Sanctuary

"Wait up, okay? I just want to ask him about something," Shae said as he and Taryn slowed down by the door. She paused, stepping to the side as Shae headed for the professor's podium. She picked at her fingernails, waiting patiently.

"Okay, so apparently he's not counting that last exam against us," Shae said, sighing and pulling on his backpack straps.

"That's a relief," Taryn said quietly. She, too, had not done well on the last test. But technically, it wasn't her fault she didn't understand calculus. Her high school teachers had focused too much on geometry, leaving her stranded for college math.

"I'm going to head to the Bear's Den to try and knock out these problems sets. Want to join? I could always use the extra brain power." He and Taryn headed down the steps, looking across the street where the student union, coined the Bear's Den by Brighton students, loomed.

"Um, actually, I'm gonna go for a run," Taryn said, tucking some hair behind her ear. "You know, before it gets too dark." Actually, she was intending to head to the clearing. She hadn't been there since the previous semester, and she figured her journal was begging for something new.

"Oh, okay. Well, I'll text you if I start crying or something," he joked, pulling his beanie tighter against his head against the cold wind. "I'll see you at Parker's tonight?"

"Parker's?"

"Yeah, he's holding a welcome back shindig at his place tonight. Nothing huge. Just the usual."

"Okay, yeah, I guess I'll be there," Taryn said, forcing a smile. She made a mental note to ask Hallie about it when she returned to the dorms.

They parted ways, Taryn burying her face in her scarf and heading for the edge of campus. Luckily, her old path was still present, barely visible in the jumble of bare tree branches. She took a deep breath as she headed into the woods, the world darkening as she progressed further. She glanced around, seeing a deer in the distance bound off further into the trees. Perhaps this wasn't the smartest idea she'd ever had, but she had missed this place. She wasn't about to let some cold weather get in the way.

***

"Hey, girl!" Hallie greeted her roommate as Taryn pushed through the doorway. Her nose was numb, her breaths shallow as she adjusted to the sudden warm air of the dorm building. "Are you ready for dinner?"

"Yeah, just give me a few?" Taryn said, smiling at Hallie as she peeled off her coat. She shivered, adjusting her cream sweater as she looked in the mirror. Her pale face stared back, drained from the cold and in desperate need of a touch-up.

"So I was thinking we could go to dinner and then maybe watch a movie and relax before we head to Parker's…?" Hallie suggested. "Have some solid roomie time?"

"Roomie time sounds great!" Taryn said happily. "I feel like such a dumbass, though. I had no idea Parker was having this thing…I'm not sure I want to go."

"Taryn! You have to! Everyone will be there!"

"I know, girl. I just…don't feel like partying tonight. Honestly, watching movies all night sounds kind of perfect."

"Are you sure?" Hallie asked, throwing her blanket aside and sliding off her bed. She slid on a pair of Uggs and glanced in the mirror, fixing her blond ponytail. "I don't want to leave you here alone."

"I'll be fine," Taryn said, grabbing her coat and putting it back on. She grabbed her keys, pocketing them as she smiled reassuringly at Hallie. "I just want to relax. It's honestly been the most stressful week."

"Okay," Hallie said reluctantly. "Just let me know if you change your mind, okay? I'm sure Parker would love to have you."

"Oh, no doubt," Taryn said quickly. "I really do appreciate the invite. Maybe another time! And please, don't hesitate to call me if you need to be walked home. You know I'm here for you."

"I love you," Hallie said happily, throwing her arm around her roommate as they headed for the elevators. "Can we please live together forever?"

"I mean, I don't know about FOREVER," Taryn joked as the doors slid open. "I do plan on getting married someday."

"Okay, so we'll marry hot twins and buy a big-ass mansion or something and have lots of babies!" Hallie laughed as the doors slid closed, carrying them to the bottom floor.

***

"I have to say, I'm surprised you called," Taryn said with a smirk. She stood at the threshold of an apartment on Brighton's West Campus, usually populated by seniors and older students.

"Yeah, well, my friend's off-campus for the weekend, and he needed someone to pet-sit. So I'm lonely," Matt joked, letting her in. A playful labrador puppy bounded over to Taryn's feet, whimpering in excitement.

"Aw, precious," Taryn cooed, kneeling down and rubbing it's little tummy. God, she was such a sucker for dogs. Matt stepped around her, resuming his lounge on the pleather sectional in the center of the room.

"Okay, so you got me here," Taryn said, crossing her legs and looking up at him as she played with the puppy. "What's up?"

"Nothing, actually."

"You said you had to talk to me!" she exclaimed. She reached for the puppy's tags, reading it's name. Bailey. How cute.

"I lied," he joked. "But I do feel like I never see you anymore. We haven't talked in a while!"

"Okay….so how was your winter break?"

"Oh, that's lame," Matt laughed, standing up and heading for the fridge. He leaned down, pulling out two beers and handing one to her. She took it, popping the cap off and taking a sip as she squinted at him. What was his deal?

"Fine, you talk then," she teased. "How's Morgan? I mean, Mandee. Or, shit, what was her name again?"

He cocked his head at her, a smirk playing on the corner of his lips. "Meghan."

"Right."

"Haven't talked to her since finals, actually," Matt said, shrugging. She stood up, leaving Bailey behind and sitting next to him on the couch.

"I don't know, dude, you seemed pretty into her," Taryn poked, taking another sip of cold beer and raising her eyebrows at him. She may have been hammered, but she very well remembered how shitty she had felt when she had seen them hooking up at the last party of the semester.

"I'm sorry, do I detect some severe jealousy here?" Matt said, nudging her knee with his.

"No," she said forcefully, placing her empty beer bottle on the table in front of them. "I'm just saying. I find it hard to believe you called me here tonight instead of her. After all, all I got was a coffee date. She got the full Matt experience."

He laughed. "Yeah, well, she was more interested in…physical things, let's say."

"Oh?" She tilted her shoulders towards him in curiosity.

"Trust me. She's gone," he said. "And since Bailey here prevented me from hanging out with the gang, I figured I'd invite a familiar face to join me in solitude."

"And how's that working for you?" she said boldly.

He reached out, holding his beer up to her lips. He tipped it back for her as she took a sip, holding his gaze. He leaned in closer with a smirk. "Pretty well, actually."

"You're not trying to get me drunk, are you?" she said quietly. Her eyes quickly glanced back and forth to both of his, trying to gauge his thought process.

"Absolutely not," he said, looking offended. "I'm not that much of a scumbag."

She raised her eyebrows. "So you just want me to trust you again."

"Yeah." She inched closer as his eyes shot to her lips and back up to her eyes again.

"And you want me to kiss you," she said confidently. Wow, that beer had hit her fast. She supposed that's what she got for not eating since breakfast.

"If I said yes, would you?"

She leaned in, closing her eyes slowly.

"No," she joked, pushing on his chest. Her head may have felt a bit light, but she wasn't about to forget about how shady he was being.

His head fell, a fake frown on his handsome face. "Fair enough." He stood up, grabbing a few more beers from the fridge.

Bailey yelped as he sat back down. Taryn lifted her onto her lap, petting her head. God, she was adorable.

"She likes you. Took her about three hours to stop barking after I walked in the door earlier. Must not have trusted me, either."

Taryn pursed her lips, looking down at Bailey's big brown eyes. She could feel Matt watching her.

"I have an idea, he said, pushing the coffee table out of the way and sliding onto the floor. He grabbed the beers from the table and patted the carpet next to him. Taryn cocked her head dubiously.

"What?" he scoffed. "Seriously. I know how I can make you trust me again." Taryn's stomach twisted in anticipation. She could tell he was really hung up on the fact that she doubted him. She wondered why.

She slid down next to him, bringing Bailey with her. For now, that little puppy was her safety blanket.

"It's going to take more than a few beers," Taryn said as he handed her another one.

"I know," he said, ruffling Bailey's ears. "Good thing we have all night."