I knocked once and then turned the knob. True to form, Roberta was naked. Her dumb boyfriend was also naked and lying on my bed.
Roberta’s slow, evil smile was soon replaced by shock as Austin and his friends made their very naked way into the dorm room.
“What the fuck is going on here?” Roberta used her comforter to cover her body.
Austin put a hand on my shoulder. “Just point to your stuff. We got you.”
And that’s how I got to orchestrate a very beautiful group of people around a room while my evil roommate fumed. Her boyfriend had the sense to shuffle to Roberta’s side of the room.
Tinsley went to the closet. “All of this?”
“None of it. She wouldn’t let me have a closet.” I pointed under my bed where I had a few bins full of the clothes that I had been forced to move.
“Oh, that’s some hard bullshit.” Fred shook her head and squatted low to grab a few bins.
Austin stood on my bed and started rolling one of the two posters I had. “So all these Post-it notes? These are complaints about you?”
I nodded. Fiona walked over to Roberta and her boyfriend. I didn't hear what she said, but both of them recoiled.
“I think we need to keep all of these, Taylor. This is good evidence for you to get your dorm deposit back. This is some next-level stupidity.”
Parker and Endgame started the process of snatching the Post-it notes from the walls. Parker made sure to get the ones on Roberta’s side. His man business was swinging all over the place. Endgame lit a cigarette and pulled a multitool out of his pocket. He managed to get the TV off the wall. He stuck the wad of Post-it notes to the screen.
Austin and his friends were the most efficient stuff gatherers. Using a throw as a bag, they gathered all of my loose things. Everyone had an armful, Endgame with the TV. If it was a full ten minutes, I’d be surprised.
“Where can I find you when I figure out what you stole from me?”
Apparently, ten minutes was long enough for Roberta to snap out of her shock and be an asshole again.
Fiona stepped closer to Roberta. “What did I just say?”
Roberta’s dumb boyfriend pulled on her arm. “Yeah, maybe just be quiet.”
And for once, Roberta swallowed her words.
Austin motioned for me to go out first, and I didn’t have to talk to Roberta again.
There was a crowd now. Some were gawking, some were taking video. I was happy that Austin’s friends were covered up with my belongings, except for their butts. And they all had great butts.
When we got downstairs, they put my stuff in the bed of Parker’s truck before we went back up the stairwell and they got their clothes. Everyone redressed while Endgame and I stayed with the vehicles.
He still had his sunglasses on.
“Thanks for helping with this.” I broke the awkward silence.
He barely nodded.
Parker was the first one back in the parking lot, followed by Austin and Tinsley.
The laughter was catching on. Once Tinsley got going, everyone fell in, and even Endgame cracked a smile.
“Let’s get out of here before the cops come.” Austin unlocked his car and everyone went back to the spots they were in before, except Tinsley. She got in between Parker and Endgame in the truck.
We were on the road, back to Austin’s place, when Caesar was finally able to stop the fits of laughter. “This is the most fun I’ve ever had during the week, in the sunlight.”
Austin tilted the rearview mirror and smiled at Caesar. “You guys are fucking awesome. I love you all.”
Fred clapped Austin on the shoulder and Fiona smiled.
Caesar leaned over to her. “Fee, what the hell did you say to them?”
Fiona shook her head. “That’s between me, them, and the devil.”
Austin caught my eye. “See what I mean? Ninja.”
Caesar leaned forward and covered my hand with his. “That was a toxic situation, Taylor. You okay?”
“Yeah. I mean, it was pretty screwed up. She really had me in my head.” I picked at some lint on Austin’s skirt.
Fiona covered Caesar's hand on top of mine. “You can’t give them your sanity. She’s an emotional vampire. I hate people like that.”
“You have such great friends,” I complimented Austin.
“I do. They’re ready for anything.” Austin switched gears and put on his blinker.
After we were parked, with Parker’s truck right behind Austin’s parking spot, we all got out.
Tinsley started picking through my stuff, finding things to carry. “Do we have to be butt ass naked to move her in, too?”
We all started laughing again as we brought my stuff inside.
Thankfully, we had time to use the elevator. It was weird to have all these very new-to-me people holding my stuff. I was pretty sure Caesar had a t-shirt stuffed with all of my bras and underwear. Endgame took the TV up, but after it was set in the living room, he disappeared into his bedroom.
Tinsley and Austin shared a pointed glance. He directed the group to put my things in his room.
After another trip, we had everything. Caesar clapped his hands loudly. “Well, this has made me a thirsty guy. How about a drunk lunch?”
Tinsley whooped. “I’m all in, baby.”
Caesar held out his arms to her. She hopped in them, straddling him.
Fiona and Fred were down as well, and Parker had to bow out because he said he had a job. I looked to Austin. I was spent, but I couldn’t imagine him passing up a chance with all these amazing friends.
Austin stepped closer to me and slung his arm around my shoulders. “Taylor and I have some stuff to work out.”
There was a collective groan and some good-natured cursing launched in our direction.
“You know that we’ll be drunk stupid later this week.” He appeased them as he herded them out.
“Thank you, thank you so much,” I called after them.
Once the door was closed, I watched as Austin contemplated Endgame’s closed door. I reached out and held his wrist.
He gave me a sad smile before scratching his head. He let his hand drift down his neck to his chest. “Let’s organize your ass. It’s moving day, kitten.”
3
TAYLOR
My job was folding my clothes and placing them in the bottom dresser drawer. Austin was hanging up my dresses in a section of his wardrobe room. I sat criss cross in front of the dresser with my phone next to my knee.
I felt bad that I had to infiltrate all of his neatly organized things. Okay, that’s a lie. I was freaking delighted. I was in his room. I could take a look at his tall, sexy self anytime I wanted to. This man had lived in my dreams, in my fantasies, and all my hopes for as long as I could remember.
I shoved my underwear and bras in the back corner of the dresser. When I took another glance, Austin had paused and was pulling his long hair into a messy bun. He caught me looking.
I pointed to my head. “We match.”
He gave me a smile, but I felt like the emotion didn’t reach his eyes. Endgame.
That was what I was sensing. He had had an orgy’s worth of people here this morning but still managed to get himself to my dorm to help.
There were layers to all of this and I wasn’t ashamed to say I didn’t feel sophisticated enough to noodle it all out. Not in just over twenty-four hours anyway.