CHAPTER TWELVE

SUCH A GUY

ELLE

Then

I got to the party late and looked all over for Alfie. He’d been planning this party with his friends and when I told him I wasn’t able to come because of a dinner with Rhodes and his parents, he got so mad at me. Alfie and Rhodes tolerated each other, but lately, Alfie had been more annoyed than usual about any time I spent with Rhodes. I tried to reassure him that he didn’t need to worry about anything, but he thought Rhodes was into me no matter how hard I tried to tell him otherwise.

My dinner with the Archers ended up getting moved back to tomorrow night. Troy’s flight back from London was delayed, so he’d just flown into LA tonight and wouldn’t be in Palo Alto until even later.

The house was packed. As I wandered through the crowd, I said hi to a few people from my lit class. When I saw some of Alfie's friends, I asked if they’d seen him.

“I didn't think you were coming,” Jesse said.

“Yeah, I wasn’t, but it worked out at the last minute.”

He smirked and nodded and I kept walking.

Eventually, I wandered down the back hall to find the bathroom. There was a short line outside the bathroom door and I waited, smoothing down my outfit.

Rhodes had stopped by my dorm to let me know his parents weren’t going to make it and whistled when he saw me.

“Damn, girl. What have you got on?” he’d asked, swiping his hand down his jaw.

I must have flushed a million colors because then he’d laughed at how pink my cheeks were.

“You look good ,” he said. “I love this dress.”

“Thanks. I've been trying to branch out,” I told him.

I glanced down at the little black dress that made me feel both classy and sexy before shyly meeting his eyes.

“Well, it is working ,” he said, grinning as he looked me over again. “Let me take you out to dinner anyway. You can’t let this dress go to waste.”

I was about to say yes and then paused. “You know what? I should probably go to that party Alfie was throwing with his friends. He was pretty upset that I was missing it.”

“Oh.” He nodded. “Okay. You sure?” He lifted his hand. “Steak dinner?” And then the other hand. “Or college party?”

I laughed. “Yeah, there’s no comparison, but I don’t like how Alfie and I left things last night. I’ve been a pretty sucky girlfriend lately.”

“You could never be a sucky girlfriend,” Rhodes argued. “He needs to lighten up.”

I knew it wouldn’t lead to anything good if we started talking about Alfie, so I shrugged my shoulder and Rhodes nodded.

“Okay, got it. Have fun,” he said.

When he walked away, I felt like I’d upset him too.

A girl in front of me moved up and it drew me out of my thoughts. When it was my turn, I took care of business fast, washed my hands, and hurried out. I veered to the left instead of the right to avoid the growing line and the door across the hall opened. Alfie and a blonde girl stumbled out of the room, his hands on her waist. She leaned up and kissed him while I stood there in shock, watching. When they stopped, Alfie turned and saw me standing there and I finally snapped out of it and started moving. I heard him calling after me but didn’t stop, and even after I went outside, he called after me, telling me to stop.

Instead of driving to my dorm, I drove to Rhodes’ house, and the whole time I thought, I just caught my boyfriend kissing someone else and I’m not even very upset. What is wrong with me?

I just needed to see Rhodes. He would make everything better. He always did.

Because you belong with him . That little voice inside my head had gotten pretty persistent with those thoughts lately, despite having a boyfriend for the past couple of months.

What if I told Rhodes that I’d thought about us being more than friends? A lot .

I parked on the street and knocked on the front door, opening it when I realized there was a party going on here too. When I didn’t see Rhodes on the first floor, I went up to his room and knocked. He didn’t open right away, so I knocked again.

“Rhodes, are you home?” I called.

I heard something on the other side of the door and then Rhodes opened the door. His shirt was unbuttoned and there was red lipstick on his neck. I looked past him to see Lila French on his bed. I’d known she was interested in him by the way she was always hanging around him after games, but I didn’t know he was into her too.

“Oh, God. I’m sorry. I didn’t—” I backed up and he stepped out of the room.

“What’s wrong, Elle?” He moved toward me and I kept backing up, my throat closing up as tears started to come.

No, do not cry now , I told myself.

I held up my hand. “I’m fine. Go back to Lila. It’s all good.”

“Elle, wait,” he called as I turned and bolted down the stairs.

I cried all the way to my dorm and when I got to my door and saw Alfie standing there, I knew he thought the tears were for him.

“I’m so sorry, Elle. What you saw…she kissed me ,” Alfie started.

I shook my head. “This isn’t going to work,” I said.

He tried to talk me out of breaking up with him, but I didn’t change my mind. He left, swearing he’d make it right, but I told him not to bother.

Once again, I’d given too much of myself to someone who didn’t value me at all.

When I got to my room, I saw a few missed texts from Rhodes.

Rhodes

Are you okay? I wish you’d stayed.

Rhodes

Did something happen at the party?

Rhodes

Just let me know you’re okay.

I didn’t answer and half an hour later, he knocked on my door.

“Are you in there?” he called.

My phone buzzed and I looked down, sighing when I saw it was him.

Rhodes

Are you ignoring me?

He knocked harder. “Stop ignoring me, Elle. What’s going on?”

I opened the door and his eyes narrowed when he saw I was wearing my fleecy elephant pants. He held up a bag and stalked inside, pulling out Ben & Jerry’s Phish Food for me and Half Baked for him.

“I thought we could watch whatever you want on Netflix,” he said.

I take the Phish Food out of his hand and grab spoons. “You don’t have to stay. I’m good with the ice cream.”

He leveled me with a look. “Not a chance. If you don’t wanna talk about what’s going on, fine, but I know you’re upset and the elephant pants prove it. You only wear those when you’re mad, hurt, or on your period.” He frowned. “Are you cramping?”

I groaned and shoved him away when he got in my face. “No, I’m not cramping. God, you’re so nosy. I’m sorry I interrupted your date with Lila.”

“It’s okay. She’s really only after one thing and I’d already given it to her before you got there.”

He laughed when I flicked him.

“You’re such a guy,” I groaned.

“Guilty,” he said, opening his tub of Half Baked.

“I caught Alfie kissing someone.”

Rhodes froze mid-bite and stared at me, his jaw clenching. “You can’t be serious.”

“Oh, I’m serious. And he showed up here, apologizing and acting like she kissed him , so that meant it didn’t count , but I saw him kiss her back without hesitation…after he came out of a bedroom with her. Looks like you both got lucky tonight,” I said, attempting to sound light-hearted, but it came out sounding foul.

“Elle. I’m so sorry. That guy is an idiot if he doesn’t see what he has in you.”

“ Had in me. He has me no longer. I broke up with him.” I waved my hand over my elephant pajamas. “All of this is no longer available to him.”

And honestly, it didn’t feel like a huge loss at the moment.

I climbed on my bed and Rhodes moved next to me. He put his arm around me and I inhaled his cedar and citrus smell. The feel of his arms around me was so perfect. I allowed myself twenty seconds near him and then I forced myself to move into my own space and ate my ice cream .

We started watching “Bob’s Burgers” and I fell asleep to Rhodes playing with my hair.

When I woke up, he was gone and there was a note next to the bed.

Elle,

Any fool who would cheat on you is not worthy of you.

Remember that.

And remember that I love you, I’ve got your back, and I will kick that fool into next week if you say the word.

Yours,

Rhodes