Charles
"Chuck a duck," a booming voice cuts through the crowd. "The fuck are you doing here?"
My cheeks flood with heat at being singled out, but I meet Zeke Ariston's eyes without backing down. As one of the head douche bags of Sigma house, I really shouldn't be surprised by this greeting, but I'll never enjoy having attention on me.
"It's a party," I answer, with as much confidence as I can manage.
Ever since joining Kappa house, I knew that it wouldn't exactly be easy. Our rivalry with Sigma goes back generations, and while I had thought it might be one of those over-exaggerated urban myths, upon getting to campus, I quickly realized that wasn't the case.
Sigma house does anything and everything they can to annoy the shit out of us. And for some reason, Zeke really seems to enjoy targeting me. Mainly when he's drunk, but still. It's very inconvenient, especially since he shouldn't be drunk right now at all.
"Yeah, but who the hell invited you?"
The heat in my cheeks intensifies as I glare him down. "It's an open house."
"Not for Kappas. Never for Kappas." His jaw drops. "You're here to steal from us, aren't you?"
I almost roll my eyes. "No. I'm here to enjoy myself."
He breaks out into giggles, and for the first time I notice what he's wearing. It's an open red silk robe, what looks like boxing shorts underneath, and there's a tie or something tied around his head. If either of us should be embarrassed right now, it's him.
Still my gaze dips to his chest. Damn, that's a nice chest.
"You are so red, dude." Then he reaches right over and pokes my cheek.
I jump at the contact. "Don't touch me."
He giggles again. And pokes me again. "Like that?"
I scoff and bat his hand away. "Didn't anyone teach you about consent?"
"Relax, Chuck. I'm not groping you." He pokes me again.
"You're so irritating."
"You're so irritating."
I turn away from him, looking for literally anyone who isn't a Sigma. Zeke is a giant man child and I'm not wasting my night with him. He doesn't get the hint. With one big step to the side, he's right in front of me again.
"Hi."
I huff and try turning away, but again, he pokes me in the cheek. "What will it take to get you to leave me alone?"
"Going back to your stuffy house?"
"I'm here to have fun."
"No can do." He takes another swig from his beer. "Thou shalt never lette a Kappa engage in funne at thouest of Sigmaest houses."
I stare at him, wondering if he's having a stroke.
"It's number one in our bylaws."
My eyes narrow his way. "It really should be studied just how obsessed with us you Sigmas are."
"Not obsessed." He scoffs. "We just don't like you."
"And we don't like you, but there isn't an inch of space given to you in our bylaws." And because it got a reaction from him, I push harder. "Sounds like a crush to me."
"Fuck you. I don't have a crush."
"I was talking about your house. Everything you do is all about Kappa house." I pretend to yawn. "It's a bit sad, if I'm honest."
"Yet you're the one crashing a Sigma party."
"Again, not crashing. It's an open house. Or do you need me to define to you what that means?"
"Has anyone ever told you what a stick in the mud you are?"
Again, my eyes narrow. "No."
He snaps his fingers. "Right. No, I meant stick up the ass. You have one. Buried really far up there."
"Maybe I wouldn't if you left me alone."
"Yeah, but where's the fun in that?" He sways slightly. "Want a drink?"
The sudden switch in topic takes me a second. "I'm nineteen."
He goes on watching me like he's still waiting on an answer.
"No. And you shouldn't be having one either."
He breaks out laughing again. Guess it's better than being an aggressive drunk. "It's just one little drink."
"And how many other little drinks have you had before it?"
He starts ticking off fingers before turning the action into a shrug. "A few."
"A lot from the looks of things." This time I poke his chest, and he rocks back on his feet.
"Oooh what happened to Mr. Consent?"
"He's losing his patience."
"I don't think you even brought it with you. You've been very rude to me all night, you know." He gives an over exaggerated pout.
"I've only just gotten here," I point out. "And you were rude first."
"When was I rude?"
"When you asked what the fuck I was doing here."
"How is that rude?" There's a glint to his eyes that tells me he's fucking with me. I have to remind myself that I don't play these types of immature games because, for some reason, Zeke makes me fall into the habit way too easily.
"Leave me alone."
"Already told you I can't do that."
Fine, if he won't leave, I'll go. I head deeper into the party, searching for where my brothers have gotten to.
Of course out of all the Kappas who arrived together, I'm the one this asshole chooses to single out.
I don't know why I have a giant target on my head that seems to beckon to Zeke, but I wish I knew how to make it go away.
"Where we going, Chuck?"
I pause, halfway down a narrow hallway and find him right behind me. "Are you seriously following me?"
"King of Thieves honor."
"I'm not here to steal shit." I mean, I might, but I'm not going to admit that to him.
"I don't believe you."
"Of course you don't." When I turn to confront him, he's standing a lot closer than I'm prepared for. And he doesn't back up. The sudden closeness gives me the horrible urge to clear my throat. "Why are you always in my face?"
"Technically, I was just in your back. You're the one who turned around."
He's impossible. I dig my hands through my hair, telling myself not to get annoyed and wishing it was that easy. "Just leave me alone."
"No."
"Please?"
"Well, since you asked nicely." He grins. "Definitely not."
"I'll never understand you Sigmas," I mutter.
"And I'll never understand you Kappas. Tell me, do you like being the most boring people on earth?"
"Immensely." I front up to him. "And do you Sigmas like being loud-mouthed assholes with Mommy issues?"
"Immensely." He winks. "But some of us have Daddy issues."
At first I think it's just banter, but there's a hint of truth behind his words. "Wait. Like the kink, or actually dad issues."
"Dad issues." He screws up his face. "I'm not gay."
I don't like the way he says that. I also don't like the way my face gets all hot whenever I'm indignant. "There's nothing wrong with being gay." My thumping heart feels like it's trying to give me away.
"Of course there's not. It's just not me."
"Good."
"Great."
"Fine." I go to turn away, but Zeke grabs me, boxing me in against the wall. My gaze flies to those around us but there are very few people down here, and even less who'd come to my aid over a Sigma.
"I'm not."
I eye his entirely too close face. "And I just said good."
"Yeah, but I can tell you don't believe me."
I snort, indicating the distance between us. "Sorry, you keep giving me mixed messages."
He scowls and pulls away but before I can slip past him, he's back just as quickly. "This is only because I know you don't believe me. I'm not into you or anything."
That gets a laugh from me. "Even if you were gay, there's no way I'd think you'd be into me anyway."
His eyebrows bristle, and I hate how hot I find the one with the line shaved through it. "Why not?"
"Because I'm ..." I don't know how to finish that without giving him a lot of ammunition against me so I lamely run a hand over me.
"What?" His hand plants aggressively on the wall beside me. "Blushing like an idiot? The most annoying person I've ever met? Small? Weak? Nerdy?" His gaze skims the top of my head. "Hair that always looks like you've been plugged into a power socket?"
I'm shocked wordless for a moment. "Apparently I have more faults than I thought."
The gaze that lands on my face is too intense. "Who says those are faults?"
I'm sure we're back to the banter thing.
Where he says things I don't understand, but there are only so many ways you can interpret those words, so I don't know why my mind is determined to twist them the wrong way.
Because there's no way on earth that Zeke Ariston could be saying he likes those things.
Hesitantly, I meet his eyes, only inches away, and I know I need to say something or he needs to say something, but we both go on not saying anything.
I swallow thickly, and even that doesn't help.
Suggest we go back to the party.
Ask for that drink now.
Point out that he might not be gay, but this feels really fucking gay.
That last thought makes it even harder to talk. Because it is. The eye contact. The way he's leaning over me. My heart isn't racing for nothing.
"And you're an obnoxious meat head," I murmur, finally saying words, but not the ones I wanted. "And maybe that's not a fault, either."
Something flares behind his eyes, but before I can push, before I can say anything, there's a shriek and a drunk couple stumble into the hall.
Zeke springs away from me.
The sudden loss of contact floods oxygen back to my brain.
And his, apparently. He starts to laugh, palming at his forehead. "Damn, I'm so drunk."
"Yeah," I don't know why I agree, except that I'm suddenly really fucking uncomfortable.
"I should probably get back to my friends," he says.
I almost ask what happened to not leaving my side, but I'm not staying. Not now. "Okay."
"Right."
"Fine."
Our eyes connect again, and again, there's no way I can be misinterpreting this.
But then Zeke lets out a giant burp, and leaves.
Gross. My whole face scrunches up and I have to mentally slap myself.
This is Zeke Ariston.
He's been a thorn in my side since rush, and that's never going to change. Am I really that desperate that a bit of eye contact is enough to get my blood pumping? Fuck me. I have issues.
I leave my friends behind and flee the house as quickly as possible.
Part of me needs air, and the other part of me is so messed up that I don't want to hang around for the part of the night where the Sigma guys all have sorority girls hanging off them, trying to get laid.
Every party comes to that, because they're the "cool" ones.
The ones who play sports, and throw parties, and have fun.
So, what, maybe I am a nerd.
And maybe ... I can't forget the way he looked at me. Maybe some guys don't find it a bad thing.
This time I actually slap myself. Dammit, Charles. It's Zeke. No way over my dead body am I going to get a crush on him. I forbid it.
He can be as hot as he likes. That's never going to happen.