COLTON
“Shit, man, I can’t even concentrate when you look like that.” I laugh, glancing at Clay. He’s wearing a long black dress and a full face of makeup, with red lipstick on his lips and shimmery eyeshadow on his eyelids.
He tightens his grip on his backpack. “Ten more minutes, and I can finally get rid of it.”
“Why can’t you get rid of it now?” I ask, stopping near the door of the locker room.
“Because Ava said so.” My best friend sighs, leaning against the wall. “I still don’t get why she needed to sleep with him to make a point.”
“She didn’t.”
“She didn’t?” He blinks, his brows knitting together. “Then why the fuck am I wearing this?”
“Because you want to be her friend, and she wouldn’t have forgiven you otherwise.”
Clay groans and storms inside the locker room. I follow him, watching as he takes off the dress and tosses it to the floor. After only a few seconds, he’s back in his black jeans and white hoodie. While I sit on the bench waiting for him, he heads over to the sink and returns with a clean face.
“Your ten minutes wasn’t up.”
“I don’t care. I’ve embarrassed myself enough. For nothing.” He grabs his backpack and takes a step forward, but then he steps back and slumps onto the bench beside me. “How do you know?”
“Know what?”
“About Ava and Moore.”
“She showed me a picture she took of Moore naked and blindfolded, tied to his bed with his hockey glove on his dick. Ava wanted to punish him, not sleep with him.” I drum my fingers on my thigh, fidgeting in my seat. “She was furious when she realized I thought she’d slept with him.”
“Did she slap you again?” Clay snorts loudly.
“No. Even if she had slept with him, I wouldn’t have judged her. She knows that. We’re good.”
“Awesome. I still kinda ship you two together.”
“You what?” I say, staring at him like he’s crazy.
Clay shrugs and flashes me a smile. “You’re like twin flames. So much alike, it’s scary.”
Suddenly, I’m lost in my memories. In her scent. Her touch. Her sounds. The feeling of her in my arms. Of me inside her. They are the most colorful memories I’ve ever had. I spent an hour this morning lying in my bed, surrounded by the scent of her perfume on my pillows and in my sheets. Absorbing it, taking it in till the last drop and still feeling that it wasn’t enough.
“Can you stop Ava-dreaming?” Clay’s voice rings in my ear, and I almost jump out of my seat.
“Stop what?”
“You’re Ava-dreaming, obviously. The look on your face says it all.” My best friend wraps his arm around my shoulders, pulling me to his side. “When are you going to ask her on a date?”
“She doesn’t want to date anyone,” I mutter, and Clay frowns. “Ava isn’t interested in a relationship.”
“And you’re okay with that?”
“Why not?” I’m not okay with that. I want her to be mine, but I can’t do anything about it right now. I only hope my persistence will help me change her mind. “I’m not a relationship type of a guy either.”
“Ava said I’m missing out on a lot of good stuff when I mentioned I prefer hookups over dating.” He looks me up and down. “You sure she doesn’t want to date anyone? Maybe it’s you she doesn’t want to date?”
I nudge him with my shoulder, and he moves away. “It’s her first year in college, and she wants to enjoy it, to be single and carefree.” I lick my lips, standing up from the bench. “Besides, I’m a senior. We don’t have a future together.”
Clay joins me, and we both trudge to the door. “When you put it that way, I guess it makes sense.” I open the door, but I stop in my tracks once I hear his question: “Friends with benefits then?”
“Why put a label on it?” I dodge his question and head to the dining hall.
When the idiot jumps on my back, I know I screwed up. I didn’t openly tell him anything, but I left him enough breadcrumbs to figure it out. He knows Ava and I hooked up.
“How was it?”
“I don’t brag. Did you forget that?” I brush him off my back with ease.
“Man, just this once?”
“About her?” I shake my head. “No fucking way.”
“Looks like our girl has a magic pussy.” Clay’s laughter dies in his throat when I clutch his hoodie in my fist. “It’s a joke, Colt. She’s my friend; I don’t think about her that way.”
“Then don’t talk about her that way. Ever.” I stare him down, and he gulps nervously. Then he nods, and I let him go. The beast inside my chest slowly calms down.
“If you’re so protective of her, maybe you should worry about Moore.” He speaks in a quiet voice as we resume our stroll. “Who knows how much time he spent waiting for someone to untie him? Ava made fun of him, and he’s not going to let that slide. He’s going to want to make her pay.”
I keep silent as we enter the dining hall. Clay has a point. Moore has an incredibly big ego, and what Ava did to him was humiliating. He might try to get even, hurting her in the process.
“Colt?” I focus my attention on Clay and instantly furrow my brow. He is staring at something ahead of us, and he is seething. “See what I mean?”
I follow his gaze, and I only need a second to register what I’m looking at. Ava and Layla are sitting at a table, and Moore is standing directly across from them. Both of his hands are on the table, and he’s hovering over the girls. Everything in his posture screams anger. Without giving it a second thought, I storm over with Clay in tow. We aren’t the only ones, as Benson suddenly appears on my left, his eyes glued to the table where Ava and Layla are sitting.
“Do you think the fucker threatened them?” Benson asks, glancing at me.
“Looks like it,” my best friend chimes in, lining up with us.
“I never should have helped him. I should have left him tied to his bed.” Benson mutters under his breath, and I shoot him a questioning glance. “After you and Ava left, Layla told me to go check on Moore. She knew what Ava did to him. And, well, it was hilarious, but he obviously didn’t agree. I told him to calm down and think before he did anything, but it seems like he didn’t listen.”
“…think it was funny?” Moore hisses as we stop behind his back. He senses our presence and twirls around, his face contorted with rage. “What the fuck are you doing here?”
“Haven’t I told you she’s my friend and I don’t want you near her?” Clay says.
“Friend? A friend who made you wear a fucking dress—”
“I deserved it,” my best friend grinds out, flexing his muscles.
“Did she leave you naked, tied to your bed on your own birthday, at your own house? Did she take a picture of you like that?” He spits out the words. “This ho—”
“Call her that again…” Benson and I say at the same time, stepping closer to him.
“Or what?” Moore demands, but his face pales.
“You will regret it.” I hold his gaze, ready to do anything to take him down. “If you don’t want anyone to see a picture of you with just a hockey glove on your dick, you will back off and leave her alone. If not, I’ll make sure you pay for it.”
“We will make sure you pay for it,” Benson corrects me, and at this very moment I know he will be my friend. A real one. Not just a teammate.
“Whatever,” Moore utters, stomping away from the table.
Hopefully, what we just did will be enough for him to drop it. No one is going to use the picture unless he tries to get back at Ava. I’ll need to keep my eye on him, just in case. He’s not her number one fan.
“Wow. That was hot.” Layla shifts her gaze to her brother with a mischievous smile on her face. “But not you.”
“Thanks.” Benson rolls his eyes and plops himself down next to her. “Are you okay?”
Clay and I both join him, sitting down across from Layla and Ava. I finally look at her, and the beast in my chest purrs. She’s so beautiful. Her hair is in a high ponytail, and there’s no sign of makeup on her face. Her eyes are locked on Benson, and for the first time in all these months, I don’t care. They are just friends.
“No. He definitely annoyed the fuck out of me,” Ava mutters, grabbing her Pepsi from the table. “He was going on and on and on about me being an ungrateful bitch, for at least ten minutes for sure. He’s the amazing Hudson Moore, and I dared to reject him. Humiliate him. Make him a laughingstock.”
“What are you going to do with the picture?” Benson asks.
“Nothing. I’m not a complete idiot. It’s just for leverage, if he still tries anything with me.”
“He won’t. Not after today,” Clay reassures her, but I still think it’s too early to make such assumptions. I’m not going to let my guard down around him any time soon.
“We’ll see,” Layla mumbles, looking at Ava. Benson’s sister lowers her head onto her best friend’s shoulder. “I kinda lost my appetite. He’s so gross; I feel dirty after that.”
“Are you backing out?” Ava speaks quietly. “You promised you’d go shopping with me after your classes. I need to buy a gift for my dad.”
“Is it his birthday?” I ask, and they all fix their gazes on me. Did I say something stupid?
“Christmas is in two weeks,” Clay chortles, clapping his hand on my back. “Dude, you really need a calendar at your place.”
Shit. I stare off into the distance. They will all go home in two weeks. To their loving and caring families. To the warmth and happiness of their homes. And me? I will stay here, visit my mom on Christmas Eve.
The buzzing of my phone rips me from my thoughts. I pull it out of my pocket, not even trying to listen to what they are all talking about. I’m zoned out and still in my own misery dimension.
HONEY:
You look lonely.
HONEY:
I can fix that. You in?
I lift my head and look at her. Her phone is on the table; her palm covers it. She wears a polite smile, listening to her best friend talk about her plans for winter break. She doesn’t care that they all can guess we’re texting, does she? I smile and type my answer.
ME:
I have practice in 25 minutes.
HONEY:
Your loss then.
I lock my phone and shove it back into my pocket. Looking up, I meet her gaze. It’s full of mischief and fire. She has something on her mind, and I want to know what it is. She intrigues me beyond anything that is normal, reminding me of an obsession. I want to know everything about her, every little detail.
“I’m gonna go to the library. It’s my place of zen. A place where no one disturbs me.” Ava stands up, taking her backpack from the bench. Layla coughs, and I hear the name—Jordan. Is the roommate still causing her problems? “Yes, the library is way better than my room if I want to concentrate. See you at five, Layla?”
“Yup. I’ll find you there. Just text me if you decide to go back to your dorm.”
“Sure.” Ava bends down and kisses her best friend’s cheek. “See you guys, and thanks for standing up for me.”
She waves and strolls away. I give myself five minutes. Five minutes, and I’ll follow her.
Who am I kidding? Only myself. I stand up from the table so abruptly they all turn their heads toward me.
“I’ll see you at practice.”
“But we were going to eat.” Clay blurts out, his brows pinching together. “Aren’t you hungry?”
“It’s fine. Dad wants to talk. He just sent me a text.”
“Oh, okay. See you later,” Clay mutters and focuses on Benson.
I’m not listening to them anymore. I wheel around and saunter straight to the library. As soon as I step inside, I realize it’s even more deserted than last time. Only the librarian is here, reading a book and ignoring me. Not that it doesn’t suit me. I scan the room and lock eyes with Ava. She holds my gaze, then turns the corner, hiding behind the rows of books.
At the table where she left her stuff, I put my backpack on the floor and follow her. She’s leaning on a bookshelf, a seductive grin spread across her lips. She knew I would come.
I stalk over to her, wrap an arm around her waist, and pull her into my chest. “I missed you.”
Ava leans forward, standing on her tiptoes. Her mouth is an inch away from my own. “Then prove it.”
I smirk, then I smash my lips onto hers. Damn. Being on time for practice will be extremely hard. I have no desire to let her go.
