Without You

Page 60

I looked up to see Grace staring down at me, holding my phone.
“You left it in here last night. It looks like he has been trying to call you since one in the morning.”
I reached for the phone. I had twenty-five missed calls and ten text messages. The last call was ten minutes ago.
“Oh shit.”
I pulled up and read the messages. They were all pretty much the same.
Will: Lex, call me.
Will: Lex, I’m starting to worry.
Will: Fuck, Lex, you’re scaring me.
The last one really caught my attention.
Will: I’m heading to Austin. Borrowing a friend’s car.
I snapped my head up and looked at Grace. Then, I let out a moan and held my throbbing head. “Oh my God, Will is on his way here.”
Grace turned and walked away.
What in the hell is wrong with her?
I stood up and quickly brushed my teeth. I took a few Tylenol and headed back into the room.
“I need to get dressed.”
“You need to take a shower. All I smell is alcohol and the remnants of Blake Turner.”
I stopped dead in my tracks. I turned slowly to look at her. “Excuse me?”
“Smell your hair. You smell like his cologne.”
I shook my head and went back into the bathroom. Turning on the hot water, I tried to remember what had happened last night.
Why is Grace so mad?
Oh God, did I do something with Blake?
No, I would never do that to Will, drunk or not.
I jumped in the shower and began washing my hair. I moved on to my body and scrubbed it with soap. After drying off, I brushed my teeth again and then made my way out to the room. I picked up my phone and hit Will’s number.
“Alex?”
My heart dropped. He never called me Alex.
“Will, I’m so sorry.”
“What in the hell? I’ve been worried sick. I even tried to call Grace, but she didn’t answer.”
I looked at Grace and gave her a funny look. “Um…I’m not sure why she wasn’t answering her phone.”
Grace smirked at me. “I wasn’t answering because after I went running this morning, I stopped at Starbucks, and I left my phone there. They’re holding it for me.”
“Grace left her phone at Starbucks this morning. Will, I’m so sorry. I left my phone in the bathroom last night, and I just woke up a little bit ago.”
“It’s almost one in the afternoon, Lex.”
I closed my eyes and felt the tears building. “I had too much to drink last night.”
Silence.
I swallowed hard. “Will? Are you still there?”
“Yeah. I’m turning around and heading back to A&M.”
“Wait! Where are you? I can meet you!”
Silence again.
“Will? I’m really sorry. I didn’t even realize I had drunk so much, and…well, I just wanted to have fun.”
“Sounds like you did, Lex.”
I closed my eyes. “Where are you? I can meet you.”
“I’m tired, Lex. I have a test on Monday, so I’m just going to head back to A&M. I’m glad you’re okay. I was really freaking out.”
My heart was literally hurting. I opened my eyes and felt a tear rolling down my face. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to worry you. Will you please tell me where you’re at?”
“I’m in Austin.”
I jumped up. “Will, why would you leave? You’ve already come all this way. Please…I need to see you.”
“I’m sitting outside your dorm, Lex. I was just talking to your friend Blake.”
My whole world stopped. Oh God. What did I do last night? I looked at Grace. “How in the world did you meet Blake?”
Grace’s eyes widened in surprise.
“He asked who I was looking for. After I mentioned your name, he said you were in his study group.”
My heart began pounding. Blake had lied to him. I had never gone to the study group before.
“I’m on my way. Let me throw on some clothes. Please, Will, please don’t leave.”
“I won’t,” he whispered.
“Be right there! Bye.”
The phone went dead.
I looked at Grace and busted out into tears. “Oh my God, Grace. Did I do something wrong last night? I don’t remember anything. Grace! What did I do?”
She got up, picked up a pair of jeans, and handed them to me. I pulled them on quickly and grabbed a T-shirt.
“Alex, you didn’t do anything but drink too much. You danced a little too close to Blake, that’s all.”