The Story of Us Read Free Page A

everyday occurrence,” he replies, with that same smirk on his
face.
    I want to say a million things in
return, but instead I just walk out.

Chapter 2

    “ What. The. Hell.” I demand, when I
walk back into my dorm room. Drew and Hailey just stare blankly at
me in confusion. I march right over to Drew, “You must have known Craig
was here. Why wouldn’t you tell me?”
    His expression goes from surprised to
understanding in a matter of seconds before he responds, “He asked
me not to.”
    Hailey looks over at him in surprise.
I can tell she didn’t know either.
    “Why? Why would he ask you not to? And
why would you listen?”
    “He’s my friend, Val. He didn’t want
you to know. I respected that.”
    “You helped him blindside
me!”
    “Okay, okay.” Hailey intervenes,
calmly. She turns to me, “So he’s going to school here. So what?
It’s not a big deal. You shouldn’t care, Val.”
    She knows she has me, because if it
was anyone else, it wouldn’t matter. Why would I need to know that
one of Drew’s friends is going to be at the same college as us? I
wouldn’t. Except it’s Craig. And he gets under my skin.
    Ever since Hailey and Drew started
dating, Craig has been a major pain in my ass. Actually, it started
before that. But since Drew and Hailey are dating, I have to put up
with him because he’s Drew’s friend. He’s from the same small town
as Hailey, Drew, and I. But Hailey and I went to private school,
while Drew and Craig went to public. But even still, I knew of
Craig’s reputation. I’d never have anything to do with him if it
wren’t for our best friends dating. I still don’t understand how
sweet, innocent Drew could ever be friends with a guy like Craig
Morgan. But because he is, and he’s dating my best friend, I’ve had
to deal with Craig on more than one occasion. He taunts me
religiously, calling me ‘princess’ because he thinks I’m a snob,
but more so because he knows I hate it. He flirts with me
endlessly, again because he knows I hate it. He’s never serious
about it. He hooks up with every girl he comes across. And now I
can add stalking to the list of reasons Craig annoys the crap out
of me, since he followed me all the way to WSC. He’s like an
irritating fly. He infuriatingly buzzes around as I dodge him.
Then, just when I start to think we can coexist, he comes back just
as aggravating as ever. I can never seem to get rid of
him.
    “I’m sorry, Val. In hindsight, I
probably should have just told you,” Drew admits
sincerely.
    I take a deep breath. I
know it’s not really Drew’s fault. I’m not really mad at him . “No. He’s your
friend. I guess I can understand. If Hailey asked me not to tell my
boyfriend’s friend something… if I had a boyfriend… I wouldn’t
betray that either.”
    We all stand for a moment in awkward
silence.
    I decide to break the ice. “Well, he
works at the coffee shop. So, Drew, I think you owe it to me to go
down and get me a coffee now, since there’s no way in hell I’m
going back there today.”
    Drew chuckles, “Okay, fair enough. You
want anything Hail?”
    “No, thanks. I’m not as obsessed with
coffee as Val. I don’t need, like, six cups a day,” she teases,
making fun of me. She gives Drew a small kiss and then he heads out
the door.
    I turn to Hailey, “I just don’t
understand why he’s even here. All summer me, you, and Drew have
been talking about WSC and Craig’s never mentioned even applying
here, never mind attending.”
    “I know. I didn’t know he was coming
here either. Do you think…” she trails off.
    “Do I think, what?”
    “Well, it’s just that… you guys have a
history. Do you think he came here for you?”
    This makes me literally laugh out
loud. “No. For one, we don’t even have a history. We have mutual
friends. That’s it. And two, he was tangled up with some slutty
girl before he noticed I was even in the coffee shop. No way he
came here for me. Not even a