Tangled in Vines

The hot air of Tempe, Arizona was beating down on Collette Brun’s face as she stepped out of her car and walked up to the very familiar front doors of the apartment complex’s’ lobby and up the lift to the apartment that she shared with her best friend Carson. They had been best friends since age 4 and the two had practically been separated at birth. Carson being one year older than Collette had stayed home and gone to a year of community college while Collette finished her senior year of high school so they could go to College together.

Both had ended up getting accepted to one of their top schools being Arizona State University where Collette would be starting her freshman year and Carson would be transferring and be starting her sophomore year at ASU. By now, it was Carson’s senior year of college and Collette’s junior year and the two 21, and 22 year olds were living life to the fullest.

Today wasn’t the best day for Collette. Being late to class on top of being yelled at by her English professor didn’t help at all. So when she walked through the door and walked down the hallway she threw herself on the floor, not minding the pain that it caused her and let out a long breath.

“I hate college.” She complained to Carson, knowing that she was home. “I swear to go it feels like life is trying to shove its fist up my fucking ass today.”

Carson coughed and chuckled. “Uhm Collette? Did you notice our guests?”

All the color drained from her face in embarrassment as she looked up to see five, tanned boys sitting all around the living room, looking at her in amusement. Instantly she jumped up and straightened out her long ponytail and carefully pinned back bangs. She noticed one of the boys looking over her up and down, his vibrant green eyes glowing with lust.

“Uhm, Carson? Can you tell your friend over there to stop staring at me like a piece of meat.” The look on the young man’s face had a slight tinge of red on his cheeks, contrasting against his tanned skin perfectly. But instead of looking away shyly like most girls would under the gaze of John O’ Callaghan, she winked.

“And what’s your name, cutie?” Collette asked bluntly playing with her hair subtly.
“Collette!” Carson scolded from the couch with her brows furrowed. “Why must you seduce my friends.”

The long headed brunette girl looked over and scoffed. “Oh come off it. You never let me have any fun.” The pout evident on her cherry chap stick coated lips. She looked up to see John chuckling at her pout and she smiled a bit knowing her game was most likely working.

“Still.” Carson retorted. “These are my new friends Kennedy, Garrett, Jared, Pat and John.” She pointed out each one as she listed them of and each one gave a wave and smile in a return. The boy who had been looking at her earlier, she learned, was John.

“Alright well I’m gonna finish up this worksheet that my professor gave me. It’ll only take me like twenty minutes hopefully if I focus enough. I’ll be in my room if you need me.”

As Colette worked on her paper for her English class, she thought back to the boy and Carson’s warning. It wasn’t like Collette to be so… blunt and upfront with people the first time meeting them. But John was something new; she’d never seen anyone that looked like him before. He was fresh and had a certain sensitive, but bad boy aura centering around him.

The thought of a new boy to toy and play around with enticed her, the mere thought of yet another boy falling for her had her shaking from the spot on her bed. Collette knew exactly what she was doing but she didn’t care.

John O’ Callaghan was just becoming another notch in her belt.