Learning to Live by R.D. Cole Page A

face so I keep my head down.
“Man, I wish I had a vagina so I could knock that bitch out.”
Jamal exhales and turns toward me. “Are you okay, Trudy?”
I can’t talk so I just nod my head and smile from his earlier
comment. I want to knock her out myself, but I really don’t want any
trouble. Unfortunately, I think I already have it; I just don’t know what
I did to deserve it. Well, besides kissing Jax, but I promised myself to
act like it never happened.
After I calm down and dry my tears, I take my bag from Keith.
“Thanks, guys. I don’t know what her deal is.” I’m still shaking from
the adrenaline boost, and I want to go burn it off somehow, but I have
somewhere to be. “I need to get to class, but I need to stop by the
campus bookstore and get a new shirt. Ugh! I can’t believe her.” I’m
getting more fired up and really want to knock her on her ass, but I
restrain myself.
“If I know Ashton, then it has to do with Jaxon Coleman. She only
takes her claws out to that extent when he’s involved.” Jamal looks at
me with a knowing smile while my face turns red.
I look at the ground instead of in his eyes and say, “Jax is my
friend Jazz’s brother, and we all hang out together.” I look up, hoping
I’ve calmed down enough that my true feelings aren’t showing.
“That’s no reason to act like a five-year-old and throw a tantrum.”
They look at me and then at each other. “Well, she’ll try and make
anyone who she thinks is a threat to her future plan miserable. And,
honey, Jaxon Coleman is number one on her list of future plans.”
“She can have him because I don’t want him,” I state with a raised
voice, but deep down I feel like the biggest liar who ever walked the
earth. I know I want him, but I want to be myself more than someone’s
property again.
We say goodbye and make plans to have practice Sunday morning
at six. I head to the bookstore and waste thirty dollars on a white
Jaguars T-shirt, all the while cussing Ashton. After I get to class I think
of my plans for Labor Day weekend.
I know I told Jazz I would go home with her, because I’m off
Sunday and Monday, but being around Jax for two full days is going to
make me crazy. Maybe I can bail, but I really want to see the beach
and I like being around Jazz. She’s told me about the blue water and
white sand and all the fun things they do. She also mentioned a huge
Ferris wheel that has a great view of Pensacola when you reach the
top, and I want to ride it because I’ve never been on one, and I’m
looking forward to it.
Class is over by the time I make the decision to go, but I’ll ignore
Jax the whole time. I leave feeling better than I did an hour ago and
head back to my dorm room. After I take another shower to get the
sticky, sweet tea off my skin, I change into my work shirt and jeans. As
I slip on my shoes, Jazz knocks on my bathroom door. “Come in,” I
say loud enough for her to hear me through the door.
“Hey, chick,” she says with a goofy grin on her face and comes
over to sit on my bed. My room has become our usual hangout, which
is fine by me because I can’t stay in her room for too long or I’ll get a
headache from all the pink.
I start to think back to my earlier conversation with Jamal and
Keith about the playboy professor. “How was your meeting with
Professor Wallace?”
She gets a dreamy look in her eye, and I’m starting to worry that
maybe she’s fallen for this guy’s crap. “Oh, you know. We discussed
the syllabus and some future group projects.” She appears to want to
say more but doesn’t and changes the subject. “Guess what Jax’s
friend Mason brought me today?”
Hearing his name has me blushing, so I clear my throat and hope
she doesn’t notice. “I don’t know. What?”
She tosses something on my lap, and I reach to pick it up. It looks
like a standard Alabama driver’s license. Then I see her age: twentytwo. “Does this mean you’re going to harass me at