7. Class
Class
BECKER
It takes me a second to find the Human Studies building. I begrudge the unsettled feeling in the pit of my stomach. It’s like a Groundhog Day version of freshman year. New school, new campus, new team.
The feeling of being in a hostile environment filled with judgement and new faces everywhere I turn should be a thing of the past, but it’s just my luck. Of all the schools I was accepted into, I had to choose the only one that went bankrupt.
And now here I am, unfashionably early for my first class of the year. But what was the alternative? I’d rather be early than look like a douche by showing up late.
It doesn’t help that I’m coming straight from practice and, like a total idiot, I forgot to pack a change of clothes. So after the shower, the only things I had were the Cove Knights t-shirt and sweatpants I was given as part of my gear after I passed my medical.
I could have driven home to get different clothes, but then I would have risked being late.
The app on my phone tells me that room two eighty-nine is on the second floor on the other side of the building coming from the main entrance.
I’m half an hour early, so I might as well find a seat in the classroom, drink the protein shake I brought from home, and then maybe close my eyes for a few minutes.
Had it been up to me, I would have never chosen such an early class, but the bankruptcy news was a total surprise.
Bridgeport U administration thought they had a new investor, but the deal fell through at the eleventh hour.
That’s why the athletes were allowed to transfer with full eligibility so far out of the normal transfer window.
We had all arranged our accommodation, paid our tuition fees, and registered for classes.
As a result of that disaster, here I am at a new college, playing on my brother’s team, and stuck with the only classes that still had room this late before the beginning of the semester.
“Becks! What are you doing here?”
Speaking of new faces, the only familiar face aside from my brother is the first thing I see as I set foot on the second-floor hallway.
“Gen, what are you doing here?”
As she pulls me into a hug, her expensive, slightly cloying fragrance envelopes me. “I have a class. What else would I be doing here this early?”
Heat rises to my face. That was the stupidest question I could have asked. Gen has always had this effect on me. She makes me nervous.
“What class are you taking?” I ask, taking in her flawless makeup, the shiny dark ponytail that swishes around whenever she moves her head and the tight jeans that look almost like they were painted on her slender body.
“Roman History Through Art.” She doesn’t sound excited.
I show her my phone. “Me too. It was the most interesting elective that still had room and didn’t involve math.” I shudder at the thought of doing any math voluntarily. “If only it didn’t have such a horrible schedule. One class practically at the crack of dawn and one late in the evening.”
“That’s Professor Cantucci for you. She looks so cute and friendly, but deep down she’s a sadistic bitch. And she takes attendance into consideration for your final grade, so skipping class isn’t even an option. If you miss more than two classes during the semester, it’s an automatic fail.”
That sounds like a potential problem. “Seriously?” I groan. “What if a practice runs late or something? I mean, I guess she must understand that athletes have practice and games and stuff.”
“Oh, absolutely not. I would be extremely careful with that.”
I don’t understand. “With what?”
“With pulling the athlete card to justify tardiness or missing a class. Cantucci hates athletes. She hates that they get a lot of preferential treatment around campus, especially hockey players.”
Gen’s eyes travel down my body, and I realize she isn’t admiring me. She’s looking at my Cove Knights branded clothes.
“Fuck,” I bite out, checking the time on my phone. “Maybe I should go change. Now that I know where the building is, if you show me the classroom, I might make it on time.”
Gen slashes my hopes. “You’re living off-campus, right? Didn’t your dad rent you a place in Daddy’s new apartment complex?”
“Yeah.”
“Then there’s no way you’re gonna make it. You’re gonna run into rush hour on your way back, and you don’t want to be late on the first day, trust me. Your best bet is to sit in the back, where she hopefully won’t notice your clothes. Come on, let’s sit together.”
She links her arm with mine and I follow her into the empty classroom.
At least there’s an advantage in being the first ones here. We have our pick of seats.
I follow Gen up the steps of the auditorium style classroom and lower myself into a seat in the middle of the row before last. She sits right next to me.
“Here it’s perfect. Not the very last row, so we don’t look like complete slackers, but far away enough that Cantucci won’t even see us. She’s terribly nearsighted but way too vane to wear glasses, so if you sit far enough in the back, you’re pretty much safe from being called on during class.”
“That sounds weird. Can’t she wear contacts? I do all the time, since glasses get in the way, especially on the ice.”
Gen shrugs. “No idea. Maybe she’s allergic, who knows? But if we sit here, she’ll leave us alone.”
“You seem to know her quite well,” I muse. “Did you take any other classes with her?”
“Actually,” Gen sighs. “This is my second time taking this class.”
“How come?”
She rolls her eyes. “Last year there was a mixup with grades in two of my classes. Probably a glitch in the system. I got a letter from the Dean’s office informing me of this. So all the students who took this class last semester have to retake it.”
“That sounds like a PITA.” I commiserate. “It’s surprising there was still room if everyone who took it last semester had to sign up again.”
“No, they got Cantucci to run an extra class. That’s why there was room in the ones with the worst times. I chose these times because they were the only ones that didn’t conflict with my schedule. Having to take two extra classes my senior year wasn’t definitely something I was planning on.”
Gen bends over to get a takeout box out of her bag.
“By the way, at least Cantucci has a nice T.A.. If you need anything, your best bet is to ask Victor. He’s way more helpful than our professor.”
She opens the box, and a waft of fishy smell hits my nostrils. “Want a piece of sushi?”
I lift the cup with my protein shake. “Thanks, I’m covered.”
“Just a protein shake can’t possibly be enough for breakfast.” Gen argues. “I know how hard Coach Harrison is on the team. You need some healthy protein and carbs. This is made with whole grain rice.”
I shake my head. “No, thanks. I can’t do raw fish in the morning.”
“You sound just like your brother.” For a second, Gen’s lips flatten into a hard line.
Silence descends on the almost empty classroom as she pops a piece of sushi into her mouth.
I watch her chew her food for a few seconds, then I catch myself and look away.
Gen was my first kiss. I was fourteen, and she had come to our house looking for Mack. When she didn’t find him home, she stayed to watch a movie with me. Fourteen-year-old me couldn’t believe his luck when our hot childhood friend cozied up to me on the couch and we ended up making out.
That was before she and Mack started dating. I heard my parents talking about how cool would it be if Gen and Mack ended up together a few weeks later. When I realized they were going on a date, my heart broke.
Now, in retrospect, I guess I was crazy to think that Gen could have wanted to date me. I knew I looked older at six feet tall, so I believed she was attracted to me. After all, she was only two and half years older than me.
I had built up this entire relationship in my head, and I had even thought about dropping out of my Hockey Development Program and enrolling in Mack and Gen’s same high school so we could be together.
But of course, the second my brother paid her a shred of attention, she forgot that I even existed. It’s the story of my life.
At that point, going back to Canada after spring break was a godsend.
At least I didn’t have to see them together. They dated for so long that I was convinced they’d end up getting married one day. I honestly don’t get why my brother dumped her.
“Becks,” Gen closes the half-empty sushi box. “Are you coming to the Zeta party on Friday night?”
“No?” It comes out more like a question than an answer.
Gen’s eyes widen as she emits a little surprised gasp. “What? You have to come! It’s the first big bash of the year and the first party I’m throwing as Zeta president. You have to be there.”
I rub the back of my neck. “I don’t know. I did the whole party thing last year, and it was a little exhausting. I was actually thinking about going downtown for a drink.”
“That’s nonsense.” She objects. “You’re new on campus, and the entire team will be at the party. You need to get to know your new teammates. And since you don’t live in the Gamma house, there’s no better way than to go to the same parties they’re at.”
Gen isn’t wrong.
The truth is that I have very little interest in hanging out with the team.
They worship my brother like I’m pretty sure the rest of campus does.
Mack doesn’t need another member to join his fan-club.
Besides, I was hoping to see Talia again if she was working on Friday night.
“I don’t know, Gen. I’m a little over the party scene. ”
“Come on, Becks,” Gen insists. “Say yes. Please? Your brother is going to be there, and I’ve spent the entire summer watching him rub my nose in his hookups. I need someone on my side. Be my date on Friday. I promise I’ll introduce you to all my pretty, single sisters.”
That isn’t the perk Gen thinks it is. I know it’s crazy, but since I saw her a couple of nights ago, Talia is all I can think about. I know she goes here, so I hope to bump into her sooner rather than later. If not, I’ll stalk Joe’s as many times as it takes to catch her on shift.
“Becks.” Gen snaps her fingers in front of my face. “Where did you just go? Come on, be a sweetheart and do me a solid. I really need you at that party. And that will give us the chance to have a proper catch up. We haven’t seen each other in forever.” She pouts, giving me major puppy eyes.
“Ok.” I chuckle. “How can I resist that pout? I’ll get a drink downtown another time.”
She pulls me to her for a hug. “Yay. You’re the best. I promise you won’t regret it.”
I know I won’t. I understand why Gen is nervous about being at the same party as Mack.
He dumped her totally out of the blue after almost four years together.
And from what I’ve heard in the past few days in the locker room, Mack hooked up with anything with a pulse and a pair of tits.
Our parents are furious that he treated their best friends’ daughter that way.
Mom won’t shut up about how Mack has been refusing to even discuss his decision to end things with Genevieve.
The least I can do is to support one of my oldest friends. I know Gen doesn’t mean being her date in the literal sense of the term, or she wouldn’t have offered to introduce me to her hot, single sisters. She just wants someone to lean on when Mack inevitably acts like an asshole.
For a second, I wonder if offering my support to my brother’s ex is wise. Mack isn’t gonna know that we’re going to the party together as friends. He’s going to think I’m breaking every rule of bro-code in existence by going out with his ex.
That could be the last nail in the coffin of our relationship.
But at the end of the day, I wasn’t the one who acted like a total jerk and dumped Gen without a reason or explanation.
All he has to do is ask, and I’ll explain that Gen and I are just friends.
I might have had a crush on her when we were in high school, but those days are long gone.
And besides, he was the one who broke up with Gen. So technically, even if that was a real date, while it wouldn’t be totally kosher to go out with her without his blessing, it wouldn’t be as bad as if she had dumped him.
Mack needs to learn that his hockey superstar status doesn’t give him a pass to treat others like trash.
Maybe I can stay at the party for a while and then take a cab downtown to see if Talia has a closing shift at Joe’s. I’m not trying to be creepy. It’s just that the thing I want the most, aside from a decent NHL contract, is to see the cute bartender again.
But you know how they say be careful what you wish?
The universe must have a strange sense of humor because when people start trickling into the classroom, I see her coming in with two of my teammates.
I blink as for a second I think she’s a figment of my imagination in a white sundress that pops in contrast with her golden tan.
The guys she’s with are Colsen and Tucker, two of the seniors on the Cove Knights’ roster and alternate captains.
They look really cozy together. I wonder if there’s something between her and one of them.
The night we met, she said she didn’t have a boyfriend.
Could that have changed in the space of a weekend?
I guess stranger things could have happened.
Talia is beautiful and a total catch. Tucker’s hand lands on her shoulder, and his touch looks possessive.
What if they aren’t dating, but they’re hooking up?
They stop for a second to peruse the available seats, and her blue eyes scan the room.
Our eyes meet just as Mack enters the classroom, too.
“Why don’t you wave Mack over?” Gen chooses that moment to lean in and whisper into my ear.
I don’t even hear whatever she just said when Mack’s gaze lands on us. My brother, however, doesn’t react to seeing me next to his ex. He spots Talia, Tucker, and Colsen and heads their way.
I regret coming to class early as I watch powerless as Talia sits between Colsen and Tucker with Mack right next to our goalie.
I’m sure she recognized me. Maybe I can speak to her after class.