Loving His Demons

Introductions

**Phoebe's POV**

I really like Sofia. She is bubbly, confident, and very out going. As I unpack my bags, she talked about herself. We have some things in common. We both like to read, and like alone time. We both like working out, but she prefers cardio. She can sing and dance, while I play piano and draw. We both have little brothers that we adore, and sadly her dad died almost a year ago. 

"How did he pass?" I asked. 

"Cancer. He was fighting it for almost five years." She smiled sadly. "He was so excited when I told him I was pursuing medicine."

"That's amazing!" I yelled. "What field of medicine?"

"Surgeon." She sighed. She actually sounded disappointed. "I initially wanted to be a pediatrician, but my family wanted me to do be a surgeon. I can't go against their wishes, since they are paying for my education."

"I'm sorry to hear that." I finished unpacking and sat on my bed. "I'm going for my business degree. My dad owns a chain of hotels and restaurants, so I'll take over when he is ready to retire. My mom is a successful even planner. I know both fields, but I like business."

"Wow, so your family is like, rich?" She asked surprised. "You don't seem like the snotty type I usually meet." She tilted her head to the side and looked at me with curiosity. 

"My parents didn't let me grow up feeling privileged or entitled. When I turned sixteen, I started working on some weekends and during the summer. I never got anything I didn't earn. I had chores, and helped with dinner and my little brother. I also volunteered a lot. My time was always spent with family or doing something that benefitted the community." I explained. I always took pride in how focused I was, but saying it out loud made me sound so boring. 

"You're a good girl." She smiled. "I never would have thought that."

"Is that a bad thing?" I asked, a little worried about the surprise evident in her voice. 

"Not at all!" She laughed. "It's a relief. The friends I had back home were only friends because my family knew their family. They liked to party and sneak out. I was kind of the odd one out. Now I feel like I will have a real friend!"

As we talked and laughed, we completely lost track of time and I forgot to call my parents and Darry. Sofia was just so likeable and had so many funny stories. She especially liked talking about her dad. He seemed like a great man, and I could tell she missed him dearly. 

Around seven in the evening, both of our stomachs were protesting with hunger. She had suggested that we eat together at the cafeteria, but I had promised Darry we would get dinner together. "Why don't you come to dinner with me and my cousin?"

"You have a cousin in California?" She asked. 

"Oh, he is here in college with me. We have been inseparable since we were in diapers so of course we wanted to go to the same college. He's here on a football scholarship." I explained. "Come on it will be fun." 

Just then my phone ringed, signaling that I had a message. I checked my phone and it was from Darry. 

Outside your dorm. Come on, I'm hungry. 

Sofia and I walked downstairs, and when I saw Darry outside, I felt a little uneasy that Nathan was with him. I scoffed and rolled my eyes, which Sofia did not miss. "I don't think I have ever seen a girl look at Drake like that."

"You know him?" I whispered. 

"No. But I have been here a few days and it seems like every girl either wants him or has already had him." She answered. 

When we got outside, Nathan's eyes lit up, and so did Darry's. I don't think I have ever seen Darry look at any girl like he is looking at Sofia right now. Sofia, however looked unaffected, which was also new. Usually girls fawn over Darry. But a beautiful girl like her, I am sure she has more affect on men than they do on her. 

"Darry, this is my roommate Sofia. Sofia this is my cousin Darius." I introduced the two. 

Darry smiled, but Sofia just nodded nonchalantly. We headed towards Nathan's car. Supposedly he knew a great place that served the best enchiladas. I was intrigued. Mexican food is one of my top favorites. We drove in an awkward silence, and thankfully I was sitting in the back with Sofia. Nathan wanted me to sit in the front again, but I didn't listen. I wasn't trying to be rude, but I did not want him thinking he was going to sleep with me like he did with all those other girls. I was determined to not be made a fool by some pretty face I just met. 

We arrived at the restaurant in twenty minutes and were seated immediately. They tried to put us in a booth, but I immediately asked for a table. I didn't want to be that close to Nathan. Even some of the waitresses were looking at my nasty because Nathan was trying to whisper in my ear, or place his hand on my lower back. Sofia tried to stand between us as much as possible but even Darry was trying to get close to her. It was really annoying. 

When we were seated, Sofia and I managed to sit next to each other with the guys across us. It still felt too much like a double date and I didn't like it. Often Nathan was trying to reach across the table to grab my hand, but I would just move my hand to mess with my hair or pick up my drink and take a sip. He could see he was making me uneasy, but he never gave up. 

Darry was trying to talk to Sofia when she seemed to get really annoyed. "Okay, enough." She threw her hands in the air. "Ragazzi testardi." (Stubborn boys.) She mumbled under her breath. "Darius, you seem sweet. But I could never date you. You are my roommate's cousin. I don't want to lose a friend if we weren't to work out. Drake, Phoebe obviously isn't interested in you. So stop. I am sure you have plenty of girls just waiting to land in your bed."

I chuckled as I sat there looking at the menu. Darry looked embarrassed whereas Nathan looked mad. I guess he isn't used to rejection and another girl putting him in his place instead of falling at his feet. After Sofia had her little outburst, all of us, except Nathan, was able to have a normal conversation. Darry calmed down on the flirting, and went back to the cousin I know and love. Nathan just sat in his chair, picking at his food, and every now and then answering a question. But he didn't contribute to the conversation more than he had to. 

The food was pretty good. Not better than my grandma makes, but still really good. Darry picked up the tab and we started to walk out when a busty blonde was coming in with three other girls. I smiled politely as I walked by and she smiled back, until she saw Nathan behind me. 

"Nathan." She smiled big as she licked her lips. "I was wondering when I was going to run into you again. You haven't called in a while."

"Beatrice." Nathan said boringly. "I already told you I was done. Don't embarrass yourself." 

Nathan walked out of the door and the blonde, Beatrice, looked at me with a scowl. "You aren't special. Once he gets tired of f*****g you he'll come crawling back to me. He always comes back." 

She flipped her hair off her shoulder and walked away. Great. On my first day I am already experiencing way more drama than necessary. We got in the car and headed back towards campus. Again we were seated in an awkward silence. I noticed Nathan was gripping the steering wheel really tight. I guess that Beatrice girl really got under his skin. 

When we arrived at campus, Darry wished us a goodnight and headed to his room. Him and Sofia seemed to get along better after she told him they could only be friends. Nathan however stayed by his car, looking gloomy. 

"I'll meet you in the room." I told Sofia. 

"He doesn't deserve your shoulder. He's been acting like a creep all night." She scoffed. I pleaded her and she finally gave in. "Okay. But if you aren't in the room in twenty minutes, I'm going to come down here to check on you."

"Thank you." I told her. When Sofia walked in the doors, I turned to walk back towards Nathan. He was sitting on the hood of his car. Looking at the ground. "Wanna talk about it?"

He looked up and when he saw me he was surprised. "Why do you care?"

I sighed deep and sat down next to him. "Because something is bothering you. You and my cousin are on the same team and probably going to be good friends. Darry and I are inseparable so it will be easier if we can get along. As long as you get it in your head right now that I am not going to be another notch on your bed post." 

He chuckled. "Yeah, I can see you're serious." He looked into my eyes and for the first time today, he didn't look at me like I was a challenge. It was a relief. "Beatrice. She was my f**k buddy for almost a year. Until I found out she was messing around with one of my other teammates. Our agreement was when we were a thing, we wouldn't f**k anyone else. So I broke off our arrangement. I haven't seen her all summer so I guess she will be continuing to try to get me back this semester."

"So you were loyal to each other, but not an actual couple?" I asked a little confused. 

"Yeah. To prevent catching an STD. We both got checked at the clinic and we were both clean. I wanted to keep it that way. However, I ended up getting chlamydia because she was sleeping around behind my back. Even though we weren't a couple, I take my health seriously. I only have one f**k buddy at a time. Maybe two if the girls don't mind a threesome every now and then." He smiled at me. There he was back to flirting. I glared at him as a warning and he laughed. "Alright. I'll stop. But Beatrice just screams drama and I want to be away from that."

"So basically ex girlfriend drama with a non ex girlfriend?" I clarified. 

Nathan chuckled. "Exactly. f**k buddies are supposed to be drama free, but not with her." 

"So why do you seem so bothered?" Even though all of that sounds like a bit headache, I don't see why he looks this bothered. 

"I'm freaking horny." He laughed. "Even though there isn't a shortage in girls wanting to jump in my bed, none of them are down for the simple arrangement of s*x without strings. I don't go to parties with them, won't go out to dinner or a movie. I want to be able to call her, f**k her, and she leave."

"To each their own I guess." I shrugged my shoulders. Even though I am completely inexperienced, I do not see the appeal in that kind of arrangement. 

"What you never had a f**k buddy?" I shook my head no. "A one night stand?" Again I shook my head no. "So what you only had s*x with your boyfriend?"

"I didn't have a boyfriend." I answered without meaning to. 

"Wait." He whispered. "Are you a virgin?"