Author’s note: I’m v creative at titles y’all… So after putting up an informal poll, I decided to post this first, and just be on the lookout for the Fluff ABCs. Who knows, I might go crazy and actually do the entire alphabet lol
Summary: A college sophomore now, Izzy can’t seem to shake herself of Colt.
He’d be at the apartment any moment, and she wasn’t ready. Between cramming for midterms and giving up a healthy sleep schedule and some vitamin D in exchange for Mountain Dew and dry roasted peanuts, Izzy probably looked as crazy as she felt. Her dirty laundry over-flowed from the basket in her room, her bed hadn’t been made since the semester began, and she’d forgotten she had a desk and office chair since everything and anything clamored for space in the small corner.
“So, when do I get to meet this boyfriend of yours?” her roommate Cora had giggled earlier, green eyes twinkling with interest. “First of all, he’s not my boyfriend,” Izzy had told her for maybe the twelfth time as she scanned her near-empty side of the refrigerator. She really needed to go grocery shopping. “And secondly, you’ve seen him before,” Izzy laughed, settling on a chilled water bottle. Cora groaned, leaning across their kitchen counter dramatically. “Izzy! That does not count, and you know it! And what do you mean? He’s not your boyfriend like, anymore?” Cora’s smirked turned suggestive, and Izzy felt herself get defensive. “Back off,” Izzy gritted, but Cora dropped the act and let out a tinkle of a laugh. She was only a theater minor, double majoring in Spanish and Russian, but she’d been larger than life since Izzy had roomed with her their freshman year at Langston.
“Izabel, it’s not my fault you two go through more breakups than Justin and Selena.” Izzy tried not to let the truth of her roommate’s statement rattle her, and slowly counted to five before making a flimsy excuse about looking for something before she left the small kitchen.
Three times. It had only been three times Izzy and Colt had broken up and made up. That wasn’t a lot, and besides, they always ended up together. The first time, she’d called Colt a distraction and told him she needed to fully focus on her first official semester. The second time, her father had been involved, sharing his parental disapproval with Izzy, and like an idiot, Izzy had shared it with Colt. He’d teased her about being a daddy’s girl, Izzy had snapped at him for what had surely not come off as a joke, and the argument that ensued resulted in more than hurt feelings. The third break up? It had only caused the most explosive fight between the two. Maybe, just maybe, a new girl had joined the MPC. And maybe she was spending too much time cozying up to Colt while Izzy was all the way on the east coast. And it was possible that Izzy was a far more jealous creature than she liked to admit. And maybe her patience and trust caused her to say something stupid, like she’d gone for the wrong guy all those years ago. And maybe Colt had retorted that maybe he’d been stupid to fall in love with her.
But each time they called it quits it was as if the universe were chastising a pair of insolent children, and both Izzy and Colt found themselves right back in each other’s arms, far more miserable apart than they were together.
The knock at the front door jolted Izzy back to her task, and a quick peek at her phone confirmed who waited outside. Quickly shoving clothes and books into her closet, switching her pajama top and shorts for the only clean dress she had left, and shaking out her hair to rid it of the scrunchie indent, Izzy hurried to the front door. Taking a deep breath, she opened it and was glad she’d let some air enter her lungs. It was too bad she might not release it.
If Izzy was as affected by his appearance as Colt was by hers, she noticed he didn’t let on to the fact. Before the door opened, Colt had paced about nervously, running a hand through his hair, second-guessing his trek to see her. Not many things put him on edge, but Izzy slamming the door in his face even though they’d both agreed to see each other was high on that list. And when Colt finally saw her face for the first time in so many months, it was like a dam cracked opened, and everything he could and couldn’t say came rushing to the surface. But Colt wasn’t one to waste words when actions did better. He took in Izzy’s denim shirt dress and hesitant but hopeful expression and stepped forward into the small apartment without ceremony, wrapping her in his arms.
They were nothing but a frenzy of hands and lips and tongues and anyone of Izzy’s neighbors could have borne witness to the entertainment of the century if they bothered to open their window blinds. Colt staggered into the entry hallway, the front door still ajar as Izzy hooked her legs around his waist and pinned her against the wall with ease. She broke away from the kiss, panting and flushed, but with a smile that told Colt everything would work out, and he’d be a damned fool to let her go again. A low wolf whistle startled them, and two pairs of eyes traveled to locate the source of their spectator. Izzy quickly untangled herself from Colt, wishing the floor would suddenly swallow her whole.
“Well don’t stop on my account. You can introduce me later,” Cora smirked, taking a crisp bite of her apple as she eyed her roommate and Colt with unsuppressed glee. Izzy narrowed her eyes in silent communication, to some degree of success. “Toodles, my love. And her love, LOL!” Cora giggled, waving her fingers in a showy farewell and winking as she walked to her bedroom and shut the door. The next thing she knew, Colt was laughing, to Izzy chagrin. “That’s not funny,” she grumbled, glancing at the ceiling in embarrassment.
“I missed that,” Colt chuckled, his tone gentler. Izzy’s eyes flickered over to him. “What? People walking in on us–” She clamped her mouth shut, refusing to finish the sentence out loud. Some thoughts were best kept locked inside her head. “God no,” Colt rolled his eyes before softly flicking her bottom lip with his knuckle. Izzy exaggerated her puckered lips, cracking up. “And that,” Colt spoke again, now only inches away from her face. Cora’s room door flew open again and her voice called out.
“My parents are coming over this weekend, and we eat at the kitchen table so maybe don’t—”
“CORA!”
The door slammed shut again, and suddenly Izzy needed to go somewhere, go anywhere. It didn’t matter where, as long as Colt was with her. She grabbed her keys and his hand, pulling him back outside. “Where are you taking me, Izz?” Colt teased but changed his tune once he caught the fire in her bright eyes. “Don’t know, don’t care.”