Chapter 30
LOGAN
“Why don’t you leave me, Callum, and Logan, the fuck alone already?”
I hear Kai’s voice at the end of the hallway as I make my way up the steps to our floor.
“Because you won’t keep your private life out of our faces. Keep that shit behind closed doors.”
Anger surges through me when I hear Travis’ voice.
“We already do. It’s not like we’re making out in the fucking locker room.”
I stomp down the hallway and find Travis and Kai standing in front of our dorm room.
Travis notices me and laughs bitterly. “Oh, look at that. Your butt buddy decided to show up.”
Kai shoves Travis, making him stumble backward.
Travis surges forward, but I plant my hands on his chest and stop him. “Hey. Get the hell out of here, or I’m gonna call the RA.”
“Just leave it, Lo,” Kai says.
“Found a new person to screw now that Mikayla didn’t want to screw you?” Travis goads.
“Travis. Go,” I say, trying to stop myself from throwing a punch at him.
Travis chuckles but backs off and trudges down the hallway in the opposite direction.
“Everything okay?” a voice asks from a few doors down.
I notice Alex’s coworker, Simon, poking his head out of his dorm.
“We’re fine, Si,” Kai says, waving a hand at him.
Simon glances between us, his eyebrows furrowed like he’s unconvinced, but he closes his door anyway.
Kai unlocks the door to our dorm, and I follow him inside. He flings himself onto his bed.
“You know Simon?” I ask.
“What? Yeah. He’s my brother’s best friend.”
I look at the picture of Kai and his family on his bedside table. I wonder if they know what Kai has to deal with on the football team.
It’s not surprising that some guys on the team have issues with non-straight teammates, but at this point, Kai and Callum should probably confide in their coach.
But would I do the same if I were still in that position and dating Alex? Or would I just make sure my future wasn’t at risk?
“I wish he would just leave it alone,” Kai mumbles, tossing a football into the air as he lies on his bed.
I sit beside him, his bed creaking under my weight.
“I think the more attention you give it, the worse they’ll get,” I say.
Kai snorts. “You don’t think I’ve tried? You don’t think I’ve tried keeping my cool every time they make a jab at me? I know you wouldn’t get it, Lo, but it’s really fucking hard not to.”
I blink and try to push down the guilt that runs through me.
Kai stops tossing the ball in the air. “Shit, I’m sorry, Lo. I didn’t mean that. I—I’m just really tired of this. For me, for you, and Cal.”
I think about Alex and me, and what might come from it. Sure, being seen with Alex gives them more ammunition, but what if being more open about myself takes some of the attention off Kai and Callum, at least?
“I’m just gonna hit the sack early tonight. Tell me about your date tomorrow,” Kai mumbles, turning over in bed and facing the wall.
I give him a soft pat on the shoulder and get up from his bed.
I take off my jacket and shirt, change into a pair of gym shorts, and fling myself onto my own bed.
As much as I enjoyed my night with Alex, the mood has been soured by the incident with Travis. People like him always know how to suck the life out of everything.
They can’t just let people like us live our normal lives.
Just like Greg back in high school.
I pull out my phone. I refuse to let tonight be ruined entirely.
Logan
Hey. Down for a movie night in tomorrow night?
I inhale as I wait for a text back.
I can’t stop thinking about his soft lips on mine. About how nice his shampoo and hair gel smelled.
About how badly I wanted to let my hands wander a little farther than his cheeks and neckline.
My phone buzzes with Alex’s near-instant reply.
Alex
Depends on the movie.
Just kidding. I’ll watch anything with you, stud.
My mouth goes dry, and I pull my bedsheets over my gym shorts just in case Kai decides to get up and notices that a simple text from Alex has me flustered.
Logan
I’ll surprise you then. Meet me at my dorm at 8 tomorrow.
Alex gives me a thumbs-up, and I let myself take a breath before sinking into my bed.
Alex will be in my dorm tomorrow.
I look around the messy room, hoping I can get Kai out of here for the night and toss the dirty football gear and gym clothes into a neat pile for the laundry. The ripe smell of sweat is practically baked into the place.
If there’s one way to impress Alex, it’s with a clean dorm, and I’m gonna have to haul ass tomorrow if I want his approval.