"Hey, where's the bathroom?" I ask as soon as we hit the second floor of the frat house.

"Right there." Luke point with a smile. "Our rooms the last door on the right, just join us when you're done."

When I reach for the door handle it is pulled open from inside and reveals a half-dressed Hayden. His dark brown hair is wet, and the musty scent of men's body wash radiates off of his exposed chest.

"Addy!" His cheeks flush a bright pink. "What are you doing here?"

"Um, movie night." I don't have to see my cheeks to know their shade matches his. "Can I use the bathroom?" I ask with a laugh when he doesn't move from his spot in the doorway.

"Oh, yeah! Of course." His cheeks turn from pink to red as he squeezes pass me.

Once I am in the bathroom I look into the dirty mirror and sure enough my cheeks are a rosy color. "Pull it together Adelaide," I whisper before squatting over the dirty toilet. Why are boy's so disgusting? Like seriously someone needs to learn how to clean, this is so gross. There are dirty towels scattered across the floor, empty beer bottles on the counter and flakes of marijuana scattered everywhere.

When I finish, I wash my hands and use my jeans to dry them, since I don't trust touching anything else in this bathroom. I open the door and begin walking down the hall but stop when I spot Hayden sitting shirtless still on his bed. He has a pen between his teeth and reading glasses on as he pours himself over the textbooks and notes that are laid out on his bed.

"Hey," I say nervously as I knock lightly on the doorframe.

"Hey!" He jumps back and quickly removes his glasses. "What's up?"

"Nothing." I bite my lip as I walk into the small room. "What are you working on?"

"Just doing some reading. Aren't you going to join them for movie night?" He watches me intently as I pick up his notes to read them over.

"I will." I smile to myself as I admire his neat and thorough scribbles. "Would you want to join us? I don't want to be the fifth wheel."

"Addy are you asking me to be your date for movie night?" he teases.

"If calling it that makes you say yes then sure, it's a date." I roll my eyes while setting his notebook down. "But put a shirt on, I don't want anyone gawking at you if you're my date." The words form naturally and as soon as I say them, I feel my cheeks heat up. Where did that come from? Before everything I was so playful with my guy friends, and for a moment that same naïve girl peeked out, I need to back track. "I'm just kidding!"

The smile on his face fades as he stands to grab a shirt. "If it makes you more comfortable, I wouldn't want anyone checking you out either," he confesses while slipping into an OSU baseball shirt. As he walks out of his room he grabs ahold of my hand and leads the way to Oliver and Luke's room.

When we walk in everyone lights up at the sight of us holding hands, except Oliver I can tell he's trying not to grimace at the sight. I debate letting go of Hayden's hand, but my mom's words roll around my mind, be open to making friends and be open to love. Lindsey always talks highly of Hayden and how he treats women, I guess I can try and be open to something. I owe it myself to be happy, but that doesn't mean I will trust him anytime soon. All men are the same, my subconscious warns me.

With Hayden's hand wrapped snuggly around mine he leads me to and open spot on the floor and sits down before tugging me down gently to join him. I smile at him and take a nervous seat between his bent legs.

"What are we watching tonight?"

"I don't know it's some movie this kid burned for me, he said it's really good," Luke states while placing the disc into the DVD player.

As the movie gets going, I make myself more comfortable in Hayden's arms, but constantly have to remind myself to feel comfortable and that he isn't going to try to hurt me. Not yet at least, he isn't in a position to take everything and leave me with nothing yet.

The movie is darker than most I am willing to watch, and bile rises in my throat when a rape scene begins to unfold on the television. I close my eyes and try to swallow it down when a warm hand grabs mine, pulling me to my feet.

"What the heck?" Hayden whispers. At first, I assume his question is to me but when I open my eyes it's Oliver leading me out of the room.

He steps out of sight of the others before leaning against the wall and pulling me closer to him. His hands find their place on either side of my face and he carefully pulls me forward so our foreheads are resting gently against the other's. I force my eyes shut. Don't cry, I beg myself to hold in my emotions.

"Adelaide look at me," he softy commands but I shake my head.

I can feel myself slipping back to that day; the feeling of his hands, the sound of his voice, the pain.

"Please don't go back there. Open your eyes and stay with me love," he begs, an unexplained desperation in his words.

I clench my teeth, but do as he request, and I am instantly greeted by those soft teddy brown eyes filled with apprehension.

"There you are love." He tries to smile as the pad of his thumb wipes away the tears on my cheek. "I didn't know the movie had a scene like that or I never would have let him play it. Are you going to be okay? I saw your face. I am so sorry. If I had known—"

I lift my hand and cover his mouth. "Thank you." I sigh. "But don't think for a second I forgive you for challenging me in class." I feel his lips pull into a smirk beneath my palm. "I mean it," I whisper before removing my hand.

"Hey, are you two okay?" Hayden pokes his head out from the bedroom and his eyes immediately latch onto the sight of Oliver's hand resting on my waist, our bodies only inches apart. "Oh, I didn't realize—"

My eyes widen and I step away from Oliver. "No, goodness no. He was just—"

"I was just talking to her about something," Oliver lies. "Are you ready for me to take you back? I don't want," he stops to eye Hayden, "I just think it's better we leave."

The testosterone level in the hall has sky rocketed and somehow, I am stuck in the middle of it. Fuck, I feel like I'm suffocating. The look on Hayden's face crushes me, it's full of disappointment. I walk over and place a small kiss on his cheek. "Ask Lindsey for my number and I'll explain stuff later, it's not what you think. We aren't together."

"Just protect yourself around him, you never know if its just an act," he whispers quietly enough so Oliver can't hear.

"Trust me, after the year I have I'm not sure I will ever fully be able to let my guard down." I caress his cheek gently, the softness in his eyes crushes me.

All men are the same, but they can also be so vulnerable. Some are naïve enough to trust a woman, and Hayden is most definitely one of those men. My hatred surpassed men after what happened, women of our community defended David's character and said he could never hurt a fly. My mom wouldn't admit it, but I know their statements on his character helped sway the jury in his favor.

"Let's go," Oliver demands and when I turn to face him, I note the scowl he is giving Hayden.

"Play nice," I warn while walking pass him.

"I don't like the way he looks at you," he pouts.

"Because he looks at me so much differently than how you do. His intentions with me at least seem somewhat sincere."

"And mine don't?" He stops in his tracks and grabs my arm to turn me around. We are standing chest to chest and the look in his eyes sends a shiver down my spine, and the butterflies swarm.

"N-no, I mean I-I don't know. I've been warned about you." I avert my eyes and stare into his chest.

"Warned?"

"To keep my guard up around you and given my past I think I should heed the warnings." I shrug before removing myself from his limp grip. I fight the urge to look into those teddy brown eyes and continue walking down the hallway. "Are you coming?"

When we arrive to the dorms Oliver insists on walking me up and I am too tired to fight. We walk in silence and as soon as I unlock the door Oliver makes himself at home on my bed.

I roll my eyes and begin collecting thing so I can take a shower. Let's see toiletry bag, towel, clean pajamas and shower shoes.

"Where are you going?" his tone is panicked.

"To take a shower." I laugh. "Calm down."

"I'll come with."

"What?" My eyes widen. "Absolutely not!"

"Why not? I've showered in the stall next to you before." He smirks at me. "Or do you not remember how we met?"

"This is different."

"How so?"

"Cause now I know you. Just stay here," I command. "I won't be long and stay out of my things!"

"I think I may search your intimate's drawer. I am awfully curious what kind of panties you wear." He winks.

"I will slaughter you in your sleep!" I laugh before walking out of the room.

When I walk into the bathroom, I recall Oliver's advice about the first stall and walk a few down. I breathe a breath of fresh air when I realize I am the only one in the showers. I set my belongings down on the counter and hang my towel on the hook before stepping inside the stall. Once I am hidden from prying eyes, I strip off my clothing and toss them outside the shower. The water is almost immediately hot, one of the only bonuses of the dorm showers. As I wash away the sweat, my mind is sucked back in time to the day I sat crying at the bottom of the shower scrubbing away the blood that painted the inside of my thighs. I choke down the tears and shove the image away as I search for my voice.

"I'm going under and this time I fear there's no one to save me," my voice cracks as I begin to sing. "This all or nothing really got a way of driving me crazy. I need somebody to heal. Somebody to know. Somebody to have. Somebody to hold." I wipe away the tears that have formed on my cheeks and turn off the water. I reach outside for my towel, and once I am dried, I wrap the towel around my frame.

I step outside the shower to retrieve my clothes and my jaw drops. "I thought I told you to stay in the room."

"You also said you wouldn't be long." His tone is serious, but his lips pull into a smirk. "You sure can sing love."

"What have I said about calling me love?" I snip while grabbing my clothes off the counter.

"Why are you so against it?"

"You most likely use it on every girl, so don't use a term like that if it isn't meaningful." I roll my eyes as I pull my pajamas on inside the wet stall.

"Are you almost done?" he asks after a long silence.

"Jeez can you be more patient?" I walk out of the stall and to the counter to brush my teeth. His eyes are on me, I know it, I can feel them. "What?"

"Nothing," he mumbles.

"Okay." I no it isn't nothing, no one stares at someone like that without a reason.

He watches as I finish and when I collect my belongings, he takes them from my grasp. "I'll carry it."

"Umm, okay. Thanks." I eye him suspiciously as we walk out of the bathroom and back towards my room.

"Lindsey most likely won't be back tonight," he breaks the silence when we reach the door.

"How do you know?"

"She always does on movie nights."

"Oh, okay. Well do you want to hangout and watch a movie on my computer. I feel bad that I pulled you away from your movie." I pull my phone out of my backpack and notice a text from an unknown number: Hey it's Hayden. Hope everything is okay. With a smile I respond: I am okay. The movie just kind of hit a touchy subject for me. Oliver knows about it, so he was trying to help. Nothing is going on, promise.

"Adelaide?" I look up from my phone and he looks annoyed. "Did you hear me?"

"No sorry, my mom texted me," I lie. I don't want him to get mad.

"I said I'd love to watch a movie with you." His features soften and a smile plays at the corner of his lips. Why does he seem so relieved?

He kicks off his boots and makes himself comfortable on my bed.

"Please make yourself at home," I tease when I join him with my laptop. "We're watching The Hangover, there's no debate about it." I glance back and he smiles at me warmly. I snap my head around and turn the movie on. What am I doing letting him in like this? He probably thinks I'm already getting wrapped around his finger and I most certainly am not. He can just throw that dream away because it's not happening.

"Come here," he whispers. If I didn't know him as the confident guy he is, I would almost claim he sounds nervous, but there no way that is true. His warm hands pull me down, and my skin lights up under his touch and that heat only increases when my back is pressed against his chest. I rest my head on my pillow and he props himself up so he can see the small screen too. The warm fingers of his free hand burn into the exposed skin of my waist. I want to ask him to remove his hand but instead I welcome the fuzzy feeling inside it creates. It won't hurt to pretend everything is okay for one night. Will it?

The movie is almost over but my eyes begin to burn from the brightness of the screen, so I roll over in his arms and bury myself into his chest. He reaches over me, and I hear my laptop click shut, leaving us in the darkness of my room. His warm fingers trace my jaw and soon the warmth of his forehead is on mine. I feel my breath catch in my throat, while his comes out ragged. His chest rattles against mine. I can't see him, but I feel his breath growing closer, his lips growing closer.

I want to welcome it, it feels uncomfortably right but I turn away at the last second causing his lips to brush against my cheek. "Please don't, I don't want to cross this line again. Well a part of me does, I want to shut off my fears, but I can't. I won't let myself."

"I would never hurt you, not intentionally," he whispers. His whole body feels as if its vibrating against mine, and I can't tell which one of us is causing it.

"But you will. We both know that."

The door opens and the lights flick on to reveal a shocked Lindsey. "Oh shit, my bad! I didn't mean to interrupt."

"You weren't interrupting anything," he snips as he rips himself from our embrace and jumps off the bed. He snags his boots with a scowl and storms out of the room.

"What the hell was that?" Lindsey eyes me, clearly shocked at what she just witnessed.