Page 70 of Saving Barrette

She blinks, and I think she sees the rationality in it. “But don’t you have to live in student housing for your scholarship?”

“No. UW doesn’t require student athletes to live on campus. I’ll probably have to get some kind of clearance, but I’ll talk to Coach and see what he says. My dad’s friend has a house here in Seattle. It’s only two miles from campus.”

Barrette’s expression shifts and I don’t know this one. Is it shyness? Nervousness? I can’t tell and it’s killing me not knowing. “Asa,” she says, and I know it’s disappointment. “What happened today, with your team and me, us, all this crap, I can’t do that to you. I refuse to let you put your career in jeopardy over me. It’s not fair to you.”

I can’t believe what she’s saying. And I refuse to let her think I wouldn’t risk it all for her. I move toward her and kneel in front of her. I slide my hands up her thighs and wait for her to look at me. “Everything that’s happened to you, that’s not fucking fair, Barrette. Your ability to say no was taken from you. I’m fully capable of making my own decisions. And I choose you. Every goddamn time, I chooseyou.”

It takes her a moment before she finally realizes what I’m saying, but when she does, emotion floods her face, her hands grasping my face to pull me to her.

I may not have any control over what happens with Roman, but I can control what happens between me and Barrette.

“Are you sure we should move in together? I mean, I can always get an apartment off campus or something but for me and you… is that what you want?”

My arms circle around her waist. “It’s what I want. I want to know you’re safe. This way I can control it. We can have separate rooms if you feel it’s moving too fast.”

She arches an eyebrow, a giggle working its way through her. “Yeah, right.”

I have to laugh myself. “It wouldn’t be easy, and I’d probably sleep on the floor in your room every night, but I’d do it for you.”

Barrette slides to the edge of the bed and then onto my lap, her arms around my shoulders. “Today, in class, I wanted the world to stop when he sat next to me. But when I saw you, I realized it didn’t matter what happened. I had to save you, just like you saved me.” Her right hand slips off my shoulder and touches my cheek. I lean into her warm touch. “Together, I know we can get through this.Off campus. I can’t be here anymore than I have to.”

“So you’ll move in with me?”

She smiles. “Only if we get a king-size bed. I’m so tired of trying to sleep on this twin bed with you.”

I wink. “I like the way you think. More room for activities.”

She pushes against my shoulder. “You’re such a boy. I meant for sleeping.”

My lips find hers when I whisper, “Sure you did.”

This is one change I’m ready for.

3 weeks later

“No. We don’t need that.”

“Are you crazy? That’s four dollars and thirty-eight cents an ounce.” He points at the label like I should know these things. “Look at the tags.”

“You do not need brand name orange juice, Asa. If it has oranges in it, it’s orange juice.”

Those are the remarks you hear when you’re grocery shopping with Terrell. He even makes me put back my Sour Patch Kids. It’s like going with my mom again and I strangely feel like a child when he schools me on how to read labels to find the best price for toilet paper. You don’t think about these things when you’re living in a dorm and everything is paid for.

Now that I’m living off campus, I have to think about a food budget and things like remembering to pay the power bill. All worth it if you ask me to be away from the drama on campus. It seems everywhere we go now, Barrette is stared at and talked about. I don’t know how she manages to attend class without breaking down but every day she surprises me and keeps pushing forward.

I pick up a bottle of laundry soap and put it in the cart, waiting for Terrell’s permission. He frowns and then looks at the shelf. “If we get the bigger bottle, it’s cheaper in the long run.”

I groan. “You know what, next time I’m just giving you a list and you’re going by yourself.”

He smiles and continues walking down the aisles with me. “I happen to enjoy grocery shopping. You just suck at it.”

“I don’t suck at it. You’re impossible to please.” He glances down at the list in his hand the girls gave us and then stops in his tracks. “Oh, hell no. Are they serious?”

I burst out laughing when I see what’s written. “I can’t wait to see what they say when you try to bring them the cheap version of tampons.”

His frown deepens and it’s like he’s being asked to rip off his toenails. “Do you think we can just tell them they were sold out?”

“Not likely.”

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