So, a lot of people keep getting this confused, so I thought I'd clarify real quick: Chuck is Lindsey's brother. Mike is just a friend of Trevor's. It will be explained in more detail later. Hope that makes more sense. :D

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"So, Mike, huh?" I say, wiggling my eyebrows at Lindsey who sits across from me on the floor.

We've just spent the afternoon together being typical girls. By this, I mean chewing on day-old pizza while watching 'Neighbors' on her computer and sipping iced-tea. I'm just hanging in Lindsey's dorm until I have to meet up with Trevor. I thought it'd be a good way to distract myself, but so far, it's not working.

"Hmm?" She looks up at me briefly before returning to clipping her toenails.

"Oh, come on," I groan. "Like it's not obvious. You two were flirting up a storm at the lake today."

Lindsey snorts in amusement but doesn't respond.

"Come on! Out with it!" I bellow sarcastically, using my best proper English accent. She giggles, but I don't miss how she tries to hide her face from view.

"What?" she finally says when I just continue to watch her, hoping to pull a confession from her with my heated stare. She looks at me before rolling her eyes. I glimpse a mini smile tugging her lips.

"Fine," she huffs. "Yes, he's mildly attractive... and extremely entertaining." She pauses to eye me cautiously. "He asked me out." She squeals, and I just stare at her for a moment before what she says finally registers.

"Ahhh!" My delayed reaction is completely over the top, and I realize I may have had a bit too much sweet tea at this point.

Lindsey doesn't seem to notice my exaggerated behavior, as we both scream like young teenagers. I take a bite of my stale pizza before crossing my legs and turning to face her head on. "Okay. Tell me everything," I encourage.

Her need to release another squeal is obvious, but she contains herself, her eyes dancing as she speaks.

"Well, at the lake, after you and Trevor started chatting," she wiggles her eyebrows suggestively, and I realize just how often she does that, "Mike and I decided to leave you two in peace. We had a small water fight, and then at one point he put me in a headlock and dunked me underwater. Anyway, we were messing around for a while when he suddenly just asked me, like completely unexpectedly, to go on a date with him. And, of course, I said 'no'."

I gape at her.

"What? I wasn't going to make it that easy on him," she defends. "I've liked the guy for years. Like, since Sophomore year of high school, but we were always just friends. I figured I had to make him suffer a little." She giggles evilly.

"And..."

"So as soon as we got back to campus, he texted me to meet him."

"Let me guess... you said no," I say.

She smiles sheepishly. "I just wanted to see how hard he'd go after me," she explains.

"Well..." Sweet tea makes me impatient I guess, but that doesn't stop me. I take another sip as she goes on.

"A few minutes later someone is banging on my door."

"And it's him." I'm about ready to slap myself silly because I keep interrupting, but my mouth can't help it.

"Yep."

"And... what happened?"

"Nothing," she explains as she returns to working on her toes. "He just walked right in, got comfortable on my bed, and started flipping through my Cosmo magazine."

"And..." I urge.

"Seriously," she huffs. "You interrupt me one more time and I will throw my toenail clippings at you."

I zip my lips shut using my fingers, but I lift my brows at her, prompting her to continue.

"Anyway, he started enlightening me on a random person who died from illegal butt injections, and the thirteen emotional stages of dropping your cell phone, and then quizzing me about who my celebrity best friend is... blah blah blah. I'd already read the stupid magazine like three times, so I finally got bored and asked what he wanted. He said he wasn't moving until I said yes. Long story short - we've got a date this Friday night." She could barely finish her last sentence because she was already squealing... again. 

I plug my bleeding ears and fake an exasperated sigh that fades into laughter. "Good. I'm glad," I tell her with a smile. "He seems cool."

She's grinning up at me warmly from where she's been focused on digging crud out from the corner of her big toenail. For someone so put-together and clean, she sure can be a sicko.

We've just finished watching a lip-syncing battle between Jimmy Fallon and Tom Cruise when I glance at the time and realize the moment has arrived. Lindsey notices too and gives me a worried look.

"I should get going," I tell her, as I roll forward from my back into a sitting position.

"You can do this!" she belts, sounding freakishly like a high school cheerleader.

I stand and she jumps up from her spot on the floor to throw her arms around me. I keep my arms at my side to rub it in just how much I'm dreading what I'm about to do.

"Oh, cheer up, Eeyore," she tells me. "You're going to be fine." Her pep talk is not helping.

I send her a weak wave before grabbing my bag of supplies and throwing it over my slumped shoulders. I sluggishly make my way out her door.

"Hold up!" I hear her yell from behind me.

I'm nearly to the elevators, but I look to see her skipping down the hallway. Lindsey is beautiful, with a tall, slender body that most guys have difficulty not appreciating, but she lacks any athleticism, and it's evident in her awkward arm-flailing run. I stifle a laugh as she comes to stand in front of me. She eyes me knowingly but ignores my expression.

"Here." She thrusts her arm out towards me and I look at it.

I'm admiring her gold bracelets when she starts shaking her fist in front of me, causing them to jingle. I realize she's trying to urge me to take whatever she's holding. I cup my hand under hers and feel something small, heavy, and cold land in my palm.

"The key," she explains. I nod before she engulfs me in one more quick hug and stalks away.

I take my time walking across campus, hoping that maybe something will come up that gives me an excuse to pass on our study session. It takes a good ten minutes to reach his apartment since it's a little ways off of campus, and I inhale a lung-bursting breath before knocking on the door. There's really no reason to knock because I have a key, but I decide to not take the risk of walking in on him.

I'm a bit confused why he's having me meet here instead of in Matthews Hall like before, but my wondering is cut short when the door swings open. Crap! No one was supposed to be here!

"Chuck?" I greet awkwardly when I see his familiar face. He smiles widely at me before throwing his arms around my shoulders. I don't even get a chance to respond before the hug is over and he's stepping away.

"Long time no see!" he bellows. I barely knew the guy in high school, but he sure is friendly.  

"Hi." I smile, feeling unexpectedly timid compared to his enthusiasm.

"Get in here," he ushers, and I obey. "No worries. Lindsey already gave me the low-down. Trevor's room is over there," he says, pointing to the back corner of the apartment.

"So, he actually lives here?" I ask idiotically. Chuck gives me a quizzical look that urges me to explain. "It's just that we've met up a few times before, and it was always in one of the dorms."

"Ah," he says as understanding dawns in his expression. "Yeah, that's actually Mike's dorm. Trevor occasionally stays over there since it's closer to his Psychology class. He can be a bit lazy." He chuckles.

"Oh." I guess that makes sense.

I take a slow glance around the apartment and come to the conclusion that this is indeed a guys' home. The room lacks any sort of homey feel. There are dirty dishes and cups strewn throughout the living room. There's a garbage bag sitting next to the couch flowing with used pizza boxes, cans, bottles, and orange peels. Guess it makes sense to keep your garbage within reach. That way, you never, ever have to leave the comfort of the couch.

Somehow the amount of garbage strewn throughout the room is equal, if not more, than the amount falling out of the bag. If this is the room that greets their guests then I don't even want to imagine what the bathroom looks likes. Whisker shavings coating the sink, mysterious hairs plastered to the toilet seat, and soap scum rimming the tub. It's gag worthy even in my imagination.

"So, Trevor should be back in about..." He takes a moment to pull his phone from his pocket to glance at the time, "seventeen minutes." He looks back up at me. "That gonna be enough time?"

"Plenty." I send a warm smile his way. I'm surprised at how easily he's making this on me. No teasing or questioning. Maybe he doesn't know the exact reason why I'm here.

"You got my key?" he asks.

It's the same key Lindsey handed me earlier. I guess she didn't know that he'd be here.

"Yep." I hand him the key. "Thanks for your help," I mutter.

"No problem." He smiles perceptively. Maybe he does know the details of my plan because he looks suspiciously pleased by my discomfort. "Well, I've got a class in a few, so I'm gonna head out." He winks at me. "Good luck."

I thank him again and watch him leave the apartment while I stand helplessly in the middle of the room. I've only got fifteen minutes left to get things ready, so I grudgingly make my way to his room. I'm shocked when I cross the threshold and stare at the cleanliness that meets me.

"Here we go," I mutter nervously under my breath.

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This chapter goes to my sweet friend aggie23FF for helping me edit a couple chapters. You're amazing! Love you!!! :D

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