I officially moved in with Ezra after that night. I changed my phone number and closed all my online dating profiles so no more mishaps with crazies could happen ever again. Because Ezra warned the next time, he wouldn't play referee when my "little game" got real. I promised never again and everything was good.
I never confronted Rich or Michelle but it never was a problem because we ran in different circles and with Ezra their affair didn't even feel as important as it once did. Until Rich decided to come sniffing around like the dog he was, trying to see if I was still the same hydrant he could piss on and leave like the last time.
It had been two whole years since we had spoken last. He was a senior and I was now a junior. Which I guess made it possible for us to have the same class, Religious Philosophy. When I realized he was in my class I immediately requested to drop the course but all other classes except for Research and Statistics were filled and I'd be damned if I ever took another math class if I had a choice and so to my dismay, I was stuck.
I told Ezra about my situation and he encouraged me to ignore him citing that Rich was a "non-motherfucking factor" which made me laugh since that quote was from one of my favorite Basketball Wives stars. So I did for about two weeks, then we were split into pairs to work on a study about religious doctrine in regards to law and as if there was no God who could hear my prayers to not have Rich as my partner, we were assigned to each other and I immediately felt doomed.
But much to my surprise, we worked well together, just like old times. I did all the research while he did all the social interaction and it just clicked. Soon, I found myself thinking about when we were together and how happy we used to be and I almost forgot how devastated he had left me. Then one day, we were talking and I realized he was the same damn Rich. We had decided to interview each other in an attempt to represent the differing outlooks of men and women toward the relationship between Religion & State. So I suggested we meet at Grover amphitheater since A: Ezra hated Rich so my place was off limits and B: I was not going to his place, to be alone with him when I knew he was looking so good and I was so horny. I figured if we went to the amphitheater I'd have a chance to control myself since it was outside in the open where anyone could see us.
We met up there and were half way through the interviews when he decided we had had enough questions about the topic at hand.
"Ok, enough. Let's ask the real." He said while putting away his things.
I laughed at his choice of words. "The real?"
He smiled and I noticed the deep dimples in his cheeks. One look at Rich and you'd be smitten by those deep dimples, not to mention his cloudy gray eyes and devastating smile. God! He was beautiful, like an onyx statue made to resemble Adonis. I just wanted to give up right then. I sighed and he looked at me quizzically before continuing.
"I want to play truth or truth. And before you say it sounds a little redundant, you should know there's a valid point to having two truths, to cover all bases."
I nodded my understanding and asked, "So who's first?"
He answered in a mock superhero voice which caused his baritone voice to drop to that of a bass. "I am. So, Lois...truth or truth?"
I think I wet my panties at that point. I laughed at his impersonation and answered truth, but my mind was going a hundred miles a minute as I realized I really did want him to be my superhero so he could save my body from the torture it was going through. Rich brought me back from my dirty fantasy of him fucking me in a telephone booth, with his question.
"Ok so, what happened to us? I mean why did we stop talking?"
He caught me off guard with that one and I guess my face showed it because he quickly pointed at me and repeated the name of the game, truth or truth. I took a deep breath before divulging my biggest heartache.
"I saw you fucking Michelle."
He looked at me for a second and then laughed. "That was it. Because I fucked Michelle. Everyone has fucked Michelle. I was just taking my turn early before I could catch anything."
I stared at him in disbelief. There wasn't an inkling of remorse for what he had done to me. He saw how quiet I had gotten and asked,
"What's the problem? It was just sex."
He reached out to touch me and I pushed his hand away.
"What's the problem?" I asked incredulously. "The problem is that you think it was just sex. You hurt me Rich. You were my first love, the first man I ever gave myself to, and you hurt me deeper than you'd ever know. It wasn't the sex that hurt the most it was the words afterward. 'Shit Chelle, Ashley could never put it down like you.' Really?!"
I blew out a breath to calm down before asking my question. "Ok, my turn truth or truth? Was she better than me?"
He just shook his head at me then told me I didn't want that answer. But I pushed him.
"Why Rich? Because you don't want to hurt me well it's too late so answer the damn question."
"Yes!" He finally yelled. "Yes. Are you happy now?"
I crawled into myself at his harshness and silent tears began to fall. I tried to wipe them away but they just kept a coming. He saw my sadness and cursed.
"Shit Ashley, I told you you didn't want to know. Look, Michelle was better sexually because she had had a lot of experience. And I mean a lot. She wasn't really anything special in any other department if that counts for anything."
I sniffled and again asked, "Why though?"
He reached for me again and I pulled away.
"Ashley, I can't give you a legitimate reason if that's what you're looking for. I came over looking for you, she said you had gone out for something or another and I was going to leave but she said you'd be back in a minute and that I could wait for you. Then we started talking and she kissed me and it just progressed from there."
"You're right. That's not a legitimate reason. But it's okay. We've been done. I'm with Ezra and he makes me happy."
Rich raised an eyebrow at my statement and shook his head. I couldn't help but ask why he shook his head and he answered with,
"Ezra Gutierres, the biggest clown I know, makes you happy? It's a joke."
I hit him in the shoulder, "First off, Ez is not a clown, you are for using clown as an insult. Secondly, sounds as if someone is jealous."
He snorted in disagreement. "It ain't nothing like that because I know if I wanted you I could have you. Because you still want me. I've seen you eyeing me in that way you do."
It was my turn to snort in disapproval. "What look?"
He laughed before laying back on his backpack. I watched tmuscles in his chest and arms move as he made his adjustment and I gave him that look without even my knowing.