Nick & Bailey

36. Bailey

I'm working on my Biology homework in the lounge with Abby and Missy. Missy lives in the dorm building next door, so she usually finds her way over here a few times a week.

"Guys, I'm seriously done with dorm living. The three of us need to find a place off campus next year," Missy says. This isn't the first time she's brought it up. She been talking about it for weeks.

I'm not opposed to finding a different place. It might be nice to have a space to myself and not have to hear the name "Jeremy" twenty times a day while my roommate is crying into the phone. But spaces within walking distance to campus are limited, and the parking here is atrocious, so, for me, it would depend on what we could find. Evan was lucky to find his house. I'm not sure if we'd get that lucky.

I've told Missy all this before, though, so I don't feel bad when I see that Ian is calling me and excuse myself.

I stand up and walk down the hall slightly. I don't want to bother the other people trying to study. "Hello?"

"Bai? What are you doing?"

"Nothing. Just homework. You?"

He sighs. "I'm standing outside my professor's office waiting for him to finish with another student, and I'm bored out of my mind."

"So you called me? I'm flattered," I say sarcastically.

"Well, I called Nick first, but he's with a girl, so he hung up on me."

There is that familiar knife in my chest. "Oh."

"Yeah I know. Anyway, I have news," Ian says excitedly. When I don't speak, he continues, "I got a motorcycle."

I cough. "I'm sorry...what? Does Mom know?"

"Not yet, but I'm going to try for my license this weekend. My roommate has been teaching me how to drive it."

"Holy shit, Ian. Mom and Dad are going to freak out."

"I'm eighteen, almost nineteen, so there's nothing they can do about it. I used my own money."

"I know, but Ian—"

"Bailey, I gotta go. The door's opening. I'll talk to you later." He hangs up.

That was a lot of information packed into a short phone call. Ian is suddenly becoming a biker? And Nick was with a girl?

My mind reels. Is it his girlfriend? Are they hooking up? Maybe they are just study partners? Oh my God, why do I care? I have a boy, here, who is giving me everything I wanted from Nick—everything that Nick refused to give me.

Evan hasn't asked me out again after that first time, or attempted to kiss me, even though we've seen each other basically every weekend. The more I get to know him, though, the more I like him. He's not like anyone I've ever dated before—basically, he's nice—but I'm still not sure of my feelings towards Nick. Instead of figuring it out, I simply push him from my mind anytime he tries to enter.

I pull up my contacts and text Evan.

Me: Are you free Friday? Do you want to go out? With just me?

I repeat the words he said to me. He responds in ten seconds.

Evan: Yes! What did you have in mind?
Me: Nothing yet.
Evan: Don't worry about it. I'll take care of everything. Wear something comfortable.