Misunderstandings Read Online Free Page B

hear her chattering away like I was in the room.
    “So, how did you meet this Rob the Poet character?” I asked once I was back in my bed.
    “Bobbing for apples. He tied my hands behind my back,” she sighed happily, pulling the balloons off one at a time.
    “Honey, I’d watch who I mentioned that to. You know, the whole bondage thing,” I teased, stifling a yawn.
    “Ha, that’s so not funny,” she growled, throwing a balloon at me that missed the mark completely as it fluttered harmlessly toward the floor.
    “I try. Now shut off the light. I’m exhausted.”
    “Fine, party pooper,” she grumbled before plunging the room into darkness.
    I fell asleep to the sound of more deflating balloons and Melissa still chattering on about how fantastic Rob was and how she couldn’t wait for me to meet him. She finally quieted down after I chucked a pillow at her, even though I heard her complaining quietly how it would have been easier to take her costume off if she had a little light.
    • • •
    “Hurry, Brittni, we’re going to be late,” Melissa demanded, hopping impatiently from one foot to the other while I pulled my favorite loosely woven sweater over my head.
    “I thought you said it starts at seven,” I replied, adding the final touches to my appearance.
    “It does, but Rob wanted us to get there early so we can support his friend. So get your ass in gear.”
    “Fine, but need I remind you I’m the one doing you a favor here? Art shows really aren’t my thing.”
    “I know, I know. How about you mention it another million times? But you agreed to go so Rob’s best friend in the world isn’t embarrassed if he doesn’t get a good turnout.”
    “So, having me there to witness his misery is a perk, how?” I asked, pulling on my coat.
    “Bodies are bodies. Anything that looks like people actually showed is better than nothing.”
    “If you say so,” I said gloomily, wishing I’d stood firm on my original answer, which had been a resounding no. Melissa had worn me down over the last few days using every resource in her arsenal from begging to outright bribery. Her final last-ditch attempt was to offer to bring me morning coffee every day for the next month. That finally sealed the deal. What can I say? I’m a coffee whore.
    “You at least have to
act
like you’re having fun or you’ll be getting decaf delivered in the morning,” she said as we made our way across campus huddled together. The brisk November wind was making a good effort at cutting through our jackets.
    “You wouldn’t dare,” I gasped.
    “I would. Now show me a smile.”
    I finally let my lips spread into a smile that came off more as a grimace.
    “Whoa, slow down, sister. We don’t want to scare them. How about a smile that doesn’t look like someone is pulling off your toenails with pliers?”
    “How about this?” I asked, flashing an exaggerated smile that was all teeth.
    “Better, I guess, but you might want to rethink the piece of spinach you have stuck between your teeth,” she chirped, nudging me toward the campus art museum.
    “Crap, really?” I griped, using my nail to dislodge the offending leaf.
    “At least I told you,” she pointed out as we stepped into the warm lobby. “Whew, it is freaking cold out there.”
    “That’s nothing compared to what we get back home this time of year.”
    “That’s insanity,” she replied, pulling off her jacket as she scanned the atrium. “Oh, there’s Rob,” she squealed, smoothing her hair down before dragging me off toward a dark-haired guy standing off to the side of the entryway talking to another guy who had his back to us.
    “Melissa,” Rob said as he broke off his conversation and dragged Melissa into his arms for a quick hard hug.
    “Rob, this is my roomie, aka college bestie, Brittni Mitchell,” Melissa said, tugging my hand so I was face to face with her current crush.
    “Rob, it’s nice to meet you. Melissa thinks quite highly of your