caused her to pass out. They performed an emergency c-section, and both my mom were fine.
After I was born, she looked into my eyes and said that the color matched the sky she’d seen so perfectly, that it had offered her a peace she hadn’t felt before. She knew instinctively in that moment what my name was.
The memory of her recanting that story seems so close that I can almost smell her floral perfume and it leaves a twinge of pain right in my heart. That never seems to get easier. The waves of grief creep up in the most unexpected moments. I turn my focus back onto my new friends, feeling guilty about being swept into my own thoughts.
As Salem and I walk together we discover that Javelynn is originally from South Korea and had moved to the US when they were 2 years old, their father worked his way up in a multi-national company and now held the CEO position. They were a business major, just like Salem and they insisted we attend the open mic night in town that was coming up soon. There wasn’t much to do on this tiny island other than hang out on campus or go into the small harbor town. The only town on the island where most of the custodial staff lived with a few small business owners. There was one grocery store that looked more like a stop and shop, and two competing bars. The locals were either loyal to O’Malley’s or Diablo’s.
I was grateful my first class wasn’t until tomorrow, since I’d missed orientation due to our camper getting a flat tire. Dad and I had to wait a whole day until the tire shop could get a replacement for us.
I had English Literature first thing in the morning, which I found was with Salem, thankfully, so at least I would know someone in my class.
The movie Javelynn and Salem brought me to was cringy from what parts I saw between my fingers that I held over my face. The song was haunting more than anything and I hoped that I didn’t have nightmares. Actually, I hoped I’d be able to fall asleep at all. I was a huge chicken when it came to scary movies.
As we climb the steps back in our dorm, Salem bumps my shoulder with hers.
“You good, Dannon?” I notice she has a habit of calling people by their last name.
I smile, “Totally. Just a bit out of breath.” She leaves me to my panting as I continue my trek up these torturous stairs.
My legs are Jell-o by the time I finally crest the top floor, miles behind Salem who’d taken the stairs like she was a professional stair climbing champion. It doesn’t take much for me to fall asleep after the long day I’ve had, but I’m feeling optimistic for the first time in awhile. Maybe things will be good here.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Pierce
“And you’re doing well in all your classes?” My father’s voice booms through the speaker of my phone.
“Dad, classes just started. I’m doing fine.” Irritation rubs at me, wondering what the purpose of this call is. I flick at the metal part of my pen making a satisfying clink as it slaps back down onto the base. I flick it over and over again in a steady rhythm, feeding my anxiety into this one action.
“Your brother isn’t answering my calls. Tell him to call me back if he wants me to keep footing the bill for his education.” The line clicks off, and an empty tone fills my ear. I let out a sigh, removing the phone from my ear and stifling the urge to chuck my phone. I could easily replace it, God knew money wasn’t an object, but I didn’t want the hassle of having to program it. I clench my jaw instead, my molars crunching bone on bone against each other.
I set my shoulders back, shoving down the interaction with my father. I’ll relay my father’s pleasant message to Lukas later. I gather my things for class and grab a power bar on the way out. I have football practice all this week and I was looking forward to the challenge. I might have been a mediocre student, but football was where I shined- and I took every opportunity to bathe in that limelight.
Being the star quarterback meant there was no shortage of pussy, but it also was a fucking rush to do something like it was second nature. When I was out on that field, it was just me and the ball, and I made that ball fucking sing every time. I hike my shoulders up to my ears then shake them out, anticipation warming my belly.
I go hard all practice. My arm throwing out one perfectly placed spiral after another. The frigid air only spurs me on as sweat beads down my brow, chilling my skin instantly. I’m high off the adrenaline by the time we’re headed off to the locker room showers, my fingers buzzing with a phantom ache around the leather ball. As I’m about to enter the building, Coach Thompson pulls me aside before I have a chance to follow my teammates.
“Looking great out there Ledger.” He says in a firm Midwestern accent. “I need you to keep that level of focus in check. Our first game right off the bat is against Faulkner University.”
I suck in a breath. I was hoping we wouldn’t have to deal with those assholes until later in the season. Last year they kept going for my knees until Coach was forced to replace me. That moment when I was hauled off the field clutching my shin plays back in my mind more times than I’d like to admit. The Pride inside of my chest grows tight with the memory. Faulkner’s linebacker, Phillip Jenkins, had a hard-on for my kneecaps and their refs tended to turn a blind eye to their many penalties. I ended that game caked in mud, bruises and the bitter taste of defeat.
“You’ll be fine, just keep doing what you’re doing.” Coach says, slapping me square on the shoulder. I give him a nod then head off to the showers. Most everyone is done, and I check the time seeing I only have a few minutes to get myself ready before Intro to Business starts.
I run the water, a cold stream of icy liquid pelts my skin slick with sweat, washing off all the muck from practice. I hear a girlish giggle echo from behind me as I wipe down my body with soap. A firm naked body presses against my back, the mystery woman’s breasts skimming across me. Normally, I wouldn’t even think twice about turning around and taking a dip in some pussy, but I can’t find it inside me to even muster a quick fuck. I shrug her off, spinning around and seeing Katie Torrance, one of my regular quickies. She gives me a pout.
