Chapter 15
CHAPTER
FIFTEEN
Rory
The campus is abuzz with energy, students decked out in the school’s colors as they head toward the football field. Despite my lack of sports knowledge even I have to admit I’m excited. There’s an infectious energy in the air for the first home game.
“This is going to be so much fun!” Kenna practically squeals. Her face is painted in the school’s colors, blue and orange, and she even has the matching ribbons woven through her two braids.
Li tugs on the hem of the tiny short-shorts she borrowed from Kenna. I lucked out with the denim mini-skirt Kenna told me to wear. It’s short, but not like the shorts she gave Li. If I was wearing those they’d be so far up my crack they’d never see the light of day again. She did force me into a crop top, which is so not my thing. It makes me feel uncomfortable exposing my midriff. When Kenna saw my belly button piercing she asked me why I’d have my belly button pierced if I didn’t intend to show it off. I didn’t give her an answer, but the truth was it’d been a stupid impulse decision to have some sort of control.
Pushing my glasses up my nose when they slip down, I follow the girls through the crowd of students. Smiling around me, I feel like a true student for the first time. Not that all the homework hasn’t been enough of a reminder, but this was one of the things I was most looking forward to when I went away to college. The camaraderie that comes with living on campus.
Kenna flashes our tickets to one of the workers and he takes them, scanning them on his fancy device before ushering us inside.
Kenna lets out a little squeal and shimmies. “Go team!”
A couple people turn to look at her exclamation, but it doesn’t faze her a bit.
We walk down the concrete stairs, our seats near the front since Kenna splurged on getting good ones. She also gave Li and I strict orders not to worry about paying her back. It didn’t make me feel any less guilty. I wasn’t used to being spoiled, and while trying to build genuine friendships with my roommates it felt wrong to let her treat me to something like this. That being said, I clearly took her up on the offer. I need to save every penny I can. So far I’ve lucked out that the tips from Marcelo’s have been decent, far better than the diner I worked at before.
We’re almost to our seats when something catches my eye. I look to my right, squinting from the bright sunlight to find Cole waving at me. I give him a small wave back.
Kenna notices too and pauses, smiling at me. “I cannot believe Cole Anderson likes you.”
“He doesn’t like me,” I snort, my eyes sliding to his surly friend beside him.
I wish Mascen didn’t capture my attention so much. Logic doesn’t seem to matter when I’m inexplicably drawn to him.
Kenna laughs, drawing my attention back to her. “Are you blind? Of course he’s into you. I mean, you went home with him that first night at Harvey’s and he wanted to dance with you again the second time, now this.” She ticks off on her fingers. “He likes you.”
“He definitely does,” Li agrees as we shuffle the rest of the way down to our seats. “If a guy doesn’t like you he’s going to ignore you.”
Like Mascen , my mind taunts.
I tuck a piece of long dark brown hair behind my ear, once again pushing my stubborn glasses up my nose. Our seats are two rows beneath the guys and on the next aisle over. Trying not to look at Mascen is killing me, but I know he doesn’t deserve a second thought. I’m being weak.
Cole is a nice enough guy, especially for being popular on campus, but he doesn’t make my heart beat faster. My palms don’t sweat when he’s near. And he definitely doesn’t make me crazy like Mascen does.
Beside me, Kenna turns to look at the guys, letting out a soft moan. “God, Mascen Wade is so hot.”
“Mascen?” I blurt, my tone higher pitched than normal from the surprise of her bring him up.
Kenna looks back at me, arching a brow. “Surely you’ve heard of him. He’s like the guy on campus. You know, the stereotypical hot jock who pretty much every girl wants to take a ride on his pogo stick.” Biting her lip she adds, “I’ve heard he only fucks from behind, but that could just be a rumor. Apparently he’s this amazing baseball pitcher too. I can’t wait to witness his fastball in person. Or curve ball. Or any kind of ball.” Li snorts at her antics from my other side. “I can’t help myself. He’s sexy as fuck. That stare … I’d let him do me any way he wanted. He can break my heart, my bed, even my back.” She licks her lips suggestively, winking at us. “And as if all that isn’t enough, he’s basically music royalty. His dad is the drummer in Willow Creek. Like yeah there are a lot of students here from prominent families, present company included,” she playfully sticks her tongue out, “but he’s basically American royalty. I read in a tabloid once that he dated the First Daughter.”
My jaw drops at that last tidbit of information, especially since it hits close to home. At one point my dad talked about running for President one day. Obviously that never came to fruition.
“That’s probably just a rumor,” I whisper, mostly to make myself feel better.
“What’s a rumor?” I jump in surprise, finding Cole’s tall lean body towering above us.
Kenna, the subtle person she is, begins to elbow me repeatedly in the arm giving me a look that says told ya so .
“N-Nothing,” I stutter, caught off guard by his imposing presence. The guy is tall . No wonder he’s a basketball player. “How are you?” I ask, raising my hand to shield my eyes from the sun. It’s too bad I don’t own prescription sunglasses, but they’re expensive and maybe it’s vain of me but I didn’t want to wear the ones that fit over my glasses because I think they look dumb.
“Good, good. You ran off the other night.”
I’m about to ask him what he’s talking about, but then I remember how after Mascen cornered me in the closet at Harvey’s I grabbed the girls and left.
“Oh, yeah. I was the DD. I had to get these ladies home.” I smile up at him.
My neck begins to prickle like a thousand tiny spiders are crawling up my spine. I hate spiders and want to swat at my body, but I know they’re not actually on me. Instead, I’m certain if I turn around I’ll find Mascen boring a hole into the back of my neck.
“Ah, I understand.” His full lips tilt up on the corners, his amber eyes shining down on me. “So, if you’re not running off on me then, does that mean if I ask you on a date you’ll say yes?”
Kenna lets out a gasp and Li giggles. Worst wing women ever.
“I guess that depends, are you asking?” The words sound far more flirtatious than I meant them to and Cole’s grin grows. He might not make my heart pound out of my chest like Mascen does, but he is a nice guy and seems to genuinely like me. Why shouldn’t I go out with him? Sometimes chemistry isn’t there right away, but it can grow in time as you get to know a person.
Angling his head to the side, he smirks in a playful way. “Do you want to go out on a date with me, Rory?”
I hesitate for a moment, because Cole is Mascen’s friend and if this would go somewhere things could get potentially awkward. But I’m not about to let Mascen Wade keep me from living my life. “Yeah, I’d like that.”
Somehow his smile grows impossibly larger. “Cool. Give me your phone.” I pass him my cell and he puts his number in before giving it back to me. “Text me so I have yours.” He winks and then smiles at Li and Kenna. “See you guys later.”
He heads back up the few steps to rejoin his friends.
Minutes pass, but my neck never stops burning.
“Yes! Run! Run! Run!” I jump up and down, shouting at the quarterback. Or I think it’s the quarterback. That’s the only player I know the name of so it’s what I’m going with. I’ve never been a sports person, but witnessing the game in person has me wanting to learn. This is fun. Intense, but enjoyable.
Whoever he is, and whatever position he plays, he manages to make a touchdown, but barely.
Sitting back down, I sip at the soda I bought in the first quarter. It’s watered down now, but I don’t relish the thought of paying five bucks for another.
“Aren’t you glad you came?” Kenna bumps her shoulder with mine. Her face paint is smeared now, and while I’d look like I tried to watercolor my face, somehow she makes it look intentional.
“Definitely.” I grin back at her and then at Li.
I was worried I might get stuck with girls who wouldn’t like me, or that I wouldn’t like them , but while all three of us are vastly different, Kenna the outgoing one, Li the more quiet shy one, and me somewhere in the middle, we all click.
I focus my gaze on the field in front of us, trying to ignore the non-stop itching on my neck. I’ve refused to look, but I know Mascen has stared at me the entire game. He probably knows by now that I agreed to a date with his friend and he’s even more pissed off at me for no good reason. It’s clear he has a chip on his shoulder, from what I don’t know, but he’s decided to use me as his own personal punching bag. Too bad for him, I’ve already been one for my mom and I won’t be that girl anymore. I will stand up for myself. He can act like a bully all he wants, but he’ll never get me where he wants me.
When the game ends, the stands immediately start emptying out, and with them goes the creepy crawly feeling I endured the whole time. I blow out a relieved breath, smiling and chatting with Li and Kenna as we exit the stadium.
We pick up a pizza and some beer, courtesy of Kenna’s fake ID, to take back to our dorm.
Entering the small space, I’m overcome with a sense of peace. It amazes me how quickly this place has become home. I haven’t had this feeling of comfort since I was eight. It’s something I won’t take for granted.
Sitting the pizza box down on the coffee table, I flip open the lid, grabbing a slice of pepperoni before getting comfortable on the couch.
Kenna removes the caps from the beer and passes one to Li and me.
“God, I love pizza,” Li hums, nibbling on the end of hers. She always takes the smallest of bites, reminding me of a rabbit.
“Me too.” Kenna swipes a slice and plops into the chair.
I’m sure we all look a mess from being outside in the still warm early fall weather. Tennessee heat is no joke. The humidity is enough to take a grown man down.
“Do you know what you’re going to wear on your date with Cole?”
At Li’s question Kenna instantly perks up. I’m kind of surprised she’s going into graphic design with as much as she loves fashion.
“Oh … um … I haven’t thought about it yet. I mean, he only just asked me.”
“Don’t worry,” Kenna leans forward, her piece of pizza dangling, “I’ll take care of it.”
I feel like I should be a tad worried about what she might pick for me to wear, but I can’t bring myself to care. I’m learning the happier I am, the less I care about any other bullshit. If only I wasn’t so afraid that my current happiness is entirely fleeting.