Take Me Higher

Chapter Fourteen-Reggie

"You don't have to leave right after, you know," Penny says, sitting up and wrapping herself in her red bedsheets

Yes, I do. Over a week of this and it's becoming too habitual. I like Penny, I do, but she definitely likes me more. Sex is just two bodies coming together to fill a void, satisfy a need. I prefer a high turnover rate when it comes to hook-ups, it makes things less messy.

I pull on my jeans and scoop my shirt from the red furry rug in the middle of Penny's room. "I'd love to sit and pillow talk with you, Penny, but I've go stuff going on. I'll call you?"

Frowning, she nods and clings tighter to the sheets around her. "We're all going to see that Stephen King movie marathon the day before Halloween, if you want to come," she tells me. "I got you a ticket because they're preorder only, but you totally don't have to go."

I wonder if Olivia is going?

Wait, the day before Halloween? That's a couple weeks away and she wants me to make plans? I'm pretty sure I'll have a bottle of Jack to throw down that night.

"I'll let you know."

"She'll be there," Penny calls out, like she's reading my mind.

Stopping, I turn to look at her. "Who?"

Penny huffs, rolling her eyes. "The only girl that is obviously on your mind."

"Olivia?" I blurt. If that wasn't fucking obvious enough.

"I didn't say her name, but your mind sure went right to it."

"You don't know what the hell you're talking about," I tell her, slamming her dorm room on way out.

Making my way to my truck, I pull my phone out of my pack pocket and pull up Olivia's name. My thumb hovers over the screen, debating on whether or not I should call her. Then it dawns on me that I have no fucking reason to call her.

No fucking reason at all. I just want to know what she's up to because we've just been passing by each other the past few days since the night we hung out. She's been going to class, working, and probably fucking Blake. Rinse, lather, repeat.

I don't want to be that direct, I'd rather her be the one to reach out. I'd even settle for a text from her about doing something with Blake and staying out late. Then at least I know that I cross her mind when I'm not even around her.

I toss my phone into the back seat and bang my hands on the steering wheel. At least I've stepped up from stalking her on social media, I'm actually putting forth an attempt to call her. Who the fuck am I kidding? I need a glass of vodka, not Olivia.

Frankie's already at Ethyl's bar when I walk in because I stopped off for a pack of cigarettes.

"You look like shit, dude," Frankie comments. "No rocker chick tonight?"

"It's Penny and I just came from her place."

"From her place or at her place?" Frankie grins at his lame joke. "You into her?"

I shrug. "We're not dating or anything."

"It's overrated. Angie's been such a bitch lately, literally picks at everything I do and I don't know how to make it better," he vents. "I mean, I can't fucking believe I cut my hair for her."

I snort, finding him a little dramatic. "Dude, that mane you had going on needed to be cut," I chuckle.

"Whatever. The point is that I'm starting to realize why I stopped bothering with the whole relationship thing."