After Tristan finished his pizza and soda, he bought food in to-go containers—one filled with caesar salad and the other with meatloaf and mashed potatoes. He strode to the elevator and his dorm room with his backpack slung over one shoulder, holding the containers out in front of him.
He reached the door and stopped.
The high pitch of female laughter snaked out from behind the door followed by laughter of a lower pitch, Collin‘s.
He transferred the containers to one hand and made a fist to knock on the door.
“Yeah, can you believe it? It actually worked.” Collin‘s voice rang out from behind the door.
“You‘re a stud, Collin.” A second round of laughter erupted from her.
Placing his hand on the doorknob, he twisted. The door opened. They‘d left it unlocked. Anger and jealousy filled every fiber of his being. He stomped into the room.
Collin lay on his bed, shirtless, on his back next to the wall, smiling up at the ceiling.
Jessica sat next to him, cross-legged, with her open hand on his stomach, looking down on him.
“What the fuck?” Tristan yelled. His chest heaved. He threw the food containers onto his bed and dropped his backpack to the floor.
“Jesus.” Collin lurched up to sitting and stared at him.
Gasping, she twisted around and looked up at Tristan with wide eyes and an open mouth.
“What are you doing back so early?” Collin clamored to the edge of the bed, making Jessica bounce.
“Some fucking studying, Collin.” His voice boomed in the small room. Trembling with rage, his nerves frayed.
She held out her hands in a soothing gesture. “Calm down, Tristan. There‘s nothing to be upset about.”
“Nothing?” He paced the room, from his desk to the closet, clenching his hands into fists and releasing them. “So I should have no problem with you two lying on a bed together. I should be fucking happy to hear you calling him a stud?”
“What? We weren‘t lying on the bed together. She was just sitting next to me.” Collin rose from the edge of the bed, glanced at her and looked at Tristan with confusion knitting his brows. “When did you come in? How long were you standing there listening?”
He stomped to stand in front of Collin and glared at him. “Long enough. What‘s going on between you two?”
She dropped her bare feet to the floor. “Noth—”
“Shut the fuck up!” He glared beyond Collin to her.
Collin snatched his arm in a firm hold. “That‘s enough.”
Pain raced through his arm and lodged in his shoulder. He yanked his arm, but Collin‘s hold tightened. “Let go.” His emotions swirled inside him. Hurt came rushing forward. His vision blurred.
“No.” Collin yanked his arm and tugged him forward, taking him into the hallway. He shoved him up against the far wall.
His back hit with a thud and he clenched his teeth.
“What‘s the matter with you? Huh? I thought you trusted me? What the hell was all that about?” A mere inch separated Collin‘s face from his.