The Soundtrack To My Semester

December

“You guys are so cute.” She dragged out her o’s as if it would emphasize her point.

The reason for this random girl making this point was that the couple had been chasing each other around the island kitchen for about five minutes now. Zach had downed quite a few Smirnoffs so Rey had an easy time escaping his grasp.

“Rey, if you don’t come here right now, I re-refuse to get you a Christmas present!”

Nate piped up from his spot leaning against the counter. “Dude you got her present last night. I was there.”

Zach’s eyes grew wide like a child who just discovered there’s no Santa Clause. When he spoke he dragged his words out dramatically. “Why. Would. You. Say. That?!”

Rey laughed. She usually couldn’t stand dunks. Sometimes even Zach was too crazy a drunk for her. But right now Zach was the cutest drunk she’d ever seen. Nothing like the drunk Zach who had accused her so harshly before the talent show. Nope, everything was fine now. Rey went over to him to lean into his side; automatically he wrapped his arm around her.

Out of nowhere Taylor plopped her mistletoe hat on Rey’s head. It was a cone-shaped hat that stood straight up with a piece of wire hanging out the top with a small piece of mistletoe on the end.

“Kiss! Kiss,” random strangers from the crowd slurred out. She glanced up at Zach and couldn’t stop from giggling. Rey was much shorter than Zach so the mistletoe kept bumping into his nose and he kept crossing his eyes to try and see it.

But her giggles were cut off when he slipped the hat off her head and, surprisingly suave for being drunk, dipped her over for a romantic kiss. Various ‘awws’ were throw out from the crowd. “Bleh, Zach.” Rey murmured into his lips, cheeks bright red from the intense PDA. “Your breath is terrible.”

“Shut up.” He murmured. Both were the happiest they’ve ever been.

February

“Blee blob la. Blah blee blee blah.” That’s all Zach heard coming from his professor. He had such a hard time concentrating with the hottest girl he’d ever seen sitting just one row in front of him. She would have sat next to him but they were late coming in and there hadn’t been many seats left. She sat now, one seat ahead and to the right of him.

He watched her brush her hair behind her ear and bite her lip, desperately trying to hold on to the professor’s every word. That brought to mind how she was holding on the headboard of his bed just an hour ago. She was biting her lip then too. He couldn’t help the smirk that appeared on his face.

Quickly he ripped a paper out of the notebook Rey had bought for him (he would never take notes unless he was forced) and scribbled on it.

I’m gonna do unspeakable things to you tonight.

He chuckled to himself as he crumpled the paper and tossed it perfectly onto her desk. Tormenting Regina in class had come to be one of his favorite pastimes. She glanced his way for a second, eyes narrowed, angry for the disturbance. He watched as she unfolded it, her blush could have heated a third world country for a month. She also gasped but tried to turn it into a cough which just resulted in some sort of hacking noise. Zach tried to control his laughter as the students around her scooted their chairs away a bit.

She thought for a minute and wrote down a reply. Her aim was horrible and Zach had to make a show of leaning out of his seat to catch her paper. Still smirking, he unfolded it.

Why wait until tonight?

His mouth went dry. He turned his head to look at her but she wasn’t in her seat. She had subtly slipped out of her desk and was walking out the door. She swung her hips in that way she knew he loved and like he was hypnotized he followed her out. There are some things that guys can’t resist. Every girl should know that.

He followed her out the door, and down a secluded hallway. Abruptly, she had pulled him by his shirt against the cold cement wall and was feeding on his neck like a vampire. He couldn’t help but let out a groan as his lips found hers. “I couldn’t stop thinking about this,” she whispered into him.

“Here?” he questioned her, his breath shaking. Her hands quickly started fumbling around with the button and zipper to his jeans. There was no reply. She pressed her lips hard into his and forcefully pulled his pants to the floor. God, he loved it when she took charge like this.

But almost as soon as it had started, she was suddenly gone. Gaining his composure he watched her walk away back to class. She had left him, definitely not for the first time, in a public place with his pants down.

Even so, he couldn’t help but smile. Being tormented by Rey had also become one of his favorite pastimes.

March

“I know you rather be anywhere else but here right now. But seeing as you didn’t come home for Christmas, Spring Break is the only time we’d get to see you before the summer.”

“It’s alright Aunt Jen, beaches and parties were never my style.” Rey answered from across the kitchen counter as she chopped bars of chocolate into tiny pieces. Baking was one of the things she actually enjoyed doing with her aunt growing up.

“Mine either.” Zach literally appeared out of nowhere, grabbed a handful of chocolate and stuffed it in his mouth before either of the girls could object.

“Zachary!” Rey’s aunt shouted. I swear you’re as bad as my husband. No boys allowed in the kitchen, now get!” She held up her spatula at him as a weapon and he had no choice but to retreat out of the kitchen with his tail between his legs. He gave Rey one last pleading look as he left. Rey just smiled to herself. It was amazing how well Zach fit in with her makeshift family. She was suddenly so grateful he had let her drag him back home for spring break. She didn’t want to face her uncle alone.

“Regina.” Speak of the devil. She glanced up from her shopping to see her uncle in his all his glory, leaning against the door frame like some movie star. Well. Her hand gripped the knife harder. Not that she had any murderous tendencies, just if she squeezed the chocolate, it would be gross for everyone. “Can I talk to you for a moment?” Grudgingly she placed the knife down and walked across the kitchen to follow her uncle. Her aunt gave her a look that seemed to say ‘give him a chance’. Yeah, okay.

He led her through the wickedly large house to his office where he asked her to sit in front of his desk. She felt as if she was in a meeting with an attorney, not having a chat with her uncle. Her so called “father figure”.

“I’m very busy so why don’t we just get to the point.” He folded his hands on the desk. It was impossible to not be chilled by the coldness of it all. “I want to talk to you about your future.”

She wasn’t going to stand another conversation about this. She had been waiting to yell ever since she sat in that chair about 20 seconds ago. “I’m not going to follow in your footsteps!” He held his hand up, silencing her like a child.

“Let me finish, Regina.” His eyes were suddenly vulnerable. “God, you are just like your father.” His voice wasn’t spiteful like she expected. It was filled with wonder. It instantly relaxed her.

“I am?” Her voice came out weaker than she meant it to.

“Stubborn as hell. Just like he was. But kindness came from your mother. I have yet to see you show me any kindness but. I guess I gave you good reason for that.”

This was shocking Regina. Partly because her uncle was being nice to her. And partly because no one had ever told her she was like her parents. Hearing it from her uncle was just unreal. “What are you saying?”

He stared at her a while before he answered. “I know I’ve been a little controlling over you, especially in the last couple years and… I’m sorry.”

She couldn’t help her jaw from dropping. “Y-You’re apologizing? Why? Why now?”

“Because, Regina, I’ve been selfish. I haven’t wanted you to follow in your parent’s footsteps because,” for the first time ever she saw tears form in her uncle’s eyes. She didn’t know if he deemed it appropriate to cross the desk and console him. So she just sat in her leathery chair, on the brink of decision, wishing she could do more. “I don’t want to lose you like I lost them,” he finished. “I couldn’t stand it. I can’t lose you too.”

She didn’t know what to say, part of her wanted to break down and cry with him. Her eyes focused on the edge of the desk and by the time she had thought of something to say, she looked up and he had regained his composure.

“You can return to the kitchen now.” She got up from the seat and turned towards the door, a little confused, and somehow relieved. “Oh, but one more thing.” She pivoted back. Her uncle was standing to the side of the desk, smiling. “I approve of the boy.” He nodded towards the door. “He’s good for you, Rey.”

And just like that her mind was unveiled. By her uncle calling her by the same name her father used to, she suddenly realized how similar they were. They even had the same voice. Suddenly she realized how much her uncle had been there for her, growing up and even now. In his own way, he was also just like her dad had been.

She crossed the room as quickly as she could and hugged him like she would have hugged her dad if he was here. And he hugged her back in the same way. She knew he’d never replace her dad, but she wasn’t alone. She was never alone.

When they pulled apart they didn’t speak but there was an unspoken bond between them. Everything would be different now.

April

It was the longest day of her life. Hours and hours Rey had been in the library attempting to finish a paper for her social science class. She was so exhausted that it took four or five tries to get the key in the door. She was ready to relax and cuddle with Zach. That’s the only thing that could make this day worthwhile.

The room was dark except for the bathroom light which was still on. She smiled and turned it off as she saw the shadowy silhouette of Zach curled in his bed fast asleep. The moonlight shone through the window on his rugged features. Her heart sped up as it did every time she studied him like this. Already in her pajamas she slipped into the bed with him as quietly as she could. He smelled like coffee today… or maybe it was her. Either way she didn’t care. She wrapped her arm around his waist and nuzzled her chin into his neck. He groaned and pushed her off of him.

Obviously he was up. “What?” she whispered genuinely confused.

“Don’t you want to give me a chance to miss you?” Though his words were soft they struck like rocks. Her brows crunched in confusion as she got out of his bed and traveled to her own. “Wait, I didn’t mean that.” He rolled over, sleep still in his eyes.

She didn’t answer; she just crawled into her bed. She faced the wall telling herself it was stupid to cry over a small comment like that. It had been like this a lot lately. More fights than hugs. More time spent hating each other than normal. But the good moments were so good that it made the bad moments bearable. Zach stared at the back of her head, knowing he should say something but not being able to. He didn’t want to see her hurt but he didn’t want to get out of bed.

“I love you.” He mouthed to the back of her head.

It would have changed everything if he had said it just a bit louder. But he didn’t.